M motor

[michel_vandeput]

Dear Leica friends,

I have the opportunity to buy a just as new M6 Leica motor. Do you

think it's a helpful accessory? If you have one, do you use it often,

sometimes or never?

Thanks for your advice and best regards from Belgium.

Michel

[paul hart]

Michel: I suppose you could answer this question yourself by asking, "How often do I take several shots in rapid succession?"

 

In other words, it depends on your photographic interests and style. I wouldn't find it useful at all, so it would add unnecessary bulk.

 

I must say I have noticed quite a few of these being advertised for sale as 'little used' or 'unused' (see the thread immediately below this one) - which may speak for itself.

[steve_barnett2]

The current M Motor is useful if the action in front of you is moving quickly, and particularly if you want to guesstimate some overhead shots. It is also a comfy grip if you have large hands or fingers like sausages. I like mine when I do use it, but companies such as Canon or Nikon do motors so much better.

[yong_shin1]

If you do a lot of portrait work with, say, 75/1.4 and above(e.g. when focusing work needs to be quick and critical) , I think it is a very good accessory. Doing such work, you can easily run down several rolls in no time. You, though, need to get used to that strange feeling propagating to your right hand index finger if you know what I mean.

[george_shihanian]

Paul Hart,

 

Please don't draw any conclusions from my sale posting below to which you refer. It is foolish to draw a conclusion without first knowing any facts. As is evident from the ads I posted, I am selling my "M' Leicas, and will then, of course, have no need for a motor and THAT is why I'm selling mine. It IS a finely made tool, just like the Leica cameras, and is indeed handy as a grip too.

[lee_shively]

As noted above, it depends on the type of photography you intend to do. Personally, I wouldn't consider using a motor on a Leica rangefinder--it would defeat my reason for using a small, quiet camera.

[Rob F.]

What Yong Shin is saying is that after each exposure, the motor kicks the shutter release back up again; and your trigger finger along with it. For someone like me who has been using the Leica without a motor for some 50 years, it makes the camera feel possessed! For someone else, who is perhaps more open to change, it would be fine . . .

[jim_mcbride]

Michel: I use motors on my (gasp!) Nikons, but I wouldn't even think about using

motors on my Leicas - Leica photography is altogether different.

[john_collier2]

I bought a few of the Winder-Ms for my cameras. I overhauled them so they were

quiet and then have only used them a handful of times since. I much prefer my

Rapidwinders. YMMV

[jay_.]

I got one of the M4-2 winders (the later# that works on M6 and up)and an early Winder-M (renamed M4-P winder)with the "Leitz" logo, for total $100. They both "kicked" like mules, but after following an adjustment procedure I got off the net a long time ago, they're very quiet and smooth. They also take simple AA's of all varieties including lithium or NiMH, and don't have the obxoxious grip tube of the current motor. After I got my M7's I had to cut off the little tab that opens the old Leica reloadable cassettes, because of the DX contacts in the camera body. That said, like most people I rarely use the winders. But they were so cheap I'm okay with it. $400-500 for a Motor-M? No way.

[kelly_flanigan1]

OT; other motor drives that take some LTM lenses: <BR><BR> The Russian Lennigrad is leica thread mount camera; but has no roller cam. This means usually the longer than 50mm lenses may not fit; the camera requires a lens cam that is a cylinder; and not a stub; like many longer lenses have. Also the lens flange is recessed for the body; and some wide diameter lenses cannot be fitted. A Nikon 5cm F2 LTM will fit; all the Russian Jupiters and Industars will fit; a New LTM 50mm F2 summicron will NOT fit; a 50mm F1.2 Canon LTM will NOT fit. One can shoot about 3 frames per second; for about 12 frames. The motor is spring wound. We used this while dressed up in hockey gear; in the players bench; and while playing. The big knobs and wide knob are nice. The camera is loud as hell; it has frame markings for 5, 8.5, 13.5 cm lenses.

[skip_williams]

I love my Motor-M. I had a Rapidwinder for a few years and found it nice, but no comparison to the motor, for me. My stays on my M7 about 80% of the time, only coming off when I'm concerned about weight or size.

 

IME, highly recommended.

 

FYI, mine came from Leica a bit noisy, and needed Leica-NJ adjustment to be quieted down and smoothed out.

