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I think this mostly ignored gem of a special edition (prices indicate so) deserves its own thread. Especially with the L/E/I/C/A 001-500 and its 2500 pieces of silver M4-P bodies that somehow ended up being quite higher in numbers than promised and the "Napoleonic" engravers' mistake of "1813-1983" cameras... Plus all the special editon lenses and an engraved winder that - combined together - made this special edition so cool... The last Midlands M camera before M6 and the Canadian Leica "swan song", the last goodbye...

I was wondering if any of you leica history buffs could help me out on this weird topic. I recently bought my first leica m, an m4-p. I know the camera had to have been in the last group of 2223 m4-p's produced because it has the m6 top plate windows and single pc port. The issue is that the serial number isn't registered to any leica m4-p's. It's registered to a leica r3. Since production for those cameras ended almost a decade before my camera was ever made, I was wondering what the cause could be. Just a mistake? Hopefully not a fake... the serial # is 1468592 thanks for any input -Massoud

Okay guys, need help with this rangefinder issue. the image comes up at crooked, and it's making focusing kinda annoying. Any idea what could have caused this? Do I just need to send it away to be serviced? thanks- Massoud

Hej, my beloved M4-P seems to suffer from a light leak. See attached snapshots. It appears on one or two exposures per film. All Images are taken with M4-P, Summicron 35mm Asph., original hood and B+W high quality ND Filter. I experienced it only with the Cron so far, though it seems to be body problem. My questions are: Common issue? Where is the light leak? Back door? Shutter? How/Where to repair (Berlin)? Complicated? Expensive? Thank you very much in advance!! Peter

Leica M (Typ 4-P)

I've been using an M6TTL for a while now. I got the chance to acquire an R3 Mot + 3 lenses at a good price but found them to be a bit lumpy compared to the M6TTL so I've just traded the R gear for an M4-P in really nice condition. Okay, it hasn't got a meter but a combination of sunny16 and using my Minolta Auto Meter IVf in tricky conditions will get me through. I love the feel of the M4-P and the fact that no batteries are required. Anyone else here have one? Any stuff to watch out for?

I'm not sure whether I've had bad luck with getting lenses to fit on cameras, or if this is a common problem with the M system. My first Leica combo was an M3 SS with Summicron 50 V2. Since the body and lens shipped together, there was no problem getting them to mount. Next, I purchased an Ultron 28 f2. The lens fit into the mount, but I couldn't get it to click into place. Took it to a repair shop, and the owner basically got the lens to fit through brute force - said Voigtlander QC wasn't great and that this was basically to be expected. I used the lens like this for a couple of months, but it would often "unclick" itself somehow, so I eventually traded it for a LTM Skopar 28mm. Same thing happened with the first adapter - couldn't get it it to click in place. Went back to the shop, and was given a replacement that 'magically' worked without problems. Recently, I traded the M3 for an M4-P and, lo and behold, neither the adapted Voigtlander nor Summicron will even fit into the mount, let alone click. Thus out of 6 total Lens/body combos (2 bodies and 4 lenses/adapters), 4 have been faulty. I'd simply put it down to a service error or wear and tear, but the fact that this has occurred between unrelated lenses and bodies makes me skeptical. Has anyone had a similar experience? Am I doing something wrong?!

Apologies if there are similar threads to this one - I haven't been able to find answers to my questions specifically. I recently sold my M3 since I'm looking for a body that accommodates wider lenses and has a hotshoe. I don't need a built in meter and am on a budget, so I wouldn't consider the M6. I also find the M5 too bulky, so this leaves the M4-2 and M4-P. I will mainly be shooting 28mm and 35mm lenses, so the M4-P seems ideal since it provides framelines for both. My first question is therefore whether the extra cost is warranted for 28mm framelines, or if I should opt for an M4-2 and use the entire viewfinder to approximate the 28mm focal length. Also, since there are few "user condition" examples of both models available online, I'm wondering how reliable the hotshoe is on these cameras - I use flash a lot and problems in this department would be a total dealbreaker for me. Would it make a tangible difference to opt for a late M4-P, or is it safe to assume that the hotshoe will function well in most cases regardless of model or year? My instincts tell me the M4-P is the ideal camera, but since there are a few M4-2's available for very attractive prices, I'm hoping someone can convince me otherwise!

Hello forum members! This is my first post (although I have been lurking around for quite some time). My M4-P (very late serial number 16927xx) has an extra nipple or rivet on the rewind knob side of the body. M3 and M2 bodies, as well as barnack leica's such as the iiif, also seem to have this rivet, but I have never seen it on a M4-P (or M4 for that matter). My questions are: What is the function of this rivet? It does not seem to 'do' or hold anything. What purpose did it serve on the M3/M2? Why does my M4-P have one while it seems to have disappeared from m-bodies since the introduction if the M4?

Picked up an M4-P recently, apparently CLA'd in 2020. A few frames from every roll so far have had the left 1/3 or so much darker than the rest of the frame to varying degrees (see examples). I have noticed that this happens only when I shoot in the sun at 1/1000s. I even tested it by shooting the same subject at 1/500s and 1/1000s. The 1/500s was fine while the 1/1000s had the issue. Is this a shutter problem, or am i just clumsy and blocking the lens with my fingers? (Don't mind the banding that was a development issue I have since fixed.)

