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A Leica T Review

122 points by constantinum 12y ago

Htsthbjig 12y ago
Oh, Good news!. I love photography but I hate so much having to carry enormous cameras just because analog were so voluminous and they put a digital sensor on an old analog case. I bought different Sony NEX cameras for this reason and I use those a lot. Good news to see other camera makers(canon,leica) listening.
- k2enemy 12y ago
  Fuji's X cameras are also great in this regard. I ditched my DSLR setup for the X system and haven't regretted it for a second.
  - lemming 12y ago
    Yeah, I really love the X system - I have the X-Pro1 and the X100S. Unfortunately I use them much less after the birth of my daughter, the autofocus is too slow and the video is really annoying. We ended up buying a Sony Alpha6000 which is the perfect child camera IMO. For still images I still love my Fujis though.
    - vl 12y ago
      Looks like X-T1 got much faster autofocus. I have it and now impatiently waiting for X-T2 so it would be "even better" :) Also, Fuji, ship these new zooms finally!!!
- reustle 12y ago
  I recently got a Panasonic GX-7 for the same reason and am very happy with it! More performant than my Nikon D5100 and much smaller/lighter.
not-hacker-news 12y ago
How did this make it into "Hacker News" ?
- wyager 12y ago
  Alt. title: "Hipster News". But seriously, good question. I like stuff like this, but I have no idea how it fits the content of this site.
  - Zigurd 12y ago
    It's a guy thing. A high percentage of semi-retired tech entrepreneurs fancy themselves fine art photographers. Most of the rest just love stylish gadgets.
  - dang 12y ago
    There is no "content of this site". Interesting is not a subject.
- chrisbennet 12y ago
  I suspect that it appeals to hackers who have an appreciation for visual aesthetics. You know how dogs can hear sounds that humans can't? Well, some people can "hear" and appreciate the language of design in ways that maybe aren't apparent to everyone. I sometimes strain to hear this sort of thing and I can appreciate that perhaps some people don't "hear" it at all.
  - chrisbennet 12y ago
    I see some people have down-voted you. I'm going it up-vote you because I believe it was a valid question, if maybe inelegantly put.
- tzury 12y ago
  A reader liked it and posted it. And apparently enough members if this community liked it as we'll so their upvoting made it to the front page. That׳s how.
- 12y ago
kybernetyk 12y ago
> The T costs $1850 and the Sunmmicron-T 2/23 ASPH $1950. Yes, the Leica isn’t exactly a bargain. I'm surprised it's that cheap. The M8 did cost somewhere around $4500 (without a lens) when it was introduced.
- photoGrant 12y ago
  It's this cheap because it's a Point and Shoot and not a Rangefinder.
  - jchrome 12y ago
    I don't think "Point and Shoot" is the correct term. Those refer to cameras with fixed zoom lenses. This has interchangeable lenses and therefore is within the "mirrorless" category.
Aloha 12y ago
For the less money, I'd go buy a cannon fixed lens point and shoot - or for about the same money I'd go get two real cameras, and EOS-1 Film, and a EOS-5D with a 50mm f/1.8 to share among them. Leica makes a very pretty camera - but not one I'd purchase for the task of making pictures.
- jchrome 12y ago
  Yea. Leica makes jewelry. They are great cameras. But they are also jewelry.
Zigurd 12y ago
Unlike the M series, which remains unique in many ways, this seems unimpressive compared to some other interchangeable-lens cameras. A 16MP APS-C sensor was available in the NEX-5 several years ago, and the tiny magnesium body of the NEX-5 is sexy as hell. I would look at the Sony and Samsung compact interchangeable lens cameras if you want the best sensors, lens choice, and UI. The Sony a6000 is an awesome camera by any measure. Some of the new Samsungs have a "Google logo" Android complete with Google's suite of proprietary apps, and Google is doing some interesting things with the camera APIs.
- jchrome 12y ago
  The M series is Leica's defining camera series. These offshoots are just more revenue streams. Sony has really come out strong. I still shoot film but if I made my way back to digital I would go with a A7.
nandreev 12y ago
Nice design. Still, I prefer a viewfinder (as a built-in EVF/OVF, not as a $600 accessory)
antics 12y ago
I apologize for my ignorance, but does anyone know the brand and model of that unusual watch about a third of the way down the page?
- drtse4 12y ago
  http://www.minimallyminimal.com/blog/issey-miyake-to-by-tokujin-yoshioka http://www.minimallyminimal.com/blog/issey-miyake-to-by-toku... ($1400)
  - antics 12y ago
    Ah, thanks! I tried a reverse image search, and Googling various versions of "watch with chrome face", and looked around the site, but nothing.
    - DanBC 12y ago
      I often see watches (mostly in movies) and I kind of wish there was a good site to get wardrobe info from. Include the female wardrobe information; and affiliate links. A quick search shows the desire for this kind of site, but nothing that does it well.
    - Scene_Cast2 12y ago
      For a somewhat similar look, try the Eone Bradley watch ($275, titanium quartz). [1] http://eone-time.com/ http://eone-time.com/ [2] http://shopna.eone-time.com/ http://shopna.eone-time.com/
  - STRML 12y ago
    Not quite so expensive. €249.00 (but currently out of stock) here: http://www.seriouswatches.com/brands/issey-miyake/issey-miyake-to-silan003.html http://www.seriouswatches.com/brands/issey-miyake/issey-miya...
Luc 12y ago
Looking at the archives of this blog is amazing. It's the ultimate Connoisseur Consumer in action. Every new product differs in only the minutest details from the previous, bit it's all oh so important. Until the new version arrives and obsoletes the previous one...
ARothfusz 12y ago
For some reason, every time I read "as a designer" and appeals to some magical designer "auctoritee", I cringe. If I can't tell you're a designer from the terms you're using and the points you focus on, well, don't club me over the head with it. As a pedant, I notice details like this. As for the camera, two programmable knobs seems like a nice feature.
dammitcoetzee 12y ago
