4 Great Leicas That Are Affordable!

Summary

This video explores affordable options for Leica cameras, traditionally known for their high price tag. The host reviews the M8, M9, and the M-type 240, discussing their features, drawbacks, and ideal use cases. From the budget-friendly M8 with its unique crop factor to the full-frame M9 with potential sensor issues, the video guides viewers on making an informed choice. The M-type 240 is highlighted as a versatile option with modern features and lower noise, while the SL is presented as an alternative for those seeking a Leica experience without the rangefinder. The script emphasizes the manual, decisive moment approach to photography that Leica cameras embody.

Takeaways

• 📷 The video discusses affordable options for Leica cameras, which are typically considered expensive.
• 💰 The speaker suggests that it's possible to find Leica cameras at reasonable prices, not necessarily when they are brand new.
• 🔍 The M8 model is highlighted as an affordable option with a 4.3 crop factor, which changes the effective focal length of lenses.
• 🤓 The M8's viewfinder coverage is compared to a 28mm lens, requiring users to adapt to a different set of focal lengths.
• 📚 Learning to focus manually with the M8 is emphasized, using depth of field scales on the lens for quick and accurate focusing.
• 🖤 The M8 is praised for being a great black and white camera due to its weak IR filter, despite some color cast issues with certain lenses.
• 🔝 The M9 is mentioned as having poor high ISO performance and potential sensor corrosion issues, suggesting it might be best to avoid this model.
• 📈 The M-TYPE 240 is recommended as a good middle-ground option, offering a balance between price and features, and is praised for its color science.
• 📸 The importance of manual controls and the 'decisive moment' in Leica photography is emphasized, rather than relying on automated features.
• 📦 The SL model is presented as an alternative to the M series, offering full-frame capabilities and a more modern feature set.
• 👁️ The SL's electronic viewfinder and focus peaking features are highlighted as significant advantages for users who prefer a different shooting experience.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is about finding affordable Leica cameras and discussing their features, advantages, and disadvantages.

What is the purpose of the video being sponsored by Wirestock?

The purpose of the video being sponsored by Wirestock is to promote a platform where photographers and creators can upload their photos, videos, and vector files to earn money through distribution to major marketplaces.

What is the significance of the Leica M8's crop factor?

The Leica M8 has a crop factor of 1.33, which means that the effective focal length of lenses used with it is multiplied by this factor, making wide-angle lenses less wide and changing the field of view accordingly.

Why might someone prefer the Leica M8 over other models?

Some might prefer the Leica M8 for its affordability, unique crop factor, and suitability for black and white photography due to its weak IR filter which can introduce a color cast in color images but not in monochrome.

What are some of the issues with the Leica M8?

Some issues with the Leica M8 include a weak IR filter causing color shifts, slow save times to the memory card, and sensor corrosion problems that may have been addressed in some units.

What is the Leica M9 known for, and what are its potential problems?

The Leica M9 is known for having a CCD sensor that provides a film-like look but has poor high ISO performance. It also had issues with sensor corrosion that required replacement.

Why is the Leica M240 recommended in the script?

The Leica M240 is recommended for its balance between price and performance, featuring a 24-megapixel CMOS sensor, good low-light performance, and manual controls that are characteristic of Leica cameras.

What is the significance of the 'punch into magnify' feature on the Leica SL?

The 'punch into magnify' feature on the Leica SL allows for quick and easy focus checking by magnifying the image at the point of interest, providing a tactile and fast way to ensure sharp images.

Why might someone choose the Leica SL over an M series camera?

Some might choose the Leica SL for its full-frame sensor, quick performance, excellent electronic viewfinder, and the ability to use it with M lenses despite not being a rangefinder camera.

What is the general approach to using Leica cameras according to the script?

The general approach to using Leica cameras, as suggested in the script, is manual control and focusing, capturing the decisive moment, and appreciating the camera's build and handling rather than relying on automated features.

What is the script's perspective on the use of autofocus and other automated features in Leica cameras?

The script suggests that Leica cameras are better used with manual controls, as autofocus and other automated features may not be as reliable or in line with the Leica philosophy of capturing the decisive moment.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Affordable Leica Options for Photographers

The script discusses the misconception that Leica cameras are always expensive and introduces the idea that there are affordable options available. It mentions a video sponsored by Wirestock and emphasizes the value of purchasing Leica cameras at a reasonable price, especially when they are not brand new. The speaker shares personal experience with the M8, highlighting its unique 4.3 crop factor and the need to adjust to different focal lengths. The M8's strengths in black and white photography due to its weak IR filter are noted, along with its drawbacks, such as slow image saving times and sensor issues. The paragraph concludes with a comparison to the Epson RD1, another camera known for its value.

