Is Leica Really 5x Better Than Fujifilm? My Detailed Comparison 

Great video! The thing that come to mind is, at what point does a photographer feel like they are receiving diminishing returns? At what point does the incremental improvement, functions or features don’t feel worth the price tag? I believe that a professional that generates a good income and client base can more easily justify the incremental improvement. For others, especially those with financial limitations, good enough is more than enough. My takeaway from this episode is to know your art and the set of brushes that will allow you to create your masterpiece.

Also, I think since Fuji is going after that feel/essence that Leica has kept all this time, and that’s why the two will eternally be compared, Fuji should take some risks and make Fujinon manual focus lenses, even if they outsource them. That would be just amazing .

Real talk. Love the video. As with all many of your videos, you put stuff in context and you do it a very articulate and well-thought out manner. Very respectful to everyone’s creative/photography journey. Always looking forward to more of your content! More power. 😊

Another amazing and insightful video! I think it's a testament to Fujifilm's inventiveness and ability to create rich shooting experiences that the X-Pro3, a supposedly "inferior" APS-C camera, is even being compared to a camera like the Leica M11. The fact that its design, aesthetic language and usability can even be considered as a competitor to a kit 5x the cost, shows that even if the X-Pro3 is not exactly (but extremely close to being) equal to the M11 on the Creative Execution scale, it's still an insanely good value. At the end of the day, the reasons for buying either camera is so subjective and contingent on your specific needs, that value is almost impossible to quantify and that's what makes a Leica worth it for some people. It's also worth mentioning that given the crazy product cycles that cameras and other gear go through these days, with updates almost every year, a Leica may have longer "staying power" that could translate into using that camera 5x longer than using an X-Pro3 (before the next iteration comes and the inevitable GAS kicks in).

Truly appreciated this, especially breaking down the problems with doing such A vs. B comparisons. There was one thing that came to mind for me, however: not all of us are able to get our hands on a Leica to give that tool a try, to put it through our average and daily reps, to see for ourselves whether the investment is in fact worth it. I have used a variety of cameras, film & digital, different brands, and truly love the Fuji’s I have & use for what I do. I have never touched a Leica. I have only read about or heard of their status and legendary greatness. And one thing I cannot afford to do is pay a substantial amount up front to test those waters. So while I agree with you that we can’t really know if a tool will work for us until we get our hands on them, some of us will never know because of the limitations on our access to those tools. Although I believe I can do quality work with the tools I have, I have long questioned, as your scale touched on, could I push further if I had this particular camera that folks, whose opinions and perspectives I respect highly, seem to promote? (Not saying Woe is me, by the way. I haven’t prioritized saving the funds for such an investment.) Again, truly appreciated this video. Thanks so much.

A very well balanced, honest comparison. I actually agree with you. I am an amateur photographer. I do not have an M11 but rather a M-D 262. I grew up shooting an M2 but only DSLR's were available when I lost my access to a darkroom and the cost of film was becoming too much for my needs. Fuji solved that for me with the X-E1. I became a Fuji addict and loved what their cameras and lenses did for my photography. I was fortunate enough to have both the money and the opportunity to purchase my digital Leica two years ago and it has replaced all my Fuji gear but what I require for wildlife and bird photography (X-T4 and 70-300mm). I think what you say is true, Leica and Fuji are VERY similar across the board. For me it was aligning the rangefinder patch, getting the shot I want, the return of my M2 film experience with digital, the learning experience, the simplicity that led to the Fujis being becoming unused and eventually sold.

Your hair is always perfect, that's the real winner IMO. loved this comparison, great video bro. I personally like the fuji myself but that's just me. Keep these videos coming man!

I agree totally with your final assessment. Which camera works best for the creative process and satisfying final results of the photographer must be weighted far more than other considerations. Use cases are also important when one considers sports, wildlfe and action photography. The one wee picky point I have is taking exception to giving the lens ecosystem nod to Leica. Just about every SLR and DSLR and Leica M lens ever made, can be used with simple adapters on Fujifilm cameras as well Sony full frame cameras for that matter. Yes most must be manually focused, but so must all lenses for the Leica M11. Great video sir!

It’s all about the journey and using what inspires and will get one to pick up a camera to shoot. I’ve said this once and I’ll say it again, as a former Nikon shooter, Nikon got me into photography, but when I switched to Fuji, it made me a photographer. I’ve seen street and portrait photographers use Polaroid instant cameras professionally. It’s a bit niche, but if it works for them and they make a living out of it, then great! More power. For you, if the Leica helps your workflow, inspires you, and gets the type of image you vision, then great! More power to you.