I think there's too much focus these days on what you can get for the money, and not what you can get. You have one life, why fill it with particle board and Chinese plastic smell? Why not save up and buy things that last. That bring joy to your life and enrich it. Why buy a three dollar Chinese screwdriver with an imprecisely cut point that strips every fifth screw, when for ten dollars you can get a precision cut, tempered, and coated american made screwdriver that feels weighty and good in your hands. That doesn't strip those screws and makes your job a little more joyful. America needs to bring back the craftsman and the appreciation for craftsmanship. The LVL1 hackerspace in Louisville just moved into an old factory and I am constantly stunned by the workmanship that went into that old building. The architect filled the place with light using angled windows, but it doesn't get hot. Even the wood floors are beautifully made (and this was for factory work). Surrounding yourself with crafted things allows you to think on a higher plane. You know what is possible because you are surrounded with it. If you surround yourself with cheap replaceable junk you become capable of crafting and expecting only cheap replaceable junk. That's why I can buy so much expensive furniture off craigslist for pennies. People have lost the ability to tell that that slightly scuffed up dresser couldn't be purchased for under eight grand new.
- bane 12y ago
  I don't disagree with your main premise - in fact I very much agree with it. Beautiful tools are inspiring to work with. But this doesn't actually seem to be that good of camera no matter how you look at it and looking at other serious reviews it doesn't seem to be all that well crafted either. There's a difference between good, but sometimes funky, craftsmanship and gimmicks. The T seems to be more on the gimmick side of things.
  - dammitcoetzee 12y ago
    I agree, but, have you looked at the cars today? I can honestly not tell the difference in silhouette between a mustang and an acura these days. You can stick as much chrome on the outside of the thing you want in different patterns, but they are the same car. It's not that I don't know that the Leica isn't a super great camera, but the fact that they tried to make something to a higher design goal than, "it should just work" carries some weight. Just working is very important, but you can go past it. There were tons of mp3 players that just worked before the ipod. Arguably my rio mp3 player worked and sounded better than the ipod. however, the ipod was something that resonated with people. When you put soul into something your soul responds. I hate saying metaphysical junk like that, but anyone who has experienced a truly well designed object or seen a to a perfectly executed musical performance knows this feeling. I mean, design these days is boring and unenriching. Go to amazon and search for water filtering pitchers. Do any of those inspire you? Are any of them beautiful? Are any of them even nice to use? If you read the reviews they are full of, "it filters water alright, but": the lid is awkward, the handle cracks off after a few months, the old version had more thought in it, the edges of the plastic are sharp, etc. Something can fully and completely fulfill it's primary purpose and still be poorly designed. Still be a joyless disposable object.
BuffaloSmoe 12y ago
The Leica T is simply a rebranded Sony in a tighter package. If you look around at these guys, you'll see its even a Sony sensor and guts. Hassleblad does the same thing - simply look at the Lunar series. It's basically a Sony RX100 and NEX-7 w/ a wood handle. (http://www.hasselblad-lunar.com/ http://www.hasselblad-lunar.com/). Don't be impressed by this, from a technology perspective. Be impressed by its machining and "re"-design of the Sony consumer brands (by now well under 1,000$ USD). I think they are junk, but when you have two lambos you want bling at the party.
- pyre 12y ago
  > "re"-design of the Sony consumer brands (by now well under 1,000$ USD) The review is comparing it to the Sony RX1[1] [1] http://store.sony.ca/cyber-shot-rx1-digital-camera-zid31-DSCRX1/cat-31-catid-All-Cyber-shot-Cameras http://store.sony.ca/cyber-shot-rx1-digital-camera-zid31-DSC...
- caycep 12y ago
  I think this is a function of how dependent cameras are on semiconductor and sensor design, and in this day and age, the pillars of expertise have shifted first to Japan, and now to Taiwan/Korea...and possibly in the future to China. Leica was amazing when machining and optical precision were the key factors in how good your camera is; but in this day and age, that's a solved problem...anyone can set up a factory that equals that sort of precision. But I think Canon, Sony, Samsung and others saw where things were headed strategically a decade or so ago, and dumped money into the R&D needed for chip fabs and EE design teams.
- galago 12y ago
  Nikon also uses Sony chips, even in their flagship cameras. The value added by the brand is presumably the lens mount/lens compatibility, controls etc. I continue to use Nikon products because they have maintained some consistency with their physical UI. The Leica T controls don't appeal to me though, so I wouldn't consider it even at a much lower price point. Its disappointing, considering that I might be interested in a lower priced M.
- pedrocr 12y ago
bane 12y ago
I dunno, I've thought about getting a Leica every once in a while, then I see reviews like this with pictures from the camera and I'm always so "meh" about how they look. Everything looks like there's a 2-5% grey filter on it, and anything with any kind of luminescence always looks blown out. Most of the sample galleries I've seen on the have the added minus of all looking just slightly out of focus. There's a definite "Leica look" for certain, I'm just not sure I've ever liked how it looks. On the other hand, the B&W photos I've seen taken with it look fantastic. Looking at other reviews, this is a heavy camera and really slow and clumsy to work with. If I'm going to lug around this much, I may as well just lug around a regular old DSLR and a decent lens. Online reviews are pretty scathing for something in this price range http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/30/5755088/leica-t-mirrorless-camera-review http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/30/5755088/leica-t-mirrorless... http://reframe.gizmodo.com/leica-t-review-a-camera-should-not-be-a-luxury-object-1591617449 http://reframe.gizmodo.com/leica-t-review-a-camera-should-no... http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2460584,00.asp http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2460584,00.asp Some more sample galleries http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/reviewsamples/albums/leica-t-typ701-preview-samples-gallery#page=1 http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/reviewsamples/albums/leica... http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/30/5764700/leica-t-sample-photos http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/30/5764700/leica-t-sample-pho... http://www.gizmag.com/leica-t-review-sample-images/31990/ http://www.gizmag.com/leica-t-review-sample-images/31990/ It seems like this is something people buy only because they want to be seen with a Leica, not because they like photography. edit I shoot mostly with a now ancient and well worn D60 that appears to outperform this Leica in almost every measure despite being 7 years old.
