LEICA MP, a new tool for professional and dedicated amateur photographers
Leica Camera AG of Solms, Germany, is proud to announce the LEICA MP, a new tool for professional and dedicated amateur photographers. This purely mechanical rangefinder system camera is tailored entirely to the precise manual control of the photographically important parameters of time, aperture and focal plane. The photographer is not given any support, nor is he distracted by automatic program controls or options. If the photographer selects the shutter speed and the aperture, he or she will be completely independent of batteries. Rangefinding and exposure metering are of the very highest precision and have again been optimized. The new LEICAVIT-M accessory permits rapid manual film advancing. Virtually all system components of earlier models can also be used on the new camera.
All the functions of the new LEICA MP are designed for absolute ruggedness and longevity.
Like all Leica system cameras, the LEICA MP is assembled with manual craftsmanship in Solms in central Germany. The pull-up rewind knob is easy to grip and, like the film advance lever, is entirely made of metal, which makes both elements impact-resistant. The camera top is milled from solid brass. “For the owner, this means dependability during decades of hard use as well as high value retention. The LEICA MP is not a photographic infatuation – it is a camera for life,” according to Jean-Jacques Viau, marketing manager of the system products business unit of Leica Camera AG.
The LEICA MP replaces the LEICA M6, whose production was discontinued in early 2003 after a highly successful run of 19 years. At the same time, the LEICA MP complements the LEICA M7, which was introduced in 2002 and has an electronically controlled shutter and aperture-priority automatic exposure control for greater convenience and more functions.
By using less electronics as compared to the LEICA M6 TTL and the LEICA M7, it was possible to reduce the height of the top cover of the LEICA MP by 2.5 mm. This further enhanced the new camera’s discretion and compactness, for which the Leica M system is renowned.
Additional characteristics of the LEICA MP are the new sure-grip leather covering and the absence of the familiar red Leica dot on the front of the camera. “Although many photographers love the red Leica dot, they nevertheless discreetly cover it up on their M cameras in order to be able to work as inconspicuously as possible. That is why we decided to leave it off the new LEICA MP right from the start. We believe that it is sufficient that connoisseurs and owners recognize the camera as a Leica,” says Jean-Jacques Viau. In addition to the silver chrome version of the LEICA MP, the camera is also regularly available in a black lacquer version. After intensive prolonged use, some corners and edges will wear down to the solid brass. Many photographers value this as a reminder of the many experiences they have shared with the camera,“ says Jean-Jacques Viau.
The name MP, which was already used for an earlier model, signifies that this is one of the Leica M cameras that have been specially designed to address the needs of professional photographers. “The Leica MP offers 'Mechanik in Perfektion' - the second meaning of the letters MP,“ says the CEO of Leica Camera AG, Hanns-Peter Cohn. “We see the LEICA MP as an antithesis to the trend towards digitization and automation. In our experience, it is not the functions and facilities of a camera that determine the real quality of an image. The most important factor is the person behind the viewfinder who sees, composes and captures. Not forgetting the quality of the lens, of course, which is the actual producer of the image. As the camera is unpretentious and discreet, it offers the photographer a longlasting harmonious and inspiring relationship,“ says Cohn.
Shutter: The LEICA MP features a mechanically controlled horizontal-action, rubber-cloth focal- plane shutter, which is extremely precise, quiet and vibration-free. Shutter speeds of 1 to 1/1000s can be preselected in whole steps on the speed setting button on the camera top. The “B“ setting is for long exposures of any duration. The delay is extremely short, making shutter release much quicker than that of a usual SLR camera. This is a crucial advantage for capturing the 'magic moment' that is the hallmark of a special photograph.
