Leica: The Good and Bad 

Since I work there, I can can tell you all... that they are literally sitting on the center part of a roundabout.

I've been using Leica cameras since 1968. They are, and always have been, the finest built cameras. Imagine using the same body and lens (M4/50/2) for 54 years and knowing it will probably keep going for another 54 years. That was the best month's salary I ever invested in myself.

As someone fairly new to the hobby, I love how these videos bring you up to speed on the different brands and give you an idea of where they’re coming from. Have you guys thought of doing a series on the history of each one?

This comment feed is actually quite positive - but so many Leica posts are filled with negative comments from those who've never shot with one. Everyone is individual...I've shot with Nikons, Sony and Fuji and I'm now lucky enough to be able to shoot with Leicas. Are the pictures 'better'? No - it's down to the photographer. HOWEVER - do I WANT to shoot more with the Leicas - absolutely. And ultimately shooting more makes me a better photographer. Why do I shoot more with a Leica? This is where it gets to personal preferences. Personally I appreciate a beautifully built, tactile object. And that makes me want to grab it and take it everywhere I go 'just in case'. Can I do that with any camera - sure - but the feeling isn't anywhere as strong - I certainly never grabbed my Nikon D750 like I do with my M10P or Q. One feels like shooting a computer. One feels (to me) like shooting a camera. I enjoy the PROCESS of shooting SO much more with the Leicas. I purchased a Fuji XT30 for my son - our first Fuji - after he'd borrowed my Leica Q on holiday. He didn't take to it. Yes it's an awesome camera - but a million options - complicated menus. He just got fed up with menus, configurations, options etc. For some it's awesome, just not for him. So many comments compare the functionality of Sony, Canon etc to Leica and can't understand why you'd pay so much more for 'less'. Autofocus / burst rates / scene modes / video res etc etc. A basic Casio watch will have 100 more functions than a Rolex. I know which one I'd prefer. Functionality isn't everything. Do you criticise someone with a Rolex/Breitling/Tag/etc watch - call them idiots for spending so much when an Apple Watch or a fitbit or a Casio G Shock can do 'so much more'? So ultimately just be happy that there are companies still making products for different tastes - the world would be very boring if everything was the same. And the more companies producing more means they push each other to become better. Each has its strengths, each its weaknesses. Take what works for you, what you can budget for and ultimately what makes you happy and shoot more but don't criticise others for choosing something different.

I've never used a Leica product, and maybe I never will - but I still appreciate that such choices exist for photographers in the modern world.

Really enjoy this series. Hope to see you cover Panasonic soon

A+ for avoiding the terms micro contrast and Leica look. I love Leica (and their history!), and that omission probably saved another 50-1000 negative comments

I have to say, if photography isn't just work, or a hobby that's occasional, the Leica 'experience' is very enjoyable. I love my CL/Q2M, and the others. It's just .... less stressful ,,, than my Sony kit. Which I also love.

Thanks for the wonderful video..... I can really understand your predicament. Trying to get your hands on a newly released Leica is almost impossible unless you have connections with them. When the SL2 was first launched in Nov 19, I was told by my local Leica office that I had to wait 3-4 months before I can get my order. As I don't have the patience to wait that long, I called up the Leica Store in Wetzlar and they had stock for 2 pieces. Told them to reserve one for me and I flew there to collect it within a week. Same thing goes repair..... my 90-280 lens had some problems and my local Leica office said it will take 6-8 weeks to get it repaired as they need to send it back to Wetzlar. Flew over here for my holiday and it was repaired by the wonderful folks at Leica within a week. Fortunately for me, my experiences with the folks over at Wetzlar has been wonderful so far...... provided you can coincide your holidays with your trip to Wetzlar 😆

I’m not minted or a dentist but I use Leica M cameras because they make me want to pick them up and go out and shoot. That’s the point right.

Jordan Frowning instantly while being told he's bad cop to get in his role is just the icing on the cake

Just got my Q2 monochrom reporter and I absolutely love it. I’m not a dentist hahahaha…

I always thought the dentist thing was unfair until I found out my dentist is into photography, and you can guess what he shoots.

