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Leica M Used Buying Guide: A Not So Objective Guide

Few, if any, cameras provoke such heartfelt discussions as the Leica M's. For every opinion expressed here,

you can undoubtedly find someone who has the opposite view.

I hope this guide helps you find YOUR OWN best answers, not mine.

M3 M2 M4 M5 CL M4-2 CLE M4-P M6 M6 TTL M7 MP 2003

Protecting Your M Shooting Tips Meters

NEW July 2006: List of Leica M Mount Cameras

Point of View

I am not going to reinvent the wheel here by going through all the various M models and their

variations. There are a LOT of books which do that quite well. My favorites include Leica

Pocket Book, Identifying Leica Cameras by Ghester Sartorius, Leica Collector's Guide by

Dennis Laney, Leica An Illustrated History by James Lager, Leica, A History Illustrating every

Model and Accessory by Paul-Henry van Hasbroeck, Leica M: The advanced school of

photography by Gunter Osterloh, and the 15 plus editions of Leica Manual published from the

mid 30's to the early 80's. The Leica Manual is a must, since it covers ALL aspects of the RF

system. Collect all of them, they are great. OK, so I am assuming you know which are which. If

you don't, get the books. NOT covered in this buyer's guide are the rangefinderless M cameras

primarily intended for scientific use on a microscope: the M1, MD, and MDa.

It is interesting to note that three innovative design variations of the M design were

introduced, and each of lived a short production life. I call them the "Orphan Leicas": M5, CL,

M6TTL. I also call the plain stripped down M Leicas the "Plain Jane Leicas."

M3 1954-1966

The M3 of 1953 wasn't just a new camera, it was an entire rethinking of what 35 mm cameras

should be. It signaled an entirely new level of excellence, not only for Leica, but for the entire

camera industry. The M3 was so far advanced for its time that it took other camera companies

about FOUR years to offer any real competition - - the Nikon SP. It was kind of like

introducing a sports car when the competition was a four door sedan ! Sales took off like no

other pro rangefinder, before or since.

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This beautiful ugly camera works great, takes great pics, and qualifies for beautiful because it

was bought at the bargain price of $250. The M3 established the shape and layout of all the M's

to follow, except for the renegade M5. It's a good idea to wipe down the vulcanite body

covering at least one a year or so with some kind of preservative, to avoid the brittle chipped

vulcanite seen on this camera. Personally, I use Neatsfoot Oil or Lexol.

The M3's list of firsts include:

New Leica M bayonet mount. Previous Leicas were screw mount. The bayonet offered

much faster lens changing, a well as complete backward compatibly with the older lenses

by using the Leica screw mount to bayonet adapters -- see Profile.

A MUCH improved viewfinder with a host of new features:

o Much larger Viewfinder

o Much longer and therefore more accurate rangefinder

o Built in bright framelines for 50, 90, and 135 lenses - - a first!

o Frameline change was automatic when lenses changed - - a first!

o Parallax corrected framelines -- a first!

o A MUCH brighter rangefinder image for easier and faster focusing

o A new kind of RF image which combined split image and coincidence

rangefinders, thereby increasing accuracy by up to 25% - - a first in 35!

Much easier film loading with the M3's backdoor. Previous screw mounts offered only

bottom loading, which at times can be a pain. Yet, the M3 has much slower film loading

than the M4 and later cameras. The film advance spool must be removed each film

loading to reset the film counter.

A single non-rotating shutter speed dial for both high and low speeds, a first for Leica.

A lever film advance, a first for Leica.

Shutter speeds from 1 to 1/1000th plus B. The red lighting symbol on the shutter dial

indicates 1/50th flash sync for electronic flash. Intermediate speeds can be set on most

shutter speeds. On the later M3's with standard shutter speed markings, these

intermediate settings are from 1 to 1/8th, 1/15th to 1/30th, and 1/60th to 1/1000th.

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Focus Indicator: Some electronic manual focus SLRs in the 1980's made a big deal out of

having a "focus indicator" in the viewfinder to tell you which way to turn the lens to get

the correct focus. Guess what? The M3 (and all later RF M's) have had a focus indicator

since 1954! The right or left image displacement inside the M rangefinder patch tells the

photog which way to turn the lens to focus. Let me explain. Focus your lens -- a vertical

subject will be easier for this illustration. Notice how image is lined up inside as well

as outside the rangefinder patch. Now turn the lens out of focus and look

again. Compare the image line outside the rangefinder patch with the image inside the

rangefinder patch. To focus the lens, turn the lens barrel in the direction necessary to

line up the image line inside the rangefinder patch with its image outside the patch.

Four of the most important new M3 features were 1) a combined rangefinder / viewfinder

window 2) a single non-rotating shutter dial 3) a bayonet lens mount 4) easier film

loading. Strangely enough, all of these features were already present in Leica's main

pre-war competitor, the Zeiss Contax II of 1936 only 17 years before. Hmm.

Over 225,000 M3's were made, making it FAR the

best selling Leica, and the best selling pro

interchangeable lens RF of all time.

The M3 has a round film counter set into the top plate. The middle frameline illumination

window is smooth on the M3, with raised borders around both viewfinder windows.

Unlike later M's, the M3 has a lens release button with a guard around it. Likewise the M3/M2

have metal self timers, which would become plastic tipped by the M4. The frameline preview

lever is missing from earlier M3's, though it could be added later. The missing vulcanite body

covering on this worn M3 can be repaired, but new vulcanite coverings are no longer available

from Leica.

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The M3 back door and removable baseplate is basically the same design as used on all later M's,

though the M5 was slightly different with its rewind lever built into the baseplate.

Per Laney's Collector's Guide, significant M3 changes occurred at:

700,000 Starting Point (1953

785,801 (1955) added Viewfinder Frame Selector Lever (very convenient)

844,001 (1957) glass film pressure plate changed to metal

919,251 (1958) Lever advance changed from two to single stroke. In use "single

strokes" are generally much preferred, but some old timers are adamant that the "double

strokes" are smoother and even last longer because each stroke puts less stress on the

gearing.

919,251 (1958) Depth of field indicators placed in the Rangefinder. Notice the little

cutouts on the upper and lower edges of the RF image. The cutouts indicate Depth of

Field for 50mm lenses at f/5.6(larger lower cutout) and f/16(larger upper cutout). If the

double rangefinder image is within the cutout, either in front of or behind the focused

object, both objects will be sharp.

M3's with serial numbers over 1,000,000 have a premium placed on them, providing they are in

collectible Mint- or better condition. Many people believe, rightly or wrongly, that these

cameras are the highpoint of Leitz craftsmanship. It was the end of production with a very

experienced work crew of craftsman. The serial #'s over 1.1 million are even more highly

regarded, for the exact same reasons. Most of the very last M3's (aprox 1,000) had the later and

in some people's mind less desirable M2 type lens release. Whether the later M3's really are

better made by a small amount is not that important in practical terms, that they sell for more is.

Later M3's probably have a more dependable shutter than earlier ones, although I do not know

the serial # cut off. In any case, my own favorite is the later M3's with all the features over serial

# 919,251. NOTE that earlier cameras could be converted to later features by Leitz or

authorized repair stations.

If you like to shoot the 50/1 Noctilux or the 75/1.4 Summilux, M3's focus them more

accurately than any other M with the longest effective rangefinder base length and focusing

accuracy in the M series. M3's can focus 25% MORE ACCURATELY than the M4/M5/M4-

2/M4-P and M6 due to longer effective baselength rangefinder. See my Profile on Rangefinder

Viewfinders. If your main lenses are the 50 or longer, the M3 has the largest and therefore the

best viewfinder for you.

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M3 Bargains: Ugly, dented, well used, or Social Security engraved M3's often sell in the $500-

700 range even if they are the late Single Stroke type. As long as the body works properly, these

M's can make very attractive shooters from a dollars to performance standpoint. The best user

M3's are the late ones with single instead of double stroke film advance, a frame preview lever,

and depth of field indicators built into the finder. Made primarily in chrome, black paint M3's are

very rare.

Mint or near Mint M3's are better off kept on the shelf as a collectible. A few dings, dents or

scratches will lower its value 30-50%.

M3 Lens Choices: An interesting strategy is to have the 3 lenses the M3 is framed for

(50,90,135), and then skip to the super wides, your choices of the 12, 15, 21, 24/25. Do you

really need a 28 or 35 with your M3? Maybe, maybe not, depending upon what you shoot.

M3/M2/M1 Upgrades

Remember the youngest M3, M2, M1 is over 40 years old now. If you use it regularly, spend the

bucks to have it overhauled, cleaned, lubricated, adjusted.

The M3, M2, M1 share a weird sync post that are NOT compatible with the standard PC

cord. Use an adapter and you can use the standard PC cord. You can also have your repairman

install a standard PC outlet.

