chatsphotogblog

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I have been vested in the Leica Camera ecosystem for ~12 years. Prior to Leica, I had experience with Fuji (6900/S602), Canon (10D, 1D Mark II, 1Ds, 1Ds Mark III) and Nikon (D800). I also have the first Fuji X100 and a Panasonic GFC-1 pocket camera. I used to have a Fuji X100F. Ever since my Fuji cameras, I had been dreaming about “what next” since they didn’t quite deliver what I was looking for (the Leica Qs are the perfect portable camera, but that’s a story for another day). When I heard about the Canon 10D I was hooked, and wanted to get my hands on one, despite being fearful about the $1,500 price tag (this was 2003, I was a young puppy, and $1,500 is still a lot of money). I even nearly got myself killed dreaming about the Canon 10D. I was in Orlando for work and made a trip to a camera store one afternoon to play with one. While driving back, I was dreaming about owning the Canon 10D, and ended up sitting on a level crossing in downtown Orlando (the sun was in my eyes and I couldn’t see the level crossing signals, which were flashing; I certainly didn’t hear any tolling bells) and didn’t hear a freight train blowing its horn. I was dreaming, remember? Fortunately for me, the train engineer had braked sufficiently and when I got hit, nothing much happened. I was able to drive the car back to the rental lot. How many people do you know who’ve been hit by a freight train, and survived? True story!!! I bought, and eventually outgrew that Canon 10D, moved to a Canon 1D Mark II and then a full-frame Canon 1Ds, and when I got the Canon 1Ds Mark III in 2008 I thought I was in heaven. Eventually, at the urging of a dear friend, I bought my first Leica M9 in late 2009. I continued using the Canons and the others, but usage dropped dramatically. Why did that happen? It can be boiled down to five key reasons, in my opinion.

#1: Size does not matter

Leica M rangefinders are much smaller in comparison to digital SLRs. Their lenses are compact. It is no secret that Leica IQ is not dependent upon lens size, weight, or camera bulk. Some of my favorite images have come out of a Leica Summaron-M 1:5.6/28mm lens, which, for all intents and purposes, has a business end as tall as three or four quarters stacked on top of each other. Granted, it has a minimum f/5.6 aperture, but you can easily set it hyperfocally to f/8 and walk around happy as a clam. The resulting images are superb. Once I transitioned to Leica, it was initially hard for me to convince myself that “less is more” because I routinely lugged a shoulder bag filled with my Canon 1Ds Mark III, a 17–40L, 35/1.4L, 50/1.2L, 70–200/2.8L, 85/1.2L, 100/2 and 100/2.8— a heavy load specially on vacation. After I got the Leica M9, I remember spending a couple of weeks in France in spring 2011. I roamed around the streets of Paris for several days without a camera bag. I had a Leica M9 around my neck coupled to a Leica Noctilux-M 1:0.95/50mm, a second Leica M9 in my back pocket, with a Leica Summilux-M 1:1.4/35mm in one coat pocket and Leica Summicron-M 1:2/90mm in the other. I carried a few spare batteries and cards with me. Find me another camera system with that level of compactness which delivers extremely high-quality images. I didn’t feel burdened by the weight, and no camera bag whacked my hip as I walked around the city. It was liberating, and eye-opening to learn that I could make high-quality pics unencumbered by heavy gear.

#2: Attention to detail

Leica products are hand-assembled with an immense amount of attention to detail. The effort that goes into crafting Leica cameras and lenses is astounding, as shown here and here. I don’t know about you, but I appreciate working with something crafted with care and precision. Little things get an inordinate amount of attention, and that matters. Case in point — my Leica M9 still has its leather covering firmly stuck to its metal body, over a decade later. Compare and contrast with my Canon 1Ds Mark III, a pro body from 2008, which cost $8000 then. The leather covering peeled off at one corner within a year. I had to send it in to Canon New Jersey for repair, but they never got it fixed properly, and it peeled off again. You will never see anything like this with a Leica. Their attention to quality control is bar none. However, problems do occur occasionally, because modern cameras are based around electronics and components can be prone to failure. In the last twelve years of my association with Leica, I have had three electronics problems (one on a camera, and two with lenses). Leica has always reacted promptly, and, to their credit, done the right thing. They outright replaced my Leica M9 and fixed my Leica 1:2/75mm Summicron-SL and Q2; they also gave me loaners while working on getting things fixed. I really appreciate that. Thank you, Leica!

