Leica M-A (Typ 127) Overview
Focusing on the founding principles of photography, the Leica M-A (Typ 127) is a 35mm film rangefinder camera characterized by its simplicity and unobtrusiveness. As a completely mechanical camera, no battery is required for operation and the only exposure control offered is a choice of shutter speed, up to 1/1000 sec. A large, bright 0.72x-magnification viewfinder pairs with a precise rangefinder mechanism to enable comparative manual focusing control with M-mount lenses, along with parallax-corrected compositional framing. The body features silver-colored chromed brass top and bottom covers, as well as an all-metal body design, to offer both durability as well as an aesthetic, minimal appearance. Designed for intuitiveness and efficient operability, the precision afforded by the M-A serves to complement a straight-forward working method.
Classic 35mm film rangefinder features a large, bright 0.72x-magnification viewfinder.
Completely mechanical operation requires no battery and permits working with just the basic aspects of photography: shutter speed, aperture, and film speed.
A rear ISO dial can be used to indicate the speed of film in use.
The top shutter speed dial permits selection of speeds from 1/1000 sec. to 1 sec., with a bulb setting also available for long exposures. Flash sync is available at all speeds up to 1/50 sec.
The hot shoe incorporates a center contact for compatibility with a wide array of flashes.
Compatible with all M-mount lenses ranging in focal lengths from 16mm to 135mm.
Image field frame lines are automatically activated with each mounted lens, and offer an accurate, parallax-corrected reference for image composition. Alternatively, image field lines can be selected to pre-visualize the composition of other focal length lenses.
In the Box
- Leica M-A (Typ 127) Rangefinder Camera (Silver)
- Body Cap
- Carrying Strap
- Roll of Kodak Tri-X 400 35mm Black & White Negative Film
- Limited 1-Year Leica Society Digital Membership
- Limited 3-Year Manufacturer Warranty
Leica M-A (Typ 127) Specs
| Lens Mount |
Leica M bayonet |
| Lens System |
Leica M lenses from 16-135mm focal length |
Camera
| Type |
Mechanical rangefinder |
| Film Format |
35 mm |
| Exposure Control |
Manual (shutter speed on body only; aperture on attached lens) |
| External Flash Connection |
Hot shoe with center contact |
| Flash Synchronization |
With first curtain; up to 1/50 sec. |
| Shutter Type |
Focal plane; mechanical rubber blanket slotted shutter with horizontal movement |
| Shutter Speed Range |
1 to 1/1000 sec. (in 1 EV increments), bulb |
Viewfinder
| Type |
Bright line frame viewfinder with automatic parallax correction |
| Eyepiece |
Calibrated to -0.5 dpt (optional corrective lenses available) |
| Parallax Correction |
Horizontal and vertical offset between viewfinder and lens axis automatically compensated for according to relevant distance setting
At the shortest possible distance for each focal length, the bright line frame size corresponds to an image of approx. 23 x 35 mm. When set to infinity, depending on the focal length between 9% (28mm) and 23% (135mm) more is captured by the film than is shown in the corresponding bright line frame |
| Magnification |
0.72x |
| Rangefinder Basis |
49.9 mm (mechanical measurement basis of 69.25 mm x viewfinder magnification of 0.72x)
Split or superimposed image rangefinder shown as bright field in the center of the viewfinder image |
Physical
| Film Loading |
Manual film loading after opening the bottom cover and the rear panel |
| Film Wind |
Forward: Manual winding with quick wind lever (compatible with optional motorized winders)
Rewind: Manually with pull-out rewind button, after moving the R lever on front of camera |
| Tripod Mount |
1/4" |
| Dimensions |
5.4 x 1.5 x 3.0" / 138 x 38 x 77 mm |
| Weight |
1.3 lb / 578 g |
Packaging Info
| Package Weight |
4.2 lb |
| Box Dimensions (LxWxH) |
8.8 x 8.7 x 6.6" |
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