Why are Leicas so expensive?

[@SpeeedCo]

Go to drinkag1.com/speeed to save $20 off your first subscription of AG1. Thx to AG1 for sponsoring this video 💪

[@designobservatory]

Oh come on, not AG1 again! We all know by now it's a scam.

[@XJRabbits]

Soylent Green by any other name is still people. But I’ll stay subscribed, the content is worth the sponsorship ads.

[@RyguyAB]

Yeah, now time for a deep dive on scammy nutrition products...

[@PATTT_]

I heard about that camera from eurotrip movie

[@amswil3232]

JUST CHANCED ON YOUR CHANNEL BUT THE WAY YOU PRESENT IS ON ANOTHER LEVEL

[@zacharydefeciani7890]

I was already your target audience james, you didnt have to make a video specifically for me, but you did anyway

[@AlexAguirreC]

Same 😂

[@Plasmaytrian]

Same

[@joseperalta6235]

I just watched a Leica factory tour yesterday, and this unrelated to the topic channel, to which i am already subscribed, publishes a Leica video... weird coincidence

[@rjbaig94]

Same.

[@lil4banger]

yeah same lol

[@ajpetix]

Whoever you have creating these graphics describing the path of light into these cameras and their viewfinders deserves some huge praise. This video is fantastic from start to finish. I appreciate you, James!

[@davidjay24]

agreed!!

[@TheJamesLykins]

1:42 props to James for taking the time to colorize and upscale this historical footage.

[@BrokynDehgital]

And getting that old audio so crisp!

[@El_Negro2003]

My heart I cold

[@lachlanhudson7404]

Love your videos, you helped me decide to get a Nikon Zf after shooting with my Canon AE-1P for so long! This is a great community crossover!

[@leidrez5302]

As a German, I'm amazed at how well you can imitate the German accent, I speak the same way

[@eastbaystreet1242]

I love me some Germans (wife is half German, many German friends) and your comment is a good example why: just having fun with the accent (we all have them) in a setting where James is not only showing respect for Leica's wonderful engineering but also their amazing humanitarian contribution during WW2. ... and I do love my Leicas!

[@-IE_it_yourself]

i needed to turn on zee Untertitel

[@jeremyshelton1079]

Look when James started this channel I really thought it was gonna be a lot of "MO POWA BABY!" And 'RAMCHARGERS!" I had no idea that I would eventually spend a half an hour listening to him explain vintage German cameras....and totally digging it!

[@IzdunDun]

Here for both 😄🍻

[@xavierlopez6673]

Same lol. I didn’t think I would watch the whole thing

[@captainunderpants200]

He's just a good storyteller. I'd listen to him talk at length about anything.

[@Onnabote]

Leica discovered that by turning the motion picture film sideways, it would be exposed to significantly more beans.

[@impy695]

I hope this video does well. I initially didn't click on it because I don't normally watch videos about cameras. I'm glad I did. It's basically an Everything You Need to Know video

[@Squid.Tailes]

It’s funny how dumbing the title down totally worked 😂 now I shall watch

[@thomasgartman4025]

Sure wish I could give you more than one LIKE. I've been a photographer for almost thirty-five years. This is the best telling of the Leica story that I have ever heard, and kudos for pointing out the circuitous path from rangefinder through SLR and, essentially, back. I'm a history buff and I've been studying World War II since I was in the fifth grade. The technological innovations that war required made photography grow as both a science and an art. When I taught my photography classes, I offered a run-down of photography history to those who were interested; and was gratified at how many folks were. There is no way to downplay the fact that Oskar Barnack really is the father of modern photography. The 36x24mm format that Oskar gave us is still alive today in many modern digital cameras. When someone says they have a "full-frame" camera, that's what they're talking about. It's pretty funny that Pentax recently released the first new, serious 35mm film camera in many years and it's what we now call a half-frame camera because it uses the vertical format that Oskar abandoned because it was too small. By the way, many folks at the time referred to the early Leicas as "double-frame" cameras. Keep up the great work, and many thanks.

[@sivab4536]

Thank you for such an insightful comment. I’d love to hear some recommendations for more history surrounding war technology and cameras. Perhaps a video or articles. The pentax67 being vertical format was something I didn’t connect as well until I read your comment. Thanks again for sharing!

[@spunkyfirework4811]

If you set-up another account it's possible to give more than one like for this vid.

[@LtNduati]

I’m sorry but the graphic for the viewfinder tech is AMAZING - I have high standards for Pumphrey, but this exceeded even those standards by a factor of 10 - I love seeing how this channel develops!

