Who can help me analyze the positioning of the Leica camera series?

Why use Leica M series cameras?

Excerpted from "Photography World" Issue 7, 2004 Author: Song Gangming Title

Leica M series cameras are almost a myth , the face that has remained unchanged for half a century, extremely simple functions, and uncompromising production, it occupies the top position that everyone wants to subvert, but no one succeeds. Its advantages and its unsatisfactory are endless. There was so much talk that the scene became lively just by talking about Leica. If you say it's good, it's very expressive, and if you say it's not great, it's also plausible. It is said that in the UK, some gentlemen do not take pictures and often wear a Leica as a symbol of status. Japan is a major camera production country, but it has the largest number of Leica fans in the world. Leica contains many myths, and sometimes even loses some sense of reality. It can be said that Leica has already transcended its status as a tool and has become a cultural phenomenon.

There is a thing called personality, and you have to be patient to serve it well

Good things have outstanding personalities, and they can also be said to be the hardest to serve. Leica is also No exceptions.

Since Leica launched the M3 in 1953, 50 years have passed, and the style has not changed. This is a kind of "rape" against the human nature of liking the new and hating the old. In this era when cameras all over the world are pursuing automation, Leica is basically a camera that does nothing. Waiting for Leica is like waiting for a lady with a weird temper. If you don't wait well, just wait and see.

The way Leica loads and unloads film is unique in the world. Loading and unloading film is like picking eggs from the butt of a hen that cannot lay eggs. If you have a place to sit down and time to work leisurely, you can still save some face by slowly taking off the bottom plate, placing it on the table, then pulling out the film and pushing another one. But photographers are all in a hurry. Otherwise, how can we call it stealing the camera? Furthermore, when using a Leica, most of the work is done outdoors, and there is nowhere to sit. It's a bit difficult to change the film at this time. If your clothes have pockets, you can also store the bottom plate in the pocket first. Although sometimes you don't know which pocket you put it in when you are in a hurry, you can still find it after all. If you wear clothes without pockets, it would be a bit indecent. You have to hold them with your armpits, or even more embarrassingly, with your legs, and be careful at all times to avoid falling to the ground. I'm usually afraid of what will come my way. Fortunately, the bottom plate is thick, so it won't be a big deal if I drop it a few times.

Although Leica claims that its three-pronged film loading shaft is the easiest to load film in the world, you must not think that everything will be fine just by pushing the film in. If you have never shot an empty roll with a Leica, you have never used a Leica. Looking at the translucent film that is developed, you must think clearly. The film winding device of Leica is really good. It is so good that the film is not loaded. If you don't carefully distinguish the resistance of the film, there is almost no difference. This is probably the price you have to pay to start to understand Leica. The film is clearly not hung, and the feeling of rolling the film is just the same. So if someone is leisurely holding a Leica camera without film, roll a film and press the shutter. , you must not think that he has nothing to do, it feels no different from taking real photos, because Leica can be played with.

Although all 135 cameras around the world have fully open back covers for mounting the film, Leica insists on not changing it. This unique approach would be a surprise if other manufacturers would go bankrupt. The result is that in the days when you just need to put the film in and focus without having to use your hands too much, Leica, which had to do everything by yourself, became more popular and more expensive. In fact, even if Leica wants to change it, Leica fans may not agree.

Carrying culture on our back is both an honor and a burden for Leica. Leica has some of the strangest and most die-hard fans in the world. Other camera enthusiasts are looking forward to new functions and new styles. Only Leica fans think that changing a small turntable is a waste. The Leica M5 is the most modified M-type camera. As a result, Leica fans simply do not admit that it is a Leica and regard the M5 as their adopted child. If you don’t believe me, look at people talking about Leica. M3 and M6 are the most talked about, followed by M4 and M7. The M2 is occasionally mentioned, mostly to praise the viewfinder of the M3, and to mention the M2 to the detriment of the M6, while the M5 basically cannot enter the scope of discussion.

No matter how useful the Leica M6 is, it is worse than the M3, but Leica fans still think that the Leica M6 is not as good as the M3. So when you see someone playing with the Leica M3 made half a century ago, you must Don't make a fuss. If you see more envious eyes on them than the latest model on your body, you must be calm. There are always some people in this world who don't act according to common sense, otherwise the world will be too boring. .

The aperture priority function of the camera is a technology from the 1970s. Now it has crossed the century. Leica only used this function in the M7 which was just launched. Just like in other manufacturers, it is inevitable not to mention criticism and sneer. But when it comes to Leica, it seems like such a great innovation. With the application of this technology, Leica fans are not happy. Leica has to launch an MP camera at the same time to appease the anger of Leica fans.

