AN IMMACULATE 'ANNIVERSARY EDITION' RANGEFINDER M4-P '1913- 83' CAMERA, LEICA
5.5 in (14 cm) long, 3 in (7.6 cm) high
The M4-P 1913-83 model is a rare and coveted Anniversary special edition. It is in pristine condition with manual, warranty card, all anniversay papers etc. It comes with matching anniversary 50 mm lens in mint condition in original lens keeper, new black cap and new lens hood. A very desirable model since it was the last mechanical rangefinder Leica made.
Before the Leica, cameras were cumbersome contraptions that involved hauling tripods that held the device steady during long exposure times and replacing plates over and over again. Not to mention, draping the requisite black cloth over one's head to focus on the image. But Oskar Barnack changed that.
Barnack , an engineer and precision mechanic at an optical institute in Wetzlar, Germany, invented the first, fully functional prototype of a still picture camera in 1914. This small piece, with a full metal body and collapsible lens, was called the Ur-Leica. Barnack was an avid photographer himself, but his asthmatic health prevented him using the heavy and awkward cameras of his time, driving him to tinker with the medium.
The Ur Leica and Leica cameras introduced the "35 mm film" strip to still photography. High quality pictures could be produced by exposing a small area of film to create a negative, and then enlarging the image in a darkroom. World War I put a stop to all manufacturing activities in its immediate advent. But a decade later, Ernst Leitz II, who owned the optical institute, took a gamble and produced a 1,000 of these small cameras. Ironed out of all kinks, the improved "Leica I" was introduced at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1925.
Today, the iconic Leica-a combination of "Leitz" and "camera"-has become synonymous with immortalizing significant moments in history. One of the best known photographs is "V-J Day in Times Square" shot with a Leica, by Alfred Eisenstaedt. The image of an exuberant American sailor kissing a nurse in New York City, on August 14, 1945, as the Second World War came to an end, is a vital piece of photography history.
But no photographer is more associated with the Leica than Henri Cartier-Bresson, who taught the world about "the decisive moment" in photography. He captured candid moments from ordinary street life, usually with a Leica 35 mm rangefinder camera fitted with a 50 mm lens. The unobtrusive camera, which he called "an optical extension of the eye", gave him the anonymity he needed to blend into his surroundings and photograph his subjects in their natural element.
From the Leica M series-the M stands for "Meßsucher" (or "Messsucher"), which is the German word for "Rangefinder"-comes the Leica M4-P, a critically acclaimed rangefinder camera. A direct successor to the M4-2, this series was built between 1980 and 1986. During this time, the company faced financial difficulties and production was moved to Midland, Canada to cut costs.
This model introduced new framelines for 28mm and 75mm lenses, along with a zinc top and base plates. As production moved back to Germany for the M-6 series, the last 1,000 bodies of M4-Ps were manufactured at the Wetzlar plant. A few M4-Ps, along with selected lenses, were specially engraved for the Press at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
5.5 in (14 cm) long, 3 in (7.6 cm) high
The M4-P 1913-83 model is a rare and coveted Anniversary special edition. It is in pristine condition with manual, warranty card, all anniversay papers etc. It comes with matching anniversary 50 mm lens in mint condition in original lens keeper, new black cap and new lens hood. A very desirable model since it was the last mechanical rangefinder Leica made.
Before the Leica, cameras were cumbersome contraptions that involved hauling tripods that held the device steady during long exposure times and replacing plates over and over again. Not to mention, draping the requisite black cloth over one's head to focus on the image. But Oskar Barnack changed that.
Barnack , an engineer and precision mechanic at an optical institute in Wetzlar, Germany, invented the first, fully functional prototype of a still picture camera in 1914. This small piece, with a full metal body and collapsible lens, was called the Ur-Leica. Barnack was an avid photographer himself, but his asthmatic health prevented him using the heavy and awkward cameras of his time, driving him to tinker with the medium.
The Ur Leica and Leica cameras introduced the "35 mm film" strip to still photography. High quality pictures could be produced by exposing a small area of film to create a negative, and then enlarging the image in a darkroom. World War I put a stop to all manufacturing activities in its immediate advent. But a decade later, Ernst Leitz II, who owned the optical institute, took a gamble and produced a 1,000 of these small cameras. Ironed out of all kinks, the improved "Leica I" was introduced at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1925.
Today, the iconic Leica-a combination of "Leitz" and "camera"-has become synonymous with immortalizing significant moments in history. One of the best known photographs is "V-J Day in Times Square" shot with a Leica, by Alfred Eisenstaedt. The image of an exuberant American sailor kissing a nurse in New York City, on August 14, 1945, as the Second World War came to an end, is a vital piece of photography history.
But no photographer is more associated with the Leica than Henri Cartier-Bresson, who taught the world about "the decisive moment" in photography. He captured candid moments from ordinary street life, usually with a Leica 35 mm rangefinder camera fitted with a 50 mm lens. The unobtrusive camera, which he called "an optical extension of the eye", gave him the anonymity he needed to blend into his surroundings and photograph his subjects in their natural element.
From the Leica M series-the M stands for "Meßsucher" (or "Messsucher"), which is the German word for "Rangefinder"-comes the Leica M4-P, a critically acclaimed rangefinder camera. A direct successor to the M4-2, this series was built between 1980 and 1986. During this time, the company faced financial difficulties and production was moved to Midland, Canada to cut costs.
This model introduced new framelines for 28mm and 75mm lenses, along with a zinc top and base plates. As production moved back to Germany for the M-6 series, the last 1,000 bodies of M4-Ps were manufactured at the Wetzlar plant. A few M4-Ps, along with selected lenses, were specially engraved for the Press at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.