Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/05/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Greetings friends after a long break from the LUG! (Didn't see this come through on the LUG so I'm resending it.) I tried to resist it by carrying my D100 and zooms every day all the time, but the lure of silver based film and finely tuned metal gears instead of electrons and plastic electronics parts was too overpowering...I'm shooting a Leica again! I've recently purchased an M4-P to add to my now rarely used IIIc for my personal shooting fun. I was trying to get any information I could on my new camera and ran the serial number past Leica's Model Inquiry page here: http://www.leica-camera.com/cgi-bin/overview.pl/en/sn2p Their page and follow up email (as did Mr. Gandy's page based on the data that Leica has supplied) identified my clearly marked M4-P thusly: >Your inquiry resulted in the following information: >Serial number 1532*** >Product Leica M4-2 Anyone have an explanation for that? Did I luck out and unknowingly get some really early collectable M4-P for small money from the original owner? I have found the original Leitz 2 year Warranty paperwork with the 1532*** serial number identifying the camera as an M4-P in the bottom of the box. (I had initially thought that maybe the hot shoe had been replaced, but the paper work would suggest that is not the case.) My front plate is marked as a "LEICA M4-P" with the nice "Leitz" engraved in the top and "MADE BY LEITZ CANADA" in the back. It has a chrome lens reslease button with the red paint in the center. Has the more "cluttered" M6 frames which I prefer and has probably been worked on sometime in the past by Sherry, judging from what looks like a K stamped into the adjustment screw seal at the bayonet mount. It is not 'ugly' by any standard but is certainly not in mint collectable condition. It looks like it maybe has new covering given the nice condition the 'leather' is in compared to the rest of the finish. The normal M4-P Leitz red-dot was replaced with a Leica red-dot and it has the prerequisite small dings in the top plate and typical chroming in all the normal places. In short, it shoots very well and I love it for its value as a nice usable camera even though I have to use my digiSix with it. All I've added is an thin leather old screw mount style strap and of course a black Tom A Softie release. I'm just curious to know more about it. Anyone have any ideas? Carpe Luminem, Michael Eric Bérubé www.goodphotos.com www.cascobayweekly.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html