bhonhoff

<p>If you are talking heavy and difficult to handle, try the combination I am using for my M2.<br>

An Visoflex III with bellow and an Elmar 135:4 ...hand held...<br>

The M2 is the lightest by far....<br>

Good pictures though, even full open on 4!</p>

 

<p>I just brought a mint Leica M2 two weeks ago for 400 euro (around 600 $). Build in 1963. With Quickload spool. On a Photografica Event.<br>

On a eBay clone here in Holland a guy insisted to want more than 600 euro (900 dollars!) for a not so good looking M2, which needs next to an CLA (175 euro with Will van Maanen if I remember it well) a lot of loving care..</p>

<p>I own my Jupiter 35mm about 39 years now and if you are shooting outdoors, forget the Jupiter. Flare, flare, flare!! I repainted the chrome parts mat black inside the barrel, but that didn't help.<br>

If there is no sunshine nearby - Holland does have sunny days - it is a great performer. Sharp (2.8 is rather useless) at 5.6<br>

If I can find some shots scanned and from this 35mm (I brought a Summilux later for my M2) I will add them. The Voigtlander looks a better choice for me anytime!</p>

<p>I've owned several Leica Rs and can confirm the same issue on an R4 and an R5. It is not only the long travel, but also the pressure you have to put on to actually make the picture. For me it was the reason to upgrade from an R4 to an R5 where at least with the [P] set to 1/250 sec I got sharper images on point and shoot pictures. The R3 has a much better shutter button. Comparable with an Nikon F2 but not as smooth as an Nikon F3, which is as smooth as an M2 (my long time companion for more than 23+ years)</p>

<p>I brought a Zorki 4K new in 1976 in the Netherlands for appr. $100.<br>

I've used this camera heavily in my roaring student years before I moved to an Leica M2.<br>

(First with the Jupiter 8 lens, not much later a Summicron 50mm)<br>

The Zorki is (like the FEDs) comparable with the Leica screw mounts. The shutter speed knob will rotate during firing. It is much louder than the Leica M series and also louder than an Leica IIIc/f I own as well. The 1/500 is probably more an 1/400 and the 1/1000 more an 1/750. The speed of the shutter is not even at higher speeds either. (At the end the closing shutter curtain is to fast, leaving a darker area in the end.)<br>

The shutter is also notably louder than my Leica IIIf ('CLACK' compared to 'Click')<br>

BTW. The M2 shutter would be 'click'.<br>

Temperature, moist is not a problem: Take the film out and dry the camera on the heating. If the camera is over 50 degrees Celsius the moist is gone.<br>

(I didn't try this with my Leica's)<br>

The Jupiter 8 lens is a copy of an pre-war Zeiss lens. The lens is sharp and of a similar quality like the Zorki.<br>

Other disadvantages of the lens are:<br>

- the diaphragma select is not clickable (easily altered without knowing)<br>

- the numbers are painted (might fade away)<br>

I didn't compare the Jupiter 8 with my screwmount Elmar 3.5/50mm.</p>