The popularity of film photography has really been exploding for several years. With so few companies manufacturing any analog film or cameras, and economic conditions being what they are, the hobby has become wildly more expensive. Demand up, supply stagnant. I got back into analog film around 2014 just ahead of the boom. Or maybe I was a part of it. As much as I enjoy it, the cost is really pushing me back towards digital photography only.
One thing that looms large in the photography world, and still makes high end analog cameras, is Leica. What was originally at least a somewhat accessible brand at its outset, has long been an overpriced luxury brand. Luxury brands often have superior performance in ways that don’t matter. Many Lamborghinis only ever see a public street, and many dive watches never touch a drop of water. A camera, hopefully, actually gets used to take photos.
Does a Leica camera have superior performance? Quantitatively you’ll have to trust some people who optically measure lenses. Most of its superiority is qualitative. I’ve only ever used a Leica in a camera store. It does feel great to use. Just such a satisfying mechanical construction. The way it sounds and feels gives such good vibes. It could just be a psychological trick, like cheap wine tasting great when it came out of a fancy wine bottle. Even so, it’s hard not to want one. If somehow the supply were greater, and the price were reasonable, just about every photographer would have one.
The only Leica camera I would consider owning is the M6. I could have, and probably should have, bought one in '15 for under $2k. That’s a low price now . The M6 is the last good mechanical analog film rangefinder they made. If you actually plan on using the camera, the M6 is ideal. Models M5 and older aren’t as user friendly and advanced. The M7 was weird. The M8 and newer are all digital. They still make the M-A and MP which are analog, but hideously expensive compared to M6. They’re also quite a bit different.
Due to this, the price of an M6 in working condition has gone way up, and rumors have been swirling. We’ve been expecting for a year or more that Leica would re-introduce a camera very much like the M6, but cheaper than the M-A and MP, to capitalize on this renewed demand.
Well, the rumors were true. The M6 is back.
Good news is that the camera seems to be largely identical to the old one. There are differences. Newer modern technology, especially in the electronic parts. Presumably even better manufacturing processes. Some different materials used in some components. But by and large, same camera. Only now you can actually get one new, if you can afford it.
So I’m getting one, right? Hello no! Why? No surprise, the price is $5,295 with no lens. I can snatch a used M6 on eBay in great condition for maybe $3k.
I understand a luxury brand isn’t going to come out with something cheap. It was never going to be $1k. But Rolex does sell watches ranging from around $5k to $100k+. They have a wide range of luxury. Leica doesn’t really have that range. All of their cameras are in the $5k-$10 range. The lenses are also hideously expensive. I thought with the popularity of analog photography likely being temporary that they might come out with the camera for $2.5 or $3k, matching the market price for old M6s and making up the profits on lenses, accessories, and bringing people into their ecosystem.
The end result is a Leica camera is something that I will just have to do without unless there is some unforeseen financial windfall, and I don’t buy lottery tickets.
What I am considering doing camera-wise is
- Selling all the camera equipment I don’t use enough.
- Replacing my most-used camera, the Fuji X100F, with the Fuji XPro4 (if and when they ever come out with such a camera). It has to be soon-ish, since the XPro3 is old already.
- Getting some of the Fuji Instax printers so I can get instant photos from just about any digital camera. My only instant camera now is the Lomo’Instant Square, and it’s more than a bit flaky.
- After using all the film I have, not buying more film unless prices go down at some point.