Man, I'm not in the market for either and probably won't be for a while (if ever) and I find myself sitting here watching till the end. Gajan, you make great videos man, appreciate you brother!

Fantastic video. While I was a bit skeptical when you started going down the categories... similar many other X vs. Y reviews (which you normally don't do), you did not let us down in the end. Once again, your final segment of the video is spot-on, where you brought the whole story home in the context of what is the value to the photographer in the context of their workflows and their needs - and not just comparing features or whatnot. Mad respect to you Mr. Gajan Balan, thanks for taking the time to make these videos! :)

Great comparison. After years of laying dormant from the analog world, I jumped into the digital game. I scrutinized all options. Each brand has their positives and negatives. Canon? Cannot beat their autofocus. But I don't care for the characterless and clinical image they tend to yield. (Good for sports and nature maybe). Add to that, the molded body with menus and buttons that just don't connect me to the product. Sony and Nikon? Similar to Cannon. When it came to Fuji, I immediately felt at home with the manual dials. And then that red dot Leica was looking at me too. No question a fine tool. Considering I had just come into a small amount of money... I could have gone with Leica but the price difference was far too great. I found the XT-4 with the classic 16mm 1.4 was giving me some pretty damn good results, especially for street work. (I took it into 2 hurricanes without issue). I will admit though, sometimes I wish it was a Leica but once I get into editing, I can really get close, if not spot on to the Leica look. It usually boils down to nailing contrast and the blacks. In any event, I appreciate both cameras. You can produce good work with either.

After a few years with nearly every ILC Fuji, APS-C and GFX, I bought the M11 (monochrome). The difference in image depth and tonality is staggering. I love the detail the GFX gives, but the files still look 2-dimensional, for lack of a better word. I never liked any of the Fuji APS-C images, they looked like iPhone images on steroids. Something cheap and plastic about them. The M11, paired with a Leica or Voigtlander lens, offers such rich and textured images, it's all about the nuance and small details. I felt like I had stepped back into an 8x10 shot, but without the dust and wet processing/scanning/spotting work. That's as close as i can describe it, a large format feeling in a small camera. Depth, detail, smoothness, sharpness, separation of tones and subject. It's all there. What's that worth? $200? $1000? $5000? That's up to you.

Not so many yrs ago I bought an M240. I liked so much the concept etc that I bought a second one!! Both almost Half price new as m10 was in the market. I had 35 and 50 Summarit f2.4 ( I had md digital for some time, and I also had me digital for some time but it seems I didn’t learn from these purchases lol) and apparently I was missing the 28mm elmarit for the dream triplet! So I bought it and not only it had a crazy amount of field curvature even as small apertures (Imagine this at 60mp) but he problem was that this lens focus was totally off vs the 2 summarits. I send it to Leica and they told me all is fine, but it was not. So imagine throwing that amount of money at a system that 1. Needed calibration every 2 months (yes true while I am gentle to my cameras), could not focus with elmarit, elmarit field curvature is just crazy, and Leica thinks the triplet focus just fine at my body. Add to that 60 mp and the focus problem would be abysmal, not to mention I did not shoot bellow than 2.4. To make it even funnier I compared colors contrast etc with lumix s5 with kit lens 20-60 and I got the same punch and bite by just increasing the saturation and contrast a bit. Plus that colors of Leica m240 were often over processed and off especially at low luminance pixels. After that point I make a photo book mostly with Panasonic and possibly the most focused photo work. Leica m digital is a fundamentally faulty product. Please resize a Fuji Raw image to get e.g 85% of its linear resolution and adjust contrast and saturation and then compare with Leica. I am sure Leica (remember it comes from film) just cooks the raw . Mainstream camera manufacturers offer a better raw, colors etc base for editing. I would agree that lenses are great but sigma 35mmf2 is simply optically better than Summarit. Yes the point it’s that Summarit is small but a not so good lens gets much better is you resize to a bit smaller resolution . Summarit will get worse is 60mp body than in a 24 mp body. All it matters is the print resolution you need. Photography is not as complicated, actually it’s so simple that the constraint for keeping it simple and pursue our vision is just the mental focus at the Vision itself. Tech nowadays is so generous to us you one just pick the one that does the job. If I need a LeicaM to get inspired by the essence of photography I prefer to invest in film, and so I did with pentax 17 and Rollei 35s. Enjoy your vid! Sorry for the not so nice writing, as I am typing from my mobile and I am not native English speaker.

