Leica MD
The Leica MD is a M-mount film rangefinder camera, introduced in 1963. As of June 2026, it sells from €897 used across 1 listing, with a 30-day median of €897. Leica camera price index ↗
Reference maintained by Thomas Boots· prices updated June 2026
Prices for Leica MD
The lowest listing is about average for the last 30 days.
Leica MD — frequently asked
How much does the Leica MD cost?
As of June 2026, the Leica MD sells from €897 used, with a 30-day median of €897, across 1 active listing.
Where can I buy a Leica MD?
As of June 2026, the Leica MD is sold by 1 source (1 listing), from €897 used — all compared cheapest-first on this page.
General
- Mount
- M
- Release Year
- 1963
- Type
- Film
- Model Number
- 10101
- Serial Range
- 1102501 to 1160820
Dimensions
- Weight
- 595g
- Length
- 36mm
- Width
- 138mm
- Height
- 77mm
Viewfinder & Shutter
- Shutter Speeds
- B, 1s, 1/2s, 1/4s, 1/8s, 1/15s, 1/30s, 1/60s, 1/125s, 1/250s, 1/500s and 1/1000s
- Shutter Type
- Cloth
Features
- Hot Shoe
- No
- Tripod Socket
- Yes
- Self Timer
- No
- Flash Sync
- 1/50s
Leica MD
The Leica MD is a 35mm M-mount film camera introduced by Ernst Leitz Wetzlar in the early 1960s as a specialized technical body. It belongs to Leica’s family of “blind” M cameras, meaning it has no built-in viewfinder and no coupled rangefinder [1][2].
The camera uses the Leica M bayonet mount and accepts Leica M-mount lenses. For LeicaLensList, it belongs in the database because it is a genuine Leica M-mount camera body, even though it is not a normal rangefinder camera in the usual shooting sense [1][2].
The MD was based on the Leica M2 and followed the Leica M1. Unlike the M1, which still had a built-in viewfinder but no rangefinder, the MD removed both the viewfinder and rangefinder entirely. The front of the camera is therefore very plain, with no finder windows and no rangefinder window [2][3].
The camera was intended mainly for scientific, medical, laboratory, microscope, Reprovit and Visoflex use. In those setups, a built-in rangefinder was unnecessary because focusing was handled through a microscope, copy stand, reflex housing or other external optical system [2][3].
Mechanically, the Leica MD uses a fully mechanical cloth focal-plane shutter with speeds from Bulb to 1/1000 second. It has no battery-dependent functions, no internal light meter, no self-timer and no built-in finder system. The body retains the traditional Leica M bottom-loading design and M2-style controls [1][2].
History
Development and Launch
The Leica MD was developed as a simplified technical version of the Leica M2. Photoethnography describes it as a specialized camera developed by Leitz in 1963 for microscopes and other technical equipment, and as a simplified Leica M1, which itself was a simplified M2 [2].
Production Evolution
CameraQuest lists the Leica MD among the “M’s without Viewfinders for scientific use.” Assigned MD serial-number blocks run from 1102501 to 1160820, with production assignments from 1964 to 1967. Leica Wiki summarizes total assigned serial numbers for the MD as 3,316 [1][4].
Serial Number Notes
The serial-number range is non-contiguous. CameraQuest lists blocks including 1102501–1103000, 1128001–1128400, 1136001–1136500, 1136501–1137000, 1141001–1142000, 1160201–1160769 and 1160770–1160820 [4].
This is important for advertisement matching. A camera with serial 1141001 is not just broadly plausible, it sits at the exact start of a documented Leica MD batch assigned on May 3, 1966 [4].
Relationship to Leica M1
The Leica MD should not be merged with the Leica M1. The Leica M1 has a built-in viewfinder but no coupled rangefinder. The Leica MD has neither a built-in viewfinder nor a rangefinder. This makes the MD a more specialized technical body and visually much cleaner from the front [2][3].
Relationship to Leica MDa and MD-2
The Leica MD should also be kept separate from the Leica MDa and Leica MD-2. The MD is the first true blind Leica M body and is based on the M2 generation. The later MDa is based on the M4 generation and uses later M4-style handling features. The MD-2 is a later black-chrome blind body related to the M4-2 generation [3][4].
Identification
The Leica MD is identified by its plain front plate, absence of viewfinder and rangefinder windows, Leica M bayonet mount, M2-style rewind knob, M2-style manual frame counter, single-piece film advance lever, cold accessory shoe and top-plate Leica script. Many examples were supplied or used with special base plates for technical recording, microscope work or Reprovit applications.
Collector Notes
The Leica MD is less common than mainstream Leica M bodies and is often misunderstood in listings. Sellers may describe it as Leica MD, Leica MD Chrome, Leica MD no RF, Leica MD M Camera or Leica M-D, but it should not be confused with the digital Leica M-D Typ 262.
For LeicaLensList, the correct main entry name is Leica MD. Finish terms such as chrome, technical base plate, original base plate, scientific body or no rangefinder should be stored as variant or listing metadata, not as separate camera models.
Sources
- [1] Leica Wiki. MD. https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/MD
- [2] Photoethnography.com. Leica MD, doctors only please. https://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/LeicaMD.html
- [3] Fotohandel Delfshaven. Leica MD / MDa / MD2. https://fotohandeldelfshaven.nl/product/leica-md-mda-md2/
- [4] CameraQuest. Leica M’s Sorted by Model and Serial Number. https://cameraquest.com/mtype.htm
Comments