[andrew n.bra hrefhttp]

See also the v.detailed topic I have on the compact Motor-M in the FAQ I

maintain:<P>

 

[<A HREF="http://nemeng.com/leica/033b.shtml">

http://nemeng.com/leica/033b.shtml</A> ]

[ray .]

Motor drives are great. Problem is with the Leica it makes the camera too heavy. For the price of the motor drive you could get a used Hexar AF that's as light and compact as the M6 and has motor drive and other capabilities as well. Makes a nice high quality companion to your Leica.

[will_perlis]

and just enough bigger to be seriously annoying. I like the way the rig hangs from my fingers with the motor attached but it's not on the camera now.

 

What I'd like to see is a plain accessory grip with the motor battery case shape instead of the shallower one of the current grip.

[Alex_Es]

Michel,

 

I have the latest M motor and do like it. The "kick" is nicely absorbed by a classic "Softie" as Andrew says on his website. You might also check out what Stephen Gandy says about it on Cameraquest.

 

In my view its main problem is that it is vulnerable where the grip / battery case is joined to the motor body. Mine came apart and I had to have Leica's rep. here in Japan repair it under warrenty (which fortunately is 5 years). This happened about a year after I got it. They replaced the grip / battery case and it is working very nicely on my black M6 classic.

 

I do treat the motor with extra care, however. I would not take the chance of traveling with it. I travel with only Abrahamsson Rapidwinders.

 

My feeling is that it is better suited for the studio and fairly quiet environments. Probably fine for Belgium but not for Iraq.

 

Conclusion (subjective): This motor is fairly quiet and quite smooth. The kick is not a big deal--and, in fact, I get a light sensual thrill out of it (like the kick of a 30.06 rifle). You do need to be careful with it and assume that it might need repair at some point. Consider the price. If your opportunity comes with a warrenty all the better.

 

--Alex

[watts]

I have a motor-M on each of the two Ms that I use regularly. More

often than not I have the motor switched off. I simply like the

added size and bulk that the motor provides - especially if I'm

using a heavier lens like the 50/F1 or a 90 - and rarely take the

motor off. Perhaps I'm lazy but I often find the motor convenient if

I'm shooting with a tripod and cable release and making a

series of bracketed exposures.

[stuart d]

I tried the Motor-M alongside a TA Rapidwinder, and decided to go for the latter. The battery compartment was about 1/2 inch too short and perhaps 1/4 inch too wide for me to comfortably use as a grip, and I found that my index finger really had to reach back to press the shutter release. Adding a TA Softie helped a little, as my index finger didn't have to be centered over the shutter release. Still, I found the Motor-M to be an ergonomic nightmare.

[yong_shin1]

I used one on an M6 TTL body, and it threw off the shutter release point to a point where I had to press the release button all the way down to trip the shutter. I am not absolutely sure if it was caused by the motor but that was the first time that happened during my some 20 Ms' experience. I consulted a repair manual and did the adjustment DIY way. Such job does require a gauge but I relied on my finger sens(ation)e.

[Bill Blackwell Images]

I have one that I've used about three or four times (total). It weighs a ton after about 45 minutes around my neck and the grip is just too awkward for my taste (I don't have big hands). I would discourage anyone from buying one. It just isn't conducive to the kind of shooting I'm used to with my M camera(s). It's been a year since it's been on my camera. In fact, it will likely get sold before I use it again. If you must have a Leica motor, get the prior model (without the grip) for about $100. Just shop around and you�ll find one.

[ray_moth]

I like the Motor-M very much. Its advantages outweigh its snags, in my opinion. The grip and battery compartment is something you either like or hate. It's best to try one for yourself, if you can.

 

I used my Motor M for a year with M6TTL. I then took it off and used normal thumb-lever wind for several months. Finally, when I changed from M6TTL to M7, I started using the motor again. I think it suits the M7 better than the M6TTL. "What nonsense!" I hear people saying. Well, I have a good reason, namely, the M7's on/off switch. With the M7, I don't have to be concerned about putting the camera away with the shutter cocked (which is the normal condition after taking shots with the motor) thanks to the M7's wonderful switch, which makes sure I can't fire off a shot accidentally. This was always a concern when putting away the M6TTL with the motor attached, because the switch of the TTL doesn't block the shutter release.