Leica M-A Typ 127: How it Works
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ย. 2024
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Okay, I have to say this is a pretty weird video. It's not a review and it's not a how-to. I basically talk about the Leica M-A and how it works and compare it to other Leica film cameras. I also show how to load and unload film using a 'dummy' roll. This isn't really a review, but it's not really a how-to either. If you're a nerd and like rambling videos about film cameras, then you'll probably be slightly amused. For everyone else, maybe skip this one.
The main reason why I made this video is because I'll be shooting with the Leica M-A extensively during my Hong Kong trip. I know I'll probably get lots of questions concerning the fully mechanical film camera, so I thought I would get all the technical details out of the way in this video. If anyone asks a question in the future, I'll just refer them back to this video.
This is my original Leica M-A review from January 2015:
• Is this a Real Review ...
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When I began shooting film, way back in the 60's, I couldn't afford a light meter. So, I got hold of a Kodak "Suggested Exposure Chart"! It worked out 99% of the time. And I never lost a single valuable picture.
But then, basic B/W film has some latitude. Over or under a full stop will still yield a successful picture!
When I finally did get a quality exposure meter, I only rarely reached for it to actually use it! It was great training!
I just bought a brand new M-A. I was amazed to see you load film in the camera so that we, your audience, could watch the film engage with the spool. I've had trouble loading film successfully - even with a small flashlight handy. Your video is a great help! My only other complaint is that once you attach a 50mm f.0.95 lens on the M-A, you will have difficulty getting the lens off. If you try that, you'll see what I mean. Thanks for your video.
Nicely done as always! The silvery thing you are pointing on at 10:00 is actually the winder-coupling. The same thing you'll find on the bottom of many classic SLRs from the 70s and 80s, e.g. Nikon F2/F3.
You don't have to align anything or wind it with the door open when loading in the film. The steering wheel thing on the bottom plate aligns everything for you. This is explained in the manual for all Leicas with the quick load petal system.
Have you actually tried this, letting the camera do everything? Bigheadtaco's transparent, vintage way is foolproof.
This is exactly how I have been doing it for years. Drop the canister half way in, pull the film through the gate into the takeup fork, close lid, advance one time, tighten film a bit with the rewind lever/knob (watch out not to pull it into the cannister if it hasn't caught on the fork), advanve two times and while watching the rewind lever which should rotate. Ready to shoot and faster than with any hinged backdoor.
Thank you for your interesting video. It's all about the film and the lens. I loved that fact.
Very great video! Thank you for the explanation~
The best and most thorough M-A walkthrough I have seen so far! Wonderfully explained, but I would add a few things: 1. to my knowledge it was announced at the 2014 Photokina, 2. it exists in silver as well that is less stealthy but in my view more gorgeous, 3. both in this video and the first M-A review, when loading the film you were pushing on the shutter while trying to adjust the film when it's halfway in. It kind of hurts a little every time :). Of course you'd have to be super-gentle, but I'd just hold on to the end of the film while its canister is half-wat sticking out and pulling the film until it goes through the take-up spool, and only then push the canister all the way in. Other than this tiny thing hats off, beautifully explained video of the M-A! It's been kind of missing on TH-cam in this quality! I'm excited about the upcoming M-A videos! Have fun and many thanks! Great work! :)
thanks for the extra info and tips. Yes I love Leica but I don't own any M bodies so I'm always a bit fumbly at first. I'm sure after my first 10 rolls I'll get back into the swing of things. It's a bit scary to commit to a film project and do so publicly. It's gonna be great either way, if I take epic shots or fail miserably, or somewhere in between. I'll have it all on camera for the world to enjoy!
