Wonderful photographs. The camera doesn't matter; the photographer does. If you really, really want one, that's a different matter, which has nothing to do with photography but a lot to do with being human.
A perfectly balanced review, based on a photographer’s personal needs, not the (as you rightly mentioned) the megapixel spec etc. I’m glad you managed to get your hands on a Leica, I’ve always wanted to see what your photos would look like through their body and lens. As always, superb!
I bought my M6 reissue last March along with a 35mm Summicron. Not my smartest financial decision, but I flew a few extra trips for my job in order to afford it. I can say without a doubt it is my favorite camera I’ve owned and it makes me want to shoot. Now I don’t even think about how much it cost anymore. I’ve used it to document family life as well as photographing from the south side of Chicago where I live to traveling the world. It’s the perfect camera for me. Great photos in your video.
Have ovned the Leica MA since June, and I love it! The lences are sharp and light and easy to carry 5 lences on a mountain trip. And the best is that I can watch slides on a big screen again. And take pictures of the slides and import to Lightroom and tweak however I want to and get A2 pictures on the wall. It's another world of fun!
I'm 65 but i think I will stay with my Lumix GX9 for such shots. It never lets me down I found film a pain in the day and am not going back especially at Leica prices
Agree, I shot with film since the 60s and never ever wanted to go back to it since I went full digital in around 2004. I just cannot understand the obsession with film these days. I guess the newbies never ever experienced the joy and pain combined when processing the film and then printing the photos. Oh ... the long nights that I used to experience printing. Never want to do that ever again.
Loved using my M6. Also had an M8.2 Digital Leica. Loved the lenses. I sold it all because film is so expensive now, and servicing the cameras and lenses is a pain. I got an Olympus Pen F, had a Ricoh GR digital. I bought a used Olympus OM-1 and a Nikon FM2. They both have very sharp lenses on them and shoot just fine as well. And I don't care if I ding one of those.
Really liked the photos, and interesting vid. I saved my pennies and got a 1965 M2 (CLA recently I think). Just joyous to use (and the brass adjust and fit construction is palpable). Shame I can only afford 7Artisans lenses (though they're no slouch). An _can_ own an M without selling both kidneys
I have an e6 subscription, just so you can get closer to a classic Leica... Now I guess I have to hop a flight across the Atlantic and tag along on a photo walk/tour... Someone has to help Craig... Wait, I'm a Craig too.
Yea I borrowed the M11 as I hadn't got one with previous M's but I left the shop ordering mine same with the M11M. Broke but very happy & fell in love with my photography again
I cant afford a Lecia and if I could, would probably not feel good wandering around with such a high priced bit of camera 'jewelry' on display. I have my dads old Yashica rangefinder. I think its worth around £100.00 on the 2nd hand market, looks interesting and takes wonderful sharp shots (without a functioning light meter). Ive never really 'got' the Lecia thing, is it really such an astoundingly different shooting experience? Or is it the camera equivalent of wearing the 'right' designer sunglasses? Still it was interesting watching you have fun with one, I was just glad you are not one of the huge number of online photographers making their output in worship of the Hasselblad cameras they all seem to have had 'donated to them'! Thanks for another fun and informative video.
When I realized everyone was about to abandon DSLRs for mirrorless cameras, I sold all of my Canon gear while it still had value. It gave me just enough to cover the cost of a 2nd hand Leica Q2 Monochrome. I thought I’d feel the same way about carrying around expensive gear but honestly, my Canon 5D mk iv, battery grip, lenses, accessories, etc, & I was carrying around about the same cost in camera as before. I do have to say that there really is something to this camera, without the Bayer color filter, you have more stops of exposure available & more dynamic range. I know it’s not for everyone, but it’s perfect for the kind of photography I enjoy. For color photography, I picked up a Ricoh GR III 2nd hand & I must admit, I rather enjoy being able to go out with such little kit, without dragging along 3 lenses, a tripod, flash, etc, etc, as well as a bag large enough to hold everything. I also rather enjoy the limiting factor of having only a single focal length. It forces me to be far more deliberate with how I approach a shot. It really helps to push my creativity & try things I wouldn’t have thought to do otherwise. I really do think there is something to Leica, I am not someone with disposable income, I have to save money to buy gear. I also don’t give two shits about impressing other people with my gear or pretending to be in a higher tax bracket than I really am. I do photography for me, and I’m not interested in impressing other people so the prestige of the red badge is never something that I’ve chased or put much stock in. I understand they’re a luxury brand but they are very high quality cameras, that if you treat kindly, should hold their value.
The quickload works fine if you fold over the very tip of the film leader ... If in doubt, check out Matt Day and his videos on the M6 ... PS: I too use an Olympus 35RC.
Very nice pictures. Great street photography scenery. This reminds me back in the 90s, I was attending the Photokina in Cologne and Leica had a stand outside of the exhibition hall. You could borrow free of charge a Leica M6 with a preloaded film for taking pictures in the city. This is exactly what I did and I immediately fell in love with the experience. When you return the camera to the stand, they even develop the film free of charge and gave it to you with 5*7 prints. Don’t forget that it’s before the digital era of photography.
My gateway drug into Leica was a Q2 monochrom. Now I have 5 Leicas. I'm a fanboy for sure. I think that you might consider a Q2 monochrom for your style of photography. Well weathersealed, autofocus, and a beautiful 28mm f/1.7lens.
@@IamUke There most likely won't be. Personally I ended up switching from a Q2 Mono to a Q3 even though I shoot no color. Simply because the Color -> BW mixer in post is so important. Far more important than a bit of noise. Also I don't like how a mono camera with EVF forces you to see the world in BW. It isn't like that when shooting film (or a mono M).
Great video -couldn't agree more! The real Leica experience is a film one IMHO. I'm fortunate to own a couple of M's but I'm Fuji for digital. The problem is that digital can also give us tonality and sharpness which we could only dream of back in the film days. Your digital mono shots illustrate that perfectly Craig!
