I love my… I love my M-A

[Vlad Soare]

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42 minutes ago, JMF said:

 

 

How come it's so shiny? Is it black paint? Was it an a la carte option?

 

[a.noctilux]

3 minutes ago, Vlad Soare said:

How come it's so shiny? Is it black paint? Was it an a la carte option?

 

Yes very rare Black  Paint M-A

 

I didn't know that the shutter buttons are compatible, when I look at the screws placement on the MP and M-A.

Edited October 17, 2021 by a.noctilux

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[wattsy]

2 hours ago, JMF said:

 

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Interesting M-A. Does it have a meter (MP top, silver strip on VF window and B/OFF on shutter dial)?

[Guest JMF]

3 hours ago, Vlad Soare said:

How come it's so shiny? Is it black paint? Was it an a la carte option?

 

 

55 minutes ago, wattsy said:

Interesting M-A. Does it have a meter (MP top, silver strip on VF window and B/OFF on shutter dial)?

Hello,

thanks !

it still is a M-A and the BP shutter dial button comes from a MP . So does the MP top.

The black paint parts were added on an original black chrome M-A, all done by a camera repair pro. These BP parts are a mix of MP and M6 Millenium parts.

 

I have a classic M6 which is fitted with such a silver MP shutter button (and a M6J top cover) and which is connected, a simple job according to the technician who made the connection. 

 

Best, JM.

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Edited October 17, 2021 by JMF

[Guest JMF]

2 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

Yes very rare Black  Paint M-A

 

I didn't know that the shutter buttons are compatible, when I look at the screws placement on the MP and M-A.

The MP and M-A parts are compatible, here is another iphone shot:

 

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Edited October 17, 2021 by JMF

[Kriehuber]

On 10/17/2021 at 9:07 PM, JMF said:

The MP and M-A parts are compatible, here is another iphone shot:

 

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Thats super interesting! Is it a simple swap for the shutter speed selectors ?

Since the Screws are normally at a different place ( between 4/8 on the MP and behind B on the MA ) shouldn't the screws / shutter speeds don't match ?

Or am I missing something ?

Edited October 20, 2021 by Kriehuber

[kivis]

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M-A question: The top plate and the bottom plate are brass underneath the Chrome, right?

[a.noctilux]

6 hours ago, kivis said:

M-A question: The top plate and the bottom plate are brass underneath the Chrome, right?

Right.

[Capuccino-Muffin]

On 9/16/2021 at 4:04 PM, alainD said:

Triple black: black Leica M-A with black Leica MR and black Summaron-M 28mm f/5.6

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Wow incredible serial mumber + E34... nice lucky

[malligator]

After 16 months I still love my M-A. Unfortunately, although I completely committed to my M-A, I failed to completely commit to film. My original intent was to learn to do traditional darkroom prints, but the local photo center with rental darkrooms has been shutdown due to COVID. I tried using the local photo lab to process and scan, but they looked horrible and I can process my film much cheaper. I don't particularly want a flatbed photo scanner. I am interested in using my "old" Nikon D810 to DSLR scan, but I have yet to get all the other necessary equipment and I've read that the software for inverting a color negative isn't quite ready for primetime.

Since I can't/won't get my negatives into a final image I stopped processing my film and let the rolls pile up. Once I started doing that I slowly stopped taking photos altogether.

It also didn't help that the rolls I did process were pretty underexposed. Apparently jumping to a meterless camera with a "don't blow out the highlights" DSLR mentality wasn't the best.

I am snapping out of it, though. I'm working through processing my film (pushing +2 due to my bias toward underexposure). I'm carrying my M-A with me again. I'm still going to work on using Sunny 16 and reading light to get the correct exposure, but I will definitely be biasing toward overexposure, if in doubt. I'm also going to buy the necessary equipment to DSLR scan after the holidays. After that I'll get the chemicals and gear to process C41.

Last, but not least, I'm going to stop being so picky with my shots. Without a workflow to a final image each exposure felt more precious. I've had a tendency to only shoot things that were "worthy" of being shot on a Leica. Every photo had to be artistic and insightful. My phone if full of pictures of me and my goofy friends doing goofy things. From now on those pictures will be on my M-A.