05:01

🤔 Choosing the Right Leica M Camera

This paragraph delves into the decision-making process when choosing between different Leica M cameras. It acknowledges the poor high ISO performance of the M9 and its issues with sensor corrosion, suggesting that potential buyers should consider skipping this model. The speaker recommends the M-type 240 as a more reliable and modern option, with better low-light performance and a 24-megapixel sensor. The paragraph also touches on the user experience of Leica cameras, emphasizing the manual nature of their operation and the appeal of their timeless design. The M-type 240 is positioned as a cost-effective alternative to the more expensive M10, with the speaker sharing their personal satisfaction with this choice.

10:02

📹 Exploring the Leica SL as an Alternative

The final paragraph shifts focus to the Leica SL, presenting it as a viable alternative to the M series for those seeking a full-frame Leica experience without the rangefinder. The SL is praised for its electronic viewfinder, quick magnification feature, and ergonomic grip, which is particularly appealing for those with larger hands. The speaker dispels the notion that the SL is merely a Panasonic rebrand, highlighting its unique features and build quality. The paragraph concludes with a humorous scenario of using the SL, suggesting that despite its professional capabilities, it can also be a fun and versatile camera for various situations.

Keywords

💡Leica

Leica is a renowned German brand known for its high-quality cameras and lenses, often associated with professional photography and luxury. In the video, the brand is central to the discussion about affordable yet quality cameras, with the script mentioning different Leica models like the M8, M9, and M-type 240.

💡Affordable

The term 'affordable' refers to products that are reasonably priced or cost-effective. In the context of the video, it is used to describe Leica cameras that, while not cheap, can be acquired at a more accessible price point than their initial offerings, making high-quality photography equipment more attainable for a broader audience.

💡Rangefinder

A rangefinder is a type of camera that uses a separate optical system to measure the distance to a subject, aiding in focusing. The script discusses the unique focusing method of Leica rangefinder cameras, which requires the user to manually adjust the focus, as opposed to modern autofocus systems.

💡Crop Factor

The crop factor is a term used in photography to describe the ratio of the dimensions of the camera's sensor compared to a full-frame sensor. The script mentions the M8's crop factor of 1.33, which affects the field of view and equivalent focal length of lenses used with the camera.

💡Depth of Field

Depth of field refers to the range of distance within a photo that appears acceptably sharp. The video explains how using a wider aperture (f-stop) setting, such as f/8, can increase the depth of field, making it easier to focus quickly and accurately, especially with the Leica M8.

💡ISO

ISO measures the sensitivity of a camera's sensor to light. The script discusses the poor high ISO performance of the M9, indicating that it may not perform well in low-light conditions, which is a common concern for photographers when choosing a camera.

💡Sensor

A sensor in a camera is the light-sensitive component that captures the image. The video mentions different types of sensors, such as CCD and CMOS, used in Leica cameras, with the M9 having a CCD sensor that is said to look more filmic but with limitations in high ISO performance.

💡Leica M-type 240

The Leica M-type 240 is a specific model of Leica rangefinder camera discussed in the script. It is highlighted as a good choice for those looking for a balance between quality and affordability, with a 24-megapixel CMOS sensor and improved low-light performance compared to the M9.

💡EVF (Electronic Viewfinder)

An electronic viewfinder (EVF) is a small screen that provides a real-time preview of the image as it will be captured. The script praises the EVF on the Leica SL, another model discussed, for its quality and the speed at which it allows users to preview and review images.

💡Leica SL

The Leica SL is a full-frame mirrorless camera from Leica, mentioned in the script as an alternative to the rangefinder models. It is noted for its quick performance, tactile feel, and the ability to mount M lenses, making it a versatile option for Leica enthusiasts.

Highlights

Leica cameras are often considered expensive, but it's possible to find reasonably priced options.

The video is sponsored by Wirestock, a platform for earning money from photos, videos, and vector files.

Leica M8 is an affordable option with a unique 1.33x crop factor, providing a different set of equivalent focal lengths.

The Leica M8's full viewfinder is approximately equivalent to a 28mm lens.

Leica M8's IR filter issues can result in color casts, especially noticeable with black fabrics.

The M8 is an excellent choice for black and white photography due to its weak IR filter.

The Leica M8 has slow write speeds to the memory card, regardless of card speed.

Leica M9 has had issues with CCD sensor corrosion, which Leica has offered to replace.

Leica M9's high ISO performance is not as good as other models.

The Leica M-240 is a recommended model, offering a balance of price and performance.

Leica M-240 uses a CMOS sensor, providing better low-light performance and noise reduction.

Leica cameras are known for their manual operation, which some users find appealing.

Leica's rangefinder cameras are praised for their connection to the photographer and the decisive moment.

