I just watched a Leica factory tour yesterday, and this unrelated to the topic channel, to which i am already subscribed, publishes a Leica video... weird coincidence
Whoever you have creating these graphics describing the path of light into these cameras and their viewfinders deserves some huge praise. This video is fantastic from start to finish. I appreciate you, James!
Sure wish I could give you more than one LIKE. I've been a photographer for almost thirty-five years. This is the best telling of the Leica story that I have ever heard, and kudos for pointing out the circuitous path from rangefinder through SLR and, essentially, back. I'm a history buff and I've been studying World War II since I was in the fifth grade. The technological innovations that war required made photography grow as both a science and an art. When I taught my photography classes, I offered a run-down of photography history to those who were interested; and was gratified at how many folks were. There is no way to downplay the fact that Oskar Barnack really is the father of modern photography. The 36x24mm format that Oskar gave us is still alive today in many modern digital cameras. When someone says they have a "full-frame" camera, that's what they're talking about. It's pretty funny that Pentax recently released the first new, serious 35mm film camera in many years and it's what we now call a half-frame camera because it uses the vertical format that Oskar abandoned because it was too small. By the way, many folks at the time referred to the early Leicas as "double-frame" cameras. Keep up the great work, and many thanks.
Thank you for such an insightful comment. I’d love to hear some recommendations for more history surrounding war technology and cameras. Perhaps a video or articles. The pentax67 being vertical format was something I didn’t connect as well until I read your comment. Thanks again for sharing!
Look when James started this channel I really thought it was gonna be a lot of "MO POWA BABY!" And 'RAMCHARGERS!" I had no idea that I would eventually spend a half an hour listening to him explain vintage German cameras....and totally digging it!
I hope this video does well. I initially didn't click on it because I don't normally watch videos about cameras. I'm glad I did. It's basically an Everything You Need to Know video
I'm a professional photographer who has a great appreciation for well engineered machinery. I like something that has weight and has great tactile feel. When I saw the Leica Q2 Reporter, I know I had to have one. I loved that it was olive green and without the red dot. It didn't scream look at my expensive camera. I really enjoy the experience of taking photos with this camera. With just one focal length, it makes you slow down and really think about your composition. It just makes you feel good to use it. My work horse cameras are Sony mirrorless, but when I'm doing photography for me, the Leica is my choice. This video was not what I was expecting from this channel, but it made me really happy to watch it. Thank you for making this.
Almost 30 years ago I was the inventory and ebay sales guy for Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus, Ohio and so while not a pro have like 100x more tactile experience with Leicas than most people following James over from Speed, so I hear you, and am kinda curious, as an old pro, you ever do business with Stu (or his kid I suppose) over the years? In the nascent internet era, I surprised those guys by accidentally becoming the best salesman in the shop when I realized we could get more on ebay than we were asking for on the floor for many of our high end lenses.
I am a photographer and I still use an old Olympus rangefinder and an even older Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex medium format camera when I want photos that look different than the digital norm. I also begrudgingly shifted from my SLR to the new mirrorless options due to weight, speed, and focus performance. Transitions are hard, and often you lose a lot in the process (some of my old f-mount lenses don't work with my new z-mount camera). I've never owned a Leica due to the price, but I have borrowed a few and the special leaf shutter was pretty unique and innovative, and the glass was impeccable. Like many others though, I could never justify the cost, especially as reasonably priced digital SLRs hit the market. Thanks for delving into my hobby with your usual, hilarious style. I love your car videos, but the foray into other subjects seems like a great idea to me. Best wishes with your new channel. I'm still a big fan!
This has everything I love about James in one video: interesting topics that teach you something, perfect delivery, commitment to the bit, weird accents, willingness to wear wigs. What else could you need?
Years and years ago I saved and saved my pennies and bought a Leica M6 in perfect condition. I was so excited about it. Ultimately I found myself hardly using it though. I was so utterly paranoid about damaging it, scratching a lens, knocking the rangefinder out of whack, or losing the camera while traveling that it stayed home 95% of the time and felt more like a showpiece for my ego than an actual tool. So I sold it, and the money I got back went toward buying A LOT of film. These days if I'm shooting 35mm I'm using my Minolta SRT-101 which is indestructible, is cheap to replace or repair, and has glass every bit as good as Leica (yeah... I said it).
And the freedom that it gives you is incomparable. If you break the camera you can buy another for cheap. So now you take photos that you would have not ever taken.
Minolta SRT gang represent. I've got a 201 that got me through my college photography days. I should pull it back out and get some film... And a darkroom setup...
This is how i feel about my q2. Exceptional camera! But for the same reasons you mentioned, I’m planning to sell it to a better home. Optically I love it. I’ll look at the photos I took a while back and think, dam the pictures are great. It’s really a camera that forces you to slow down.
ya, I did a video on my Leica vs my Contax G1... the gist of it being: I'm scared to really use my Leica as a workhorse camera, and it's no sharper or better than my G1, I actually think the zeiss glass on the G1 is sharper [if that's what you're going for]. Or my Nikon FE2... and even my Olympus OM1 is very good and as small as a my Leica.
@@hathaway.1166 the right one with oversharpened foliage and strange glow around the tree canopy just screamed "overprocessing" anyway. The banding of the sky on the left one though, I wonder if it's an artifact of youtube processing or what. also, on a bright day outdoors, phones produce pretty usable results.
I’m sorry but the graphic for the viewfinder tech is AMAZING - I have high standards for Pumphrey, but this exceeded even those standards by a factor of 10 - I love seeing how this channel develops!
I love me some Germans (wife is half German, many German friends) and your comment is a good example why: just having fun with the accent (we all have them) in a setting where James is not only showing respect for Leica's wonderful engineering but also their amazing humanitarian contribution during WW2. ... and I do love my Leicas!
As a photographer, seeing James talk about my deepest passion is be best EVER!! Kinda crying rn I literally screamed of happiness when I saw this. Thank you ❤
Any of these cameras, is a tank with incredible history. The Nikon F, is a camera so common and affordable for what it is, that’s just as great as every leica, you really can’t go wrong with one. Film era leicas also are not criminally expensive, the world is yours!
