Happy birthday Leica.

Would love to try one of those cameras, one day!

Don't know much about cameras. What makes this one special? I can't dispute the iconic images it captured.

I should probably read the info from the link.

August West said:

Don't know much about cameras. What makes this one special? I can't dispute the iconic images it captured.

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Leica, the high end ones anyway, are kind of like the Rolls Royce of cameras. Extremely expensive, but hand made with the kind of precision that you don't see often any more.

While they have always been pricey, they have gotten to a ridiculous point, in a digital age where things are obsolete in a few years. In the film days a working stiff photographer could justify the expense, saving all his pennies, or getting a bank loan to buy one, and a couple of lenses (the really expensive part), because he knew it was an investment. If he looked after it, the film Leica would outlast him. One of mine is ten years older than me, and it still goes like a train.

These days they have become more of a status symbol for rich, usually Chinese, men wanting something to hang around their neck to show off to their mates. In fact, if it wasn't for the boom in the Chinese economy Leica's camera division probably would have gone out of business.

Hopefully some of these new Leica's are being used to create good shots, they are lovely machines. But sadly, no longer within reach of most people who could do the most with them.

Neat. Thanks.

"Luke, I am your father."

"NOOOOooooooooo!"

My only Leica. Saved from the trash of a very wealthy family - literally. Was in the bag waiting for the house men to take out when my friend who is their personal chef snagged it for me. Threw some batteries in it, dusted it off, developed the film in it, and shot it. Got the matching Leitz Braun vari-zoom flash with it too.




The R series Leica is a different animal, it is a SLR, using different lenses that are just as good as the M lenses. These are I believe the best bargain leicas out there. Still able to be had for not much money and offer great features and realistically priced glass.

Awesome score.

Great save of a beautiful camera Xander.

I've always admired the well worn look of Elliott Erwitt's Leica M3.


A few more brassed and beautiful Leica's here.

So cool. Not many cameras would still work with that kind of use.

One of my old photography lecturers told me about a guy he knew "back in the day" who worked for the railway, taking pictures of people getting on and off the trains. I'm not sure why he was employed to do this, but that is what he did, all day, every day. His camera was one of the old screw mount Leicas, which you wound on by turning a knob on top. He used that camera for so long, for so many films, he wore a hole in the brass top plate with his thumbnail.

Happy Birthday.

Pass the Tri-X!

Nice M3, I just bought one myself few days ago on ebay, with the same lens. I can't wait to get it and shoot some film through it.

Legion said:

"Luke, I am your father."

"NOOOOooooooooo!"

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Great post and those are some cool photos of the older Leicas. Where does one get real film and have it developed these days?

I have one, but it's a D-Lux, it really doesn't count!

BSAGuy said:

Great post and those are some cool photos of the older Leicas. Where does one get real film and have it developed these days?

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I have a pro lab just steps from home. I buy my film there to support a local business and because all printing and scanning is done in house.

BSAGuy said:

Great post and those are some cool photos of the older Leicas. Where does one get real film and have it developed these days?

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B&W can easily be done in your kitchen or bathroom. There are a good handful of mail in labs, and of course a fair amount of drug store chains still have minilabs for regular c-41 film.

fast14riot said:

I have a pro lab just steps from home. I buy my film there to support a local business and because all printing and scanning is done in house.

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I'm in australia and I film here is expensive, we do still have few pro labs. I develop my own BW film in my kitchen. It's simple.
As for film, I get it from B&H, ebay or when I go overseas on holidays. That's 35mm and 120 for medium format cameras.

Legion said:

"Luke, I am your father."

"NOOOOooooooooo!"

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I have the same photo but with my old Contax (and my X100s)
Closest I'll get to owning a Leica is the strap on my X100S.

I miss my Leicas. Im considering an M-E now actually.
My M2 looked like that M3 above, was a fine fine machine, worn as hell and loaded with battle scars, but my fave was an MP.
The value of a Leica, IMO, has nothing to do with its cost.
They are, for me, something else than just a camera.
They became an extension of the hand, mind and eye.
Few cameras really made me happy, maybe 6-7 total and 3 of them were Leicas.