This week the Leica M rangefinder system celebrates its 70th platinum anniversary, and as you might expect, the company has released a limited (250 copies) batch of M Edition 70 cameras with a platinum body value of $23,000. For budget-conscious fans brand has released a photo album worth $50, which will be a great addition to the library of any photographer.
Image source: Leica
The M Edition 70 is more of a collector’s item than a camera for regular use. The kit includes an APO-Summicron M 50mm F2 ASPH lens, also platinum coated, a Leicavit base with fast film feed, a metal container and a roll of black and white film.
The M Edition 70 is a modern take on a purely mechanical camera. The hardware is based on the Leica M-A (Typ 127) released in 2015. The M-A looks and functions a lot like the vintage M3, and the silver version is practically a twin of the M3. The M-A and M Edition 70 use a lower magnification viewfinder and lack a self-timer lever, but these are relatively minor differences compared to the original M3.
By 1954, when the history of the M-series began, Leica was already a recognized manufacturer of photographic equipment. It should be noted that the 35mm wide roll film format was introduced by Leica engineers in 1924 at the same time as the Leica I camera, which rightfully earned a place in the Smithsonian Museum.
The Leica II (1932) introduced a manual focusing rangefinder separate from the viewfinder, requiring photographers to alternately look through both for focusing and composition. The Leica II and its successor, the Leica III, used a Leica Thread Mount, which made changing lenses quite awkward.
The Leica M3 changed everything. It was the first camera to combine a rangefinder, framing lines and an optical viewfinder in one device. The high magnification viewfinder (0.90×) is ideal for standard and short telephoto lenses. The M3 also featured an M mount for quick lens changes, which remains on Leica cameras to this day – the digital Leica M11 can use the same lenses as the M3.
Image source: lavidaleica.com
Leica’s legacy as a camera manufacturer extends beyond photography. Her cameras were used to document important moments in history and were the favorite tools of famous photographers. Simultaneously with the M Edition 70, a commemorative photo album debuted, simply titled Leica M. The 250 pages of this edition contain the most famous photographs taken by the camera. It also features essays, reproductions from the Leica archives and the history of the M system. At $50, this edition is much more affordable than the M Edition 70 itself, but still allows you to touch the legend.
Image source: Elliot Erwitt/Magnum Photos/Leica