Leica MP Instruction Manual
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Leica MP Instruction Manual

Leica MP Instruction Manual

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LEICA MP
INSTRUCTION MANUAL

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Summary of Contents for Leica MP

  • Page 1 LEICA MP INSTRUCTION MANUAL...

  • Page 2: Foreword

    Before using your camera for the first time, please check that the accessories supplied are complete*. We hope you enjoy taking pictures with your new Leica MP for many years to come. Please begin by reading this manual thoroughly to familiarize yourself – Leica MP with the full scope of functions your camera has to offer.

  • Page 3: Spare Parts/Accessories

    Detailed information about the latest, extensive range using your camera for the first time to prevent prod- of spare parts/accessories for your camera can be uct damage, injuries, and other risks. obtained from Leica Customer Care or on the Leica Camera AG website: https://leica-camera.com/en-US/photography/acces- sories Only the accessories named and described by Leica Camera AG in this manual are to be used...

  • Page 4: Legal Information

    Leica Cam- era AG. In this respect, the right to changes and errors made by Leica Camera AG are reserved. Illustrations...

  • Page 5: Regulatory Information

    The production date of your camera can be found on formative documentation. However, due to creative de- the stickers inside the warranty card or on the packag- sign, we ask you to bear in mind that Leica Camera AG ing. must protect its intellectual property, including patents, The date format is year/month/day.

  • Page 6: Safety Information

    SAFETY INFORMATION • Protect the camera against contact with insect sprays and other aggressive chemicals. Petroleum spirit, thinner and alcohol must not be used for cleaning. GENERAL INFORMATION Some chemicals and liquids can damage the camera housing or the surface finish. •...

  • Page 7: Carry Strap

    • Leaked battery fluid poses an injury hazard when it comes in contact with clothing or skin. Rinse the • Use of an incompatible flash unit with the Leica MP affected areas thoroughly with clean water. can, in a worst case scenario, lead to irreparable damage to the camera and/or the flash unit.

  • Page 8: General Information

    GENERAL INFORMATION FILM • Make sure that the film ISO value is set correctly on For more information about what to do if problems the ISO setting dial. arise, refer to the “Care/Storage” section. • Have exposed film developed directly. CAMERA/LENS •...

  • Page 9: Warranty

    WARRANTY In addition to your statutory warranty rights regard- ing your dealer, you will receive an additional Leica Camera AG product warranty valid from the date of purchase at an authorized Leica retailer. Previously, the product warranty was included with the product in the packaging.

  • Page 10: Table Of Contents

    LENS ................17 ADVANCING TO THE FIRST EXPOSURE ......30 COMPATIBLE LENSES ............ 17 LENSES WITH LIMITED COMPATIBILITY ......18 INCOMPATIBLE LENSES ..........18 CHANGING THE LENS ..........19 LEICA M LENSES ................19 DIOPTER COMPENSATION ........20 TABLE OF CONTENTS...
  • Page 11 ATTACHING A FLASH UNIT VIA THE ACCESSORY SHOE ..41 CARE/STORAGE ...........42 FAQ ...............44 TECHNICAL DATA ..........46 Meaning of the different categories of informa- LEICA MP ..............47 tion in this instruction manual LEICA CUSTOMER CARE ....... 50 Note LEICA ACADEMY ..........51...

  • Page 12: Part Designations

    PART DESIGNATIONS  5   4   11   3a   10   3   2   12   1   9   7   8   13   6   14   15   17   18   20a   20   23   19   22   16   21  PART DESIGNATIONS...
  • Page 13 LEICA MP LENS  1  Shutter button Lens hood  2  Film advance lever Aperture setting ring with scale  3  Shutter speed dial Index for aperture values Focus ring – – : Fixed shutter speeds of 1/1000 s to 1 s 1000 – : Long-term exposure (bulb), switch off Finger grip exposure metering (= off position)

  • Page 14: Display

    DISPLAY VIEWFINDER Bright-line frame (ex. 50 mm + 75 mm) Metering field for focusing LED indicator – Light balance – Triangular LEDs indicate the direction of rota- tion required for balancing both the aperture ring and the shutter speed dial. – Warning before falling below the metering range (left triangular LED flashes) –...
  • Page 15 BATTERY CHARGE WARNING INDICATOR The battery charge warning indicator in the viewfind- er indicates the battery charge level when the shutter button is held down. Display Charge level Only the light bal- The charge level of ance appears. the battery/batter- ies is sufficient.

  • Page 16: Preparatory Tasks

    PREPARATORY TASKS INSERTING/REMOVING THE BATTERY The Leica MP requires two silver oxide button cells Please read the “Legal information”, “Safety informa- (PX76/SR44) or one lithium cell (DL1/3N) for exposure tion”, and “General information” sections before using metering. your camera for the first time to prevent product dam- age, injuries, and other risks.