[@TyChee]

I'm a professional photographer who has a great appreciation for well engineered machinery. I like something that has weight and has great tactile feel. When I saw the Leica Q2 Reporter, I know I had to have one. I loved that it was olive green and without the red dot. It didn't scream look at my expensive camera. I really enjoy the experience of taking photos with this camera. With just one focal length, it makes you slow down and really think about your composition. It just makes you feel good to use it. My work horse cameras are Sony mirrorless, but when I'm doing photography for me, the Leica is my choice. This video was not what I was expecting from this channel, but it made me really happy to watch it. Thank you for making this.

[@nickwong3054]

Agreed, lugging my a7iv through Tokyo was fun but exhausting at the same time. Looking at q3’s or an x100iv to simplify my travel photography

[@vipe650r]

Thank you for sharing what the camera means to you. It's beautiful to hear things like that.

[@caprature]

@@nickwong3054just got a Panasonic GX9 last month. I love it so much. Definitely worth considering. The L monochrome D profile is so fantastic.

[@cjbtlr]

Now if only we could get a Q3 Reporter... I ended up just replacing my obnoxious red dot with a black one.

[@JeffreyGoddin]

Almost 30 years ago I was the inventory and ebay sales guy for Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus, Ohio and so while not a pro have like 100x more tactile experience with Leicas than most people following James over from Speed, so I hear you, and am kinda curious, as an old pro, you ever do business with Stu (or his kid I suppose) over the years? In the nascent internet era, I surprised those guys by accidentally becoming the best salesman in the shop when I realized we could get more on ebay than we were asking for on the floor for many of our high end lenses.

[@GrindHardPlumbingCo]

You really outdid yourself on this one, an absolutely fantastic watch! 

[@BrokynDehgital]

Watching this channel and Big Time, I’ve realized that almost everything I liked about Donut was mainly due to three guys..

[@fullpullmtb]

Exactly

[@lokopixo2338]

reminds me of something else..

[@Keyan9]

Nolan and Jimmy are pretty awesome dudes too but yeah, I agree with you

[@anthonyhorst7116]

Yup..

[@vuevuevue2002]

I'm feeling the same way. For James; he seemed to be such a face of that channel I thought he had a bigger stake in it.

[@stevenrice5582]

Hey James as someone who has watched you since "shaving in my drift car" I just wanted to thank you. You are truly someone who has inspired me to be who i am and encouraged me to be me. Im 17 and I can tell you first hand that what you do doesnt only give people like me videos to watch before we go to bed but they help us threw hard times and gives us something to look forward to. Your personality, humor and outlook on life add a spark to any video your in that no one else can do. I can remember times where I wasent happy with myself and my life but your videos where always there to not only provide a distraction but inspired me to be the person i wanted to be and i think thats the best thing an infuencer can do. I cant express how much i appreciate you and how much i look up to you. your a great guy who not only it entertaining but brings joy to my life and im sure 1.27 million other people agree with me. So thank you for all that you do it means a lot to all of us especialy me personaly, We love you James

[@stevenrice5582]

side note forgot to mention how you are literaly the reson im a car guy and now the first thing people think of when they think of me is "oh yeah he likes cars and knows way to much about there history" shout out to up to speed for that. so thank you for helping me find my passion and hopfully my future career hope you read these #MOPOWABABY!

[@SpeeedCo]

Aw man. Thanks for taking the time to write this. I’m a little choked up. This means the world to me.

[@avians24]

@@SpeeedCo❤

[@rickybuttons]

Very cheeky using a Donut mic mmm sweet work James and your crew

[@shinya3447]

Also 18:01 Leica didn't even make the R series cameras themselves, they had to reach out to Minolta to "collaborate" and then they produced the R3 (of course, after Minolta had produced their version the Minolta XE). Leica fanatics hate having to admit that Leica wasn't as pure as they say it to be. When Leica made the Leitz CL (in collaboration with Minolta) the CL standing for compact leica, this model had in fact started to out sell their flagship M cameras, as a result they immediately disconnected the collaboration. Minolta of course, having learned Leica's techniques didn't let it go to waste and made the Minolta CLE (Compact Leica Electronic) the smallest, M mount camera ever made, and in my opinion far better than most of Leica's lineup. Not saying James didn't include this on purpose, I think its important to include information like this especially since multiple "photographers" in the comments are saying this is a great history recap (which it is) but also include how self entitled they were. They asked for help to compete with the Japanese camera SLR market with one of the best Japanese camera brands (later bought by Sony and evolved into current day Sony cameras). As soon as they start losing to their own collaborator on their turf they turned tails.