We are not that far down the road to hell with regard to AI and it appears than an increasing number of people are through with AI, photographers in particular. I love my M10 Monochrom and Q2 - and the stunning prints (other people's words, not self aggrandizement) that they can produce. As for AI imaging, my interest level is significantly lower than my interest in having an intimate physical relationship with a farm animal. This essay has me thinking that it's past time to dust off my M4-P, film developing kit and the ziploc bag full of Tri-X in my gear cabinet.

It’s only my 2nd roll of film through the camera, so it’s probably a user error. I rewound a roll of Kodak Tri-X (36 exp) film today on my M4-P. During the rewind I could feel the tension on he film being rewound and then it went slack. Thinking the film had been rewound into the canister I opened up the bottom plate. To my surprise the film hadn’t been fully rewound. I reattached the bottom plate and started rewinding again, feeling the tension again. Once I felt the tension release I was able to remove the film as normal. Did I do something wrong? Has anyone had this issue and is there a solution?

Hi guys, this is my first post, regarding my first Leica which I bought on Ebay. It was listed as having an issue with 1sec shutter speed being way too fast, which I didn't care much because it is a shutter speed I don't think I am going to use at all. I received the camera, really good cosmetic condition btw, and I noticed that all slow shutter speeds, below 1/30sec were off, way too fast. After googling the problem, I found that that can happen after a long time without being used, and that firing the shutter several times throughout all the shutter speed range might work. So I did it and it worked, for all shutter speeds except 1/8 and 1/30. I compared it side by side with my Canon 7 and they were the same-ish by the naked eye. And now, I have just tried something and if I fire the shutter with the camera upside down, 1/8 sounds ok, halfway between 1/15 and 1/4. And I promise I haven't been drinking or anything 🤨 So, today, I have contacted by email 4 Leica repair shops in the UK. Two of them have replied, one that they cannot do it because they don't have spare parts, and the other that I should return the camera and ask for a refund. So I went to the only Leica repair shop that I know in London, which I am not going to say its name. So, I got there, the guy took the camera, he wasn't listening to what I was saying at first, started firing the shutter and making appreciative faces saying, yes, slow speeds are ok. Until I got him to listen to what I was saying, and then he saw the problem with 1/8 and 1/30. He told me the camera would need servicing (now the finder needed service too because it wasn't a clean view..., but also that they wouldn't probably need any spare parts), which is fine, normal price for a CLA for a Leica. But he also advised I returned the camera to the seller. So I don't really know what to do. The camera has that problem, it looks in good cosmetic condition, and, whatever they say, I been after one of these cameras for like a year, and I have never seen one in this cosmetic condition for less than a grand. And I bought this one for £750. I have asked the seller if they would refund me the cost of the repair, but they haven't said yes, just have asked me to check if I want and let them know. So, what do you guys, as Leica users, think? Just a honest, and blunt if necessary, opinion. Cheers

Hi, can anyone recommend any good quality straps that include the protection flaps that go over the attachment points. Ideally under £50 and available in the uk. many thanks, Dan

Hi, newcomer here, can anyone advise if there are any problems when using a Minolta rookie lens on an m-mount camera via an adapter? Does the focus work just as it should? I have just picked up an M4-p and am in the process of deciding which summicron I would like so I want to use my Minolta MD mount glass in the meantime. Thanks in advance for any info.

Taken on Leica M4-P and 35mm Summicron f2.5 lens using Kodak T-Max 400 film. No metering done. Film was lab processed. Gerry

My first post here - I procured an M4-P with the 50 f2 - This one is using the "sunny-16" rule with a bit of advanced math....

Guten Morgen! Ich bin neu hier in der illustren Runde der Leica-Owner, sage hiermit 'Hallo' und hoffe auf ein nettes miteinander. Nachdem es mir gelungen ist ein unbenutztes Exemplar meiner Traum-Leica zu ergattern bleibt für mich zunächst nur eine Frage offen - was bedeutet das 'P' in der Typenbezeichnung. Hoffentlich kann jemand meine Neugier befriedigen. Es grüßt Eddie

And I'm converted. Previously, the last 5 years I've been a pro wedding shooter using Nikon. Then I picked up an F5, and re-discovered film. I've always wondered what all the Leica Hype was about, and now I know. Slow down, way way down, and re-discover the moments. Be aware again. Tomorrow I'll post some scans from last week's wedding.

I have been looking around for some Leica M Rangefinders. I have narrowed it down to a few: M4-2, M4-p, m6, m7. Which one would you suggest? I am leaning more towards the M4 options but i do knot know the difference between the two, nor the others for that matter. Thanks in advanced for your help. Edit: What are your thoughts on the Voigtländer 15mm, for landscapes and such. I am also considering a summicron 50mm f/2. Any other thoughts of good lenses, not too expensive.

A snapshot from a recent trip to NYC. My old M4-P, summicron 50, on expired fuji 400. Shot at +2.

Hi I'm a couple of weeks through a major change of working ie from digital to film. I bought a lovely M4-P, stuck a few russian lenses on it and started to take pictures. I have been using the sunny 16 rules and by and large have enjoyed the control and freedom of working with old technology . It really seems to give a certain amount of control back to me, deciding the shutter and aperture, the focus point - yes I know I can do all that with a digital camera, but for some perverse reason having to wait a week for the film to be developed and returned to me makes the whole process magical. I don't know if that will wear off eventually but right now I'm ready to ditch my digital stuff and buy some leica glass - oops! I'm gonna stay poor! Here are some images from my first couple of films if anyone is interested leica M4-P - a set on Flickr thanks gary