Leica MP
NotableKnown as "Mechanical Perfection"
The MP is Leica's current-production film rangefinder and its most refined mechanical camera. Its brass construction, improved shutter, and best-in-class finder represent everything the company has learned about making a film M in seventy years.
Famous for
- A mechanical M without electronics — Leica's answer to photographers who wanted an M3-era simplicity with modern framelines
- Still in production; favored by photographers who distrust batteries in the field
Introduced in 2003, the Leica MP is the company's definitive statement about what a film rangefinder should be. The name officially stands for "Mechanical Perfection," and Leica meant it literally: the MP has no electronics beyond an optional battery-powered meter, a brass top plate, a quieter and more refined shutter than the M6, and a build specification that draws on the best of the M3, M2, and M4 designs. The viewfinder is the best in the current M lineup.
The MP is for photographers who want to shoot film without compromise and without apology. It is not a retro affectation — it has been in continuous production since 2003, sold alongside digital M bodies, and it remains the choice of photographers for whom film is not nostalgia but method. The MP's shutter is notably smoother than the M6's, and its brass construction gives it a weight and heft that many shooters prefer to the lighter alloy of later film bodies. If you are buying a new film Leica today, the MP is the serious answer.
Key specs
- type
- 35mm rangefinder
- metering
- optional TTL (battery-powered), LED in finder
- shutter
- cloth focal-plane, 1s–1/1000 + B (mechanical)
- finder magnification
- 0.72x
- construction
- brass top and base plate
- production
- 2003–present
Variants & finishes
The MP in traditional hand-applied black lacquer over brass — it will brass on edges with use, developing a patina unique to your copy. The choice for those who want the full analog Leica ritual.
Bright chrome finish, hardwearing and classic-looking. More practical for daily use than black paint if you'd rather shoot than watch for dings.
Market value
Used-market price (USD, estimated median)
Estimates from auction and dealer records — condition and completeness vary.
View data
| Date | Price | Source | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-01 | $3,000 | curated-estimate | user |
| 2017-01 | $3,200 | curated-estimate | user |
| 2018-01 | $3,400 | curated-estimate | user |
| 2019-01 | $3,600 | curated-estimate | user |
| 2020-01 | $4,000 | curated-estimate | user |
| 2021-01 | $4,400 | curated-estimate | user |
| 2022-01 | $4,800 | curated-estimate | user |
| 2023-01 | $5,200 | curated-estimate | user |
| 2024-01 | $5,500 | curated-estimate | user |
| 2025-01 | $5,500 | curated-estimate | user |
| 2026-01 | $5,500 | curated-estimate | user |
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