+bigheadtaco It took me a few attempts before I got the hang of it too without ever touching anything around the shutter :). I think it will be so much fun to follow your experiences. Recently I got so fortunate to use the M-A in quite tricky conditions in Arctic Norway (Lofoten islands). Not quite street photography but the light was really challenging. But all the pieces of using the M-A had fallen into place by the end of my trip and have grown much more confident with loading, unloading and sunny 16. It is quite incredible how good success rate I had on my first attempt mainly using maths and sometimes your recommended Light Meter Wheel. It is an experience altogether, so don't worry about publicity, I think everyone will be following with curiosity. Have a good trip, and simply enjoy it! :)
Csaba Rozinyak Thanks. Yes, I'm just half joking since I'm flying out my videographer to document this whole trip, plus I'll try to vlog as much as possible. Succeed or fail, I'm going to record it. It's all about the process. Thanks!
Your videos are always great, thank you for taking your time to produce them!
thanks for watching.
This is, in my opinion, better than the MP. It has a nicer black paint finish and the iso dial is metal rather than plastic.
The M-A is about as stealthy a camera as you could want.
The M5 has the best shutter speed dial. And you could see the shutter speed in the viewfinder. So you can change all settings without taking the eye off the viewfinder.
Great video! The last one you made about this camera was great too. Im so inlove with the M-A. Price aside I think is perfect. Sadly, in my country, buying this camera would be spending a real fortune. Keep the videos coming.
The M7 was discontinued some years ago. Currently available are the M-A and M-P and very soon the "new" M6 (actually an M-P in M6's clothing.
Nice video, most people don't know how to load a Leica, although, FYI, Leicas have loaded film like this since the M4.
So cool! Love Leica
10:00, that’s actually linkage part of motoerdrive, film counter lever is that little pointy thing on the bottom
such a badass camera...great review
+SLIMNICS thanks. It's a tank!
Don't bring Canon into this!
Excellent video!! Thanks so much.
Thank you for another interesting review.
thanks for watching!
You were right first time. 1/1000s represents the maximum speed, or minimum time!
Ya, I've heard this argument, even for aperture. The smaller the number, the larger the aperture. But when you say bigger aperture, are you referring to the number or the actual aperture. I always say bigger aperture for the larger opening, I think that's pretty logical. As for maximum shutter speed, or minimum time, it sounds confusing doesn't it? They both are saying the same thing but using opposite sounding words: maximum vs minimum! Thanks for commenting!
bigheadtaco I'm with you for aperture! 1.4 is big, 11 is small. Thanks for the videos.
Great summary, thanks.
nice review man, your going to have such an amazing time shooting that MA and all that film, soooo jealous!
thanks. It's gonna be scary but fun. I'm putting myself out there. If I fail, it's gonna be recorded for all to see. Epic....
Super video I appreciated your videos. Mike
Deciding between this, and the m-10 mono.
Great video thanks, i like this camera !!
The good practice is to arm the shutter only if you want to take the picture. It is also beneficial for the springs of the shutter. You can keep them in tension in your bag until you get your shot, but that wears them too fast, resulting in slightly changing your shutter speeds. Things that you must know when you use a mechanical camera. So, no shutter lock needed - it will encourage bad practices and it will hurt your camera.
thanks for info, yes I am aware of this but it's just an instant reflex to cock the shutter! When I'm done shooting for the day I do remember not to cock, but that still doesn't negate the advantage of having one. Even without the shutter cocked, having the lock button reminds you that it's in 'lock' mode. While shooting, I find it advantageous to have the camera ready for the next shot, even though it may not be the best for the camera. Thanks again for the info
Fortunately this is only an urban myth that has been busted several times but still is reiterated from one source to another. Steel-springs do not wear from beeing under tension only from repeated overtensioning. End of story.
Hi, do you find the shutter dial to be a bit wobbly (as in you can still fiddle with the ring left to right, right to left) when it's locked in speed?
If you want a quick and secure strap-clip you need to try Peak Design!
Ya, very funcitonal, I just don't like the look personally. I see straps as much fashion as function. I know, I'm vain.
Hey taco! this is your first film camera review I have been waiting for!!!
ha ha. My first video ever was with the Polaroid Land Camera 250.
