Leica MP6

This camera was the Prototype Leica MP made exclusive for the Japan Market and only 250 units made out of the factory, making it extremely rare and collectible.

The MP-6 was basically the same as a regular MP, but it comes with the classic vulcanite leather found on the older Leica cameras, a Leica Camera AG Germany engraving on the top plate and on some of the later models an M6 iso selector. These simple cosmetic differences may not sounds like much, but they really make a difference and are instantly noticeable. They set the camera apart from the regular MP.

Leica MP Anthracite

This Limited Edition Leica MP was designed exclusively for the Japanese market and limited to 600 units with only 400 actually made out of Leica factory.

Its lacquering is entirely hand-applied with Anthracite, and is resistant to abrasion. Anthracite came from Greek word, literally means "a type of coal", from Anthrax. It is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high lustre. It has the highest carbon count and contains the fewest impurities of all coals, despite its lower calorific content. It is one of my favourite Leica MP Editions.

Leica MP Olive

Leica MP Olive Set which was released to commemorating the opening of the Leica Kyoto store.

Leica MP olive set combines a Leica MP analog film camera with a 35mm f1.4 Summilux-M in silver finish and a cognac color strap. The body and the top and blase plate are made with a olive-colored finish. All operating parts are finished in silver chrome. The set is limited to 100 sets worldwide. It is one of the rarest Leica film cameras.

Leica MP3

​LEICA MP-3 LHSA

Leica MP-3 was produced for LHSA back in 2005. The Leica MP3 retains that Classic M3 look whilst incorporating the convenience of a Leica MP body, this combination is what is making it highly desirable. Leica produced 1000 sets of the MP3 including 500 in chrome and 500 in black paint. All of the sets came in a very nice presentation box, with the camera, Leicavit winder and a Special edition 50mm Summilux APSH Lens.

The Leica MP3s are a close reproduction of the original Leica MP from the 1950s and 1960s. Only the front battery cover and the back adjusting dial for film speed indicate that the MP3 body is based upon the M6. The MP3 has the raised viewfinder window frame, extended eye bolts for attaching the strap and an external frame counter.

Leica M6 Green Paint

Leica M6 TTL Green Paint

Only 300 pieces were made comparing to the 2,000 pieces of the M6 TTL Black Paint Millennium.

Special features included:

* Green paint finish, Top and base plate are brass

* Leica Script top plate engraving

* M3 style rewind and advance lever

* Besides the usual serial number, there is also set number marked on the hot shoe "xxx-300"

Leica M3 Olive Bundeseigentum

​Leica M3 Olive Bundeseigentum Camera

The Bundeseigentum cameras produced by Leica are actually some of the rarest and most sought after of all. They were made during the period from 1957 through to 1968 and only made in very small batches for the military. This is one of the early batch with the obvoius sign of what we call "Buddha Ear" strap lugs.

According to records there were around 214 pieces made, although that is only the shipping record and it is inaccurate as there may have been a couple more that were not put on file. According to the current Leica list there are only 144 of these cameras left now.

Leica KE-7A

​Leica KE-7A with 50mm F2 Elcan Lens

The Leica KE-7A was manufactured in Canada for US Army in the 1970s and this M4 special model can withstand temperatures down to -20 degrees with dust sealed. Only 505 units were produced and 460 were acquired by the US military, identifiable as Army issue due to engravings and the rest were sold to the civilian market.

To make the military KE-7A, the company took their standard M4 beefed it up with weather sealing and a burlier shutter that could function in subzero temperatures, finished it in black chrome and removed the red dot from the front.

The Leica KE-7A was most often paired with the high performance resolving 50mm f/2 Elcan Lens. The 50mm Elcan f/2 lens uses infrared-absorbing glass made with lanthanum, a radioactive element that helps achieve an exceptionally high refractive index for heat control in making the optics. Also the 50mm Elcan lens was designed and manufactured to withstand a blast using special gaskets, which helped absorb the shock of an explosion.

