Leica's motor-ready M4 variant — the M4-M, coupled RF, cloth shutter, motor drive, 1972.
The Leica M4-M was a motor-capable variant of the M4 developed around 1972, prepared to accept a Leica motor drive for powered film advance. It was a small-production body linked to the MOT motorised M program aimed at professional and technical users needing rapid sequences.
It is a 35mm coupled-rangefinder M-bayonet camera with a horizontal-travel cloth focal-plane shutter and the M4-type combined bright-line viewfinder showing frame lines with automatic parallax correction for several focal lengths. There is no built-in meter, and the shutter is fully mechanical and battery-free, with the motor providing only powered advance.
It suits professionals and collectors interested in the motorised M lineage for reportage and sequence work. The M4 rangefinder and finder give quick, accurate focusing, while the motor coupling supports faster shooting than a hand-wound M.
Check rangefinder patch contrast and vertical alignment and confirm the bright-line frames and parallax are clean. Test slow speeds and inspect the cloth curtains for pinholes and capping. Verify the motor coupling and drive interface if present, and confirm a clean M bayonet and smooth transport; originality strongly affects value.