Leica M-A Finally Back In Stock @ B&H

[Ko.Fe.]

Not trolling, but an honest question. What do you find so tempting about the M-A film? Is it the lure of a new in-the-box Leica? As a film user, there are (for me) other temptations if i had $5k to burn: another M4 BP, an M-4 anniversary, a used MP, a near-perfect M2 or M3 with money left over. Care to share your thoughts?

I'll just spend 500 USD to fix my crappy M4-2 and the rest will be for the Monochrome or M10.

 

[Huss]

My M-A just feels so much tighter, smoother, brighter VF with shockingly bright RF patch compared to my junky, stinky ole M3. And my M3 DS - what a jalopy! Just don't get me started on the M2 - a true heap with it's bogus mechanical exposure counter and cheapened RF unit. Jeeesh!



p.s. new stuff costs more than old stuff.

 

[Richard G]

My M-A just feels so much tighter, smoother, brighter VF with shockingly bright RF patch compared to my junky, stinky ole M3. And my M3 DS - what a jalopy! Just don't get me started on the M2 - a true heap with it's bogus mechanical exposure counter and cheapened RF unit. Jeeesh!

p.s. new stuff costs more than old stuff.

Huss, you will bring down the M2 devotees in droves. That frame counter is one of the timeless master-strokes, rather like the original rewind mechanism. The enclosed self-zeroing silent encased frame counter of other Leicas is an effete, unnecessary contrivance. We M2 lovers will go further of course, the glorious VF being much sharper and more modern than the M3’s. Etc etc.

 

[Timmyjoe]

My M-A just feels so much tighter, smoother, brighter VF with shockingly bright RF patch compared to my junky, stinky ole M3. And my M3 DS - what a jalopy! Just don't get me started on the M2 - a true heap with it's bogus mechanical exposure counter and cheapened RF unit. Jeeesh!



p.s. new stuff costs more than old stuff.

Hey Huss, just noticed a couple things.

First, I see you got the other blue M3. Finally changed mine back to black "vulcanite" from Cameraleather.

And Second, showing I have way too much time on my hands, I noticed the rewind lever on your M-A is of the later M6, M7 design, whereas the rewind lever on the chrome M-A is the earlier M2, M3 design. Thought maybe yours was an anomaly so I checked the factory pics, and it looks like Leica designed it that way. Wonder why?

Best,
-Tim

 

[Out to Lunch]

Leica Berlin (Meister Camera) has the chrome and black M-A in stock for Euro 4,290 -approximately US$ 4,845.

 

[coogee]

Makes no sense to me either. If I had some loose change (gone with Wuhan coronavirus).

I can’t in good conscience ignore this. This isn’t ok by me. It’s COVID-19 afaik.
The term you are using is not ok and I think you well know it.


FWIW I have an M-A for a few years now. I love it. It’s awesome and just does what it’s supposed to. I only wish people were so straightforward and reliable.

 

[Mudman]

I can’t in good conscience ignore this. This isn’t ok by me. It’s COVID-19 afaik.
The term you are using is not ok and I think you well know it.

FWIW I have an M-A for a few years now. I love it. It’s awesome and just does what it’s supposed to. I only wish people were so straightforward and reliable.

Same. A company's head exec I do PR for refused to listen to me and called it something very similar. They lost clients and he had to publicly apologize for his actions. Bonus, I now have complete oversight on what they put out.

In other words, call it the proper names or don't call it anything at all.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

And my M3 DS - what a jalopy! Just don't get me started on the M2 - a true heap with it's bogus mechanical exposure counter and cheapened RF unit. Jeeesh
.

😉 Huss, i'm looking forward to some reviews of the series of point & shoot wonders that you use.... & the 'Louis Vuitton' brass version of the 8 element when you eventually get it....

 

[Huss]

😉 Huss, i'm looking forward to some reviews of the series of point & shoot wonders that you use.... & the 'Louis Vuitton' brass version of the 8 element when you eventually get it....

Dear Deardorff..

There are quite a few of those POS (point or shoot) cameras in my possession.
The only one that is, well, "underwhelming" is the Minolta Prod 20S. That little snapper mimicking a Fuji mimicking a Leica...
Did you have any requests?
🙂
Once I get my sticky little hands on my brass lens - I think Lou Vuitton would be more appropriate given its provenance... - I will most definitely mount it on my Olympus PenF and completely miss the point of having this lens. But it sure will look pretty!

 

[Huss]

..

And Second, showing I have way too much time on my hands, I noticed the rewind lever on your M-A is of the later M6, M7 design, whereas the rewind lever on the chrome M-A is the earlier M2, M3 design. Thought maybe yours was an anomaly so I checked the factory pics, and it looks like Leica designed it that way. Wonder why?

