Great presentation on the range of Leicas. Some serious $$ sitting on the table. I'm intrigued with the Monochrome, but worry that I'd be missing out on colour opportunities. Looking forward to more reviews!
Hi. Thanks for all you hard work and great videos! My experience with cameras is the nomenclature camera manufacturers use. It's too confusing and discourages me from proceeding with photography let alone spending thousands of dollars on equipment. I just don't have the free time to become a linguist in over half a dozen camera companies' languages. Happy holidays to you and yours!
Do they have one in stock? I think Leica were planning on sending me a copy to review as well. I need to work out my arms before I test it though. I've felt it in-hand before. It's a beast.
Hey! I just got in the new 2022 M6 Reissue. So excited. Have the new 35mm 1.4 on it. I wanted to thank you for your videos. So very helpful as I entered the Leica world. I’m also a Vancouver shooter. Many cheers. :)
Leica Ms are amazing but I really like to shoot with the back LCD these days so it seems like it would be a waste of such a good focusing system! For me it seems like bringing your camera to your eye while doing street photography draws so much attention. The Leica Q2 also looks amazing but I'd be more inclined to buy one if they put a 35mm lens on it. And make it smaller. I don't see the need for f/1.7 on a 28mm lens. I've had my eye on the CL and the 23mm lens for a while and don't think it gets the love it deserves. But for now I'm on more of a Fujifilm and Ricoh budget anyway!
Same here, other than my film Leica, my digital ecosystem is Fuji-Ricoh. However, there are some deals at KEH if you keep your eyes open. I am considering a used Leica Q if the price is right, since I do love the 28mm lens :-)
@@bigheadtaco Could be from the pandemic and fewer new releases driving up prices for the used market but it seems like prices for used gear has been unreasonably high Hope you can find a good deal on one 🤞
Excellent video as always. Just bought the Leica SL2-S with the 24-90mm lens, blimey it’s a big beast with that lens! Not sure if the zoom lens is a keeper as it’s so dam heavy…
It really depends on what you plan to use it for. It was the sharpest mid zoom lens I've ever used, and I've used plenty over the years, but you definitely pay for that awesomeness in size and weight. If it was a bit slower but a lot smaller, I think I would have been happy. If I was doing work on a tripod or in studio, I'd be super happy with it. If I was traveling the world, not so happy :-)
That's what I love so much about Leica. I get annoyed with people that try to make these cameras something they are not, or when they don't understand the value and their generational longevity. I'm always saying if you want a basic camera, go by basic.
M10-P is nice, I enjoyed reviewing it. The shutter feel is wonderful. However, for longer lenses or usable zooms, the SL2 is great. Also good for video :-)
up next - the Leica medium format camera :D side by side with the GFX haha. Nice video. still unsure about the leica APSC sensor - even after hearing from your live stream that leica does have a certain look due to their lens design. I cant understand that idea or "buy in to it" when there's fuji. maybe a side by side comparison between fuji APSC and leica APSC cameras?
Thanks for the presentation; I have owned and used many camera brands, but somehow always go back to Leica (one film and one digital M are now my main tools); have owned the Sl and it IS a spectacular camera, wildly misunderstood and under rated. The only glaring omission here is the Leica S!! P.S.: KEH is in fact a top notch operation, I bought often from them, i appreciate how conservative they are in their assessment, the product you receive is normally better than expected/described.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Leica. Yes, when the SL first came out, Chris and Jordan (then the Camera Store) rated it the worst camera of the year, while I thought it was one of the best. Their perspective was coming from working in a camera store. Mine was as a shooter. If you tried comparing it to a Sony A7 series on price-performance, yes the SL makes no sense. It's like comparing a Rolls Royce against a Lexus based on price performance.
Hello BHT - I think your presentations are wonderful. Great delivery. Thank you. May I please ask a question ? I love the Fuji X100V but also the Leica CL with either the 18mm or 23mm F2 TL summicron. Which camera / lens set up gives the best colours, DR, rendering and sharpness. X100V or the CL ? Thanks very much. Kind regards, Adam.