The M3, M2, M1 left the factory with a slow film loading system. You can improve it with the

now discontinued Leica Quickload kit, making your film loading much quicker and

easier. Even after the Quickload kit, they are much slower to load than the M4 and later

cameras. The M3 is slower to load than the M2 because you must remove the film spool to reset

the film counter, the M2 has a manually set film counter. Another option is installing the easier

M4 type loading, but the conversion is not cheap.

The M3, M2, M1 share a slow film rewind knob. There are a number of after

market lever rewind attachments which can improve on this. The new Leica MP

2003 rewind lever attachment is very well made, the most expensive, but

unfortunately not well designed. 2011 saw the introduction of the CameraQuest

M2/M3 film lever rewind crank V2. Modestly I can say I think it's the best one

out there.

Finders: Some dedicated Leica nuts are just sure their Leica will be better if it has another finder

in it. Upgrading the M2 finder to the .72 M6 finder is easy. I have also heard of some people

paying the extra dough to have a M4 finder in the M3. It can be done, but it's a custom job and

expensive. Likewise a M3 can be put in a M4 if you are willing to pay the bill, but this makes

little sense today with the .85 M6 being easily available.

The small Voigtlander /35 MiniFinder is ideal for the M3, giving the M3 28 and 35 brightlines in

the smallest, lightest possible package.

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Scratched Glasses: The M3, M2, M1 finders have a metal eyepiece which is hell on

glasses. Cure the problem with tape or a rubberized cutout, or M donuts.

The M3, M2, M1 do not have a built in

meter, and short of Bill Gate's money, are

not likely to. Remember the add on Leica

MR-4 CDS meter does an excellent job

while increasing your M's size a minimum

amount. Be very careful about mounting

the meter. I have seen hundreds of

M's with scratched top plates from the various MR meters -- costing

the camera owner's hundreds of dollars or more in lower resale value. Before even trying to

mount the meter, it would be a good idea to use a tough vinyl tape on the underneath side to

make sure you can't f-- up. I remember one mint M2. The owner couldn't remember how to

take off the meter. He not only scratched the top plate removing it, he actually BENT the top

plate too. Unfortunately I witnessed the event. It made me sick. I had to shoot Nikons for a

week to get over it. The best solution is the Voigtlander VC Meter II. The VC II is to my mind

far and away the best meter ever for meterless Leica rangefinders, of any vintage.

Rapidwinders: Tom Abrahamsson of Rapidwinder.com produced a small number of limited

edition M2 trigger winder Rapidwinders. They are difficult to find, but well worth looking for --

much less expensive as well as more reliable than the original MP Leicavit. The M3 uses a

different advance system, though if you are willing to throw enough money at it, I have seen a

M3 adapted by an independent repair man to take the MP Leicavit or Rapidwinder. Likewise, if

you are fanatic enough and can find the repairman who will tolerate your fantasies, either can be

adapted to the M6 winder if your pockets are deep enough.

The Voigtlander deluxe camera strap works quite well on most any classic camera, at a bargain

price.

M2 1958-1967

The M2 is a modified single stroke M3. With its

.72 finder magnification instead of the M3's .91

magnification, the M2 can show the wider 35mm

frameline with the 50 and 90 frames -- though the

135 frame is missing on the M2. Unlike the M3's

automatic film counter, the M3 has a manual film

counter rotating around the shutter

release. M2's have the frameline preview

lever. At a quick glance, the M3 and M2 can

easily be mistaken for each other. Shown

mounted is the M2's most popular contemporary

lens, the chrome 35/2 Summicron.

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Notice the M2's manual set film counter rotating around the shutter release. This one has as

rewind lever, earlier ones had a button. Starting with the M2, the frameline illumination

window had fresnel cover to it to gather more light. Unlike the M3, the M2 has no raised borders

around the viewfinder windows.

M2's have a Depth of Field indicators built into the RF cutout. Notice the little cutouts on the

upper and lower edges of the RF image. The cutouts indicate Depth of Field for 50mm lenses

at f/5.6(larger lower cutout) and f/16(larger upper cutout). If the double image is within the

cutout, either in front of or behind the focused object, both objects will be

sharp. Unfortunately, this feature was not continued with later M's.

Like the M3, shutter speeds are 1 to 1/1000th plus B. Intermediate speeds can be set from 1 to

1/8th, 1/15th to 1/30th, and 1/60th to 1/1000th. The red lighting symbol on the shutter dial

indicates 1/50th flash sync for electronic flash.

Though promoted at the time as the M3's less expensive little brother, the M2 has an elegance all its own. I

find myself preferring its simple non cluttered 35/50/90 finder over the jumbled feeling I get looking through

the M6. Comments about the M3's sync posts and loading also apply to the M2. The M2 and M3 were Leica's

last ALL METAL cameras. Made primarily in chrome, black M2's are rare.

The M2 and M3 lack hot shoes and affordable motors, if that is your need. The M2/M4/M4-2/M5 finders

can be updated to the 28/35/50/75/90/135 finder system of the M6 as a standard Leica upgrade.

The M3, M2, M1 share a slow film rewind knob. There are a number of after

market lever rewind attachments which can improve on this. The new Leica MP

2003 rewind lever attachment is very well made, the most expensive, but

unfortunately not well designed. 2011 saw the introduction of the CameraQuest

M2/M3 film lever rewind crank V2. Modestly I can say I think it's the best one

out there.

M4 1967-1975

A lot of people, myself included, consider the M4 to

be the last classic standard production M. The M4

generally maintains the finish and feel of the

M3/M2's craftsmanship while still having significant

new improvements: finder brightlines for

35/50/90/135 lenses, much faster film loading, much

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faster rewinding with a new rewind lever, and a self resetting film counter which resets every time you

remove the bottom plate. The M4 finder was basically a M2 finder, with the 135 paired with 35 frame. The

M4 has ALWAYS BEEN one of the best and most popular M's. Only 58,000 M4's were made, compared to

225,000 M3's and 83,000 M2's. This helps keep the M4 prices up. While made primarily in chrome, both

black paint and black chrome versions were produced. The M4 became the basis of the later M4-2, M4-P,

M6, M6 .85, and M6 TTL. The M4 finder can be changed to the later 28/35/50/75/90/135 finder system of

the M6 as a standard Leica upgrade. Personally, I prefer the M4 finder as it is, less cluttered. If you love

your M4, about the only change to it I would recommend is to add a hot shoe next time you give it a

CLA (clean, lubricate, adjust).

It seems like a small thing to any sane person, but in Leica terms, the

transition from the M3/M2's slow knob rewind to the M4's quick

rewind was a biggy.

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Take a good look at the engraved top plate of the M4, a luxury sadly

missing from standard production M's until the MP 2003. What's the

use of buying an expensive camera if it doesn't have an expensive look

about it? Don't under estimate the value of Leica as jewelry to the

well heeled photog.

Unfortunately later black M4's had the black chrome finish of the concurrently produced

M5, instead of the earlier black enamel finish. Black Enamel VS Black Chrome is a game

collectors like to play. There is little doubt the enamel is much more beautiful when new. Each

finish shows wear very differently. I prefer the brassing of the black enamel to the discoloration

of the black chrome -- but it's in the eye of the beholder. I believe Leica would have at least a

short term best seller on its hands if black enamel were re-introduced on the M6.

The best meter for the M4 is the Voigtlander VC Meter II. The VC II is to my mind far and

away the best meter ever for meterless Leica rangefinders, of any vintage.

M5 1971-1975 Orphan Leica

The M5 was Leica's first TTL (thru the lens

metering) body. The M5 is also noticeably

larger than the other M's. Some love the

M5's larger size, some hate it. See Separate

Profile. The M5's innovative design was

a Leica dead end with a short production

life. I call it an "orphan Leica." While it

size may take some getting used to, it does

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have some nice features which include:

Shutter speeds visible in the finder

A very large and convenient shutter speed dial. The shutter speed dial over hangs the top

plate, so it can easily be turned by the right index finder while selecting the shutter speed

in the finder.

Large RATCHETED film rewind on the baseplate

Vertical as well as horizontal straps--I much prefer the vertical. I think it's a mistake the

M6 doesn't have this type of strap lugs.

A smaller more precise metering area than the M6 thanks to the metering cell in front of

the shutter curtain, which snapped down just before the exposure.

The M5 was the last hand assembled Leica, made the "old fashioned" way.

Alas, poor M5 sales almost killed the M system, literally. That's right, M5 sales were so bad that

Leitz decided to end M production and bet its future on the R system (not a good idea sales

wise). Only persistent efforts of M lovers managed to get M production going again in Canada

at Leitz Midland.

The M5 has been discovered by collectors. Clean examples command high prices. This is very

ironic since it was no sales success. New M5's sat unclaimed on dealer's shelves years after

they were discontinued. The great majority of M5's are black chrome finish. Black chromium

was introduced on the M5. Unfortunately black chrome cameras have a tendency to look down

right UGLY with a lot of wear, unlike black paint cameras that tend to have "personality" with

the same amount of wear. Chrome was also a standard finish option. The rarest production M5

is the Leica 50th Anniversary model. I suspect a M5 stripped repainted black or grey

hammertone would look marvelous.

