Button versus Lever rewind M2's

[tony_salce]

Thinking of getting an M2. Any comments from users of the M2

comparing the button to the lever rewind. Is the button rewind a

pain ?

 

I have heard that button rewind can be smoother than their lever

rewind counterparts. Any comments on this ?

 

Regards,

 

Tony

[john_r._fulton_jr.]

I've only had lever and they work just fine. Be aware that the lever rewind has

a self-timer. The button does not.

[al_kaplan1]

The button rewind works just fine. Holding the button in while rewinding isn't a big deal. The lever rewind bodies, for a large part of their production, were available both with and without a self timer. The ones with a self timer were cataloged as M2-S, at least in the U.S. catalogs. In the early 1960's the M2 was $200, the M2-S was $250 and the M3 was listed at $288.

[john_boyle3]

I've had a button rewind M2 for over 30 years and have never had any problem with it. I actually prefer it over my M4. If you find one in good condition, buy it.

[john_collier2]

I have never heard that before. My lever rewind (LR) M2 with no self timer is pretty

darn smooth. Most button rewind (BR) cameras have to have the button contiuously

held down while rewinding. This is a major pain* and why BR cameras are cheaper

than LR cameras. The last BR cameras have a button that locks down and are just as

easy to rewind as a LR camera but still are cheaper due the stigma of having a BR.

 

* Remember you also have to hold the rewind knob from spinning back too.

[james mitchell dc]

My M2 has a button rewind release, and all I do is push it in and rewind. I don't have to hold it or keep the rewind lever from spinning. DAG installed the quick load into the camera and CLAd it not too long ago, so maybe he has assisted the ease of operation. My only complaint is that the button is too easy to push in accidentally. Then again, all you need to do is pull it back out with a fingernail.

[Bill Blackwell Images]

Find a lever rewind. The button rewind is prone to getting pushed by accident when shooting vertically causing unwanted double exposures. Also, the lever units hold their value much better than those with the button. On the other hand, I would look for the button model with a self-timer to be a collectable at some point; there were very few of these produced.