+bigheadtaco oh I remember that tlr like camera! that's not traditional film though. how does this ma compare to m6?
stupidboyrofl M6 classic or TTL? Because the M-A is a brand new camera, it's always good to have the newest camera since all the gears and springs are new. It's like buying a good used car or a new one. The new one is always going to have low mileage on its side, although this doesn't automatically make it a better car. Same as the M-A or MP or M7. All newly available Leica film cameras with full international warranty. All parts available and supported. M6, not so much. You can still find parts but has to be sourced. If I had an M6, I'd have a broken back-up one for parts, just in case.
I have the M6 classic....I bought it because I heard Leica still service them...
It's also, in the words of Eric Kim, "The best bang for the buck," among the film Leicas. That said, I don't consider the $1000 CDN I paid for my M4 to be excessive.
Could you do a quick video on your methods to flying with film?
Who's watching this in 2020???? I am!! Btw, my MA is just a few serial numbers up from this one in the video. It would be interesting to know where/who owns this exact serial number MA today?
congrats on the M-A, beutiful camera. This was Leica's sample model and I think eventually was sold locally by the Leica rep... who knows where it is right now :-)
bigheadtaco If only cameras can talk, their stories would be a hit content-wise here on TH-cam!
Thanks for the review, Take... well, not review review.. anyways.. Pretty straight forward, and if you like Leica, you're almost certain to know most of this stuff anyways.. but still good info and look at the M-A.. I have to say, the camera itself is of course very cool, but I have to say I found the coolest part of the video at the end about the Leica strap.
I did not know that about the Leica strap clip, the way it attaches and detaches.. looks pretty smart. I wonder if you can buy them separately?.. they sure would be a lot less frustrating to remove compared to the typical O (or triangle) split rings which are a pain in the ass.. especially if you don't have finger nails.. even if you do.. they're so freakin' tight.. need to wedge that special ring splitter tool that Fuji X cameras come with.. or a key or small screwdriver to get the leverage to split the ring apart with out hurting your fingers. So, yeah.. I'd appreciate some of those Leica strap clips.
Peak Design makes very easy ones, function and design-wise, they're great, i have set, but honestly, the only reason I don't use them is because they don't match the design of the camera.. the aesthetics.. talking retro look such as the x-pro2 and other fuji cameras, for example.. a bit too modern..they totally work really well, but they just don't match the classic look of the cameras..and even if I did use them, the way they attach.. you can attach them to any strap of your choice, but again, it doesn't look that good.. you have a nice leather or otherwise stylishly classic neck strap and then at the ends you have to attach the Peak Design strap "mounts" (which are black plastic and nylon) so that you can use the PD strap attachment system with it.. looks way too busy.. so my gripe on a very functional PD strap attachment system.. I just don't like the way it looks with my gear.
Just had a look on Amazon & Ebay.. they don't sell the Leica strap clip/ring separately, but all together, new is about $60, used is under $40.. $30-something.. I don't care for a used strap myself, but maybe just for the parts... but, having a closer look at the way it's designed, you might be able to construct something like that with a decent gauge wire and set of pliers... hmm...
Look forward to finding out your film project with the M-A.
Yes I always feel the strap is both a functional and fashion accessory (like shoes) so the Leica strap is butt ugly but very functional. I'm probably going to take it with me because it's so functional.... so ugly though!!
I love Fuji 400H, beautiful film for portraits.
Yes its a great film. It's a bit cooler than Kodak's Portra, but this can always be adjusted either while printing or scanned and in Photoshop.
Take! A classic film camera...and no Tri-X?!?
BradleyK well, I'll try and reconnect with Kodak and see if they're willing to send me film to test and review. But since I have Pro 400H for my ISO 400, the Acros 100 is a nice slow speed film alternative.
BradleyK I've been shooting Tri-X, T-Max and T400CN for so long, it's nice to shoot Acros.
I've shot Kodak products almost exclusively from Day One (mostly Kodachrome, Ektachrome and Tri-X). My experience to date with Fuji emulsions has been limited to 120 Velvia 50 (glorious, when used judiciously) with my Hasselblads. I don't shoot a lot of 100 ISO black and white film, so I've never bothered to check out Fuji's offering. I have noticed, however, that a large number of my fellow APUGers are quite keen on Acros. Next time I head in to The Lab with some film for processing, I may stop in at Leo's to grab a brick a put the film through the paces. BTW; I'm anxious to see your images from Hong Kong (a city on my Bucket list). Enjoy your excursion! BLK
So. What's your choice of metering then? Some App? Bringing a lightmeter?