- SonicSoul 12y ago
  the review was nicely written, but after seeing the sample photos it steered me more towards the Sony RX1
  - milsorgen 12y ago
    I'm really not trying to be negative but it was very poorly written and more of a love letter than anything else. "...the most hyped and anticipated camera I’ve ever seen" "...Leica partnered with Audi Design and the result is inarguably stunning." "...typical Leica. Simple and elegant." Simply put Leica digital cameras are not representative of value and are luxury goods, if that is what your after well you found your camera. Otherwise there is a whole world of choices that offer better quality, function and price.
caycep 12y ago
The big bugaboo on the wall is: is it any better than the Fuji X100S....
TheMagicHorsey 12y ago
Having used a great many different cameras what I think about Leicas is that their primary advantage is the state of mind they create in the photographer, which isn't really connected to any tangible usability in design, or engineering marvel in the camera performance. Just the fact that some photographers know they have a Leica in their hand, makes them feel more liberated and ... how shall I say it ... "photographery". I think it cannot be denied that with a suitable picture style, you could shoot JPEGs on a 5D MkIII that look similar to what a Leica produces without processing. I bet you most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the JPEGs with their naked eye, and even fewer would be able to pick out which one was from the Leica, and which from the 5DMkIII. Leicas remind me of French Wine. Everyone waxes poetic about them until they are asked to pick out the Leica photos from a lineup in a double blind test. At that point everyone then says the Leica is about intangible things like "superior UI". In the end, I think the Leica is a brand first, and then a camera with certain characteristics next. A camera made from a solid carved piece of aluminum is just damn attractive. But people feel the need to imbue the Leica with more qualities than it actually has, because maybe they feel embarrassed to have chosen the tool of their trade based on its looks, rather than its utility. I for one think designers should not apologize for choosing a camera just because it looks good. Design is their whole trade, and they need to surround themselves with inspiration to get into their creative space. I look at Leica as the cost of doing business for a designer. That is the way their brains work. And lest programmers develop some superiority complex about their rationality ... I want to suggest that the success of the Go programming language is about aesthetics at this point.
- caycep 12y ago
  In the film days, it really made a difference. You can use a Leica M4 or 6, yeah it'd cost you a little more but your camera took amazing photos at 1/4 the weight and size of say, a Nikon F3, with a shutter that is whisper quiet. You can go closer and shoot more unobtrusively; while a given Nikon has equal optics, if different characteristics, it couldn't go where a Leica could. At least that's my take on it. Granted, you could get the same effect from, say, a Canonet or a Yashica but still... Nowadays, though - I am assuming mechanical precision and design is a more commoditized skill amongst companies whereas EE design - semiconductors, sensors, etc is more of a differentiator. In the age of tiny mirrorless Fuji's and Sony's, Leica's value proposition is more or less destroyed. I think it's the classic story of an original innovator sitting on their asses while a disruptive tsunami -- modern electronics and computer science -- passed them by. Granted, they sat on their asses for arguably 4 full decades, so they had plenty of time to go "oh shit" and adapt, and the fact that they didn't leaves me with little sympathy. Them and Eastman Kodak.
curiousDog 12y ago
Is that Seattle/Bellevue? But then there's a porsche with Eurpoean plates below :)
- aaronbrethorst 12y ago
  The first batch of photos are from Seattle (around the market). I don't recognize the second city, but it appears to be somewhere in Europe.
  - vl 12y ago
    Second city is Bellevue. Shots inside the building - Seattle Public Library. Then Public Market in Seattle. Shots with greens to skyscrapers - Bellevue Downtown Park. Shot across highway to two white skyscrapers - Capitol Hill across I-5 with Queen Anne in background (Facebook Seattle rents few floors in one of these buildings) Interior shots - his own apartment. Mercedes - his car? Porsches - looks like some Porsche exhibit (and this might explain euro plate on one of them?) Neighbourhood/street shots - one of them looks like Bellevue (intersection against the sun), rest - Seattle.
- vineel 12y ago
  All of the park photos were taken at Downtown Park in Bellevue. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellevue_Downtown_Park http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellevue_Downtown_Park
applecore 12y ago
The review was well-written, but the photographs are simply beautiful—especially the desaturated color and serene feeling of the imagery.
vparikh 12y ago