[@KL-pe4kn]

It's almost a beat-for-beat replay of the wristwatch 'quartz crisis', which coincided with electronic cameras capturing market share in the 1970-80s. Leica had to double down on their mechanical expertise for brand equity, and engage a dual market playbook through brand licensing + further tech partnerships (i.e. badge engineering Panasonics). They've kinda painted themselves into a corner today as veblen goods. Actual users would have experienced the following, once the hype wore off: M6 metering electronics eventually failing, along with bubbling corrosion on zinc top plates; first-gen M7s eating batteries and trapping film canisters with poorly designed DX code contacts; M8s with infrared colour casts; and M9s with CCD sensor corrosion. The 'new' M6 and MP is their version of the Oyster Perpetual: originally solid utilitarian devices that became consumed in their own mythology.

[@martpalamine7040]

Same story with Panasonic partnership, tons of Panasonic cameras with a Leica badge slapped on, or Leica bodies with Panasonic internals.

[@superhereaux]

The dates given are completely and utterly useless if the years are not expressed in pre-Post Malone / post-Post Malone’s birth.

[@hunterhart1]

Funny story, I photographed Post Malone on a Leica 😂 seriously

[@sniper8579]

Miss that

[@shaunct2423]

I am a photographer and I still use an old Olympus rangefinder and an even older Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex medium format camera when I want photos that look different than the digital norm. I also begrudgingly shifted from my SLR to the new mirrorless options due to weight, speed, and focus performance. Transitions are hard, and often you lose a lot in the process (some of my old f-mount lenses don't work with my new z-mount camera). I've never owned a Leica due to the price, but I have borrowed a few and the special leaf shutter was pretty unique and innovative, and the glass was impeccable. Like many others though, I could never justify the cost, especially as reasonably priced digital SLRs hit the market. Thanks for delving into my hobby with your usual, hilarious style. I love your car videos, but the foray into other subjects seems like a great idea to me. Best wishes with your new channel. I'm still a big fan!

[@ZeroCrystal]

"Answers at the end of the video." Damn you, Pumphrey!! Now I have to watch the rest of the video, which is gonna be SWEEET!!!

[@thinkdunson]

you innovative soab, using threee E's. now i want to do that.

[@hathaway.1166]

i KNEW the left one was the leica, i just knew.

[@ViktorasMakauskas]

@@hathaway.1166 the right one with oversharpened foliage and strange glow around the tree canopy just screamed "overprocessing" anyway. The banding of the sky on the left one though, I wonder if it's an artifact of youtube processing or what. also, on a bright day outdoors, phones produce pretty usable results.

[@PunitChawla]

This documentary style of video. This right here. Is why you have to love KZbin and it's insane creators. Kudos to you James!

[@thatguy-m6p]

love the new skits u added in bro, really ups the immersiveness. keep up the good work.

[@Johnybulletproof]

As a Professional photographer that uses analog cameras Leica included i had a great time hearing the Leica story from another perspective rather than the 5000 videos on youtube about. the Leica M6 and how everybody wants one haha. Guys Shoot what camera you have in hand , have fun and be respectful of those in the oposite side of your lens and if you have the money to buy a Leica camera enjoy the experience . BTW the rangefinder explanation has been One if not the Best Explanation i have seen in video .Thanks James , pet some buffed horses for me .

[@ByFoul]

I love this.... as a Street photographer myself, photographing for 15 years. this was very well done. I own a few leicas ha

[@nicholassmith4172]

This channel is a great example of personality… I could care less about cameras and skaters clothes, but I never miss an episode cause of James.

[@Spykolofficial]

Any of these cameras, is a tank with incredible history. The Nikon F, is a camera so common and affordable for what it is, that’s just as great as every leica, you really can’t go wrong with one. Film era leicas also are not criminally expensive, the world is yours!

[@SlashCampable]

Compared to an AE-1 or F2 they're like 10 times the price, and that's not even with a lens. It's still Leica money everywhere, even if it's not 7000€

[@athmaid]

​@@SlashCampableyeah even for the cameras that have an almost identical Panasonic equivalent you'll be paying a hefty Leica tax

[@joj9877]

@@SlashCampable what james didn’t mention is there WERE competitors to leicas rangefinders and they do still exist in good condition from canon, nikon, and more and the difference in build quality and optics compared to a leica is negligible for a fraction of the price

[@vnpsidugn]

had an m6, nikon f, f2, pentax 67, mamiya rb67 etc etc.. eventually moved to digital and kept only 1 film camera.. the f3hp.

[@corroded]

​@@athmaidI have a Lumix LX-5 which is ostensibly the Leica D-Lux 3. Great little camera, but the Lumix was 300 whilst the Leica was 600.