Check out the previous M-A review video in which he recommended the Light Meter Wheel app :). Otherwise Sunny 16 or external light meter.
Yes, I use the Light Meter Wheel app, but I often will double check against another digital camera (not Fuji because their ISO rating is fudged a bit by about 2/3 stops). Just remember that metering using reflective versus incident is very different and so you need to understand light before trusting any app or metering device.
As Take mentioned, "Sunny 16" works fairly well, especially if you tend to shoot only a narrow range of films (familiarity breeds...). In my case, I tend to load my M4 with Tri-X/HP5+ almost exclusively, so, most of the time, I don't even bother with a light meter. If I decide to carry one, I generally will only make periodic reference to it.
Thanks guys!
Thanks for the video! Definitely helped me in choosing my MA. One question though...what grip are you using? I can't shoot without a grip and I'm having a hard time finding information on it online. Is it a 14405? Thanks in advance!
the grip is off my Minolta CLE, super rare.
Thank you for the reply!
Hello folks! I´m a analog shooter myself with a OM4 and 2 since 35 year when I bought it new. Mostly using Portra and develop and scan it my self. I have been reading most of the articles I have found on the internet about M-A. Really very interested to invest in that camera, but! will film hold out for the next 20-30 years?
Thats a lot of money to invest in a Leica and two lenses (35 and 75) and not be sure about the future of film.
What do you think about that BHT and other viewers/readers?
Best Kenneth
I believe film will be around in 20-30 years, but it will become more and more a niche product for enthusiasts. There are too many 35mm cameras around for there not to be a market for film to exist. It will just get harder and harder to get cheap film and also labs that will develop and scan. Eventually most people may have to develop negs themselves, and perhaps someone will create an amazing home develop kit that's all-in-one chemistry. Who knows.
I used to be a DSLR guy before I got tired of all the gear and money spent on something that wasn't going to last. For 2 years I wasn't using any other camera than my iPhone. That alone was a learning in that it had given me a perspective: it didn't give me the same headache as the 5D. I had not been sure for a long time what camera I needed. I was still looking at the 5Ds R but was increasingly growing more interested in the way Leica approached photography. I wanted a full-frame camera that was free from all the DSLR hassle like diffraction, tripods and motorized mirrors. The iPhone was so easy but not a photographer's tool in any way. As I was narrowing down my search for the right camera, I became very interested in the M Monochrom but it was out of my reach. Then I found out about the M-A which was at the top of my budget. The availibility of film was my main concern but I ended up buying the M-A. No regrets! It gave me back what I loved the most about photography, and even more!
Csaba Rozinyak awesome story. I'm not sure if you've seen my Instagram feed (instagram.com/bigheadtaco) but the majority of my pictures are taken with the iPhone. This video was shot with my iPhone and the bitplay EF18 Wild Angle Lens. Cameras are tools. I love shooting with everything, from film to digital to instant. That's why I review such a wide variety of cameras and formats. Keep shooting and have fun!
+bigheadtaco Thanks for the encouragement and the hint! It never crossed my mind that you had a dedicated Instagram account. I'll check it out, thanks :). I've also become better at using my iPhone to take pictures, and I haven't turned completely away from DSLRs, but the M-A has definitely lifted me up from the dust and in this period of my techology-infested life this is the one tool that keeps me in balance, where it counts the most, in photography. People tend to have a film camera as a nostalgy second camera and they might still be using a DSLR or a digital as primary camera. For me the M-A is the only one and I intend to keep it that way as long as film and pro labs are around, and put all my efforts into it. It is a refreshing, liberating feeling after the unnecessary complexity of a DSLR. Hard to explain my own excitement about film, also due to past years of personal life events. However, using anything for photography is awesome too! I completely understand your enthusiasm!
Just buy your 20 to 30 years-worth of film now. Problem solved.
