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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.

.
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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