Leica M2 chrome Midland

Very rare Leica M2 in near mint condition produced in Canada, engraved "Ernst Leitz Canada Limited Midland Ontario" on the top plate. In response to requests from press photographers, the M2 with built-in 35 mm wideangle viewfinder was introduced in 1957. The frameline for the 50 mm field in the viewfinder is smaller, which was generally appreciated by the M2 customers. As a camera made for professionals, it is equipped with the robust manually resettable framecounter. The Leica M2 was offered parallel to the M3. Only about 1,500 units of the Leica M2 were assembled at the Leitz plant in Canada, while total production of this camera numbered more than 76,000. Usually these cameras were equipped with top plates from the Wetzlar production. Just a handful of single units carry the “Leitz Canada“ engravings and were probably intended as samples.