The Leica T ($1850) + Summicron T 32mm ($1950) = $3800 The Sony A7 ($1499) + Zeiss 55m f1.8 Sonnar ($999) = $2498 Thats a differential of $1302 Now lets get a few things out of the way -- Yes the Leica is a 35mm equivalent and the Sony is a 55 mm equivalent. But I wanted to compare the best prime lens in each setup (in Leica T system, that is the only prime lens available so far) - The 55mm is arguably currently the Sony FE mount best lens. Also, I will address the "Leica Way" later in this post. So what are you getting in the Leica that is much better then the Sony? NOTHING. The Sony is a FAR superior as a camera. Sony: - Full sensor vs Crop. This has been debated to death, but everyone will agree --> bigger sensor = better image IQ - Faster Autofocus - Better LCD display - Better EVF - Better build (weather sealed) - Better control (Two dials + exposure compensation) And the most important quality --- - BETTER IMAGE QUALITY Now before you guys go ranting about how Leica has a quieter shutter, better ergonomics, helps me slow down, is a photographic style. Please. That all applied in the film days -- I have a Leica MP with a Leica 50mm f1.4 and that is the greatest film camera every made. It is worth every penny. But those were the film days. The playing ground is completely different in the digital world. Leica does not make its own sensors, and their for will never offer "the best image quality". What it is selling today is a reputation it has earned during the film days and fashion icon for the rich hipsters out there. Nothing wrong with that, and if you have the money and you value the aesthetics and the feature set, great. Go buy one and enjoy it! But please, stop with the how the Leica is the pinnacle of photography. It is simply not true in the digital landscape.
- georgemcbay 12y ago
  Agreed across the board with the one caveat that the T does have the A7 beat on size (the leica is a bit longer, but thinner and more pocketable) and weight, though the A7 is quite small as well and the fact that it is as small as it is and has a full-frame sensor is still pretty incredible to me. Sony has almost completely converted me to being a Sony shooter (previously I had almost all Canon gear). I still use the Canon body I have when I need superfast phase detect autofocus, but if the next A7-alike has autofocus speed similar to the A6000 I might be all-Sony on bodies very soon. (I still have a lot of Canon lenses I like and use them on the Sony A7 with adapter, along with native FE 55mm, 35mm and the kit 28-70mm zoom, a bunch of old Olympus OM Zuiko glass, some Minoltas, Canon FD, etc.
Fede_V 12y ago
When discussing image quality, I found this paragraph hilarious: "The Sony is a brilliant camera with incredible clarity but lacks soul and comes off as being purely engineering driven. There’s nothing wrong with these things, it’s what makes Sony great." I can understand people who enjoy beautiful design, but when it comes to taking pictures, everything is literally engineering.
aaronbrethorst 12y ago
Allow me to preface this by saying that I currently own four cameras, two digital and two film. My digital cameras are a Fuji X100s and a Fuji X-T1 (I used to have a Canon 5D Mk II, but decided to go all in on mirrorless digital cameras). My film cameras are a Leica M6, and a Hasselblad 501C/M. I use all four cameras on a regular basis, and have made photos with each one within the last week. I love my Leica M6. It's really a thing of beauty, and is impeccably designed. That said, the amount of unthinking worship I see Leica given makes me roll my eyes. Leica has always been a brand of uncompromised quality and craftsmanship. This is a company whose first digital M camera suffered from serious issues with color fringing from infrared light. Leica's solution for this problem with their $5000 flagship camera was to ship their users a screw-on UV/IR filter. The reason Leica’s products are expensive isn’t because of a deliberate attempt to overcharge for the products. It’s a side effect of making a beautiful object of desire. This is the other problem I have with Leica fans. I love owning a beautiful camera (both the Hasselblad and Leica are stunning devices), but I'm far more interested in the quality of images that I can capture than I am in whether or not the camera body was designed by Audi. Many Leica owners, on the other hand, appear to be more interested in having a beautiful camera to admire on their shelf than a tool for creating art (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_M6#Leica_M6_special_editions http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_M6#Leica_M6_special_editi...) To truly understand the T, you have to fit into the type of photographer that the camera really aimed at. You have to know what you’re doing but the camera is also going to be underpowered for a pro. It’s a niche product for a specific consumer but also aesthetic preference. So basically, you have to have more money than sense to want to own this camera. I get it.
- LeoPanthera 12y ago
  > decided to go all in on mirrorless digital cameras Something I have always wondered: Is dust/dirt on the sensor a particular problem with mirrorless cameras? Taking the lens off and seeing the sensor just sitting there exposed would always worry me.
  - aaronbrethorst 12y ago
    Yeah, this freaked me out too. It hasn't been an issue yet, and I have a rocket blower. Hopefully it won't ever be a problem...
pesto88 12y ago
I have always lusted over Leica cameras and lenses. All of my favorite photographers have used them at some point or another. I finally got a great deal on M6 with a 50mm Summicron. Now I have a M9P. For a while, Leica was the only camera company to produce cameras with the same ergonomics of older film cameras. It may have been stubbornness on their part, but I loved the fact that I could have a digital camera that allowed me to control aperture with my left hand, change shutter speed with my right, and have all lenses have focus markings on the top. I feel that Leica is in danger due to companies such as Fuji, who are creating cameras that have even more options for control than ever before. Want manual focus markings? There are lots of new lenses from Fuji and Olympus that allow you to shoot with auto focus, then pull the barrel back and enter manual mode so you can do things like zone and hyperfocal focus. Want to change aperture on the lens and shutter speed on the top? The xt1 and x100s both have it. Sorry for hating, but if Leica's answer to cameras such as the Fuji xt1 is to throw up a camera resembling a Sony NEX 3 with a "better touch screen" is kind of a joke really. They're coming from totally left field with this one. They can try and hold on to their legacy of amazing lenses such as the Noctilux, but Zeiss(sony) and Sigma are doing a lot of innovation on fast glass, and will soon probably come out with a 50mm f/.95 or faster lens just to shove it to Leica. You can view my photos at "moarbokeh" on flickr if you're curious.
VeejayRampay 12y ago
For film cameras at least, the best bang for the buck brand is Cosina Voigtländer. I own a Bessa R4A with a Cosina Voigtländer Color Skopar 21mm f/4.0 Pancake and seriously, what a great camera package for around $1000.

