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MA or MP?

ktmrider2

By ktmrider2
in Leica M-A / M7 / MP and Film M

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ktmrider2

ktmrider2

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I have been back in the Philippines since the end of February and just wanted to report that I am happy I picked the MP.  The light meter is proving to be very handy, especially for subjects that are not covered particularly well by the sunny 16 rule (inside buildings and sunsets).  Now I won't say I would have been unhappy with the MA but I already own a M4 so opted for the MP for the meter (and the black paint is gorgeous).

I have had thoughts that the money might have been better spent for a Q3 or M10/11 but I have to keep reminding myself that I decided to shoot more film a couple years ago and sold my digital Leica.  Honestly, I have the GR3 and Fuji X-T5 for when I feel a lust for digital.  So an occasional regret but overall I am very happy with my decision.  And the 50 f2.8 Elmar Collapsable is wonderful.  May do my trip to Scotland next month with just it on the MP.

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AndrewK

AndrewK

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Congratulation! Very happy to hear you're having the best time with your choice, a Leica MP, and it's a Black Paint, that made it even better.

Myself just put down a deposit for getting a MA on the other hand. I have 2 black digital M and can't say i share the same passion for Black Paint as everyone else here. So i decided to go for a Silver Chorm MA. 

Other than the built-in light meter, i found the ISO dial on the back of MP a bit difficult to turn and doesn't look as nice as the one on the MA.  

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Warton

Warton

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2 hours ago, AndrewK said:

Congratulation! Very happy to hear you're having the best time with your choice, a Leica MP, and it's a Black Paint, that made it even better.

Myself just put down a deposit for getting a MA on the other hand. I have 2 black digital M and can't say i share the same passion for Black Paint as everyone else here. So i decided to go for a Silver Chorm MA. 

Other than the built-in light meter, i found the ISO dial on the back of MP a bit difficult to turn and doesn't look as nice as the one on the MA.  

The only reason that you feel iso dial on MA is better than MP’s is because MA’s ISO is just a dummy non-functional wheel.

Having said that, I have a silver M-A too and I never bother to touch that ISO anyway. From time to time I have a light meter mounted on hotshoe to remind me what ISO of the film I’m using

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AndrewK

AndrewK

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6 hours ago, Warton said:

The only reason that you feel iso dial on MA is better than MP’s is because MA’s ISO is just a dummy non-functional wheel.

Having said that, I have a silver M-A too and I never bother to touch that ISO anyway. From time to time I have a light meter mounted on hotshoe to remind me what ISO of the film I’m using

Agree! But why can't Leica improve the ISO dial on the back of the MP? The silver dial on the MA is so much nicer to look at.

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ktmrider2

ktmrider2

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I heard or read somewhere that the plastic ISO dial on the MP is due to it being part of the metering circuit.  Metal would cause the metering circuit to short or otherwise affect the reading.  Don't know if it is true or not.  I think I read it on a review of the MP on 35mmc.  My other film Leica is a mint 50th anniversary black chrome M4 which shoots better than all the other M4's because of that little emblem on the front which says 50 years.  Just as black paint M4's sell for $10,000 or more over chrome models because they take photos so much better.

Somedays I like using an incident meter and setting everything manually; other days I like using the meter in the camera; and on still others I like setting everything on my FujiX-T5 on full auto and being really, really lazy.  I am glad we live in a time of such choices.  And I will say that for travel a camera with a built in meter has an advantage in that you can leave the hand held meter at home.

My time in the Philippines is coming to an end.  I head back to Alaska next week just in time to get my federal income taxes done.  I am heading to northern Scotland for a 95 mile hike in mid May, have a motorcycle trip from St Louis to Savannah, SC, in early June and then have to ride one of my motorcycles from Anchorage to St Louis in either June or July.  Presently, I am thinking Leica MP with 50f2.8 Elmar Collapsable Version 2 or 35f2.8 C Biogon and leave everything else at home or the hotel room for all these trips.  Oh, and the GR3 which is too small to leave behind.

I want to thank everyone for the earlier advice on MA vs MP.  Main reason I went for the MP was not for the meter but because it was different than the M4.