[@SweetLou52190]

This has everything I love about James in one video: interesting topics that teach you something, perfect delivery, commitment to the bit, weird accents, willingness to wear wigs. What else could you need?

[@DannerPlace]

James, I've been shooing Leica Ms for about 25 years. Your video is thorough, entertaining, and accurate. Well done.

[@AndrewKaiserPhotography]

Years and years ago I saved and saved my pennies and bought a Leica M6 in perfect condition. I was so excited about it. Ultimately I found myself hardly using it though. I was so utterly paranoid about damaging it, scratching a lens, knocking the rangefinder out of whack, or losing the camera while traveling that it stayed home 95% of the time and felt more like a showpiece for my ego than an actual tool. So I sold it, and the money I got back went toward buying A LOT of film. These days if I'm shooting 35mm I'm using my Minolta SRT-101 which is indestructible, is cheap to replace or repair, and has glass every bit as good as Leica (yeah... I said it).

[@MrWiseinheart]

And the freedom that it gives you is incomparable. If you break the camera you can buy another for cheap. So now you take photos that you would have not ever taken.

[@DanDrew766]

Minolta SRT gang represent. I've got a 201 that got me through my college photography days. I should pull it back out and get some film... And a darkroom setup...

[@rapbisnar]

This is how i feel about my q2. Exceptional camera! But for the same reasons you mentioned, I’m planning to sell it to a better home. Optically I love it. I’ll look at the photos I took a while back and think, dam the pictures are great. It’s really a camera that forces you to slow down.

[@urwholefamilydied]

ya, I did a video on my Leica vs my Contax G1... the gist of it being: I'm scared to really use my Leica as a workhorse camera, and it's no sharper or better than my G1, I actually think the zeiss glass on the G1 is sharper [if that's what you're going for]. Or my Nikon FE2... and even my Olympus OM1 is very good and as small as a my Leica.

[@fikaarquitectura6509]

This gives me serious James May vibe kinda content. Only James could out-james James. Fantastic.

[@davthomas223]

My grandfather had a Leica camera and a couple lenses, but one day he traded it for a Canon A1 (not an AE-1) and a ton of different FD mount lenses. He even had the auto winder! Thanks to him keeping every lens with the original boxes and receipts, I've been able to pursue a hobby i couldn't otherwise afford.

[@cammackey]

I wish I could subscribe twice after this one.

[@robertAGC]

My uncle was an accomplished amateur photographer, and he collected vintage Leica cameras. He also owned newer models. He had a clear preference for Leica’s range finder models, which I never quite understood. Now I do. Thank you!

[@grey5626]

James doing character acting en masse auf Deutsch? Wunderbar!

[@sneakysnek3855]

My grandfather used a Leica IIIc during the Korean war, which I recently got refurbished for my dad. Looking through the slides he took during the war of military camps and the surrounding towns and landscapes is breathtaking, some of those photos are unbelievably crisp and clear decades later. That camera is a beast and the lenses are as good if not better than my Nikon F mount film gear from decades later, plus that camera is tiny compared to even my smallest SLR. Thanks for the video, I was watching you on donut a while back and you've earned a sub on this channel.

[@kevn6557]

This channel is the epitome of what I consider what KZbin is made for - amazing stuff keep it up

[@samwiseknows]

Here'ye, here'ye

[@scottavick7837]

Idk if you are looking at comments days after the video releases, but James, what you are doing with this channel is super fucking cool. I don't really care about any of the companies you have brought us up to speeed on, and yet, every single one of them has been wildly entertaining and informative. Great job, never change!

[@TheVoyger123]

digging the variety of topics on this channel

[@amarured]

Other people's take-away from the video: Leicas !! My take-away: "Our guts are like our second brain!" But jokes aside: once again I'm blown away by how fun, informative and high quality these deep dives into random brands are. Absolutely love it!

[@rockfordbasto7517]

James you have yet to miss a beat with any video so far. thank you for your hard work and the inspiration to make art and only surf the internet for your videos

[@memathews]

Great Video. Shooting for a small daily newspaper in 1974, I sold my personal Mamiya 500-DTL with a couple of lenses for a used Leica M3, mainly for the silent shutter I could use in meetings I covered. It was a great trade, that cost me an extra $100 for a new-in-box Elmar 50mm f/2.8. I still have the Leica, and lens, with an added 35mm 2.8 goggle-eye Elmar and a 135 f4.5 Hektor. It's still my favorite camera if I'm shooting film (which is rare these days), even though I've advanced to some digital cameras and only shoot as a hobby now. One minor miss in this is the M2 model in the Leica line-up. The M3 covers 50-90-135 in the viewfinder and began with a double-stroke film advance lever. The M2 came out AFTER the M3 and introduced the single-stroke advance lever along with changing the viewfinder to a 35-50-90 view.