Well used M5 bodies, however, can be bargain priced satisfying users. The M5 was made for the

outlawed in the US mercury 625 battery. If you can't get them, the M5 can be adjusted to the

alkaline battery replacement. The easiest solution is to buy them out of the country where they

are still easily available.

The M2/M4/M4-2/M5 finders can be updated to the 28/35/50/75/90/135 finder system of the M6 as a standard

Leica upgrade.

The Leica / Minolta CL :

1973-1976 Orphan Leica

If you want a lightweight carry all day

sophisticated camera with great lenses and

TTL metering, it's difficult to make a better

choice than the CL.

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Sometimes disparaged because of its made in Japan heritage, the CL occupies a unique and

important spot in the Leica M world. Introduced in 1973 and discontinued only three years

later, the Minolta made Leica CL is Leica's smallest and lightest interchangeable rangefinder

ever. So far, it is also the only Leica M camera made by another manufacturer. The

CL's innovative design was a Leica dead end with a short production life. I call it an"orphan

Leica."

In one package the CL is 1) the smallest Leica rangefinder camera 2) the smallest M mount

camera and 3) the smallest TTL metering interchangeable lens rangefinder camera. See details

in Profile Real world, they have a reputation as charming cameras, but not as reliable as their

Leica M big brothers.

M4-2 1978-1980: The Plain Jane Camera that SAVED Leica

The M4-2 deserves credit for something not generally acknowledged: fame as the camera that saved

Leica. With poor M5 sales, the decision was made to stop making M's and concentrate on the R series. With

2020 hindsight that decision would most likely have killed Leica, as R sales were always less than

anticipated. Luckily, Walter Kluck, the CEO of Leitz Canada managed to convince Leitz Germany to

produce a new lower cost to manufacture M4, called the M4-2. This was a critical event for the Leica M,

and for the Leica camera company. Without his intervention, the M camera would have likely died with the

shut down of the M5 production line. Leitz management wrongly believed the future of the camera company

was the Leica R system. HA HA HA. Unfortunately all Leica SLRs have always been outdated body

designs from their day of introduction, albeit with great lenses, and very poor sales. The M line stayed in

production to become Leica's best selling interchangeable lens camera. Even more fascinating is that the

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stuffy Leica management to this day don't officially acknowledge that the M4-2 is the camera that saved Leica

-- talk about living in denial!

The M4-2 was a simplified, cheapened M4, without the famous Leica script top plate engraving

and the traditional vulcanite body covering. The M4-2 was the first of the Plain Jane Leicas.

Real world, the M4-2 amounts to a cheapened M4 with a hot shoe and out of the box motor capability

added. With production moving to Midland Canada, many believe the M4-2 initially suffered teething

problems and quality control compared to either its M ancestors or M descendents, yet many owners report

they are quite happy with their M4-2.

The bad part of the M4-2 (and the standard production M's that followed), is the noticeably

lower quality of exterior finish compared to the M's that went before it. It's the story of the plain

sister who could never quite compare to her older beautiful sister. The wonderful Leitz

engraved script on M2/M3/M4 top plates was replaced by cheaper stampings. The vulcanite

was replaced by a cheaper plastic material which in my experience does not wear as well. The

old chrome finish is replaced by what seems be a thinner finish with less luster. The magnificent

old black enamel was replaced by less expensive black chrome (which looks very ugly when it

wears). The great majority of M4-2's are black chrome, they were unfortunately not produced in

black paint. Chrome examples are rare and expensive. There was also a gold M4-2

commemorating Oskar Barnack, the inventor of the Leica camera. The most desirable M4-2's

were made in Wetzlar at the start of M4-2 production, numbering only 100 or so. While a half

frame M4-2 was planned, only a hand full were actually produced before the project was

dropped. Fake half frame M4-2's probably outnumber the real ones about 1000 to one.

Now to be fair about it, all camera manufacturers offer cheaper products now compared to the

1960's. It's just that Leica has always been held to a higher standard than the rest by virtue of its

higher prices. To Leica's great credit, Leica found a way to adapt and survive -- something that

the great German made cameras by Zeiss, Voigtlander, and Rollei did not discover in those

changing times. Some claim that the interior of the cameras were improved as they time went

on to make more dependable cameras. Perhaps, perhaps not. In thirty years, we might have

some definitive answers, but not now.

The M4-2 finder can be updated to the 28/35/50/75/90/135 finder system of the M4-P or M6 as a standard

Leica upgrade. All later M motors are backwardly compatible to the earlier M4-2.

The best meter for the M4-2 is the Voigtlander VC Meter II. The VC II is to my mind far and

away the best meter ever for meterless Leica rangefinders, of any vintage.

M4-2 RF Changes

Mr. Horst Braun, Manager of Leica Repairs, has confirmed a modification of the M4-2 finder about half way

into production. As I understand it, a small condenser lens was removed from the frameline masks which had

the effect of increasing the brilliance of the finder image and its frames. Unfortunately, it is not possible to

retrofit this into later M's.

Apparently this was done to improve Leica's profit margin. Well, I guess it worked...Leica is still around

today. However, the downside is that the new improved rangefindersometimes has ghosts or flare which

makes focusing difficult. I have reports that sometimes one of the RF images are difficult to see. Others

opine the newer RF image is definitely not as bright as the earlier M3/M2/M4 finder -- though frankly the

brightness difference is hard for me to see.

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An easier to see difference is that the new finder requires the photog's eye to be centered in the viewfinder to

easily see the RF image. Off center, the RF image can disappear. The older finder had more tolerance for

the off-center photog.

Guess what? This new finder made its way to the M4-P and continues today in the M6. Personally I very

seldom encountered the ghosting problem, but enough people have emailed me about it, so that I have no

doubt it can be bothersome in some lighting conditions. Picky picky picky. I guess Leica didn't know the

trouble it would get itself in by establishing such a high standard in the 1950's and 60's. Apparently more

modifications were made in the M6 to fit the LEDs in. The M with the worst reputation for patch flare out is

the M6 .85 TTL. The M7 improved the problem somewhat with better finder coatings. The MP 2003 finally

introduced a finder up to the old standards by adding another condenser to the finder design, a change which

was also made to the M7. If you are a newbie and this is new info, you need to understand that we are

splitting hairs here. Any Leica M finder in good working condition is a great picture taking machine.

Internal Construction: M4-2 and later cameras Vs

M3/M2/M4

Remember that M4-2 production commenced in Canada AFTER Leitz Germany had originally

decided to end M production, and while Leitz was still in deep financial woes. It was time to cut

costs, make profits, and find a way to survive. This was no small achievement that Zeiss,

Voigtlander, and Rollei German made cameras could not accomplish.

Starting with the M4-2, Leitz changed the M camera design philosophy and internal

construction. Originally, the M's were all designed to be adjusted to the Nth degree in order to

attain the highest standards.

With the M4-2, Leitz started shifting to a "right or replace" construction philosophy.

Adjustments starting

disappearing. The new way was to simply replace out of tolerance part with a new one which

was within tolerance.

The claim is this makes for a stronger, more reliable camera since adjustments can no longer go

out of

whack. But of course, they neglect to mention the overwhelming consideration here is lowering

cost!

The "old construction" proponents like myself argue that individual adjustments produce

overall tighter tolerances and a better working camera.

Which is better? Each camp argues they are right. Perhaps in 30 years, we will be sure. Of

course Leica "experts" with close factory connections were usually the ones arguing the loudest

that the new cameras were not only as good, but better than the older designs using different

construction criteria. Alas, their spurious arguments left a lot of egg on their face when the new

Leica MP was introduced in 2003. After all, how could the new MP be an improvement, if the

intervening mechanical standards starting with the M4-2, were not a bit lacking? The emperor

has no clothes.

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Minolta CLE: 1st M with AE or TTL Flash 1980-85

OK, it's not a Leica, but it is a wonderful Leica

M mount camera.

The Minolta CLE was introduced 1980--almost

twenty years ago. Yet, father Leitz makes haste

very slowly. For 22 years, until the introduction

of the Leica M7, the CLE remained the most

technologically advanced M camera ever

produced. Most CLE owners consider it one of

the best cameras they have ever owned. It has

a delightful finder, and unlike some M's has a

usable 28 frameline for glasses wearers. The

CLE's biggest design flaws were 1) no metering on manual exposure and 2) no AE exposure

lock. Today the CLE's biggest problem is lack of replacement parts. A dead circuit board

means you have a very nice paperweight.

Compact like the older CL, the CLE (electronic) boasts a list of impressive new features. Instead

of the 40/90 combo for the CL, the CLE uses a more useful set of 28/2.8, 40/2 and 90/4 multi

coated Rokkors. They use Leica's traditional parallel focusing cams for complete focusing

compatibility with the rest of the M system. The CLE rangefinder is longer and with a brighter

RF focusing spot than the CL. The CLE was the 1st M mount camera with TTL flash as well as

AE aperture priority. Until the M7 in 2002, the CLE was the ONLY M mount camera to offer

both TTL flash and AE. See the details in the CLE profile.

