The first like 15,000 M4-P have brass top and bottom plates. After the M6 released they started making the M4-P out of the same material as the M6, which has the paint bubbling issues. Of which only about 9,000 M4-P were made out of that material.
I would like to add to this my own thoughts, I had an M4-2 and exchanged it for an M2, at the time I spent around a thousand dollars for the M4-2 and the M2 was worth about the same, the M4-2 was great, but something about the M2 just felt better, the brass body has a very nice heft to it, and I like the film advance much more, if you look at picture, the little hook it has on the end catches your thumb, the plastic on the newer models liked to kind-of slip off my thumb. Now, my pros and cons, the M4-2 can get beaten up, like a lot, took a two meter fall on some very thin carpet, worked just fine, the body feels cheeper than the M2, and the rangefiner has a more natural yellowish tone. The M2 has a cold viewfiner, and mine is currently broken, the shutter gives me half of the frame dark and half bright, and the 50mm frameline don't show correctly, the rewind knob is a pain, but can be learned to use, and I actually prefer it on the last bit where the rewind gets hard, on the M4-2 I felt like I might snap my fingers off or the lever itself, and you need an adapter to usses flash with it. Both of these cameras are amazing, but for the price, I would go for an M2, or maybe the original M4, which is what I am doing now, I should get the M4 in a couple weeks and I'm planning to swap out the film advance and self timer levers, the frameline one is more ergonomic on the newer bodies, the self timer I don't use so I would like less ergonomy, and the advance lever from the M2 is in my opinion just nicer to use. but all of this is very subjective, it really depends on which one just fits you better, I landed on the M2 after a hexar RF, mM4-2, canon a1 and a couple others, just because I don't feel the camera when I shoot, I don't know I have a leica, I just have this nicely weighted brick, that is stuck to my hand by the advance lever, I know that I just took a shot, nothing felt strange, the shutter sounded nice, the rewind didn't catch at any point and it was smooth, and I just move on, so both camera are great, why the hell am I writing thiss I don't know-- sorry for anyone who took the time to read this.......
I did had a M2 prior to getting the M4-2, unfortunately my M2's viewfinder was in pretty bad shape, I had to return it for refund. But I absolutely love the M2 in terms of smooth operation and the full metal advance lever. M4-2's plastic lever just never felt right.
I find the thinner base films like Fomapan seem harder to load in the M4 / M4-2 / M4-P models for some reason while Ilford and Kodak seem to take on the first try. I typically put a little fold or kink in the leader end so it does not slip out of the quick load spool as easily.
Only the early M6 models had problems with bubbling. Everything else will be absolutely fine. Even heavily used Leica M6s look very good (and will work for at least one lifetime, if serviced). Instead of brassing you might get silver shining through the black chrome coating, But that's it. The brass top is not "superior", just more sought after.
Thank you for the explanation, my problem with M6s is the widely reported problem with the shutter curtain light leaks. And of course the fact Leica announced the discontinuation of the circuit board for M6/M6TTL repairs
@@TheGizmoGarage I am thinking about getting a M6. If my research is correct, the circuit board does not really matter in the end because even if it fails, you will just lose the light meter. I understand many people got M6 for the light meter but the unfortunate event of circuit board failure would not break the whole camera because you still get the mechanical shutter which does not require battery to operate.
@@TheGizmoGarage True, but you do pay a premium to get that meter. Looks like the M6 is bringing a good $1000 more than many M4, M4-2 and M4-P models are right now. A year ago they were a good $1500 more but looks like M6 prices are dropping recently.
Really difficult for me to watch this video bc you keep shaking the camera. You talk with your hands a lot, which is fine, but plz set the camera down.
The first like 15,000 M4-P have brass top and bottom plates. After the M6 released they started making the M4-P out of the same material as the M6, which has the paint bubbling issues. Of which only about 9,000 M4-P were made out of that material.