@@SlashCampable what james didn’t mention is there WERE competitors to leicas rangefinders and they do still exist in good condition from canon, nikon, and more and the difference in build quality and optics compared to a leica is negligible for a fraction of the price
My grandfather used a Leica IIIc during the Korean war, which I recently got refurbished for my dad. Looking through the slides he took during the war of military camps and the surrounding towns and landscapes is breathtaking, some of those photos are unbelievably crisp and clear decades later. That camera is a beast and the lenses are as good if not better than my Nikon F mount film gear from decades later, plus that camera is tiny compared to even my smallest SLR. Thanks for the video, I was watching you on donut a while back and you've earned a sub on this channel.
James you have yet to miss a beat with any video so far. thank you for your hard work and the inspiration to make art and only surf the internet for your videos
As a Professional photographer that uses analog cameras Leica included i had a great time hearing the Leica story from another perspective rather than the 5000 videos on youtube about. the Leica M6 and how everybody wants one haha. Guys Shoot what camera you have in hand , have fun and be respectful of those in the oposite side of your lens and if you have the money to buy a Leica camera enjoy the experience . BTW the rangefinder explanation has been One if not the Best Explanation i have seen in video .Thanks James , pet some buffed horses for me .
Other people's take-away from the video: Leicas !! My take-away: "Our guts are like our second brain!" But jokes aside: once again I'm blown away by how fun, informative and high quality these deep dives into random brands are. Absolutely love it!
An AWESOME video explaining the history of the "Pagani" of cameras. I've had a M8 with the 50 1.4 once I can totally understand why it feels the way it should for the owner. Excellent video to the max!
@@meranlee1911 IIIF is a slow-pace camera. I only use it when I have lots of time to think. Be aware rangefinders are not the proper tool for some cases, like macro, landscape or birding with really long lens (those are the domain of SLR). Typically, street photographers prefer rangefinders because they are smaller, more silent, and easily usable with wide angle lenses.
This man is actually out here making genuine high quality content with great production value. The music, the theatrics, and the informative nature is just all on point. 10/10 creator.
not a camera channel, but made a camera video and pretty much killed it. Nice. The thing with Leica and rich people is that Leica is really more a luxury brand item than a camera brand nowadays. They release cameras that are modern, sure, but a Q3 or SL3 will cost 2x more than the equivalent Sony, and will perform worse, generally. But "Sony" doesn't have the same heritage, build quality or name power than Leica has. If we had to make a comparison with the world of cars, a Leica would be that niche old retrofit car from a brand that produces 15 cars a year and costs 1.5M each. That's what a Leica camera is. A camera for people that want some expensive flare, or want to be attached to the heritage behind the actual model. And then there's a few people that really can't drive anything else (generally because they're pompous douches that want to have a personality). The truth is that as nice as a rangefinder camera is, there are cameras on the market that will emulate every aspect of those cameras, at a cheaper price with much better performance. And if you're trying to argue otherwise : you're delisional. Just say you wanted to have a Leica, that's okay :)
Sony is really the spiritual successor to a few optics brands they acquired over the years though, chiefly Contax/Kyocera/Yashica most obvious in the Carl Zeiss name on Sony glass.
"The truth is that as nice as a rangefinder camera is, there are cameras on the market that will emulate every aspect of those cameras" This is one I would have to disagree with and it comes down to user experience. There really isn't any other modern digital rangefinder out there on the market that has the same user experience as a Leica. Can other cameras take great photos? Absolutely. Better than Leica? Yeah, probably. But there's nothing else out there that feels the same to use.
Extremely well said and articulated. The Leica fanboys won’t like it and will always try to defend their overpriced red dot at all costs, but everything you said is objectively 100% true.
“If you’re trying to argue otherwise : you’re delusional.” Sony make great cameras for certain applications, Leica make great cameras for other applications. If you absolutely need the fastest autofocus or fastest burst rate or highest dynamic range, then sure, Sony have you covered. They’ve even got you covered if you need the all of that at the lowest price possible. What if none of that matters? Why wouldn’t you buy a camera finely crafted in Germany from high quality materials, which lets you enjoy the process of creating images? Get the tool which suits your needs. I’ve got both, and they’re both great at what they do, but sometimes a Ricoh GR is even better.
Great Video. Shooting for a small daily newspaper in 1974, I sold my personal Mamiya 500-DTL with a couple of lenses for a used Leica M3, mainly for the silent shutter I could use in meetings I covered. It was a great trade, that cost me an extra $100 for a new-in-box Elmar 50mm f/2.8. I still have the Leica, and lens, with an added 35mm 2.8 goggle-eye Elmar and a 135 f4.5 Hektor. It's still my favorite camera if I'm shooting film (which is rare these days), even though I've advanced to some digital cameras and only shoot as a hobby now. One minor miss in this is the M2 model in the Leica line-up. The M3 covers 50-90-135 in the viewfinder and began with a double-stroke film advance lever. The M2 came out AFTER the M3 and introduced the single-stroke advance lever along with changing the viewfinder to a 35-50-90 view.
Ok, flange distance vs the first 3 optical aberration (Zernikes). As an opto-mechanical designer, this is irrelevant. All optical systems suffer aberration which is why optical designers use multi element systems. As long as the flange distance doesn't change, any optical aberration can be compensated. It's just a matter of cost. I worked on the Giant Magellan Telescope with an optical designer from Jena (Zeiss). She produced breathtaking designs that made my mechanical designs things of beauty. Think of the 'flange distance ' involved in that!
Something we share in common right now is our contact with optics and their designs, but I was on the manufacturing side. I worked for Leitz, Hughes/Leitz, Elcan, Raytheon, pick a name they’re all the same location. Working on designs and assemblies for Panavision, IMAX, and a litany of prototype projects in the 4 years I worked with them. Everything from Spherical and Plano optics to some of the more interesting aspheric lenses using conventional milling processes or the more advanced ferromagnetic polishing compounds. I loved doing the work for ANY of the consumer/research products we made there and, to this day, find myself referring to so much I learned from that initial career.
My uncle was an accomplished amateur photographer, and he collected vintage Leica cameras. He also owned newer models. He had a clear preference for Leica’s range finder models, which I never quite understood. Now I do. Thank you!
wait, how do i find out whats the other photo was taken with at 23:15 if its covered by another video preview? Damn it James! Thats sneaky! (yea i knon if the one on the left is leica then the one on the right must be iphone, but what if its not?!)
