Leica M7 A La Carte Black Paint EXCELLENT

Leica M7 A La Carte Black Paint EXCELLENT

The Leica M7 "à la carte" Black Paint is a rare, highly coveted 35mm rangefinder produced between 2002 and 2018, featuring a glossy black paint finish over brass that develops a "brassing" patina over time. This, unlike standard black chrome models, lacks the red logo, and features MP-style viewfinders, and are considered desirable collector items.

Key Details and Features

Finish: Glossy black paint (over brass).

Production Era: 2002–2018, with the program ending due to high maintenance costs.

Appearance: Often customized without the red Leica logo, featuring classic script engraving on the top plate and varied leatherette options, such as "pebble".
Features: Typically equipped with an MP-style finder (0.72 or 0.58 magnification).

Rarity: They are considered very rare compared to black paint MP models.

While the M7 a la carte program was available, these models are distinct from the standard, more common, and durable matte black chrome versions. The black paint is sought after for its ability to show brassing with use, which aligns with the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi—finding beauty in imperfection.

This one is in truly excellent condition. It has a 0.72 finder. The base plate still has it's plastic wrap protector.