Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/08/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]James, I have been using the HM since the beginning of this year and it has become my "standard" 2nd body. I am primarily a wide angle shooter, 21/24/28 and the 35. With the HM you can use the 35, the viewfinder makes it difficult to see the 35 frames, but for most shooting it doesn,t matter that much. My usual kit include a 21 on one body, the 35 on another and the HM with the 50 or 75 on the third. This covers most of my needs for work or just plain shooting "for the hell of it". I have found that the HM has given new life to my 135/4 Tele-Elmar. It was used as a paperweight for a long time and now it comes along quite frequently. This is one of the unsung heros of Leica lenses. Sharp,contrasty and much, much lighter than the 135/2,8. If I had to put together a kit today, I would probably go with a M6HM and either another M4P or even a M2 as a second body, dedicated to the wideangle. The HM would be the "meter" and the M4P/M2 the "quick draw" wide angle camera. The finder in the HM is by far the most contrasty, brightest finder I have ever seen on a M-camera. It is so good that I even got rid of one of my M2's ( this is a decison not lightly taken, in my mind the M2 is the epitome of Leica) and ordered another M6HM. ( I have a rule, all my cameras must fit into one, albeit large, camera bag and there was no way I could fit the 2nd HM body and the M2 at same time, also the M2 was almost mint, in chrome and I like my M2's well used and in black). I would highly recommmend the HM . Tom A