guesstimator Posted June 7, 2018 Share #1 Posted June 7, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello everyone, I recently purchased an MD2 and noticed it has a funny notch on the back where the film plane is. I found a video reviewing the MD2 and it seems this is a feature of the MD2 and not a modification. Does anyone know why Leica put that notch there? I have yet to finish running any film through the camera so I don't know if it will affect the image at all. here is the video, notch in question is visible at 4:50 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 7, 2018 Posted June 7, 2018 Hi guesstimator, Take a look here MD2 Film plane notch?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
a.noctilux Posted June 7, 2018 Share #2 Posted June 7, 2018 (edited) guesstimator wrote : here is the video, notch in question is visible at 4:50 You mean at 3:50 not 4:50. Where we can see the base plate with slot for recording strip on film, feature available since MD, then MDa and of course MD-2 here To use strip 14170, data strips like these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-LEICA-14170-DATA-STRIPS-X12-LEICA-MD-MDA-MD-2-BASEPLATE-RECORDING-STRIPS-X12-/222987072128?oid=222967821094 ... slot on the bottom plate to mark information on the film directly ... to accept 4mm index strips for recording of data on to the negative ... image from www.dailystar.top https://www.dailystar.top/other-film-photography-c-119_120_123/?sort=1 Edited June 7, 2018 by a.noctilux Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted June 7, 2018 Share #3 Posted June 7, 2018 The camera is targeted, in part, to lab use such as on a microscope or other instrument. If you find another bottom plate without the notch, feel free to replace it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted June 7, 2018 Share #4 Posted June 7, 2018 Pico is right. More comfortable in field use. I use my two MDa with normal base plates for years. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted June 7, 2018 Share #5 Posted June 7, 2018 Thanks for the photos Noctilux! It is a pretty cool product. Get a couple strips and put your copyright notice on them! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted June 7, 2018 Share #6 Posted June 7, 2018 (edited) To expand on Pico's post - the MD-2 (and the predecessor MDa) was intended primarily for use on a Leitz (or other) microscope, telescope, etc. - thus no need for the (expensive) optical rangefinder/viewfinder. You can think of the notch as an early-analog-era "EXIF Data recorder." Remember that MD stands for "M Data" camera. The scientist would write a brief note about the sample being photographed (or technical data such as exposure settings, or date and time) with black ink on a narrow strip of translucent plastic, and insert the "note" through the bottom and into the notch (channel) so that it overlaid the film inside. When exposed, the "note" would be captured along one side of the photograph, in the actual negative or slide, for future reference. The camera originally came with a normal baseplate (but with the notch/channel already cut inside). The baseplate with the bottom access port was available as an accessory - catalog #14142, and the strips were available in packs of 100 from Leitz - catalog #14170 https://goo.gl/images/tLwNPv https://auction.catawiki.com/kavels/15307375-leica-register-device-no-14142-for-leica-md-and-mda-including-strips Edited June 7, 2018 by adan Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.noctilux Posted June 7, 2018 Share #7 Posted June 7, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thanks Adan for your rich post. For the OP, normal/current base plate from M4-2/P/M6 may replace this one when strip not needed. When there is none, you may put a black tape over the hole on the "notch" to use it. Funny, I came across on web Leica M4-MDa: https://www.cameraquest.com/m4mda.htm The M4 (MDa) is one of the least known, and rarest, of the M4 variations. here we can see where the data strip is inserted Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted June 7, 2018 Share #8 Posted June 7, 2018 (edited) RARE? I'm devastated. Well, not really, but I did give one to a member here. The shutter speeds were entirely shot. Zero dollars plus shipping on me. Aside again, I am in possession of the worlds largest (large format) fish-eye optic. It is going to an associate. Edited June 7, 2018 by pico Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted June 7, 2018 Share #9 Posted June 7, 2018 My first job out of college, I worked as a photographer at a university teaching hospital. We used an MDa camera plus Visoflex, bellows and 65mm Macro-Elmar on a copy-stand to make lecture slides, or photographs for publication in medical journals, of: X-rays, medical devices, charts and diagrams, images in textbooks, even typewritten "bullet-point" text slides (in the era before PowerPoint.) We used the MDa mostly because it was lying around available (probably inherited from one of the hospital labs), and not much use for anything else - eventually I replaced it with a Nikon F3 and WL finder. We never had a use for the "note recording" capability and had the normal baseplate, but the notch was there, inside. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
guesstimator Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share #10 Posted June 7, 2018 Wow you guys are awesome. My copy has a standard bottom plate with no notch. Very interesting information about those little info tags. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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.