Leica MP

Leica MP

The modern Leica MP is widely considered the pinnacle of Leica's mechanical camera engineering. Released in 2003 alongside the electronically controlled Leica M7, the MP was Leica's reassurance to purists that the fully mechanical, battery-independent rangefinder was not dead. The camera requires a battery (two LR44s or one CR1/3N) solely to power the internal TTL center-weighted light meter. If the battery dies, the camera's rubberized cloth focal-plane shutter continues to fire flawlessly at all speeds from 1s to 1/1000s.

Aesthetically and ergonomically, the MP takes heavy inspiration from the classic Leica M2 and M3. It abandons the angled rewind crank of the M4/M6 in favor of a traditional knurled rewind knob, and uses a solid, all-metal single-stroke film advance lever. To maintain an understated, photojournalistic profile, Leica removed the iconic red dot logo from the front of the camera, replacing it with a classic "Leica" script engraving on the top plate.

The MP's body is crafted from solid brass. The camera is famous for being offered in a high-gloss Black Paint finish, which is intentionally designed to "brass" (wear down to the golden brass underneath) over years of heavy use, creating a unique patina. Internally, the MP features an upgraded rangefinder mechanism with a condenser lens that effectively eliminates the "rangefinder flare" that plagued the earlier M6 models.

History

The "MP" designation has a legendary history within Leica, representing two distinct eras of professional photography.

The Original MP (1956) The first camera to bear the MP name was released in 1956. Standing for "M Professional," it was essentially a modified M3 with a Leicavit rapid winder attached, built strictly for working photojournalists. Only a few hundred were made, making it one of the most expensive and rare collector cameras in the world today.

The Modern MP (2003) When Leica replaced the mechanical M6 with the electronic, aperture-priority M7 in 2002, traditionalists panicked. In response, Leica released the "new" MP in 2003. Standing this time for "Mechanical Perfection," it was a deliberate step backward in automation but a step forward in build quality, replacing zinc alloy top plates with solid machined brass [1].

The Viewfinder Options While the standard MP ships with a 0.72x magnification viewfinder (featuring 28/90mm, 35/135mm, and 50/75mm framelines), Leica's à la carte program historically allowed buyers to custom-order the MP with a 0.58x finder (ideal for 28mm shooters with glasses) or a 0.85x finder (ideal for 50mm and 75/90mm portrait shooters) [2].

Legacy Unlike almost every other film camera from the early 2000s, the Leica MP never went out of production. It is still manufactured by hand in Wetzlar, Germany today, sitting alongside the screen-less Leica M-A as the ultimate expression of mechanical film photography [3].

Sources

• [1] Leicaphilia. The MP: What's Old Is New Again. https://leicaphilia.com
• [2] Leica Camera AG. Leica MP Technical Data. https://leica-camera.com
• [3] Steve Huff Photo. The Leica MP Film Camera Review. https://www.stevehuffphoto.com
• [4] 35mmc. Leica MP Review - Mechanical Perfection. https://www.35mmc.com
• [5] Ken Rockwell. Leica MP Review. https://www.kenrockwell.com