Check to see if yours scratches film. My brand new 2022 M6 did, and so do/did so many others. Leica blamed it on a bad batch of pressure plates but still incredible that a $6000 camera would do that, especially since they all come with signed quality inspected cards. If it scratches, you'll see it in the last 1/3rd of the film.
You've inspired me to stick a roll of black and white film into my mint Pentax SP with a 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar that I bought for a tenner from a house clearance place.🤫 New battery for the internal light meter cost nearly as much!
Nice review ! I have an M6 TTL bought in Japan in 1999, along with a 50mm Summicron-M. The total cost was about £2,000. Went all over Europe, Japan and the Antipodes with it. Several years ago I bought that 35mm Summicron Asph at an incredible discount in Australia, for my M240. It has not blown me away like I thought it would, though perhaps I should try it with film on the M6. New M6 prices seem exorbitant given it is only a film camera, and technically just a box holding the film. Better to save for the lens and put that on a different box, like a Bessa. Like you, I also use Nikon.. A far cry from my first camera, Zenith E with Helios lens, bought in 1971 (which I also took to Australia and Japan !). Best wishes from the central mountains of Honshu.
Well, regarding price - for me the hefty premium for an M is stellar. But, there is an alternative to the M-Experience... Take a Barnack IIIf and a Leicaflex SL2. The R glass is absolutely underrated but on par with the M counterparts and the haptics of the SL2 is, well, you have to hold it and work it by yourself. Also the IIIf, a beauty at a reasonable cost comparing to the M.
As long as you enjoy taking photos and don’t have to think that much where are all those buttons you have to push (or what ever) to actually take the photo that you have composed I feel it doesn’t matter what kind of camera you use. Being inspired by the gear is of course important but I guess it isn’t always so easy as world today seems to say to us that we need this and that and in many occasions it just isn’t so. But I bet it was nice to finally being able to take some images with Leica that you have talked about so much.
Hey, Craig, have you thought about a used M8? Not full frame and you could partner it with a Voigtlander M-lens. Probably get the whole thing for under a couple of grand if you were careful. After all, if you're going to shell out a pile of money for a Leica, you don't want to have to spend another pile on film. MPB might even lend you one, if you asked really nicely. It's that or ring Hasselblad and ask when you'r getting your Hassie. Every other 'Tuber seems to be getting one.
Thoroughly enjoyable. I did not know about the 'try before you buy' facility. In the days of Leitz if you attended the Leica School in Luton they lent you cameras on the days tou went shootin = I think they made a goodly number of sales including to me! I never had a film not go through my M series. I always pushed the film firmly into the spring on the take up spool, shot my first couple and then very gently turned the rewind to tale up the slack. You can easily sense when all is not well so you will not wind the film into the cassette. From then on the rewind crank revolves to indicate all is well. Loved my M series but preferred the reflex.
When I was young, I used to write a letter at Christmas with the words: "Dear Christ Child,...". Now that I'm an adult, the letter starts with "My dear Leica"
I have still a Leica M6, a M4 and a IIIC but I must admit I haven't shot one single frame on them since I went digital in 2001. However, I can't bring myself to sell them. They have too much sentimental value for me. Among other things, they were the cameras that ducumented my sins upbringing (he is 38 now). I still enjoy working the shutters and film advance now and then. They don't make them like that anymore - not even Leica.
Superb thoughts and images - as to be expected. Enjoying the experience adds quality to the results and can be the reason to go out shooting. For someone (like me) still super satisfied with the Oly PenF, a Leica is not desirable nor needed - what a luck.
The quick load is not failure proof. You have to be sure the top and bottom sprockets have caught, wind a couple before you close. I just did this myself and I'm not new to this system. (I'm glad you did it, too. I don't feel so foolish.)
Wrong thing to do. Just follow Leica's exceedingly simple instructions. The tulip on the baseplate places the film correctly, if you start winding before it is re-attached, in can result in feeding issues where it will start slipping later in the roll.
@@husshardan3511 I understand how simple it is. I'm talking about just making sure the film has engaged with the sprockets before closing. It's just a wind or two. I've been using film cameras all my rather long life and occasionally, even us old timers can sometimes futz-up loading.
@@dodahlberg the problem is that is the wrong way to load the camera. doing that without the tulip on the base plate correctly positioning the film may result in film slippage later on in the roll. Leica designed that tulip for a reason, and gave their film loading instructions for a reason. I also have been shooting for a long time and use lots of other brands of cameras. Leica is unique in this respect as they are the only camera where the base plate is removed to load film.
@@husshardan3511 Oh my. All I was doing was commiserating with the UA-camr for screwing up one roll. I screwed up a roll. Poop happens. I have other 35mm and medium format cameras that I've been using for ... (a lot) of years. This M6 isn't my first M camera either. Next time I'll be careful not to expose myself as a klutz or not comment at all.
"Hi Craig, like you've said in the past, are you using the right camera for you! camera looks nickable in most cities! in film cameras the lens and the film determine the final image, quality etc! the host for these two things can be anything from a box brownie to a, I dunno.. ... Leica! cheers."
I very much doubt the majority of people in Leeds know what a Leica is , if you want your Leica or Rolex nicking take the road to hell the M25 (London) . I live in Hull , not to far east of Leeds I use a leica M7 and MP . I’ve only once in about twelve years had comments about using a Leica here , and that was by another Leica user ( M6 ) , and to be fair I can’t truthfully tell the difference between shots I take on my leica’s or canon / Nikons .its the subject that counts not the camera .
That 28 is incredible it's perfect for up close street and doco work it makes amazing environmental portraits and makes landscape shooting a pleasure. Mine is the Q2 I love the colours from it and the mono conversations are spot on. @@e6Vlogs
Great photos!!! Would have been interesting to compare these photos to the same scenes taken with the GR @ High Contrast and PenF @ Mono2 and Fuji @ Acros-Red ... 🤔
used Leica m2 £900 used leica f2 50mm £250 , used Leica 35mm f2.8 £1500( A super special lens) used Leica 90mm f4 £190 ... no more or less expensive than anything else...But more beautiful, more fun, more interesting , more challenging , more admired .. just as capable as any thing else.. you are the weakness or the strength ...