Leica M6J

Leica M6J with Elmar 50mm f/2.8

The M6J is a rare special edition Leica M released in 1994 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Leica M series. The "J" stands for "Jubilee" and was manufactured to celebrate the 40 years passing since the M3 was first released. The M6J was a homage to the M3, the first model of the M series. The special edition was produced with total number of only 1640 units with 40 cameras for each year of the 40 years of M production.

They are a hybrid of the M3 and the M6 and new M6J was built into the camera body of the M3. It has the heft and solid feel of the M3 as mainly due to the fact that the M6J was actually built with a lot of the original M3 components. The M6J's viewfinder magnification was increased to 0.85x – bringing it very close to the 0.91x magnification of the popular viewfinder of the M3. Its illuminated framelines were borrowed from the M4, with the viewfinder being adapted to the focal lengths of 35, 50, 90 and 135 mm.

Leica M10 Camera Review

The Leica M10 is an evolutionary camera for long time Leica users. It is getting back to basics shooting with similar style to Leica film cameras with integration of modern technology.

Comparison  

The Leica M9 was the landmark for Leica’s transition into digital photography and it was so intuitive to use like all Leica film cameras. However, with the introduction of the Leica M Typ240 as a revolutionary approach to fully embrace photography technology, it felt like Leica has lost its soul and essence during the process. The Leica M Typ240 with those extra technological features was an interference to pure shooting and the camera became inconvenient to carry, as it feels bulky and heavy compared to all previous Leica M. The Leica M10 improves on the practicality and physical aspects of the Leica M Typ240 significantly.

Build Quality and Ergonomics

The Leica M10 is build with similar dimensions to Leica M film cameras. Both the size and weight of the Leica M10 is astonishing close to the Leica MP and this is difficult to achieve for a modern digital rangefinder. The build quality is extremely solid and well made like all other Leica M cameras but it feels more compact and lighter than previous Leica digital rangefinders.

The ergonomics of the Leica M10 is excellent, it feels intuitive in the hands and makes the photographer wants to hold it. The relocation of the iso dial onto top of the camera similar to the film rewind knob is a nostalgic touch for traditional Leica users. The reduction of dials and buttons to only essentials combined with the removal of movie function brings back the essence of pure shooting.

Image Quality and Practicality

The Leica M10 uses the latest 24MP CMOS sensor developed especially for Leica. The transitioning from full frame CCD sensor in the Leica M9 to the CMOS sensor in the Leica M Typ240 has been controversial and it wasn’t until arrival of the Leica M10 that rectify it. The sensor in the Leica M10 retained similar rendering of the CCD sensor and provided high iso capability of the CMOS sensor. The new sensor produces great colours and contrast that has the ability to shoot up to 10,000 iso without any visible noise.

Everything you need to adjust in order to take a proper photograph is at the reach of fingertips. Once the settings are preset within the menu, there is no need to touch them again as all essential adjustments (aperture, focus and iso) can be selected externally and independently. This makes the Leica M10 the most functional and practical digital rangefinder until now.

Key Highlights

• 24MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
• Leica Maestro II Image Processor
• Optical 0.73x-Magnification Viewfinder
• 3.0" 1.04m-Dot LCD with Gorilla Glass
• ISO 100-50000, Up to 5 fps Shooting
• Built-In Wi-Fi
• Slimmer Body Profile
• Stills-Only Operation
• Built-In ISO Dial & Frame Line Selector
• Weather-Resistant Brass Construction

Specifications

Physical

Dimensions (W x H x D):  

139.0 x 80.0 x 38.5 mm

Weight:  660 g with battery

Imaging
Lens Mount:  Leica M

Camera Format:  Full-Frame  

Max Resolution:  5976 x 3992

Sensor Type / Size:  

24 Megapixel CMOS, 24 x 36 mm

File Formats:  DNG, JPEG

Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 | Fujinon 50mm F1.2 LTM Lens

The Fujinon 5cm f1.2 lens is an urban myth in the world of ultra fast lenses. It is seldomly seen and there is little information written on this highly collectible and ultra rare beauty.