Honestly speaking, I found the previous videos on this new channel a bit too "educational", just like a million other similar videos on UA-cam, however, watching this one made me feel like I'm watching the old "Upto Speed" videos. This one was good. Seems like humour is back on the menu, boys!
Just want to say that this video right here is the perfect example of James outstanding knack to PRESENT. The dude is a master presenter! Take the most mundane, average topic or subject and give it to him. He will present it with such eloquence, and general enthusiasm that it will hook the viewer and provide a perfect, detailed and most enjoyable experience that not only entertains, but actually EDUCATES. we will one day look back at videos like these and think about little old James P. with much reverence and nostalgia. (while he is some big-shot, he'll probably run for president or some crazy sh*t). Lol
Great work on this James and team! The NYC street photography community gonna enjoy this one ❤ I’m an owner of an M4-P 70th anniversary edition (1023 out of 2500) and I believe it was one of the last production runs before the closing of the Canada factory that they opened during WWII. Not only are they the best tools for making photographs, the lore behind the brand is deep and you did a great job giving a high level overview.
I thought this was gonna be a silly Leica video, but it ended up being one of the most interesting Leica related videos in recent times. Thanks for putting a lot of work in it.
Dude I’ve just been getting into film and having to learn how a film camera actually works is lowkey very confusing. This video made it all so simple. This was super super well made.
Loved the video and the message. For a photographer, a camera and lens are like knives and other tools for a chef. Different brands don't make different dishes, but they significantly influence the subtleties that make the dish unique. Personally, I am a Zeiss guy, but of course, I greatly respect Leica, and I love what they are doing with the SL system.
I know this goes beyond the scope of this video, but what's interesting is that Leica has also worked with other brands to release cameras. For example they have been co-developing cameras with Panasonic for a long time, leading to many cameras being released as Leica versions and almost identical Panasonic versions. For example those Leica Digilux series cameras you showed at 19:22 were released by Panasonic as the LC series. You'll also see many Panasonic lenses branded with the Leica name because of that. They also worked with Minolta for a while, who we now know as Sony's camera division. Mostly to produce point and shoot film cameras from what I know. Leica also shares a mount with Panasonic and Sigma through their L-Mount Alliance.
Also, Sigma designed R lenses for them and many of their current autofocus lenses, Schneider made some M and R lenses, Zeiss made at least one R lens, the lenses on the Q digital series are designed by Panasonic... then there's also the cosmetic branding collaborations, like the BaPe and Hello Kitty Leica cameras...
This popped up as a notification and I immediately stopped watching the video I was watching and came here. Because this matters. WE matter. #community
Yeah so with SLRs, the chromatic aberrations and slightly lower quality have to do with the mirror, which is only used for the viewfinder. The R part of SLR is Reflex, the Reflex being the mirror swinging out of the way when taking the picture. Nobody was “accepting lower quality photos,” they were accepting a minusculely lower quality viewfinder for the trade off of it being geometrically aligned with the lens.
Because the mirror is in the way you can’t have a true focal length, the distance between iris and film plane, of less than around 50mm. Because of this the lens has to be designed to approximate shorter focal lengths which does indeed increase optical aberrations. With modern lenses you’d be hard pressed to notice a difference but with old ones it’s noticeable in a professional setting.
@james-gn9cq retro focus design. Ever look through a pair of binoculars backwards? That's how wide angle lens work on slrs. The focal point is behind all of the optics. Just as a telephoto has its focal point in front of all the optics. Kinda neat that way. Lots of compromises add weight and complexity.
Lol, an Slr is far easier to focus. Why do people believe the crap on the internet that a range finder is.... A mirror is the real image not some silly little patch that you can barely see...
Feeding the machine, dont mind me. Thanks james for the amazing video, somehow this is literally the single best camera retrospective I think Ive ever seen. Omg.
hi, I am going to start teaching the most basic boring subjects, such as math, physics, biology and chemistry, but I want to do it in the most fun way possible. Someone has to do it. 12:14: those visuals are insane how interactive and engaging they are. Biggest compliments to the guy who made them. I would love to know more about them so I could use them to help teach these boring subjects and help people struggling keeping focus. Thank you anyways!
the cinematography and camera work is actually incredible in this video, all of the skits and bits are actually amazing and its really entertaining man, good stuff
I appreciate that there was actual research done for this. That combined with the cool and goofy nature of the presentation makes for a killer documentarian video.
That was a very good overview, rangefinder shooters typically used zone focusing. Instead of picking a focus point and then twisting the focus ring, you pre focused for a set distance marked on the lens (you calculated the aperture and zoom to figure your focus distance and depth) and when the subject or subjects appeared in that zone you fired away. You can do this on SLRs and now mirrorleas, but it was particularly popular on rangefinders and if you got good you rarely had a missed focus shot. I think this added to the mystique of Leica when, realistically, things like flange distance and CAs are not as problematic as we make them out to be. Considering that, the speed and precision with which we can use a SLR or mirrorless makes them superior for most. Moment first, focus second, light third, hardware weirdness last. It is why people can still get paid using a Nikon D700 and a nifty 50 1.8.
Man… James you are killing it. I am a gearhead, petrolhead, etc… but most of all I am a curios dude. I love this channel. Perhaps my favorite channel on UA-cam. I would say “my fav channel of all time” but the English Channel is sick.
i think there are some key things missing from the leica story. namely minolta's partnership with leica in the mid 70s. around the same time as the M5 & R series, Leica produced a compact entry level model that was fully compatible with their M lenses. This compact leica was dubbed the CL. In return for minolta helping them develop an SLR, leica gave them permission to produce their own variants. minolta's variants of the R series used their lens mount & also produced the CLE: the most advanced rangefinder we'd get for a few decades. side tangent, the CL was leica's response to the boom of cheap, compact cameras aimed at amateurs going on vacation. competitors in that demographic included the canon QL17, ricoh 500G, olympus trip 35, & the venerable rollei 35s. feature wise, they all got pretty close to the CL. however, there was always *some* compromise in either build quality, technology, or lacking interchangeable lenses. the CL was just about perfection. quiet, light, mechanically pleasing, & straight forward in design. it was too perfect. it started eating into M5 sales, leading to its swift discontinuation.