[@AdmiralBosch19]

I walk around with my Leica III all the time. Very surprised and pleased to see Speeed talking about photography.

[@meranlee1911]

i'm thinking of owning iiif, was it worth it or too much flaw to handle as i use pro slr before?

[@anta40]

@@meranlee1911 IIIF is a slow-pace camera. I only use it when I have lots of time to think. Be aware rangefinders are not the proper tool for some cases, like macro, landscape or birding with really long lens (those are the domain of SLR). Typically, street photographers prefer rangefinders because they are smaller, more silent, and easily usable with wide angle lenses.

[@FreakTimmah]

I have a IIIc and it's my favorite camera to shoot with. I love the mechanical feel and just how solidly it's built.

[@michaelmercer6911]

This man is actually out here making genuine high quality content with great production value. The music, the theatrics, and the informative nature is just all on point. 10/10 creator.

[@rustygardhouse7895]

Ok, flange distance vs the first 3 optical aberration (Zernikes). As an opto-mechanical designer, this is irrelevant. All optical systems suffer aberration which is why optical designers use multi element systems. As long as the flange distance doesn't change, any optical aberration can be compensated. It's just a matter of cost. I worked on the Giant Magellan Telescope with an optical designer from Jena (Zeiss). She produced breathtaking designs that made my mechanical designs things of beauty. Think of the 'flange distance ' involved in that!

[@AFinePaste]

Something we share in common right now is our contact with optics and their designs, but I was on the manufacturing side. I worked for Leitz, Hughes/Leitz, Elcan, Raytheon, pick a name they’re all the same location. Working on designs and assemblies for Panavision, IMAX, and a litany of prototype projects in the 4 years I worked with them. Everything from Spherical and Plano optics to some of the more interesting aspheric lenses using conventional milling processes or the more advanced ferromagnetic polishing compounds. I loved doing the work for ANY of the consumer/research products we made there and, to this day, find myself referring to so much I learned from that initial career.

[@dreamworldtony]

22:41 I see this dude all the time on Reels lmao

[@RyanHamilton-vu1mv]

That QR code got me, I’m not even mad

[@kbasa]

As a car and motorcycle enthusiast that is all up into design (Eichler home, etc.), this channel fits me like a Carhartt. Keep it coming, buddy. I thought I was the only one.

[@matthieuzglurg6015]

not a camera channel, but made a camera video and pretty much killed it. Nice. The thing with Leica and rich people is that Leica is really more a luxury brand item than a camera brand nowadays. They release cameras that are modern, sure, but a Q3 or SL3 will cost 2x more than the equivalent Sony, and will perform worse, generally. But "Sony" doesn't have the same heritage, build quality or name power than Leica has. If we had to make a comparison with the world of cars, a Leica would be that niche old retrofit car from a brand that produces 15 cars a year and costs 1.5M each. That's what a Leica camera is. A camera for people that want some expensive flare, or want to be attached to the heritage behind the actual model. And then there's a few people that really can't drive anything else (generally because they're pompous douches that want to have a personality). The truth is that as nice as a rangefinder camera is, there are cameras on the market that will emulate every aspect of those cameras, at a cheaper price with much better performance. And if you're trying to argue otherwise : you're delisional. Just say you wanted to have a Leica, that's okay :)

[@Ebroglio2]

Sony is really the spiritual successor to a few optics brands they acquired over the years though, chiefly Contax/Kyocera/Yashica most obvious in the Carl Zeiss name on Sony glass.

[@Macca-95]

"The truth is that as nice as a rangefinder camera is, there are cameras on the market that will emulate every aspect of those cameras" This is one I would have to disagree with and it comes down to user experience. There really isn't any other modern digital rangefinder out there on the market that has the same user experience as a Leica. Can other cameras take great photos? Absolutely. Better than Leica? Yeah, probably. But there's nothing else out there that feels the same to use.

[@taylorhickman84]

The love for Leica cameras reminds me of the love for Harley Davidson. I don' t share those loves, but kinda understands it.

[@ACM9407]

Extremely well said and articulated. The Leica fanboys won’t like it and will always try to defend their overpriced red dot at all costs, but everything you said is objectively 100% true.