M4-P 1981-1987 Plain Jane M with

Deluxe Variations

The M4-P adds to the M4-2 features by adding a six

position finder for 28/35/50/75/90/135 lenses by

pairing the 35 & 135 frames, the 50 & 75 frames,

and the 90 & 28 frames. Unfortunately the new

finder layout is rather cluttered visually and the 28

frame can't easily be seen by people wearing

glasses. If you are a Nikon Rangefinder fan, note

that Leica took only 23 years to equal the Nikon

SP's six built in framelines. Leica makes haste

slowly. The M4-P's .72 magnification six

brightline finder remains the standard Leica

M6 finder to this day.

Some veteran Leica lovers believe the M4-P to be made to a generally higher standard than the

M4-2 before it, others argue the point. The great majority of M4-P's are black chrome, they

were not made in black paint. Chrome was a standard finish, but was much less popular than

the black chrome. Also produced were 200 M4-P Mt. Everest Expedition commemoratives and

2500 silver chrome 70th anniversary M4-P's commemorating the 1913 Ur-Leica. A few M4-

P's, along with selected lenses, were specially engraved for the use by the Press at the 84 Los

14

Angeles Olympics. Very late M4-P's have M6 style top plates. Many sources say all M4-P's

were produced in Canada, with M production moving back to German with the M6. It turns

out the last 1000 M4-P's were actually assembled at Wetzlar, after M6 production had

started. Serial numbers 1691951 to 1692950. Eventually Leica closed the Midland Canada

plant, selling Elcan (E Leitz Canada) to Hughes Aircraft (founded by Howard Hughes) in

1990. Hughes completed the sale of Elcan to Raytheon by 1999. Today Elcan still exists,

see Elcan.com. While primarily a military contractor, Elcan produced some Leica optical lenses

such as the 75/1.4 and 50/1. The last Elcan Leica lens was the 50/1, which was discontinued in

2007. This forced Leica to discontinue the 50/1 Noctilux in 2008. Leicanuts often ignore the

importance the Midland plant, but without Midland and its M4-2 and M4-P, it is very doubtful if

the Leica M system would still be manufactured today.

The best meter for the M4-P is the Voigtlander VC Meter II. The VC II is to my mind far and

away the best meter ever for meterless Leica rangefinders, of any vintage.

M6 "Classic" 1984-1998 Plain

Jane M with Deluxe Variations

The M6's claim to fame is its convenient accurate

silicon TTL LED readout metering, while

maintaining the classic M shape. Imagine the M4-P

with TTL metering, that's the M6. Experienced users

often believe the M4-2/M4-P/M6 do not have the

smooth film advance of the earlier M3/M2/M4. This

is explained away with the use of steel gears rather

than brass due to the motor capability. While I might

complain a bit when it's compared to its predecessors,

there is no doubt the M6 is still a great camera in its

own right. The M6 was introduced in 1984. From

1984 to 1998, everyone called it the M6. Most people still call it the M6. After introduction of the M6

TTL, many began to call the original M6 the "M6 Classic," though I have found no official use of this term

by Leica. The M6 also marked the return of M production to Wetzlar Germany from Midland Canada, even

if production soon moved to the new factory in nearby Solms. The M6 classic was a long lived high

production camera with many small variations and special editions.

Used M6 classics are great choices as Leica shooters, often selling for less than half the price of

a new M7 or MP 2003. We are seeing the lowest used prices for classic M6's ever.

M6's have been cursed by some ridiculous commemoratives under the guise of making an instant collectible

to get the maximum bucks. The one which gets my loudest laughs is the "Royal Danish Wedding" M6. Who

can imagine what Solm's marketing geniuses will try to make a buck on, err....commemorate next? I hoped

a "Royal Charles and Diana Divorce" Leica would be sure to follow, alas not yet. I like many of Leica's

special edition cameras, but when they commemorate not so important events, it makes me wonder.

Bucking this trend is the worthwhile but very expensive M6J, a M6 made to the higher standards of the M3,

with a beautiful chrome finish and engraved top. Besides the $9000 price tag, perhaps its most noteworthy

feature is the finder. Magnification is increased to .85, therefore also increasing focusing accuracy. See

profile on Leica Finders. Framelines are 35, 50, 90 and 135 only. If you can afford it, the M6J is a special

edition well worth having.

15

About 1996/97 plastic parts replaced metal parts in the frame counter, resulting in increased breakdowns.

Unfortunately, Leica has not revealed the exact point of these changes. Apparently the problem has since

been corrected.

M6 Battery Life: B turns the battery circuit off, but it is not so marked on the shutter speed dial. If your M6

classic does not have the shutter advanced, the meter will not go on--and so there can be no battery drain. If

your M6 shutter is advanced, the LEDs will go on for a few seconds when the shutter release is slightly

depressed EXCEPT if the shutter speed is "B." IF you store your M6 in your camera bag WITH shutter

advanced, turn the shutter speed dial to B. This will avoid anything depressing your shutter and draining the

batteries. In the long run, this is much cheaper than sending your depressed shutter to counseling and also

avoids the expense of valium. Sorry, I couldn't resist that bad camera joke, Nikon made me do it. The M6

TTL cured the problem with an off switch on the shutter dial.

A weak point of the M6, M6 TTL, M7 and MP is the battery compartment design. The battery cap is a weird

design on the front of the camera, where the self timer is located on many cameras. The screw in cap is

awkward to remove or install. You would think that Leica could have found a better solution, but it hasn't

happened so far.

Black or Chrome or Titanium? Long term, a worn black chrome looks downright ugly, although black may be

easier to shoot without being noticed -- maybe. The chrome has a nice "retro" look about it which I like more

than the black. Overall, I personally prefer the Titanium, which has the most rugged and scratch resistant

finish. Unfortunately the M6 Titanium was produced with a rather odd artificial ostrich body covering which

does not go well with the top plate -- at least in my opinion. Titanium M6 classic production stopped with

the introduction of the M6 TTL. The Titanium M6 and its matching Titanium lenses are rather low

production, and sure to be future collectibles. Yes, before you ask, the M6 classic finishes are limited to

black chrome, silver chrome, and titanium. My personal favorite is the titanium M6. Too bad the M6

classic was not made in black paint.

Although the M6 & M4P have built in framelines for the 28, the eye relief makes them useless for people who

wear glasses. So far the only M mount cameras with a visible 28 frameline for glasses' wearers are the Minolta

CLE, Konica Hexar RF, and Leica M6 .58 TTL and M7 .58 TTL. Of these, the Leica .58 finder and Minolta

CLE finder are far superior to eye glass wearers in side by side comparisons.

New "M6 .85" February 1998

Leica announced a new "M6 .85" with a .85 higher magnification finder in February 1998, in

black chrome only. The higher magnification .85 finder with the 35/50/75/90/135 frames--means NO 28

frameline. It's identifiable by an etching of ".85" on the lower mirrored front of the M6 finder. Although

VERY similar to the M6J's viewfinder, the .85 is different in having an added 75 frame, and in having a

slightly higher image magnification.

The .85 finder is a good decision on Leica's part, since it complements the existing M6 very

well. Unfortunately it developed a reputation for having more than its share of flare compared to the .72

finder. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that a lot of people asked for this after the intro of the M6J and

Leica actually listened. See VF/RF in Profiles.

Should you buy the .85 M6 over the old one? Yes if 1) you shoot the 50/1 or 75/1.4 and therefore need the

added 25% focusing accuracy 2) you don't like/need the 28 frameline--you probably can't see it anyway if

you wear glasses 3) You want larger framelines for the 50 to 135.

ALAS, there are flies in the soup. Leica went a little bit too far in increasing the magnification with the

.85. It is virtually impossible to see the ENTIRE 35 frameline AT ONE TIME, even if you don't wear

glasses. Unfortunately if you wear glasses, you have a better chance of finding an honest politician than you

have of seeing the .85 M6's 35 frameline. In this respect, the finder in the rare M6J is superior. Worse,

users report that the .85 finder is the most flare prone of the three Leica M 6/7 finders: .58, .72, and .85.

16

The original .85 M6 (produced only in black) was replaced about six months later with the introduction of the

.85 M6 TTL. Total production per Leica only 3,130 cameras. This translates to a future collectible, but

only unused boxed cameras are likely to have much appreciation value over the next few years. How

much? No one knows.

M6 TTL 1998-2002

Orphan Leica: Plain Jane M with Wrong Way Shutter Dial and Deluxe Variations

Announced at Photokina in September 1998, the

M6 TTL's was a Leica dead end design with

a short production life. I call it an "orphan

Leica."

Changes include TTL flash (a 1st for a Leica M

body), a 3 LED meter readout instead of the

previous 2 LED readout, a larger and easier to turn

shutter speed dial with OFF position, which

unfortunately rotates the OPPOSITE way from all

previous Leica M's. These internal changes

required a body which is 2mm higher.