X100V for sure. Not only is the lens sharper due to the integrated lens design, the processor in the X100V is very powerful. The film simulations give wider colour options, and of course both can be altered in PS or LR with more control. However, my vote is for the X100V when comparing to the Leica CL.
the best tip I've found is to shoot the lens wide open on adapted lenses, and make sure the image is set to automatically magnify when trying to focus. Also, focus on the closest subject to you, as there's more depth of field behind the focus point versus in front.
The CL is a brilliant and underrated camera. It’s looks back at the origin og the brand in the fact that it’s a true lightweight travel camera. The IQ can be compared with the best out there.
I have a couple buddies who have it and they love it. They own the SL as well, but when they go on vacation, they take the CL. I'll do my best to do it justice.
@@Holl.Mvrk. I'll do my best. Shot with it today against the Q2 and GRIII. You really notice the advantages of IBIS when you're shooting in low-light situations.
@@bigheadtaco oooh now that would make a solid video there. CL, Q2 and Griii. A little battle of the 28s haha but yes I agree, when I had my xh1 you really utilize that ibis at night. 🤙🏼
Great video as always. Can you tell me, is it that the Minolta 90mm is tricky to focus on m bodies, or is it that 90mm in general are hard to focus on m bodies, especially m film bodies. Thanks.
The 90mm is tricky to focus, especially the 90mm Summicron. The Minolta 90mm f/4 isn't horrible, but for critical focus, like choosing the eye lashes or eye ball, it's nearly impossible on an M body. In the old days, I'd just focus bracket to be sure, but it got expensive doing that :-)
I had a film Leica years ago, not sure if it was my unit but it always seemed like the rangefinder mechanism was always a bit wonky and I’d get out of focus too much.
Ya you do need to adjust the range finder mechanism once in a while, depending on which model you have. Some models are better than others. The newer ones are great, some of the M4-P and M4-2 were kinda okay.... it was a bad period for Leica.
@@bigheadtaco I would send them back to authorized Leica service, they would peel a few hundred off of me and this would happen a couple of times a year. Then I thought that I was sick and tired of doing this for a 'prestige' piece of equipment.
@@MyNorthAmetican40 too bad you had so much problems with the rangefinder focus. Luckily we have a local CLA guy and also a few people who can adjust without having to take back to Leica. Sorry you had such a bad experience
Unpopular opinion but personally not a fan of these new Leica cameras. I think people think they’re beautiful because they’re Leicas and not just cause they’re beautiful. Outside of the red badge i’m not really seeing anything that aesthetically pleasing. I mean they’re not ugly just not really anything spectacular that makes me go I need that. Sort of how a new BMW these days aren’t really anything super special but yeah it has a BMW badge and the reputation so automatically that makes it “nice.” Looks like another square rectangle from another mass-market camera company. Perhaps because the heritage and legacy of the “real” old Leica classic film camera looms like a cloud over the new stuff. Just not seeing the appeal to dropping 10k on a black Leica digital. Maybe if it were 3-4k.
I’d say the aesthetics of these cameras, besides the SL2 and especially the TL2, have been around since the days of the M6 in the 1980s. Heck you could argue the early Leica R cameras led up to the SL, and then the later Rs were the precursor of the S. That being said I do prefer the look of the Q-P and Q2 Monochrom over many of the others. Leica does minimalism like no other. As far as the price, I’d say they’re out of wack now but not for that long. I got an M10 in great condition with a third party lens early this year for about $4k. Still not cheap for a mirrorless camera, but I’ve always loved the M3 and getting a digital camera to complement it has been so great. I was thinking about getting an SL 601 in the future, but honestly I’d rather just get a Panasonic or Sony or even a Canon if I wanted a modern AF mirrorless, cause I would be using it for video work primarily.
Thanks for your thoughts. Aesthetics are definitely subjective, but have you actually held these cameras in your hand? They don’t look nor feel like anything I’ve played with recently, and I’ve played with a lot of cameras. I wouldn’t compare Leica to a BMW, probably more like a Rolls or McLaren. The price in itself can’t really justify what you get, like most premium products. However, I will say that Leica is not competing with Sony or Canon directly. Leica has less than 2000 global employees? Canon and Sony have over 100,000 employees? It’s like Rolls Royce trying to compete against Toyota to make the next SUV. They would be destroyed. The only way Rolls Royce can survive is to not compete with mass market car manufacturers. Leica is similar in many ways. If Leica with their 1800 global employees tried to compete directly with Sony or Canon, they would have been out of business decades ago.