No more or less expensive than anything else? You are having a laugh right? An excellent condition Nikon FM2 or Canon AE1 (or any other good 35mm film camera) can be picked up for 200 pounds max. Whatever you think of the experience a camera brings you is of course, your own opinion, but pretending that its not overpriced and you are not paying for a brand image is disingenuous.
@@tHaH4x0r I shot with canon film cameras for years so am well aware of the cost vs quality comparison , canon Lenses the l variety will cost £700 upwards bodies might be cheap but the image quality is all in the lens and the better canon lens are not pennies either .. a canon f1 is not £200 it almost £500 and a few hundred more than that for mint ones from Japan .. so don't start talking rubbish about Leica high price's , Leica's are made out of brass, metal and copper are manufactured to the highest standard and quality and assembled by hand by skilled craftmans , there isn't plastic anywhere in sight in the earlier Leicas .. I have had cheaper canons a1,*5 an ae1 program and f1New £350 to buy ( repaired twice £150 and £200) decent 35m f2 thorium Lens is around £500 and they don't compare .. I had four a1's break in 2 years ,so that was about £600 gone, ( so were is the value in that ) in general Canons are bigger and heavier, cheaper made , but made well , but are not in the same League ,, your are comparing a ford to rolls .. a f1 body and 3 L lens in a bag are twice the weight and size of a Leica and 2 collapsable's and tiny 35mm f2.8 you are talking 200-300 grams or less per lens more for the 90mm .. 1 canon lens can weight more than double that of a Leica Lens. at one point I owed 3/6 canon bodies and around 20 Lenses , The canon rangefinders the P and the last rangefinders the vi t and l are the closest in quality to Leica cameras all I have owed.. Leica Support the film community are active in it , Canon do not ... Leica and Many will repair and service M cameras .. Canons because they are so cheap and made of plastic are not repairable to the same level .. You like anything in life pay for what you get ,, for Leica you are paying for the highest quality. m2 ,m3,m4,m6 ,m7, mp , in build , components and compact optical performance .. Leica do not make rubbish M's or M cameras out of cheap components ,.. Leica have worked hard to build a reputation over a 100 years and more for quality and refinement with the objective or building the best cameras and lenses they can .. to knock that objective and achievement is being disingenuous and Leica do more than other major camera company to promote and keep film active and growing for that alone make them more attractive a company to buy their products and support as they still believe in the value and importance of the film format and are committed to help preserve it ..
@@ulyssesnathanialowen3831 It is clear that I have replied to a fanatic, or more commonly known on the internet a 'fanboy'. Lots of text with very little substance, boiling down to 'Leica best quality, canon worst', with much cherry picked anecdotal 'evidence'. You can go on any website, and pick a decent lens and camera body of anyone other than Leica and it will be much cheaper. None of your rambling can counter that fact, and it is not rubbish at all. It boggles my mind that you would refute this to be true, its almost as ridiculous as denying the sky is blue. That you personally think that other brands are 'rubbish' made of 'cheap components' is your own opinion, which I strongly disagree with.
@@tHaH4x0r am sure that anyone who does argue a point that doesn’t fall in line with your limit ed view and experience would be subject to naming calling and abuse from you as you have no other way of arguing a point. the fact i have had a far more broad and lengthy experience of canon products than you has been completely lost on you. you just want to shout your predetermined narrative no matter what !! limited and boring … 🥱
Maybe you should try mentioning Hasselblad in your videos rather than Leica. They really do seem to be giving cameras away for free to any UA-camr who wants one!
@e6 | Craig Roberts ... I got my M6 Titanium for only £20, and I'm still in my honeymoon period with the Red dot, after not shooting film for a long time. I have kept all of my previous 35mm film cameras, but I tend to shoot digital these days and mainly on M43 because of the weight and versatility of the sensor. The Voightlander Color Skopar 35mm f2.5 (£408 new) is my poor mans excuse for a Leica 35mm Summilux, and I also team it up with a 7 Artisans 28mm f5.6 , which will eventually be replaced by a Voightlander 28mm Ultron, but being on a budget the 7 Artisans 28mm (£75 used on Ebay) will do for now, plus the M lenses work well on all of my other cameras via adaptors. For anyone wishing to know how my M6 only cost £20, it was a prize in the draw / competition run by Leica Hunter Competitions. They're UK based, but anyone from anywhere in the world can enter, and I won on my third ticket.
Hi Craig, I really LEICA this Camera 😂🤣. It takes great photos but it's a bit expensive. At Least you had a a good time using it. Loved the reflection on the road. It was nice to see a camera that I haven't seen before. Thanks Craig 😊
I wandered into Leica via Panasonic and Fujifilm, and ended up with a secondhand (pre-loved?) Q2 (thanks MPB). I don't need to carry any other lenses so I can travel light. Not quite rangefinder but then ..... A major problem with Rangefinders is that the focusing system is mechanical, and will at sometime "fail" - usually the calibration falling out. This requires sending the camera back to Leica for re-adjustment, which can take up yo 6 months. Some Leica owners will have a "spare" Leica for that eventuality. So I'll stick to the mirrorless Q series, with a fixed lens. Now, if a Q with an M-mount came out .......
I'd like to see you explore the other end of the price spectrum, since an 8K camera is out of reach for most of us. Show us what can be achieved with an 'entry-level' outfit, e.g. a £100 second-hand camera and lens. I've no doubt you'd get some great images, as we all know that it's the photographer, not the gear, that makes the shot.
Honestly I’ll stick with my Canon P and the Canon LTM lenses. The Canon 50mm 1.4 LTM is every bit as good as the Leica choices. I have never had anyone tell me that an image would have been better if I’d used a Leica. If I’d want to look pretentious I’ll use my Hasselblad. 😊
Agree. It's not the camera which makes me jealous, it is the photographic eye for opportunities which many (including me) just overlook 😏 The camera (due to its price) is just a scam to an extent that stinks (to put it as frankly as it deserves).