A quick way to recognize the M6 TTL from the M6 classic is the MUCH larger shutter speed dial. In

practical terms the new larger shutter speed dial is easier and faster to change speeds. This allows the

TTL shutter dial movement to correspond to direction of the plus or minus finder LEDs, which

in turn correspond to the direction of the lens f/stops. Unfortunately the TTL shutter speed

dial rotates in the opposite direction of earlier M's, which many experienced M users find quite

distracting. This backward in traditional terms shutter speed dial rotation was continued with the M7, but

dropped in the traditional and very popular MP 2000, thus creating the orphan status. The "wrong way"

shutter dial makes the M6TTL the best manual M to complement the "wrong way" M7 -- or the M7 the best

AE camera to complement the M6 TTL.

As introduced, the .72 M6 TTL was available in both black and chrome, while the .85 M6 TTL was available

in black only. By September 1999, the decision was made to add a chrome .85 M6 TTL to the lineup. Over

time various special edition M6 TTL models debuted, as well as the .58 TTL.

Be sure to carry extra batteries. The M6 TTL has the reputation of much heavier and quicker battery drain

than the M6 "classic." The M6 TTL was discontinued in 2002, amid the popularity of the M7, and heavy M6

TTL rebates to bargain hunters. Also announced with the M6 TTL were the new 90/2 APO ASPH and

135/3.4 APO. It's great to see Leica making a substantial effort in improving the M line.

Unfortunately the M6 TTL just offers very basic mid 1970's style center weighted off the film plane

flash. BIG DEAL! You will find no modern multi-segment matrix flash metering or multi TTL flash

capability here. Personally I am not too impressed with the limited Leica SF20 flash, which does not even

have a rotating head for bounce flash. While the SF20 lithium batteries are said to last a very long time, there

is little doubt lithiums will also be hard to find in many locals. Other AA powered flashes with bounce flash

capability such as Metz and Sunpak, are better choices for your TTL as far as I am concerned. The TTL flash

circuit oddly run off the camera's battery. This prevents the flash from being used at higher than the 1/50th

flash sync speed -- something that is possible with non-TTL M's which can result in no pics if your shutter is

inadvertently set at too high a speed to sync with your flash. Unfortunately, the M6 TTL flash circuit also

means if your battery is dead, your flash is effectively dead too. I also have reports that some old flashes

17

may not work with the TTL flash circuit, but I don't see why you would buy a M6 TTL and then not use a

modern TTL flash.

.58, .72, or .85 Finder? The M6TTL was the first M body to be offered in your choice of three different

finder magnifications: .58, .72, or .85 (identifiable by the .58, .72 or .85 on the lower front right of the front

viewfinder window). Alas, choices are not always simple, this is one of those times. The .72 magnification

finder was the standard M finder for many years, and the only M finder since the introduction of the M4 in

1967. The .72 is the standard by which all other M rangefinder finders are judged.

Listening to users, Leica introduced the higher magnification .85 finder in 1998 for increased focusing

accuracy with fast lenses like the 50/1.1 and 75/1.4. Sacrificed was the 28mm frameline. Going in the other

direction, the wide angle .58 finder was introduced in 2000, sacrificing the 135 frameline. In practice the .85

finders proved to be more flare prone than their lower magnification counterparts, while most 28 and 35

lovers just fell in love with the .58 finder for its clarity and easy to see even with glasses 28 and 35

framelines. How to tell which finder magnification is which? The finder magnification is etched in the

bottom right front of the M6 TTL finder -- .58, .72, or .85. The .58 finder has only been used in the

M6TTL, M7, and MP 2003. The .85 finder has only been used in the very late M6 "classic," the M6 TTL,

M7, and MP 2003. A good repairman can probably install either the .58 or .85 in any M.

Finder choices got complicated in 2002 with the introduction of the 1.25x M Eyepiece Magnifier which turns

the .58 into a .72, the .72 into a .9, and the .85 into a 1.06. Damn. If you are going with only one M body, a

good case can be made that you only need a .58 with a 1.25x Eyepiece Magnifier, or a .72 with a 1.25x

Eyepiece Magnifier.

Black or Silver Chrome? Side by side, the current Leica silver chrome does not match the chrome on the

M4 and earlier cameras, but is it still nicely done. Even so, I greatly prefer the silver chrome finish to the

black chrome finish, because the silver chrome wears much better over time. With age and wear, the black

chrome M finish takes on a tattered ugly look - at least as far as I am concerned. Look at a well used black

chrome M4-2 or later M to see what I mean. Better by far than the standard black chrome or silver chrome

finishes in my opinion is black paint.

Millennium Black Paint M6 TTL Based on the .72 TTL M6, the Millennium has

the traditional Leica engraved script top plate (like the M3/M2/M4), black paint finish, and a M3

style rewind knob. For a traditional Leica nut like me, this retro black paint finish with the

traditional Leica script was wonderful news indeed. 2000 cameras were made for the Year

2000. Of course, malcontents like myself will complain that the Millennium does not start until

the year 2001. Indeed this camera quickly sold out, and is now fetching high premiums over

the initial price. See Profile The Millennium camera marked an important turning point at

Leica, where the bean counters started listening to what serious Leica users had been wanting for

decades: the return of the black paint camera and Leica script engraving. Once the bean counter

anti photographers realized sales go up when you give customers what they want, black paint and

script engraving would be offered on the later M7 and MP 2003.

Millennium Green Paint M6 TTL: The Hong Kong Leica importer ordered what

amounts to 300 Green Paint Millenniums with a .85 finder, though they are not called

Millennium cameras. It is just like the black paint version, only a better quality green paint with

chrome top plate fittings. To me, this is one of the prettiest Leicas. See PICS and Profile

LHSA Black Paint M6 TTL This is the Special Edition Black Paint M6 made for the

Leica Historical Society of America. It is the 2nd black paint M6 TTL, though planning on

this one actually started before the Millennium. I find it a better shooter than the Millennium

because the LHSA has the M6 type rewind. Orders were stopped June 30, 2000. It is now

heading for collector status. Personally I think it is the prettiest of ALL the various black paint

18

M6. It is the only M6 TTL with a factory BLACK "red" dot. See Profile Initially only .72

and .85 magnifications were offered. In 2002 60 .58 LHSA cameras were produced. 2003 saw

the continuation of the LHSA series with the introduction of a grey hammertone LHSA MP set,

complete with body, 35/2, and MP Leicavit.

M6 TTL .58 for Photokina Sept 2000: Leica introduced a new version of its M6

TTL body with the lower magnification .58 finder with 28, 35, 50, 75, 90 framelines. It's for

eyeglass wearers who can not see the edges of the wide angle framelines with the .72

finder. Unfortunately, nothing more substantial in Leica M body improvements was

introduced at Photokina 2000, though the new compact M motor and 28/2 M Aspherical look

like real winners. This Leica equivalent of Nikon's "High Eyepoint" finder for glasses wearers

only come out 47 years after the M3's introduction, and only one year after the Konica Hexar

RF's introduction with its practically identical .6 finder with one more frameline.

M6 TTL Titanium November 2001. Leica re-introduced the tough Titanium finish

for 1000 new limited edition Titanium .72 M6 TTL cameras. Thankfully the new Titanium

cameras will not have the Emu simulated body covering of the previous Titanium M6. Happily

the simulated red Buffalo leather pattern be more aesthetic than its big bird ancestor, but I still

don't think Leica has got it right. When is Solms going to finally introduce the Titanium with a

STANDARD body covering? Also available will be 500 each 35/2 ASPH, 50/2, and 90/2

ASPH special Titanium finish lenses. This is a very nice camera, much better looking than any

of the other M6 TTL except the LHSA version.

M6 TTL 999: In December 2002 Leica announced the official end of M6TTL

production. The last 999 cameras, divided up into 333 .58 finders and 666 .85 finders, are

specially engraved. The .58 versions offer higher collector potential, with lower production and

a more popular finder. The box and documentation looks beautiful. Unfortunately the Leica

script and special 999 numbers are PAINTED on instead of engraved. ugh. Sorry folks,

personally I would not invest in this one.

BEST M6 TTL Shooter? In my opinion far and away the best choice as M6 TTL shooters are

the 3 versions of the black paint LHSA M6. They are Leicas done right. My second M6 TTL

choices are the nicely done M6 TTL Titanium, and the beautiful but hard to find green M6 TTL.

In 2003 the M6 TTL was replaced by the more traditional and much more commercially

successful MP.

M7 2002- Wrong Way Shutter Dial

Plain Jane with Deluxe Variations

After years of speculation, the Leica M7 was

finally introduced in February 2002. The big

news is the arrival of aperture priority AE in

Leica's M flagship -- something the Minolta

CLE had in 1980. hmm. The M7 is very

similar to the M6 TTL, no big advances here,

but it does have a lot of small nice

improvements. Don't get me wrong, this is

19

a very nice M and I would like an M7 in my personal camera bag, but its arrival does seem about

15 years overdue. The M7 is the first AE Leica M camera ever, and the 3rd AE M mount,

following the 1980 Minolta CLE and the 1999 Konica Hexar RF. Later entries into the M AE

race were the Voigtlander R2A and R3A in 2004 and the Zeiss Ikon in 2005. Each are VERY

different cameras.