Man you are really firing on all cylinders with your videos. You are an incredibly engaging presenter. Really enjoying everything you've been doing on here. All the best and keep up the good work, man. You deserve all the praise you're getting.
Fascinating deep dive into the history and allure of Leica cameras! As someone who appreciates both the artistry and the engineering behind photography, I found this video incredibly insightful. The blend of historical context, technical explanations, and cultural significance made it a truly engaging watch. It's clear that Leica isn't just a brand, but a symbol of passion and precision for those who truly appreciate the craft of photography.
I really like the direction this channel is heading and appreciate the creativity, work and research that goes into these videos. James, you are the best!
I haven't clicked to watch a video so fast in my life!. Every video so far has been fire guys. LOVE the variety! Please don't cut them down to "meet a target length". If the quality, jokes, and storytelling is this engaging, people will watch whatever length you put out! Keep it up guys!
You have come a long way from telling me the history of car brands to this. I am a professional photographer and you did an amazing job explaining how cameras work and making it more interesting than I have seen other photographers do it when teaching. Great job.
These are some of the only videos I watch without skipping or pausing. The topics are so various, interesting and entertaining presented, I really dig your style of making these. Greetings from germany! :)
This was a great video, man! You've really got a knack for storytelling, and it shows that you can speak on just about any topic and make it interesting and digestible.
James, I think you're on the right path with your channel. Like Alec Watson with his Technology Connections channel, you also make me interested in stuff that I had no interest in. Also, I like the fact that you're bringing back the sketches and characters like in your Donut videos; it adds a lot to the entertainment factor, and keeps us focused on the video instead of opening up a new tab to do something else while it plays in the background. I think you're onto something really good with your channel! Just my 2 cents!
Wow, really well researched and written - I went into this thinking "oh, its going to be really hard to get some of these details across on a typically automotive channel", but dang, you guys really efficiently explained some concepts that even a lot of photographer's don't pay any attention to! One other fun tidbit about Leica's longevity by the way: Film photography has seen quite a resurgence in the past decade, lots of people want that "film look", the tactile process, etc. Leica still makes the M6, and most importantly, Leica still repairs any of their old film cameras. Like, if you send them your old ass beat to shit Leica ii from 1935, they will repair it. That's really wild and unheard of in film photography from any other manufacturer right now. We're all running around with ticking time bombs of repairability nightmares, unless you have a Leica. Then you know, you just have to pay a ton of money to get them to do it haha. But at least you know you CAN fix it. Anyway, great vid, really enjoyed it!
Go to drinkag1.com/speeed to save $20 off your first subscription of AG1. Thx to AG1 for sponsoring this video 💪
Oh come on, not AG1 again! We all know by now it's a scam.
Soylent Green by any other name is still people.
But I’ll stay subscribed, the content is worth the sponsorship ads.
Yeah, now time for a deep dive on scammy nutrition products...
I heard about that camera from eurotrip movie
JUST CHANCED ON YOUR CHANNEL BUT THE WAY YOU PRESENT IS ON ANOTHER LEVEL
I was already your target audience james, you didnt have to make a video specifically for me, but you did anyway
Same 😂
Same
I just watched a Leica factory tour yesterday, and this unrelated to the topic channel, to which i am already subscribed, publishes a Leica video... weird coincidence
Same.
yeah same lol
Whoever you have creating these graphics describing the path of light into these cameras and their viewfinders deserves some huge praise. This video is fantastic from start to finish. I appreciate you, James!
agreed!!
1:42 props to James for taking the time to colorize and upscale this historical footage.
And getting that old audio so crisp!
My heart I cold
Love your videos, you helped me decide to get a Nikon Zf after shooting with my Canon AE-1P for so long! This is a great community crossover!
Sure wish I could give you more than one LIKE. I've been a photographer for almost thirty-five years. This is the best telling of the Leica story that I have ever heard, and kudos for pointing out the circuitous path from rangefinder through SLR and, essentially, back. I'm a history buff and I've been studying World War II since I was in the fifth grade. The technological innovations that war required made photography grow as both a science and an art. When I taught my photography classes, I offered a run-down of photography history to those who were interested; and was gratified at how many folks were. There is no way to downplay the fact that Oskar Barnack really is the father of modern photography. The 36x24mm format that Oskar gave us is still alive today in many modern digital cameras. When someone says they have a "full-frame" camera, that's what they're talking about.
It's pretty funny that Pentax recently released the first new, serious 35mm film camera in many years and it's what we now call a half-frame camera because it uses the vertical format that Oskar abandoned because it was too small. By the way, many folks at the time referred to the early Leicas as "double-frame" cameras.
Keep up the great work, and many thanks.
Thank you for such an insightful comment. I’d love to hear some recommendations for more history surrounding war technology and cameras. Perhaps a video or articles.
The pentax67 being vertical format was something I didn’t connect as well until I read your comment. Thanks again for sharing!
If you set-up another account it's possible to give more than one like for this vid.
Look when James started this channel I really thought it was gonna be a lot of "MO POWA BABY!" And 'RAMCHARGERS!" I had no idea that I would eventually spend a half an hour listening to him explain vintage German cameras....and totally digging it!
Here for both 😄🍻
Same lol. I didn’t think I would watch the whole thing
He's just a good storyteller. I'd listen to him talk at length about anything.
Leica discovered that by turning the motion picture film sideways, it would be exposed to significantly more beans.
I hope this video does well. I initially didn't click on it because I don't normally watch videos about cameras. I'm glad I did. It's basically an Everything You Need to Know video
love the new skits u added in bro, really ups the immersiveness. keep up the good work.
I'm a professional photographer who has a great appreciation for well engineered machinery. I like something that has weight and has great tactile feel. When I saw the Leica Q2 Reporter, I know I had to have one. I loved that it was olive green and without the red dot. It didn't scream look at my expensive camera. I really enjoy the experience of taking photos with this camera. With just one focal length, it makes you slow down and really think about your composition. It just makes you feel good to use it. My work horse cameras are Sony mirrorless, but when I'm doing photography for me, the Leica is my choice. This video was not what I was expecting from this channel, but it made me really happy to watch it. Thank you for making this.
