Jump to content

I love my M-A


Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

8 minutes ago, a.noctilux said:

Ian,

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

Yes, I understand. I think Leica used the plainer ("square") lever (originally from the M6) on the black chrome M-A as it suits the utilitarian aesthetic of that camera. The one on my M-A must have come from the MP parts bin.

  • Haha 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I just realized I have this beauty for more than a year (1 year and 1 day to be precise :)), I'm still in love like the first day..

M-A + 35mm Summicron V4 (photo taken with the amazing Q2M):

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

 

  • Like 14
Link to post
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

 

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.

😉

 

Hi Arnaud,

Not custom.  This was done by Leica under the Redesign programme, so it’s as original as a black paint M-A can be.  No LED on the viewfinder with an M-A.  It took a while …

The original auxiliary shoe, with M-A and the serial number engraved on it was silver, so it was replaced.  I don’t think Leica will duplicate the shoe, so the serial number is engraved on the top deck.  I’m not sure why the traditional Leica script was omitted, but I quite like the blank top.

I’ll post some better pictures when I get the time.

Cheers
John

Link to post
Share on other sites

My m-a got a new friend (Summicron 35 v1) to play with today  😄

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 8
Link to post
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Vlad Soare said:

 

Probably because it's black. Black M-As have no Leica script on the top plate. Only silver ones have it.

Yes, that's true but John's M-A top plate in other respects is more in the MP style – VF window with metering silver strip, chrome shutter ring, silver hotshoe and engraving on the top. My BP M-A (built by the factory about 6 years ago) is essentially the same as a black M-A but in paint finish. The only minor difference (as @a.noctilux has noticed) is that mine has the MP style 'R' rewind latch.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Never met a Leica M camera, digital or film, I didn't love

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 9
  • Haha 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

It does look good

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 11
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/20/2021 at 7:08 AM, Kriehuber said:

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 ?

Hello , 

replying a bit late here .

Some hidden filing work is required to adapt the MP shutter button on the M-A, you're right . Then it can be fitted .

Best, JM.

Edited by JMF
Link to post
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, JMF said:

Hello , 

replying a bit late here .

Some hidden filing work is required to adapt the MP shutter button on the M-A, you're right . Then it can be fitted .

Best, JM.

Hey! Thanks for the answer, thats what I thought.

Would you be open to share how the Speed Dial looks from the inside / what modification you ( or someone else ) made ?

That would be great, Thanks!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Kriehuber said:

Hey! Thanks for the answer, thats what I thought.

Would you be open to share how the Speed Dial looks from the inside / what modification you ( or someone else ) made ?

That would be great, Thanks!

Hello, 

I do not  have more details since I did not do it myself. 

Best, JM

Link to post
Share on other sites

Some pages back, I promised to post further pictures of my M-A

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

 

  • Like 6
  • Thanks 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, IkarusJohn said:

Some pages back, I promised to post further pictures of my M-A

 

 

I have an M-A. Mine is black chrome and plain jane skin. And no etching on the top plate. How is it you have all that?

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

John, nice M-A (Said I already ?)

The two screws at front are almost invisible 😉.

 

After looking better at your unique M-A, I think the (my) plain black anodized M-A is more sexy without the reflective stripe "0.72" AND virgin top plate.

And I do prefer black ring around shutter button ...

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

After almost a year and a half I finally got a scanner and can now process my film from start to finish. I've added a picture from my first day out with the M-A (Summer 2020). It's overexposed, but I was able to pull it back a little during the scan. Being able to process to the final image is bittersweet. I love that I can now make final images with my manual, meterless Leica, but as I scan all of the negatives I've taken in the last 18 months I am seeing just how many mistakes I've made.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

  • Like 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, malligator said:

It's overexposed, but I was able to pull it back a little during the scan.

Actually, it looks correctly exposed to me, but a bit overdeveloped. 
But it's OK, it's just a bit. It doesn't bother me. It's clearly a sunny day, and that's how sunny days tend to look on B/W film.

Edited by Vlad Soare
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, Vlad Soare said:

Actually, it looks correctly exposed to me, but a bit overdeveloped. 
But it's OK, it's just a bit. It doesn't bother me. It's clearly a sunny day, and that's how sunny days tend to look on B/W film.

This is from Vuescan RAW converted in LR by Negative Lab Pro so I assume this as close to the unaltered negative as I can get from my setup.

This was, again, my first day out and it was a year and a half ago so I can't remember everything, but I was definitely using Sunny 16. I was standing in deep shadows from the tall hill and trees to my right while the train was in full sun. I obviously metered for the shadows so it was probably taken at 1/500th@f5.6 (400Tx).

I feel like Negative Lab Pro is doing a good job on my Portra 400 shots, but I'm struggling with B&W.

Any advice on how you'd meter/develop/scan this scene?

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Link to post
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, malligator said:

I obviously metered for the shadows so it was probably taken at 1/500th@f5.6 (400Tx).

That sounds correct. A three stop difference between shadowed and sun-lit areas on a sunny day sounds about right. 
Personally, I use a hand-held incident meter. On sunny days, when the light never changes, I take one reading from the sun, one from the shadows, then use either one or the other depending on where my subject is. If there are no clouds whatsoever, then my sun reading is always, always within a third of a stop from the Sunny-16 rule, while the shadow reading is three to four stops lower. So, if I were to forget my meter at home or to run out of battery, I would use Sunny-16 in the sun, subtract three stops in the shadows, and that would be it. 

Adapting the development to the scene's contrast is a bit tricky on small format film, because you may not always have an entire film shot under the same conditions. The old "expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights" adage works well on large formats. But if I happened to have an entire film shot like this, with shadowed subjects and sun-lit background elements, then I would subtract 10% to 15% from the normal development time for that particular film/developer combo. On a computer, as well as in the darkroom, it's a bit easier to add contrast if needed than to reduce it.

 

Edited by Vlad Soare
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi,

new here in the analog M forum. Unfortunately, my wife allowed me just this one image before she confiscated the camera. Likely to come back into my hands for Christmas, this will be a long 10 days for sure. My MM1 won't like it I guess as I need to steal some lenses for use with the M-A. 

Let the holidays begin....

Cheers,

Ralf

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited by rmueller
typo
  • Like 12
  • Haha 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...