Who does not want a Leica, I've been looking for a good deal on an M4 with an 35mm something for years, but a good deal on Leicas are not easy to come by (close to impossible).
I would never buy a digital leica unless it came with something like a 15 year warranty for that price. But if i was into film photography that's another story! Film cameras are good for life basically. But definitely not a digital leica for that price.
Perhaps it’s peppered your interest sufficiently to borrow the Leica Q43? What with its weather sealing, flip down floppy screen, image stabilisation, quality prime lens, simplified minimalist interface and a focal length at 43mm which sits nicely between the 35 and 50mm and almost the same as that 20mm Olympus f1.4 prime you tried but whilst liking the focal length was ultimately rejected because of the perceived soft corners? Perhaps the Leica 43mm might be as close as you can realistically get to your ideal camera in a digital format? Who knows but you might have fun seeing if it is? Best, Steven.
I have many Leicas m’s and r’s. After many years of new Leicas I i found out to my cost That they are they not what they are cracked up to be 🧐. Wait till they go out of adjustment and you have to pay the price of a nice car for a service and wait for months - then when you’re wife leaves you you’ll realise you should buy a reliable Japanese Fuji or Olympus etc …you’ll find out eventually 😉
@ thanks 😎- but l’m more sorry about all the money I spent on my Leica’s, which I still have but are retired now - I still use all my ultra reliable Japanese Panasonic made Leica D-lux series and micro 4/3 D-lux models which are Great! My German/Canadian/Portugal R’s and M’s, which were all bought new, were very problematic/unreliable. I’m afraid they are all hanger Queens now as i could buy a nice Mercedes car for the cost of servicing them. So I bought a couple of superb Fuji x100V’s , Olympus Em1’s, Nikon D700/ D200 instead - utterly reliable and built like tanks …maybe when I have some excess cash I’ll get my old Leicas back in action again 😎
…furthermore - the Leica’s of today are not built anything like the M4’s/M2’s etc of old which were crafted out of brass. The Q today is made out of cheap alloy - just like my old R4/R4s/ R6’s whose black chrome used to corrode and bubble up ‘as my new models’ did. The Q of today is a big ugly series camera. This is one of the reasons why I moved to the more elegant Fuji film X110v …just my opinion 😉
Amazing no shit photography, Leica or no Leica. Well it is always better with a Leica. Now I have to get my M6 out, crap can't afford the film anymore!!!!!
8k...and then bankrupt yourself by buying a couple more lenses ..no thanks I'll stick with my Xpro-1, its satisfyingly vintage enough now to tick any box now or in the future.
I own 2 Leicas - an M6 and an older M5. Im in a real minority in that I do prefer the M5. 2nd hand the cameras are not to bad to buy, the lenses on the other hand are all scary prices, so I have a lot of old Russian lenses that produce great results.
There is one and only reason for buying a Leica: Monochrome Sensor Yes: - the missing sensor stabilization is a pain in the **** - the fixed back screen is a pain in the **** BTW: Nice photography as we are use on this channel!
@@Footski1 It was a joke mate. The days that Leica belonged to the elite photojournalists and the well to do has long past. These days you get the video of some guy walking into the Leica shop in London or New York and walk out with twelve grand of gear as if they were shopping in the supermarket. Honestly, the mystique and the prestige have long gone.
Leica gave you nothing. But nice work on the clickbait. Maybe spend some more time on the photos and see if you can reach the level where Leica might show some interest in working with you.
@ Just edit the title to include the words “I wish” and I will happily untwist my knickers. Until then they remain twisted on behalf of all actual Leica Ambassadors.
The photos you took are exceptionally ordinary. They do not key into any virtues of the Leica rangefinder at all. You could have achieved the same results with a Sony A7, or a good telephone.
Wonderful photographs. The camera doesn't matter; the photographer does. If you really, really want one, that's a different matter, which has nothing to do with photography but a lot to do with being human.
Well said sir !
A perfectly balanced review, based on a photographer’s personal needs, not the (as you rightly mentioned) the megapixel spec etc.
I’m glad you managed to get your hands on a Leica, I’ve always wanted to see what your photos would look like through their body and lens. As always, superb!
I bought my M6 reissue last March along with a 35mm Summicron. Not my smartest financial decision, but I flew a few extra trips for my job in order to afford it. I can say without a doubt it is my favorite camera I’ve owned and it makes me want to shoot. Now I don’t even think about how much it cost anymore. I’ve used it to document family life as well as photographing from the south side of Chicago where I live to traveling the world. It’s the perfect camera for me. Great photos in your video.
Have ovned the Leica MA since June, and I love it! The lences are sharp and light and easy to carry 5 lences on a mountain trip. And the best is that I can watch slides on a big screen again. And take pictures of the slides and import to Lightroom and tweak however I want to and get A2 pictures on the wall. It's another world of fun!
I'm 65 but i think I will stay with my Lumix GX9 for such shots. It never lets me down
I found film a pain in the day and am not going back especially at Leica prices
GX-9 is super for street photography. In FF, the Nikon Z5 works well too!
Agree, I shot with film since the 60s and never ever wanted to go back to it since I went full digital in around 2004. I just cannot understand the obsession with film these days. I guess the newbies never ever experienced the joy and pain combined when processing the film and then printing the photos. Oh ... the long nights that I used to experience printing. Never want to do that ever again.
Loved using my M6. Also had an M8.2 Digital Leica. Loved the lenses. I sold it all because film is so expensive now, and servicing the cameras and lenses is a pain. I got an Olympus Pen F, had a Ricoh GR digital. I bought a used Olympus OM-1 and a Nikon FM2. They both have very sharp lenses on them and shoot just fine as well. And I don't care if I ding one of those.
Really liked the photos, and interesting vid.
I saved my pennies and got a 1965 M2 (CLA recently I think). Just joyous to use (and the brass adjust and fit construction is palpable). Shame I can only afford 7Artisans lenses (though they're no slouch). An _can_ own an M without selling both kidneys
Yessss! I would love to see you shoot more film 🙂 Not necessarily Leica, but seeing you shoot film is exciting!