Sorry I’ve held and used both. Superficially the shape of an A7 and SL can go right back to the old film days and SLR design. But if you actually have them side by side they are nothing alike other than having a basic camera shape.
They are wildly pricey but the usability sets them apart. I use sony because I need the focusing speed and accuracy for work but the only thing keeping me from saving for a SL2S is the body weight. For slower personal work I prefer it to sony every day of the week.They are such a pleasure to use.
@@bigheadtaco i loved the live. so fun seeing that part of Vancouver. It was so cinematic. I could see a photo at every turn im your description! It cheered up my Sunday. :))
@@abrooklyngirllinda glad you enjoyed it. Camer Girl also enjoyed it. She rarely watches my live. I'll try for next week. Only problem is I use up a lot of data :-(
The Family Leica has been a 1938 Leica IIIa with a 1950's era 50mm f/3.5 collapsible Elmar. I see you don't consider "Barnack Leicas" worthy of your attention. Oh well, though I haven't used it since before the turn of the century, I could send it out for a CLA session and use it once again. It used to be quite common and worth next-to-nothing, even at eBay, but even This Old Camera is worth from $300-$770 (body only), $300-$770 (with 50mm lens) these days. These are the "nothing special" Leica IIIa satin chrome cameras at eBay.
As I mentioned in the video, it’s more about the currently available Leica cameras. My only exception was my M7, but I did mention it was recently discontinued. I will eventually do a Barnack Leica review, but I need access as you can imagine. I don’t own these cameras, I have them on loan from various people and brands.
it's a large investment, but the Q cameras are great, especially if you like the 28mm field of view. I like it so it's totally worth it for me, but I'd still look for a second hand OG Q
@@bigheadtaco I too love the 28mm FOV. I’m actually in the process of selling my Fuji 16-55f2.8 to pick back up a Ricoh griii. Ever since I sold mine I have missed it.
@@bigheadtaco that’s the truth, I let GAS sway my thinking in the past. Luckily last night I sold the16-55 and picked up another Griii, this time the limited street edition 🙌🏼 can’t wait for it to come in the post.
Great presentation on the range of Leicas. Some serious $$ sitting on the table. I'm intrigued with the Monochrome, but worry that I'd be missing out on colour opportunities. Looking forward to more reviews!
Hi. Thanks for all you hard work and great videos! My experience with cameras is the nomenclature camera manufacturers use. It's too confusing and discourages me from proceeding with photography let alone spending thousands of dollars on equipment. I just don't have the free time to become a linguist in over half a dozen camera companies' languages. Happy holidays to you and yours!
Yay. First. Love your channel man. I was sponsored by Adidas when I competed in judo. But my friend is director of advanced operations in Nike.
Ha ha, thanks for watching!! I’d be just as happy with Nike. Big fan of the AF1, Air Max 90 and 95s!
Loved it! Tell KEH your fans want a Leica S breakdown too!
Do they have one in stock? I think Leica were planning on sending me a copy to review as well. I need to work out my arms before I test it though. I've felt it in-hand before. It's a beast.
Hey! I just got in the new 2022 M6 Reissue. So excited. Have the new 35mm 1.4 on it. I wanted to thank you for your videos. So very helpful as I entered the Leica world. I’m also a Vancouver shooter. Many cheers. :)
Leica Ms are amazing but I really like to shoot with the back LCD these days so it seems like it would be a waste of such a good focusing system! For me it seems like bringing your camera to your eye while doing street photography draws so much attention.
The Leica Q2 also looks amazing but I'd be more inclined to buy one if they put a 35mm lens on it. And make it smaller. I don't see the need for f/1.7 on a 28mm lens.
I've had my eye on the CL and the 23mm lens for a while and don't think it gets the love it deserves.
But for now I'm on more of a Fujifilm and Ricoh budget anyway!