Thanks for sharing this about Leica. I'm a 74 year old photographer who started with Nikon in the early 1970s and has bought into just about every brand of digital camera system over the last 20 plus years. In 2022, I decided to sell all of my cameras, including my Z system and shoot only Leica. As wonderful as those other systems are (Nikon, Olympus, SONY, Canon, Panasonic...) the Leica shooting experience and files rule the day for me. Yes, there are things I can't do with my SL2, CL, and Q cameras, but I'm fine... Better than fine.

This was actually a good promotion for the GH6! The video looked awesome in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing, like Jordan.

Great show, loved the location and visual perspective in relation to Leica HQ.

I enjoyed both this good cop bad cop summary , and the auction video and time in Wetzlar , fantastic reviews

Have a nice stay in Germany. Too bad I dont live near Wetzlar. Would love to see you guys in action. Keep it up!

I think you did a good job! As a former Leica shooter (I did go through a lot of Leica from analog to digital) I can relate to nearly everything you both said. Still, I can no longer afford using Leica gear (I do still own an old Leica IIIf and some ancient lenses, but my Leica is not fully functional and I can't get one that would be fit for everyday use), and part of that *is* the move to luxury items that Leica has forced for some years by now. Still, maybe, at some point in the future, a used Q2 - this is a dream I have now and then …

Something both of you do unquestionably well. Talk about cameras ! Jordan looks sharp in the video. Chris looks like he’s wearing a tie reluctantly 😎

Another negative about Leica is the maintenance. My friend brought her MP240 to repair at local Leica store but it ended up being sent to Germany, costing more than a thousand dollars and requiring more than 3 months to complete. What a pain.

I got the Q2M Dont wait. Its a classic. Perfect as it is for years and years to come. Waiting is missing out ;-)

Thanks! I really enjoyed this episode on Leica and the series in general. I liked shooting rangefinder cameras in the days of film (I started with a Zorki IV and then moved up to a Cosina/Voightlander). The viewfinder and manual focus was a great experience. I think that kind of shooting is more fun than the SLR used to borrow from my mom. When I got back into photography I bought a used Fuji X100v because it promised some of that same viewfinder experience. It’s certainly delivered in terms of image quality and enjoyment. I’d love to buy a Leica but it’s simply out of my price range right now.

I have used the M, SL and Q systems. I even used the SL for a photoshoot in North Korea. I love the M system. It is the most fun camera out there. I would like to see a mirrorless medium-format Leica. The S3 just doesn't cut it nowadays, particularly if one compares it to the Fuji GFX and Hasselblads. Good video. I enjoyed it.

I just got my first Leica. M10. I bought it used from Leica DC. I'm 22, in college. I paid $5350. I do not regret saving up for half a year and selling 3 cameras to help pay for it. No regrets

Where I think folks get lost with Leica is thinking that it’s about the “Leica Look” or for people with more money than sense. While Leica does attract the latter, it also attracts people who are into the craft of making an image and not just in the image itself. And that craft goes down to using a hand-made camera. With any modern FF camera and the right lens (and it’s always more the lens than the camera), I can achieve the “Leica Look” in post. But with Leica, I have a vivid, tactile memory of making that photo. And that for me is why I shoot Leica.

I bought a used M10 in November of 2019, and a used Monochrom typ. 246 in June 2021. Combined cost is still over $1000 cheaper than a new M11. I love both of them. If you really want something you more than likely can hustle your way into it.

Welcome guys to Germany and thank you for this video

The only channel where I click "like" before even watching the video.

What a fun video - thanks guys!

I love how you guys dress up for this video hehe really entertaining as always!

