C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →rangefinder-35mm
The Leica M-A (2014) is Leica's purest contemporary M body — **no electronics at all**, including no meter. Mechanical horizontal-cloth shutter, M-mount, six-frame-line viewfinder. The only electronic component would be the meter, which is absent. The body operates entirely without battery; you meter externally (Sekonic, phone app, Sunny 16). The M-A is positioned as a deliberate statement: a camera with **zero** failure modes from electronic components.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
Develop 35mm film
Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
Limited used market — most M-A buyers keep them. Watch:
About this camera
The Leica with no electronics whatsoever. Pure mechanical, no meter, in production since 2014.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Leica M |
| Years | 2014–present |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/1000s + B, mechanical horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/50s |
| Meter | None |
| Modes | Manual only |
| Frame lines | 28, 35, 50, 75, 90, 135 mm |
| Weight | 578 g |
| Battery | None |
Released 2014 as the meter-less companion to the MP (mechanical, with meter). The M-A revives the spirit of the M4-P (1981–1986) — a no-meter mechanical M for purists. À-la-carte program permits cosmetic customization (engraving, leatherette, viewfinder magnification). Production continues 2026.
The M-A is Leica's statement that mechanical photography has no obsolescence date. No firmware, no battery, no electronic component to fail. For working photographers who want a camera that will work in 50 years exactly as it does today, the M-A is the only modern body that meets the criterion.
For 2026 buyers, the M-A at $4,995 is positioned as a luxury object more than a tool — most photographers can buy a used M4-P at one-third the price for an effectively identical experience. The M-A's value is the certainty of new-camera reliability, full Leica warranty, and the philosophical commitment.
All Leica M-mount lenses, all eras. Same accessory ecosystem as MP.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →C41
Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
View profile →Leica M-A
Image coming soon