Nice contrast in your photos, good composition too.
When I close my eyes and listen to your voice the name Piers comes to mind.
Thanks for the great review.
I have an e6 subscription, just so you can get closer to a classic Leica... Now I guess I have to hop a flight across the Atlantic and tag along on a photo walk/tour... Someone has to help Craig... Wait, I'm a Craig too.
Well, Craig, you are already helping Craig. And Craig is very much appreciative. Thank you Craig. From Craig.
Yea I borrowed the M11 as I hadn't got one with previous M's but I left the shop ordering mine same with the M11M. Broke but very happy & fell in love with my photography again
Wonderful images
Lovely images ! Somehow, I have the feeling you'll be reunited with the M6 soon enough.
Nice, apart from being film 😛 My Leica Q3 has a tilt screen (but fixed lens). Leeds looks great for street photography too 👍
I cant afford a Lecia and if I could, would probably not feel good wandering around with such a high priced bit of camera 'jewelry' on display. I have my dads old Yashica rangefinder. I think its worth around £100.00 on the 2nd hand market, looks interesting and takes wonderful sharp shots (without a functioning light meter). Ive never really 'got' the Lecia thing, is it really such an astoundingly different shooting experience? Or is it the camera equivalent of wearing the 'right' designer sunglasses? Still it was interesting watching you have fun with one, I was just glad you are not one of the huge number of online photographers making their output in worship of the Hasselblad cameras they all seem to have had 'donated to them'! Thanks for another fun and informative video.
When I realized everyone was about to abandon DSLRs for mirrorless cameras, I sold all of my Canon gear while it still had value. It gave me just enough to cover the cost of a 2nd hand Leica Q2 Monochrome.
I thought I’d feel the same way about carrying around expensive gear but honestly, my Canon 5D mk iv, battery grip, lenses, accessories, etc, & I was carrying around about the same cost in camera as before.
I do have to say that there really is something to this camera, without the Bayer color filter, you have more stops of exposure available & more dynamic range. I know it’s not for everyone, but it’s perfect for the kind of photography I enjoy.
For color photography, I picked up a Ricoh GR III 2nd hand & I must admit, I rather enjoy being able to go out with such little kit, without dragging along 3 lenses, a tripod, flash, etc, etc, as well as a bag large enough to hold everything.
I also rather enjoy the limiting factor of having only a single focal length. It forces me to be far more deliberate with how I approach a shot. It really helps to push my creativity & try things I wouldn’t have thought to do otherwise.
I really do think there is something to Leica, I am not someone with disposable income, I have to save money to buy gear. I also don’t give two shits about impressing other people with my gear or pretending to be in a higher tax bracket than I really am. I do photography for me, and I’m not interested in impressing other people so the prestige of the red badge is never something that I’ve chased or put much stock in.
I understand they’re a luxury brand but they are very high quality cameras, that if you treat kindly, should hold their value.
The perfect camera for you to use in dogdy alleyways is an Olympus EP5 or a Pen F!
Oh my Pen’s went to some VERY dodgy alleyways!
Great photos Craig, I was thinking about a Leica too then I realized that I don't need a 10000$ camera for my usually boring photos
The quickload works fine if you fold over the very tip of the film leader ... If in doubt, check out Matt Day and his videos on the M6 ...
PS: I too use an Olympus 35RC.
Some nice shots there.
Very nice pictures. Great street photography scenery.
This reminds me back in the 90s, I was attending the Photokina in Cologne and Leica had a stand outside of the exhibition hall. You could borrow free of charge a Leica M6 with a preloaded film for taking pictures in the city. This is exactly what I did and I immediately fell in love with the experience.
When you return the camera to the stand, they even develop the film free of charge and gave it to you with 5*7 prints. Don’t forget that it’s before the digital era of photography.
That was very generous.
My gateway drug into Leica was a Q2 monochrom. Now I have 5 Leicas. I'm a fanboy for sure. I think that you might consider a Q2 monochrom for your style of photography. Well weathersealed, autofocus, and a beautiful 28mm f/1.7lens.
You had me up until 28mm!
@@e6Vlogs Haha I know. It took me a while to get used to 28mm. Now I prefer it.
@@e6VlogsThe Q43 with 43mm might be more to your liking but since it’s a new release it’s way more expensive.
@@RegrinderAlert Yes and there is no monochrome version. Yet.
@@IamUke There most likely won't be. Personally I ended up switching from a Q2 Mono to a Q3 even though I shoot no color. Simply because the Color -> BW mixer in post is so important. Far more important than a bit of noise. Also I don't like how a mono camera with EVF forces you to see the world in BW. It isn't like that when shooting film (or a mono M).
Great video -couldn't agree more! The real Leica experience is a film one IMHO. I'm fortunate to own a couple of M's but I'm Fuji for digital. The problem is that digital can also give us tonality and sharpness which we could only dream of back in the film days. Your digital mono shots illustrate that perfectly Craig!
Check to see if yours scratches film. My brand new 2022 M6 did, and so do/did so many others. Leica blamed it on a bad batch of pressure plates but still incredible that a $6000 camera would do that, especially since they all come with signed quality inspected cards. If it scratches, you'll see it in the last 1/3rd of the film.
You've inspired me to stick a roll of black and white film into my mint Pentax SP with a 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar that I bought for a tenner from a house clearance place.🤫 New battery for the internal light meter cost nearly as much!
Nice review !
I have an M6 TTL bought in Japan in 1999, along with a 50mm Summicron-M. The total cost was about £2,000. Went all over Europe, Japan and the Antipodes with it. Several years ago I bought that 35mm Summicron Asph at an incredible discount in Australia, for my M240. It has not blown me away like I thought it would, though perhaps I should try it with film on the M6. New M6 prices seem exorbitant given it is only a film camera, and technically just a box holding the film. Better to save for the lens and put that on a different box, like a Bessa. Like you, I also use Nikon.. A far cry from my first camera, Zenith E with Helios lens, bought in 1971 (which I also took to Australia and Japan !). Best wishes from the central mountains of Honshu.