  • Page 17: Lens

    LENS LEICA R LENS (WITH ADAPTER) In addition to Leica M lenses, Leica R lenses can also COMPATIBLE LENSES be used with the Leica R adapter M, which is available as an accessory. Further details about these accessories LEICA M LENSES can be found on the Leica Camera AG website.

  • Page 18: Lenses With Limited Compatibility

    – When using heavy lenses attached to a tri- pod-mounted camera, e.g., Noctilux 1:0.95/50 or Leica R lenses with an adapter: Make sure that the tilt of the tripod head cannot move inadvertently when the camera is not held. A sudden tilt and impact could result in damage to the lower edge of the cam- era bayonet.

  • Page 19: Changing The Lens

    CHANGING THE LENS REMOVING LEICA M LENSES ATTACHING →Hold the lens by the fixed ring. →Hold down the release button on the camera hous- ing. →Turn the lens counterclockwise until its index button is →Hold the lens by the fixed ring.

  • Page 20: Diopter Compensation

    • Please note that the default viewfinder setting of the Leica MP is -0.5 diopter. So if you wear glasses with 1 diopter, you need a corrective lens with +1.5 diopter. PREPARATORY TASKS / DIOPTER COMPENSATION...
  • Page 21 PREPARATORY TASKS / DIOPTER COMPENSATION...

  • Page 22: Camera Operation

    CAMERA OPERATION Notes • To prevent shaking, press down the shutter button softly without jerking until you hear the click of the CONTROLS shutter. • The shutter button remains locked until the shutter is SHUTTER BUTTON cocked. • The shutter button comes equipped with a standard thread for a wired release button.

  • Page 23: Shutter Speed Dial

    SHUTTER SPEED DIAL ISO SETTING DIAL The ISO setting dial is used to set the camera to the film The shutter speed dial features a stop between the po- sensitivity of the film being used. Choose a marked set- sitions .

  • Page 24: Film Advance Lever Rewind Knob

    FILM ADVANCE LEVER REWIND KNOB The film advance lever is used to advance the film, wind After the last film shot is taken, rewind the film back into the shutter and automatically advance the exposure the film cartridge by pressing the rewind button. counter.

  • Page 25: Rewind Release Lever

    REWIND RELEASE LEVER IMAGE FIELD SELECTOR The rewind release lever prevents the film from being An alternative bright-line frame appears in the view- accidentally rewound. finder when the image field selector is pressed. CAMERA OPERATION / CONTROLS...

  • Page 26: Replacing The Film

    REPLACING THE FILM OPENING/CLOSING THE CAMERA The inserted film is fully exposed and must be replaced OPENING THE CAMERA if the shutter can no longer be cocked. To replace the film →Rewind the exposed film (see page 27) →Remove the exposed film (see page 27) →Insert new film (see page 28) →Forward film to the first exposure (see page 29) Important...

  • Page 27: Closing The Camera

    CLOSING THE CAMERA COCKING THE SHUTTER To cock the shutter →Hold the camera with the base facing upwards →Press the film advance lever forward to the stop in →Close the rear panel one motion →Hook the bottom cover into the locking pin on the camera side →Press the film advance lever several times until reach- →Close the bottom cover...

  • Page 28: Rewinding The Film

    REWINDING THE FILM REMOVING THE FILM →Move the rewind release lever into position →Hold the camera with the base facing upwards →Open the camera (see page 25) →Pull out the film. →Store the film in a cool and dark location. →Fold out the rewind knob.

  • Page 29: Inserting The Film

    INSERTING THE FILM Important • Do not check the film winding while the camera is open, because the bottom cover is designed to guide the film into the correct position when closed. • There are contacts for the transmission of the film sen- sitivity setting on the inside of the rear cover and on the relevant point of the camera housing.

  • Page 30: Advancing To The First Exposure

    ADVANCING TO THE FIRST EXPOSURE →Cocking the shutter →Shutter release →Cocking the shutter again • The film advances correctly if the rewind crank turns as well. →Press the shutter release again. →Cock the shutter a third time. • The exposure counter should now show Exposure 1. •...
  • Page 31 CAMERA OPERATION / REPLACING THE FILM...

  • Page 32: Taking Pictures

    TAKING PICTURES ISO SENSITIVITY The expected shooting conditions and intended use of →Ensure that the film sensitivity set on the ISO setting the images taken play a role in choosing the right film dial matches the sensitivity of the inserted film. sensitivity.

  • Page 33: Iso/Asa/Din Conversion

    ISO/ASA/DIN CONVERSION 9° 30° 10° 1000 31° 11° 1250 32° 12° 1600 33° 1600 13° 2000 34° 14° 2500 35° 15° 3200 36° 3200 16° 4000 37° 17° 5000 38° 18° 6400 39° 6400 19° 20° 21° 22° 23° 24° 25°...