I think the M7 will be quite popular. I suspect the flood of M6 trade ins to push down used M6

prices. In 2003 the MP was introduced, with an improved MP style finder designed to prevent

finder flare. Unofficially, M7's from 2885000 are said to have the improved MP type

finder. Leica has also offered the MP finder upgrade for M6 and early M7 cameras, at about

$275 US.

Large "wrong way" shutter dial like the M6TTL

BRASS Top Plate: This is a return to Brass signals future special M7's in just about any

paint finish you can imagine

Aperture priority AE (you select the f/stop, it selects the shutter speed) or manual

exposure

Digital shutter speed readouts are at the bottom center of the finder when set on AE.

AE lock by slightly depressing the shutter release. Unfortunately, the AE lock disappears

when you take the shot.

The ON/OFF switch has been moved from the shutter speed dial on the M6 TTL the base

of the shutter release collar. This is a nice improvement compared to the often

inconvenient location on the M6 TTL shutter speed dial.

Backward metering compatibility with all M lenses and screw mount lenses with M

bayonet adapters, since it takes meter readings at the shooting aperture

Centerweighted ambient light or TTL flash metering

Quiet Electronic horizontal cloth shutter, 1/60 and 1/125th w/o batteries (yay). In other

words, no batteries = no AE, no flash, no speeds except 1/60th & 1/125th. Good news:

the legendary quiet Leica shutter is maintained.

Many users report the electronic M7 is actually QUIETER than the M6, though it may not

have as smooth a shutter release

Unfortunately the M7 uses two 6 volt "DL 1/3 N" Lithium batteries, which are not

always easy to find. Carry spares. I don't understand why Leica seems to like Lithium

batteries. I guess the designers have never been in the middle of no where trying to find

batteries.

Shutter speeds 1/1000th to 32 seconds. I would have liked a top speed of at least

1/4000th, but that would have meant the end of the quiet Leica cloth shutter and a much

louder metal shutter.

Lever film advance, taking the existing M motor, no built in fast motor drive here.

Same basic F/VF system as M6 TTL, with your choice of .58, .72, and .85 finder

magnifications.

Improved finder anti-reflection coatings to reduce "white out" the M6 RF patch problem

DX film coding for the film speed, with easy manual over ride

The Metz 54 MZ-3 offers pulsating flash with flash sync even to 1/1000th. This flash is

MUCH more capable than the laughable basic SF20 made for the M6 TTL. 2nd curtain

flash is also now an option. This Metz flash is the 2nd most important new feature, after

the aperture priority AE. IF you buy the M7, buy the Metz flash too.

The FUNNIEST thing about the M7 is hearing people praise it who previously claimed

the Leica M did not need AE automation. HA HA HA, so much for the pretense of

objectivity.

20

The BEST mechanical M companion to the M7 is the M6 TTL because the shutter speed

dials rotate in the same direction. However, be aware if the battery hungry M6TTL

batteries die, you also lose flash, as the flash circuit is battery activated. That does not

happen with the earlier M6 Classic or the later MP 2003.

Black Chrome, Silver Chrome, or Black Paint? Side by side, the current Leica silver chrome does not

match the chrome on the M4 and earlier cameras, but is it still nicely done. Even so, I greatly prefer the

silver chrome finish to the black chrome finish, as it wears much better over time. With age and wear the

black chrome M finish takes on a tattered ugly look - at least as far as I am concerned. Look at a well used

black chrome M4-2 or later M to see what I mean. Black paint became optional with the M7 in 2004 with the

a la carte program.

.58, .72, or .85 Finder? Until Photokina 2004, standard production M7's had your choice of finder

magnifications. The .72 magnification finder has been the standard finder, and for many years the only

finder, since the introduction of the M4 in 1967. It is the standard by which the other finders are

judged. Listening to users, Leica introduce the higher magnification .85 finder in 1998 for increased focusing

accuracy with fast lenses such as the 50/1.1 and 75/1.4. Sacrificed was the 28mm frameline. Going in the

other direction, the wide angle .58 finder was introduced in 2000, sacrificing the 135 frameline. In practice

the .85 finders proved to be more flare prone than their lower magnification counterparts, while most 28 and

35 lovers just fell in love with the .58 finder for its clarity and easy to see even with glasses 28 and 35

framelines. Then choices got complicated in 2002 with the introduction of the 1.25x M Eyepiece Magnifier

which turns the .58 into a .72, the .72 into a .9, and the .85 into a 1.06. Damn. If you are going with only

one M body, a good case can be made that you only need a .58 with a 1.25x Eyepiece Magnifier, or a .72 with

a 1.25x Eyepiece Magnifier. How to tell which finder magnification is which? The finder magnification is

etched in the bottom right front of the M6 TTL finder -- .58, .72, or .85. The .58 finder has only been used in

the M6TTL and M7, though a good repairman could probably install it any M series camera. The .85 finder

has only been used in the very late M6 "classic," the M6 TTL, M7, and MP 2003. Again, a good repairman

could probably install it in any M.

M7 FLAG: Alas, in November 2002 Leica announced a not so memorable "Flag" M7, showing the flag of

various countries on the top plate. For the US, 100 were announced with the US flag painted on the top

plate. I am not sure what other flag versions will look like, but the US version looks downright tacky to these

eyes with a painted instead of an engraved Old Glory. The paint will wear off much sooner than the

chrome finish. In my opinion these will be among the "undesirable" Leica collectibles. Gag me

with Hermes bag.

October 2004: Leica's "a la carte" program allows buyers to customize the M7 with such features

as top plate Leica script engravings, your choice of body coverings including vulcanite, choice

of finder magnifications, and finish including black paint. A good idea in principle, it

unfortunately adds quite a few dollars for the trouble. See the CameraQuest al la carte Buying

Guide.

M7 Titanium 50th Leica M Anniversary was introduced in November 2004, with 30 body parts

including the top and bottom covers machined out of Titanium. I believe this is a camera

first. Production 500 sets with titanium 50/1.4 Aspheric. Price with 50/1.4 has an ever so

affordable $10,500.

Leica 50th Anniversary M7 Titanium was introduced at Photokina 2004. Only 50 will be made,

with a set of 3 matching titanium 28/2 ASPH, 50/1.4 ASPH, and 90/2 ASPH lenses. Sales will

be by lottery. List price is a cool $25,000, but many will likely sell for more. It is the same

camera as the 500 set M7 Titanium, but with a different engraving for each year of Leica M

production. The set of 50 are said to be a quick world wide sellout.

21

MP 2003 2003-

Traditional Craftsmanship Returns

March 1st 2003 at PMA in Las Vegas, Leica

officially announced the new MP, with a

MAP for the body of only $2595 at that

time. Two versions were introduced

initially, a special edition 400 camera run

MP6 for the Asian market, and a regular

production MP. See MP Page Imagine

the classic M6 w/o TTL flash metering, the

M6 Classic style shutter speed dial which

turns in the opposite direction of the M6 TTL

and M7, an old fashioned M3 style rewind

knob which you can upgrade to the pleasures of a rewind lever for the small sum of only $175

with the new Leica M-Rewind Crank, all metal M3 style advance lever, real brass top and

bottom plates with real engraved Leica script style lettering -- that's pretty much the new

MP. Initially it will be offered in a beautiful black paint finish for the .72 finder, with silver

chrome available with your choice of .58, .72, and .85 finder magnifications. Serial numbers

start with "MP." The black paint .72 will likely become the most popular new MP. Real world,

the MP has proven very popular, perhaps the result of pent up demand for higher quality

mechanical fit and finish. Until September 2004 at Photokina, standard issue MP's were offered

in your choice of .58, .72, and .85 finders. After Photokina 2004, the only standard production

choice was the .72. The .58 and .85 finders became available only thru Leica's more expensive

new "a la carte" program.

Why call it the MP? Leica originally made the now rare classic Leica MP (M Professional) in

1956. I for one will call this camera the "MP 2003" to avoid confusion with the original

MP. The new MP stands for "Mechanical Perfection" according to Leica. Sounds like some ad

guy who didn't have a clue about Leica history had a bad day, to me. Leica also re-introduced

the bottom trigger operated Leicavit M (in either black paint or silver chrome) after an absence

of only almost half a century. The new Leicavit M has a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of

only $995 -- or twice that of the superbly reliable Abrahamsson Rapidwinder (which works in

the same way). Contrary to hopes of the Rapidwinder fans, the new Leicavit M is a new Leica

design not made by Tom Abrahamsson.

