Why I love the M-A

[valdas]

1. The viewfinder with the unbroken bottom frame line. The last M to have this is the M4-P. Everything since that camera has had a broken frame line due to the meter read outs . For me it makes a huge difference in the feel of the composition. Love it.
2. See 1.
3. None of my perfect condition, but old, CLA-d Ms feel as smooth and tight as a new M.
4. The brushed metal rotating film reminder dial is how the ISO dials should have been made on the the M6, M7, Mp series.
5. The all black, no logo, no engraving version is just stunning in its sinister simplicity.

🙂

No offence, but the last time I googled “fetish” definition it sounded quite similar 🙂

Well, all those pretty things... and yes, they are indeed good...

 

[Huss]

No offence, but the last time I googled “fetish” definitions it sounded quite similar 🙂

Well, all those pretty things... and yes, they are indeed good...

None taken.

You know, if you take the letters in the word 'fetish', re-arrange them, take some out, add some others, it spells "Leica"..

 

[bayernfan]

i think you're trying to convince yourself this camera is worth the huge premium over a classic M2/4. 🙂

 

[Pioneer]

i think you're trying to convince yourself this camera is worth the huge premium over a classic M2/4. 🙂

Are you really serious? Where does "worth" play a part in any Leica?

Owning a Leica is a seriously personal thing. It has nothing at all to do with any sensible, rational, decision-making process.

When the SLR came along and the Japanese made it work, Leica should have died. It didn't because people were willing to pay an amazingly high price for a very well built camera.

Now mirrorless digital cameras are here. You can even mount your Leica lenses on those cameras. And still Leica continues to survive even while charging astoundingly high prices. Not only does Leica survive, they make a profit selling those outrageously expensive cameras.

Then they come out with a digital camera that takes only black and white images. They become hugely popular. They produce a new film M camera without a meter and it sells. Now they have a digital camera with no display. It is selling.

Don't come to the table trying to compare your nice little M4 to my nice little M-A. It won't work. This is Leica land where people make personal decisions to own something that makes no sense to the majority of photographers. You don't want it? Someone else does.

Quit looking a gift horse in the mouth. Just thank your lucky stars that Leica is building cameras at all.

 

[zuiko85]

Although I'd never spend the money on an MA (decision made easy by my income level). I'm somehow find comfort that in this day and age someone is making a new, simple, all mechanical 35mm camera. Because of low worldwide demand and price the total sales per year couldn't be more than three to five hundred pieces (WAG on my part and I'm sure Leica would never release sales figures, treating them like some state secret). Because of such low volume methinks it would be hard to make it in any volume enough to lower prices. If the used M market inventory were to suddenly collapse that would certainly help increase sales I would think.

Anyway, any M body is only a minor expense compared to the cost of two or three Leica lenses to go with it. I scrimped for 30 years and bought a M4-2 but there is no way I can justify (for myself) the price of entry into Leica lenses. That is why I have a CV 35mm f2.5, a 52mm f2.8 FSU lens (total including shipping $12) and a $2 28mm f8 bodycap lens (made that one myself).

 

[ptpdprinter]

Quit looking a gift horse in the mouth. Just thank your lucky stars that Leica is building cameras at all.

How exactly is Leica a gift horse?

 

[lamefrog]

Are M-As sold in the U.S. serviced in New Jersey?

 

[aizan]

i think you're trying to convince yourself this camera is worth the huge premium over a classic M2/4. 🙂

m2’s and m4’s in the same condition are really hard to find and cost the same.

 

[Huss]

i think you're trying to convince yourself this camera is worth the huge premium over a classic M2/4. 🙂

Of course it is! Ever priced a new, never used M2 or M4?

😀

 

[Erik van Straten]

I think it is a very nice camera, however, I've never seen one in reality. One of the most important aspects on M-Leicas are the framelines. How do the framelines of the M-A compare to the framelines of the M2 and M4 (and M5)?

Erik.

