Leica is the only professional camera company to offer three 35mm film cameras. These cameras, M-A, M6, and MP, are popular among the fan base despite the dominance of digital photography in the past two decades. If you have a few dollars to spare, you have a rare opportunity to own an original MP camera once owned by the photographer known as the first paparazzo.
I viewed about 20 rare cameras on display at the New York City Leica Store that are being offered for sale in an auction at Leica, Wetzlar, on June 13. Many of the cameras showed battle scars from excessive use. Leica cameras age like no other photographic instrument—especially the black painted models.
One of the most interesting cameras is an MP Black Paint model, circa 1956, of which Leica only produced 402 units. Only 141 Black Paint versions were made. This series was numbered individually, as a photographer might number prints for sale at a gallery. Leica designed the MP for photojournalists who desired an M3-style camera capable of supporting a rapid winder. The Leicavit winder, introduced with the MP, enabled the camera to achieve the blazingly fast speed (for the time) of two photos per second. The MP camera being auctioned was owned by photographer Tazio Secchiaroli, who is credited with being the first paparazzo. The camera is expected to sell for over $700,000.
Leica only produced the original MP series cameras for about a year. In 2003, the modern MP was introduced. The new version supports a light meter but is otherwise very much like the original in appearance and operation. The modern MP is still in production for the comparatively low price of $7,000 if the expected price of the older camera is too high for you.
There is an M3 from the first batch of Black Paint cameras produced in 1959. The camera was in great condition considering its age. There is also an M4 variant, the KE-7A, created for the US Army. The camera is in mint condition and includes its original packaging.
My favorite camera was a non-working M10 variant created by the Italian design house Zagato. The camera is made of aluminum, rather than brass, and is noticeably lighter than the standard version. If Apple designed a Leica M camera, it would look similar to this. The camera comes with a fully functional 35mm Summilux lens.
I spoke with Leica Camera Classics managing director Alexander Sedlak about some of these units. We examined cameras spanning more than 50 years of film and digital camera production.
I asked Alexander who was bidding on the rare cameras displayed at the store. "We have a bright, wide range of customers. On one hand, we have the collector scene, who are collecting the cameras. Some of them have their own museums. We also have younger people who are searching for a vintage camera for daily use. This customer base is growing. They are going to spend $200,000 and actually use the cameras," said Alexander.
For more information on the upcoming auction, visit Leitz Photographica Auction.
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