I've shot enough on mirrorless, DSLRs, SLRs, Rangefinders, and TLRs to know what focal lengths match my style. I have plenty of 35mm and 50mm experience to know I can make great images, but don't enjoy it. Also, Gerry is correct that 6x7 and 3x2 make equivalencies fuzzy. I have shot 40mm on 3x2 before, so I am aware of what I am getting into.
Also, people always rag on the M5. It doesn't float everyones boat, but it has real advantages. The larger body works for people with bigger hands, it balances well with bigger lenses, and sometimes the weight helps you shoot at slower shutter speeds. I read all the time that the shutter speed dial is so much easier to use. Also the metering. Yes, the stalk is a potential weak point. However, some people (like me) want a built in spot meter. The viewfinder doesn't have a bunch of frame lines cluttering things up and it has a match-needle indicator. As someone who had a Nikon FE and borrowed a friend's FM, I prefer the match-needle to LED lights. Viewfinder also shows your shutter speed! Finally, some people like the fact that it is the last hand-build "adjust and fit" camera Leica ever made.
The disadvantages for me are: No 28mm frame lines, need a battery adapter or a wein-cell, servicing is practically a one woman show, and a lack of replacement parts. There are a lot of techs that can CLA an M6. So I have ruled out the M5.
Re: New to Leica: Questions Regarding 28mm and 40mm
I've shot enough on mirrorless, DSLRs, SLRs, Rangefinders, and TLRs to know what focal lengths match my style. I have plenty of 35mm and 50mm experience to know I can make great images, but don't enjoy it. Also, Gerry is correct that 6x7 and 3x2 make equivalencies fuzzy. I have shot 40mm on 3x2 before, so I am aware of what I am getting into.
Also, people always rag on the M5. It doesn't float everyones boat, but it has real advantages. The larger body works for people with bigger hands, it balances well with bigger lenses, and sometimes the weight helps you shoot at slower shutter speeds. The shutter speed dial is so much easier to use. Also the metering. Yes, the stalk is a potential weak point. However, some people (like me) want a built in spot meter. The viewfinder doesn't have a bunch of frame lines cluttering things up and it has a match-needle indicator. As someone who had a Nikon FE and borrowed a friend's FM, I prefer the match-needle to LED lights. Viewfinder also shows your shutter speed! Finally, some people like the fact that it is the last hand-build "adjust and fit" camera Leica ever made.
The disadvantages for me are: No 28mm frame lines, need a battery adapter or a wein-cell, servicing is practically a one woman show, and a lack of replacement parts. There are a lot of techs that can CLA an M6. So I have ruled out the M5.
Oct 11, 2023 at 10:34 PM
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