As a Fujifilm shooter; kudos on remaining unbiased and analytical in your determinations on this professional comparison. This is not an easy thing to do when removing the emotional response to shooting and focusing on the benefits from a professional standpoint. A true, and intelligent conclusion. For me, I'm not on your professional level, but, I am aspiring to save and fulfill my leica destiny. Leica will, eventually, be in my arsenal alongside my beloved Fujifilm's. Love it 😉.

For the lens ecosystem I would say there's a huge advantage to Fuji on which you can adapt plethora of lenses including Leica's one, even Fuji have their M adapter. For the reliability and customer service, I'd say Leica. In their warranty/repair system, they clearly say (I read it on the website) that their mechanical cameras for exemple, have a 30 years spare parts availability. That's just huge. When you know you can give them your 30 year old camera and have it checked and tweaked for 300€/$ that's a huge plus. Also for the community, Leica is sometimes a bit elitist. But I find both communities to be interesting as you can always find someone to help you and you can find inspiring people.

My X-Pro 3 lives to see another day. I can’t stress how much my X-Pro 3 has inspired me to get up and shoot. I hope to get a Leica one day but for now I’m well content for what I have and what I can create with it. Thanks for the video Gajan! We appreciate you bro 😎

Great video Gajan! Applying your scorecard, in addition the creative vision scale, has me contemplating the gear I would use myself plus what would be best for my wife. I bought her a rugged, waterproof camera that goes unused. The camera is easy enough to use but she is technophobic, so she doesn't know how transfer the images to her phone, nor does she have any desire to learn how to do that. But she likes taking pictures and has a good eye for composition. so to maximize her creative vision I need to find system that has extremely simple connectivity or get her the best cell phone camera I can find.

There is another perspective that’s worthwhile considering. The process of mastering a new tool can lead to unexpected creative growth. So, it is not only how much closer one or the other will lead you toward your creative goal but also how radical a departure is the tool from your current experience. Of course, this pushing you outside your comfort zone is the luxury of the non professional.

About the lens systems. I can use all Leica M mount or LTM glass (with M adapter) and Fujifilm glass on my Fujifilm cameras much easier than going the other way.. Focus peaking works much better on the Fuji cameras since they have an EVF. Just my 2 cents.. I shoot both Leica and Fujifilm and enjoy both. Great video Gajan

Thank you for the balanced comparison. And Haha, always reminds me of the Pareto principle - you’ll get 80% done with 20% effort. But the the remaining 20% take 80% of effort. Translates well to camera gear, I’ve found. As a non pro shooter who doesn’t baby his gear, I have an additional metric: “how much am I f***ed if the camera gets destroyed/stolen etc” and “does this keep me from taking it out?”. Probably depends on your financial situation (and insurance), but I feel much more comfortable throwing a Fuji into my backpack than I would with a 10k camera 😉

Gajan completely agree with your concluding remarks. Ultimately any camera is a tool and it’s value (as opposed to its price) will be determined by its user and their creative needs. If I could afford it I would love to own an M11 (and moreover the Monochrom) but I also know that the skill level I have together with the limited amount of time I could devote to practice means that my results from a Fuji and the Leica would be largely on par. The only thing I’ve learnt from my last 10 years of photography is stop chasing for the next new tool and master the tool that you have. Thank you again for a great video

Currently without a camera just sold my R5 because I can’t deal with large camera systems with big lenses anymore. So these both seem intriguing

Interesting comparison, definitely both are inspiring cameras to go out shooting with and that's where the similarities stop in my opinion.

I gave my Q2 to my training assistant to take some shots of me and some pupils. I set it on touch and focus release! Simples! She just touched my face the LCDscreen. It focused and shot in a second. Great feature.

Art is the gift of making emotions tangible and a form of craft that uses tools to emphasise its subjectivity rather than its efficiency

I would add one more category: availability/portability. This would not only apply to bulk but also to risk. The M11 and the X-Pro3 seem to be about the same size. But there are places I would take the Fuji rather than the Leica because of the risk factor.

Agree on every point. I think to even start to make this kind of comparison people need to actually USE the cameras how they are intended. Only after that do you formulate a true opinion. Everything else is meaningless conjecture until you get out there and do the damn thing.

Bruh, you rock that Tony Northrup hair...lol Seriously though, nice video. I use Fuji for digital, and also use Leica lenses on sometimes. I shoot an old Leica M2 for film.