Rangefinder system: The LEICA MP integrates the top-precision rangefinder system of all Leica M cameras, which features a large, bright viewfinder with automatic parallax compensation. The field of view is indicated by pairs of bright-line frames, either for 28 and 90mm (90mm frame separately in the LEICA MP 0.85), for 35 and 135mm (35mm frame separately in the LEICA MP 0.58) or for 50 and 75mm. The corresponding frames are mechanically reflected into the viewfinder when the lens is attached. With the aid of the field-of-view selector, any required frame can be displayed. To enhance contrast and brightness, all the optical surfaces of the viewfinder have been given a multi-layer anti-reflection coating. Even with particularly critical side light, the viewfinder provides a high-contrast metering field and clearly visible frames for each focal length due to a modified mirror and an additional lens. The split- and coincident-image rangefinder allows fast and spot-accurate focusing in all conditions. Unlike SLR systems, in which the measuring base is determined through the lens by the focal length and the lens speed, the measuring base of the LEICA MP rangefinder is always the same whatever lens is used. Its focusing accuracy, particularly for short focal lengths, is therefore clearly superior to that of SLR cameras.
Exposure metering: The selective through-the-lens exposure metering of the LEICA MP leads to the same precise results as with the LEICA M6 TTL. Even against-the-light situations, spotlight illumination or glancing side light, which cause different colors, light intensities and contrasts, are effectively mastered. Measurement is activated by exerting slight pressure on the shutter release. The light reflected by a white patch on the shutter curtain is measured by a photo diode via a collector lens. Thanks to its extraordinary sensitivity (a light value higher), this measuring method can even be used in candlelight. A battery status indicator in the viewfinder signalizes a decrease in the operating voltage.
Mechanical components: The reliability of the mechanical components of the LEICA MP was verified in numerous laboratory and field tests before the market launch. Like the LEICA M7, the LEICA MP has a top of solid brass. The main body and housing consist of light-weight but robust diecast aluminum. All the controls such as the speed dial, the film advance lever and the rewind crank are made entirely of metal.
Because of the camera's sturdiness and reliability, Leica Camera AG is giving registered owners a special 5-year warranty on the LEICA MP. On top of this, the company guarantees the availability of all services and spare parts in Leica after-sales service for at least thirty years after a possible change of model.
The two lenses LEICA SUMMICRON-M f/2/35 mm and LEICA SUMMILUX f/1.4/50 mm are also available in a black lacquer finish to match the black lacquered LEICA MP.
The first supplies of the LEICA MP will be available at Leica stockists' from March 2003. There are four different versions: the black lacquer model with 0.72x viewfinder magnification and the silver-chrome models with 0.58x, 0.72x and 0.85x magnification.
Leica Camera AG of Solms, Germany, is proud to announce the LEICA MP, a new tool for professional and dedicated amateur photographers. This purely mechanical rangefinder system camera is tailored entirely to the precise manual control of the photographically important parameters of time, aperture and focal plane. The photographer is not given any support, nor is he distracted by automatic program controls or options. If the photographer selects the shutter speed and the aperture, he or she will be completely independent of batteries. Rangefinding and exposure metering are of the very highest precision and have again been optimized. The new LEICAVIT-M accessory permits rapid manual film advancing. Virtually all system components of earlier models can also be used on the new camera.
All the functions of the new LEICA MP are designed for absolute ruggedness and longevity.
Like all Leica system cameras, the LEICA MP is assembled with manual craftsmanship in Solms in central Germany. The pull-up rewind knob is easy to grip and, like the film advance lever, is entirely made of metal, which makes both elements impact-resistant. The camera top is milled from solid brass. “For the owner, this means dependability during decades of hard use as well as high value retention. The LEICA MP is not a photographic infatuation – it is a camera for life,” according to Jean-Jacques Viau, marketing manager of the system products business unit of Leica Camera AG.
The LEICA MP replaces the LEICA M6, whose production was discontinued in early 2003 after a highly successful run of 19 years. At the same time, the LEICA MP complements the LEICA M7, which was introduced in 2002 and has an electronically controlled shutter and aperture-priority automatic exposure control for greater convenience and more functions.
By using less electronics as compared to the LEICA M6 TTL and the LEICA M7, it was possible to reduce the height of the top cover of the LEICA MP by 2.5 mm. This further enhanced the new camera’s discretion and compactness, for which the Leica M system is renowned.
Additional characteristics of the LEICA MP are the new sure-grip leather covering and the absence of the familiar red Leica dot on the front of the camera. “Although many photographers love the red Leica dot, they nevertheless discreetly cover it up on their M cameras in order to be able to work as inconspicuously as possible. That is why we decided to leave it off the new LEICA MP right from the start. We believe that it is sufficient that connoisseurs and owners recognize the camera as a Leica,” says Jean-Jacques Viau. In addition to the silver chrome version of the LEICA MP, the camera is also regularly available in a black lacquer version. After intensive prolonged use, some corners and edges will wear down to the solid brass. Many photographers value this as a reminder of the many experiences they have shared with the camera,“ says Jean-Jacques Viau.