This lens is commonly known as the Fujinon 50mm F1.2 LTM lens that is capable of competing against the Legendary Japanese ultra fast lenses such as the Canon 50mm F0.95, Zunow 50mm F1.1 or Nikkor 50mm F1.1 LTM lens.

Production Versions

• LTM Mount in Black & Chrome Version (Less than 800 units)
• Nikon S Mount (Less than 50 units)

Most of the Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 lens was offered in Leica Screw Mount in either Chrome or Black finishes. Fujinon also produced a few in Nikon S Mount for Nikon Rangefinders, which is reviewed here but they are never seen on the market and hidden away in cabinets by true collectors.

Build Quality 

The Fujinon 50mm F1.2 LTM is a compact lens for its fast aperture and the weight of the lens is relatively light. It is solid all metal construction but subpar compared to modern Leica lenses build quality. It balances well on Leica M Rangefinders due to its compact and solid lens body.

Image Quality

The Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 offers spectacular image performance for a vintage ultra fast lens. When shooting at maximum aperture  of F1.2, the bokeh is exceptionally smooth and the rendering is very pleasant. The colour rendition of the Fujinon is towards the natural side with typical Fujifilm signature and the contrast produced is excellent as well.

There is no present chromatic aberration but the lens exhibits slight vignetting when shooting wide open due to been a vintage lens design. However, the sharpness increases significantly and vignetting goes completely away when reaching aperture of f4 or greater. Overall, the Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 provides stellar optical performance and produces eye-pleasing images. 

Practical Use

The Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 lens reviewed here is in Nikon S Mount originally designed to be used on Nikon Rangefinders. However, through a custom made Nikon S to M Mount adapter by Amedeo, the lens will work flawlessly on Leica M Rangefinders. The Amedeo adapter is made with full brass and six bit coded with capability for rangefinder coupling.

The focus ring is very smooth when turning during practical use. The aperture ring does not have clicks when selecting the aperture like modern Leica lenses and turning feels towards the loose end. 

Specifications

Lens Mount: LTM | Nikon S

Production Year: 1954

Construction: 8 Elements / 4 Groups

Diaphragm: 12 Blades

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F1.2 - F16

Filter Size: 58mm

Weight: Nikon S / 305g | LTM / 403g

Conclusion

The Fujinon 5cm f/1.2 lens is another legendary lens made in Japan by Fuji back in the 1950 to 1960s during the competition to produce world’s fastest lens along with Zunow, Canon and Nikon. It is even more rarer and seldom seen, which makes the lens most desirable among the world of ultra fast lenses.

Canon 85mm F1.8 LTM Lens

The Canon 85mm F1.8 LTM is arguably the best Canon 85mm RF lens made. It is relatively hard to find and has very high reputation as a portrait lens without the softness associated with most vintage lenses. It has similar resemblance to the older Canon 100mm F2 LTM lens but with improved ergonomics and optical performance.

Build Quality

The Canon 85mm F1.8 is a solid and compact lens for its focal length. It’s compact dimensions and solid build quality is perfect balance on Leica M Rangefinders. The lens is all metal construction with design consisting of focusing and aperture ring turning simultaneously.

Image Quality

The Canon 85mm F1.8 LTM is a vintage lens that offers relatively modern rendering with typical Fuji signature colours. The lens produces sharp contrasty images and renders like newer modern glass. There isn’t noticeable flare or vignetting with this lens and it renders image beautifully for 1970’s Lens.

The Lens offers a relatively fast maximum aperture at F1.8. When shot wide open, it produces pleasant bokeh and smooth out of focus area. The image rendering is classic with natural and vibrant colours.

Practical Use

The Canon 85mm F1.8 LTM is in original Leica Thread Mount hence requires a LTM-to-M adapter to work properly on Leica M Cameras.