I have the M3 and M4 and they are also great Leica cameras.
Well, regarding price - for me the hefty premium for an M is stellar. But, there is an alternative to the M-Experience... Take a Barnack IIIf and a Leicaflex SL2. The R glass is absolutely underrated but on par with the M counterparts and the haptics of the SL2 is, well, you have to hold it and work it by yourself. Also the IIIf, a beauty at a reasonable cost comparing to the M.
As long as you enjoy taking photos and don’t have to think that much where are all those buttons you have to push (or what ever) to actually take the photo that you have composed I feel it doesn’t matter what kind of camera you use.
Being inspired by the gear is of course important but I guess it isn’t always so easy as world today seems to say to us that we need this and that and in many occasions it just isn’t so. But I bet it was nice to finally being able to take some images with Leica that you have talked about so much.
Hey, Craig, have you thought about a used M8? Not full frame and you could partner it with a Voigtlander M-lens. Probably get the whole thing for under a couple of grand if you were careful. After all, if you're going to shell out a pile of money for a Leica, you don't want to have to spend another pile on film. MPB might even lend you one, if you asked really nicely. It's that or ring Hasselblad and ask when you'r getting your Hassie. Every other 'Tuber seems to be getting one.
Thoroughly enjoyable. I did not know about the 'try before you buy' facility. In the days of Leitz if you attended the Leica School in Luton they lent you cameras on the days tou went shootin = I think they made a goodly number of sales including to me! I never had a film not go through my M series. I always pushed the film firmly into the spring on the take up spool, shot my first couple and then very gently turned the rewind to tale up the slack. You can easily sense when all is not well so you will not wind the film into the cassette. From then on the rewind crank revolves to indicate all is well. Loved my M series but preferred the reflex.
When I was young, I used to write a letter at Christmas with the words: "Dear Christ Child,...".
Now that I'm an adult, the letter starts with "My dear Leica"
I have still a Leica M6, a M4 and a IIIC but I must admit I haven't shot one single frame on them since I went digital in 2001. However, I can't bring myself to sell them. They have too much sentimental value for me. Among other things, they were the cameras that ducumented my sins upbringing (he is 38 now). I still enjoy working the shutters and film advance now and then. They don't make them like that anymore - not even Leica.
Superb thoughts and images - as to be expected.
Enjoying the experience adds quality to the results and can be the reason to go out shooting.
For someone (like me) still super satisfied with the Oly PenF, a Leica is not desirable nor needed - what a luck.
as a beginner i would like to see more of ur shutter speed etc. when u take the photo. sometimes u show it : )
The quick load is not failure proof. You have to be sure the top and bottom sprockets have caught, wind a couple before you close. I just did this myself and I'm not new to this system. (I'm glad you did it, too. I don't feel so foolish.)
Wrong thing to do. Just follow Leica's exceedingly simple instructions. The tulip on the baseplate places the film correctly, if you start winding before it is re-attached, in can result in feeding issues where it will start slipping later in the roll.
@@husshardan3511 I understand how simple it is. I'm talking about just making sure the film has engaged with the sprockets before closing. It's just a wind or two. I've been using film cameras all my rather long life and occasionally, even us old timers can sometimes futz-up loading.
@@dodahlberg the problem is that is the wrong way to load the camera. doing that without the tulip on the base plate correctly positioning the film may result in film slippage later on in the roll.
Leica designed that tulip for a reason, and gave their film loading instructions for a reason.
I also have been shooting for a long time and use lots of other brands of cameras. Leica is unique in this respect as they are the only camera where the base plate is removed to load film.
@@husshardan3511 Oh my. All I was doing was commiserating with the UA-camr for screwing up one roll. I screwed up a roll. Poop happens. I have other 35mm and medium format cameras that I've been using for ... (a lot) of years. This M6 isn't my first M camera either. Next time I'll be careful not to expose myself as a klutz or not comment at all.
Nice images and exposure. If you get itch at some point in future after test drive, pick up classic M3 with DR Summicron 50mm.
Well, it will probably be more than likely an M2 and 35mm.
"Hi Craig, like you've said in the past, are you using the right camera for you! camera looks nickable in most cities! in film cameras the lens and the film determine the final image, quality etc! the host for these two things can be anything from a box brownie to a, I dunno.. ... Leica! cheers."
I very much doubt the majority of people in Leeds know what a Leica is , if you want your Leica or Rolex nicking take the road to hell the M25 (London) . I live in Hull , not to far east of Leeds I use a leica M7 and MP . I’ve only once in about twelve years had comments about using a Leica here , and that was by another Leica user ( M6 ) , and to be fair I can’t truthfully tell the difference between shots I take on my leica’s or canon / Nikons .its the subject that counts not the camera .
See if you can get your hands on a Q2 Monochrom. Only thing it doesn't have is the flip up screen.
…and a 28mm lens!
@@e6Vlogs Fair enough!
That 28 is incredible it's perfect for up close street and doco work it makes amazing environmental portraits and makes landscape shooting a pleasure. Mine is the Q2 I love the colours from it and the mono conversations are spot on. @@e6Vlogs
I wouldn’t expect an £8.000 camera to be weather sealed!!
One aspect was not addressed:
Experience with pre focus shooting with those Leica lenses offering a focus tab.
Great photos!!! Would have been interesting to compare these photos to the same scenes taken with the GR @ High Contrast and PenF @ Mono2 and Fuji @ Acros-Red ... 🤔
Art of Noise (owned it too)
used Leica m2 £900 used leica f2 50mm £250 , used Leica 35mm f2.8 £1500( A super special lens) used Leica 90mm f4 £190 ... no more or less expensive than anything else...But more beautiful, more fun, more interesting , more challenging , more admired .. just as capable as any thing else.. you are the weakness or the strength ...