  • Page 34: Image Composition

    0,7m it also doubles as a highly precise, lens-coupled range- finder. All Leica M lenses with focal lengths between 16 and 135 mm are coupled automatically when they are attached to a camera. The viewfinder has a magnifica- tion factor of 0.72x.

  • Page 35: Show Alternative Image Fields/Focal Lengths

    SHOW ALTERNATIVE IMAGE FIELDS/FOCAL 50 mm + 75 mm LENGTHS The relevant bright-line frame will light up in the combi- nations 35 mm + 135 mm, 50 mm + 75 mm or 28 mm + 90 mm when lenses with a focal length of 28 (Elmarit as of serial number 2 411 001), 35, 50, 75, 90 and 135 mm are used.

  • Page 36: Focusing

    FOCUSING SPLIT IMAGE METHOD For an architectural photograph, you might focus the The rangefinder can be used for focusing. metering field of the rangefinder at e.g., the vertical The rangefinder of this camera is very precise due to its edge or any other clearly defined vertical line and keep wide and effective measurement basis.

  • Page 37: Exposure

    EXPOSURE EXPOSURE METERING METHOD The Leica MP performs exposure metering selectively via the lens with working aperture. The light reflected by a bright round metering dot in the middle of the first shutter curtain is captured and metered by a photodi- ode.

  • Page 38: Exposure Metering

    EXPOSURE METERING EXPOSURE SETTING Exposure metering is activated by tapping the shutter The correction needed for the right exposure is dis- button. The light balance in the viewfinder lights up and played using the light balance consisting of three red continuous measuring starts.

  • Page 39: Challenging Shooting Conditions

    CHALLENGING SHOOTING CONDITIONS OBJECTS WITH VERY HIGH CONTRAST The contrast range of an object comprises all levels of EXTRA BRIGHT OR DARK OBJECTS brightness, from the brightest to the darkest point in Exposure metering is calibrated for a medium gray the image.

  • Page 40: Long-Term Exposure (Bulb)

    If the shutter-speed dial is set to , the shutter re- B/OFF The Leica MP does not have its own flash metering and mains open as long as the shutter button is held down. control feature. As a result, the flash exposure must ei-...

  • Page 41: Attaching Flash Units

    ATTACHING FLASH UNITS ATTACHING A FLASH UNIT VIA THE ACCESSORY SHOE Leica MP offers two flash ports. – An accessory shoe with center contact for all flash ATTACHING THE FLASH UNIT units with a standard flash shoe is located on the top →Switch off the flash unit.

  • Page 42: Care/Storage

    CARE/STORAGE • All of your camera’s mechanically moving bearings and sliding surfaces are lubricated. If you do not use We recommend the following if the camera will not be your camera for a longer period of time, it should used for an extended period of time: be wound several times about every three months –...
  • Page 43 LENS • A soft-bristle brush will usually suffice to remove dust from the outer lenses. Remove more severe soiling with a clean, soft cloth that is completely free of foreign matter. Wipe the lens carefully in a circular motion from the center outward. We recommend using microfiber cloths that are stored in a protective container and are available from photography shops and other optical retailers.

  • Page 44: Faq

    Issue Possible cause/troubleshooting Suggested remedies When taking a photo Flash does not trigger Flash cannot be used with the current Note the list of settings compatible with the settings flash function Pressing the shutter button while the flash is Wait until the flash is fully charged still charging Flash does not fully illuminate the Subject out of flash range...

  • Page 46: Technical Data

    TECHNICAL DATA 15,2 mm 32,2 mm 34,5 mm 79,2 mm 59,4 mm 23,2 mm 68,3 mm 138,6 mm TECHNICAL DATA...

  • Page 47: Leica Mp

    9% (28 mm) to 23% (135 mm) more than is shown in the corresponding bright-line frame. Large-basis rangefinder Large-basis rangefinder Split and superimposed image rangefinder in the center of the viewfinder image as a bright field. TECHNICAL DATA / LEICA MP...

  • Page 48: Film Winding

    Flashing left triangular LED in the viewfinder indicates Manually with quick-wind lever or Leicavit M (available as values below the measuring range an accessory) or motorized using Leica Motor-M, Leica Exposure modes Exposure modes Winder-M, Leica Winder M4-P, or Leica Winder M4-2...
  • Page 49 At room temperature and with a measurement time of 14 s per exposure, a new set of batteries will last for approx. 100 36-exposure films, i.e., approx. 3,600 ex- posures (according to Leica testing standards). The power supply is only required for exposure meter- ing and the LED indicator.

  • Page 50: Leica Customer Care

    Contact Leica Camera AG Customer Care for the maintenance of your Leica equipment and for consul- tation on all Leica products and to place an order. For repairs or in the event of damage, you can also contact Customer Care or the repair service at your local Leica representative directly.

  • Page 51: Leica Academy

    LEICA ACADEMY You can find our entire seminar program with many interesting photography workshops at: https://leica-camera.com/en-int/leica-akademie LEICA ACADEMY...

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