Despite the higher cost of the MP over the M6 TTL, I believe it's remarkable Leica finally

upgraded the fit and finish of the mechanical M camera to approximate M4 levels. The better

finish, brass top and bottom plates, black paint finish, "classically correct" turning shutter speed

dial, and engraved Leica script are simply wonderful in the context of the Leica finally returning

to the high finished camera standard Leica cameras of old. As a shooter, Leica really blew it

with the slow old fashioned M3 style rewind knob, even if the problem is partially cured with

the badly designed $175 rewind crank accessory. On the other hand, as a limited production

camera it would readily fill collector's shelves. The Fix? A new version with M4 rewind

lever. Time will tell. Nevertheless, it is a damn good thing the new Leica M turned has the

traditional mechanical shutter, instead of a stripped down M6 shutter with no AE, as was

strongly rumored. The mechanical shutter Leica rangefinder stays in production after the

announced end of the M6, I am very happy about that. The traditional back to classic MP is

proving very popular. Some sales areas are even having difficulty supplying

22

demand. Unfortunately Solms management has yet to get picture and return to the traditional

vulcanite body covering. The MP introduces yet another body covering, this variation looks like

a $1 sheet of black wet/or/dry sandpaper. Geez. When are these guys going to get it right?

October 2003. A new LHSA MP made in grey hammertone, with matching Leicavit MP and

35/2 is confirmed. Predicted production 1000, commemorating LHSA 1968-2003. Available

January 2004. The hammertone is a particularly handsome finish and should be very popular

with collectors. I think this camera will be one of the best looking Leicas ever. It has proven one

of the most popular Leicas.

October 2003. A new chrome Hermes MP with chrome 35/2 and red leather became

available. Production 500 units. If I am reading the press release right, this may be the first of a

yearly Hermes Leica, as the French luxury company is Leica's largest stock holder. I hope they

do a better job on next year's Hermes Leica. This one is badly over priced, and rather plain

without the traditional Leitz style top engraving, NO Hermes engraving on the back of the top

plate (what were they thinking?), and rather garish reddish body leather. What is right is 1) a

bound book style instruction book 2) a magnificent thick chrome body cap 3) a very well done

heavily chrome lens shade. Still, if you are looking for good Leica investments, look

elsewhere. This one is overpriced and more than a bit garish to my eyes. ugh.

Leica 50th Anniversary MP grey chrome Anthracite Titanium was made for the Japanese home

market. 400 were produced with matching Leicavit and 35/2, with 200 more bodies only. It has

a .72 finder, and classic old style vulcanite body covering. The box is clearly labeled "Leica M

Series 50th Anniversary Model" but unfortunately the body has no such engraving. It's a

beautiful camera, but why no 50th engraving on the body and winder? Because the 50th

engraving was reserved for the big dog, the 50th Anniversary titanium M7. Only a handful of

the Japanese 50th MPs were officially imported into the USA with USA warranty.

October 2004: Leica's "a la carte" program allows buyers to customize the MP with such features

as the M7 rewind, choice of body coverings, choice of finder magnifications, and finish. A good

idea in principle, it unfortunately adds quite a few dollars for the trouble. However, this

program finally allows the rank and file to order a black paint MP or M7, with vulcanite body

covering and Leica script top plate engraving, and even a rewind lever for the MP! Not bad. If

you buy the a la carte MP, I strongly urge you to order the lever rewind!

MP "Classic" February 2005 Schmidt Marketing, Leica's Hong Kong distributor, had the

interesting idea to produce an MP much close to the original 1957 MP. Schmidt specially

ordered 500 to their specifications (hey, you can too, if you have that kind of bucks). 400 were

intended for the China market, 100 for the rest of the world. The MP Classic is a nice looking

camera with M3 style vulcanite, M3 style engraving, original MP style number, a MP 2004 style

film reminder, a beautiful 1957 style rigid black paint 50/2 Summicron, and even has a 1957 MP

style TTL metering. In other words, Schmidt thought it a good idea to order 500 cameras

without a meter for only about $6500. I see the logic, but I personally think having no meter in

this otherwise nicely done camera was a terrifically bad idea from a marketing standpoint. Time

will tell if Leica ends up offering a "MP Modern" meter upgrade kit for the meterless "MP

Classic."

September 2005: Leica LHSA MP-3, Solms and LHSA hit a home run with this re-creation of

the fabled MP of 1957. 1000 cameras will be made, 500 black paint and 500 chrome, with a

retro style 50/1.4 ASPH and Leicavit. .72 finder, 35,50,90 framelines, M2 style film counter and

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dog eared strap lugs like the original, TTL metering, M6 Leicavit/motor compatibility. As

special edition Leicas go, this is one of the best!

MP-3 2006

Leica introduced the beautifully done LHSA MP-3 kits in late 2005 for delivery in 2006. 500

each were produced in black paint and chrome, along with a matching retro styled 50/1.4

ASPH. These amount to the modern MP's restyled to 1956 like the original Leica MP with M2

style film advance and film counter. They are GORGEOUS! Long term I believe they will

prove superb collectibles. Three thumbs up!

Leica M8 Digital 2006-

Leica will officially unveil its digital M at Photokina 2006. Time will tell how the faithful

respond. The basic problem in the Leica M lineup remains a comparatively inexpensive M body

to get new Leica nutz into the Leica M system.

Leica Rumors of our Discontent

One of the favorite Leica past times is rumors of new products. Towards the last quarter of 1996, rumors of a

new M6 or M7 were rampant. The M6 rebate helped feed these beliefs since it made sense to clear shelves of

old stock before bringing out the new model (s). I believe Leica was definitely planning to introduce new M

models, but just as their museum is full of things they almost made, they changed their mind on the last

moment.

About the time the Leica M6 rebates started, an Italian Leica dealer announced the impending introduction of

these new M versions and started quite a ruckus:

1) A M6E with electronic shutter 2) a M6W with a viewfinder for the 21-50 and 3) a M6T with a

viewfinder for the 50-135

In this scenario, the expectation was that the M6E would have an M6J finder with higher magnification for the

35-135 range.

A friend of mine, an American Leica dealer, got an informal confirmation of versions 1-3 above from a Leica

bigwig. It was one of those yes, but don't quote me things. I know this person well, and he knows Leica. If he

says he got the confirmation, he did--regardless of Leica's public denials.

January 98: With the uncertainty of today's worldwide economies, Leica apparently opted for a

minor M6 revision with a modified M6J finder, rather than a major update with loads of

investment capital.

Things were looking up for M lovers, but world economies intervened. Since that time, the M6 rebate has

been extended three (or 4?) times, Leica has sold a slew of M6's, the Japanese stock market has gone down

further, the Thailand and Indonesia stock markets did their version of our 1929 crash, and the dollar remains

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strong against the yen and mark. Add to that Leica's embarrassment and problems in getting a production

R8 motor on the shelves. It's not like motors are a secret technology--everyone else has them after

all. Finally in Feb 98, something like a year after introduction, the hunchback of Solms AKA the R8 will

have a motor. It makes me wonder what Leica is using for a design and product development department.

In the same time frameline, another Japanese acquaintance told me about the field testing of two different

Japanese made M cameras by Ricoh and Minolta. Ricoh and Konica, among others, have recently marketed

M mount lenses. I am told that Minolta will soon (1999) be marketing a 20 and 28 M mount lens. While

Konica made several prototype M cameras, I have it on good authority that Konica will not market it. And

of course, there is the new Yasuhara screw mount camera scheduled for delivery for March 1999 and the new

Cosina made Voigtlander BL LTM camera with its much appreciated 15 and 25 LTM lenses. There is

speculation Cosina may introduce a new model with rangefinder/viewfinder and M mount later in 1999. We

will see. The M bayonet patent expired in November of 1998, opening the door of opportunity for M

copies.

July 99 Update: I have informal confirmation from a Japanese industry insider who wishes to remain

anonymous that two new noteworthy Japanese Leica mount cameras will be introduced this fall:

Konica M mount camera, called the "Hexar RF." Ricoh is said to be contributing to the design. It has

the traditional Leica M-mount, manual focus w/range finder, electronically controlled

vertical running shutter, and aperture-priority AE feature. Konica might announce their

HEXAR 35mm F2.0 and 50mm F2.0 lenses at the same time. (Konica did introduce the

RF, the Ricoh camera, if it was more than a rumor, never made it to production)

Ricoh is said to be helping Konica with the Hexar M. Cash rich in other areas, cameras

are more of a hobby with Konica than a serious endeavor. I wonder if the Konica Hexar

M will actually make it to market as the Ricoh M. Ricoh has shown some interest in the

RF market by selling a 28mm LTM lens. (9/2000) it might have been a prototype, but

Ricoh left the 35mm camera business to go all digital

Voigtlander Leica Screw Mount Rangefinder camera, built on the Bessa L body.

October 1999

I previously reported that the M7 had been announced for introduction at the next Photokina in

September 2000, based upon what I was told appeared in a German newspaper's interview with

Leica's CEO Cohn.

I now have a copy of what I believe is that article, dated May 29th 1999 which appeared in the

Frankfurter Allgemeine (a large newspaper with national distribution). A new M is talked

about, but this article does not specifically call it a M7.