The name MP, which was already used for an earlier model, signifies that this is one of the Leica M cameras that have been specially designed to address the needs of professional photographers. “The Leica MP offers 'Mechanik in Perfektion' - the second meaning of the letters MP,“ says the CEO of Leica Camera AG, Hanns-Peter Cohn. “We see the LEICA MP as an antithesis to the trend towards digitization and automation. In our experience, it is not the functions and facilities of a camera that determine the real quality of an image. The most important factor is the person behind the viewfinder who sees, composes and captures. Not forgetting the quality of the lens, of course, which is the actual producer of the image. As the camera is unpretentious and discreet, it offers the photographer a longlasting harmonious and inspiring relationship,“ says Cohn.
Shutter: The LEICA MP features a mechanically controlled horizontal-action, rubber-cloth focal- plane shutter, which is extremely precise, quiet and vibration-free. Shutter speeds of 1 to 1/1000s can be preselected in whole steps on the speed setting button on the camera top. The “B“ setting is for long exposures of any duration. The delay is extremely short, making shutter release much quicker than that of a usual SLR camera. This is a crucial advantage for capturing the 'magic moment' that is the hallmark of a special photograph.
Rangefinder system: The LEICA MP integrates the top-precision rangefinder system of all Leica M cameras, which features a large, bright viewfinder with automatic parallax compensation. The field of view is indicated by pairs of bright-line frames, either for 28 and 90mm (90mm frame separately in the LEICA MP 0.85), for 35 and 135mm (35mm frame separately in the LEICA MP 0.58) or for 50 and 75mm. The corresponding frames are mechanically reflected into the viewfinder when the lens is attached. With the aid of the field-of-view selector, any required frame can be displayed. To enhance contrast and brightness, all the optical surfaces of the viewfinder have been given a multi-layer anti-reflection coating. Even with particularly critical side light, the viewfinder provides a high-contrast metering field and clearly visible frames for each focal length due to a modified mirror and an additional lens. The split- and coincident-image rangefinder allows fast and spot-accurate focusing in all conditions. Unlike SLR systems, in which the measuring base is determined through the lens by the focal length and the lens speed, the measuring base of the LEICA MP rangefinder is always the same whatever lens is used. Its focusing accuracy, particularly for short focal lengths, is therefore clearly superior to that of SLR cameras.
Exposure metering: The selective through-the-lens exposure metering of the LEICA MP leads to the same precise results as with the LEICA M6 TTL. Even against-the-light situations, spotlight illumination or glancing side light, which cause different colors, light intensities and contrasts, are effectively mastered. Measurement is activated by exerting slight pressure on the shutter release. The light reflected by a white patch on the shutter curtain is measured by a photo diode via a collector lens. Thanks to its extraordinary sensitivity (a light value higher), this measuring method can even be used in candlelight. A battery status indicator in the viewfinder signalizes a decrease in the operating voltage.
Mechanical components: The reliability of the mechanical components of the LEICA MP was verified in numerous laboratory and field tests before the market launch. Like the LEICA M7, the LEICA MP has a top of solid brass. The main body and housing consist of light-weight but robust diecast aluminum. All the controls such as the speed dial, the film advance lever and the rewind crank are made entirely of metal.
Because of the camera's sturdiness and reliability, Leica Camera AG is giving registered owners a special 5-year warranty on the LEICA MP. On top of this, the company guarantees the availability of all services and spare parts in Leica after-sales service for at least thirty years after a possible change of model.
The two lenses LEICA SUMMICRON-M f/2/35 mm and LEICA SUMMILUX f/1.4/50 mm are also available in a black lacquer finish to match the black lacquered LEICA MP.
The first supplies of the LEICA MP will be available at Leica stockists' from March 2003. There are four different versions: the black lacquer model with 0.72x viewfinder magnification and the silver-chrome models with 0.58x, 0.72x and 0.85x magnification.