The Leica SL is a full-frame option that is easier to use and has modern features like a fast EVF and focus peaking.

Leica SL offers a better grip and more tactile experience compared to other models.

The video humorously suggests using a power drill for sound effects as a cheaper alternative to a Leica.

The presenter shares personal anecdotes about using Leica cameras, adding a relatable touch to the review.

Transcripts

if i won't get parking tickets

yeah so leica and cheap aren't exactly

two words that end up on the same page

together without the word not before one

of those words but you might be

surprised that you can actually get a

line curve for reasonable price you

could say cheap

but which ones do you go for

let me show you yes let's take a look

but before that this video is sponsored

by wirestock make money from your photos

video and vector files by uploading to

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and why stock takes just 15 only when it

sells get started with the link below

but there's no better time than a

present to get a liker because of the

prices

trust me because i've had all of them i

know how cheap they are now and i didn't

buy them at the cheapest point not when

they were brand new because that would

be stupid i bought it when they're still

expensive but not

outrageously expensive

[Music]

some bargains to be had

especially now yeah and they're all in

dan's bag

yeah well this is kind of affordable

it's affordable

how old your horses why not start with

the cheapest option like the one in

dan's hand first the weird thing about

this m8 is it's got a crop of 4.3

1.3 1.33

1.33 0.33

so

my math is bad that 21 is basically a

28. the full

viewfinder is probably about 28 isn't it

roughly i mean you do lose a bit push

your eye right into the corner

and sort of look around the frame as

much as possible and that's kind of an

approximation of what you're going to

get and obviously half of it is blocked

out especially when you've got this

giant big hood on the front half of it's

blocked out like that so if you get an

m8 you have to work by a whole different

set of equivalent focal lengths to the

now common 1.5 times not full frame but

there are things to appreciate about

that one thing i used to like when i had

the m8 was that i had a 15 millimeter

1.3 times crop

it's about a 21 so i have 21

you can just guesstimate the focus you

don't need to use the rangefinder that's

the quickest way of focusing here's the

learning bit right so put it on f8

and if i focus at

two meters

this little scale on the lens where it's

marked eight eight shows me that

everything between there

and there is actually going to be more

or less in focus i mean it isn't

actually in focus it's just

kind of the appearance of being a focus

so

in this case if i set it fa everything

from infinity through to one meter

should be in focus and as you can see at

f 1.8 you get deadly squat

and if you had f 0.95

it'd be like a little thin line so to

practice that i'm going to stand here

photographing

having to use a wider lens without being

effectively really wide means more depth

of field thus easier to focus quickly

and accurately the only problem with

crop of course though is if you want to

take really wide shots

well if you're looking for cheap

lighters you can't get any cheaper than

the m8 if you work backwards from 11

that should be the crappers i mean the

cheapest it's even cheaper than an epson

rd1 epson rd1 i used to have one of

those epton mate printers but they also

make digital cameras with a film winding

crane i'm not yanking your crank a

digital camera with a winding lever not

for film but to re-cock the shutter just

as well because the battery life was

atrocious just six megapixels but a

great camera that i used on my travels

that i bought for 1300 pounds way back

still 1300 pounds now m8 it's cheaper

than that although it's kind of flawed

it does suffer from some ir issues the

ir filter was too weak problems can

often be seen with black fabrics looking

a bit violet there's also severe colour

cast on ultra wide lenses like the voila

and the 15 mm or 12 millimeter but on

the other hand the m8 is a fantastic

black and white camera because of the

weak ir filter and colour cast not an

issue in monochrome for obvious reasons

and because it takes so long to save for

the card it doesn't have to wait for

about an hour to find out what's

happening

that is one thing right that i don't

like about the m8

is that it just takes like forever no

matter how fast the card you put in it

just takes forever to actually

save it

and then they might shoot this now

okay and then look at like that's gonna

flash

and if i want to blow it up

it's still pixely pixel

and that's probably just freaked out

because i've been pressing buttons while

it's trying to record it so

okay now it's just stopped

actually

don't worry dan it worked out all right

but it must be said that the

sluggishness is a problem with a full

frame m9 too

you've got chain on it look at you what

hipster

yeah

so what do you reckon internet people

should dance the internet is and this

shot is that by the time this video goes

live yeah

somebody else

yeah you buy it first in the opinion

it's not exactly very good at 6400 iso

though poor high iso performance is the

least of the worries about the m9 though

another problem that the m9 had was

corrosion

ccd sensors

they corroded which would be a problem

and they would actually replace it

so do check

if it's been fixed repaired replaced so

maybe you should just skip the m9 you

either go for the m8 or my choice the m

type 240

type without an e

240 is

240.