The article does quote Mr. Cohn as announcing a new M for Photokina 2000. It is vaguely

described as an improved version of the present M6, without giving features or an official

designation. This might be the M7 or a M6E (the designation on a prototype top plate sold at

Christies) or M ?? The article does say the regular M6 will stay in production. It remains to be

seen what Leica brings to Photokina in September 2000.

Konica has just introduced a "Hexar RF," an AE Leica M body with built in motor drive, but no

TTL flash and a very similar to the M6 viewfinder. See Separate profile. It will be interesting

to see how well this new camera will be accepted by Leica Nuts, and whether or not rumors that

a different version of the Hexar RF will be marketed as the Leica M7 are correct.

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October 1999 Leica Historical Meeting in Chicago, Mr. Cohn is reported as

saying there would be more M6 models. He also reportedly insisted that Leica did NOT

participate in the Hexar RF project, as Leica declined to. To me at least, this is remarkable

news since the Konica RF has so many very obvious similarities to the M6, especially nearly

identical rangefinder / viewfinder. If Konica copies much more from Leica, Hexar RF owners

will start sending their warranty registration to Solms.

November 1999 -- Rangefinder Renaissance Rumors are rampant in Japan of

new rangefinders being readied for market in light of Cosina's outstanding success with the

Voigtlander Bessa. More Info:

March 2000 -- M6E for Photokina 2000?? nope Rumors and speculation are

high that Leica will introduce a new version M6 with Aperture Priority AE at the next Photokina

in September 2000. This may be the camera CEO Cohn was referring to when he was quoted

in a German Newspaper last year, see story above.

August 2000 CL2 for Photokina 2000?? nope New rumors from Japan

suggest a new Japanese built CL2 compact rangefinder. Presently there is only one Japanese

Rangefinder on the market which might fill the bill, with a M mount and a Leica name tag, the

Cosina made Voigtlander Bessa R. latest Tokyo rumor (9/2000) is that this project was

dropped, with Leica and Cosina instead exploring the possibility of a Cosina made electronic

M7. Alas, the Leica long time faithful would never fully accept such a Japanese camera as the

"big" M body, unless Leica and Cosina management had the foresight to manufacture it in

Germany. Hard to believe they would go to the extra expense, but it would probably mean a big

difference in sales. Since it would probably require a new factory, this might be the perfect

time to add "Wetzlar" once again on Leica top plates. Not likely I know, but time will tell.

September 2000 .58 M6 TTL for Photokina: New rumors, so strong it seems

to be all but officially confirmed, is that a new lower magnification .58 finder with 28, 35, 50,

75, 90 framelines will be introduced at Photokina on September 30th. It's for eyeglass wearers

who can not see the edges of the wide angle framelines with the .72 finder. Rumor confirmed,

introduced at Photokina. It soon became very popular with 35 and 28 lens lovers who want to

easily see the framelines. Of the 3 M mount cameras which have visible 28 framelines visible

for eye glass users, the Minolta CLE, the Konica Hexar RF, and the .58 Leica M, the .58 has by

far the superior finder in my opinion. But don't take my word, try your own side by side

comparisons.

September 2000 New M motor at Photokina: Leica finally introduced a

better designed M6 motor. It is has a compact design with built in grip, with a choice of single

advance, or continuous 1.5 or 3 fps, and unfortunately not powered by standard AA batteries. I

would have preferred a metal rather than plastic housing.

June 2001: New 21-28 Zoom finder: While rather large, it does do the

job, though separate brightlines offer a better image. This is a unique product, never made by

Leica, or any other RF manufacturer before. It's great to see Solms turning out an unusual

product like this. Yes, I know about the old Canon V zoom wide angle finder, but it needed an

attachment and was not dedicated to these focal lengths. Alas, it is a bit big for my tastes, and it

has no brightlines. Something else that bothers me for the price is the "Made in Japan" on the

baseplate. It is not proving popular, with many for sale second hand by disappointed owners.

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2001: 1.25x M Eyepiece Magnifier: This a real neat new and useful accessory. Since its

introduction, this relatively expensive $225 magnifier has proven extraordinarily popular, so

popular there has been a shortage of them. Add it to a .58, and it becomes a .72. Add it to a .72,

and it becomes a .9. Add it to a .85 and it becomes a 1.06. This is one of Leica's best accessory

products ever. BUY IT.

January 2002: M7 The Leica M7 was introduced at the Florida PMA show in February

2002. Retail price for the body is about $2300. It's evolutionary, not revolutionary. Leica

makes haste slowly, but it is a very nice camera. The very ODD thing about the M7 is that

Leica users who for years swore they did not need AE operation (because it was not available

with a Leica M top plate), are now flocking to buy it. HA HA, so much for Leica user

"objectivity."

March 2003: MP: The traditional mechanical shuttered beautifully finished M returns to Leica's

lineup as a standard camera, at a higher price than the M7.

Protecting Your M

Keeping your M in nice shape will pay off when you eventually sell it or trade it in. Trashing them

photo-journalist style just never made any financial sense to me, besides, why destroy art? Keeping M's in expensive cases or "Leica" bags is like asking thieves to rip you off. Unassuming

bags or old suitcases with foam cutoffs may save your proverbial Leica. One of the best camera cases is the Samsonite baggage with the wheels and extendable handle--the

kind you often see flight attendants use. These don't look like camera bags and do a great job of

disguising your expensive equipment. They might also save you back surgery when bringing along

4 bodies with a dozen lenses. Either put your regular bag(s) inside it like I do, or customize it with

inserts. Bragging about your Leica is another questionable practice. The more people believe that you have

a funny old fashioned camera because you can't afford a new one, the less chance you have of getting

a gun shoved in your face to relieve you of it. The bottom plate is easily scarred, but also easy to protect. One strategy is to replace it with a scarred

user which pops up at camera shows from time to time. Another way is to cut out the adhesive anti

skid material which is made for stairs applications. Cut it out to size, and it does a fine job. Cheap too. The top plate and sides can be protected with black tape if you think you will be shooting in a

troublesome environment. UV Pens will invisibly write your SS# or Driver's License number inside the baseplate and backdoor.

Good for ID at Police Departments. Black electricians tape is a cheap, easy way to protect your black M. Tape over the bottom plate, the

ends of the top plate, the various Leica engravings, and that all too bright Red Leica logo that can be

seen from the Space Shuttle in orbit. One Photog told me that anyone who tried to steal his M would have to fight for it. Not me. Dead

photogs don't take many pictures.

Meters ? Who needs a stinking light meter ?

Which Leica M's have built in TTL meters? The M5, CL, M6, M6 TTL, M7, and the new M6

MP. The M5 and CL take the meter reading with a moving CDS cell which mechanically

moves into the center of the film plane every time you advance the film, and then swings back

down out of the way just before the shutter curtains opens. The M6, M6 TTL, M7 and M6

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MP have silicon metering cells which read reflected light off the white spot on the first shutter

curtain. The M6 TTL and M7 have a basic sort of TTL flash (basic compared to the matrix multi

segmented TTL flash systems in Nikon, Canon, Minolta SLRs). The Leitz-Minolta CL and

Minolta CL are the Leica CL, but with another nametag.

The other M's, the M3, M2, M4, M4-2, M4-P don't have built in meters, but will take small

accessory meters on their top deck. Some people like the various Leica MR meters, made for

that purpose. Personally, I don't. I don't like the readouts and I don't like how easy it is to

scratch the M's top plate while removing or installing it. My favorite add on meter is

the Voigtlander VC meter, and its replacement the VC II, which are very small, and quick and

easy to use. In 2005 a special edition black paint MP Classic was introduced, with classic

1950'styling and NO meter.

Other non Leica cameras with Leica M mount and TTL metering, include the Minolta CLE and

the Konica Hexar RF. Unfortunately the Hexar does not have a 100% Leica compatible

mount, unless it has been altered after leaving the factory. Both of these cameras have aperture

priority AE. The CLE goes one better by also having TTL flash. A new low cost M mount

camera was introduced by Cosina in 2001, the Voigtlander Bessa T. It was followed by the

more advanced Voigtlander Bessa R2 in 2002, and the AE Bessa R3A and R2A in December

2004, and the Zeiss Ikon in late 2004.

By way of comparison, the ONLY Leica screw mount cameras with TTL metering are

the Voigtlander Bessa L, aka the Cosina SW-107 which is a Bessa L with a different top

plate, the Voigtlander Bessa R, the Yasuhara, and the Phenix JG-50, a Yasuhara for the

Chinese market.

Am I right? Always and never, sometimes and maybe

Before I get needless flame mail, let me say that I claim no truth in the above Buyer's Guide. I

only hope my not so objective opinions may help you in choosing your own path to Leicadom.

Home Camera Articles FOR SALE Orders I Buy / Wants Repairs Books Adapters

Revised: June 30, 2011 . Copyright © 1997-2011 Stephen Gandy. All rights reserved. This means you may

NOT copy and re-use the text or the pictures in ANY other internet or printed publication of ANY

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