Weirdly, the tracking AF on my original SL 601 is working surprisingly well with my Sigma 100-400, but I’ve held off from buying an SL2 because of poor light and weak AF performance… which left me “no choice” 😂 but to buy an M11 which arrived on Wednesday, my god it’s a wonderful thing, but I still think the SL Type 601 is the best value camera out here at sub £2k for a mint used one. The big downer though with Leica is it makes everything else you own seem like rubbish! Ah the tragic update. Cut to dramatic music and scenes of despair…. The M11 went nuts… while shooting the camera suddenly became unresponsive, the back screen wouldn’t work, the shutter would fire on continuous, but take no shots, and even when switched off a nasty glowing red light would not switch off! Taking out the battery, removing the card… several calls to Leica… it’s toast and is set to be replaced. Interestingly a friend of mine who bought his from Leica Manchester a week after me has seen his pack in… dingy firmware… who knows, but very annoying, confidence dented. Certainly I’d be concerned if I was using two bodies professionally as I couldn’t trust them.

Great interview guys

i got a great deal on a m240 a month ago and maaaan do i love that camera. it's PERFECT (for me). it's the best single frame making/taking machine I've owned. it's a rather old camera but it's not outdated.

Great video, thanks!

I went from my first used M-E Leica and loved it! After 9 years I could finally afford a M10 but with the M11 already out, and after doing loads of research, I still wanted the M10. But I had to contact a dealer in Chicago (I am from NJ) who had a new M10 still in the box and I grabbed it....what a wonderful camera with the Summicron 35 f/2. Well worth the wait. I know Leica is not for many, but it is about the experience and beautiful photographs.

That was..... Great. Thanks for posting.

I also want a Q2M. I’ve been thinking of upgrading to a Q2 this year. May wait until we see what the Q3 looks like.

You mentioned watches and cars that are hand built and expensive. There is a difference 😅 although my mechanical wristwatch is definitely “outdated” it’s not reliant on anything specific to keep usable such as a computer, USB ports, batteries, memory cards etc. so you pay $10,000 for a wristwatch and 100 years from now it can still be very usable to the same thing. A 24MP camera with an SD card and a proprietary battery you’ll be lucky if it’s still even usable 20 years from now.

Looking forward to you covering Fuji and Pentax :)

Thank you for pro n con discussion on Leica cameras which highlight company inroads into top camera market. Thank you

I switched all my Leica gear to Lumix. I was a huge Leica fan but they killed it for me by sharing the same sensor with Panasonic at this point you really are paying 4-5x more for the exact same sensor in another camera body that is more capable. Sure the Lumix isn’t hand made but it also won’t have the crazy repair times that Leica owners face and have to deal with. Even for me a die hard Leica fan couldn’t justify having a body that was 4x more expensive and lacked so many features. So now I’m able to adopt my M Mount lenses on my Lumix S1 and resolve more out of it than on my Leica M bodies while also being able to have an autofocus option if need be

Y’all the best. Love your videos.

Can't wait for the one on Pentax !!!!!!😊

I own a Leica R4s. I have about $800 US into it, complete with CLA and and a 50mm Summicron. What this camera does is to make me think. To plan out my shots. To concentrate on aperture and shutter speed. ISO is dependent on the film choice. I don't need autofocus, white balance, auto-winders with this camera. I'll go to my 5D4 for that. This camera is just plain fun and satisfying. It brings me back to what photography was and is to me.

Been watching camera photography RU-vid channels everyday now for 9 years. It’s so funny that the best images in nearly all their portfolios were taken when reviewing Leica cameras.

Good discussion. Too bad they are so expensive but like Jordan said, where else are you going to get a manual focus, full frame rangefinder? What makes the M so great is the fact it’s so simple. It forces the user to understand shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Understanding those three simple things will make you a much better photographer. I’d love to own an M sometime. BTW, there are a huge number of good inexpensive third-party M mount lenses available which can make the total cost of system ownership similar to other full-frame systems.

‘…I just wanna Q2 monochrome…’ Jordan, my absolute favourite reviewer. Nice one gents. 👏

Fantastic 2 shot!!

Jordan - you do want a q2 Monochrom. :) it is like the perfect moody vacation camera in addition to an everyday carry. Plus, b roll that doesn’t need sound can be gorgeous

you can say all the bad things about leica, but deep inside your heart, you know you want one ;)

My M240 DNG files do not preview on MacOS Monterey?