122 points by constantinum 12y ago

Oh, Good news!. I love photography but I hate so much having to carry enormous cameras just because analog were so voluminous and they put a digital sensor on an old analog case. I bought different Sony NEX cameras for this reason and I use those a lot. Good news to see other camera makers(canon,leica) listening.

k2enemy 12y ago
Fuji's X cameras are also great in this regard. I ditched my DSLR setup for the X system and haven't regretted it for a second.
- lemming 12y ago
  Yeah, I really love the X system - I have the X-Pro1 and the X100S. Unfortunately I use them much less after the birth of my daughter, the autofocus is too slow and the video is really annoying. We ended up buying a Sony Alpha6000 which is the perfect child camera IMO. For still images I still love my Fujis though.
  - vl 12y ago
    Looks like X-T1 got much faster autofocus. I have it and now impatiently waiting for X-T2 so it would be "even better" :) Also, Fuji, ship these new zooms finally!!!
reustle 12y ago
I recently got a Panasonic GX-7 for the same reason and am very happy with it! More performant than my Nikon D5100 and much smaller/lighter.

not-hacker-news 12y ago

How did this make it into "Hacker News" ?

wyager 12y ago
Alt. title: "Hipster News". But seriously, good question. I like stuff like this, but I have no idea how it fits the content of this site.
- Zigurd 12y ago
  It's a guy thing. A high percentage of semi-retired tech entrepreneurs fancy themselves fine art photographers. Most of the rest just love stylish gadgets.
- dang 12y ago
  There is no "content of this site". Interesting is not a subject.
chrisbennet 12y ago
I suspect that it appeals to hackers who have an appreciation for visual aesthetics. You know how dogs can hear sounds that humans can't? Well, some people can "hear" and appreciate the language of design in ways that maybe aren't apparent to everyone. I sometimes strain to hear this sort of thing and I can appreciate that perhaps some people don't "hear" it at all.
- chrisbennet 12y ago
  I see some people have down-voted you. I'm going it up-vote you because I believe it was a valid question, if maybe inelegantly put.
tzury 12y ago
A reader liked it and posted it. And apparently enough members if this community liked it as we'll so their upvoting made it to the front page. That׳s how.
12y ago

kybernetyk 12y ago

> The T costs $1850 and the Sunmmicron-T 2/23 ASPH $1950. Yes, the Leica isn’t exactly a bargain. I'm surprised it's that cheap. The M8 did cost somewhere around $4500 (without a lens) when it was introduced.

photoGrant 12y ago
It's this cheap because it's a Point and Shoot and not a Rangefinder.
- jchrome 12y ago
  I don't think "Point and Shoot" is the correct term. Those refer to cameras with fixed zoom lenses. This has interchangeable lenses and therefore is within the "mirrorless" category.

Aloha 12y ago

For the less money, I'd go buy a cannon fixed lens point and shoot - or for about the same money I'd go get two real cameras, and EOS-1 Film, and a EOS-5D with a 50mm f/1.8 to share among them. Leica makes a very pretty camera - but not one I'd purchase for the task of making pictures.

jchrome 12y ago
Yea. Leica makes jewelry. They are great cameras. But they are also jewelry.

Zigurd 12y ago

Unlike the M series, which remains unique in many ways, this seems unimpressive compared to some other interchangeable-lens cameras. A 16MP APS-C sensor was available in the NEX-5 several years ago, and the tiny magnesium body of the NEX-5 is sexy as hell. I would look at the Sony and Samsung compact interchangeable lens cameras if you want the best sensors, lens choice, and UI. The Sony a6000 is an awesome camera by any measure. Some of the new Samsungs have a "Google logo" Android complete with Google's suite of proprietary apps, and Google is doing some interesting things with the camera APIs.

jchrome 12y ago
The M series is Leica's defining camera series. These offshoots are just more revenue streams. Sony has really come out strong. I still shoot film but if I made my way back to digital I would go with a A7.

nandreev 12y ago

Nice design. Still, I prefer a viewfinder (as a built-in EVF/OVF, not as a $600 accessory)

antics 12y ago

I apologize for my ignorance, but does anyone know the brand and model of that unusual watch about a third of the way down the page?

drtse4 12y ago
http://www.minimallyminimal.com/blog/issey-miyake-to-by-tokujin-yoshioka http://www.minimallyminimal.com/blog/issey-miyake-to-by-toku... ($1400)
- antics 12y ago
  Ah, thanks! I tried a reverse image search, and Googling various versions of "watch with chrome face", and looked around the site, but nothing.
  - DanBC 12y ago
    I often see watches (mostly in movies) and I kind of wish there was a good site to get wardrobe info from. Include the female wardrobe information; and affiliate links. A quick search shows the desire for this kind of site, but nothing that does it well.
  - Scene_Cast2 12y ago
    For a somewhat similar look, try the Eone Bradley watch ($275, titanium quartz). [1] http://eone-time.com/ http://eone-time.com/ [2] http://shopna.eone-time.com/ http://shopna.eone-time.com/
- STRML 12y ago
  Not quite so expensive. €249.00 (but currently out of stock) here: http://www.seriouswatches.com/brands/issey-miyake/issey-miyake-to-silan003.html http://www.seriouswatches.com/brands/issey-miyake/issey-miya...

Luc 12y ago

Looking at the archives of this blog is amazing. It's the ultimate Connoisseur Consumer in action. Every new product differs in only the minutest details from the previous, bit it's all oh so important. Until the new version arrives and obsoletes the previous one...

