Leica M5

Rangefinder camera with TTL metering. 3‑lug model.

— McKeown’s Price Guide, 1997–98, p. 240

{"overview":"The Leitz M5 is a 35mm rangefinder camera introduced in 1971, notable as the first M-series body with built-in through-the-lens metering via a swing-arm CdS cell. Two-lug early bodies are scarcer than the later three-lug version and can attract a premium when they appear in the saleroom.","buying_guide":"The built-in meter is the main concern — the CdS cell and its swing mechanism can fail, and battery conversion is usually required because the original mercury cell is no longer available. Inspect the rangefinder patch for contrast and alignment, check the shutter at slow speeds, and confirm the meter swing arm retracts cleanly when the shutter fires. Service is still offered by independent Leica specialists, but some meter parts are difficult to source, so a working meter adds meaningfully to the value.","specs":"35mm rangefinder with Leica M bayonet mount, mechanical cloth focal-plane shutter, and a built-in TTL CdS meter read via a moving arm in front of the shutter curtain.

Generated summary, 19 Apr 2026 — not checked by hand; prices on this page come from the sales, not from this text.