Still is.

[MIkhail]

The Leica was small and, as ideal for street photography,
unobtrusive camera.

(HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON)

 

[defconfunk]

For those of us who are not Leica-philes: What are we looking at? If there was only one extension under the body I'd say it was an electronic film winder. But two extensions?

This looks like one of the very early Kodak digital cameras where they lumped a giant extension under an F80... Or has Leica some out with a really expensive set of Lego bricks?

Color me confused.

 

[Steve M.]

Luigi is probably salivating looking at this camera. He is envisioning making a $600 case for it. Strap not included.

 

[x-ray]

Saw this or one like it on eBay last week at a really good price.

It's an M4 MOT with motor. The bottom module is for AA batteries and the middle part is the actual motor. The body has special contacts in the base that couple to the motor to prevent winding at the wrong time. They're not very fast and rather heavy but were state of the art in the 70's. I use the M2 M version in the late 60's.

 

[coelacanth]

LOLed for real.

Guess you can put MR-4 on top a grip at the bottom. Maximum bullet proof shield for a fine photo journalist.

 

[x-ray]

Great to crack heads with in an emergency. I think it held 10 AA batteries like many of the motors of the time. Imagine one of those and 2 Nikon F bodies and F36 motors with battery packs, spare batteries and add on athree lenses plus a few extra lenses and bag of film. This is why I had back surgery this morning.

 

[sjones]

For those of us who are not Leica-philes: What are we looking at? If there was only one extension under the body I'd say it was an electronic film winder. But two extensions?

This looks like one of the very early Kodak digital cameras where they lumped a giant extension under an F80... Or has Leica some out with a really expensive set of Lego bricks?

Color me confused.

One is the winder, and the other the battery compartment. Made only by Leitz New York.

 

[Roger Hicks]

And I don't use my M4-P motor and battery pack because they're too big and heavy at maybe half the size if this pair.

Leicavit on the other hand...

Cheers,

R.

 

[pagpow]

Is it just me or was there a wee bit of irony in the juxtaposition of image and quotation in the original post? "small"

Giorgio

 

[MIkhail]

Is it just me or was there a wee bit of irony in the juxtaposition of image and quotation in the original post? "small"

Giorgio

Who needs an irony when magic "L" word is present? :bang:

 

[css9450]

Is it just me or was there a wee bit of irony in the juxtaposition of image and quotation in the original post? "small"

Giorgio

I've spotted the problem: Needs a piece of black tape over the "E. Leitz" logo.

 

[defconfunk]

How much must one hate winding with their thumb to justify carrying this? Niche product for the rich thumb-less photographer (wasn't there also a pinky-wound Leica option?)

MDs only make sense to me when you're talking about burst mode in excess of 1fps (I've been told well practiced journalists could get close to 2fps with the right camera and thumb winder, but have nothing to back that up). Maybe it's because Leicas have been 'luxury' cameras for so long that I really don't associate them with working photo journalists, but how fast could that rig have shot? Sure, no VF blackout would be an advantage over a Nikon F2... But still my mind reels and I just don't see how someone could have justified that thing...