Saving Leica | Leitz Leica M4-P Review

Well, it finally happened! I got my hands on a classic Leitz Rangefinder. And one that is significant to both Leitz and Canada! The Leica M4-P is the second successor to the Leica M4, built here in Ontario, Canada. And while not taken too seriously, it is one of the best offerings in the iconic M-Series of 35mm rangefinders from the legendary German camera maker.
--
--
0:00 - Introduction
0:53 - Camera History
10:26 - Camera Tour
12:00 - Camera Functions
13:46 - Film Loading
14:02 - Experience
18:05 - Optics
21:56 - Closing

[garymc]

Just got mine yesterday. Traded off all my Nikon film cameras and manual lenses to go over to Leica following my move to the M11. Considering all the choices of Leica film cameras I think I’ll be really happy with the M4 P.

[westonsmith]

Alex, great video. Thank you for posting. At about 10:50, I am pretty sure that is a rangefinder toggle for the different lenses, not a self timer. I think the M4 has a self- timer, but it is on the other side. Cheers from northern Ontario

[themanfromphoto]

Thanks for the vid. FYI, there is no self timer on the M4-P. That's the viewfinder frame line preview lever.

[ChrisEbbrsen]

Excellant history of Leica camera! Thank you for the documentary.

[ChrisEbbrsen]

Dear Habs 8691 great point! I would not have caught that had you not brought that to my attention. Most greatful.

[anthonymiller]

Nice shout out to Johnny Martyr ! He is local to me and a really nice fellow. I had both the M4-2 and M4-P and enjoyed them. Currently have an M3 and M4 but am mostly shooting my M9 and Monochrom these days.

[Eclectachrome]

Awesome video! Love the history as always. I didnt know there was history in Canada with Leitz. What a dreamy camera! I love the ltm mount, the Canon L3 is my main rangefinder, and the lenses including the Jupiter's are really nice. It's great they can be adapted to this body as well as using the newer third party lenses.

[SteveKleinheider]

Good information! There is something special about shooting with a rangefinder. Another nice rangefinder to try out is the Zeiss Ikon ZM...I like mine as much if not more than my Leica M6.

[CalumetVideo]

I have a M3 and M4 and use the Leica Summicron 50mm, Voigtlander Nokton 50mm, and Voigtlander Color Skopar 35mm, all are superb.

I had the Leica IIIf with a Leica Elmar 50mm and it made great images but I just didn’t like the loading of the camera.

[stephenlumsden]

Thx. I notice you switched to your Gossen halfway through. Any reason for that? I used to have the Gossen, but got rid of it as it was too big, but would be interested in how the Reveni incident handles, especially using with a Rangefinder (I have a Contax ii)

[qnetx]

I’ve used dozens of different film cameras and my M4-P is my favorite. BTW most M4-P top covers have two sync ports. Yours and mine have a single sync port. The later models use the same top cover as the M6 with a single sync port but my camera has an early serial number so I suspect my top cover was replaced with a later version spare part.

[coleturner]

Been using mine for 4 years now. Vulcanite on the back has peeled off, one of the sync ports is gone. Best camera.

[garymc]

Thanks for the comprehensive report. Would you say that the 4-P is the vintage equivalent of the current M-A? I am selling all my Nikon analog cameras and lenses to get the M4-P so I can use all my M-11 lenses when I go for film.

[JamieMPhoto]

I owned am M4-P once, and regretfully-ish sold it before it got even way more expensive. I thought it was wonderful, but the primary reason I sold it is because the lens investment is just so steep. I had a great 35mm Zeiss, but I found the cost to be too prohibitive on my ability to build a kit. I could probably manage that better now, but then again, the 28 and 50 I'd want would still be way too expensive. haha.

[jensruckert]

There are of course other lens producers, true. But, as you mentioned correctly: Leica glass quality is often partly even man made and quality controlled. And I tried as well some other brands like voigtlander, zeiss, but the only one that really comes close to the Leica lenses is the Canon 50 1.4 with LTM or the current Leica mount. On film and digital cameras… the other brands never “caught” me. So: get just one lens at the beginning but spend some money on that. You will go on from there and won’t regret it. Other lenses will come by time.

[johnalan]

I always love your presentation, but today I think you forgot that the M4-P don’t got a self timer. Under the Viewfinder you got the field of view selector. I think it just the same as I’m my M6TTL. I really miss the self timer on my M6TTL, that had to be sacrifice for the battery compartment.. The M4-P, isn’t it a M6 without a meter?

[Viti]

lets head back to the studio - goes to a church 😂 I love it

[stephenlumsden]

Also I still think I would go for a Leica iiig as the ltm lenses are cheaper

[jimgraves]

In the years before WW2 Leitz and his family transferred many of their Jewish employees to their overseas branches, notably in Britain, Canada and the USA. This also entitled them to take their families with them and a lot of Jewish people aquired extra family members. This operation became known as The Leica Train and it's a facinating story of how Leitz kept the Nazi's happy whilst helping the Allied nations. They essentially played for both both sides. This is akin to Schindlers List, they did it under the noses of the SS and Gestapo and used their money to bribe their Nazi paymasters.