lieca camers: why are lieca camers so exspensive a good dslr like a 7d with an l series lens at a third of price takes as good if not better photos than a lieca who knows maybe they...

john merry Loc: tincan bay qeensland aus

why are lieca camers so exspensive a good dslr like a 7d with an l series lens at a third of price takes as good if not better photos than a lieca who knows maybe they are carved out of a gold block

FilmFanatic Loc: Waikato, New Zealand

you will have more luck searching if you spell it Leica

There is almost a cult following for them, I don't have one but those who do absolutely swear by them

unclebe1 Loc: NYC & Wellington, FL

Why do people buy Rolex watches (and there are numerous brands that are WAY more expensive than Rolex)? A Timex will keep time just as well (and even better if the Rolex is a manual or automatic). It's more than just function.

FilmFanatic Loc: Waikato, New Zealand

Also, I don't think a Leica owner would say the Canon produces better images. Leica lenses are among the finest lenses ever made, L lenses are not in the same league, they would argue

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

john merry wrote:

why are lieca camers so exspensive a good dslr like a 7d with an l series lens at a third of price takes as good if not better photos than a lieca who knows maybe they are carved out of a gold block

They discovered years ago that if they charge more, they make more profit. :D

Reading the reviews and considering the prices, I think I'll skip that brand.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

unclebe1 wrote:

Why do people buy Rolex watches (and there are numerous brands that are WAY more expensive than Rolex)? A Timex will keep time just as well (and even better if the Rolex is a manual or automatic). It's more than just function.

Leica, Rolex, exotic cars, etc. - snob appeal!

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

FilmFanatic wrote:

Also, I don't think a Leica owner would say the Canon produces better images. Leica lenses are among the finest lenses ever made, L lenses are not in the same league, they would argue

Leica M rangefinders (and Zeiss Icon at 1/3 the price) are the gold standard for lens quality in the wide angle to moderate telephoto range. No other 35mm cameras can compare. Their lenses perform better wide open (especially the 50mm f/2) than others stopped down.

New Leicas are expensive, but used they are reasonable.

But rangefinders provide an entirely different way to photograph. They are appropriate for travel, street and personal photography (they are incredibly quiet) but not for macro, action or sports since you do not have long telephoto, zooms and macro lenses.

You can still take a better picture on film with a fifty year old Leica and lens than with a new DSLR that costs 3 times as much. Five years from now that $3,000 DSLR will be obsolete and in the dustbin and the Leica will be only 55 years old.

FilmFanatic Loc: Waikato, New Zealand

selmslie wrote:

quote=FilmFanatic Also, I don't think a Leica own... (show quote)

Indeed Leicas are not necessarily expensive. If you are prepared to use a screwmount Leica the prices are almost reasonable!
Just randomly choosing at KEH's website because I don't know enough about LTM Leicas, but they have IIf bodies for about $200 currently, and a 50 f/2 lens is about $300. And how much did this Canon plus L lens the OP mentioned cost by comparison I wonder...

ASR666 Loc: Singapore

yup, film is film! DSLRs still have a way to go

selmslie wrote:

quote=FilmFanatic Also, I don't think a Leica own... (show quote)

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

FilmFanatic wrote:

... If you are prepared to use a screwmount Leica the prices are almost reasonable!...

The Leica M bayonet mount (introduced in 1954) is also used by Zeiss and several others.

The Leica screw mount (1913-1954) still works. I had it on an Asahi Pentax back in the 1970s.

FilmFanatic Loc: Waikato, New Zealand

selmslie wrote:

FilmFanatic wrote:

... If you are prepared to use a screwmount Leica the prices are almost reasonable!...

The Leica M bayonet mount (introduced in 1954) is also used by Zeiss and several others.

The Leica screw mount (1913-1954) still works. I had it on an Asahi Pentax back in the 1970s.

Leica screw mount is not the same as the Pentax screw mount

LTM is M39 (39mm), Pentax is M42 (42mm)

rayford2 Loc: New Bethlehem, PA

selmslie wrote:

FilmFanatic wrote:

... If you are prepared to use a screwmount Leica the prices are almost reasonable!...

The Leica M bayonet mount (introduced in 1954) is also used by Zeiss and several others.

The Leica screw mount (1913-1954) still works. I had it on an Asahi Pentax back in the 1970s.

I had one too... that M42 screw mount was a pain in the butt. Not one of Asahi's (Pentax) better decisions.

Julian Loc: Sarasota, FL

Mogul wrote:

unclebe1 wrote:

Why do people buy Rolex watches (and there are numerous brands that are WAY more expensive than Rolex)? A Timex will keep time just as well (and even better if the Rolex is a manual or automatic). It's more than just function.

Leica, Rolex, exotic cars, etc. - snob appeal!

My Ferrari does not make me a better driver, my Rolex is a lousy time keeper and my Leica does not improve my skills as a photographer; then why do we buy such items? Simply because we can... Snob appeal? Give a shot, you'll like it!

unclebe1 Loc: NYC & Wellington, FL

Snob appeal?.....perhaps, but there is soooo much more than that involved. Why do we continually strive to improve products and services that are 'good enough'? Why does Leica have a 50mm f0.95 lens for $10,000? Isn't an f1.2 good enough? Why did we go to the moon? Its in our dna...sorta like the sharks (and I don't mean lawyers although it applies)....keep moving or die. :D
If you don't need it or don't want it, then by all means don't buy it, but don't denigrate it and try to dismiss it as only 'snob appeal'.

CAM1017 Loc: Chiloquin, Oregon

john merry wrote:

why are lieca camers so exspensive a good dslr like a 7d with an l series lens at a third of price takes as good if not better photos than a lieca who knows maybe they are carved out of a gold block

Many years ago Leica film cameras and optical equipment were the standard by which everything else was judged. These days you don't see much about their digital equipment and they really don't seem to be in the race with todays top brands. It seems they are living on their past.