Same here, other than my film Leica, my digital ecosystem is Fuji-Ricoh. However, there are some deals at KEH if you keep your eyes open. I am considering a used Leica Q if the price is right, since I do love the 28mm lens :-)
@@bigheadtaco Could be from the pandemic and fewer new releases driving up prices for the used market but it seems like prices for used gear has been unreasonably high
Hope you can find a good deal on one 🤞
Excellent video as always. Just bought the Leica SL2-S with the 24-90mm lens, blimey it’s a big beast with that lens! Not sure if the zoom lens is a keeper as it’s so dam heavy…
It really depends on what you plan to use it for. It was the sharpest mid zoom lens I've ever used, and I've used plenty over the years, but you definitely pay for that awesomeness in size and weight. If it was a bit slower but a lot smaller, I think I would have been happy. If I was doing work on a tripod or in studio, I'd be super happy with it. If I was traveling the world, not so happy :-)
Looking forward for your new Leica reviews
Leica is a niche product. And I love niche products.
That's what I love so much about Leica. I get annoyed with people that try to make these cameras something they are not, or when they don't understand the value and their generational longevity. I'm always saying if you want a basic camera, go by basic.
as an owner of the M10-P *White* L.E. + 50 Summilux . . .
i am lusting for the Q-Mono or SL2S + 28 Apo-Summicron as my 2nd Leica
M10-P is nice, I enjoyed reviewing it. The shutter feel is wonderful. However, for longer lenses or usable zooms, the SL2 is great. Also good for video :-)
Can’t like this video enough ❤️
up next - the Leica medium format camera :D
side by side with the GFX haha.
Nice video. still unsure about the leica APSC sensor - even after hearing from your live stream that leica does have a certain look due to their lens design.
I cant understand that idea or "buy in to it" when there's fuji.
maybe a side by side comparison between fuji APSC and leica APSC cameras?
Thanks for the presentation; I have owned and used many camera brands, but somehow always go back to Leica (one film and one digital M are now my main tools); have owned the Sl and it IS a spectacular camera, wildly misunderstood and under rated. The only glaring omission here is the Leica S!!
P.S.: KEH is in fact a top notch operation, I bought often from them, i appreciate how conservative they are in their assessment, the product you receive is normally better than expected/described.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Leica. Yes, when the SL first came out, Chris and Jordan (then the Camera Store) rated it the worst camera of the year, while I thought it was one of the best. Their perspective was coming from working in a camera store. Mine was as a shooter. If you tried comparing it to a Sony A7 series on price-performance, yes the SL makes no sense. It's like comparing a Rolls Royce against a Lexus based on price performance.
Love my sl2 , if you like quality you cant go wrong
Awesome glad you like it. What lenses do you use on it?
@@bigheadtaco I have the Leica 24/90 & sigma 45 x 2.8 contemporary but for the dreamy Leica look I use my 50 summilux 1.4 m lense
@@andrewjames9963 oh wow you have nice glass 😎😎😎
Hello BHT - I think your presentations are wonderful. Great delivery. Thank you. May I please ask a question ? I love the Fuji X100V but also the Leica CL with either the 18mm or 23mm F2 TL summicron. Which camera / lens set up gives the best colours, DR, rendering and sharpness. X100V or the CL ? Thanks very much. Kind regards, Adam.
X100V for sure. Not only is the lens sharper due to the integrated lens design, the processor in the X100V is very powerful. The film simulations give wider colour options, and of course both can be altered in PS or LR with more control. However, my vote is for the X100V when comparing to the Leica CL.
Hey BHT, last I checked KEH would not pay to ship gear from Canada to their store in the USA, has this changed now? Thanks.
Let me find out, it's the weekend so I don't know. I'll ask KEH to comment here if they can as well, thanks for asking
There’s the zeiss zx1 😁 like the q2
Looking forward to seeing your Q2 Monochrom review. I just purchased mine and would love to hear your thoughts.
Will do!
Loved the video Take, I still have the SL (type 601) do you have any tips for manual focusing when using peaking?
the best tip I've found is to shoot the lens wide open on adapted lenses, and make sure the image is set to automatically magnify when trying to focus. Also, focus on the closest subject to you, as there's more depth of field behind the focus point versus in front.
