![leica m4 leica m4](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Cp4AAOSwxKxeio6F/s-l640.jpg)
I use Leica glass on my Bessa bodies all the time without incident was more my point. I don't think this is super helpful to the OP. The Bessa-series were great cameras, but future prospects are uncertain, the VM lenses are great and the Japanese market is clearly very distorted compared to the EU and US. I'm assuming you meant that the other way round, otherwise that's a great thing for the customer? The OP is clearly planning to buy an $600 Leica, not a $6000 one, so isn't likely to fall foul of this - though I would recommend buying from a dealer instead of eBay. $800 for would fetch $6000 if the condition as advertised was accurate. The Leica film M is mostly brass, with some internal steel parts. Their 'plastic and aluminium' build quality is not reassuring in that sense.
![leica m4 leica m4](https://64.media.tumblr.com/7dde95de1edbfb1fd9326e2d338e2a24/tumblr_mhb0fqXWsD1qzpwppo1_1280.jpg)
I would not call it a heritage camera, especially the R-A cameras, which were all-electronic and have an uncertain future.
LEICA M4 SERIES
The Bessa series is now fully discontinued and spare parts will be drying up. The attraction of Leica film cameras to many, is that they will last forever. Japan is the obvious major exception to this. :)ĭepending on where you are (I'm using western Europe as a case), the Bessa M mount cameras (So not the R, or the L obviously) can often be more expensive than an M4-2. So if you're going to go with Voigtlander lenses, and the camera is less relevant with film, why not try one of the Voigtlander bodies? Then save your money for some Leica glass, and maybe a near mint M6-TTL. They are optically superior to most modern DSLR glass though. The real benefit to me of the M mount system is the Leica lenses over the camera bodies, and while Voigtlander makes a number of nice lenses I own, none of them are as nice to use as their Leica counterparts when available. are on eBay, which is a pretty big risk given that the camera they want $800 for would fetch $6000 if the condition as advertised was accurate. Most of what I am seeing of those cameras available in the U.S. Exceptionally good condition M4* or M2 bodies can quickly become a multiple of that. My price meter is better targeted for Japan, but the most commonly found good condition film bodies are the M6, with the TTL being less common but more expensive, which is barely out of your price range. My favorite is the Bessa T because while it doesn't have a viewfinder (only a rangefinder, you can use accessory viewfinders), it has a kicking rad external meter (built in, but LEDs on the outside). They're available as LTM (Leica Thread Mount) and M mount rangefinders.
![leica m4 leica m4](https://www.jogeier.com/pub/media/catalog/product/cache/cb8eea986d851aa552ebf36eaa958c75/2/1/2110000787127_22105_1_leitz_leica_m4_chrome____1176776_7c9752d0.jpg)
Is this your first film camera? If so, targeting something lower end like a Bessa might be a good idea. Okay, I am saying this as someone who owns a Leica M-D and a handful of Leica glass, but my film bodies are entirely Voigtlander Bessas because they're largely aluminum and plastic and don't rust except for the not too difficult to replace strap lugs (if you're willing to do some DIY and use epoxy to secure the replacements, as the original are held by rivets, but the replacements can be designed not to slip the hole).