BebuLamar

They are almost identical but one is a German brand and made in Japan and the other is a Japanese brand and made in China.

markie1425 Loc: Bryn Mawr, PA

Dikdik Loc: Winnipeg, Canada

My luminous sun dial works, even on cloudy days... problem is that it doesn't correct for daylight saving time.

Dik

Flickwet Loc: NEOhio

Seriously? Two different manufacturing plants? I’m actually impressed. For me avoiding the purchase of anything from the PEoples Republic is important where possible, that would be worth the extra $$$.
On the flip side my X1 was made in Germany, it was really well made

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

Ya! I have this vantage time piece, the "Moon watch"since 1974. It still running like new!

BebuLamar

Yes! I know that the LX100 is made in China as I have seen it. I sent an email to Leica and asked them where the typ109 was made and they replied that it was made in Japan.

GAS496 Loc: Arizona

I have a Leica M7. The latest film version with aperture priority. I added a thumbrest and accessory grip. When you bring it up to your eye it melts into your hand and seems to become part of your eye as you look through the viewfinder. It is all metal which gives it just the right amount of weight. It oozes quality. It takes a craftsman about two weeks to hand assemble. The camera itself is a great example of engineering. The lenses, I have two, are superb.

It is not for everyone. No auto focus. Real film. Expensive. But every time I pick up the M7 I admire the quality build, feel in my hand and the history behind the brand. Oskar Barnack made 35mm still photography popular with his Leica camera in 1925. Ernst Leitz of Leica smuggled out of Nazi Germany hundreds of Jews before the Holocaust.

So why would anyone buy Leica these days? Some because they like the prestige, some for the image quality, some for the build quality, some for the simplistic operation, some for its natural beauty, some to own a brand that has deep history roots, some for its engineering and some like me for all the above.

In the darkroom last night I printed three negatives from 3200 speed film. Just love the grain but the quality of Leica lens also gives me the contrast and sharpness I also crave. It is a great companion to the 8x10 large format camera I mostly shoot with.

So there you have my opinion.

Don's Leica Loc: Asheville, NC

My favorite camera is a Leica Q. I have used other Leicas for most of my photography, for about 20 years. Have sold and traded a few, and still own a few, and they still work.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Quinn 4

I have a Leica IIIb with the factory 50mm lens with it. Was using it last summer at a car show, people would come up to me and ask what the camera. A few knew what it was and would ask me would I sell it. I said no, it a keeper. The one draw back with Leica cameras like the Leica IIIb is loading film into the camera, this is major reason people don't want a model like the Leica IIIb. Outside of loading film, it is a great camera to work with. Rate now I am using a Nicca Model 3-S which is a clone of Leica IIIc. What I wrote about the Leica IIIb is all so true for Nicca 3-S.

AntonioReyna Loc: Los Angeles, California

I have never owned a Leica. Although I started shooting in junior high and high school while working on school years (with classic 4x5 rangefinders), I was really taught to shoot by a professional photographer who was then shooting with Leica M4s. Since I could not afford similar cameras, as a college student, he helped me get a Canon rangefinder system with Canon VIT bodies (with trigger advance) and Canon 7, with a variety of Canon lenses in the Leica/Canon screw mount (LTM). Afterwards, when I had the money to buy whatever I wanted, I never bought a Leica as I thought them overpriced and I felt that I could get comparable images with Nikon and Canon SLRs, of which I had both, and thereafter I shot with both Nikon and Canon DSLRs, finally settling on Canon. I will soon be getting the new Canon RP. To me, Leica cameras are more of a collector/status symbol. People buy them and hardly use them and then sell them. I see many listed in Craigslist with low shutter counts and many have already had the shutter replaced. Another fellow hot correctly stated that a Timex and Rolex both keep time, with one being more of a status symbol. At one time, in my height of materialism, I had three Rolexes but then sold them all and I now happily wear a Time Ironman every day although I still kept a Tag Hauer for here and there. I don't intent to bad mouth Leica but you don't get a better picture with a Leica than you can get with all the high end cameras that are out there and which are much easier to use. To each his own, but I don't subscribe to the belief that Leica is better.

alfeng Loc: Out where the West commences ...

FWIW. I believe the function of the "paper strips" was primarily to ensure the flange to film plane was the correct distance and NOT necessarily to square the flange with the film plane.

RobertW Loc: Breezy Point, New York

Nostalgia?? WHAT RUBBISH!
I have used Leica for many years and only went to Oly Mirrorless a/c prohibitive cost of their mirrorless models, but use several Leica Lenses still---- and my walkabout is a Leica DLux 6-
Superb lenses

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

Yes i too would love to own this camera. Believe this one is 7K.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

All:
This is just my opinion.
I am a Canon shooter, although I really covet Nikon and Sony products too. I have made quite an investment in my Canon bodies, lens, flashes, etc. so I guess that it is a little late in the game for me to start swapping horses. I can hardly wait for the "NEXT" Canon model? Of course, following the Canon (mirrorless) R & RP models. Maybe my Canon 5DIV will have enough clicks on it to justify, in my head, purchasing the Canon RII or RPII. I hope that the new body will also have the adaptor, currently available, allowing me to use my current "L" glass along with a nice new walkaround RF zoom. Some of you may think that I have set my sights a little low, and that is possibly so.

You see, I shoot for fun and for my pleasure. Starting over with a new line of gear is not feasible for me financially. Besides, Leica's don't seem to do as well as the mainstream cameras like Canon, Nikon, and Sony when tested by DPreview, their features and technology don't stir my soul and start my heart to beat just a little faster like the big three. I guess that I don't need or want a high dollar camera that will last longer than me, or a high dollar camera that is way out of date in a couple of years and may still last a bunch of years to come.

Please take no offense, but I just don't get the question, sigh. Thanks for listening to my rant.
I still love "bench testing" cameras, and by the way, Chevy really does rule, despite the fact that GM is going to cease production of the Impala, sigh.

JimmyT Sends

PS: Please remember that my opinion may not have any relation to what emotional attachment you have with your favorite brand.
Kind of like "Chevy Rules", "Ford - First on Race Day", etc.

https://www.dpreview.com/products/Leica/slrs/leica_sl_typ601/review