Agreed, lugging my a7iv through Tokyo was fun but exhausting at the same time. Looking at q3’s or an x100iv to simplify my travel photography
Thank you for sharing what the camera means to you. It's beautiful to hear things like that.
@@nickwong3054just got a Panasonic GX9 last month. I love it so much. Definitely worth considering. The L monochrome D profile is so fantastic.
Now if only we could get a Q3 Reporter... I ended up just replacing my obnoxious red dot with a black one.
Almost 30 years ago I was the inventory and ebay sales guy for Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus, Ohio and so while not a pro have like 100x more tactile experience with Leicas than most people following James over from Speed, so I hear you, and am kinda curious, as an old pro, you ever do business with Stu (or his kid I suppose) over the years? In the nascent internet era, I surprised those guys by accidentally becoming the best salesman in the shop when I realized we could get more on ebay than we were asking for on the floor for many of our high end lenses.
I am a photographer and I still use an old Olympus rangefinder and an even older Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex medium format camera when I want photos that look different than the digital norm. I also begrudgingly shifted from my SLR to the new mirrorless options due to weight, speed, and focus performance. Transitions are hard, and often you lose a lot in the process (some of my old f-mount lenses don't work with my new z-mount camera). I've never owned a Leica due to the price, but I have borrowed a few and the special leaf shutter was pretty unique and innovative, and the glass was impeccable. Like many others though, I could never justify the cost, especially as reasonably priced digital SLRs hit the market. Thanks for delving into my hobby with your usual, hilarious style. I love your car videos, but the foray into other subjects seems like a great idea to me. Best wishes with your new channel. I'm still a big fan!
Watching this channel and Big Time, I’ve realized that almost everything I liked about Donut was mainly due to three guys..
Exactly
reminds me of something else..
Nolan and Jimmy are pretty awesome dudes too but yeah, I agree with you
Yup..
I'm feeling the same way. For James; he seemed to be such a face of that channel I thought he had a bigger stake in it.
This has everything I love about James in one video: interesting topics that teach you something, perfect delivery, commitment to the bit, weird accents, willingness to wear wigs. What else could you need?
Very cheeky using a Donut mic mmm sweet work James and your crew
Years and years ago I saved and saved my pennies and bought a Leica M6 in perfect condition. I was so excited about it. Ultimately I found myself hardly using it though. I was so utterly paranoid about damaging it, scratching a lens, knocking the rangefinder out of whack, or losing the camera while traveling that it stayed home 95% of the time and felt more like a showpiece for my ego than an actual tool. So I sold it, and the money I got back went toward buying A LOT of film. These days if I'm shooting 35mm I'm using my Minolta SRT-101 which is indestructible, is cheap to replace or repair, and has glass every bit as good as Leica (yeah... I said it).
And the freedom that it gives you is incomparable. If you break the camera you can buy another for cheap. So now you take photos that you would have not ever taken.
Minolta SRT gang represent. I've got a 201 that got me through my college photography days. I should pull it back out and get some film... And a darkroom setup...
This is how i feel about my q2. Exceptional camera! But for the same reasons you mentioned, I’m planning to sell it to a better home. Optically I love it. I’ll look at the photos I took a while back and think, dam the pictures are great. It’s really a camera that forces you to slow down.
ya, I did a video on my Leica vs my Contax G1... the gist of it being: I'm scared to really use my Leica as a workhorse camera, and it's no sharper or better than my G1, I actually think the zeiss glass on the G1 is sharper [if that's what you're going for]. Or my Nikon FE2... and even my Olympus OM1 is very good and as small as a my Leica.
"Answers at the end of the video." Damn you, Pumphrey!! Now I have to watch the rest of the video, which is gonna be SWEEET!!!
you innovative soab, using threee E's. now i want to do that.
i KNEW the left one was the leica, i just knew.
@@hathaway.1166 the right one with oversharpened foliage and strange glow around the tree canopy just screamed "overprocessing" anyway. The banding of the sky on the left one though, I wonder if it's an artifact of youtube processing or what.
also, on a bright day outdoors, phones produce pretty usable results.
I’m sorry but the graphic for the viewfinder tech is AMAZING - I have high standards for Pumphrey, but this exceeded even those standards by a factor of 10 - I love seeing how this channel develops!
The dates given are completely and utterly useless if the years are not expressed in pre-Post Malone / post-Post Malone’s birth.
As a German, I'm amazed at how well you can imitate the German accent, I speak the same way
I love me some Germans (wife is half German, many German friends) and your comment is a good example why: just having fun with the accent (we all have them) in a setting where James is not only showing respect for Leica's wonderful engineering but also their amazing humanitarian contribution during WW2. ... and I do love my Leicas!
i needed to turn on zee Untertitel
I love this.... as a Street photographer myself, photographing for 15 years. this was very well done. I own a few leicas ha
As a photographer, seeing James talk about my deepest passion is be best EVER!! Kinda crying rn
I literally screamed of happiness when I saw this. Thank you ❤
James, I've been shooing Leica Ms for about 25 years. Your video is thorough, entertaining, and accurate. Well done.
This channel is the epitome of what I consider what UA-cam is made for - amazing stuff keep it up
Here'ye, here'ye
Any of these cameras, is a tank with incredible history. The Nikon F, is a camera so common and affordable for what it is, that’s just as great as every leica, you really can’t go wrong with one. Film era leicas also are not criminally expensive, the world is yours!
Compared to an AE-1 or F2 they're like 10 times the price, and that's not even with a lens. It's still Leica money everywhere, even if it's not 7000€
@@SlashCampableyeah even for the cameras that have an almost identical Panasonic equivalent you'll be paying a hefty Leica tax
@@SlashCampable what james didn’t mention is there WERE competitors to leicas rangefinders and they do still exist in good condition from canon, nikon, and more and the difference in build quality and optics compared to a leica is negligible for a fraction of the price
had an m6, nikon f, f2, pentax 67, mamiya rb67 etc etc.. eventually moved to digital and kept only 1 film camera.. the f3hp.
@@athmaidI have a Lumix LX-5 which is ostensibly the Leica D-Lux 3. Great little camera, but the Lumix was 300 whilst the Leica was 600.
I can tell you put a ton of effort into this one. Love it! Side note- I want your channel to do so well I don't even skip your ad reads.