[@siwynjones]

“If you’re trying to argue otherwise : you’re delusional.” Sony make great cameras for certain applications, Leica make great cameras for other applications. If you absolutely need the fastest autofocus or fastest burst rate or highest dynamic range, then sure, Sony have you covered. They’ve even got you covered if you need the all of that at the lowest price possible. What if none of that matters? Why wouldn’t you buy a camera finely crafted in Germany from high quality materials, which lets you enjoy the process of creating images? Get the tool which suits your needs. I’ve got both, and they’re both great at what they do, but sometimes a Ricoh GR is even better.

[@marvincunanan5334]

As an amateur photographer this is a delight. james literally knows how to tickle the audience on his topic selection mammamiya

[@morkovija]

wait, how do i find out whats the other photo was taken with at 23:15 if its covered by another video preview? Damn it James! Thats sneaky! (yea i knon if the one on the left is leica then the one on the right must be iphone, but what if its not?!)

[@maxmoller]

It says Iphone. (Just gotta be sneaky to see it 😉)

[@KomodoSoup]

They seem the same

[@maxmoller]

@@KomodoSoup The highly saturated colors of the sky, is usually a dead giveaway that it's taken with a phone.

[@KomodoSoup]

@@maxmoller thanks

[@SAINTPONTIUS]

My boy, he gave two choices at the beginning of the video.

[@lukehotty257]

Dude I’ve just been getting into film and having to learn how a film camera actually works is lowkey very confusing. This video made it all so simple. This was super super well made.

[@BoostLeekdMedia]

An AWESOME video explaining the history of the "Pagani" of cameras. I've had a M8 with the 50 1.4 once I can totally understand why it feels the way it should for the owner. Excellent video to the max!

[@andrewbreazna]

Feeding the machine, dont mind me. Thanks james for the amazing video, somehow this is literally the single best camera retrospective I think Ive ever seen. Omg.

[@sergioestrada7459]

The jab at Donut 21:55 😂🤣😂🤣

[@earthiebirchie]

As a Polaroid camera collector and having over 25 of them this video itched my brain like no other. Loved this 🙏

[@djbis]

Just want to say that this video right here is the perfect example of James outstanding knack to PRESENT. The dude is a master presenter! Take the most mundane, average topic or subject and give it to him. He will present it with such eloquence, and general enthusiasm that it will hook the viewer and provide a perfect, detailed and most enjoyable experience that not only entertains, but actually EDUCATES. we will one day look back at videos like these and think about little old James P. with much reverence and nostalgia. (while he is some big-shot, he'll probably run for president or some crazy sh*t). Lol

[@tenfingerstentoes]

Wow, really well researched and written - I went into this thinking "oh, its going to be really hard to get some of these details across on a typically automotive channel", but dang, you guys really efficiently explained some concepts that even a lot of photographer's don't pay any attention to! One other fun tidbit about Leica's longevity by the way: Film photography has seen quite a resurgence in the past decade, lots of people want that "film look", the tactile process, etc. Leica still makes the M6, and most importantly, Leica still repairs any of their old film cameras. Like, if you send them your old ass beat to shit Leica ii from 1935, they will repair it. That's really wild and unheard of in film photography from any other manufacturer right now. We're all running around with ticking time bombs of repairability nightmares, unless you have a Leica. Then you know, you just have to pay a ton of money to get them to do it haha. But at least you know you CAN fix it. Anyway, great vid, really enjoyed it!

[@ClellBiggs]

I have such a strong need for Speeed that I put these on 2x and watch them twice.

[@Koopakid917543]

My family has ran a small camera/printing supplies selling business for 3 generations since they came to America. I grew up with Leica posters in my room, and worn their merch my whole life. I've always loved and appreciated Leica cameras. That's why I own a Fujifilm camera

[@Keyan9]

bruh I missed your B-roll acting. I love it. Keep it up

[@andrewsanson5302]

Production quality just keeps going UP! Great job man the videos are looking great, congrats

[@DudeWithADayJob]

This popped up as a notification and I immediately stopped watching the video I was watching and came here. Because this matters. WE matter. #community

[@SourPlanet]

I *love* the advice of just talking to people about it. Leica users always geek out when we bump into each other. I know there's this fabled dentist who wears leica as jewelry... but I've never met them. I have met countless people who just honestly enjoy the product and use it day in, day out.

[@koolpep]

Same here, of the 3 people I know that shoot Leica, all are the very good (hobby) phiotographers and shoot the most pictures year round. And none of them is a gearhead....

[@bandee5871]

Top tier acting 🫡🫡

[@LemmySilverlance]

Honestly speaking, I found the previous videos on this new channel a bit too "educational", just like a million other similar videos on KZbin, however, watching this one made me feel like I'm watching the old "Upto Speed" videos. This one was good. Seems like humour is back on the menu, boys!