Ultimately an interesting take. For me it's as easy as whether the better image quality from the Leica is worth the purchase price. Then it's just a matter of mortgaging your house!

if fuji would make an Xpro4 Full Frame with the new processor and a 40-60MP sensor, I think they would be closing the gap and in some instances beating the Leica M11 in many ways. And this comes from a Leica Mainly shooter than owns an Xpro3 and X100V. The only issue would be the lack of lenses if they decide to go full frame but since they have opened their mount to third party manufacturers that shouldn't be a problem for long. as long as they have a 23, 50mm and an 24-70 equivalent that's enough for me to get one!

I own a Leica Q and several Fuji cameras and customer support for Leica if you go to their store in London, they are amazing.

A beautiful round-up, and I totally agree about your exponential degree observations of price versus certain qualities. It applies in almost aspects of life and the individual's passion and hobbies - Cars, Boats, Cameras, Fancy Chef Ovens - at some point that last 10%, does it matter to the individual? Maybe. Want it? But rest assured - You'll be $paying$ for it..

Thanks for the comparison video. I shoot a Leica M10 digital rangefinder with the following lenses: Leica 21mm f/1.4 Summilux-M Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 Distagon ZM Leica 90mm f/2 Summicron I also shoot a Fuji X-Pro2 digital mirrorless with the following Fujinon lenses: 56mm f/1.2 23mm f/1.4 16mm f/1.4 16-55mm f/2.8 50-140mm f/2.8 If I could select two features from my M10 and add them to my X-Pro2, it would be the rangefinder manual focusing and the ability to produce high quality 24x36mm images with the M-mount lenses I already own. If I could select two features from my X-Pro2 and add them to my M10, it would be the reasonable price and twin memory card slots.

It's that small margin of specialty that makes a difference for the creator. Makes perfect sense!! That's why these companies are able to charge so much for their gear. The true professional needs this small margin. Very well spoken and well thought out comparison.

Very cool video. I like how you laid things out and gave your opinions based on your experiences. I do agree with pretty much all your points, the pros and cons of each brand. While I can see and understand the value a Leica may provide for others, for me and my work, it is not worth the money, and provides zero benefit over what my X-Pro3 offers. Keep up the good work!

Coming back and watching this again after a handful of months. Months that were spent with my Q2 Monochrom, my x100v, and my X-T3. Months also spent with two of those cameras sitting almost the entire time while the one came with me everywhere on every shoot. Yes, the Q2 cost the same as both of the Fuji's with the lenses for the X-T3 together... and it was the one tool for me that got me closest to what I wanted to shoot and how I wanted to shoot. So much so that this past week I sold my X-T3 and my x100v might be sold this week. The M11 and lenses are simply out of my reach financially, but the Q2 in a colour? That may just be my second shooter. Because at the end of the day, these are the tools that bring my joy of shooting to the highest levels I've had so far.

I have to differ on how you gave a point to the Leica on lenses. On B&H there are 150 lenses listed for M mount. The same site shows 259 for X-mount. Sure there are decades of vintage lenses you can get. Bu the Xpro can easily mount a lot of vintage glass with an adapter. I use M42 speedboosters for my collection of Takumars and Helios with a Meyer-Optik Görlitz as well. Even with new lenses from Light Lens Labs and TTartisan that falls short of what you can get for an Xpro. And those X mount lenses are ALL multicoated, with no mold, separation or oily iris blades. I do have to agree on the Fuji app. A while back I was covering a protest event at Washington Square Park, and I was trying to upload to a website in a timely fashion. No dice. I spent 30 minutes then finally had to catch the train home to use my computer. Ended up missing out on a fun group dinner because of that!

Even though the Leica is a perfectly good workhorse it is, at the end of the day, an optional luxury item for enthusiasts that want one and can justify and afford the cost.

I'd been a Fuji user ( and still am) but bought the Leica T after watching a Mattias Burling video at a bargain price (for less than X100F money) and used it. I began to understand the Leica ethos - clean, elegant and reliable. Sooner or later I'll pick up a q2--- I'll still continue to use and love my x t-3, and x-e3 but sometimes I want what one gives, sometimes the other. Btw Kudos on your bookcase- Ed Catmull-- Creativity Inc, Gordon Parks-the new tide and Magnum Contact Sheets-- all essential. You should do a video on your books sometime.

Seriously? I am sure the Leica is great but $9K for the Body and another $5K and up for each lens? It is definitely a luxury brand thing. If you can afford it then go for it but for 99.9% of the people out there it is not even an option. I did enjoy your video.