The focusing throw on this lens is very long but very smooth at the same time. When adjusting for aperture, since the lens has no dual helicoil mount and the aperture ring turns with focusing throw. This can be confusing during practical use as both aperture and focus turn at the same time.

Canon 85mm F1.8 vs Canon 85mm F1.9

The main difference in terms of image quality is when shooting both lenses wide open. The Canon 85mm F1.8 LTM is definitely sharper and more contrasty than the Canon 85mm F1.9 LTM at their respective maximum aperture, this is partially due to their optical design. When shooting wide open, the bokeh of the Canon 85mm F1.8 is more smooth and pleasant in comparison to the Canon 85mm F1.9 lens.

The size and weight of the Canon 85mm F1.8 is bigger and heavier than the Canon 85mm F1.9 lens. It is slightly larger in dimensions and around 100 grams more in weight. There is also a difference in applicable filter size for both lenses with 58mm for the Canon 85mm F1.8 lens and 48mm for the thinner Canon 85mm F1.9 lens.

Specifications

Lens Mount: Leica Thread Mount (LTM)

Production Year: 1960 - 70s

Construction: 7 Elements / 6 Groups

Diaphragm: 13 Blades

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F1.8 - F22

Closet Focusing Distance: 1m

Dimensions: 75mm x 60mm

Filter Size: 58mm

Weight: 470g

Conclusion

The Canon 85mm F1.8 LTM is an excellent short telephoto lens, it has plenty of character and shoots eye-pleasing portraits. The lens has great colour rendition and produces contrasty images. It is an amazing lens for Leica M you won’t regret buying, that is if you can find one.

Fujinon 5cm f/2 | Fujinon 50mm F2 LTM Lens

The Fujinon 5cm f/2 is a rare lens released in Japan, nowadays commonly known as Fujifilm or Fuji 50mm F2 lens offered in original Leica L39 screw mount with rangefinder coupling capability. This lens was supplied as a standard lens of Leotax from 1957 to 1985.

Build Quality

The Fujinon 50mm F2 LTM is a relatively large lens for its maximum aperture of f2 and it is equivalent to some f1.4 vintage lenses in terms of size. There are two production types with later models offered with a focusing lever. The lens had a black paint barrel design along with a chrome ring on top.

Image Quality

The Fujinon 5cm f/2 lens is a stellar performer, it offers high image resolution and great optical performance. There is a tendency to flare wide open at f2 but when steps down to f4 and beyond, the sharpness increases significantly and image rendering is equally pleasant.

It is uncommon for a lens produced in 1950s to flare at f2. However, when narrow down f2.8 the flare suddenly disappears and the resolution is very high. The out of focus area rendering is both natural and eye-pleasing. In addition, the contrast and colour rendition is towards the lower side with signature Fuji colours.

Fujinon 5cm F2 vs Fujinon 5cm F2.8

The Fujinon 5cm F2.8 is much smaller and lighter than the bigger brother Fujinon 5cm F2 LTM lens. It is still well constructed yet feels incredibly small in the hands, as it’s relatively compact compared to the Fujinon 5cm F2 lens.

The Fujinon 5cm F2.8 LTM lens is a step down in terms of maximum aperture but still renders very similar to the Fujinon 5cm F2 lens. When shot wide open, it’s out of focus area isn’t as creamy but very pleasing to the eyes. At aperture beyond F4, both lens produces classic image with signature Fuji colours.

Specifications

Lens Mount: Leica Thread Mount | LTM

Production Years: 1950s

Production Numbers: 5000+ units

Construction: 6 Elements / 5 Groups

Diaphragm: 10 Blades

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F2 - F22

Closet Focusing Distance: 1m

Filter Size: 43mm

Conclusion

The Fujinon 5cm F2 LTM is a rare lens that produces high resolution images with classic rendering in a fast maximum aperture at F2. It is a vintage lens design from the 1950s that offers the complete package as a classic daily lens with stellar optical performance.

