The sleek and reliable Leica MP can be operated without batteries for all exposure times, under any weather conditions. No matter what Mother Nature throws at you, your Leica is ready to go.
Enduring
The Leica MP is built for long life and lasting value. This is guaranteed by Leica’s commitment to using only the finest materials and the highest precision manufacturing techniques. Time and time again, the Leica MP has proven its dependability under the most averse conditions, which is why Leica offers a five-year warranty for registered users.
Maximum strength minimalism
The Leica MP’s strong body – crafted exclusively in metal – will withstand the worst conditions without fail, and batteries are only needed for metering. In fact, skilled photographers can ignore the electronics completely. Uncompromising dependability for all occasions.
Empowering
By definition, photography is writing with light, and the Leica MP enables the photographer to master even the most difficult lighting situations. The camera offers you complete creative control; its selective TTL metering system merely offers supporting data to help you choose the ideal exposure parameters.
Individualism that improves with age
The Leica MP is available in two different body finishes: silver chrome and black paint. After years of hard use, when a bit of bright brass begins to show through, it’s a sure sign to savvy photographers that the camera and its owner have shared many memorable experiences.
Understated
Most professionals love the red Leica dot on their cameras, but for the sake of maintaining a low profile, the Leica MP was manufactured without this iconic emblem. Of course, knowledgeable owners and aficionados can identify a Leica anywhere without the need for special branding. The Leica inscription on the top deck is identification enough.
Camera type | Compact 35 mm rangefinder system camera with mechanically controlled shutter. |
Lenses | Leica M bayonet mount. Lens system Leica M lenses from 21-135 mm |
Viewfinder | Viewfinder principle Large, bright line frame viewfinder with automatic parallax compensation. Viewfinder optical system with reduced stray light sensitivity and optimum visibility of all bright line frames. Eyepiece Calibrated to –0.5 dpt. Correction lenses from –3 to +3 diopter available. Bright line frames activated in pairs: for 28 and 90 mm, 35 and 135 mm or 50 and 75 mm. Automatically displayed when the lens is mounted. The preview selector can be used to display each of the pairs of frames. Alternative bright line frame configurations are available as part of the Leica a la carte range.* Parallax compensation The horizontal and vertical difference between the viewfinder and the lens is automatically compensated in line with the current distance setting, i.e. the bright line frame in the viewfinder automatically covers the section of the subject that will be captured by the lens. Correlation between viewfinder and film images At the shortest possible distance setting for each focal length, the bright line frame size corresponds to an image size of approx. 23 x 35 mm. When set to infinity, depending on the focal length between 9% (28mm) and 23% (135 mm) more is captured by the film than is shown in the corresponding bright line frame. Magnification 0.72x (for all lenses). Alternative viewfinder magnifications of 0.85x and 0.58x are available as part of the Leica a la carte range.* Wide-base rangefinder Split and superposed-image ranger finder displayed as a bright field in the centre of the viewfinder image. Effective measuring basis 49.9 mm (mechanical measuring basis 69.25 mm x viewfinder magnification 0.72x). For the alternative viewfinder magnifications of 0.85x and 0.58x available as part of the Leica a la carte range, it is 58.9 mm (mechanical measuring basis 69.25 mm x viewfinder magnification 0.85x) and 40.2 mm (mechanical mea-suring basis 69.25 mm x viewfinder magnification 0.58x) respectively. |
Exposure metering | Exposure metering through the lens (TTL), selectively with working aperture. Metering principle The light reflected by a metering spot in the center of the first shutter curtain. The metering spot has a diameter of 12 mm and thus corresponds to approx. 13% of the full film format or approx. 2/3 of the short side of the applicable bright line frame in the viewfinder. Metering range (for ISO 100/21°) From 0.03 to 125000 cd/m2 at room temperature, normal humidity and f/1.0. For ISO 100/21° this corresponds to EV-2 to 20 or f/1 and 4s (B setting) to f/32 and 1/1000s. Flashing of the left-hand triangular LED in the viewfinder indicates that the brightness reflected is below the metering range. Metering cell Silicon photodiode with focusing lens to the top left behind the bayonet. |
Exposure control | Manual shutter speed and aperture setting and adjustment using LED light balance. |
Film speed range | Manual setting from ISO 6/9 to ISO 6400/39°. |
Viewfinder displays (at lower edge) |
LED symbol for battery status. LED light balance with two triangular LEDs and a central circular LED to adjust the exposure
|
Flash unit connection | Using accessory hotshoe with center contact and / or standard flash connector socket. |
Flash synchronisation speed | = 1/50s; slower shutter speeds can be used |
Synchronisation time | With 1st shutter curtain. |
Exposure metering / metering characteristics | Separate computer control of flash unit or guide number calculation and manual setting of required aperture |
Flash exposure compensation | On LEICA SF 20 / SF 24D, +/- 3EV in 1/3 EV increments or from 0 to –3 EV in 1EV increments with computer control. |
Shutter | Rubberized cloth focal plane shutter with horizontal movement; extremely quiet. Mechanically controlled. |
Shutter speeds |
From 1s to 1/1000s in whole increments. B for very long exposures of any duration, (1/50s) for flash synchronisation. |
Shutter release |
Two stage: Power up (activate exposure meter) – Release Standard thread for cable release integrated. |
Film transport | Loading Manual film loading after opening base plate and rear panel. Advance Manually with quick wind lever or LEICAVIT M or motorized using LEICA MOTOR M, LEICA WINDER-M, LEICA WINDER M4-P or LEICA WINDER M4-2 (from serial no. 10350). Rewind Manually with extending rewind button (rewind crank available as part of Leica a la carte range and attachable rewind crank available as an accessory). Frame counter On top of camera. Automatic reset after removing base plate |
Camera body | Material Enclosed all metal body with hinged rear panel. Brass top and base plate. Silver chrome finish or black lacquered. Tripod thread A 1/4 (1/4") DIN in base plate. |
Power supply |
(Only necessary for exposure metering and display) 3V from 2 silver oxide button cells, type PX 76 / SR 44 or from 1 lithium cell, type DL 1/3 N. Battery monitoring by illumination of battery warning display with light balance LEDs (1st level), light balance LEDs going out (2nd level) or all LEDs going out. |
Dimensions (W x H x D) | Approx. 138 mm x 77 mm x 38 mm |
Weight (without batteries) | Approx. 585 g |
Items supplied | Carrying strap with non-slip pad (14 312), camera cover with M bayonet (14 195), flash contact shoe connector (14 348) and batteries. |