The Leica MP is used to replace the M6. It is said that the technology is more advanced, but you think wrong. The MP is a hybrid product of the M6 ??and M3, but it may not be able to absorb the advantages of both.

Although the TTL metering system of the M6 ??camera is a bit slow to operate, it is fairly easy to operate and can be done with one finger; while the MP has changed the speed dial to an M3-style small dial, and requires two fingers to adjust the shutter speed. Your right hand must leave the camera body, and pressing the shutter button will definitely be half a beat slower than the M6. The bad thing is that the direction of speed adjustment is opposite to the indicator arrow in the viewfinder. Once you are used to the TTL of the M6, using MP is a bit uncomfortable and even painful. You have to think the opposite: "Forward is actually backward." "Leica made this choice just because the M3's speed dial is processed from a single piece of material. Leica fans only recognize this, and it doesn't matter if it's easy to use or not. Leica cameras are undoubtedly the most exquisite cameras in terms of production technology today, but Leica's exquisiteness has always been its own exquisiteness, not the user's exquisiteness. If usability conflicts with Leica's exquisite principles, Leica will generally not give in to the user.

Nowadays, the rewinding function of cameras has long been automated, but the M6 ??and M7 still use a rocker. Even if you add an electric film rotor, it will be useless. You have to rewind the film slowly, so don't rush it. MP is even more extreme, changing the film winding knob to the same knob as on the M3. In the past, it was not easy to rewind the Leica M6, but now it is also not easy to rewind the MP. This may be the price you have to pay to experience the German nation's precision machinery. The MP is more expensive than the M7. It is said to be more precise in manufacturing. In fact, it is just that the alloy used in the upper and lower covers of the M6 ??has been replaced by older brass. The chrome-plated body is more wear-resistant. The M3's silver-white machine 50 years ago The fact that his body is still shining is the best proof. The black body is a bit miserable. It is a brand new MP. I only took it to Tibet once, and when I came back it was scarred and rusty. Of course, if you want to show your denim style, this is an advantage. Nowadays, it is fashionable to polish your new pants to make them look distressed, or even dig two holes to look cool. Don't tell me, there really are people like this. A friend of mine bought a Leica with a white body. After using it for a long time, it was still as good as new. He regretted and said, "I could have just bought a black body. I don't think so." At what age will Leica have that kind of vicissitude? "With the above dissatisfaction, will you still use Leica?

I once imagined that if all the popular 135 cameras were put in front of me and I was asked to choose only one, which one would I choose? Even if you remove the price factor, just in terms of use, I would choose Leica without hesitation. No camera in the world is perfect. Leica's shortcomings do not mean that other cameras have no problems. It's just that the manufacturer's choice or the user's opinion is different. Leica's shortcomings can be overcome, and the heights it can reach are beyond the reach of other cameras. Take the Leica off its pedestal, it's still the best camera around. Evaluating a camera involves nothing more than the body, viewfinder, shutter, lens, etc. As the saying goes, a mule is driven by a horse. What is the charm of Leica? Starting from these aspects, you should be able to see clearly.

What kind of fuselage is a good fuselage may be a philosophical question.

The legend of Leica and the feel of Leica have been exaggerated into something magical. But a camera with its silky-smooth film-moving feel cannot fool anyone. Turning the Leica lens or moving the film is certainly a kind of enjoyment, but being able to take good photos is the last word. The Leica is first and foremost an excellent camera.

Since Leica launched the M3 half a century ago, the style has not changed. This is where Leica excels. Practice has proven that Leica’s design is forward-looking and has all the elements to become a classic. The length-to-height ratio of the Leica M body is very close to the golden ratio. The ancient Greeks believed that the most beautiful length-to-width ratio in the world is 1:0.618, and the Leica's length-to-width ratio is 1:0.58. Leica's appearance is simple, soft yet strong, simple yet elegant. Unlike some contemporary automated cameras, which often complicate simple things, some things are just a matter of effort. In order to save that little effort, the camera is made extremely cumbersome. While improving the convenience of use, it also makes the structure of the camera Complications. Looking at the buttons all over the automatic camera, even experienced photographers don’t know where to start. To learn how to operate these buttons, you must read nearly a hundred pages of instructions.

However, Leica has no unnecessary parts. "Minimization of parts" has truly enabled Leica to reach the point where adding one point feels like more, and subtracting one point feels like less. Anyone who has used a camera will not have any operational confusion when picking up a Leica.