I would like to add to this my own thoughts, I had an M4-2 and exchanged it for an M2, at the time I spent around a thousand dollars for the M4-2 and the M2 was worth about the same, the M4-2 was great, but something about the M2 just felt better, the brass body has a very nice heft to it, and I like the film advance much more, if you look at picture, the little hook it has on the end catches your thumb, the plastic on the newer models liked to kind-of slip off my thumb.
Now, my pros and cons, the M4-2 can get beaten up, like a lot, took a two meter fall on some very thin carpet, worked just fine, the body feels cheeper than the M2, and the rangefiner has a more natural yellowish tone.
The M2 has a cold viewfiner, and mine is currently broken, the shutter gives me half of the frame dark and half bright, and the 50mm frameline don't show correctly, the rewind knob is a pain, but can be learned to use, and I actually prefer it on the last bit where the rewind gets hard, on the M4-2 I felt like I might snap my fingers off or the lever itself, and you need an adapter to usses flash with it.
Both of these cameras are amazing, but for the price, I would go for an M2, or maybe the original M4, which is what I am doing now, I should get the M4 in a couple weeks and I'm planning to swap out the film advance and self timer levers, the frameline one is more ergonomic on the newer bodies, the self timer I don't use so I would like less ergonomy, and the advance lever from the M2 is in my opinion just nicer to use.
but all of this is very subjective, it really depends on which one just fits you better, I landed on the M2 after a hexar RF, mM4-2, canon a1 and a couple others, just because I don't feel the camera when I shoot, I don't know I have a leica, I just have this nicely weighted brick, that is stuck to my hand by the advance lever, I know that I just took a shot, nothing felt strange, the shutter sounded nice, the rewind didn't catch at any point and it was smooth, and I just move on, so both camera are great, why the hell am I writing thiss I don't know--
sorry for anyone who took the time to read this.......
I did had a M2 prior to getting the M4-2, unfortunately my M2's viewfinder was in pretty bad shape, I had to return it for refund. But I absolutely love the M2 in terms of smooth operation and the full metal advance lever. M4-2's plastic lever just never felt right.
Nice review !!!
This is very helpful-in San Francisco they have 50mm summicron and Leica m4-2, debating on which one I should get 😭
I find the thinner base films like Fomapan seem harder to load in the M4 / M4-2 / M4-P models for some reason while Ilford and Kodak seem to take on the first try. I typically put a little fold or kink in the leader end so it does not slip out of the quick load spool as easily.
Yes, I actually like the old M2 non-quick load spool, it's a lot easier and faster to load.
you could have been going with the leica cl. it also has the 40mm frame lines and a bit of the leica feeling :)
Yep! Will find a chance to test it but now I am really happy with my Minolta XD7
Great review! Will hopefully buy one this year🤘
Good choice! One of the better value in the M line-up
Only the early M6 models had problems with bubbling. Everything else will be absolutely fine. Even heavily used Leica M6s look very good (and will work for at least one lifetime, if serviced). Instead of brassing you might get silver shining through the black chrome coating, But that's it. The brass top is not "superior", just more sought after.
Thank you for the explanation, my problem with M6s is the widely reported problem with the shutter curtain light leaks. And of course the fact Leica announced the discontinuation of the circuit board for M6/M6TTL repairs
@@TheGizmoGarage I am thinking about getting a M6. If my research is correct, the circuit board does not really matter in the end because even if it fails, you will just lose the light meter. I understand many people got M6 for the light meter but the unfortunate event of circuit board failure would not break the whole camera because you still get the mechanical shutter which does not require battery to operate.
@@KeeeeenW That is correct, even if light meter fails you can still use it as a mechanical camera.
@@TheGizmoGarage True, but you do pay a premium to get that meter. Looks like the M6 is bringing a good $1000 more than many M4, M4-2 and M4-P models are right now. A year ago they were a good $1500 more but looks like M6 prices are dropping recently.
Really difficult for me to watch this video bc you keep shaking the camera. You talk with your hands a lot, which is fine, but plz set the camera down.
Thank you for your feedback.