The Leica MP represents distilled purity in the form of a photographic instrument. It sports no frills, no gimmicks, no illusions. The images it renders become a mirror into the very soul of the photographer. You cannot seek refuge in automatic exposure nor automatic focus. To successfully capture an image with this epitome of mechanical perfection you must know your craft, be confident in your judgment, and be one with the tool. All pretenses fall away when you wield the Leica MP.
There are many things to admire about the Leica MP, like its compact size, unpretentious aire, and quiet operation. Its rangefinder viewfinder is large, clear, and bright and works well in dim light. It has a built-in exposure meter, but, strangely enough, the one in my camera worked reliably on only one or two settings (i.e., f-stop/shutter speed combinations) and so I removed the battery and went totally mechanical.
But the camera is only part of the story. It exists solely as a host for the finest lenses rendered by man. And perhaps the most lusted-after lens in the history of photography is the Leica Noctilux. But putting a Noctilux on a Leica MP is like fitting a perfectly formed face with a gigantic nose.
Yes, there is a certain snob appeal associated with the Leica name. It’s like owning a Ferrari – there’s no need to drive fast because you look fabulous sitting still. Unfortunately, and also like a Ferrari, the Leica brand has been priced out of reach of ordinary humans. To purchase one new will set you back dearly. I’m sure many newer Leica cameras sit safely in a drawer, their owners too afraid to take them out for fear of scratching the paint. But that’s the rub! The more you use the Leica MP, the smoother it gets. And there’s something magically attractive about a well-used Leica MP black paint model when the warm, mellow glow of its underlying brass frame starts to show through.
What I don’t like about the Leica MP is its film loading scheme. You must remove the bottom plate to load film. This bottom plate becomes an extra part you must juggle during the film loading process.
