The Leica M Cameras M3 to M4-P - an overview
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- Опубліковано 12 жов 2021
- Dan explains the differences between the non-metered Leica M models .. Plus - what’s inside the Leica M camera.
Leica M3, M2, M1, M4, MD, M4-2 and M4-P
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www.tamarkin.com/products/m-se...
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www.hofbraeuhaus.de
About Dan Tamarkin
Tamarkin Camera
@tamarkin_chicago
Tamarkin Auctions
@leicashopchicago
@dan_tamarkin
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Edited by
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@thebarnackhour
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One thing about the M4-2 and M4-P is the introduction of a hot shoe instead of the regular cold shoe.
Yes! Correct - thank you - you’re exactly right! 🙏🏻🔴📷❤️
And I think I read something about the M4-2 and the M4-P having the film advance gears being made of a stronger metal, so the gearing mechanism could accommodate the stress the power power winders would put on the mechanism. Steel instead of brass gears?
By far this was the most informative lesson on Leica M cameras I’ve ever heard I’m 74 and in awe thank you so much Howard G.
Thank you so much ! I’m so glad to hear it! ..and thanks for watching!
The M4-2 is a lot different from the M4. It was the first to use mass manufacturing with precision standardised parts rather than the hand crafted parts of the M4. It also used steel for the inner workings rather than brass. In other words it was a budget version of the M4 that was needed to recover after the disaster of the M5.
Great video! You make the most informative videos which is why I purchased my buddha-ear M3 and summicron from Tamarkin.
Klasse! Besser hat das noch nie jemand erklärt. Großartig.
vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen! Ich bin so froh, deinen Kommentar zu lesen!
Appreciative of this very informative sharing you did !
Nice collections and fantastic overview! Learned much, THANK YOU!
Thank you for watching! ❤️📷🔴
Love your video’s keep up the good work!
Watching this on saturday, drinking beer :D Great overview!
Thanks for the great overview. I had my M4-P on my sell table as I felt I had more Leica M's than I can use, but after your review just had to put it back on the shelf. Guess I just need to shoot more film. The heavily decorated M4-P also makes a nice contrast to my minimalist M-A.
Your review encouraged me to do a little research and read that the last variation of the M4-P went from a brass top plate to a zinc one with flush windows. According to the Tom Abrahamsson article my s/n 1620629 must be one of the last brass top plate M4-Ps made so yet one more reason to hang on to it - you saved me from making a serious error!
Great video. I never really put much thought into possibly owning a Leica. You education on the different models has since changed that. Thank you again
Thank you so much for watching ! We glad to help !
Great Barnak hour as usual. Bought my M3 on layaway in 1973 and still have it - even shot some film a few years back. I really like the viewfinder for the 50mm and 90mm - excellent for these lenses. Tell Leica to make a limited edition digital M3 - I bet it would sell out :) Found a brand new M4-P in Austria 4 years ago - the Leica shop had a chrome version which is rarer so I bought it for a steal. Collectors weren't looking for the M4-P for the most part so the price was low. The camera has gone up 2.5X since I bought it....Best viewfinder for a 75mm. How about the development / history of Leica 75mm M lenses for a Barnak hour - interesting focal length?
Thank you! Oh a digital M3 would sell out! 🙏🏻🙏🏻 the 75 is an interesting story.. well put something together!
Fantastic overview! Thank you!
Thanks for watching !
M Body Timestamp
M3 0:58
M2 5:27
M1 10:00
MD 11:18
M4 15:05
M4P 20:22
M camera internals 22:08
Thank you for this !
Great review with very interesting information on the Leica's you commentarised. A really serious episode this time (appreciated, although I like your humor!). This time without your partner (I really missed him!). I'm glad you like Hoffbrauhaus too!
Keep on the good work - and take me (and other viewers) to the next level of Leica-love (says this amateur with nothing more than a Digilux 2 and a Leica CL (2017)!
Thank you thank you ! And I kept it kinda clean... we're excited to have Keith back! thank you SO much for watching and commenting !!
