chenwah_lee Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Leica announced the availability of a new MP: "At the top of the body, each is engraved with Limited Edition Serial No. from MP-001 to MP-500". "By taking away the electronic exposure system, its viewfinder is big and clear, so photographers can really enjoy the freedom of taking shots by intuition". It comes with a Summicron-M 50mm f/2 50 JAHRE Summicron with the same serial number as on the body engraved on it.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chenwah_lee Posted December 15, 2004 Author Share Posted December 15, 2004 Another picture of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_evans4 Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Exciting! (© grant) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronald_moravec1 Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Looks just like my M2! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_neuthaler Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 An M3 with .72 mag. -- I just bought a 1958 M3, double stroke for $450. How much is the "new" M3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl smith Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 I guess I wouldn't complain if someone bought me one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troll Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Does anybody have a clue about why Leica changed from the angled rewind crank (good) back to the old PITA knob (bad)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_barton Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 The story line I heard was that when a M get's dropped the angled rewind knob is one of the first things that gets damaged. Or maybe they found a couple of thousand M3/2 rewind knobs in their invintory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Looks really pretty! Right down to the old fashioned film reminder dial on the back. Unfortunately most of them will end up living their lives either packed away safely or displayed lovingly and proudly rather than being used as cameras. I'll gladly lend Hermes one of my M2 bodies to to use as a prototype for coming out with a "factory distressed finish" M2 body that nobody would be afraid to actually use straight out of the box. A power buffing wheel and fine grit polishing compound in the hands of a skilled worker could quickly brass up a new chrome body, and a Dremel Mototool with the right bit could fake 30 year's worth of wear in the neckstrap lugs. The custom shop could add dents exactly where you want them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry h-l Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 I think Leica claims that the angled lever is easily bumped and damaged, and then needs repair. I guess the old knob is a more robust design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 It only took them 37 years to conclude that the M4 rewind design was faulty? Amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chenwah_lee Posted December 15, 2004 Author Share Posted December 15, 2004 Metallic black paint body integrated with a fine Vulkanite leather; silver protection ring rounds the lens release lock; white frame number on black background of the frame counter; coupling groove in the retro shutter speed setting dial that links to the external meter MR and to do away with the bright red logo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_a Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 <b> LEICA MP Classic with SUMMICRON-M 1:2/50 mm</b><BR> Especially for our Asian distributor Schmidt Marketing, Leica Camera AG has produced a special LEICA MP model for the priority country of China. Fifty years after the introduction of the Leica M, this unique set is based on the equipment of the 1956 Leica MP and marks the anniversary in fitting style. The set is a limited edition of 500.<br> <a href="http://www.leica-camera.com/produkte/msystem/sondermodelle/mp_classic/index_e.html">Link to camera on the Leica site</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglas k. Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 I'll bet it costs more than an M7. And it has no meter and an old-fashioned knob instead of a rewind crank. Hmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opus35 Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Wouldn't taking the battery out of my MP result in the same thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david k. Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Perfect, if they added a selftimer you would have a M2R.......what's next a new Leica IIIG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiswick_john Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 More retro nonsense for collectors and fondlers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_marshall1 Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Wow! There goes Leica again. Another innovation to extend the capabilities of photgraphers everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry_ting2 Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 At this rate of progression, it wouldn't take Leica long to revert back to a pin-hole camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msitaraman Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Bah! Humbug!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy_baker Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 The next release will have black triangular lugs. The one following will also include a black lens release button.. the following will debut the return of the famous M2 external counter and so on until will have an original MP looking black paint camera, which by that time factoring-in inflation etc.. will probably be in the say 15,000 buck region. Then Leica can still squeeze out the MP2 as an ultra rare edition; and maybe even the MP SP. You have got to laugh. Only Leica can get away with it. if people are going to buy it. then great. Leica needs the funds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troll Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 It would be funny if wasn't so obvious that doing this sort of thing takes away from any engineering/design work that they might use to actually improve their basic product. (Like finding a really satisfactory replacement for Barnack's Vulcanite, for instance.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry_rory Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Interesting that Leica is now chasing the real money in China. Mind you, with it's 540 Billion dollars worth of foreign reserves (of which 80 percent is in US dollars!) you can understand why Leica describes China as a "priority country". Oh yes, and year on year double digit growth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shambrick007 Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 Cool camera, but I'd much rather buy four or five M2 users and have em "Shintaro-ed" and "Sherry-ed" for the same price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy_baker Posted December 15, 2004 Share Posted December 15, 2004 The Leica MP was and is a great marketing campaign to generate new sales; tapping into the MP legend, and appealing to users who have wanted a red- dotless M with engraved script. The pop-up M3/M2 style rewind knob maybe more sturdy and a true design classic shape; but it also means Leica can sell spin off accessories like the quick rewind attachment and Leicavit winder which together help generate even more revenue. Factor in the special editions & ala catre, if you want the full engraving and vulcanite etc.. they have quite nicely stratified and segmented the overall market at different levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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