I did almost the same thing but with an M6 first and then an M10. Totally not worth the $$ objectively but I’ve enjoyed that fact of having nowhere else to really go from there. I bought two tiny hardshell cases that fit each body with a 28mm and 50mm lens on them and it all fits in a tiny sling bag I carry when I’m traveling, which is the most liberating thing in the world. And the only saving grace I’ll give Leica to justify the cost is that the resale value holds so much better than any other camera (and in the case of the M6 the camera just keeps appreciating). Beautiful work here as always!
Seems I arrived at almost identical setup to what you have. And you make a very valid point about the resale value holding. I might lose a bit on the M11 but I'm sure that the M6 and two lenses will hold their value if I take good enough care.
I am a film guy, one lens, one body, one film speed, no flash, filters or tripod.... M6, 50 mm, Summilux F1.4, FP4. Now it is me making photographs, not the gear. Made the change nearly 20 years ago. Never looked back.
Great post! Welcome to the family. Not all things need to be rational!
I like it. I used to have a 35-70mm zoom on a Canon T70, way back when. I think I did two things, I decided that instead of letting the lens do the framing, using a fixed lens, you are forced to walk around to frame your photograph, which I really like. and two; It forces you to walk away sometimes, which I find really therapeutic..... I think it places you in the moment, if that makes sense!?
All it really boils down to—regardless of whether or not we perceive an inanimate, man-made and for-profit tool as possessing a "soul" (thank you, marketing)—is if said tool encourages and enables us to pursue and better our craft. In the case of Leica, Ari, you've found just that. A camera system that suits your daily creative needs (and then some), while remaining functional, simple and tailored to your style of photography. The inherent purity and simplicity of the manual rangefinder experience, paired with traditional build quality and top tier optics, as Leica no doubt provides, is unadulterated photography. A timeless user experience that harkens back to the Cartier-Bressons and Meyerowitzes of yesteryear, as you mentioned, encouraging you to take more photos. Simply taking more photos and including the camera in our daily lives, is the key. Everything else will follow. And with that, we have a winner.
Bought my used Leica m11P in Spring 2025. Coming from Fuji was difficult yet I’m loving it. I agree that the boot up time is much too long. I do also find it harder to take photos in low light (although I’ve started experimenting with a flash). Yes - many photos are soft or out of focus but I do love the experience over using my XT30 or XT5. (I too doubled down and got a Bessa R2M rangefinder as a poor man’s M6 — build quality is far far from Leica).
Intertesting, I've found it a joy to use in low-light, but ocassionally struggle with the rangefinder patch focusing when it's too dark. Despite the build quality, do you like the Bessa R2M?
Enjoyed that Ari, I've also just bought a new M11 with the Voigtlander 35 Ultron and I have similar thoughts, it's not about autofocus, it's about using a camera with soul that belongs in your hands, and inspires you. Great images too mate
Thanks Dave, and congrats on getting an M11 too. Really admire your photos and I think it makes complete sense for the type of street photography you do. I look forward to seeing what you share on IG.
Very relatable. There is one thing more about Leica and it is the lenses.
I recently rented a RF50/1.2 for my Canon R6ll, a camera I use for filming and scanning negatives. It’s an iconic piece of glass, one that made people jump into canon’s eco system after all. The images I take with this combo are tech sharp, the AF system nails every shot but the photographs have all one thing in common: A complete lack of soul. Even the 3-D pop that I was looking for is non-existent. Sure, from a technical point of view the images are perfect but that’s not everything. at least forccc me it isn’t…So after one day of trying out the RF 50 I went back to my beloved 35 summicron , half a century old, scratches, fungus, haze, it will die on me eventually , but the images are perfect to my eye and they are alive!
This is something I noticed also with the premium Nikon Z lenses. I rented a few of them for a paid gig in Hamburg and they were also brutally sharp, but they have this digital crispiness to them. I shot with the Leica too and almost every image I preferred from the Summilux or Summicron.