Nikkor 5cm f/1.1 | Nikon 50mm F1.1 LTM Lens

Nikkor 50mm f1.1 lens was the world’s second fastest production lens since the release of Zunow 50mm f1.1. Zunow began the development for ultra fast lenses in 1953 and Nikon joined the competition a few years later in 1956.

The Nikkor 50mm F1.1 is a rare and collectible lens. It is an impressive lens that offers ultra shallow depth of field at f1.1 in reasonable size and weight.

Production Versions

1. Internal Nikon Mount (1500 units)
2. External Nikon Mount (1800 units)
3. Leica Screw Mount / LTM (200 units)

The Lens also can be modified to Leica M Mount through a professional technician, which allows it to be used on Leica M Rangefinders without the need of adapters.

Build Quality

The Nikkor 50mm F1.1 is a solidly constructed lens with different barrel design but same optics throughout its version variants. Normally, the barrel design is consisting of a black paint lens body with a chrome barrel ring on top. The lens reviewed here has been modified to Leica M mount, which displays an extra section of mount finished in matte black.

The size and weight of the lens is similar to the Voigtlander 50mm F1.1 or the Leica 50mm F1.2 Noctilux, which is not too heavy and well balanced on Leica Rangefinders. The lens is relatively compact considering it is an ultra fast lens with a maximum aperture of F1.1.

Common Issues

A) Separated Lens Element

B) Damaged Diaphragm Blades

Both issues can be fixed by a skilled technician.

Image Quality

The Nikkor 50mm F1.1 produces decent sharpness when shot wide open and offers a very shallow depth of field. At its maximum aperture of F1.1, It is sharp in the center but soft around the corners. However, the sharpness increases gradually when stepping down until it reaches peak sharpness at F8. The rendering of the lens is very similar to its little brother the Nikkor-SC 50mm F1.4  with classical Nikon rendering and signature vintage soft glow when shot wide open.

Nikon applied their lastest optical technology at the time by applying guass elements to three convex lenses. This results more glass to weaken each lens element in order to reduce the curvature of field and correct spherical aberration As a result of its symmetric optical design, the lens achieves low distortion, minimal lateral chromatic aberration and high resolving power.

Nikkor 50mm F1.1 vs Canon 50mm F0.95

The Canon 50mm f0.95 is about twice the size of Nikkor 50mm f1.1 and the Nikkor 50mm f1.1 is about half of the weight of the Canon 50mm f0.95 lens.

The Canon 50mm f0.95 was produced in greater numbers hence is much less expensive. The Nikon lens design is 9 elements in 7 groups and the Canon design is 7 elements in 5 groups. Therefore, the Canon used a newer optical design in their lenses that requires less elements allowing extra light to be transmitted.

Conclusion

The Nikkor 50mm F1.1 lens was designed more than 50 years ago and still remains a legend in the rangefinder world. As the second ultra fast lens ever produced in history and it continues to live up to modern imaging standards.

Specifications

Production Year: 1956

Construction: 9 Elements / 7 Groups

Lens Design: Optics designed by Murakami Saburo. Gauss type elements with three rare-earth lanthanum convex lenses

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F1.1 - F16

Closet Focusing Distance: 1m

Filter Size: 62mm

Weight: 400g

Nikkor-S.C. 5cm f/1.4 | Nikon 50mm F1.4 LTM Lens Review

See comparison with the Legendary Lens

Nikkor 5cm f/1.1 | Nikon 50mm F1.1 LTM

If you are looking for a vintage lens with classic character and don’t mind the sharpness then look no further. The Nikkor-SC 5cm f1.4 or commonly known as the Nikon 50mm F1.4 LTM lens is the perfect choice. It is compact, solid, unique and affordable at the same time.

Build Quality

The First Impression of the Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens is that it feels incredibly solid and dense. The lens is small and compact but it is well constructed as the entire body is made of chrome brass. It is extremely high quality lens and feels balanced when mounting on Leica M rangefinders. Overall, It offers a compact and solid package.