ARothfusz 12y ago

For some reason, every time I read "as a designer" and appeals to some magical designer "auctoritee", I cringe. If I can't tell you're a designer from the terms you're using and the points you focus on, well, don't club me over the head with it. As a pedant, I notice details like this. As for the camera, two programmable knobs seems like a nice feature.

dammitcoetzee 12y ago

I think there's too much focus these days on what you can get for the money, and not what you can get. You have one life, why fill it with particle board and Chinese plastic smell? Why not save up and buy things that last. That bring joy to your life and enrich it. Why buy a three dollar Chinese screwdriver with an imprecisely cut point that strips every fifth screw, when for ten dollars you can get a precision cut, tempered, and coated american made screwdriver that feels weighty and good in your hands. That doesn't strip those screws and makes your job a little more joyful. America needs to bring back the craftsman and the appreciation for craftsmanship. The LVL1 hackerspace in Louisville just moved into an old factory and I am constantly stunned by the workmanship that went into that old building. The architect filled the place with light using angled windows, but it doesn't get hot. Even the wood floors are beautifully made (and this was for factory work). Surrounding yourself with crafted things allows you to think on a higher plane. You know what is possible because you are surrounded with it. If you surround yourself with cheap replaceable junk you become capable of crafting and expecting only cheap replaceable junk. That's why I can buy so much expensive furniture off craigslist for pennies. People have lost the ability to tell that that slightly scuffed up dresser couldn't be purchased for under eight grand new.

bane 12y ago
I don't disagree with your main premise - in fact I very much agree with it. Beautiful tools are inspiring to work with. But this doesn't actually seem to be that good of camera no matter how you look at it and looking at other serious reviews it doesn't seem to be all that well crafted either. There's a difference between good, but sometimes funky, craftsmanship and gimmicks. The T seems to be more on the gimmick side of things.
- dammitcoetzee 12y ago
  I agree, but, have you looked at the cars today? I can honestly not tell the difference in silhouette between a mustang and an acura these days. You can stick as much chrome on the outside of the thing you want in different patterns, but they are the same car. It's not that I don't know that the Leica isn't a super great camera, but the fact that they tried to make something to a higher design goal than, "it should just work" carries some weight. Just working is very important, but you can go past it. There were tons of mp3 players that just worked before the ipod. Arguably my rio mp3 player worked and sounded better than the ipod. however, the ipod was something that resonated with people. When you put soul into something your soul responds. I hate saying metaphysical junk like that, but anyone who has experienced a truly well designed object or seen a to a perfectly executed musical performance knows this feeling. I mean, design these days is boring and unenriching. Go to amazon and search for water filtering pitchers. Do any of those inspire you? Are any of them beautiful? Are any of them even nice to use? If you read the reviews they are full of, "it filters water alright, but": the lid is awkward, the handle cracks off after a few months, the old version had more thought in it, the edges of the plastic are sharp, etc. Something can fully and completely fulfill it's primary purpose and still be poorly designed. Still be a joyless disposable object.

BuffaloSmoe 12y ago

The Leica T is simply a rebranded Sony in a tighter package. If you look around at these guys, you'll see its even a Sony sensor and guts. Hassleblad does the same thing - simply look at the Lunar series. It's basically a Sony RX100 and NEX-7 w/ a wood handle. (http://www.hasselblad-lunar.com/ http://www.hasselblad-lunar.com/). Don't be impressed by this, from a technology perspective. Be impressed by its machining and "re"-design of the Sony consumer brands (by now well under 1,000$ USD). I think they are junk, but when you have two lambos you want bling at the party.

pyre 12y ago
> "re"-design of the Sony consumer brands (by now well under 1,000$ USD) The review is comparing it to the Sony RX1[1] [1] http://store.sony.ca/cyber-shot-rx1-digital-camera-zid31-DSCRX1/cat-31-catid-All-Cyber-shot-Cameras http://store.sony.ca/cyber-shot-rx1-digital-camera-zid31-DSC...
caycep 12y ago
I think this is a function of how dependent cameras are on semiconductor and sensor design, and in this day and age, the pillars of expertise have shifted first to Japan, and now to Taiwan/Korea...and possibly in the future to China. Leica was amazing when machining and optical precision were the key factors in how good your camera is; but in this day and age, that's a solved problem...anyone can set up a factory that equals that sort of precision. But I think Canon, Sony, Samsung and others saw where things were headed strategically a decade or so ago, and dumped money into the R&D needed for chip fabs and EE design teams.
galago 12y ago
Nikon also uses Sony chips, even in their flagship cameras. The value added by the brand is presumably the lens mount/lens compatibility, controls etc. I continue to use Nikon products because they have maintained some consistency with their physical UI. The Leica T controls don't appeal to me though, so I wouldn't consider it even at a much lower price point. Its disappointing, considering that I might be interested in a lower priced M.
pedrocr 12y ago

bane 12y ago

I dunno, I've thought about getting a Leica every once in a while, then I see reviews like this with pictures from the camera and I'm always so "meh" about how they look. Everything looks like there's a 2-5% grey filter on it, and anything with any kind of luminescence always looks blown out. Most of the sample galleries I've seen on the have the added minus of all looking just slightly out of focus. There's a definite "Leica look" for certain, I'm just not sure I've ever liked how it looks. On the other hand, the B&W photos I've seen taken with it look fantastic. Looking at other reviews, this is a heavy camera and really slow and clumsy to work with. If I'm going to lug around this much, I may as well just lug around a regular old DSLR and a decent lens. Online reviews are pretty scathing for something in this price range http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/30/5755088/leica-t-mirrorless-camera-review http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/30/5755088/leica-t-mirrorless... http://reframe.gizmodo.com/leica-t-review-a-camera-should-not-be-a-luxury-object-1591617449 http://reframe.gizmodo.com/leica-t-review-a-camera-should-no... http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2460584,00.asp http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2460584,00.asp Some more sample galleries http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/reviewsamples/albums/leica-t-typ701-preview-samples-gallery#page=1 http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/reviewsamples/albums/leica... http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/30/5764700/leica-t-sample-photos http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/30/5764700/leica-t-sample-pho... http://www.gizmag.com/leica-t-review-sample-images/31990/ http://www.gizmag.com/leica-t-review-sample-images/31990/ It seems like this is something people buy only because they want to be seen with a Leica, not because they like photography. edit I shoot mostly with a now ancient and well worn D60 that appears to outperform this Leica in almost every measure despite being 7 years old.

