Richard G
Mentor
Recently there was a very nice M3 review linked here on RFF. It reminded me that I had had for some time an idea to put down my thoughts on the M2. The recent sad news and Tom Abrahamsson's love of the M2 and his championing of it inspired me to get to work.
The 1958 brown leather every ready case is not quite brown, but has a burgundy undertone. It has a darker less cheerful look than say the pure brown Rollleiflex case. The leather has a hard, flat firmness to it. The colour of the lining is hard to call too, a bluey grey. The unassuming package already signals that something not quite ordinary lies within.
Out of the case the M2 is an imposing machine, and yet understated. It has the look of one who does not age, the lines not much different to a modern M9-P and very close to the MA and the MP. The M3 lines are anchored in the 1940s, with the bumps around the glass windows and the band on which the RF window sits, art deco style. The M2 lines are purer and simpler and the design sits happily anywhere in the century, even in this century, or an earlier one with that wonderful external frame counter like some fine 17th century mechanical contrivance. The finish of a mint M2 is if anything better than the modern cameras, especially the lustre of the chrome and the shine of the polished chrome of the ring around the shutter button. The mating of this perfect chrome sheen to any modern chrome lens also erodes a confident dating of the camera. The Vulcanite does not shine like the modern versions and its imitations, and its dull non-reflective surface only enhances the chrome and increases the sense of the M2’s serious purpose as a tool.
The advance lever is an exceedingly elegant set of curves. In operation it is very sweet. In use, or is it perhaps in storage, the end of the lever dents the shutter speed dial. Perhaps this is only in the hands of those who allow the lever to slap back home and hit the shutter speed dial. The rewind knob with its sharp knurling, smooth elevation and clutched operation is spare and elegant and efficient and so perfect in conception and operation that it was revived for the modern film Leicas. It is also a key component when shooting the film, as the rotation of the central post’s polished chrome top and two red dots signals that the film is definitely advancing.
The viewfinder is astonishing. Some photographers never really get the Leica or its rangefinder and are deeply underwhelmed by the M2 or any rangefinder camera. Once the marvels of parallax corrected frame lines are understood, including especially maintaining sight of the field outside the frame, the joy of the M2 VF eclipses all the others, the 50 frame lines alone, or the 35 or the 90.
The shutter button is perfect. It travels smoothly down and trips the shutter some way before the bottom of its travel. Squeezing off a shot with a 1/4s shutter speed is so much more achievable with the M2 than with the M6 or the M9-P as the electronic contacts for the meter and other requirements interfere with the travel and the button must descend lower to trip the shutter. The shutter sounds different for every shutter speed. The 1/15s and 1/30s are the sweetest.
The E Leitz Wetzlar 1958 Leica M2 differs hardly at all from the latest Leica AG film camera, the MA, released nearly 60 years later. Holding this ageless machine, cut to the bare essentials of photography, quiet, dense, precise and clear, offers a liberation from mental and physical clutter, allowing the photographer to look and see and make a photograph with the minimum of fuss.
F1000034 by Richard, on Flickr
The 1958 brown leather every ready case is not quite brown, but has a burgundy undertone. It has a darker less cheerful look than say the pure brown Rollleiflex case. The leather has a hard, flat firmness to it. The colour of the lining is hard to call too, a bluey grey. The unassuming package already signals that something not quite ordinary lies within.
Out of the case the M2 is an imposing machine, and yet understated. It has the look of one who does not age, the lines not much different to a modern M9-P and very close to the MA and the MP. The M3 lines are anchored in the 1940s, with the bumps around the glass windows and the band on which the RF window sits, art deco style. The M2 lines are purer and simpler and the design sits happily anywhere in the century, even in this century, or an earlier one with that wonderful external frame counter like some fine 17th century mechanical contrivance. The finish of a mint M2 is if anything better than the modern cameras, especially the lustre of the chrome and the shine of the polished chrome of the ring around the shutter button. The mating of this perfect chrome sheen to any modern chrome lens also erodes a confident dating of the camera. The Vulcanite does not shine like the modern versions and its imitations, and its dull non-reflective surface only enhances the chrome and increases the sense of the M2’s serious purpose as a tool.
The advance lever is an exceedingly elegant set of curves. In operation it is very sweet. In use, or is it perhaps in storage, the end of the lever dents the shutter speed dial. Perhaps this is only in the hands of those who allow the lever to slap back home and hit the shutter speed dial. The rewind knob with its sharp knurling, smooth elevation and clutched operation is spare and elegant and efficient and so perfect in conception and operation that it was revived for the modern film Leicas. It is also a key component when shooting the film, as the rotation of the central post’s polished chrome top and two red dots signals that the film is definitely advancing.
The viewfinder is astonishing. Some photographers never really get the Leica or its rangefinder and are deeply underwhelmed by the M2 or any rangefinder camera. Once the marvels of parallax corrected frame lines are understood, including especially maintaining sight of the field outside the frame, the joy of the M2 VF eclipses all the others, the 50 frame lines alone, or the 35 or the 90.
The shutter button is perfect. It travels smoothly down and trips the shutter some way before the bottom of its travel. Squeezing off a shot with a 1/4s shutter speed is so much more achievable with the M2 than with the M6 or the M9-P as the electronic contacts for the meter and other requirements interfere with the travel and the button must descend lower to trip the shutter. The shutter sounds different for every shutter speed. The 1/15s and 1/30s are the sweetest.