[@Spacepilot616]

A video on Saturday hell yeah!! Great video!!!

[@feschum]

47 years ago, I had a Leica M3 with collapsing 50 mm Summicron. After I bought an Olympus XA, I sold the Leica. The XA was always in my pocket, while the Leica sat on the shelf. Yes, Leica led the way on "miniature format" photography. I needed it for photography at the state legislature, where I needed the camera to be quiet. However, today, my Olympus OM-1 and EM-5 III are quieter than the Leica M3.

[@conneryates5073]

It’s interesting to see something about cameras because most of us just take them for granted

[@TheRandomSpectator]

Once again, a banger video about something I've never been interested in, but for these past 20 minutes, was obsessed with.

[@nikita_kozlov]

I love that you are exploring new topics

[@mitj6581]

Thank you James, I really liked this. I just binged all the videos, this is great work. Happy holidays

[@athmaid]

I know this goes beyond the scope of this video, but what's interesting is that Leica has also worked with other brands to release cameras. For example they have been co-developing cameras with Panasonic for a long time, leading to many cameras being released as Leica versions and almost identical Panasonic versions. For example those Leica Digilux series cameras you showed at 19:22 were released by Panasonic as the LC series. You'll also see many Panasonic lenses branded with the Leica name because of that. They also worked with Minolta for a while, who we now know as Sony's camera division. Mostly to produce point and shoot film cameras from what I know. Leica also shares a mount with Panasonic and Sigma through their L-Mount Alliance.

[@bergerniklas6647]

Or the colab with Minolta back in the day

[@athmaid]

@bergerniklas6647 I mentioned that 😅

[@bergerniklas6647]

@@athmaid oh, I missed that😅

[@StephenStrangways]

Also, Sigma designed R lenses for them and many of their current autofocus lenses, Schneider made some M and R lenses, Zeiss made at least one R lens, the lenses on the Q digital series are designed by Panasonic... then there's also the cosmetic branding collaborations, like the BaPe and Hello Kitty Leica cameras...

[@umano.teodori]

Loved the video and the message. For a photographer, a camera and lens are like knives and other tools for a chef. Different brands don't make different dishes, but they significantly influence the subtleties that make the dish unique. Personally, I am a Zeiss guy, but of course, I greatly respect Leica, and I love what they are doing with the SL system.

[@SummitCoyote]

ooh as a photography nerd this was a great video.

[@justsomeit5818]

I can tell you put a ton of effort into this one. Love it! Side note- I want your channel to do so well I don't even skip your ad reads.

[@doyoulikejazz9516]

"They don't name things after animals or nothing-" Oh boy, let me introduce you to German war machine designations

[@koolpep]

Hahaha - yes as a German, I was thinking the same. Don't tell huim about the tanks and armored vehicles or even rockets. However there are some German car manufacturers that use names for their cars. Opel, Vokswagen, Porsche (except 911), etc.

[@arnaldomolina275]

Another great history class.

[@pattyconnelly8823]

Best video I’ve seen in a long time. So entertaining and informative. Much thanks!

[@mikamo]

Yeah so with SLRs, the chromatic aberrations and slightly lower quality have to do with the mirror, which is only used for the viewfinder. The R part of SLR is Reflex, the Reflex being the mirror swinging out of the way when taking the picture. Nobody was “accepting lower quality photos,” they were accepting a minusculely lower quality viewfinder for the trade off of it being geometrically aligned with the lens.

[@gobgobcachoo]

Lol

[@james-gn9cq]

Because the mirror is in the way you can’t have a true focal length, the distance between iris and film plane, of less than around 50mm. Because of this the lens has to be designed to approximate shorter focal lengths which does indeed increase optical aberrations. With modern lenses you’d be hard pressed to notice a difference but with old ones it’s noticeable in a professional setting.

[@gobgobcachoo]

@james-gn9cq retro focus design. Ever look through a pair of binoculars backwards? That's how wide angle lens work on slrs. The focal point is behind all of the optics. Just as a telephoto has its focal point in front of all the optics. Kinda neat that way. Lots of compromises add weight and complexity.

[@samwiseknows]

Lol, an Slr is far easier to focus. Why do people believe the crap on the internet that a range finder is.... A mirror is the real image not some silly little patch that you can barely see...

