[Leica] The New MP

[Jim Shulman <garcia@chesco.com>]

Just saw the new MP at a local camera store.  They just got the camera
in stock--though they're still waiting for the Leicavit and rewind
crank.

Here are my impressions:
Wow!  I really loved it, which is a surprise (since I haven't been a fan
of virtually all post-1970 Leica RF gear until the M7.) The finish was
very nice (if a bit glossy); it felt more like my old M3 updated than I
would have expected.  The shutter seemed exceptionally quiet.  I wonder
if Leica did anything special with the mechanical shutter mechanism for
this run. I loved the retro small shutter-speed dial.  Match-diode
metering is kind of a pain for me; would have loved seeing this with AE,
but then that would spoil the charm of offering an all-mechanical
shutter in 2003.  Downsides include: the cheesy covering.  It really
should have been something like the original 50s Leica vulcanite!  On
the camera I used, it looked as if it were going to start falling away
after the third roll.  The meter battery cover also looked like a
candidate for immediate loss, but then that's no different from an M6.
Camera seemed very substantial, even a bit heavy. 

To me, if I had the extra dough to dump on a discretionary purchase like
this it would be a tossup between an MP and the M7.  I really like both,
but for different reasons.

Best,
Jim Shulman
Bryn Mawr, PA


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