The E Leitz Wetzlar 1958 Leica M2 differs hardly at all from the latest Leica AG film camera, the MA, released nearly 60 years later. Holding this ageless machine, cut to the bare essentials of photography, quiet, dense, precise and clear, offers a liberation from mental and physical clutter, allowing the photographer to look and see and make a photograph with the minimum of fuss.
F1000034 by Richard, on Flickr
ChrisLivsey
Mentor
I understand the modern convention to show appreciation is to award:- an uptick
One of my M2 cameras (taken with a demo M240/ my 50mm Zeiss Sonnar at f2 coded as f1.4 50mm) with mounted chrome 35mm Summicron IV, very appropriately fitted with one of Tom Abrahamsson's Rapidwinders and RFF special edition Softie.
One of my M2 cameras (taken with a demo M240/ my 50mm Zeiss Sonnar at f2 coded as f1.4 50mm) with mounted chrome 35mm Summicron IV, very appropriately fitted with one of Tom Abrahamsson's Rapidwinders and RFF special edition Softie.
Richard G
Mentor
Thanks Chris. Forgot the obvious: a photo of my 1958 button rewind. Now added (Olympus OM2n with 50 3.5 Macro). Yours is beautiful too....
FujiLove
Well-known
Thanks Richard - It's a pleasure to read a review that's founded on one's love of a camera, rather than another overly technical assessment. I bought my first M2 just before Christmas and have to agree with every word. It's a sublime little machine. My original intention was to pay for the M2 with the sale of my M3, but upon seeing the two cameras together, my other half said, "you can't sell that - it's too beautiful". So I've come to two conclusions:
1. The answer to the endless argument over whether the M2 or M3 is the better camera is that the pair is greater than the sum of the parts.
2. I possibly have the best girlfriend in the world!
All the best
J
1. The answer to the endless argument over whether the M2 or M3 is the better camera is that the pair is greater than the sum of the parts.
2. I possibly have the best girlfriend in the world!
All the best
J
telenous
Well-known
Thanks for the nice review and tribute to Tom. The M2 is pared down yet it has all that is needed in an M camera and no more. Truly Spartan, the M2 is the essential Leica in my opinion too.
.
.
ChrisLivsey
Mentor
Thought it odd you didn't add, they are all beautiful.
It would not I think be out of place to add this shot from T&Ts Flickr taken by Tom's friend Chris Cameron in tribute:
Constant companions
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rapidwinder/32179940296/in/dateposted/
giulio stucchi
Well-known
[FONT="]Nice thoughts Richard.
[/FONT][FONT="]It would be nice to dedicate a week or month to Tom A, shooting only with an M2 + 35mm and posting the result [FONT="]on a t[FONT="]hread.[/FONT][/FONT]
Both my M2s [/FONT][FONT="]are out for a refreshing CLA right now but I will make sure to take them out for a walk once back home.
Giulio[/FONT]
[/FONT][FONT="]It would be nice to dedicate a week or month to Tom A, shooting only with an M2 + 35mm and posting the result [FONT="]on a t[FONT="]hread.[/FONT][/FONT]
Both my M2s [/FONT][FONT="]are out for a refreshing CLA right now but I will make sure to take them out for a walk once back home.
Giulio[/FONT]
ktmrider
Well-known
I know this is an older thread but I just read it and well written. M2 is my favorite film M but trying to figure out if there is something I am missing on the M3 (least owned and used film M).
I started a thread about why M3 might be better and first post is M3 made better and looks better. Looks is in the eye of the user and not sure M3 was made better (not talking about simplified features).
Anyway, great write up.
I started a thread about why M3 might be better and first post is M3 made better and looks better. Looks is in the eye of the user and not sure M3 was made better (not talking about simplified features).
Anyway, great write up.
Richard G
Mentor
Thanks for comments and revisiting this. The counter in my M6 went haywire and the disk had to be glued. The totally tactile M2 frame counter is decried as a cheap option but it’s eternal and may be the inspiration for the M5 shutter speed dial.
ktmrider
Well-known
My current M2 is a 1958 button rewind CLA'ed by Youxin Ye about three years ago. I sold it to a friend who had never owned a Leica and recently talked him into trading the M2 for an M5 I had been using.
I think the M5 might be the best shooter, especially if you want a meter as I think it uses the same frame masks as the M2 except adding the metering circle for 50 and of course the 135. The single frame lines are what make the M2 my favorite. If I can find one with the M4 loading system, it will be a keeper.
I think the M5 might be the best shooter, especially if you want a meter as I think it uses the same frame masks as the M2 except adding the metering circle for 50 and of course the 135. The single frame lines are what make the M2 my favorite. If I can find one with the M4 loading system, it will be a keeper.
rfaspen
[insert pithy phrase here]
Of all my film bodies, my M2 is my absolute favorite. Lately, I pause and think about Tom when I get it from the cupboard.
I also think how cool it would be if my M2 was sporting a Rapidwinder.
I also think how cool it would be if my M2 was sporting a Rapidwinder.
Leica offered a Quick Load kit sometime in the late 60's after the introduction of the M4. It had a newer style of removable film spool and associated guide fitted to baseplate for faster loading. I put one in my button-rewind M2 back then. Seems unlikely there would be any still new-in-box nowadays but something to keep an eye out for! I'm not sure if the kit will also fit an M3...
Just a little detail on the M2 RF... M2's have Depth of Field indicators built into the rangefinder patch. Notice the little cutouts on the upper and lower edges of the RF image. The cutouts indicate Depth of Field for 50mm lenses at f/5.6 (lower cutout) and f/16(larger upper cutout). If the double image is within the cutout, either in front of or behind the focused object, both objects will be acceptably sharp. This feature was not continued with later M's.