rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

An interesting side story. In, I believe, 2012, 45% of Leica Camera Co. was purchased by Blackstone Investment Group. This is a group in Manhatten, N.Y. They license the Leica trademark from Leica Microsystems GmbH.

They also just purchased $898 Million worth of apartments in Phoenix, Az.
--Bob

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Leica products are top notch... but ridiculously expensive and they tend to be 20 or 25 years "behind the times".... VERY slow to innovate and adopt new technology (little things like autofocus!)

I appreciate Ferarris, Rolls Royces, Bentleys and Maseratis, too... but don't own any of them.

I do have my dad's old IIIG and IIIC and several lenses for them.... all of which he bought in the late 1950s and gave to me about 10 years ago. I'll keep those in my collection.



But I have no desire for any modern Leica.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

My three year old 50mm 1.8G in nearly as sharp as my 53 year old 50mm Summicron.

I paid nearly 6x as much for the used Summicron three years ago. If I bought a new one today it would cost about twice what I paid for it.

But both lenses are far better than necessary for film. If you pixel-peep a high MP digital image you would be hard pressed to tell them apart.

I doubt that any plastic lens will last 50 years. None of my digital bodies will last another ten years. But my Nikon FM2n is still working nicely after twenty years.

Kuzano

The Leica R SLR was actually prototyped by Minolta, as were a number of other 35mm rangefinders, such as the Minolta CLE and two similar Leicas. Leica was never too haughtly to refrain from beneficial partnerships.

Billynikon Loc: Atlanta

My uncle was a photographic guy in the 50's and 60's with a darkroom in his house and Leica's as his camera. He left me with his M1 which is such a great film camera. It has marks on the focus screen for 35 and 50mm which is helpful. Still takes great pictures, I use it almost exclusively with Tri X, the b&w will blow you away.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Sorry, but I look on everything Ben Stonegood says with suspicion ("P" is for professional).

BebuLamar

The newer ones R8, R9 were not based on Minolta but still I don't like the Leica R series so I didn't even check one out in person.

waegwan Loc: Mae Won Li

Oh no! Now I've got GAS. I have some of the best Tanron and Tokina as well as non L series Canon lenses and while most of them are pretty good on their own they fail when compared side by side to the L series.. now you are telling me the L series and Leica is a similar situation. Hmmm Leica camera or new motor home. BTW I have several rangefinder film cameras and I actually prefer rangefinders over SLR. Oh the GAS. :-)

Don's Leica Loc: Asheville, NC

I like Leica cameras because of their mechanical design like using a hand tool, and respecting the Leica role in the invention and long historical development of convenient sized cameras some of which (the M series) can use excellent lenses which are decades old. When digital was new, I bought a Leica Digilux 2 (made in Japan) and took thousands of pictures by visiting beautiful places. Have to start posting them for you. Photo'd and posted the entire herbarium collection of Mount Mitchell State Park in NC.

Quinn 4

I have a Leica IIIb. The reason I got it was find out what made it tick and the history of it. I understand why people when nuts for the cameras back in the 1930s and 40s. Have field tested the camera with film, it not a hard camera to use. The big problem with Leica's cameras is putting film in the camera, that was true until M 3 model came out. The reason was most people did not the right tool to cut the film. A lot of people did not known about this tool. The only reason I known about , it came with the camera. Now the true be known I have a Nicca Model 3-S which to me is as good as the Leica IIIb.

Bigmike1 Loc: I am from Gaffney, S.C. but live in Utah.

Well, now that I think of it my Petri green window range finder camera that I bought in a pawn shop in Fayetteville, North Carolina for $25.00 when I was stationed at Fort Bragg in 1960 looked basically like a Leica. I think it must have been a Japanese copy of the Leica. It served me well and still works today. Why would I want to spend thousands of dollars for a hopped up version of my Petri? I'm attaching a photo of my Petri, that is if I can figure out how.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

People buy Leicas for prestige, for bragging rights, to show off. Horsefeathers!!! My Leica is 67 years old and looks it. No winding lever, no rewind lever, no meter, two separate shutter speed dials (which incidentally must be set AFTER the film has been advanced, made primarily for one lens (the aperture settings are in the wrong place), and, unless you trim your film and know the card trick, is miserable to load. But, it fits in the pocket of my jeans, zone focuses based on accurate DOF marks (yes the rangefinder still works) and takes great sharp pictures. In addition to my IIIf I have a Minolta CLE, a Leica designed camera and a Panasonic with a Leica lens. I have also just ordered another Panasonic that is almost identical to a Leica compact camera.

I am seeking the same hero worship I sought when I bought my Nikon D7100 ad my Canonet QL17. No, none of my cameras have the bells and whistles of the modern cameras. Would I like a new M10? I wouldn't turn it down, but I'd rather have an M6. Maybe I'll wait until the M11 comes out. Or maybe, I'll just keep using all of my non-prestiguous old cameras.

BebuLamar

And this is my Petri. I used one of the same model when I was 10 year old.

(Download)

Rick Bailey Loc: Fayetteville Arkansas

Owning a Leica is like owning and using a Hasselblad...if your work requires it, it is worth the price. Leica film cameras are smooth and precise. Leica optics are truly the finest glass made. The 50 mm Summicron lens actually is heavier than the M6 camera body. I haven't used one of the digital bodies, but I assume they are as good as their film counterparts. I work in forensic science and the Nikons I use are quite adequate for what I do and I can't justify the added expense and the Nikon Macro lenses allow me things that the Leica lenses won't. I still have my M6 and still use it almost every week.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

I was showing the absurdity of the argument. I have nothing against anyone shooting anything that they choose.