The day I'll have 9'000 quids to spend, I'll buy this camera and a good lens.
But for fucks sake, this is SO expensive... Even this freaking handle costs 375 dolars...
Great Review Take. Can't wait for the Hong Kong Videos. Btw the Leica M6 Classic also have the smaller old dial like the M3, the M6 TTL is the one that has the newer dial. If you have some spare time come over to my side of TH-cam and check out my street photography using my Leica M6 and tell me what you think. Cheers! and Happy Shooting!
Yes sorry I should have mentioned that, there is a difference. All my local Leica buddies teased me about that. I don't work off of notes (I know I should) and shoot typically in one take so I often make blunders.... I've seen some of your videos. Good job.
It's so hard to do a one take video, I know because I tried and I always mess up and always have to retake. Great Job! I wish I could be as comfortable as you in front of the camera. Thank you for checking out my videos! It is an honor sir. I've been watching your videos since you start reviewing the Fuji X100 series. Looking forward on your review of the Leica M-A on the streets of HK!
ShootStreetTV thanks!
I have an M6TTL and I paid the extra (above the M6) in order to get the shutter speed dial that turns in the logical direction based on the aperture and meter arrows. In hindsight, I would not do the same again. The reason being that often I find myself selecting the shutter speed first for a given scene, kind of like mental shutter priority. Then I turn the aperture according to the arrows in the viewfinder. The fact that the shutter speed rotation also aligns to the arrow direction is less relevant because I fine tune using aperture. I think many people shoot like this with a rangefinder.
Richard Harmer thanks for sharing your experience. Do you shoot with another rangefinder camera as well, or just the M6 TTL? I'm use to the counter clockwise rotation as well, but as long as I'm just focused on shooting with the M-A, I'm fine. I too typically set the shutter speed to 1/000 to 1/500 and play with my aperture between f/11- f/5.6 for daylight with ISO 400.
Hey taco, where do you tend to buy your large packs of Fuji Pro 400 for 35mm?
Fujifilm sends it to me to shoot for review. If I lived in Japan I'd go to Yodobashi or any major chain. In North America, I'd use B&H.
Funny you couldn't remember the film advance lever. I had the same issue in a video I did on my Bronica. I said "shutter cock", but the Bronica has an electronic leaf shutter. #filmproblems 👍
film advance lever is so technical. I've always called it the crank, or that I crank the film. None of my camera nerd friends flinch when I say it. Even the acronym FAL looks silly and pronounced even sillier. We need a new name....
When I load film I always pull the film far enough to be between the take up spool. Drop in the film and making sure the film is guided with the teeth that is towards bottom plate opening. Then I go ahead and put the back plate on and wind/fire tell I see 0. In my experience the film always caught in the spool and I always got a spot at frame 0.
The proper way to load a Leica.
"leica sent me..." how do you get leica to send you cameras?
Marry Leica! You have to build yourself a trusty name and relations in the brand. Take worked for a photography lab in his town for many years, especially with film and he is well known by the guys in this industry. Also, he proved to be a gifted "salesman".
they have issue with the film advance and for a price one MA I can get 3 leica m bodies
I've heard of this issue, but I've never had any slippage problems. I mention it in my full M-A video and on my most recent HK vlog episode. Once I load the film, I tighten the slack of the film with the rewind knob. I shot 12 rolls in Hong Kong and I never had a problem. I shot another 10 rolls during last year's (2015) review and again, no problem. I've spoken with just a couple of guys that I know that have the M-A, and they also reported no issues as well. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, I'm just wondering if it's a mixture of mechanics of the take-up spool in conjunction with the way certain people load the film?
"they" have no issue with film advance. Just because there is one video about problems on youtube or a comment somewhere else doesn´t mean that there is a general problem. I use my M-A since a year now and have no issue at all. By "use" I mean I shot more than 100 rolls I would say.
wieland-goetzler.com
You are childish af lol
There is a difference between an M-A and those 3 other cameras at least from a users perspective: The M-A is new and comes with a warranty. To bring the old Ms in comparable shape will cost you about as much as you paid for them.