Leica M4 and 50mm Noctilux lens
date: label: date made
content: 1970s
name: label: maker
content: Leica
notes: label: Description
content: The Leica M4 was introduced in1967 and combined the most popular features of the M2 and M3 models. Most M4s were finished in chrome, however, some had black finishes as does this sample. The most noticeable change from the earlier M cameras in the angled rewind crank that does not foul any accessories mounted on the camera shoe. The camera also includes an improved viewfinder with parallax corrected frames for 35, 50, 90, and 135mm lenses.
label: Description
content: The Noctilux lens 50mm f/1.2 lens in black finish was the first of a series of high speed Leica lenses with apertures between f/1.2 and f/0.95. The f/1.2 version was the first commercially produced lens with aspheric elements and was very expensive to produce. It was soon replaced by an f/1 version that did not require aspheric elements and in 2009 a faster f/0.95 version was introduced.
label: Description
content: Black Leica M4 camera with neck strap, lens, and lens cap. Imprinted writing on top of camera reads "ERNST LEITZ GMBH WETZLAR Germany".
label: Description
content: The camera was used by J. Ross Baughman when he covered wars in ten more nations, including Lebanon, El Salvador, Grenada and the Persian Gulf.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Germany: Hesse, Solms
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Photographic History
label: See more items in
content: Photography
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2010.0231.52
label: catalog number
content: 2010.0231.52
label: accession number
content: 2010.0231
label: serial number
content: 1381443
objectType: label: Object Name
content: camera
label: Object Name
content: Camers
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal; leather; plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: black (overall color)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 3 in x 6 in x 4 in; 7.62 cm x 15.24 cm x 10.16 cm