No more or less expensive than anything else? You are having a laugh right? An excellent condition Nikon FM2 or Canon AE1 (or any other good 35mm film camera) can be picked up for 200 pounds max.
Whatever you think of the experience a camera brings you is of course, your own opinion, but pretending that its not overpriced and you are not paying for a brand image is disingenuous.
@@tHaH4x0r I shot with canon film cameras for years so am well aware of the cost vs quality comparison , canon Lenses the l variety will cost £700 upwards bodies might be cheap but the image quality is all in the lens and the better canon lens are not pennies either .. a canon f1 is not £200 it almost £500 and a few hundred more than that for mint ones from Japan .. so don't start talking rubbish about Leica high price's , Leica's are made out of brass, metal and copper are manufactured to the highest standard and quality and assembled by hand by skilled craftmans , there isn't plastic anywhere in sight in the earlier Leicas .. I have had cheaper canons a1,*5 an ae1 program and f1New £350 to buy ( repaired twice £150 and £200) decent 35m f2 thorium Lens is around £500 and they don't compare .. I had four a1's break in 2 years ,so that was about £600 gone, ( so were is the value in that ) in general Canons are bigger and heavier, cheaper made , but made well , but are not in the same League ,, your are comparing a ford to rolls .. a f1 body and 3 L lens in a bag are twice the weight and size of a Leica and 2 collapsable's and tiny 35mm f2.8 you are talking 200-300 grams or less per lens more for the 90mm .. 1 canon lens can weight more than double that of a Leica Lens. at one point I owed 3/6 canon bodies and around 20 Lenses , The canon rangefinders the P and the last rangefinders the vi t and l are the closest in quality to Leica cameras all I have owed.. Leica Support the film community are active in it , Canon do not ... Leica and Many will repair and service M cameras .. Canons because they are so cheap and made of plastic are not repairable to the same level .. You like anything in life pay for what you get ,, for Leica you are paying for the highest quality. m2 ,m3,m4,m6 ,m7, mp , in build , components and compact optical performance .. Leica do not make rubbish M's or M cameras out of cheap components ,.. Leica have worked hard to build a reputation over a 100 years and more for quality and refinement with the objective or building the best cameras and lenses they can .. to knock that objective and achievement is being disingenuous and Leica do more than other major camera company to promote and keep film active and growing for that alone make them more attractive a company to buy their products and support as they still believe in the value and importance of the film format and are committed to help preserve it ..
@@ulyssesnathanialowen3831 It is clear that I have replied to a fanatic, or more commonly known on the internet a 'fanboy'. Lots of text with very little substance, boiling down to 'Leica best quality, canon worst', with much cherry picked anecdotal 'evidence'.
You can go on any website, and pick a decent lens and camera body of anyone other than Leica and it will be much cheaper. None of your rambling can counter that fact, and it is not rubbish at all. It boggles my mind that you would refute this to be true, its almost as ridiculous as denying the sky is blue.
That you personally think that other brands are 'rubbish' made of 'cheap components' is your own opinion, which I strongly disagree with.
@@tHaH4x0r am sure that anyone who does argue a point that doesn’t fall in line with your limit
ed view and experience would be subject to naming calling and abuse from you as you have no other way of arguing a point. the fact i have had a far more broad and lengthy experience of canon products than you has been completely lost on you. you just want to shout your predetermined narrative no matter what !! limited and boring … 🥱
M2 is a gem. Probably even more beautiful than an M3 or the M6. I have them, and that's how I know.
Maybe you should try mentioning Hasselblad in your videos rather than Leica. They really do seem to be giving cameras away for free to any UA-camr who wants one!
I would have said no thanks if they’d asked me!
@e6 | Craig Roberts ... I got my M6 Titanium for only £20, and I'm still in my honeymoon period with the Red dot, after not shooting film for a long time. I have kept all of my previous 35mm film cameras, but I tend to shoot digital these days and mainly on M43 because of the weight and versatility of the sensor.
The Voightlander Color Skopar 35mm f2.5 (£408 new) is my poor mans excuse for a Leica 35mm Summilux, and I also team it up with a 7 Artisans 28mm f5.6 , which will eventually be replaced by a Voightlander 28mm Ultron, but being on a budget the 7 Artisans 28mm (£75 used on Ebay) will do for now, plus the M lenses work well on all of my other cameras via adaptors.
For anyone wishing to know how my M6 only cost £20, it was a prize in the draw / competition run by Leica Hunter Competitions. They're UK based, but anyone from anywhere in the world can enter, and I won on my third ticket.
Hi Craig, I really LEICA this Camera 😂🤣. It takes great photos but it's a bit expensive. At Least you had a a good time using it. Loved the reflection on the road. It was nice to see a camera that I haven't seen before. Thanks Craig 😊
I wandered into Leica via Panasonic and Fujifilm, and ended up with a secondhand (pre-loved?) Q2 (thanks MPB). I don't need to carry any other lenses so I can travel light. Not quite rangefinder but then .....
A major problem with Rangefinders is that the focusing system is mechanical, and will at sometime "fail" - usually the calibration falling out. This requires sending the camera back to Leica for re-adjustment, which can take up yo 6 months. Some Leica owners will have a "spare" Leica for that eventuality. So I'll stick to the mirrorless Q series, with a fixed lens.
Now, if a Q with an M-mount came out .......
you're describing the q3 in the cons lol
am I going doolally or is there a leica M3 sat right there?
Well yes, but you put Smarties in it instead of HP5!
@@e6Vlogs an M3 full of smarties? now you are just showing off
Actually, without mirror slap, you can hand hold to about 1/15 of a second
Leica SL2 or SL3 is a modern camera
feeling for fm2 is too rough, and rookie. Leica m system is a masterpiece
I'd like to see you explore the other end of the price spectrum, since an 8K camera is out of reach for most of us. Show us what can be achieved with an 'entry-level' outfit, e.g. a £100 second-hand camera and lens. I've no doubt you'd get some great images, as we all know that it's the photographer, not the gear, that makes the shot.