Best,
-Tim

Dear Tim.
I too noticed that a while back when I was shopping. It is interesting that Leica did try to differentiate the two in a way that only a severe Leica nerd would notice!
🙂
Perhaps they are trying to make up for the fact that they shipped early models with the shutter speed dial from the MP, which has a meter OFF position?

p.s. the black chrome version also has a completely unmarked top plate, while the chrome version has the Leica script and a bunch of other non professional touches...

 

[john_s]

...... But try finding a modern camera with a better RF - both the Zeiss ZI and Hexar RF are contenders, but when I used them the RFs in both developed serious problems with use but not abuse, and if dropped or suffered an impact they totally lost any semblance of alignment.

And, ultimately, why a Leica? The viewfinder, and, well, it’s a Leica.

History shows the MA is likely to be in stock for only a short time.

Marty

When the Zeiss ZI was in stock in a local shop, I went in with a pocket full of money to buy one. The rangefinder wasn't properly aligned. A year later I tried what I was assured was another one, and it was similar. I decided to stick with my old second hand M6 and have continued to do so.

 

[steveyork]

My M-A just feels so much tighter, smoother, brighter VF with shockingly bright RF patch compared to my junky, stinky ole M3. And my M3 DS - what a jalopy! Just don't get me started on the M2 - a true heap with its bogus mechanical exposure counter and cheapened RF unit. Jeeesh!



p.s. new stuff costs more than old stuff.

Ha, ha, M3's and M2's are so garbage! Always surprised they lasted so long. I mean, how old are they now? They're Grandpa's camera.

Seriously, the reason I went to the older rangefinders is because for the focal lengths I use, they have more accurate frame lines. When Leica jammed the 28mm frameline in there, they shrunk everything else. The 35 became more like a 40 and the 50 like a 60. My pictures are crappy enough; I don't need Leica screwing up even more. Having said that, I got an MP when the first came out, owned it for 10 years, and made money on it when I sold it. Who knows, maybe the M-A's will appreciate in value.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Steve York, I think you and I should offer to shelter all those "junky heaps" of M3 & M2 bodies.... maybe begin a Kickstarter for aged Leicas....to cover the shipping.

 

[Huss]

Steve York, I think you and I should offer to shelter all those "junky heaps" of M3 & M2 bodies.... maybe begin a Kickstarter for aged Leicas....to cover the shipping.

There is an excellent thread on Photrio about a guy wanting to pay $10 for a Leica M.

Here:

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/wanted-10-leica-rangefinder-for-personal-use.175289/

 

[Huss]

Ha, ha, M3's and M2's are so garbage! Always surprised they lasted so long. I mean, how old are they now? They're Grandpa's camera.

Seriously, the reason I went to the older rangefinders is because for the focal lengths I use, they have more accurate frame lines. When Leica jammed the 28mm frameline in there, they shrunk everything else. The 35 became more like a 40 and the 50 like a 60. My pictures are crappy enough; I don't need Leica screwing up even more. Having said that, I got an MP when the first came out, owned it for 10 years, and made money on it when I sold it. Who knows, maybe the M-A's will appreciate in value.

(Ya know I'm messing around, right? Every film Leica M I've used has been awesome, no matter the age or model #).

As we know, it's all about the glass...

 

[Deleted member 65559]

(Ya know I'm messing around, right? Every film Leica M I've used has been awesome, no matter the age or model #).

As we know, it's all about the glass...

Huss, i'm not sure that viewfinder would pass Ko.Fe.'s approval criteria 😉

 

[Freakscene]

When the Zeiss ZI was in stock in a local shop, I went in with a pocket full of money to buy one. The rangefinder wasn't properly aligned. A year later I tried what I was assured was another one, and it was similar. I decided to stick with my old second hand M6 and have continued to do so.

I do not like doing things to cameras myself. I’m not very mechanically minded, and don’t trust myself. The ZI and Hexar RF are the only cameras I’ve learned to work on. I learned to adjust them because I needed to. Otherwise they would always be away getting adjusted. When they work, they both are, in my opinion, better finders than Leica M finders, but they are mechanically very unreliable. In a digital camera they would be hopeless because any inaccuracy in the RF causes more apparent/worse focus problems on digital.

Marty

 

[David Murphy]

At the rate prices are increasing for quality M2/M3/M4 bodies, the M-A may start to look like a bargain pretty soon.

 

[Out to Lunch]

There is an excellent thread on Photrio about a guy wanting to pay $10 for a Leica M

On Reddit, this guy would qualify as a 'choosing beggar'.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

The condenser lens is over-rated. ...

That's what Leica thought when they took it out of the M4-2. It was never suggested this "fix" (put back in with the introduction of the MP) eliminated RF patch white-out, but it does help prevent it. As you say, the only flare-free finder is in an M3.