SonicSoul 12y ago
the review was nicely written, but after seeing the sample photos it steered me more towards the Sony RX1
- milsorgen 12y ago
  I'm really not trying to be negative but it was very poorly written and more of a love letter than anything else. "...the most hyped and anticipated camera I’ve ever seen" "...Leica partnered with Audi Design and the result is inarguably stunning." "...typical Leica. Simple and elegant." Simply put Leica digital cameras are not representative of value and are luxury goods, if that is what your after well you found your camera. Otherwise there is a whole world of choices that offer better quality, function and price.

caycep 12y ago

The big bugaboo on the wall is: is it any better than the Fuji X100S....

TheMagicHorsey 12y ago

Having used a great many different cameras what I think about Leicas is that their primary advantage is the state of mind they create in the photographer, which isn't really connected to any tangible usability in design, or engineering marvel in the camera performance. Just the fact that some photographers know they have a Leica in their hand, makes them feel more liberated and ... how shall I say it ... "photographery". I think it cannot be denied that with a suitable picture style, you could shoot JPEGs on a 5D MkIII that look similar to what a Leica produces without processing. I bet you most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the JPEGs with their naked eye, and even fewer would be able to pick out which one was from the Leica, and which from the 5DMkIII. Leicas remind me of French Wine. Everyone waxes poetic about them until they are asked to pick out the Leica photos from a lineup in a double blind test. At that point everyone then says the Leica is about intangible things like "superior UI". In the end, I think the Leica is a brand first, and then a camera with certain characteristics next. A camera made from a solid carved piece of aluminum is just damn attractive. But people feel the need to imbue the Leica with more qualities than it actually has, because maybe they feel embarrassed to have chosen the tool of their trade based on its looks, rather than its utility. I for one think designers should not apologize for choosing a camera just because it looks good. Design is their whole trade, and they need to surround themselves with inspiration to get into their creative space. I look at Leica as the cost of doing business for a designer. That is the way their brains work. And lest programmers develop some superiority complex about their rationality ... I want to suggest that the success of the Go programming language is about aesthetics at this point.

caycep 12y ago
In the film days, it really made a difference. You can use a Leica M4 or 6, yeah it'd cost you a little more but your camera took amazing photos at 1/4 the weight and size of say, a Nikon F3, with a shutter that is whisper quiet. You can go closer and shoot more unobtrusively; while a given Nikon has equal optics, if different characteristics, it couldn't go where a Leica could. At least that's my take on it. Granted, you could get the same effect from, say, a Canonet or a Yashica but still... Nowadays, though - I am assuming mechanical precision and design is a more commoditized skill amongst companies whereas EE design - semiconductors, sensors, etc is more of a differentiator. In the age of tiny mirrorless Fuji's and Sony's, Leica's value proposition is more or less destroyed. I think it's the classic story of an original innovator sitting on their asses while a disruptive tsunami -- modern electronics and computer science -- passed them by. Granted, they sat on their asses for arguably 4 full decades, so they had plenty of time to go "oh shit" and adapt, and the fact that they didn't leaves me with little sympathy. Them and Eastman Kodak.

curiousDog 12y ago

Is that Seattle/Bellevue? But then there's a porsche with Eurpoean plates below :)

aaronbrethorst 12y ago
The first batch of photos are from Seattle (around the market). I don't recognize the second city, but it appears to be somewhere in Europe.
- vl 12y ago
  Second city is Bellevue. Shots inside the building - Seattle Public Library. Then Public Market in Seattle. Shots with greens to skyscrapers - Bellevue Downtown Park. Shot across highway to two white skyscrapers - Capitol Hill across I-5 with Queen Anne in background (Facebook Seattle rents few floors in one of these buildings) Interior shots - his own apartment. Mercedes - his car? Porsches - looks like some Porsche exhibit (and this might explain euro plate on one of them?) Neighbourhood/street shots - one of them looks like Bellevue (intersection against the sun), rest - Seattle.
vineel 12y ago
All of the park photos were taken at Downtown Park in Bellevue. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellevue_Downtown_Park http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellevue_Downtown_Park

applecore 12y ago

The review was well-written, but the photographs are simply beautiful—especially the desaturated color and serene feeling of the imagery.

