Beenthere

Buy that Leica.., and then buy the Maserati to go with it. One guy said "nostalgia" and I tend to agree. I have one Leica that was given to me by a friend, but it's one of the cheaper (D-Lux ) ones as a result of collaboration with Panasonic Lumix, which work way better. But for those that have to own the brand.., go for it.

Quinn 4

I don't look on my Leica as the Rolls Royce of cameras. I got it to see what makes it tick, from that I came to like it. If someone wants to give me cazy money for it, I not going to stop them. It their money, not my.

Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

I have been shooting Leica cameras from 14 years old. At 15 I took a nasty slip while in California doing tide pool images. I went down hard on a rock and have a quarter size scare from that fall. The Leica IIIc went into a tide pool 4 feet deep and bounced several times before it hit the water and went under. After wading in and retrieving the Leica I did a truly stupid thing, I opened it to look for water damage, bone dry inside and the Elmar 5cm f 3.5 had been drawn out and the 'dogs' locked. Also bone dry.

Now in my 60's I shoot a Sony A7 and use the Leica thread mount with M adaptors and the adaptor for the R (reflex) lenses.

The notion that dropping a Leica body or lens and having it damaged by a fall would surprise me, these cameras were used straight from the factory in Wetzlar and into the hands of Germany Army photographers. These are not toys. they have a long working life and are regarded as the best of the best.

But it is merely the opinion of a photographer who in fact could careless about cameras or gear. What I am always interested in is gear not getting in my creative vision and not finding the equipment works and is reliable.

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

Well, its a fact that you can't beat German engineering and Leica, in the past, has always been German. I don't know who is making them today, maybe the Chinese.

Gstanenbaum Loc: Charleston, SC

I have a Leica M10 and a Leica Monochrom. They are like tanks. I love them. The lenses are awesome. I also have a Nikon D850 for when I need autofocus. But nothing in 35mm beats a Leica.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

And this comes from someone who, obviously, knows little to nothing about Leica!

LMurray Loc: North Orange County, CA

Patek Phillippe shows the same time as both but with class. :)

Hi first time "posting" but have lurked abou a year or so. Definitely more entertaining and as educational (in a different way) than Nikonians, where I also mostly lurk.

Brief background: former art major primarily oils and watercolors, some sculpture got heavily into photograhy in 70s with an FM from that to 8008 briefly then N70, F100, D300 to D800E. Also an F2, F3, F4 and FM3a bought because I wanted them, lately shot a few rolls, but film has changed and gotten expensive, not to mention all the Pro Labs seem to be gone. Also have a Zenza Bronica medium format and had a Mamiya medium format but put it and the 80mm on ebay, still have two lenses. The 800 will be my last it does everything I want and is capable of more, face it all you really need id a light tight box with a hole in it, I keep threatening to get a pin hole but haven't yet. About 12-15 lenes last few years use mostly 17-35 f2.8 and 28-70 f2.8 for land/seascapes flowers wildlife birds. I shoot for art but get a lot, a lot of snapshots and record shots which is cheaper in digital than it was in film.
My pet peeve? Two, 1. the term "nifty fifty" my first Nikkor lens a 50mm f2.0, surprisingly good. 2. The term or catagory or whatever: DSLR, whether film or digital they're all SLR's. Just my opinion. Anyway started to be brief, but thats me 71 and still going. Sorry to be such a windbag.

Lee Murray

therwol Loc: USA

I'm going to guess that you don't read much here about Leica cameras because relatively few people buy them these days.

In my opinion, while they were the leaders in 35mm cameras in the beginning, and while their workmanship was outstanding, Japanese camera makers like Nikon made far more practical and versatile cameras starting in the 50s, and they were cheaper. As for their digital options, for anyone on a budget, they're out of the question, hence few buy them compared with Nikon, Canon, Sony and others.

Quinn 4

Reason I own a Leica is the fact I found it at yard sale for $75.00 with 50mm lens, owner manual, item for cutting film, book on Leica. No way would I be own it, if I had to pay what it is value at. therwol what you wrote is dead on. Like I said my Pentax K 1000 can give me just as good pictures as my Leica. Today Japanese camera makers rule the world of cameras.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

IF your goal is to have what the the Japanese digi cameras have.

If your goal is different, then that statement is false.

User ID

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Very rare. Rare as unicorns.

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Besperus Loc: Oregon

In general, Leica cameras are hamstrung by a conservative philosophy which dictates technology embedded in their cameras. The bodies themselves make the photographer conform to the limited use available. Which is not bad,really.
Limits to imagination often time spurs creativity, which is not bad. Film people have had to do that from the beginning. I suppose that’s where Leica is coming from.
Leica is now ”engaged” with Panasonic and their ff camera system as is Sigma.
Initially it seems a marriage that with give the Big Boys a run for their money.
Lookout Sony!

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

The vintage Leicas were very good- for their time. The lenses were even better.
The Nikon "F" series killed them. Just better, cheaper cameras. My Nikon FM with a Leica lens was excellent.
Leica lenses were oddly cheap a few decades ago. Owners wanted new ones- butt he store wouldn't offer more than 50% of the value. BitchMoanwhine. "He only offered you 45%? I'll give you 65%!" And since bringing in a wad of cash makes store people smile, discounts happened.
The Leica cameras made my Nikons seem like point&shoots. Especially my EMs. Pretty much set aperture, then focus and fire, all day. You ever use a real rangefinder, back in the day? When it was dusk, misty, foggy- facing the Sun? Annoying. Tho I have't had a newish one in my hands since the '90s.
I'm just not that interested in paying that much money for a box that won't take better pictures than my D7100. Or my D3200. Or my baby- the D80.