@@bigheadtaco Thanks I'll try that, I always assumed shooting at f8 would make it easier to get things in focus while on a hike but I guess not!
@@Jayysam95 it's definitely easier once it's already in focus. But to get focus, shoot wide open :-)
@@Jayysam95 focus peaking works best with as much light as possible 👍🏼
I am really interested in seeing more in depth info on the CL, I feel like there isn't too much content on that camera
The CL is a brilliant and underrated camera. It’s looks back at the origin og the brand in the fact that it’s a true lightweight travel camera. The IQ can be compared with the best out there.
I have a couple buddies who have it and they love it. They own the SL as well, but when they go on vacation, they take the CL. I'll do my best to do it justice.
@@bigheadtaco haha looking forward to seeing what you create with it ! 🤙🏼
@@Holl.Mvrk. I'll do my best. Shot with it today against the Q2 and GRIII. You really notice the advantages of IBIS when you're shooting in low-light situations.
@@bigheadtaco oooh now that would make a solid video there. CL, Q2 and Griii. A little battle of the 28s haha but yes I agree, when I had my xh1 you really utilize that ibis at night. 🤙🏼
Great video as always. Can you tell me, is it that the Minolta 90mm is tricky to focus on m bodies, or is it that 90mm in general are hard to focus on m bodies, especially m film bodies. Thanks.
The 90mm is tricky to focus, especially the 90mm Summicron. The Minolta 90mm f/4 isn't horrible, but for critical focus, like choosing the eye lashes or eye ball, it's nearly impossible on an M body. In the old days, I'd just focus bracket to be sure, but it got expensive doing that :-)
@@bigheadtaco fantastic thank you for explaining that, much appreciated.
I need to win at the lottery :)
Nice review.
For sure, these aren't cheap. That's why it makes sense to buy used if you can :-)
I had a film Leica years ago, not sure if it was my unit but it always seemed like the rangefinder mechanism was always a bit wonky and I’d get out of focus too much.
Ya you do need to adjust the range finder mechanism once in a while, depending on which model you have. Some models are better than others. The newer ones are great, some of the M4-P and M4-2 were kinda okay.... it was a bad period for Leica.
@@bigheadtaco I would send them back to authorized Leica service, they would peel a few hundred off of me and this would happen a couple of times a year. Then I thought that I was sick and tired of doing this for a 'prestige' piece of equipment.
@@MyNorthAmetican40 too bad you had so much problems with the rangefinder focus. Luckily we have a local CLA guy and also a few people who can adjust without having to take back to Leica. Sorry you had such a bad experience
An M5, they're pretty dope and still less than a lot of digital bodies.
I love the M5
Why Leica don't treat their APSC system like Sony APSC series where it's serious and full of lenses too?
Monochrome 🖤
Unpopular opinion but personally not a fan of these new Leica cameras. I think people think they’re beautiful because they’re Leicas and not just cause they’re beautiful. Outside of the red badge i’m not really seeing anything that aesthetically pleasing. I mean they’re not ugly just not really anything spectacular that makes me go I need that. Sort of how a new BMW these days aren’t really anything super special but yeah it has a BMW badge and the reputation so automatically that makes it “nice.” Looks like another square rectangle from another mass-market camera company. Perhaps because the heritage and legacy of the “real” old Leica classic film camera looms like a cloud over the new stuff. Just not seeing the appeal to dropping 10k on a black Leica digital. Maybe if it were 3-4k.
I’d say the aesthetics of these cameras, besides the SL2 and especially the TL2, have been around since the days of the M6 in the 1980s. Heck you could argue the early Leica R cameras led up to the SL, and then the later Rs were the precursor of the S.
That being said I do prefer the look of the Q-P and Q2 Monochrom over many of the others. Leica does minimalism like no other.
As far as the price, I’d say they’re out of wack now but not for that long. I got an M10 in great condition with a third party lens early this year for about $4k. Still not cheap for a mirrorless camera, but I’ve always loved the M3 and getting a digital camera to complement it has been so great.
I was thinking about getting an SL 601 in the future, but honestly I’d rather just get a Panasonic or Sony or even a Canon if I wanted a modern AF mirrorless, cause I would be using it for video work primarily.
