My repaired and overhauled Leica M4 was returned to me today. It’s beautiful, and with new shutter curtains and gearing, it works flawlessly. It’s so smooth! Apparently, most of the original lubricants had dried, which was making it a little catchy. Now it’s like butter again.

Original (broken) Leica M4 shutter curtain

So I currently have four beautiful Leica M cameras in perfect working order. They are (from left to right in the photo)…

Leica M4 (1966). I purchased this M4 in 2009. It’s not my first Leica (that was an M6TTL bought in 2004(?)), but I’ve had it the longest. One cool feature of this particular camera is that it has the M3/M2 style levers, which I prefer. I’m happy to have it back.

Leica M3 (1960). The OG Leica M that started it all. I love the super-bright, high-magnification viewfinder with a 50mm or 90mm lens.

Leica M6 (1998). Purchased in 2017, this particular M6 is one of the last 10 made, which I think is cool. It’s had the MP finder upgrade and the unneeded frame lines masked out. Since it has a meter, this is the body that gets color film when I’m in the mood for color. A great workhorse of a camera.

Leica MP (2021). The idea of having a brand new Leica film camera has haunted me for years. This year I was fortunate enough to find and purchase a brand new black paint MP. It’s just the most beautiful thing. My “forever” camera (assuming I never change my mind about shooting film ????.)

That’s sixty years of innovation, Leica style. It’s what happens when you get it right the first time.