[FrozenInTime]

21 minutes ago, malligator said:

After 16 months I still love my M-A. Unfortunately, although I completely committed to my M-A, I failed to completely commit to film. My original intent was to learn to do traditional darkroom prints, but the local photo center with rental darkrooms has been shutdown due to COVID. I tried using the local photo lab to process and scan, but they looked horrible and I can process my film much cheaper. I don't particularly want a flatbed photo scanner. I am interested in using my "old" Nikon D810 to DSLR scan, but I have yet to get all the other necessary equipment and I've read that the software for inverting a color negative isn't quite ready for primetime.

Since I can't/won't get my negatives into a final image I stopped processing my film and let the rolls pile up. Once I started doing that I slowly stopped taking photos altogether.

It also didn't help that the rolls I did process were pretty underexposed. Apparently jumping to a meterless camera with a "don't blow out the highlights" DSLR mentality wasn't the best.

I am snapping out of it, though. I'm working through processing my film (pushing +2 due to my bias toward underexposure). I'm carrying my M-A with me again. I'm still going to work on using Sunny 16 and reading light to get the correct exposure, but I will definitely be biasing toward overexposure, if in doubt. I'm also going to buy the necessary equipment to DSLR scan after the holidays. After that I'll get the chemicals and gear to process C41.

Last, but not least, I'm going to stop being so picky with my shots. Without a workflow to a final image each exposure felt more precious. I've had a tendency to only shoot things that were "worthy" of being shot on a Leica. Every photo had to be artistic and insightful. My phone if full of pictures of me and my goofy friends doing goofy things. From now on those pictures will be on my M-A.

I would suggest focusing on increasing exposure, e.g. 1/box-speed at f/8,  and not pushing the film ; pushing will reduce the dynamic range and lead to very dense highlights that are difficult to print or scan.

Edited November 15, 2021 by FrozenInTime

[malligator]

12 minutes ago, FrozenInTime said:

I would suggest focusing on increasing exposure, e.g. 1/box-speed at f/8,  and not pushing the film ; pushing will reduce the dynamic range and lead to very dense highlights that are difficult to print or scan.

I was just talking about pushing the film I've already shot and need to process since I know it's underexposed. Going forward I definitely intend to increase exposure.

[a.noctilux]

Hello,

I never had a lab pushing my C41 films... color negatives.

However, I avoid to do so as I've understood that C41 pushing can "shift" the colors.

https://www.filmwasters.com/forum/index.php?topic=7655.0

in this thread, some pushed pictures are fine, so I'd try out when I can.

[malligator]

9 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

Hello,

I never had a lab pushing my C41 films... color negatives.

However, I avoid to do so as I've understood that C41 pushing can "shift" the colors.

https://www.filmwasters.com/forum/index.php?topic=7655.0

in this thread, some pushed pictures are fine, so I'd try out when I can.

Sorry for the confusion. I'm only processing Tri-X 400 in D-76. I can't process C41 at home...yet.

Edited November 16, 2021 by malligator

[IkarusJohn]

Home again!

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[a.noctilux]

8 hours ago, malligator said:

Sorry for the confusion. I'm only processing Tri-X 400 in D-76. I can't process C41 at home...yet.

Very easy then !

 

👍

7 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

Home again!

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the first black M-A that I see with "R" lever as it should be 👌

I can see also something weird on M-A without LED in VF, the reflective stripe 0.72 engraved.

John, custom made ?

Please talk more.

😉

Jean-Marc got one already, I forgot this

 

 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by a.noctilux

[Vlad Soare]

Black paint, "0.72" in the viewfinder, camera name in the wrong place... It's definitely custom.
MP top plate, perhaps?

 

 

[wattsy]

I think John ordered it through the Leica 'Redesign" programme. You send in your existing camera and they apparently can replace the top plate and leather, etc. John's M-A is a curious mix of M-A and MP. Silver strip on the VF window, silver shutter ring and hotshoe, and serial number as per MP but without the Leica script normally found on that camera. 

[wattsy]

35 minutes ago, a.noctilux said:

the first black M-A that I see with "R" lever as it should be 👌

 

 

I'm not sure what the "R" lever should be like. is this one right?

 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[a.noctilux]

Ian,

I talked about square lever on black M-A,  many years back November of 2015 .

Strange, as it does it's job, I forgot about it , life is strange 😉

 

your post

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by a.noctilux