Leica issued the M2, the second of its M series of rangefinder cameras, in 1957 and continued manufacturing the camera until 1968. Although designed as a less expensive version of the M3, the first of the Leica M rangefinders, it was still intended for use by professional photographers. Leica continues to manufacture the M series.
Shutter Speed
The shutter speed of an M2 ranges from 1 second to 1/1000th of a second. It also has a bulb setting to allow the user to keep the shutter open for long exposures. A lightning bolt on the shutter speed dial is at 1/50th of a second, which marks the fastest speed at which an electronic flash will properly synchronize with the camera shutter.
Rangefinder
A rangefinder is in the center of a camera's viewfinder and is the spot that photographers watch when focusing an image. M2 rangefinders have a framelines for 35 mm, 50 mm and 90 mm lenses and have a magnification of 0.72x. This is a lower magnification than the previously released M3, which results in reduced focusing precision for lenses other than 35mm.
Flash
The M2 has a cold shoe, located on the top of the camera and designed to hold a flash or other accessories, such as a light meter or a magnifier. A flash that sits on the M2 cold shoe connects to the camera via the synchronized cable connector at the back of the camera.
Light Meter
The Leica M2 does not have a built-in light meter. Photographers wanting to use a light meter with the M2 to help determine accurate exposure settings must use a hand-held meter or a meter that attaches to the camera's cold shoe.
Film
The M2 accepts 135 mm film, also called 35mm film. The camera works with film speeds up to ISO 1300.
Dimensions and Weight
The M2 is approximately 5.5 inches long, 3 inches tall and 1.5 inches wide. It weighs approximately 1.25 lbs.
Camera Covering
The majority of M2 camera bodies are chrome, although a select few were also painted black, making the black M2 one of the rarest of the entire Leica M series. The M2 is wrapped in a material Leica calls vulcanite, which is black, textured vulcanized rubber. Over time, the vulcanite can disintegrate and fall off of the camera. When this occurs, the remaining vulcanite is typically scraped off the camera and a new vinyl or leather covering is applied because vulcanite cannot be replaced.
Tags: cold shoe, light meter, shutter speed
