[Leica] Re: Poll is over...M5...

["M.E.Berube - GoodPhotos" <meb@goodphotos.com>]

B.D.;

Please remember that bunches of us are on the Digest format of LUG. It 
means having to wade through messes of fully quoted messages over and over 
again to get to the small relevant comments (please edit the original 
posted material to that which is absolutely required to make your 
responses.) Digest subscription also means being a bit out of timesynch 
with those of you not on the digest, but it surely beats loading my inbox 
with hundreds of posts daily in aggregate and having to sort out the LUG 
from all of the less fun emails that I get paid to sort through in my real 
job. I would have not replied with more information but I didn't read your 
call for an end to comments until about midway through Digest #227 (which 
also contained my follow up post.)

Julian;

I've only had my M5 for a few months, but I like it because it has a built 
in great 8* spot meter that uses very little power, isn't distracting and 
tells me plainly how many stops I'm over/under at a glance (on the other 
hand, it's a bit harder to see in really low light.) It has a self timer, 
hot shoe and X and M synchs. One point that I thought I wouldn't like 
because I find it less visually appealing is the shutter speed dial that I 
can operate easily with an index finger AND see in the VF. Using it I can 
make adjustments without taking my eye from the VF/subject. The ONLY things 
I would change is I would rather the M5 have an M3 style advance lever, a 
bit faster flash synch (1/90 would even be ok) and all Ms should come stock 
with Tom A's soft release.

It's boxier shape and heft has grown on me. I don't mind the black chrome, 
but a nice brass/black paint M5 might have had it better received by users 
of it's day. I added a 'reviled' red dot to mine just joking around and 
ended up leaving it there because I think it muchly improves the beauty 
(and would make it much easier to spot in a crowd, should we ever get 
separated.) Muggings in Maine (where I try to stay to make photographs) are 
very rare because "would be thieves" know that we are all heavily armed and 
a bit mad. :-) Anyone dumb enough to chance it wouldn't know a Leica from a 
Lubitel so the small bit of vanity is safe from acerebral troglodytes.

Carpe Lumen,
Michael E. Berube
http://www.goodphotos.com