Been there, done that. Check my older UA-cam videos.
@@e6Vlogs I'll look through your archive, thanks Craig.
Honestly I’ll stick with my Canon P and the Canon LTM lenses. The Canon 50mm 1.4 LTM is every bit as good as the Leica choices. I have never had anyone tell me that an image would have been better if I’d used a Leica. If I’d want to look pretentious I’ll use my Hasselblad. 😊
M6, F3, M805, Tri-X, Emofin - those were the days…
Your images look to be camera agnostic, therefore proving the point, its not about the equipment.
Agree. It's not the camera which makes me jealous, it is the photographic eye for opportunities which many (including me) just overlook 😏 The camera (due to its price) is just a scam to an extent that stinks (to put it as frankly as it deserves).
Who does not want a Leica, I've been looking for a good deal on an M4 with an 35mm something for years, but a good deal on Leicas are not easy to come by (close to impossible).
I would never buy a digital leica unless it came with something like a 15 year warranty for that price. But if i was into film photography that's another story! Film cameras are good for life basically. But definitely not a digital leica for that price.
Craig, be careful, this lens has focus shift at f4-f5.6
Nice compositions, not so much a fan of the Leica though… Love that first Jazz track in the background! Slammin!… ✊🏿
Perhaps it’s peppered your interest sufficiently to borrow the Leica Q43?
What with its weather sealing, flip down floppy screen, image stabilisation, quality prime lens, simplified minimalist interface and a focal length at 43mm which sits nicely between the 35 and 50mm and almost the same as that 20mm Olympus f1.4 prime you tried but whilst liking the focal length was ultimately rejected because of the perceived soft corners? Perhaps the Leica 43mm might be as close as you can realistically get to your ideal camera in a digital format? Who knows but you might have fun seeing if it is?
Best,
Steven.
Das wesentliche. I agree, M cameras should be film cameras.
I have many Leicas m’s and r’s. After many years of new Leicas I i found out to my cost That they are they not what they are cracked up to be 🧐.
Wait till they go out of adjustment and you have to pay the price of a nice car for a service and wait for months - then when you’re wife leaves you you’ll realise you should buy a reliable Japanese Fuji or Olympus etc …you’ll find out eventually 😉
@@withwolves100 I’m sorry to hear about your wife!
@ thanks 😎- but l’m more sorry about all the money I spent on my Leica’s, which I still have but are retired now - I still use all my ultra reliable Japanese Panasonic made Leica D-lux series and micro 4/3 D-lux models which are Great!
My German/Canadian/Portugal R’s and M’s, which were all bought new, were very problematic/unreliable.
I’m afraid they are all hanger Queens now as i could buy a nice Mercedes car for the cost of servicing them.
So I bought a couple of superb Fuji x100V’s , Olympus Em1’s, Nikon D700/ D200 instead - utterly reliable and built like tanks …maybe when I have some excess cash I’ll get my old Leicas back in action again 😎
…furthermore - the Leica’s of today are not built anything like the M4’s/M2’s etc of old which were crafted out of brass.
The Q today is made out of cheap alloy - just like my old R4/R4s/ R6’s whose black chrome used to corrode and bubble up ‘as my new models’ did.
The Q of today is a big ugly series camera.
This is one of the reasons why I moved to the more elegant Fuji film X110v …just my opinion 😉
Tbh. The £8k puts me right off..
If you read my lastest comment, you'll see that it doesn't have to cost a fortune ...
If you cant afford the best get the M3 probably is more your style, it doesnt have the red dot
Amazing no shit photography, Leica or no Leica. Well it is always better with a Leica. Now I have to get my M6 out, crap can't afford the film anymore!!!!!
With regard to the film not loading, and you not realising for 10 frames! Perhaps you should have read the instructions. 😂
8k...and then bankrupt yourself by buying a couple more lenses ..no thanks I'll stick with my Xpro-1, its satisfyingly vintage enough now to tick any box now or in the future.
I like this video until you started to talk about unnecessary features.🙂I say this as a happy Leica Q owner since 8 years.
I own 2 Leicas - an M6 and an older M5. Im in a real minority in that I do prefer the M5. 2nd hand the cameras are not to bad to buy, the lenses on the other hand are all scary prices, so I have a lot of old Russian lenses that produce great results.
There is one and only reason for buying a Leica: Monochrome Sensor
Yes:
- the missing sensor stabilization is a pain in the ****
- the fixed back screen is a pain in the ****
BTW:
Nice photography as we are use on this channel!
Is it?
You could get a monochrome Pentax
@@RegrinderAlert Not really.
But I am glad you love your Pentax!
@@ArnaudSiemons You doubt?
@@peterebel7899 I don’t own a monochrome camera 😂
Just stating there are more out there, including IBIS and flip screens
So how many people have threatened to unsubscribe because receiving a free Leica means you no longer represent the common man?
Having to give it back surely puts me back where I belong!
He never did.
He only had it on loan.....more respect please..
@@Footski1 It was a joke mate. The days that Leica belonged to the elite photojournalists and the well to do has long past. These days you get the video of some guy walking into the Leica shop in London or New York and walk out with twelve grand of gear as if they were shopping in the supermarket. Honestly, the mystique and the prestige have long gone.
Leica gave you nothing. But nice work on the clickbait. Maybe spend some more time on the photos and see if you can reach the level where Leica might show some interest in working with you.
@@deepsmac7784 What, and miss the joy of getting your knickers all in a twist?
@ Just edit the title to include the words “I wish” and I will happily untwist my knickers. Until then they remain twisted on behalf of all actual Leica Ambassadors.
The photos you took are exceptionally ordinary. They do not key into any virtues of the Leica rangefinder at all. You could have achieved the same results with a Sony A7, or a good telephone.
Can you link me to some of your examples to show me what you mean?
Gotta OM1n just as good , why pay the money to be hip
It's not "just as good" *Source: I own both. The Leica system is leagues ahead in every metric.
Can you please stop the jump zoom in and out, it's really annoying
Probably not.
Bye!
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