I use to scoff at Leica and went with the mindset of bigger is better. Not only that, I thought I could achieve the same results with a similar or dslr set up. Silly me because now that I own a Leica m6 it makes me understand the philosophy behind it. Why people shoot with the system.

Really great video. My main concern about the Leica M series is the undertone assumption that the camera WILL need to be sent back for regular maintenance. At the price, regular servicing should be designed out, so is the legendary Leica reliability only propped up by the willingness of users to accept this further hit to the wallet? This is something generally not heard about the Fuji unless there is a fault.

Excellent, informative, and candid presentation. You made the daunting task of comparing the subject cameras easy! Cheers.

Love this review! You hit on the key topic...what tool gets you to where you want to go! Price with Leica's is a factor, but that aside Leica makes wonderful cameras. I've been looking to go back to an M body from my Q. This video makes me want an M even more. I rented an M10P recently and it's just better for me in so many ways. I used to own a Pro-3 and a 100V as well....this may sound weird but most cameras have too many features for me. I love the minimalist shooting experience Leica provides.

X-Trans is amazing. The Fuji system delivers clarity. However, the biggest limiting factor is the APS-C sensor size. Larger sensors have a more open feel. Try comparing GFX to the Leica M.

YES! I think the Lamborghini will be better for me than my current Chevy Corvette. But first, I don't have the money to buy a Lambo, and second, I really don't need a Lamborghini cause my Corvette has the looks and more power than I need. 🍷Cheers!

I am so old film school that I couldn't deal with the buttons or unlimited options on the X100V. Maybe I am dumb but I couldn't predict in my thought process what the camera will give me as a result. I sold it in less than 2 months and bit the bullet for the M11. I prefer the total control over my gear. It is actually a simple camera. It also teaches you to not machine gun every shot and I haven't even set any buttons to my own user preference.

Excellent review and clarification of your vision.

Great video, Gajan. Excellent attention to detail. Thank you.

I think what you are saying makes a lot of sense. For me, with a focus on architecture the GFX 100S, and the ability to use 645 and 66 lenses with tilt shift adapters as well as Canon and Laowa shift lenses makes the GFX a premiere tool. Probably with more points than the Phase One. Another analogy might be using high end British or Japanese wood saws. Once you have used a truly high end tool, it’s hard to use anything else. That being said I probably will be getting one of even two X Pro 3 in the near future. Great video, well explained.

I agree on all point except lens eco system since fuji can use m mount lenses with adaptors and have a bigger acsess to adapted lenses. The fuji also use m lenses really good since those adaptors are small and almost makes the lens looks native..

A very helpful video, 👌. I would be fascinated to hear what features are in your 10 point gap

Would love to see the Leica lens mounted on the Fuji body with a side-by-side comparison and photographs, as you know the lenses give your photography character and I know like of lenses have a very unique character and how they render images. Personally I shoot Fujifilm and a lot of my lenses are vintage Nikon lenses, coming from Nikon for frame I have really enjoyed the switch.

What a great video Gajan - I particularly resonated with the logarithmic scale you mentioned, which is pertinent to so many things in life. I guess you just have to decide where your sweet spot is on that scale and be happy with choosing a camera that satisfies it. I have never even picked up a Leica, but I just KNOW it will be like no camera I’ve ever used in the past - that’s the superpower those cameras have. Until, and if, I can afford one I will continue to use my Xpro2, until I can afford an Xpro3!

Can’t wait for the Nikon Zfc series to gradually come into this comparison over the years once it gets new lenses and updated specs.

Still watching but I gotta point out that you can adapt m mount lenses to fuji right? That would make fuji the winner of that point.

Sounds like Pareto principle or 80-20 rule. Essential 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of effort. To move beyond an 80 percent consequence or result requires increasing (and ultimately) logarithmic effort. I try and apply this thinking in lots of my decision making. Sometimes and in some use cases that increased effort or cost is worth it

Very thorough and honest comparison! Bravo!

For fast moving street photography I'd suggest the Fuji X-T4 (or 100V) as that processor is better than the Pro 3 and closer to the Leica. And it's got a tiltable screen which is one big negative for all Leicas - and the reason I sold my SL. It's a great camera but for street photography the Fuji system is just better imo

in 2018 I bought a Leica Q frustrated by the lens softness and terrible ISO performance of my Fuji X100F. i had at the time a GFX 50s too, and my first professional large documentary project was shot with the GFX and the Leica. Since then, the Fuji changed to a 100, and a second and third Leicas, an M9 and an S2 joined the GFX and the Q. The Q, bought new cost 4 times more than the X100, but I’ve never looked back. The others, bought used, were a bargain, and together with the GFX are my work gear (one heavy MF set and a light inconspicuous FF one). The S is much less usable that the GFX, but still, when used within its range of comfort, produces better files albeit at a third of the resolution. I would also add that the real cost of a tool has to factor also how long you keep it. Considering that, the Q was also a bargain despite the cost.

