Leica M: Low production, but not limited edition

[aizan]

I'm typing up a spreadsheet of limited and special edition Leica M bodies. They're pretty easy to find info on, with comprehensive lists and background info on Lens-DB.com, CQ, MIR, press releases, auction sales catalogs, etc.

I also came across some cameras that weren't limited editions, but were still unique in one way or another. The M6 Titanium was regular production, for example. There are also some demo and loaner units, bulk orders for armed forces, customized cameras, prototypes, and so on. What are the best sources to research unique cameras like these?

 

[Bill Blackwell]

I've never seen a comprehensive limited production or "special edition" source for Leica. There is always some special edition that pops up (M6 cameras especially) I've never heard of.

Having said that, although imperfect, the best resources I've found for Leica M film cameras are "Leica, an Illustrated History" - Volume 1 (Lager), "50 Years Leica M" (Gunter Osterloh), "Leica M Compendium" (Jonathan Eastland), and "Leica Compendium" (Erwin Puts). There are a handful of others, but these four are the best sources (especially when you combine them) I've found.