#3: Backward compatibility

Leica introduced the M mount back in 1954. Since then, they have made enhancements to it (e.g., six-bit encoding on the lens mount flange to recognize the lens type in digital bodies, sometime in 2006 or thereabouts), but the mount has not changed its physical characteristics. As a result, Leica M bodies can accept very old lenses as well as newer ones, as long as they have the M mount. If your legacy lens lacks the six-bit encoding, you can choose the lens manually in the camera menu. I have a Leica Elmar-M 1:4/90mm Collapsible from 1955. Dreamy character, as can be expected from a lens nearly seventy years old, and it works fantastic. There’s something to be said for longevity, in my opinion. In addition, Leica makes lens mount adapters which allow one to attach, say, a Leica R or Leica LTM lens. This backward compatibility and flexibility opens a world of possibilities.

#4: Robust build

Leica M cameras and lenses are built like tanks. The cameras are hewn from solid blocks of metal (brass, magnesium, or an alloy), with very few buttons, ports, and rubber flaps to hide dongles, which, in turn, results in solid cameras that stand up to the abuse (inadvertent or otherwise) of time. Recall the M camera that got struck by a bullet and saved the journalist’s life! Less buttons, ports etc. result in less entry points for water, dust, and other things bad for precision electronics. All in all, these design decisions allow a Leica to last for a very long time. I have a few personal experiences — my Leica M6 Millennium edition is 21 years old now, and still works flawlessly. My M9 is 12, and M Monochrom “Henri” is 7. All these cameras work flawlessly. Sure, technology has evolved. The digital M bodies have been surpassed by faster, quieter shutters, bigger batteries with greater capacity, faster write speeds, Leica FOTOS connectivity, etc. However, at their core, they still do what they are supposed to do very well — take superb images. I have lost count of the number of times I have looked at the outputs from the Leica M9 and Leica M Monochrom “Henri” and they have taken my breath away. Insofar as build is concerned, here’s a testimonial — another true story. I was sitting at a café in Bordeaux, in the shadow of the cathedral. My Leica M9 coupled to the Leica Noctilux-M 1:0.95/50mm ASPH was sitting on the edge of the table, and the strap was dangling down the side. At one point, while enjoying an espresso, I uncrossed my legs. The dangling strap caught in the toe of my boot, lifted the Leica M9 and lens, swung it in an arc, and it crashed to the cathedral square which was done up in some kind of stone tile IIRC. I had a heart attack, then picked it up, my heart beating wildly. The Noctilux lens hood was mercifully extended, and dented from the fall, but that was the only physical damage sustained. Camera and lens still work like champs. In 2018 I got the hood replaced in Wetzlar; Michel Razafimahefa at Leica Customer Care told me the lens was in perfect condition. No misaligned lens elements. Amazing. I expect many more years of photographic pleasure with these cameras and lenses and know I can count on the robust build.

#5: Experience

I don’t know about you, but, for me, life is too short for bad experiences. I shy away from them, and usually abandon something or someone who causes me to have a bad experience and doesn’t do anything to fix it. As a regular Leica user for nearly 12 years, I can honestly say that the experience is magnificent. Leica cameras feel good in one’s hand. They are supremely easy to use. Even as newer models come out, the essentials (Das Wesentlichein Leica-speak) do not change, and you are immediately familiar, comfortable and eager to go take pictures. Image quality is amazing, and the overall experience is extremely pleasurable. In a nutshell, the experience of using a Leica M rangefinder is fantastic. 

Further augment your experience with functional and well-designed accessories such as Rock 'n Roll Camera Straps and Bags. I have never been happier.

In conclusion

It is for these five reasons that I will always rely on my Leica gear. If you have not yet jumped in, or are afraid to because of the expenses involved, consider that I have had my oldest gear for 12 years. Initial outlay was ~$23,000 (Leica M9, Leica Summilux-M 1:1.4/35mm ASPH FLE, Leica Noctilux-M 1:0.95/50mm ASPH). I still use them. That translates into $5.25 per day, acquisition-to-date, or the cost of a multi-component Starbucks order with sprinkles and whipped cream. Give a Leica a whirl. I am positive you will fall in love, and never look back.

Amitava “Chats” Chatterjee is an active member of the global Leica family. He frequents various Facebook Leica Photography groups, is published in LHSA’s The Viewfinder, and its proofreader-at-large. You can find him at www.chatsphotog.com, Facebook (@Chatsphotogpilot), Instagram (@Chatsphotog) or Medium (@Chatsphotog).You can also buy him a coffee!