Ciao Gajan, video molto interessante, grazie. Saluti dall' Italia. Hi Gajan, very interesting video, thank you. Greetings from Italy.

Good vid. I wonder if this is it worth it discussion happens in other spaces? Like are there people commenting on vids about Lambos saying a BMW 3 series is just as good and nothing justifies the price? I mean if you want something, have the money, and it's worth it to you then I say go for it. I find most of this whole convo silly honestly.

I left Fuji after experiencing intermittent shutter release issues with the X-T2 not firing. The battery grip also sometimes would not engage and disconnect electronically from the body eventhough the screw lock was in tight. I loved Fuji starting with the X-E1 and X100S, but felt quality was lacking in their pro bodies due to my experience.

I love Fuji but yes... it is :D I had both.

Another great review from you!✌️

Nice review! Loved the “deception” there hahaha. I have owned and shot the M6 and I own a xpro3 and for me it would be difficult to shoot a digital leica, although I’d certainly love to try. One thing that worries me is exposing properly. With film its super easy for me to get the right exposure with a leica because you just expose for the shadows and take your shot with negative film, or do “average” exposure with slide film. With a fuji, exposing properly without using wysiwyg is hard, but the histogram helps a ton. With Leica? I have no idea, I would just have to trust the camera and yolo it, or shoot and chimp to check…. The leica/cosina/chinese glass is nice because the lenses are good compact and have DOF scales printed on them, but quality-wise they are comparable to fuji glass or maybe even worse. Still, shooting with a rangefinder is a nice experience so I’d still get one if I had the chance, if anything just to try! Maybe at some point think about getting a film leica, I can 100% recommend them 😉

As an owner of a FujiX100F, Fuji XPro2, Leica M Monochrom Typ 246, Leica Q2, and Leica Q2 Monochrom, I think your comparison analysis was spot on. You're not crazy. Value is difficult to rate when there is so much subjective, emotional, and just gut feel involved in this craft. I appreciate that you made the video and provided caveats. My Leicas were worth the extra coin and no one can tell me differently. I love my Fuji cameras and continue to use them.

On "Community" I tend to agree with you. With Leica being a total manual camera, the push is more about the end product, i.e., the image and its subject{s}. But, as with most of your elements, it is very subjective. But I did enjoy your subjective analysis and you make some very good points for me.

Back in the days of film I was heavy into R's and M's. Not so much for the body's (quite frankly I had more mechanical problems with the R's than I ever had with Canon and Nikon). But, the glass... Man, that glass was something else. Jump forward to digital... I can't do it. With PS and other post processing it's totally subjective. Maybe if I had WAY deeper pockets than I do I could justify it, but, with retirement looming it simply isn't worth the small gains (again subjective) "to me".

Just keep in mind a photo from a phone can be better than a image from the leica. Your best tool is the eyes.

I might take exception to the available lens since you can adapt m-mount to the fuji along with many other lens. But agree if your talking native lenes. Good comparison and I think it was a fair assessment.

Not worth it...not worth it...not worth it...wait, if I used advanced math at this point...yay...WORTH IT! Just kidding, I would give your left kidney for an M11. Too many of us will just have to live vicariously through you. Keep up the the great job, Gajan!

To establish my comment: a) Credentials: Into photography since Xmas 1958. Darkroom since 1968, Color printing 1972. Expert in 35mm, 120, 4x5. Darkroomer from 1968 to 2016. On digital since 2009 but hybrid since 2004. Still shooting film *and of course digital* but abandoned chemical printing (formerly known as enlarging) when I found that Epson & Ilford had beaten Kodak (and Ilford) to fine prints. b) Leica: My first experience was with my father's IIIf in 1967 when I ended picking his Retina IIIc for an European vacation. Next time was after my father's demise when I was bestowed his IIIf, Retina IIIc (small c) and his favorite, a Canonet QL/9. Next, M6+Summicron 35, M2, MP, M10. c) Actual: Septuagenary; shoots regularly, film, digital... process C41 and B&W -- pretty experienced with both, kept a darkroom from my colset while college student to grandfather today. Shoot *daily* even if it's garbage. d) Opinion: Leica is a passion, a gut feeling, a flavor, a style, a snob position. I love them, they have a simple, unobstrussive, intuitive design. Probably the only thing you need to learn is loading the film (digitals excepted). However, once you accept that no one knows what brush brand or style DaVinci used, Fuji offers a working or amateur photographer much better *tools,* you might say for studio, street, or simply vacationing; then at a fraction the price and 95% the quality. Take it from a LeicaLover; been to solms BTW, that's *NOT* a large factory.

