So, if you designed your own Limted Edition MP...

[amateriat]

The thread concerning the Ralph Gibson Limited Edition Leica MP was interesting:

I like Ralph Gibson, and love his work.

I really like Leica M-mount cameras.

I don't really like the Ralph Gibson MP.

(This reminded me of when someone asked what I thought of the then-just-announced merger of Konica and Minolta: I said that it was like having two unattached close friends you love dearly, and truly believe derserve to be happily married...but not to each other.)

And so, this got me to thinking (okay, run for cover, but hear me out): if you got a shot at designing a Limited Edition MP (or M7, for that matter), what would you put in, and what would you leave out? And, what would motivate your changes?

Here's how a Barrett Benton Limited Edition Leica MP would be spec'd:

- UV-coated, triple-coat matte black enamel finish: durable, inconspicuous, attractive (in that order of importance);

- Four framelines only: 28, 35, 50, 90, individually actuated;

- Frameline preview lever retained, but reduced in size, modified shape;

- MP/M3-style film-wind lever (thanks, Ken Ford...forgot that one!);

- M7-style angled rewind lever: sorry, folks, function trumps "classicism" here for me...it's my party and I'll (re)wind like I want to!

- Black vulcanite, also UV coated, with finer grain than traditional;

- Black finish covers everything, including strap lugs and lens release button (might have to go to heavy black chrome for these); frame counter remains in bright-finish for legibility;

- No inscription on top plate: serial number would simply add "BB" suffix (for anyone who cared) - Gibson should've done this, IMO;

- Would be sold only with matching Leicavit trigger-wind (regular bottom plate included, of course);

- No standard strap included: prospective buyer would be offered choice from various sources within the Leica aftermarket community;

Limited edition of either 56 (I was born in 1956) or 42 (Douglas Adams fans will get the inference there);

- 10% of proceeds would go to a charitable/philanthropic organization of purchaser's choosing: if we're going to get silly with limited-edition stuff like this, at least we can give a tiny push in the direction of doing a bit o' worldly good (no excessive soapbox stuff, promise).


So, there you are. Given the nature of Leica's a la carte program, I don't see anything stopping someone with fairly deep pockets from waving sufficient funds in the collective face of the Solms gang and getting them to create a "limited edition" of one's own. Why couldn't RFf, for that matter, create a Limited Edition Leica of its own? Especially a Leica that appeals to serious users (which eventually translates to collectors, whether they currently realize it or not).

Whatever. Tell me what you'd build.


- Barrett

 

[Ken Ford]

Here's mine:

* MP3 style top plate
* Black paint
* MP style wind
* M7 style rewind
* Vulcanite
* .72 with 28-50/75-35 framelines (no 90 or 135)
* Traditional top plate engraving

I'll take two! Who has a credit card or second mortgage credit line I can borrow?

 

[Ken F.]

Hi Guy's,

My mp's a stock chrome .72, other than maybe losing the 135mm frame lines? I wouldn't change a thing!

Cheers,
kf

 

[boarini2003]

Really cool question! Hmmm, let's see... For me it would be:
- Everything MP style. No AE, all mechanical
- Black Chrome (Not Lacquer) finish. I want durability, and I don't like brassing.
- 0.85 Viewfinder magnification with only ONE framline visible at a time. Only two framelines: 50 and 35.
- NO camera strap attachment points. I never use one, I find it cumbersome. I love shooting strapless. I think it would describe my style.
- No personal engraving, no marks of any kind on top plate

I guess that's it!

 

[Nick R.]

Pre-brassed black paint with no engraving except serial number starting with NR. Totally mechanical with self-timer.

 

[visiondr]

Silver chrome, MP controls, self-timer (I'm with Nick on this one), real black pebble leather covering, drop the 75mm framelines. It would be nice to include some kind of frameline (faint, perhaps dashed, circle) indicating metering area.

 

[flipflop]

boarini2003,
you shoot strapless, WOW. What kind of shooting do you do? I went backpacking central america and I couldnt imagine not having a strap. I dropped my G1 even with a strap....You must have a really good grip! It is definetly more stealth than a wrist strap and of course neck strap!~

 

[vizioneer]

Hmn...chrome MP .72 w/ more eye relief for wider lenses, light brown ostrich leather, a mechanical timer plus retaining the light meter. Sounds good to me.

 

[cp_ste.croix]

hmm...

well I'd canabolize the ZI finder but have framelines appear individually...28,35,50,75,90.

I'd see about a black hammertone paintjob with black leather covering and if that's not possible, i'd do a black paint, maybe with dark grey outlines at the edges/lines for some depth...I like the idea of everything black other than the frame counter.

mp style film advance

M6 rewind

normal m6 meter...not ttl; maybe no hotshoe at all...

next to eyepiece engraving of cp ste. croix in a font of my chosing...and in dark grey.

Sold with matching lenses 28/2; 35/1.4; 50/1.4; 75/1.4; 90/2 and hoods (vented when appropriate)

1000 Made available only to substitute teachers with student loans at a heavily subsidised price 🙂

 

[Simon Larbalestier]

I like the spec of the limited edition MP3
would like separate 35/50/90 framelines.

