Leica MP

[azzo]

Any Discussions About The Mp ?

[abrewer]

Ivan,

Welcome to the Forum!

If you search the site you'll find many discussions of the Leica MP.

Did you have a specific question about the camera?

Thanks.

Allan

[chrisweeks]

if there's anything you need to know about it, let me know.

i use one daily!

[rob_x2004]

Chris, would you ever trade your MP for an M7? And if not why? Mind space thing or the full manual gets you to think things through for a more satisfactory result? What if you wanted flexibility of flash, the M7 then?
Someone else mentioned 'double detent' on the M7 shutter release which I think means two stage shutter release which I could see being a nuisance if it is anything like the release of the R9. But that aside, and mechanical v electronic shouldn't make a difference for the majority of users, why not the convenience of the M7s aperture priority?
Regards.

[SteveYork]

There's a segment of M users who were and are attracted to Leicas because of the mechanical nature of the camera, among other things. And these folks use M2s, M3s, M4s, M6s, and MPs. The M7s, and I can assume the M8 also, because of the electronics, don't seem to be as attractive to this segment of the market. In my own case, I got my first M6 in the 90's when the Contax G2 I had electronically failed right out of the box. And this segment is unlikely to go for the M7 or the M8 for that matter.

[rob_x2004]

Steve I am sure you are right about the traditionalist following, if i can call it that. But I think there might be something more.

With a 6.2 I find that my negs appear to be all over the shop, something that had always concerned me. When you see negs out of an auto there is this nice even exposure across 36 frames. Great...well...maybe.

Giving a 9 a good hit out I found all my negs nicely and evenly exposed across the board. How many shot did I lose because the camera is locked in to an exposure value? Plenty. There were shots that would better have been underexposed and captured at a workable shutter speed for example. There were also shots lost, and I had never thought on this before, because the part of the frame that was my focus, was completely overwhelmed by what was happening in the rest of the frame and that the cameras electronics had to consider and balance, even in spot meter. Auto it is just easy to keep pressing. Cameras fault? Nope. Brain fade, mine. Manual sometimes makes you more aware.

I hadn't counted on how often my brain switched off to what I needed, just because I could set aperture and forget about the rest. Go figure. I reckon I lost as many shots aperture priority as I did by missed exposure in manual on the 6.2, and I was a hell of a lot less aware than when working manual. Dont get me wrong, the aperture and probably the full program mode is fast, but often not that much faster because in a lot of instances adjusting exposure still sits in the time frame you need to focus and compose. Even in a hurry. So unless you go full AF and auto...

Hence, my question to Chris. Why not the M7?

[leica_mage]

Originally Posted by chrisweeks

if there's anything you need to know about it, let me know.

i use one daily!

Chris, I've PMed you.

[lambroving]

Rob,

Chris can speak for himself, but I believe he uses his M's mainly for B&W where 1/2 - 1/3 stop aren't that critical. While the M7 and MP use the same meter, the M7 has an infinitely variable shutter and will shoot 1/180th, 1/380th, etc. With color, sometimes this makes a difference. Also, when you KNOW you need a little compensation, you can meter a different area and lock in 1/750th, etc. with the exposure lock feature. It is much quicker to do than say. If I HAVE to get the shot, I prefer the M7. Of course, I'm not Chris! My M5 works the same way, only slower, but with both the M7 & M5 I know exactly what shutter speed I'm using without taking the v/f from my eye. (The M5 has an infinitely variable shutter except between 1/30th & 1/60th. M'6's and MP's do not.)

[rob_x2004]

William,

I think also with the M7, after making exposure lock you can rack round the aperture to tweak the exposure, the shutter speed of the locked exposure remains. This would be great.

I went looking for similar on the 9, but I am pretty sure all that happens is you get a programme shift, that racking the aperture sympathetically adjust the shutter speed so that the originally metered exposure remains. Maybe there are features like this with the ROM lenses but all mine a 3cam. I don't know.

Regards

[lambroving]

Yes, you could do that. I never have since I usually want the DOF I selected unless I can't hold the selected shutter speed. I DID get some good interior shots with the 28/2 recently at 1/18th and will post them if I can get Ron to do a light correction on them since I have only PSE2...

[albertwang]

Looks like the MP is dead. The M8 is finally here in the flesh.... bye bye MP...

[andybarton]

Originally Posted by albertwang

Looks like the MP is dead. The M8 is finally here in the flesh.... bye bye MP...

You'll never sell an M8 to William though...

There's life in the old dog yet (the MP, not William of course, although there's life in William yet too ) So long as there are people who want the best tool to shoot film, Leica will sell the M7 and MP. You may have to wait while they build you one specifically, but I am sure that if the price is right, it won't be a problem for them.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a hike in M7/MP prices shortly, as demand for them goes down the pan...

[rob_x2004]

The only thing I can think to add is that on this rare occasion everyone should listen to Albert, and book up an M8.
Sell me your MP cheap.

[mikej]

Hi, all - even though I'm a biased MP user (prior D2 user), I don't think the M8 will replace the MP anytime soon. Let's see what the actual M8 specs bring in terms of extreme temperature toleration, etc.

Just apples and oranges, I think.

Cheers,
Mike

[ddp]

I just added a second 0.85 MP to my system...bye bye R system

Sorry for the non - Leica digital image below (and in the old days someone might have responded with the "wanker / fondler" comment) Just wanted to share....

[andybarton]

Why does one have a silver speed dial?

[stunsworth]

Originally Posted by albertwang

Looks like the MP is dead. The M8 is finally here in the flesh.... bye bye MP...

Don't go into the fortune telling business Alfie :-). I can imagine the film M's becoming a la carte only in the not too distant future, but I think it's premature to announce the death of the MP - or M7 for that matter.

[ddp]

"Why does one have a silver speed dial?"

I wanted a 0.85 - and the only way to do that now is A La Carte. I decided to customize it a bit....

[andybarton]

Originally Posted by ddp

"Why does one have a silver speed dial?"

I wanted a 0.85 - and the only way to do that now is A La Carte. I decided to customize it a bit....

Of course - now I notice that all the moving bits are silver. Fair enough!

[albertwang]

Actually it could be too late, If Sean's review about the microlenses and dynamic range of the M8 is incredible, we may have the photographic legend of the 21st century.

Remember, my 30th birthday is coming up 1.5 months. So basically Leica has delivered a gift right before I become 3 decades old. That means that I will be saving up for it next year. 10 months of savings!