"MP 3" (LHSA, 10319, 2005), "M3-P" (Vienna, 10326, 2011) and "M3 P"/"M3-P" <=1959

[ApoVision]

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Just out of curiosity: in the book "100 Leica Stories", on p 76, there is a photograph from the Leica archive (by Horst H Baumann) with the indication that it was taken (in Jan 1959) with a Leica "M3 P". The legend on p 77 is then to a "Leica M3-P". Has such a camera existed? Before the LHSA and the Vienna editions?

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[dg4mgr]

There was a special version of the M3 that allowed using the Leicavit. This was called the MP at the time. Also a conversion of an M3 into an MP was possible. I guess this is what they mean by "M3-P".

https://www.roter-punkt-kamera.de/leica-mp-analog-1956-1957/

 

[dg4mgr]

Let me add a link with more info on the Leica MP: https://www.mir.com.my/rb//photography/companies/Leica/Leica-M3/Leica-MP/index.htm

[ApoVision]

This is very kind of you, thank you - I knew mir.com, but that was years ago when I was predominantly a Nikonian

[Photo.JLG]

According to the Leica Collectors Checklist, there were special M3s created in 1955 that were made by special order for certain photographers before the MP was introduced. These were marked as follows:

Leica M3-E: Alfred Eisenstaedt

Leica M3-D:  David Duncan Douglass

Then Leica M3-P: for users, including M. Cartier Bresson and S.  Ahrons. It may be that Leica made one such camera for Baumann also?