I love shooting with Leica. It started with the Q2 monochrome and now I am also using the M11. When I need fast continuous auto focus, I use my Sony cameras :). Watch out, the Q2 is a gateway drug.

My original Canon EOS-1 film camera is still working perfectly for shooting film. Amazing.

I think you guys overlooked the M-Mount adaptor for the SL. Anyhow, always enjoy your shows very much! Thanks!

Hey, i know where that is... Because i live basically there. Funny to see, would love for you to do a fan meetup or something at some point if you ever come back to germany.

Nice one Even though the example of the CL being one of the few cameras to question, I have a different option. It is a pity the market did not understand the product. To me, it is one of the best LEICAs ever made. Technical FUJI has undoubtedly more to offer, but the mentioned user experience puts pretty much all cameras in the shadow. Just as a SL2 has to me a very different user experience than a PANASONIC I do shoot pretty much their whole range.

They just make the best photo-comedy duo ever. And their chosen location in the middle of a roundabout to get the Leica factory in the b/g, is very very funny. (I imagine the sound person had kittens at the very thought of it; the traffic is very noticeable, but that’s that’s makes it so funny !! ). And they still managed to cover most of the pro’s and con’s of Leica ownership, albeit losing the good cop/bad cop act somewhere along the way, (which was funny too ! ).

I love Leica, even though I’ve never been able to afford one. Hopefully one day.

Good stuff. I'd love to try a Leica but right now medium format is calling my name.....on the other hand, DXOmark gives the M11 incredible ratings....someone in Germany did something right. Again. I need a bigger budget. Loved the ending of the video.

Before I bought a Leica, I'd watch reviews on YT all friggin day. Now that I own one, I'm still watching Leica content.

Good job guys! I think you captured the Leica ethos perfectly I want a Q2 colour myself and also dream about buying one every few months.

One very cheep way to feel and use Leica cameras is the dead R system. I shoot since 1989 with the R system, first with one second-hand R3, and years later with a new R8. It was very nice SLR film cameras, the R8 is a joy to use because of very good ergonomics, splendid viewfinder and the very,very,very accurate metering system. And of course the lenses...I love my Summicron R 50/f2!

M10R Black Paint here. Love it. Best camera I ever owned. And I’m a teacher. So there…. Everyone complaining about Leica prices here has paid for a few Leicas already if you add up all the money they’ve spent on lenses and bodies. A Leica you own it forever. Pay once and that’s it. It’s a guy who bought a Paul Newman Daytona and now his grandson owns it.

I have the Leica M11 and the Q2. The M11 Black was ordered on launch day in January and I had it second week of March. I'd say the same for Nikon, Sony, Canon and others on long waits for new products, and Jan to Mar isn't bad at all for a hot new product. (Ask a Z9 or Z 100-400mm buyer). The Q2 was available right away. I've got a few top demand lenses and were available so I'm not sure it is true right now that there are long delays. Yes, they are moving their U.S. location so some things are now end of July, but that's a temporary and beneficial move. Your other points are right on and there is no perfect camera system. you can argue at Leica's price point they should be the exception, but remember there are other factors such as handmade, zero tolerance QA, metal lenses and such that drive those prices.

I read through the comments and there are some very emotional responses from the people who hate Leica cameras and/or Leica users. I recently bought the Q2 Monochrom and consider it the perfect camera. For me. I have Nikon and Olympus camera systems (APSC and M4/3) and enjoy them and with my Oly having all of the bells and whistles and the Nikon giving my first taste of creating beautiful photos.The experience of using the Leica Q2 Monochrom is different, the enjoyment is quintessentially the reason for buying and using this camera.

How come you guys are there? any new Leica camera coming soon?