Very good video. Thank you.
RS. Canada
Thanks for including the MD. I own an MD-2. For wide lens shooters it's the best bargain for those looking for a Leica.
Very interesting, looking forward to the next installment. I have M2, M4-P and MP (plus 3 M9s).
Thank you so much for watching!🙏🏻
My M2 is a 1958 model with the button rewind and a self timer. I absolutely love the camera.
us too ! Dan's favorite model !
This is all so awesome
🙏🙏🙏
Thanks for the best overview on M cameras. I’m a soon to be M4 owner 😊
Thank you so much for watching !!
Course watching your videos- makes one want to have several M bodies! ☺️ [I had a M3 and a IIIG (that I happily brought from you ~ Tamarkin Camera) that I sadly regret selling towards funding a digital M.] I will get a Barnack camera from you again soon! Thank you for your passion for Leica cameras. 🙏🏻
The dream set up would be a M4, any color with 35, 50 and 90 summicron lenses and the 135 frame lines masked off.
Very interesting review. As soon as I've sold a kidney I'll come and see you. ;)
great
hot shoe of M4-2 / P is a huge +
thanks for the video
Fantastic video!
Thank you so much!!
Just watched your review of the Leica cameras very interesting. In point of fact, I was a Nikon shooter. I would like to ask you one thing. How do you feel about the difference between the Leica film camera and it's digital counterpart. It's always seems to me that film has a Warmness that digital seems to miss. I started out shooting black and white film and did my own processing. Love the whole experience
Hello, congratulations on your video telling a little about the history of Leica models. I have an M3, 1956, the shutter curtain sometimes locks. I send it every time to an authorized Leica technician, who is in another state, sometimes the shutter arrives normal, unlocked, other times it arrives there still locked. No one can know what the problem is and why the shutter freezes during movie operation. Could you tell what it could be? Grateful.
Great video! What material is the top plate of the M4-P made of, I can't find out anywhere?
Thank you so much! The top plate material changed from brass to zinc around the time of the introduction of the Leica M6 (1984), but there is no absolute point at which the switch was made (Leica likely used the parts on hand to fulfill orders and did not declare an absolute point to switch over.)
@@thebarnackhour1872 Thanks for the response! Looking forward to your future videos!
The flush mount viewfinder M4-Ps are late models and like the M6 have zinc top plates. The M4-Ps with beveled viewfinders are all zinc. The problem with zinc is that, when it oxidizes it blisters and bubbles and is not very attractive.
Great informative video dan! How bout the m4 version that is made of steel? Do they really exist?
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Loving the Leica Jenga
🙏🙏🙏
Is the M3 the only model that has the 50mm frame line as the largest size within the viewfinder?
Very interesting!! Which Leica M3 has a double stroke and why?
The thinking in 1953/1954 is that a single stroke may advance the film too hard/fast and either break the film, marr the emulsion, ir perhaps even create a static spark (also marring the film)
can the film advance lever from the M4 be replaced with a M2 film advance lever?
hey, I’m wondering if the m4 bp is for sale. If so, I’m interested.
thank you. Our sister company Tamarkin Auctions is offering it in this years' Rare Camera Auction. Info is on their website or at dan@tamarkinaucitons.com
Would you say you notice any build/user joy between M4 and M4-2/P? I still can't decide which one to get after selling M5.
I'm tempeted to get better build M4 while I would like to have black body and also feel like 20 years younger P/2 makes sense too.
Thank you for watching, and for your comment. Firstly, there are black M4 cameras that are around $3,000. The framelines inside the camera's rangefinder are usually the decision maker for buyers - if you want 28mm, you must go with the M4-P. All 3 cameras are extremely well made; since the M4 silver and the M4-2 are likely to be the least expensive of these models, I'd lean toward that. Our clientele all rave about their Leica camera - the decision is intensely personal and subjective...
Which do you think would be a better choice for kickstarting a Leica journey, M3 or M4-P. I can't decide between the two.