[@patrickstonetree1]

That was a very good overview, rangefinder shooters typically used zone focusing. Instead of picking a focus point and then twisting the focus ring, you pre focused for a set distance marked on the lens (you calculated the aperture and zoom to figure your focus distance and depth) and when the subject or subjects appeared in that zone you fired away. You can do this on SLRs and now mirrorleas, but it was particularly popular on rangefinders and if you got good you rarely had a missed focus shot. I think this added to the mystique of Leica when, realistically, things like flange distance and CAs are not as problematic as we make them out to be. Considering that, the speed and precision with which we can use a SLR or mirrorless makes them superior for most. Moment first, focus second, light third, hardware weirdness last. It is why people can still get paid using a Nikon D700 and a nifty 50 1.8.

[@sirsavagethe21st56]

I’m an amateur with a Nikon D-3200 I really gotta start posting on Instagram again 😂

[@joepodelco7586]

This was comprehensive, I didn’t expect visually accurate chromatic aberration to come up. Love this, now do Hasselblad!

[@SevenGears]

21:29 kanye reference? lmao

[@gdw9946]

nice someone in the comments caught it too hahahaha

[@pogartmacwang9437]

This guys good at talking, you should probably talk about cars or something

[@Lojgtyjo]

WTF DOES GAGA KNOW ABOUT CAMERAS

[@roadwarrior8213]

This video was an information dump in the BEST sense of the word. Keep up the good work

[@jrg642623]

The analog feeling of mirror vs digital cam be comparable to the difference between auto and manual cars. Bravo on the video James!

[@Ghostninja151]

james you really outdid yourself with this video. i really enjoy all the hard work and dedication you put into your content 💪🏼

[@nolanleh9800]

Also stoked that you're reppin Medium Build! Nick is one of the most genuine humans out there!

[@carlospalacios6996]

I love how James expanded the Up to speed format to more things other than cars (cars are super cool but this is refreshing)

[@jeffirish3402]

Great video! SLR's date back to the '30's- if you wanted an SLR you bought an Exaka (made in Dresden.) The Nikon F in 1959 put most of the German camera makers out of business because it fixed all of the issues of the SLR design. Leica was one of the few survivors because the rangefinder had a niche market. They excelled in street photography and intimate close in work plus the build quality was amazing. I agree that hype is certainly a factor in the ongoing popularity of Leicas, but the fact remains that if you know your way around manual photography and fixed lenses, Leicas are an absolute blast to use! An M3 can mount any lens made by Leica or anyone else that was made from sometime in the '30, with an adaptor, to one that was made last Tuesday and will take pictures that depend entirely on your own skill and creativity. This is why you buy a Leica...

[@miklosmayerphoto]

The graphics in this video and the effort you guys put into it is on another level! As someone who's been organising photo workshops and met over 1000 photographers: there's definitely a hype around Leica in these days, and many people buy it for the status. For me, they are extremely uncomfortable to hold - though I admit, the metal feels very masculine.

[@MG-ef2ln]

Great video. I feel like the concept probably came from an interest in a new camera for the media you make, realizing you love the Leika, do a ridiculous amount of deep diving into the history and features (getting you started on later research for the video), realize that you will be spending a ridiculous amount of money on the thing, started thinking of ways to save/make/loan get one, realize that if you make a video specifically about it while using it - you will get to right it off on your taxes. Theoretically having you walk away with more money at the end of the year than if you didn't buy it (potentially) in the first place... but that's probably just me. Or it's an ad.

[@AndrejsZavadskis]

Fascinating deep dive into the history and allure of Leica cameras! As someone who appreciates both the artistry and the engineering behind photography, I found this video incredibly insightful. The blend of historical context, technical explanations, and cultural significance made it a truly engaging watch. It's clear that Leica isn't just a brand, but a symbol of passion and precision for those who truly appreciate the craft of photography.

[@OneMonthTwoCameras]

Didn't know who you were and know even less about cars but now you're my (one-sided) new best friend. Great vid.

[@AproposAndy]

I appreciate that there was actual research done for this. That combined with the cool and goofy nature of the presentation makes for a killer documentarian video.

[@Ben-kw8rc]

James talking about cameras has made this year significantly better!

[@JamesonWilde]

Man you are really firing on all cylinders with your videos. You are an incredibly engaging presenter. Really enjoying everything you've been doing on here. All the best and keep up the good work, man. You deserve all the praise you're getting.

[@LiamSmell]

As someone who is also into photography, this video was a very pleasant surprise

[@iiiiiiii3359]

I did not expect a Van Neistat cameo. One of the greatest film makers on KZbin and beyond

[@yanayliroz]

James your ability to convey messages in video form is phenomenal ,this video was amazing. keep going 💪

[@KISIEL1M]

Fair Play to you, James, for taking completely subject then cars. Now I love you twice 💖💖