rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

So is my 41 year old Omega Speedmaster.
--Bob

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

We tend to squish history into a wibbly wobbly ball, and point at pieces.
Up to 40 years ago, You could lump Hasselblad, Leica and Rolex into the same group. Meticulous engineering, exquisite quality and absolute quality control made a big difference. A lot of people who couldn't afford a Leica bought an adapter and a Leica lens. In the days when many lenses had paper strips on their flanges to get them parallel to the film plane, Leicas were always right. The focusing was exact and their settings were accurate, in the days when "fudge factor" was a common term. The cameras were very good, the lenses were better.
Today: Cadillac is just another Chevy. Discounting a red dot, a few letters and a fancy font, is there any actual picture quality differences betwixt that Leica and Panasonic? For some people, owning a Leica is basking in the well being of owning a perceived precision machine of historical quality. For others, it's basking in the perceived impression when watching other people watch them with a Leica.
Sometimes it's like comparing apples, oranges and horsehoes. Sensors are not film. Before, I'd buy a box of 35mm film, shoot it thru a series of cameras, and I could compare like-to-like. Now, am I comparing a 2yr old vs 10yr old tech APS sensors, to a 5yr old FF? I never thought about focus points, megapixels, AA filters, menu options, scene modes, pixel density or raw vs jpg when I took out my '60s and '70s Nikons. Nor did my buddy with his Leica III.
Do you want an excellent Leica film camera? Buy a Leica rangefinder.
Do you want an excellent Leica digital camera? Buy the Panasonic.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

I agree but the one BIG ELEPHANT in the room you missed was not "what is the picture quality difference?" but "what is the shooting experience like?

That's definitely part of it and why I use certain cameras when really, you can't tell the picture quality from a Nikon, Canon, Olympus, etc.

It's an inseparable part of ownership...not just the end product but HOW you got there.

I also develop and print my own film in the darkroom...why? Because I like that part of the process too and I also like the results better than digi-prints.

Otherwise...I agree.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

This is the Leica I would love to own. https://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/LEICA-M-MONOCHROM

But I need to find a Sugarmoma or win the lottery.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Sungarmoma?

That sounds painful...have you tried putting some ointment on it? :)

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

I;ve used lots of kisses but it hasn't helped.

ORpilot Loc: Prineville, Or

Just cought the SP error. Thanks

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

I mostly agree. Even tho the D3200 and the D7100 allegedly take the same shots, the D7100 felt like magic. The D3200 was so-so; I liked the D80 better. Give me some money, and I'll use the DF.
But we're people, with preferences. Habits. Training and practice. Muscle memory.
I don't use Sony's, but with a few months practice it'd be as second nature as a Nikon D_thing.

Flash Gordon

Thanks to all who replied. When I asked the question I was not asking for purchase advice but, merely asking why or why not much conversation concerning Leica cameras. My early foray into photography was in college. My first camera was a Pentax H1A. Standard 50mm lens. I then added a 135mm lens. My next camera was a Mamiya Secor 500. I just had to have thru the lens metering. My acquired skills landed me a job with the college’s information services. From there I moved on to three years with NASA contractors at the NASA test facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico. From then on 35mm was personal use only. The camera of choice for that work was either a 4x5 speed graphic for still work or 16mm high speed motion for engine tests. Most fun job I’ve ever had. Government contract work back then could be a bit iffy. Went back to school and got my degree in accounting. Retired CPA getting back into photography. Back then I, as most of my peers, lusted for Nikon, Hasselblad and Leica. My current equipment consists of a Canon T5i, with the kit lenses 18-55mm and 55-250mm. I’ve also added Canon’s 50mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.8. I’m happy learning this new technology. WOW What a learning curve. If I’d known about UHH a couple of years ago I may have made different choices in the addition lenses. I’m currently happy with what I have. However, if I should win the mega millions lottery Leica and Hasselblad may get additional consideration.
Thanks again.
Flash Gordon aka Paul
Punta Gorda, FL

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

I recently purchased a Leica M10 and a Summarit-M 50mm f/2.4 lens. Not because I needed it, but because I had wanted a Leica for a long time and I am now in a position where I could afford one. I also bought an adapter so I can use my Nikon lenses that have an aperture ring on it.

It is a Rangefinder and is much different than a DSLR.

It offers Auto Exposure only to the point of Aperture Priority, but is designed well enough to make manual exposure painless.
It is manual focus. While it offers "Exposure Aids" in both the viewfinder and live view, they are just that, focus aids to help with the manual focus.

I have been playing with it for a while and hope to be comfortable enough with it to share some photos soon.

markjay

If that is your view, you should wear a timex instead of a rolex, and you should live in a trailer home instead of a nice house - because they both provide a roof over your head.

Flickwet Loc: NEOhio

I owned a made in Germany X-1, liked it didn’t love it, knowledgeable people would notice it.
Took nice pics, no stabilization, 10 meg if I recall, fixed 23mm f2.8.
Sold it for $650, bought Olympus EP-1 with lenses for $175, bought a 15mm Leica lens for $400, still way ahead

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

A camera is only as good as it's lenses. And Leica makes some of the BEST lenses available. Leica helped make 35mm camera's successful. German engineering continues to shine with Leica digital camera's. But what continues is the lens quality. Owned a Leica III single stroke with 50 and 135 lenses. They generated some of the best photo's I have ever taken. That said, I do not own any Leica today only because I am a wildlife photographer and that is not a strong suit for Leica.

Julian Loc: Sarasota, FL

We buy Ferrari automobiles, Rolex watches, Mont Blanc pens... and Leica cameras because we can. Can’t think of another reason.😀