so i've got the m-type 240 which i think

can be had for around a little over 2g

is that right you always check prices

don't you around two thousand dollars

that's a bit i would say maybe yeah

for 2 500. so a really nice one two and

a half two thousand pounds yeah so

around you probably get that for around

two thousand five hundred dollars three

thousand dollars

which i went for i i know i slayed this

when it first came out because i said it

was big and fat

it was all right there are bigger and

fatter cameras around it's not an m10

sure but then it's not m10 prices but

m10 prices are coming down too which

means this

is gonna be cheaper

well the m9 has got a ccd sensor which

they say looks more filmic

film-like

but then the iso doesn't go very high so

you get more noise this uses cmos sensor

which you might say could look like any

other camera but it's still got like his

color science and stuff like that

plus it's a little bit better when it

comes to low low light stuff

less noise

with a 24 megapixel sensor it has enough

resolution playback won't make you feel

like it's outdated tech and apart from

the chunky body in use it's every bit as

good as an m11 because like is not all

about fancy automated features

is that controversial

no no never use a

whatever you always use mmo do you used

to that a didn't work out so well

because it was backlit like that

the a just completely messed it up so

there you go should we use them it's a

bit different with leicas i think

sometimes the the auto exposure is not

really that reliable see automated

features not fancy at all with all

leicams it's better to do everything

manual that is the beauty of it the

great thing with leica is that they

hardly evolve so you don't have to worry

about auto focusing systems or

continuous burst rates because it

doesn't have auto focusing anyway you

don't take bursts with likers do you

it's all about taking the decisive

moment one shot here and there

every three hours

or so

and that's the great thing whether it's

m8 or m-type 240 in terms of performance

it's effectively as good as your hands

and eyes are that makes those cheaper

options every bit as good as an m11 but

for less money

[Music]

this is a very connected feeling

i think you might find it

i used to i used to hate these for work

but i wouldn't use one to do like hard

news because it's just not um

no in some ways it's not faster but if

you're just shooting personal stuff or

you're shooting

it's great well i've always find it

funny that people associate these with a

decisive moment well i just kind of

think this is not what you use to get

the cycle

you would use you know in those days

these days

it might sound a bit silly but it's just

a great way of taking photos so if you

could allocate about 2k for nice body

that will get you a nice m-type 240

which would be my choice and it is my

choice because i bought one myself or

you could go cheaper were the m8 or you

could buy a power drill to fit in some

lovely sound effects into video uh but

you could pay a bit more get m9 which is

full frame

but then you might have the sensor

corrosion issue so you should look out

for that

and if you don't like leica m's at all

if you just want to shoot leica

mainly for the red dot in front of the

camera

to show off to your mates

that you're rich but you're not actually

rich you're buying the cheap ones then

you can go for the sl which is a nice

full frame remember this camera look i'm

over here by the way

geez who are you filming

ah

people going to think that we just shot

this completely half-assed

talking about half-assed if you want to

do leica without an m there's a good

option

but an sl that is a that's pretty good

bargaining i think 1300 pounds

unfortunately it does say leica twice on

the camera we've got absolutely

one of the best evs in the business on

here

which i really really like the other

thing i really really really like

is that that punch into magnify thing

so you know other cameras have punch

into magnify

but just having it there and the speed

at which you can do it

and then the way you can sort of toggle

it around

and then just come out of it it's

amazing

looks kind of pretty as well yeah i

think it looks really i mean it just

divided tons of people you know in terms

of a physical camera to hold it's

fantastic yeah i think especially if

you've got bigger hands my hands are

medium-sized but

if you've got big hands that grip is

really nice well when you compare like a

sony grip to that this is far better

or an m8 a non-existent yeah

like like the grip difference between

that and that

is uh i mean it's almost as big that

look if you look at

the grip of

the thing that way it's almost as big as

the thing that way and also you can't

say that that's a panasonic with a leica

badge on it because this predated the

panasonic full-frame camera um but this

is so quick especially coming from an

end this is really really quick somehow

it feels

more tactile and lighter like or not

somehow it's metal it's built

beautifully

you know compared to

that

these are worlds apart

don't think of the sl as a cop out for

those who can't deal with the

rangefinder m you can mount m lenses on

it's a leica it has peaking you can zoom

in to check focus and all right it's a

bit of a cop-out but it's really cheap

and i said like on the front okay so bye

now thanks for watching see you later

goodbye

oh no i've got some sauce on it

let's try the sauce or beef juice

[Music]

[Music]

and there is me wondering how i got

ketchup on my mind did you get that

you see the toilet corrosion

squirt the salt

and cause corrosion

subtle

art

you're posing like a like a photographer

now

[Music]

dan's going to eat outside the ivy and

pretend he's

eating in the ivy

just outside a public toilet as well

you look like a serious leica

photographer

[Music]