I am left eyed and always felt uncomfortable with the Leica film camera. Then I looked at the slides and sold the photos and smiled. I am very happy with a Panasonic to use those lovely lenses. The Super-Elmars, Elmars and Hektors have a new life for me. Although I obscured the red dot because I did not want to be an Leica person. My first TL, I put a plastic cellphone type case on it. With a 23/3 on it, I could take it places serious cameras were not allowed. Since it used the screen for things, it passed inspection and sure got better photos than they thought my toy camera was capable of. :)

It’s 2022 and I’m still happily shooting a Leica M9 and an M9 Monochrom. In fact, the Mono mated with my 2000 vintage 50 Summicron (purchased used, btw) is easily my favorite camera.

Great video!!! I just feel that, a person who goes for a Leica doesn't strike me as someone who cares about the specs much.

I am used to recognise the 'Leica glow' that cannot be imitated. However, with the rise of Fujifilm GFX, and full frame mirrorless in general keeps getting more advanced, I could not recognise this Leica glow anymore. Am I right that the competition gets tighter and everyone raises the bar everytime?

„Böse Polizei“ fits better than „schlechte Polizei“ ;)

Personally, I gave up years ago judging imagery on the optical qualities of the equipment. Of course it contributes to the photographs but without a competent photographer, who puts in the time to practice and get better, you’d simply end up with mediocre images taken on an expensive camera and the optical qualities of the lens would be lost anyway.

Leica isn‘t that expensive if you consider the used market prices. I‘ve bought a M type 262 for 3300 € and sold it for 3000€ five years later. Which other camera could do that?

Even the round Leica building in the background looks like a lens or is it just me? 😊

You tease us with that brief screenshot of the Pixii website - I'd really wanna see you cover the camera at some point.

One interesting side of Jordan’s bad cop role is that the criticism is common among many reviews I have seen. With the suggestions I have the impression all cameras would be similar/identical if implemented 😀 Thinking of his points on the M

Great video guys..... but it is absolutely impossible to get over the prices,

Love the contents

I hope Lumix continues the TL-line in some form via the L2 agreement

I have owned several- M10P, Q2, SL2, along with the Canons, Nikons, Sony, et al. I currently have great lust for the M11. Once you use Leica and get past the specsmanship of other brands and just decide to take pictures, they become so addictive.

The few leica shooters I've met were totally chill. Couldn't care less what other people were up to. What I do see more often... People who can't seem to shut up about the legendary Leica snobbery, even if there's not a Leica within 20 miles lol. It seems to be the thing nikon-vs-canon types whine about as their secondary standard topic.

Why on earth Fujifilm doesn’t get into full frame range finders?

fan of its content, I have the Leica CL, and I love it, could you give it another chance please, maybe with other lenses, a big hug, God bless you

One of the reasons I sold my Leica L lenses: No aperture ring. Since the amount of control options on the SL cameras is already a bit limited compared to for example the S1, not having that is just dumb. The M-mount is just not for me, the main problem being the combination of manual focus and off axis viewfinder. M lenses on the SL is the best of both worlds in my mind but still comes with challenges. Minimum focus distance for example. And with those issues the amount of money you have to put down makes it a tough sell, literally.

Something like Leica M-P (Typ 240) would be so cool to own but even heavily used ones are so expensive

Leica M5 experience In 1978, I started working at a community college as the head of the A/V department. The first thing I noticed is that they had a Leica M5 and a whole range of lenses to go with it. So as a freshly graduate for a communication art department I was ecstatic at the idea of working with one of the most respected cameras in the world! Everybody is talking about the Leica experience. Well, here is mine! First when you look into the viewfinder of the camera you see quite a wide frame. This frame is in fact the size of the wider lens the camera can accommodate without an attachment. If I recall correctly the size of the frame was that of a 27mm lens. When you put a lens of a different focal length there is a smaller white semi-transparent frame appearing inside that frame. You have to frame your subject inside that smaller frame. What ever is outside that frame will of course not be on the film. Yes, I forgot to tell you that the M5 is a 35mm film camera. So, when I’d use the 35mm, 50mm, or 105mm lenses the semi-transparent frame would not only change but it would also be smaller and smaller in size to the point where it would almost be impossible to see the real content of the image you were framing. It was almost as if you were looking with your own eyes and trying to see without any magnification whatsoever the content of your image. At first, I though to myself you need to experiment, become use to it, work with it so to develop the proper reflexes, make it your own. So, I gave myself six months to get familiar with it. After six months the insecurity I felt using it with all kind of issues related to this framing apparatus made me let it go. I finally used the other camera we had a Pentax Spotmatic. So, if you are a street photographer, using always the same lens wider angle lens, if you are an amateur that does not really earn a living with photography, if you are a wealthy professional in need of a status symbol hanging from your neck, get a Leica. Other wise save a truckload of money and get something else. And please don’t give us that Leica experience BS, because using this camera on a daily basis to try and earn a living was not a good experience!

