M-A repurposed MP body?

[Landiah]

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Is there any conclusive evidence for this claim? I have seen it discussed a few times before and was reminded of this as I saw an M-A on ebay with what looks like recessed leather into the area that the battery compartment is on the MP.  The M-A somehow becomes less desirable if these cameras share the same body. 

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[01af]

vor 24 Minuten schrieb Landiah:

The M-A somehow becomes less desirable if these cameras share the same body.

Huh!?

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[Stealth3kpl]

I wouldn't let it put you off, but if you were to buy that particular M-A you could send it in to get reskinned with better packing of the battery compartment.

In the past I've thought of sending my MPs in to be converted to M-As because at that time I wasn't using the internal meter much and I prefer the one stage shutter release of the non-metering cameras, On my last trip, I found myself using the internal meter quite a lot so I've canned that idea for the moment.

Pete

[a.noctilux]

First time that I see this on M-A .

Look like the screw head marked with non-precision tool.

Landiah, if that bother you, don't buy it.

 

[pedaes]

Could it be damage by coincidence where the battery cover is on MP. The radius looks different in size to battery cover.

[01af]

Sure–the Leica M-A shares the body shell with the MP, so under the skin, it does have the cut-out for the battery chamber. But then, there is no battery chamber in the cut-out, and no electric wiring.

And that's the point.

Of course, it shouldn't look like in the pictures in post #1. That's poor quality control. My M-A doesn't look like that.

Edited January 18, 2020 by 01af

[mishi]

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I believe so. I looked into it as best I can and asked on Reddit as well. Best answer I got was from Leica's technical support:

“There’s not one handy to look at without the leatherette covering but I know they are using the same basic shell as an MP and probably do have the brass cover as seen in the image you linked.”

[ktmrider2]

Why would Leitz go to the expense of machine two different bodies on what are essentially identical cameras except for the electronics, especially in the numbers the MA is made in?  

[Ouroboros]

8 hours ago, Landiah said:

Is there any conclusive evidence for this claim? I have seen it discussed a few times before and was reminded of this as I saw an M-A on ebay with what looks like recessed leather into the area that the battery compartment is on the MP.  The M-A somehow becomes less desirable if these cameras share the same body. 

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That camera has been mangled by a ham-fisted oaf.  

[Michael Geschlecht]

21 hours ago, Ouroboros said:

That camera has been mangled by a ham-fisted oaf.  

Hello Ouroboros,

Perhaps also a person who might have thought that some people might want to convert their meterless cameras into metered versions in the future*.

Best Regards,

Michael

* He wrote as his teapot swirled.

Edited January 19, 2020 by Michael Geschlecht

[Ouroboros]

41 minutes ago, Michael Geschlecht said:

Hello Ouroboros,

Perhaps also a person who might have thought that some people might want to convert their meterless cameras into metered versions in the future*.

Best Regards,

Michael

* He wrote as his teapot swirled.

It looks like the Seller needs to go on a screwdriver users  introductory course to me.  

[wattsy]

It's probably taken a knock right where the piece of metal is and that cover has bent inwards.

As to whether this repurposing of the MP body shell detracts from the M-A and makes "it less desirable", I guess it comes down to how much the buyer is interested in the camera as a photographic tool rather than as a piece of jewellery. Almost every component of the M-A comes out of the same parts bin as the MP. Why should it matter if the body shell is common to both cameras any more than the shutter wind lever is?

[Steve Ricoh]

I suppose the same argument could equally work with a new car out of the showroom. 

Buyer: : "Looks nice, but what's that ugly circular patch on the door? You haven't reused a door from another model and filled it, have you?"

Car salesman: "Didn't realise you wanted a piece of jewellery to sit on the drive, sir! Most of my customers are more interested in driving their vehicles and are not that bothered what they look like."

Buyer: "You make a good point, mate, where do I sign?"

😉😇

[wattsy]

Just now, Steve Ricoh said:

I suppose the same argument could equally work with a new car out of the showroom.

It doesn't equally work though. There is no "ugly circular patch" on the M-A. The camera in this thread has been damaged. All the hand wringing about the filled in hole is just part and parcel of modern Leica ownership which seems to be primarily concerned with obsessing over every trivial detail rather than using the products for the purpose that they were designed.

[Steve Ricoh]

I had my M6 recovered during a recent CLA and the camera came back with an annoying depression to the covering, between the battery cover and the lens. 

I returned the camera and was informed that the depression was due to a screw hole. Whether that's normal or not I have no idea. To effect a repair a sliver of self adhesive copper tape was placed over the screw hole, and the leatherette reapplied. It's an improvement, but still not perfect, however I have learnt to live with it. (That'll 'teach' me! 🤔)

The odd thing: the original leatherette, presumably applied at and by Leica, was perfect. I'm at a loss why recovering should have caused this issue, other than the thickness of the material may have changed. Possibly so, Leica sourced v third party sourced.

[earleygallery]

1 hour ago, wattsy said:

It doesn't equally work though. There is no "ugly circular patch" on the M-A. The camera in this thread has been damaged. All the hand wringing about the filled in hole is just part and parcel of modern Leica ownership which seems to be primarily concerned with obsessing over every trivial detail rather than using the products for the purpose that they were designed.

I think you are right - the 'patch' on the camera here is not exactly circular and doesn't seem to line up with the battery hole on an MP. 

It may shatter some people's illusion to think that each M body isn't hand carved from scratch by some old gent in a brown apron working in a log cabin in the German forests.

In another thread there's someone with a possibly faulty T camera who refuses to accept it can be faulty because they've got a little signed certificate from Leica to say it passed their final inspection before being released into the wild.......... 

[Pyrogallol]

Perhaps they should have put a nice chrome and vulcanite circular patch on like the classic 11c or 11f screw bodies that had the slow speed dial left off.

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[pedaes]

1 hour ago, Pyrogallol said:

Perhaps they should have put a nice chrome and vulcanite circular patch on like the classic 11c or 11f screw bodies that had the slow speed dial left off.

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Of course that hole had a purpose - waiting for your factory upgrade to a III.

[pedaes]

1 hour ago, earleygallery said:

old gent in a brown apron working in a log cabin in the German forests.

Here was that place

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Michael Geschlecht]

1 hour ago, Pyrogallol said:

Perhaps they should have put a nice chrome and vulcanite circular patch on like the classic 11c or 11f screw bodies that had the slow speed dial left off.

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Hello Pyrogallol,

Egads, the Vulcanite is vertical on the larger portion of the body & diagonal on the circular portion. How can this be?

Best Regards,

Michael