Leica M5 the Ugly Duckling
- Simon P M Johnson
- May 25, 2015
- 1 min read
It is no secret that Leica's M5 rangefinder is considered among many to be the 'thorn' in the side of Leica's illustrious family lineage. I say a Thorn never hurt so good.
Many may not see it's shimmer behind it's bulkier flat frame-lines but it really has some great features which I think people overlooked at the time and still do today. Wiki tells it best
The M5 departed from the traditional silhouette of the Leica rangefinders, that had little changed since the M3 (1954). The height and width of the body were larger (H 84 mm x W 150 mm x D 36 mm), and the body heavier (ca. 100 g more than other M cameras). The folding film rewinding crank hides in the bottom plate. The self-timer arm and the field-of-view preselector (now on the M5 additionally with battery test function) are of the same design as the Leica M4 (1967). The M5 was the last M to feature a mechanical self-timer (duration 5–10 seconds). The M5 incorporates an improved rapid film loading spool design over the M4. The M5 has a rapid transport lever which winds the shutter and advances the film and the frame counter in one single motion, or in a series of shorter motions. A marker for the film plane is engraved on the top of the camera housing. The M5's redesigned horizontal travelling cloth focal plane shutter is reported to be the quietest of the M series.
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