M4-P since it has more framelines variations (28, 35, 50 and so on among the favorite lens/focal length). The M3 starts with 50 and up, so you don’t have option for lens wider than 50mm.
I had an M4-2 for maybe 25 years, and it was a great camera. I think almost all of them were made in Canada. I sold it to buy an M6. I love the M6, but I wish now I had both. The M4 rangefinder had 1200 parts? I had no idea. I’ve heard some people say the M4-2 wasn’t as well made as the earlier M4, but I couldn’t tell the difference when I compared them (a friend had an M4). Any thoughts?
The M4-2 (I have it) was the camera that saved Leica after the M5. Because they invested a lot in the M5, they decided to remake the old design but in a cheaper way, in Canada and without the rigid and amazing assembling process of the previous ones.
The M4-2 was made in 3 batches. The first batch made in Canada with manufacturing equipment from the plant in Germany. They had calibration issues under the production with the first batch. I don't remember the serial numbers but you can find it online, those are perhaps what started the myth about the M4-2 and M4-P to be of lesser standard. The only difference I've noticed between an M4 and M4-2/P while looking inside is the flash sockets on the back are plastic screwmount instead of metal on the M4-2/P.
@@Fjalll what I know:
- steel and Teflon gears, necessary for coupling with the motor (on the M4 in brass and bronze);
- flash socket support in synthetic material (brass on M4);
- frame counter in printed plastic and not in silk-screened metal;
- vulcanite coating with a lower rubber compound;
- telemetry block in shredded steel, and not in a whole worked block:
- elimination of a condenser lens in the rangefinder.
The rangefinder in the M6 is made up of 177 parts, some of them almost microscopically small. (This from Leitz's director of global marketing.)
Was the M3 ever made originally in black?
There is this difference between m3 and m2 that is never written about and never mentioned. Early m3's the double strokes with glass pressure plates have tiny ball bearings to shut the hinged back. It prevents it from rattling when the bottom plate is not on. All the newer M's don't have this feature... and that is a little sad because it has a quality feel to it!
Check it out, it's true!
Early M3's were double wind. Had glass plates instead of metal as well.
correct ! thanks for watching !
You missed a the Leica M4-P with a M6 Top plate. Seen one on eBay for sale in2021
We couldn’t address all the different facets in such a short video - but yes - M4-P top plates differ. We typically have them for sale at Tamarkin Camera. EBay is for suckers
How can I buy one ? I looked on the website but gives no option to buy ?
Call or email and we are happy to help! 1-800-BUY LEICA (289-5342) or info@tamarkin.com … and thanks 🙏🏻!
how about M6 ? M7 ? MP ? M-A ?
The M3 has a double stroke version too.
I love my M4-P from the 2nd Batch with Brass Topplate, not Aluminium😎🤙🏻
The current meterless M-A
that is correct, the current meterless Leica film camera is called the Leica M-A
Is the shutter stepless?
No the shutters generally follow the standard 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, etc.. except for the early M3 cameras which are 1,2,5,10 etc
IMO the m3 is the best Leica. That view finder is huge
Thank you! The M3 is very popular and with good reason! For 50mm shooters it’s a great viewfinder
Sure, if you're a 50 shooter. Not great for 35mm wide angle street photographers.. That's M2 territory!
@@stevehoffman9735 35 is overrated
@@nickfanzo I agree!! I'm a 50 guy..
Strips it and operates it like a marine works his m16. Very knowledgable.
What a huge compliment!! Thank you !!!!
where is m5? It was after m4 o_0
In the early M3 cameras there is a glass pressure plate.
correct !
thanks for watching !
i ld take them all 😁😉. But please, drink Weißbier of a glas 🍻
🍻🍻
MD is based on M2 // MDa is based on M4
Only. M-3
M4-2 is certainly the best ever leica M.
How so? Because you own one?
We like what u talking about, but some of dis like and not OK for what u drinks as commercial for beer company.
Leica
If you don’t like your Leica brassed you’re weird…