vparikh 12y ago

The Leica T ($1850) + Summicron T 32mm ($1950) = $3800 The Sony A7 ($1499) + Zeiss 55m f1.8 Sonnar ($999) = $2498 Thats a differential of $1302 Now lets get a few things out of the way -- Yes the Leica is a 35mm equivalent and the Sony is a 55 mm equivalent. But I wanted to compare the best prime lens in each setup (in Leica T system, that is the only prime lens available so far) - The 55mm is arguably currently the Sony FE mount best lens. Also, I will address the "Leica Way" later in this post. So what are you getting in the Leica that is much better then the Sony? NOTHING. The Sony is a FAR superior as a camera. Sony: - Full sensor vs Crop. This has been debated to death, but everyone will agree --> bigger sensor = better image IQ - Faster Autofocus - Better LCD display - Better EVF - Better build (weather sealed) - Better control (Two dials + exposure compensation) And the most important quality --- - BETTER IMAGE QUALITY Now before you guys go ranting about how Leica has a quieter shutter, better ergonomics, helps me slow down, is a photographic style. Please. That all applied in the film days -- I have a Leica MP with a Leica 50mm f1.4 and that is the greatest film camera every made. It is worth every penny. But those were the film days. The playing ground is completely different in the digital world. Leica does not make its own sensors, and their for will never offer "the best image quality". What it is selling today is a reputation it has earned during the film days and fashion icon for the rich hipsters out there. Nothing wrong with that, and if you have the money and you value the aesthetics and the feature set, great. Go buy one and enjoy it! But please, stop with the how the Leica is the pinnacle of photography. It is simply not true in the digital landscape.

georgemcbay 12y ago
Agreed across the board with the one caveat that the T does have the A7 beat on size (the leica is a bit longer, but thinner and more pocketable) and weight, though the A7 is quite small as well and the fact that it is as small as it is and has a full-frame sensor is still pretty incredible to me. Sony has almost completely converted me to being a Sony shooter (previously I had almost all Canon gear). I still use the Canon body I have when I need superfast phase detect autofocus, but if the next A7-alike has autofocus speed similar to the A6000 I might be all-Sony on bodies very soon. (I still have a lot of Canon lenses I like and use them on the Sony A7 with adapter, along with native FE 55mm, 35mm and the kit 28-70mm zoom, a bunch of old Olympus OM Zuiko glass, some Minoltas, Canon FD, etc.

Fede_V 12y ago

When discussing image quality, I found this paragraph hilarious: "The Sony is a brilliant camera with incredible clarity but lacks soul and comes off as being purely engineering driven. There’s nothing wrong with these things, it’s what makes Sony great." I can understand people who enjoy beautiful design, but when it comes to taking pictures, everything is literally engineering.

aaronbrethorst 12y ago

Allow me to preface this by saying that I currently own four cameras, two digital and two film. My digital cameras are a Fuji X100s and a Fuji X-T1 (I used to have a Canon 5D Mk II, but decided to go all in on mirrorless digital cameras). My film cameras are a Leica M6, and a Hasselblad 501C/M. I use all four cameras on a regular basis, and have made photos with each one within the last week. I love my Leica M6. It's really a thing of beauty, and is impeccably designed. That said, the amount of unthinking worship I see Leica given makes me roll my eyes. Leica has always been a brand of uncompromised quality and craftsmanship. This is a company whose first digital M camera suffered from serious issues with color fringing from infrared light. Leica's solution for this problem with their $5000 flagship camera was to ship their users a screw-on UV/IR filter. The reason Leica’s products are expensive isn’t because of a deliberate attempt to overcharge for the products. It’s a side effect of making a beautiful object of desire. This is the other problem I have with Leica fans. I love owning a beautiful camera (both the Hasselblad and Leica are stunning devices), but I'm far more interested in the quality of images that I can capture than I am in whether or not the camera body was designed by Audi. Many Leica owners, on the other hand, appear to be more interested in having a beautiful camera to admire on their shelf than a tool for creating art (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_M6#Leica_M6_special_editions http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_M6#Leica_M6_special_editi...) To truly understand the T, you have to fit into the type of photographer that the camera really aimed at. You have to know what you’re doing but the camera is also going to be underpowered for a pro. It’s a niche product for a specific consumer but also aesthetic preference. So basically, you have to have more money than sense to want to own this camera. I get it.

LeoPanthera 12y ago
> decided to go all in on mirrorless digital cameras Something I have always wondered: Is dust/dirt on the sensor a particular problem with mirrorless cameras? Taking the lens off and seeing the sensor just sitting there exposed would always worry me.
- aaronbrethorst 12y ago
  Yeah, this freaked me out too. It hasn't been an issue yet, and I have a rocket blower. Hopefully it won't ever be a problem...

pesto88 12y ago

I have always lusted over Leica cameras and lenses. All of my favorite photographers have used them at some point or another. I finally got a great deal on M6 with a 50mm Summicron. Now I have a M9P. For a while, Leica was the only camera company to produce cameras with the same ergonomics of older film cameras. It may have been stubbornness on their part, but I loved the fact that I could have a digital camera that allowed me to control aperture with my left hand, change shutter speed with my right, and have all lenses have focus markings on the top. I feel that Leica is in danger due to companies such as Fuji, who are creating cameras that have even more options for control than ever before. Want manual focus markings? There are lots of new lenses from Fuji and Olympus that allow you to shoot with auto focus, then pull the barrel back and enter manual mode so you can do things like zone and hyperfocal focus. Want to change aperture on the lens and shutter speed on the top? The xt1 and x100s both have it. Sorry for hating, but if Leica's answer to cameras such as the Fuji xt1 is to throw up a camera resembling a Sony NEX 3 with a "better touch screen" is kind of a joke really. They're coming from totally left field with this one. They can try and hold on to their legacy of amazing lenses such as the Noctilux, but Zeiss(sony) and Sigma are doing a lot of innovation on fast glass, and will soon probably come out with a 50mm f/.95 or faster lens just to shove it to Leica. You can view my photos at "moarbokeh" on flickr if you're curious.

VeejayRampay 12y ago

For film cameras at least, the best bang for the buck brand is Cosina Voigtländer. I own a Bessa R4A with a Cosina Voigtländer Color Skopar 21mm f/4.0 Pancake and seriously, what a great camera package for around $1000.