M4P with M6 FLush Windows -- any special?

[roundg]

Hi,

I just bought a M4p with M6 Flush windows. I know little on the variations of M4p. Anyone could tell me what the special and maybe good points of the version?

Thanks,
Robin

 

[Tom A]

This is a later version of the M4P - it shares the top-plate with the M6 1st generation. It is a die-cast zinc top plate and depending on if yours is a chrome with single flash-synch outlet or a black with both the bulb/electronic flash out let - it is worth the same. There was a 70th Anniversary version with a 3 digit number and a L/E/I/C/A pre-fix - all in chrome that seems to bring a bit more.
Anyway, I hope you picked it up to use anyway - and it is a good M camera as such. Stick film in it and go forth shooting (and posting some results here).

 

[ferider]

With the zinc top plate and no meter, this is about the most robust Leica one can buy.

Enjoy it !

 

[maddoc]

With introducing this version of the M4-P, Leica switched the frame-line masks to what became standard in all later modells, which means that the size of the 50mm framelines is adjusted for that what a mounted slide will show when the lens is focused to 0.7m. That means your negative will show up to 15 to 20 % more compared what you see in the framelines when focused to infinity.

It could also be (not sure about this, though), that the covering was changed from vulcanite to the fiber-based vinyl used at the M6.

Anyway, the M4-P is a nice camera, a true workhorse. 🙂

 

[roundg]

Dear Friends,

Thanks for all the replies and useful information. I also did some google and I feel comfortable now that this version is not a collector's item (so I can use it as a workhorse).

This will be my third M4p and I agree with all of you that M4p is the most robust M and maybe the best shooter's camera (considering all the enhancements over M2/3 ) if you don't need the meter.

 

[JNewell]

It could also be (not sure about this, though), that the covering was changed from vulcanite to the fiber-based vinyl used at the M6

IIRC, no M4-P had vulcanite, but the texture of the vinyl covering was changed. As long as it is (if black) not suffering from the bubbling finish defect, you are good to go. IME zinc is harder to dent but will ultimately crack (though at that point that is among your lesser worries).

 

[rustysheepdog]

I think the flush window arrangement was one of the silliest things they ever did. It's oh-so-easy to get fingermarks and smears ... the raised framing on the M3 was infinitely better.

 

[maddoc]

IIRC, no M4-P had vulcanite, but the texture of the vinyl covering was changed. As long as it is (if black) not suffering from the bubbling finish defect, you are good to go. IME zinc is harder to dent but will ultimately crack (though at that point that is among your lesser worries).

"Standard" M4-P have vulcanite and it just started to come of my M4-P in small chips. Originally vulcanite covered M Leicas have the heads of the screws in the body shell visible (M4-P) to be able to remove the screws for disassembling the camera for service. Newer M Leicas, either starting from the latest M4-P or M6 have covered screws (Japanese made fiber-based vinyl) and the cover has to be (partly) removed when disassembling the camera.

 

[Ronald M]

Brass top plates were discontinued in favor of the zinc ( flush window). If not totally pure, zinc corrodes internally and you get bubbles all over it. I have seen cameras that look like they got measles. Leica went back to brass.

My zinc M6`s, which I purchased new when they first came out, are perfectly fine. If yours is fine after all this time, I suspect it will be ok forever. I use car wax on them, but you probably will not be so fussy. Guess I am 50% fondler, 50% photog.