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.
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rangefinder-35mm
The Leica M4-P (1981) is the second Canada-built M body (after the M4-2, 1977). It introduces the now-standard **six-frame-line viewfinder** — frame lines for **28, 35, 50, 75, 90, 135 mm** — paired in three sets: 28+90, 35+135, 50+75. This frame-line layout has been used on every subsequent Leica M (M6, M7, MP, M-A, and the digital Ms). Mechanical horizontal-cloth shutter to 1/1000s, no meter, no AE. Built in Midland, Ontario, Canada.
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.
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Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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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
About this camera
The first M with 28mm and 75mm frame lines. Six-frame-line finder, Canada-built, mechanical, no meter.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Leica M |
| Years | 1981–1986 |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/1000s + B, mechanical horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/50s |
| Meter | None |
| Frame lines | 28, 35, 50, 75, 90, 135 mm |
| Finder magnification | 0.72× |
| Weight | 545 g |
| Battery | None |
Released 1981 as the press-photographer alternative to the meter-equipped M5 / M6. Production ran 5 years; 25,000 units made. The M4-P was succeeded by the M6 (1984) which kept the same body and frame lines but added the silicon TTL meter. After the M4-P, no Leica M was produced without a meter until the M-A (2014) — a 28-year gap.
The M4-P is the cheapest "modern frame-line layout" Leica M. For photographers who want the M6 finder experience (28/75mm frame lines for wide-angle and short-tele lenses) without paying M6 prices, the M4-P is the answer. The lack of a meter is a feature for shooters using external/incident metering or Sunny 16.
For 2026 buyers, M4-P prices run $1,500–2,800 — significantly below M6 prices ($3,000–6,500). The Canada-built bodies are sometimes considered "less Leica" than Wetzlar M4s, but mechanically they're equivalent and many were re-Wetzlar-finished by the factory after import.
All Leica M-mount lenses, all eras. Same accessory ecosystem as M4 / M6. SF20 / SF24D flashes; Motor M (rare).
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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