The serial number of Leica M1 starts from 950001, and 9431 of Leica M1 was manufactured.
Leica M1 is the simplified model of Leica M2 that the rangefinder was omitted and the bright frames in the viewfinder were reduced to two for the focal lengths of 35 and 50 mm on it. And this model was the most inexpensive model among the Leica M series then, which made us call this a "student model". Looking at the camera body, the window that used be for the rangefinder got closed and the model name "M1" is inprinted on it.
One of the tips using M1 is to use the wide-angle lens attached on it because no rangefinder is built in it.
Two bright frames are always in the viewfinder, not switchable, and parallax are automatically corrected.
In the 1960s, not a few M1 was remodelled to M2, for Ernst Leitz G.m.b.H provided that service then, which after all cut down the total number of original M1. And now M1, together with military M1, is one of the collector's item.

Well then, let's take a look at it.

• Released between 1959 and 1964.
• Camera type : manual focus focal-plane shutter camera
• Lens mount : Leica M mount
• Bright frame : 35 / 50 mm
• Shutter : mechanical horizontal-travel focal plane shutter with cloth curtain
• Shutter speeds : B, 1 - 1/1000 sec.
• Exposure meter : non
• Film winding : two-stroke winding
• Rewinding : by rewind knob
• Body dimensions : 138 x 77 x 33.5mm
• Body weight : 545 g.