This gives me serious James May vibe kinda content. Only James could out-james James. Fantastic.
My grandfather used a Leica IIIc during the Korean war, which I recently got refurbished for my dad. Looking through the slides he took during the war of military camps and the surrounding towns and landscapes is breathtaking, some of those photos are unbelievably crisp and clear decades later. That camera is a beast and the lenses are as good if not better than my Nikon F mount film gear from decades later, plus that camera is tiny compared to even my smallest SLR. Thanks for the video, I was watching you on donut a while back and you've earned a sub on this channel.
digging the variety of topics on this channel
This channel is a great example of personality… I could care less about cameras and skaters clothes, but I never miss an episode cause of James.
James you have yet to miss a beat with any video so far. thank you for your hard work and the inspiration to make art and only surf the internet for your videos
As a Professional photographer that uses analog cameras Leica included i had a great time hearing the Leica story from another perspective rather than the 5000 videos on youtube about. the Leica M6 and how everybody wants one haha. Guys Shoot what camera you have in hand , have fun and be respectful of those in the oposite side of your lens and if you have the money to buy a Leica camera enjoy the experience . BTW the rangefinder explanation has been One if not the Best Explanation i have seen in video .Thanks James , pet some buffed horses for me .
I wish I could subscribe twice after this one.
Other people's take-away from the video: Leicas !!
My take-away: "Our guts are like our second brain!"
But jokes aside: once again I'm blown away by how fun, informative and high quality these deep dives into random brands are. Absolutely love it!
That QR code got me, I’m not even mad
Also stoked that you're reppin Medium Build! Nick is one of the most genuine humans out there!
James doing character acting en masse auf Deutsch? Wunderbar!
An AWESOME video explaining the history of the "Pagani" of cameras. I've had a M8 with the 50 1.4 once I can totally understand why it feels the way it should for the owner. Excellent video to the max!
I walk around with my Leica III all the time. Very surprised and pleased to see Speeed talking about photography.
i'm thinking of owning iiif, was it worth it or too much flaw to handle as i use pro slr before?
@@meranlee1911 IIIF is a slow-pace camera. I only use it when I have lots of time to think. Be aware rangefinders are not the proper tool for some cases, like macro, landscape or birding with really long lens (those are the domain of SLR). Typically, street photographers prefer rangefinders because they are smaller, more silent, and easily usable with wide angle lenses.
I have a IIIc and it's my favorite camera to shoot with. I love the mechanical feel and just how solidly it's built.
This man is actually out here making genuine high quality content with great production value. The music, the theatrics, and the informative nature is just all on point. 10/10 creator.
not a camera channel, but made a camera video and pretty much killed it. Nice.
The thing with Leica and rich people is that Leica is really more a luxury brand item than a camera brand nowadays. They release cameras that are modern, sure, but a Q3 or SL3 will cost 2x more than the equivalent Sony, and will perform worse, generally.
But "Sony" doesn't have the same heritage, build quality or name power than Leica has.
If we had to make a comparison with the world of cars, a Leica would be that niche old retrofit car from a brand that produces 15 cars a year and costs 1.5M each. That's what a Leica camera is. A camera for people that want some expensive flare, or want to be attached to the heritage behind the actual model. And then there's a few people that really can't drive anything else (generally because they're pompous douches that want to have a personality).
The truth is that as nice as a rangefinder camera is, there are cameras on the market that will emulate every aspect of those cameras, at a cheaper price with much better performance. And if you're trying to argue otherwise : you're delisional. Just say you wanted to have a Leica, that's okay :)
Sony is really the spiritual successor to a few optics brands they acquired over the years though, chiefly Contax/Kyocera/Yashica most obvious in the Carl Zeiss name on Sony glass.
"The truth is that as nice as a rangefinder camera is, there are cameras on the market that will emulate every aspect of those cameras"
This is one I would have to disagree with and it comes down to user experience. There really isn't any other modern digital rangefinder out there on the market that has the same user experience as a Leica. Can other cameras take great photos? Absolutely. Better than Leica? Yeah, probably. But there's nothing else out there that feels the same to use.
The love for Leica cameras reminds me of the love for Harley Davidson. I don'
t share those loves, but kinda understands it.
Extremely well said and articulated. The Leica fanboys won’t like it and will always try to defend their overpriced red dot at all costs, but everything you said is objectively 100% true.
“If you’re trying to argue otherwise : you’re delusional.” Sony make great cameras for certain applications, Leica make great cameras for other applications. If you absolutely need the fastest autofocus or fastest burst rate or highest dynamic range, then sure, Sony have you covered. They’ve even got you covered if you need the all of that at the lowest price possible. What if none of that matters? Why wouldn’t you buy a camera finely crafted in Germany from high quality materials, which lets you enjoy the process of creating images? Get the tool which suits your needs. I’ve got both, and they’re both great at what they do, but sometimes a Ricoh GR is even better.
Great Video. Shooting for a small daily newspaper in 1974, I sold my personal Mamiya 500-DTL with a couple of lenses for a used Leica M3, mainly for the silent shutter I could use in meetings I covered. It was a great trade, that cost me an extra $100 for a new-in-box Elmar 50mm f/2.8. I still have the Leica, and lens, with an added 35mm 2.8 goggle-eye Elmar and a 135 f4.5 Hektor. It's still my favorite camera if I'm shooting film (which is rare these days), even though I've advanced to some digital cameras and only shoot as a hobby now.
One minor miss in this is the M2 model in the Leica line-up. The M3 covers 50-90-135 in the viewfinder and began with a double-stroke film advance lever. The M2 came out AFTER the M3 and introduced the single-stroke advance lever along with changing the viewfinder to a 35-50-90 view.
Ok, flange distance vs the first 3 optical aberration (Zernikes). As an opto-mechanical designer, this is irrelevant. All optical systems suffer aberration which is why optical designers use multi element systems. As long as the flange distance doesn't change, any optical aberration can be compensated. It's just a matter of cost. I worked on the Giant Magellan Telescope with an optical designer from Jena (Zeiss). She produced breathtaking designs that made my mechanical designs things of beauty.
Think of the 'flange distance ' involved in that!