They really do make the most beautiful cameras and lenses. But except for the SL, I personally find the handling to be unpleasant. I tried the Q2 with a grip and although it was much improved it still wasn’t amazing. Still worth going to a store and try them out. They’re pure beauty!

I own a few cameras and while all of them will get the job done there’s nothing like the files from the Q2M. Everyone assumes this is snobbery or fangirl talk until they use it. Is the camera crazy expensive yes. does it annoy me how expensive it was, you betcha. But if I was faced with the choice of keeping only one camera, this would be it.

good job boys.

What wireless mics are you guys using?

Most people don't dislike Leica cameras, they dislike the attitude many Leica devotees have.

Thanks for this very enjoyable episode. As a Leica Q2 owner I can say that I have never used as much and had fun with a camera as this one. It is much more versatile than you might imagine reading its specs.From astro- to portrait-photography the Q2 always delivered great results. And it is the perfect street photography camera.

Deutsch is not my first language, but I think "Guter Bulle" (good cop) and "Böser Bulle" (bad cop) is better. Keep the enjoyable videos coming.

In one sense, you're absolutely right that Leica has every right to place themselves as a boutique product. I don't think the problem is Leica themselves, I think it's a lot of the people who buy and shoot Leicas. First, I know, "Not all Leica shooters," but I have encountered some very snobby photographers in my past who looked down on my more affordable, pedestrian gear. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth, and one that can get tied to the equipment those people use. And, FWIW, I know two people personally who shoot Leica, and one is a dentist (the other is a financial planner).

Is there any RAW format that's not supported anymore?

I sold my fuji-pack (x-pro 3 and 4 different lenses from 16mm to 50-140 zoom… I got enough just to buy a M10, then I bought a 50mm TTartisan-lens for a couple if 100$… the fuji stuff are things ivetcollected the past 6-7 years and after a 3/4 of a year I bought a Voigtlander 28mm Ultron. I have a quite bad paycheck compared to the standard here, it’s all about priorities, if you want/need wide to tele-zoom a M-series is not for you. I almost only used my 35mm f1.4 so an M10 with a 50 1.4 was a perfect start! Next move is to buy a used Leica summicron 50mm, if that happens this year, or next year 🤷‍♂️ If you want a Leica, and live in a wealthy country, it’s up to you, what you want and how you prioritize. If you’re not ready to give up a speedy sony or canon, then don’t blame a company that doesn’t go with the “made in china” race. You cant compare a “made in germany” company with a “made in china”-one. It’s a big different. And show me a sony that’s made in brass 🤷‍♂️ if spec is more important than a relationship with your gadget, then go with the sony, it will always be better on paper. But I wouldn’t change my leica m10 for a sony A7xxx any day in the week :)

Over twenty years ago I considered the fallout of dropping a $1000 Canikon lens in a swamp and then a $6,000 Leitz. Decision was easy to make, never looked back.

I've owned 2 leica's and now just have the one. I don't miss IS because the high ISO is superb, I do wish people would stop picking on dentists lol 😂 BTW why are you in Germany... something being released? Great video as always 😊

Maybe Leica can make a leather case that cover the back LCD and button, and just the MD ring Knob? So every M11 can be MD when the user want them to be ?