I go back and forth between using my Leica TL2 and the Xpro 3. As far as these 2 models go, it's really apples and oranges. But as a whole, I can see the differences between the two. The Fuji has a TON of features built in and it's incredibly impressive the depth that they allow you to alter pretty much anything and everything in the photo processing. The OVF is a really nice touch and the handling is great, as well. The lenses are a great bargain for the prices...weather sealed, fast AF, compact in size, and nice optics. Where it starts to lose me is in the details. You can see certain places where they cut some corners (door flaps feel kind of cheap and aren't that solid, buttons are clicky, etc). The Leica is solid as a tank. It's not heavy, it's just dense from being a solid block of machined and hand polished aluminum. It's about as simple as it gets...a couple of thumb wheels, a shutter button with a power on/off switch, and the rest is large touch screen. The optics give a certain look to them that my fuji camera and lenses just don't have. There's a certain realness and pop to the subject in the photos, whereas the Fuji is sharp, but the subjects tend to feel flat and blend in with everything else (I don't blame all Fuji lenses, just the ones I've used can't compare to the Leica lenses). The trade off on the Leica is obviously the $$$. I was fortunate enough to get the TL2 when Leica discontinued the system and could get the TL2 brand new for less than a new Fuji camera body. The lenses also are 2x-3x the price of the Fuji's, so they SHOULD be better with all things considered and they also don't have weather sealing on the lenses I have. Also, you get lumped into being a doctor, lawyer, or Hollywood celebrity with too much money to burn..... I've always been in the camp of you get what you pay for, to a certain extent. There's a certain look and feel to the Leica photos, but it's really up to the user to decide if the price on that equipment is really that important to you when compared to others, like Fuji. Pretty much every camera in 2023 is capable of taking some truly incredible photos. Even more importantly, it's the hands and the eyes behind the camera, not the camera itself. I've seen jaw dropping photos from people using a Kodak disposable, and I've seen...questionable...photos from people using the highest priced Hasselblads. The person behind the camera is infinitely more important than the camera itself and you just have to know well the tools you're working with.

All signs point toward xpro4!

Please do the same for GFX100s and Leica. Make more sense

Thank you so much. I really enjoyed this, thought your approach was highly intelligent and very interesting at the end and have some questions: 1. What was it specifically about the Leica for you and the way you practice the art of photography that took it to 95 as opposed to 85? 2. Can you do one of these videos on Leica glass. Summilux vs Summicron or whatever you shoot and what you prefer or what you see is being best for when? 3. For you, as a very experienced user, which of the 2 was the easiest to shoot with from a workflow and functionality perspective. Please ignore the app and anything post taking the photo in answering this Q? 4. When would you prefer to use the bigger GFX100s which you mentioned you liked? Which is the better for formal portraiture? And which is the better landscape camera? Can you give some thoughts on this as you use both?

What kills Leica for me as an option is the lack of situational adaptability. This is why I would end up leaving it at home unless I had a very controlled shoot planned, or I just didn't care about the results that much, tending to opt for something that preferred usability. I really would like to get into the M series, because I think it captures so much of what is great about photography, but I just can't let go of the marginal use cases that it doesn't cater to well. I'm a street photographer, and I usually zone focus or hyper focus, which Leica is great for in good light. It's when low light comes in or low contrast situations happen and I suddenly can't see the range finder patch very well trying to nail focus at summilux apertures, or maybe I want to shoot from the hip to not disturb a scene and there's no flip up screen, or I just want to snap at something unexpected outside of my zone with AF - in those pretty regular cases, it might as well be a cute looking brick. And speaking of brick, they are heavy too. For me Leica sounds like the perfect option on paper, but quickly falls apart when I don't have so much control over my surroundings.

I'm curious, since you own Fujifilm's GFX line of cameras. It will be quite interesting when you compare it with the leica m11

oooooooh Gaj hitting the topics !!

Support: I recently had questions about an issue that showed up in both my X-T2 and X-Pro2. I sent a detailed email to Fuji. They responded by saying I had to call customer support and to have my credit card ready because my cameras were out of warranty. When I had my 10 year old M9, I had a question about the service history and sent an email to Leica in Wetzler. They told me they needed to talk to LeicaUSA and would get back to me. They had LeicaUSA provide me with the information I needed. No calls, no charges, no your camera is out of warranty, just the help I needed. That says to me Leica wins hands down.

