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wpe13.jpg (28775 bytes)    Leica M5: yesterday's outcast, today's star?

Funny, how time changes things.   When introduced in 1971, the Leica M5  was usually condemned because of its large size-- despite the fact that the M5 was the first M with TTL metering.    I suspect that if it were introduced today, the size would not be that big an issue.  Beside a N90s or F5, the M5 looks downright small.

 

Today the M5 is often overlooked as a serious user, but I think it deserves a lot more attention as a great shooter with notable features: 

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The M5's rewind lever is ratcheted and on the baseplate, both M firsts.  The M5's rewind lever is larger than the other M's, making it larger and faster to use.

 

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Notice even the interior of the baseplate is nicely finished...something you don't see on later Leicas.

 

Unfortunately for Leica, the M5 was not a sales success.  New M5's  were sitting on dealer's shelves for   years after production was stopped.  For decades the M5 existed in relative obscurity as "the Leica failure," a title I don't think it really deserves.  As explained on my CL page, I think a most of the M5's sales problems had to do with the lower priced and extremely successful Leica CL.   Nevertheless, the M5 took the fall and its excellent body has not been  reintroduced.     The M5 was rediscovered about 1994 by Japanese collectors.  Used prices more than doubled, and maintained there.     Today the M5 offers collectors important historical features, and shooters important shooting advantages.

 

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Yesterday's and today's Leicas, the IIIf Red Dial, M6 TTL, and M5.

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The M5 is roughly the size of the Canon 7s, and much smaller than today's AF SLRs like the Nikon 90s. 

 

Instead of reading how "large" the M5 is in the various Leica books, try it for yourself.  You might be pleasantly surprised by its fit in your hands and its immanently usable features.


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Revised: November 25, 2003 Copyright © 1998-2002  Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved.    This means you may NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY kind.  Information in this document is subject to change without notice.  Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.