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aesop

aesop

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     ...aesthetics aside, the MP is an M-A with an inbuilt meter. If you want to revert to an M-A, just remove the battery from the MP. Simple. All the theorising about 'distractions in the VF' and suchlike makes me wonder how many actually blew a perfect shot *in the real world* because of an LED. Or some perceived shutter release stroke anomaly. 😬

 

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Fotoklaus

Fotoklaus

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vor 6 Stunden schrieb aesop:

 

     ...aesthetics aside, the MP is an M-A with an inbuilt meter. If you want to revert to an M-A, just remove the battery from the MP. Simple. All the theorising about 'distractions in the VF' and suchlike makes me wonder how many actually blew a perfect shot *in the real world* because of an LED. Or some perceived shutter release stroke anomaly. 😬

 

No. The M-A is a MP with a tin plate over the battery compartment.

 

 

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Fotoklaus

Fotoklaus

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vor 24 Minuten schrieb gigithephotographer:

I am amused when people say that. Sure, it's true, but that's not all. I recently learned to open my camera to clean them myself. When I open my MP's I'm greeted by a fragile circuit board. When I open my MA, it's mechanical only except for a small flash connection. After a shoot in the rain, it's more reassuring to dry out than the MP with all the electronic. 

Maybe, but people think that they have a very unique camera. And that is not the fact.

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a.noctilux

a.noctilux

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Debating between MP/M-A choice is waste of time and energy.

I tried but I realized that each choice IS great choice, same with M2/M3/M4/etc.

Each of us is so different (in photography practicing of course) that each choise has nothing (or very small) to do with arguments and logic or reasons...

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ktmrider2

ktmrider2

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I am not really concerned with the electronics in the meter of the MP.  I am 71 years old and figure I am only good for another 29 years or so (unless I have an accident motorcycle riding or scuba diving).  And if the meter does go Tango Uniform, then I will have a camera identical to an MA or my M4 with just a few small differences.  

I have used both metered and unmetered Leica film cameras and own both so I don't have a dog in this fight.  But it is interesting that when I first started photography in the mid 1960's, every camera manufacturer was adding a thru the lens meter, charging more for this feature and selling as many cameras as they could make.  Hell, even Leica got into in camera meters with the M5 and CL by 1973.  You can say what you want but a meter in any camera is a useful tool. 

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williamj

williamj

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One thing I've noticed from reading all the I love my MP and I love my M-A threads is that MP owners post pictures of their cameras without a lot of chat while M-A owners generally post a lot of chat and not a lot of pictures of their cameras. I don't know what it means or what it says about humans, except to say that M3 owners also post a lot of pictures of their cameras.

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Emtsoh

Emtsoh

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On 3/24/2024 at 10:27 AM, williamj said:

One thing I've noticed from reading all the I love my MP and I love my M-A threads is that MP owners post pictures of their cameras without a lot of chat while M-A owners generally post a lot of chat and not a lot of pictures of their cameras. I don't know what it means or what it says about humans, except to say that M3 owners also post a lot of pictures of their cameras.

Being one of those who prefer M-A over MP and do not post images of my cameras. 

Had the chance to own both camera body types. MP BP is sold (time ago) and black plus chrome M-As are in use. 

Not sure though how good this use will still be, as I just returned from Cuba  and my M-A was dropped (from a bed height) on a hard floor while packing yesterday in the hotel.......

Two silver dings on the top plate are now visible however viewfinder horizontal/vertical alignment is still fine and all seems to work mechanically fine. How the images will be at the end after this drop, I will have to wait and see tomorrow after developing a test film. 

Enjoy shooting film!

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Danner

Danner

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On 2/15/2024 at 2:11 AM, ktmrider2 said:

Ordered chrome M10-R and ten minutes after order, I sent the camera store and email requesting that it be switched to a black chrome MA.  <snip>

Now, there's an order change with a substantial difference!  🙂

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Warton

Warton

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On 3/24/2024 at 5:27 AM, williamj said:

One thing I've noticed from reading all the I love my MP and I love my M-A threads is that MP owners post pictures of their cameras without a lot of chat while M-A owners generally post a lot of chat and not a lot of pictures of their cameras. I don't know what it means or what it says about humans, except to say that M3 owners also post a lot of pictures of their cameras.

That says M-A owners are more discreet, humble. MP owners are more aggressive and ostentatious.

Disclaimer: I have a M-A

🤪

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Mute-on

Mute-on

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On 3/23/2024 at 11:17 AM, ktmrider2 said:

[ … ] You can say what you want but a meter in any camera is a useful tool. 

Indeed. My MP is my only metered Leica M film body (of 3). It is always the first in the bag when packing for a trip for this reason. 

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