Leica's finder-less M body — the MD, M bayonet, cloth shutter, technical use, 1964.
The Leica MD was a finder-less M-bayonet body introduced in 1964, based on the M-series mechanism but without a viewfinder or rangefinder. It was aimed at technical, scientific, microscope and copy-stand users who framed and focused by other means, and it accepted the Leica data-strip magazine.
It is a 35mm M-bayonet camera with a horizontal-travel cloth focal-plane shutter, but no built-in rangefinder or viewfinder and no meter. Focusing is done via the lens scale, a reflex housing or the optics it is attached to, framing is external, and the shutter is fully mechanical and needs no battery to fire.
It suits repro, laboratory and technical users, and collectors of the specialised M line. Without a finder it is well suited to fixed setups such as copy stands, bellows and microscopes where the framing is controlled by the apparatus rather than the camera.
Check the cloth shutter for pinholes and capping and test slow speeds for accuracy. Since there is no rangefinder, focus depends on the attached optics, so inspect the M bayonet and film transport instead. Confirm the data-strip and back mechanisms if fitted, and verify smooth advance and shutter cocking.