THROWBACK THURSDAY

Winter is a great time to do some tabletop studio work. On the third Thursday of each month, I’ll be posting a new still photograph of one of my old film cameras. Call it a retro phase.

Leica’s M4-2 was a short-lived model built from 1978 to 1980. It was a simplified revision of the M4 (’66-’75). It didn’t have a self timer, but it had a working hot shoe and could take a winder. About 16,000 were made, including mine shown here. Bought in 1979, it was my first Leica rangefinder.

The M4-2 essentially saved Leica, which was struggling to keep it’s SL range contemporary. This look back still seems somehow relevant with yesterday’s gear announcement of the back-to-basics Leica M10 digital rangefinder. Thinner, lighter, quieter, better sensor, faster recycle rate, 5 fps, larger viewfinder, and no video. I like it.

(Bottom Photo: Chris Gampat/Photoblogger)