 

[a.black]

besides a meter (well just maybe, not a must), I'd just change the framelines of my current M4-2. It's black, got M7 rewind and MP advance, no Leica strap and no unneccessary engravings.
Okay maybe some new fancy cover to give it some attention.

 

[wlewisiii]

(This reminded me of when someone asked what I thought of the then-just-announced merger of Konica and Minolta: I said that it was like having two unattached close friends you love dearly, and truly believe derserve to be happily married...but not to each other.)

Good quote. I have to remember this one when I'm creebing about mickeysoft...

Whatever. Tell me what you'd build.

What a fun question! These kind of customs are something that they could do really easily.

For me:

- Hard plate chrome. The hardest chrome possible. Everything not covered with leather is chromed.

- Agree on the M7 rewind.

- Black leather. I know vulcanite is traditional. But leather just feels better to me than any excuse for rubber. And vulcanite is just, in the end, rubber.

- Classic style engraving on the top plate.

- .58 finder with 28, 35, 50, 90 finder lines that are not doubled up. The single most aggrivating thing about my CL is the fact that the 40 line is always there. Hence, every combo is doubled up. I'd love to have a 135 line in there too, but if you have a usable 28 line, then the 135 line will just be too small for 99% of users. I'd still have it if it were separate from any other finder line...

- three strap lugs ala the M5. Actually hire Luigi to provide the case and strap for every one of them. This would be the real bottle neck for production and in some ways is intentional. If you don't want the case, you still get to pay the same $$$ but it goes to the charity fund.

- I do like the idea of a SN prefix for these kind of special models. It would have to be purely alpha to avoid other problems, but that can be lived with.

- Personally the charity % would need to be larger. But what size it was would be determined purely on Leica's profitabilty. More $$$ to charity if they do well ...

There isn't that much here. But it was a fun exercise nonetheless. Thank you, sir.

William

 

[kvanderlaag]

Chrome finish.
0.72x mag (35/135 / 50 / 90 framelines).
No inscription on the top plate, save the serial number.
M2-style wind lever.
M4-style rewind crank. (Knob wind is fun and all, but <3 crank rewind).
Deep red leather cover. Something classy.
M2 frameline preview lever.
M6 meter.
50/1.4 Summilux. Don't care what vintage.

I'll have something fancy (emblem, crest, whatever) engraved on it poorly later if I feel like it.

Sold without a box or anything. Pack it in with some rocks or something, with the glass protected. Knock it around a bit, make it look well-used.

That's pretty much how I shoot.

 

[boarini2003]

Flipflop, I do street shooting. I find that it actually has improved my photos, since I don't worry about a strap, and whether it's hanging or properly wrapped around around my hand. I can quickly change the position of the camera without entanglements. I don't even take a camera bag with me. It's the photographic equivalent of skinny dipping! Try it, I think you'll like it!

 

[ian_watts]

My ideal M:

Plain (no engravings/logos) black chrome M7.
0.72x finder. 35/50/90 frames only.
No auto-DX coding (keep the AE functionality of the M7).
Motor-M fitted (I use a Motor-M most of the time - but very rarely to wind the film)

 

[vizioneer]

OK you guys have inspired my covering choice some more- how about a nice slightly lighter than medium blue ALCANTARA! LOL.

 

[yossarian]

It would look exactly like an OM3-Ti.
In fact, it would be an OM3-Ti.



Fred

 

[Honus]

Here is my choice based on the configurator on the Leica website. If someone will send me the $4,100, I'll be glad to order it 😀

Robert

 

[Ben Z]

1. Threaded-on eyepiece of all Ms from M3 up until the MP. I'll take threads vs caulk to keep out dust.

2. Rewind crank of M4-M6. Had an MP, had to buy the add-on, wasn't as good.

3. Silver chrome finish with M2-M4 style top engraving. The black paint just got plain old ugly in no time.

4. Vulcanite-look body cover. The std MP body cover was a little slippery, not as nice as my M6.

6. M4-M6 type advance lever. Not a big difference with the solid one but the M4-type is a little more comfortable.

7. Second shoe (cold) right above the viewfinder, so I could use a finder for my 28mm plus a flash.

8. All framelines sized so they are accurate at infininty instead of minimum. Small marks or corners inside each frame for the minimum distance. No 75mm frame.

9. Full-frame 22MP digital

 

[former member]

This is Fun.

M3 Finder, 0.92x w 50/90/135 lines. I have a Summaron with Eyes, so no 35 lines.

M3 Film Advance. No Plastic Tip. The original Nikon F2 had Metal Tips, painted black. Then PLASTIC set in.

Black Paint, Black Vulcanite

No Preview Lever. Thankyou, Ralph Gibson and PhotoVillage.

Old Style Shutter speed dial to match my Weston II BUT I want TTL metering. And the Fastest Sync Speed will correspond to a real shutter-speed and not some in-between thing.

Rewind Knob, no Crank

M3 style Loading. I have extra take up Spools and pre-thread them.

Gotta have that M3 trim, er Light Baffling for the Eyes.

It can be inscribed with the traditional "LEica Script" and Leitz Wetzlar.

Okay. So it would be a Black M3 with a TTL Meter. It can use LED's. Like the Bessa R2 and F2AS.

If Nikon brought back the SP finder with all of its complexity, certainly Leica must respond and bring back a REAL M3 finder.

After all, we're living in the 21st century.