OK, Beauty , Which M type camera is the most Beeuuteefull and why?

a black paint mp, with some tweaks:

recessed windows
no high speed adjustment hole next to the shutter speed dial
no battery compartment on the front
old-style metal iso dial
black crinkle paint on appropriate parts
classic engravings with original typeface, minus the flash symbol (extraneous on the mp3)
reformulated black paint to match wear pattern of classic leicas, and paint the frameline preview lever surround and flash shoe instead of black chrome
vulcanite
 
As an M5 owner (and admirer), I have to second ChipNovaMac, although I do admit that when I held the MP (the new one, not the classic), I almost went into immediate hock, it was such a gorgeous machine to hold.

It's a toss-up between the MP and M5. Either way, it's gotta be a black body.
 
No love for M7...

No love for M7...

Dunno why the M7 gets no love but here is my vote: M7 is clearly the most aesthetically advanced Leica rangefinder body, no question about it (at least in my mind :))

M750thAngled.jpg

(image borrowed from: www.balbari.org/olad/archives/wish_list/)
 
The M3 or M4 in black paint classic Leica style have got to be the most beautiful Leicas around. Unfortunately they are sitting in collectors display cases and not used much. Foreward to today and the MP in hammertone is beautiful, just get rid of the red dot and engrave the top like in the old days. ditto for the titanium model.
 
Hello Dennis,

as stated above, look at the "Beauty Contest" here in the Rangefinderforum.
The result was absolutely clear:

The most beautiful rangefinder camera was and is (as voted in this forum):

Leica MP

We don´t have to talk about it any longer.

Bully

PS: Without a doupt everyone has his/her own favorite, but the result of the Beauty Contest was built democratically.
 
OK, Bully wants us all to stop because it was done in 2006, ie Beauty Contest

OK, Bully wants us all to stop because it was done in 2006, ie Beauty Contest

Bully said:
Hello Dennis,

as stated above, look at the "Beauty Contest" here in the Rangefinderforum.
The result was absolutely clear:

The most beautiful rangefinder camera was and is (as voted in this forum):

Leica MP

We don´t have to talk about it any longer.

Bully

PS: Without a doupt everyone has his/her own favorite, but the result of the Beauty Contest was built democratically.
Click to expand...
OK bully, was not here when they did the pole in 06 so every one can stop the Miss M Contest now, or Bully will be mad at us. Thanks Dennnis:)
 
lemalk said:
As an M5 owner (and admirer), I have to second ChipNovaMac, although I do admit that when I held the MP (the new one, not the classic), I almost went into immediate hock, it was such a gorgeous machine to hold.

It's a toss-up between the MP and M5. Either way, it's gotta be a black body.
Click to expand...

Thanks DL.

As a young pup, I loved holding my uncles M3. Loved its look and feel. Then the M5 was announced, and it was love at first sight. But as a Jr High School student it was only a dream. It would not be until 2000 that I would own my first Leica - the M6TTL LHSA, another camera that deserves to be on the beautiful list.

I am now close to obtaining my dream Leica I really wanted to buy so many years ago. Have my eyes on a clean user M5 (chrome, sorry :) ) that will be a sweetheart deal once it gets back from a CLA and a clean bill of health.
 
RITskellar said:
Nice cameras, Glenn. What kind of straps are those?
Click to expand...

I bought a length of strap from a leather craft store along with rivets and a tool to set them. Total cost to do both cameras was less than $20. :)

The straps are cut to a fixed length with no adjustment buckles, just the way I like them.

Glenn
 
akptc said:
Dunno why the M7 gets no love but here is my vote: M7 is clearly the most aesthetically advanced Leica rangefinder body, no question about it (at least in my mind :))

M750thAngled.jpg

(image borrowed from: www.balbari.org/olad/archives/wish_list/)
Click to expand...

Ahmen! And the best pairing for an M7 is an MP. You can have your ZI and your HRF (which I own). Sure they cost less and their resale value is lower and they have a few more features, but IMO, there is nothing sweeter than an M7 (I like chrome, and that's a pretty example).

:)

.
 
M7 Titanium 50 yr. aniversary

M7 Titanium 50 yr. aniversary

Anyone who's ever seen or been lucky enough to have owned one (I do, unfortunately not the 3 lens set but the search goes on) will agree that it is without question the most beautiful 35mm camera ever made ....... PERIOD let alone M. It belongs in the Smithsonian.

-charlie.
 
Paul C. Perkins said:
Leica Tom opined:

<The ORIGINAL 1957 Leica MP - Black Paint with matching Leicavit MP
That`s the most beautiful M Leica ever made! - Tom >

AT LAST - someone who knows what a REAL Leica MP is about. If I accept this assertion - then I'd have to say a black-paint M-2 is an extraordinarily close 2nd. . .
Paul
Click to expand...

Heheheheeee!!!!

Back in my hardcore collector daze - I once saw 4 of them at the same time (3 chrome and 1 black) and I got to hold, cock and shoot one of the chrome one`s it was the damm bomb!
Holding a $50,000+ Leica was very exciting - ohh and the original "push button" rewind Black M2 is also a badass little number, I saw 2 of those in Germany in my travels, never got to own one, I`m sure if I had the chance to own a Black Paint M of some kind I would NEVER part with it :D

Tom

PS: That modern MP3 that`s posted in this thread in Black paint (the one KM-25 posted) is also pretty HEP looking, I`d like to work the paint off of that badboy in a few years shooting!!!! (what`s that thing going to put you back like $7,000? )
 
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