Something we share in common right now is our contact with optics and their designs, but I was on the manufacturing side. I worked for Leitz, Hughes/Leitz, Elcan, Raytheon, pick a name they’re all the same location. Working on designs and assemblies for Panavision, IMAX, and a litany of prototype projects in the 4 years I worked with them. Everything from Spherical and Plano optics to some of the more interesting aspheric lenses using conventional milling processes or the more advanced ferromagnetic polishing compounds.
I loved doing the work for ANY of the consumer/research products we made there and, to this day, find myself referring to so much I learned from that initial career.
My uncle was an accomplished amateur photographer, and he collected vintage Leica cameras. He also owned newer models. He had a clear preference for Leica’s range finder models, which I never quite understood. Now I do. Thank you!
wait, how do i find out whats the other photo was taken with at 23:15 if its covered by another video preview? Damn it James! Thats sneaky! (yea i knon if the one on the left is leica then the one on the right must be iphone, but what if its not?!)
It says Iphone. (Just gotta be sneaky to see it 😉)
They seem the same
@@KomodoSoup The highly saturated colors of the sky, is usually a dead giveaway that it's taken with a phone.
@@maxmoller thanks
My boy, he gave two choices at the beginning of the video.
This documentary style of video. This right here. Is why you have to love UA-cam and it's insane creators. Kudos to you James!
The jab at Donut 21:55 😂🤣😂🤣
Once again, a banger video about something I've never been interested in, but for these past 20 minutes, was obsessed with.
I have such a strong need for Speeed that I put these on 2x and watch them twice.
Honestly speaking, I found the previous videos on this new channel a bit too "educational", just like a million other similar videos on UA-cam, however, watching this one made me feel like I'm watching the old "Upto Speed" videos. This one was good. Seems like humour is back on the menu, boys!
bruh I missed your B-roll acting. I love it. Keep it up
As an amateur photographer this is a delight. james literally knows how to tickle the audience on his topic selection mammamiya
Just want to say that this video right here is the perfect example of James outstanding knack to PRESENT. The dude is a master presenter! Take the most mundane, average topic or subject and give it to him. He will present it with such eloquence, and general enthusiasm that it will hook the viewer and provide a perfect, detailed and most enjoyable experience that not only entertains, but actually EDUCATES. we will one day look back at videos like these and think about little old James P. with much reverence and nostalgia. (while he is some big-shot, he'll probably run for president or some crazy sh*t). Lol
Great work on this James and team! The NYC street photography community gonna enjoy this one ❤
I’m an owner of an M4-P 70th anniversary edition (1023 out of 2500) and I believe it was one of the last production runs before the closing of the Canada factory that they opened during WWII. Not only are they the best tools for making photographs, the lore behind the brand is deep and you did a great job giving a high level overview.
A video on Saturday hell yeah!!
Great video!!!
I thought this was gonna be a silly Leica video, but it ended up being one of the most interesting Leica related videos in recent times. Thanks for putting a lot of work in it.
I love that you are exploring new topics
Dude I’ve just been getting into film and having to learn how a film camera actually works is lowkey very confusing. This video made it all so simple. This was super super well made.
Absolute kickass episode James.
Loved the video and the message. For a photographer, a camera and lens are like knives and other tools for a chef. Different brands don't make different dishes, but they significantly influence the subtleties that make the dish unique. Personally, I am a Zeiss guy, but of course, I greatly respect Leica, and I love what they are doing with the SL system.
It’s interesting to see something about cameras because most of us just take them for granted
james you really outdid yourself with this video. i really enjoy all the hard work and dedication you put into your content 💪🏼
Top tier acting 🫡🫡
James' faithful recreations of early 20th century German inventors is peak production.
I know this goes beyond the scope of this video, but what's interesting is that Leica has also worked with other brands to release cameras.
For example they have been co-developing cameras with Panasonic for a long time, leading to many cameras being released as Leica versions and almost identical Panasonic versions. For example those Leica Digilux series cameras you showed at 19:22 were released by Panasonic as the LC series. You'll also see many Panasonic lenses branded with the Leica name because of that.
They also worked with Minolta for a while, who we now know as Sony's camera division. Mostly to produce point and shoot film cameras from what I know.
Leica also shares a mount with Panasonic and Sigma through their L-Mount Alliance.
Or the colab with Minolta back in the day
@bergerniklas6647 I mentioned that 😅
@@athmaid oh, I missed that😅
Also, Sigma designed R lenses for them and many of their current autofocus lenses, Schneider made some M and R lenses, Zeiss made at least one R lens, the lenses on the Q digital series are designed by Panasonic... then there's also the cosmetic branding collaborations, like the BaPe and Hello Kitty Leica cameras...
I love how James expanded the Up to speed format to more things other than cars (cars are super cool but this is refreshing)
This popped up as a notification and I immediately stopped watching the video I was watching and came here. Because this matters. WE matter. #community
This video was an information dump in the BEST sense of the word. Keep up the good work
Yeah so with SLRs, the chromatic aberrations and slightly lower quality have to do with the mirror, which is only used for the viewfinder. The R part of SLR is Reflex, the Reflex being the mirror swinging out of the way when taking the picture. Nobody was “accepting lower quality photos,” they were accepting a minusculely lower quality viewfinder for the trade off of it being geometrically aligned with the lens.
Lol
Because the mirror is in the way you can’t have a true focal length, the distance between iris and film plane, of less than around 50mm. Because of this the lens has to be designed to approximate shorter focal lengths which does indeed increase optical aberrations. With modern lenses you’d be hard pressed to notice a difference but with old ones it’s noticeable in a professional setting.
@james-gn9cq retro focus design. Ever look through a pair of binoculars backwards? That's how wide angle lens work on slrs. The focal point is behind all of the optics. Just as a telephoto has its focal point in front of all the optics. Kinda neat that way.
Lots of compromises add weight and complexity.
Lol, an Slr is far easier to focus. Why do people believe the crap on the internet that a range finder is.... A mirror is the real image not some silly little patch that you can barely see...
Didn't know who you were and know even less about cars but now you're my (one-sided) new best friend. Great vid.
Another great history class.
I never thought I'd hear James talk about SLR's and Chromatic Aberration, what a time to be alive
ooh as a photography nerd this was a great video.
