Why I’ve Continued Using Leica for Seven Years
- 17 hours ago
- 2 min read
— A Choice as a Street Photographer
Leica is a camera that many people are curious about,yet find hard to imagine actually using.
It’s expensive.It looks difficult to handle.And it’s natural to wonderwhether it would really suit you.
In Vlog Series Episode 1, published on the FRAME TOKYO YouTube channel,I talk about why I’ve continued using Leica for seven yearsfrom the perspective of a street photographer.
Why didn’t I switch to another camera?
When you’ve been using cameras for a long time,other options inevitably catch your eye.
New cameras.Convenient features.Systems that seem like they would make shooting easier.
To be honest, I also tried mirrorless cameras and compact cameraswhile searching for what felt right for street photography.They were all good cameras.But over time, I found myself using them less and less,until I stopped carrying them altogether.
I can’t clearly explain why.
And yet, for some reason,Leica M cameras stayed with me—from the Leica ME, to the M10-P, and now the M10 Monochrom.
Even now, the cameras I keep for street photographyare the Leica M10-P and the M10 Monochrom.
In Episode 1,I talk about that reasonnot in terms of specifications,but from the perspective of actual shooting experience.
Both the good parts and the inconvenient parts
This video is not meant to recommend Leica to everyone.
There are things it does well.And there are things that are honestly inconvenient.Some types of photography suit it.Others are clearly difficult with a Leica.
In Episode 1,I include those aspects as welland talk about why I continue to use it despite them.
It’s a story about Leica—but not only about cameras
What I talk about in the video goes beyond Leica itself.
Shooting tempo
The distance between a photographer and their tools
What it really means for a camera to feel “easy to shoot with”
These are the kinds of things I reflect on.
I’ve often heard people say,“I bought a Leica, but it didn’t suit me, so I sold it.”
Because of that, I made this videoto share my own experience and shooting style honestly.
It may not apply to everyone.But for those considering Leica,those looking for a camera suited to street photography,or those struggling to decide whether such an expensive camerais truly right for them,it might offer a moment to pause and think.
If you’re curious about the answer
“Why keep using it for so long?”
If that question stays with you,this is simply one photographer’s personal experience—but you might want to press play.
▶︎ Vlog Series Episode 1｜Why I’ve Continued Using Leica for Seven Years
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