Image Quality

The Nikkor 50mm f1.4 provides great image quality with full of character. When shot wide open, the image sharpness isn’t clinically sharp like some Leica lenses but it produces a soft glow common only to certain vintage lenses. However, it also lacks contrast and clarify like on most modern lenses.

At its minimum aperture of f1.4, the point of focus is relatively sharp and the out of focus area provides the soft vintage glow. The sharpness increases dramatically when stepping down the aperture with its peak image performance between f5.6 - f8. The lens does suffer the common issues with older lenses such as chromatic aberration and vignetting. The image quality isn’t perfect but it is unique with classic characteristics, which makes it perfect for monochrome renderings.

Specifications

Lens Mount: Leica Thread Mount | LTM

Production Years: 1950s

Construction: 7 Elements / 3 Groups

Diaphragm: 10 Blades

Maximum / Minimum Aperture:  F1.4 - F16

Closet Focusing Distance: 1m

Filter Size: 43mm

Weight: 275g

Practical Use

The Nikkor 50mm f1.4 LTM is a small, compact, lightweight and solidly built lens. It feels very balanced on Leica rangefinders and easy to carry around to everywhere. This lens is in Leica thread mount (LTM), therefore will require a LTM-to-M adapter to work properly on Leica M bodies.

The aperture ring provides a soft click when selecting the aperture unlike distinctive aperture clicks on most Leica lenses. The focusing ring does have a lock mechanism for infinity but once unlocked by pressing down the little lock button, the focusing ring feels very smooth with a long focus throw when turning.

Overall, the Nikkor 50mm f1.4 LTM Lens is intuitive to use and simple to operate once familiar with practicality of the lens. It is a vintage fast lens from the 1950s with classical rendering and yet it works perfectly on modern Leica Rangefinders.

Why choose Leica?

Leica – a timeless classic

Today I would like to write about what got me into street photography from the start, a Leica. The Leica's discreetness and unmatchable image quality with a Leica glass is what separate a Leica from all other cameras. I started with the digital M9 first then eventually got the film MP, which is the common route for modern Leica users.

The build quality of Leica is exceptional; it's like nothing you ever hold in hands. It is made of all metal, feels dense and solid. The weight is right, not too heavy and not too light, all of this is the result of German Engineering. It is necessary to have the right photographic tool as this will forms the bond with the photographer and when you go out shooting that it will motivates you to create beautiful images.

The viewfinder is beautiful and bright and it is probably the brightest out of all 35mm cameras. It is a pleasure to view through it and most importantly it does not block a photographer's view, which allows your eyes to connect with the subject. The way of viewing through a rangefinder allows the photographer to anticipate what is coming to your frame to capture the "decisive moment." A Leica is truly an "extension of your eye."

Leica lens are renowned for their highest standard of optical quality thus producing amazing image quality. The unique CCD sensor is in the heart of the Leica M9 and it offers an unique rendering, which results in vivid colours and ultra sharp images. The combination of this unique sensor and the Leica glass are known to create that "Leica Look."

The simplicity of the Leica M design really makes the shooting process more enjoyable. Nothing unnecessary exists on the camera as it strips down to the essence of photography. This allows the photographer to focus on the basics of shooting, back to the roots and in my opinion this in turn can challenge a photographer's skills to create better photos. The camera is discrete and unobtrusive, which makes the photographer as part of the scene. The discreetness is really the size and the Leica shutter, the click of the shutter is quite and smooth like "music to the ears."

The focusing on a rangefinder is quite challenging since a Leica M is an all-manual operation camera and if the focus if off then it is your problem. However, the focusing skills come with practice through time and you will get a lot faster with patience.

Overall, Shooting with a rangefinder Leica M is a rewarding process and makes the user feels like in total control. I took the Leica with me to everywhere in the world and it helped me to become a better photographer.