 

[Huss]

How do the framelines of the M-A compare to the framelines of the M2 and M4 (and M5)?

Erik.

All with the 50mm frame lines showing:

M-A:



M4:



M5:


M7:

 

[Huss]

With the M5, the bottom/horizontal frame line does not exist for the 35 and 28mm frames.
The M4 does not have a 28mm frame. The M7 is 'broken' for the metering info for the 28, 35 and 50 frames. Same for the MP (and M6?). The M-A is intact on all frames.

 

[giganova]

Love the simple M4 frame lines!

 

[Huss]

Love the simple M4 frame lines!

Yep, but with Leica just having introduced the 75 1.25, and already having the Lux 75 1.4, current models 'need' them. Even though I don't..

It's also why I prefer the M4-2 over the M4-P. Much cleaner frame lines.

 

[mod2001]

m2’s and m4’s in the same condition are really hard to find and cost the same.

Not really, these days, you can buy a heavily used but working M2 (button rewind) for around $500, send it to Cameraworks UK to get the full service, black paint of your taste, complete CLA incl. free to air bright line mask and new vulcanite, adds another $900, so you end up with around $1400 for the whole package, doubt that you get an used M-A for the same price 😉 I f you don't need the 28 and 75 frame lines definitely a nice alternative (the M2/M3 have imho the best frame lines of all M's) and for sure as smooth as a M-A can be (the M2 has brass gear, the M-A steal)

Above observations ignoring and the missing 28 frame lines in mind (I don't like external viewfinders), somehow, the M-A is the only Camera ever where i would love to buy it new, no previous owner or demo model, fresh out of the box and forever only my precious 😱 Sentimental bs and financially insane, I know, but I wouldn't mind in this case 🙂

Jürgen

 

[DanskDynamit]

I personally don't know why anyone would trust that the camera is the same one they've been producing since the 50s. Leica is a luxury brand now focused on selling toys for people who like to fondle their cameras more than shoot them. If the M-A is the M4 reborn, how do we know they didn't cut corners in it's production? A better question is, why WOULDN'T they cut corners? People buy whatever they sell, just to be in the brand.

Leica cut corners with the M3SS, M2 and the list goes on. Why wouldn't they do it? well, they have been doing it since the 50s.

 

[Huss]

The last camera that Leica didn't cut corners with was the M5. OG fit and finish. Brass everywhere. Spot metering with full info VF. New design shutter speed dial and rewind knob.

And look at how they were rewarded for that!

 

[Erik van Straten]

The M4/M2 framelines are seen by many as ideal. Why did Leica not choose for those in the M-A? For many people this is a reason not to choose for the M-A I guess.

Erik.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Thank you, Huss, for showing those framelines!

I measure on my screen the long side of the 50mm frames:

M-A 117mm
M4 125mm
M5 115mm
M7 119mm

I understand that the M5 frame in this example is a replacement.

The M4/M2 framelines are seen by many as ideal. Why did Leica not choose for those in the M-A? For many people this is a reason not to choose for the M-A I guess.

Erik.

 

[Rob-F]

1. The viewfinder with the unbroken bottom frame line. The last M to have this is the M4-P. Everything since that camera has had a broken frame line due to the meter read outs . For me it makes a huge difference in the feel of the composition. Love it.
2. See 1.
3. None of my perfect condition, but old, CLA-d Ms feel as smooth and tight as a new M.
4. The brushed metal rotating film reminder dial is how the ISO dials should have been made on the the M6, M7, Mp series.
5. The all black, no logo, no engraving version is just stunning in its sinister simplicity.

I initially thought this was a dumb 'new' model from Leica, but now that I have used one I get it.

🙂

1. I just bought an M4-P for this reason!
2. See 1
3. My M4-P feels almost as smooth as my M2, and even tighter.
4.
5. My M4-P is all black. Without the self timer and with the Red dot down on the vulcanite and not up on the top plate, it has that simplicity that is missing in later models. The red dot on the vulcanite looks to me like it belongs there! 🙂