@@Kevon420 Even the SL2 looks like a knock-off of a Sony A7 series.
Thanks for your thoughts. Aesthetics are definitely subjective, but have you actually held these cameras in your hand? They don’t look nor feel like anything I’ve played with recently, and I’ve played with a lot of cameras. I wouldn’t compare Leica to a BMW, probably more like a Rolls or McLaren. The price in itself can’t really justify what you get, like most premium products. However, I will say that Leica is not competing with Sony or Canon directly. Leica has less than 2000 global employees? Canon and Sony have over 100,000 employees? It’s like Rolls Royce trying to compete against Toyota to make the next SUV. They would be destroyed. The only way Rolls Royce can survive is to not compete with mass market car manufacturers. Leica is similar in many ways. If Leica with their 1800 global employees tried to compete directly with Sony or Canon, they would have been out of business decades ago.
Sorry I’ve held and used both. Superficially the shape of an A7 and SL can go right back to the old film days and SLR design. But if you actually have them side by side they are nothing alike other than having a basic camera shape.
They are wildly pricey but the usability sets them apart. I use sony because I need the focusing speed and accuracy for work but the only thing keeping me from saving for a SL2S is the body weight. For slower personal work I prefer it to sony every day of the week.They are such a pleasure to use.
What about the Barnack Leicas for those who do not have the wherewithal to buy these?
I will do a Barnack Leica video one day, but I was talking about the currently available series.
Wich camera would you me recommend? Budget 1.500€/2.000€
great video.
Glad you enjoyed it Linda!! Thanks for joining LIVE as well!
@@bigheadtaco i loved the live. so fun seeing that part of Vancouver. It was so cinematic. I could see a photo at every turn im your description! It cheered up my Sunday. :))
@@abrooklyngirllinda glad you enjoyed it. Camer Girl also enjoyed it. She rarely watches my live. I'll try for next week. Only problem is I use up a lot of data :-(
@@bigheadtaco you have to do the live from the classic Chinatown restaurant on Tuesday. That'd be so cool! :))
S2 !!! )))
Best Leica camera for family and everyday photos?
The Family Leica has been a 1938 Leica IIIa with a 1950's era 50mm f/3.5 collapsible Elmar. I see you don't consider "Barnack Leicas" worthy of your attention. Oh well, though I haven't used it since before the turn of the century, I could send it out for a CLA session and use it once again. It used to be quite common and worth next-to-nothing, even at eBay, but even This Old Camera is worth from $300-$770 (body only), $300-$770 (with 50mm lens) these days. These are the "nothing special" Leica IIIa satin chrome cameras at eBay.
As I mentioned in the video, it’s more about the currently available Leica cameras. My only exception was my M7, but I did mention it was recently discontinued. I will eventually do a Barnack Leica review, but I need access as you can imagine. I don’t own these cameras, I have them on loan from various people and brands.
I just want a Leica Q-P lol Someone buy me one hahahaha Or maybe I'll just sell the fuji lot and finally commit to buying one..
it's a large investment, but the Q cameras are great, especially if you like the 28mm field of view. I like it so it's totally worth it for me, but I'd still look for a second hand OG Q
@@bigheadtaco I too love the 28mm FOV. I’m actually in the process of selling my Fuji 16-55f2.8 to pick back up a Ricoh griii. Ever since I sold mine I have missed it.
@@Holl.Mvrk. seller's regret, happens a lot in the camera world. Don't know what you got till it's gone!!
@@bigheadtaco that’s the truth, I let GAS sway my thinking in the past. Luckily last night I sold the16-55 and picked up another Griii, this time the limited street edition 🙌🏼 can’t wait for it to come in the post.
@@Holl.Mvrk. Oh nice, I haven't even held the new Ltd street edition. Looks sweet though. Congrats!
Now to sell an organ or two. 🙌
I’m more confused
My Leica M1 will be buried with me. Minimalism at it's best
beste leica for me? none. since it's not affordable for mortals. i'll stick with my xpro 2
I must be immortal since I own a QP and a SL2 😉🤪
ha ha
X-Pro2 is great, buy what you can afford or buy what you need. Nobody really needs a Leica, unless for specific use case.