Great video---with one exception: saying that the Leica lens ecosystem is close, much less equal to or better than Fuji, is laughable. If you are strictly considering native lenses, it would be different (as well as unfair/biased), but one of the great features of the X mount is that you not only have the good (albeit limited selection) native lenses, but can get lens adapters for many other brands, _including_ Leica M. And some Leica lenses (like Summilux) will actually perform _better_ on the Fuji than on a Leica, due to the crop factor. And you can even get adapters that support auto focus for the Fuji to use Nikon and Canon EF lenses. (That is in addition to the literally hundreds or possibly thousands of other lenses that you can choose from with manual focus.) So the lens category is really no contest.

Great lineup. I agree on service and support. Leica sadly lacks a pro-support program (Fuji has FPS), and some repairs require you to send the camera to Germany and some will take months to repair. That definitely needs to be improved. Otherwise Leica is a great camera.

I shoot Fuji and Leica. Love both for different reasons. Don’t plan on selling any of my bodies as well. Surprised the Xpro3 price has not really dropped. Awaiting the XH2 for pre-order. Great times in the tog world.

The first camera I had was the Fuji xt3 then I got the Leica sl2 and the Leica m10r

I want to see a rematch when the x-pro 4 comes out 😬

thanks for great explanation, of course Leica has a very special touch and feeling but it doesnt mean you should be rich to get one, its about your priorities. even an average income like me experienced it and felt I do really want one of these beautiful ones and just got it because simply photography matters to me and its just your personal decision. I still have my Nikon cameras and glasses but to enjoy more I take portraits and landscapes by Leica sometimes just for feeling it. Sure its not the best but I like it most, so just its your taste.

As a published photographer for 39 years and someone who has shot with many brands including Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Pentax, Bronica, Contax, Sigma, Zeiss, Hasselblad, Fuji, and Leica. I would say without a doubt that I disagree with atleast half of what you said. First when I hear the word Fanboy mentioned, Ive heard that many more times targeted toward Leica users then Fuji. Also..Fuji have a great photography community of professionals that use their gear. I wouldn’t say as you put it, they are more geared toward only average consumers, not at all. The difference is that Fuji have a wider range of affordable cameras that can appeal all the way from the average consumer up to Professionals. They have shown companies like Leica and Hasselblad that they can produce excellent Medium Format and rangefinder cameras that don’t have to sacrifice quality for price or be so god awful expensive that only rich people and high paid commercial photographers are the only ones that can afford them! So in my opinion I think Fuji is much better for the photography community over Leica..

Look, while owning several X cameras, several full frame cameras, and a GFX, I can simply say, that people view the images from these, pretty much only noting the raw quality of the files from the GFX, and this is only a distant second to the reactions to the image motive itself; framing, subject, context, execution. - all things more notable than the raw quality of the image

Awesome considered review! Love it! On an aside, how did you end up choosing the black over silver M11? Would value your insight on this! Thank You!

a nice fair video comparing the two cameras and points where fuji can be better in certain situations but they still have room for improvements like their phone app. just wondering from using the leica where you able to test the different mega-pixel modes and whether it delivers better dynamic range they claim it delivers?

Simple answer to your question is….YES….

"The M11 is better, but not significantly better." When we take into consideration both camera's sensors - 60mp at 24x36mm size for the M11 and 26mp at 23.5 x 15.6mm for the X-Pro3 - the choice becomes clear, particularly for those who want to make exhibit quality prints.

Well said... But what is that strap on your xPro3? Looks really nice

Hey man, I gotta say, this is one of the most honest, rational, reviews/comparisons I've ever seen. Quality stuff, brother.

An interesting review but would love that you do a sample comparison but with an GFX 50 II

Can you please make a video and talk about the issue of the new samyang 12mm af f2 lens. Concerning the problem with the ibis when used in combination with the x-s10. Because for some reason, the ibis stops working. Fujifilm and samyang are not doing anything to fix this, but maybe if we get enough people talking about it, they will address the problem. Thank you.

The comparison is fine, but I don’t have 5 times the money, so I stuck with the Fuji (X-T4)

Bro design should have been a point a piece dog, I mean come on dog lol. Also the community thing was a little odd. Speaking to more people seems that it would encourage more people to love and enter into photography. Love the Chanel man. Keep it up