Feeding the machine, dont mind me. Thanks james for the amazing video, somehow this is literally the single best camera retrospective I think Ive ever seen. Omg.
I’m an amateur with a Nikon D-3200 I really gotta start posting on Instagram again 😂
hi, I am going to start teaching the most basic boring subjects, such as math, physics, biology and chemistry, but I want to do it in the most fun way possible. Someone has to do it. 12:14: those visuals are insane how interactive and engaging they are. Biggest compliments to the guy who made them. I would love to know more about them so I could use them to help teach these boring subjects and help people struggling keeping focus. Thank you anyways!
21:29 kanye reference? lmao
nice someone in the comments caught it too hahahaha
the cinematography and camera work is actually incredible in this video, all of the skits and bits are actually amazing and its really entertaining man, good stuff
I appreciate that there was actual research done for this. That combined with the cool and goofy nature of the presentation makes for a killer documentarian video.
James making a video about something I know of in passing but always wanted to know more about is like an early Christmas gift
The analog feeling of mirror vs digital cam be comparable to the difference between auto and manual cars.
Bravo on the video James!
That was a very good overview, rangefinder shooters typically used zone focusing. Instead of picking a focus point and then twisting the focus ring, you pre focused for a set distance marked on the lens (you calculated the aperture and zoom to figure your focus distance and depth) and when the subject or subjects appeared in that zone you fired away. You can do this on SLRs and now mirrorleas, but it was particularly popular on rangefinders and if you got good you rarely had a missed focus shot. I think this added to the mystique of Leica when, realistically, things like flange distance and CAs are not as problematic as we make them out to be. Considering that, the speed and precision with which we can use a SLR or mirrorless makes them superior for most.
Moment first, focus second, light third, hardware weirdness last. It is why people can still get paid using a Nikon D700 and a nifty 50 1.8.
Man… James you are killing it. I am a gearhead, petrolhead, etc… but most of all I am a curios dude. I love this channel. Perhaps my favorite channel on UA-cam. I would say “my fav channel of all time” but the English Channel is sick.
As a Polaroid camera collector and having over 25 of them this video itched my brain like no other. Loved this 🙏
i think there are some key things missing from the leica story. namely minolta's partnership with leica in the mid 70s. around the same time as the M5 & R series, Leica produced a compact entry level model that was fully compatible with their M lenses. This compact leica was dubbed the CL. In return for minolta helping them develop an SLR, leica gave them permission to produce their own variants. minolta's variants of the R series used their lens mount & also produced the CLE: the most advanced rangefinder we'd get for a few decades.
side tangent, the CL was leica's response to the boom of cheap, compact cameras aimed at amateurs going on vacation. competitors in that demographic included the canon QL17, ricoh 500G, olympus trip 35, & the venerable rollei 35s. feature wise, they all got pretty close to the CL. however, there was always *some* compromise in either build quality, technology, or lacking interchangeable lenses. the CL was just about perfection. quiet, light, mechanically pleasing, & straight forward in design. it was too perfect. it started eating into M5 sales, leading to its swift discontinuation.
Man you are really firing on all cylinders with your videos. You are an incredibly engaging presenter. Really enjoying everything you've been doing on here.
All the best and keep up the good work, man.
You deserve all the praise you're getting.
20:20 technically, while he's known for playing Fender, John Mayer has been a PRS guitar artist since like 2014/15
Dude! Your channel is a discovery! I absolutely love the way you present the content!
James talking about cameras has made this year significantly better!
Fascinating deep dive into the history and allure of Leica cameras! As someone who appreciates both the artistry and the engineering behind photography, I found this video incredibly insightful. The blend of historical context, technical explanations, and cultural significance made it a truly engaging watch. It's clear that Leica isn't just a brand, but a symbol of passion and precision for those who truly appreciate the craft of photography.
This was so entertaining! The writing was excellent, and James' acting makes any subject interesting!
I really like the direction this channel is heading and appreciate the creativity, work and research that goes into these videos. James, you are the best!
I haven't clicked to watch a video so fast in my life!. Every video so far has been fire guys. LOVE the variety! Please don't cut them down to "meet a target length". If the quality, jokes, and storytelling is this engaging, people will watch whatever length you put out! Keep it up guys!
Best video I’ve seen in a long time. So entertaining and informative. Much thanks!
James your ability to convey messages in video form is phenomenal ,this video was amazing.
keep going 💪
You have come a long way from telling me the history of car brands to this. I am a professional photographer and you did an amazing job explaining how cameras work and making it more interesting than I have seen other photographers do it when teaching. Great job.
These are some of the only videos I watch without skipping or pausing. The topics are so various, interesting and entertaining presented, I really dig your style of making these. Greetings from germany! :)
James is like the favorite professor of every student... Funny and entertaining at the same time while learning so much stuff IMO
This was a great video, man!
You've really got a knack for storytelling, and it shows that you can speak on just about any topic and make it interesting and digestible.
Dude - your knowledge and passion is so much wider than just the car world. I want to hear you talk about skateboarding more!
It’s so nice to hear about an old German company that can discuss what they were doing between 1939 & 1945
James, I think you're on the right path with your channel. Like Alec Watson with his Technology Connections channel, you also make me interested in stuff that I had no interest in. Also, I like the fact that you're bringing back the sketches and characters like in your Donut videos; it adds a lot to the entertainment factor, and keeps us focused on the video instead of opening up a new tab to do something else while it plays in the background. I think you're onto something really good with your channel! Just my 2 cents!
Wow, really well researched and written - I went into this thinking "oh, its going to be really hard to get some of these details across on a typically automotive channel", but dang, you guys really efficiently explained some concepts that even a lot of photographer's don't pay any attention to! One other fun tidbit about Leica's longevity by the way: Film photography has seen quite a resurgence in the past decade, lots of people want that "film look", the tactile process, etc. Leica still makes the M6, and most importantly, Leica still repairs any of their old film cameras. Like, if you send them your old ass beat to shit Leica ii from 1935, they will repair it. That's really wild and unheard of in film photography from any other manufacturer right now. We're all running around with ticking time bombs of repairability nightmares, unless you have a Leica. Then you know, you just have to pay a ton of money to get them to do it haha. But at least you know you CAN fix it.
Anyway, great vid, really enjoyed it!