I think my concrete wall would be a CFV 100C + A12 back on a Hassleblad 500CM.
Also curious about that transition away from Fuji and Fuji colours to Leica. The couple of times I’ve tried friends Leica I was pretty unimpressed with the colours although I didn’t look at them in post and see how rendered.
Mostly I think I’m too much of a sucker for Fuji’s colours to venture out. I mean there is also the high cost of switching but we’ll see. I’m happy with Fuji but there always another camera. That Fuji to Leica pipeline (at least according to Fujifilm YouTubers) appears to be a thing.
In terms of JPEGs, the Leica M11 colours aren't anything exciting. But in Capture One, I hardly need to edit the RAWs to get to a point I'm happy with. A strength of Fujifilm is how good they look on the back fo the screen and that can be very encouraging.
Great write up. My step back into a life of loving photography began when I bought the Fuji xpro1 and their 35. Slow, quirky, illogical. And magic for my brain. I've followed that Fuji rise through spec increases, better glass , more widgets. Worse for brain. Getting too close to a self driving car.
Last year I found myself metaphorically walking past Leica shops that weren't on the way home. Irrational decision led to an MP and used 35 Summicron. Oh, my photos went straight to crap. The speed and ease has definitely left me leaning on the gear more- so this camera pulled back the curtain on what part the photographer is doing. I nearly sold everything and quit. But I keep loading film and my keepers are increasing. ( I'd love to shoot a digital m to facilitate a little of this re-education!).
All of this to say- the act of making any kind of art, document, record is kind of an irrational act. So you might as well enjoy the ride.
I did almost the same thing but with an M6 first and then an M10. Totally not worth the $$ objectively but I’ve enjoyed that fact of having nowhere else to really go from there. I bought two tiny hardshell cases that fit each body with a 28mm and 50mm lens on them and it all fits in a tiny sling bag I carry when I’m traveling, which is the most liberating thing in the world. And the only saving grace I’ll give Leica to justify the cost is that the resale value holds so much better than any other camera (and in the case of the M6 the camera just keeps appreciating). Beautiful work here as always!
Seems I arrived at almost identical setup to what you have. And you make a very valid point about the resale value holding. I might lose a bit on the M11 but I'm sure that the M6 and two lenses will hold their value if I take good enough care.
I am a film guy, one lens, one body, one film speed, no flash, filters or tripod.... M6, 50 mm, Summilux F1.4, FP4. Now it is me making photographs, not the gear. Made the change nearly 20 years ago. Never looked back.
Great post! Welcome to the family. Not all things need to be rational!
Something admirable and zen-like about your one camera, one body approach. Minimal, but extremely high quality.
I like it. I used to have a 35-70mm zoom on a Canon T70, way back when. I think I did two things, I decided that instead of letting the lens do the framing, using a fixed lens, you are forced to walk around to frame your photograph, which I really like. and two; It forces you to walk away sometimes, which I find really therapeutic..... I think it places you in the moment, if that makes sense!?
Yes it makes total sense. I struggle with zooms because they offer too much choice. I think there is something to creative limitation.
All it really boils down to—regardless of whether or not we perceive an inanimate, man-made and for-profit tool as possessing a "soul" (thank you, marketing)—is if said tool encourages and enables us to pursue and better our craft. In the case of Leica, Ari, you've found just that. A camera system that suits your daily creative needs (and then some), while remaining functional, simple and tailored to your style of photography. The inherent purity and simplicity of the manual rangefinder experience, paired with traditional build quality and top tier optics, as Leica no doubt provides, is unadulterated photography. A timeless user experience that harkens back to the Cartier-Bressons and Meyerowitzes of yesteryear, as you mentioned, encouraging you to take more photos. Simply taking more photos and including the camera in our daily lives, is the key. Everything else will follow. And with that, we have a winner.
Thanks for sharing, as always.
"Simply taking more photos and including the camera in our daily lives, is the key" - Yep that's exactly it.
Bought my used Leica m11P in Spring 2025. Coming from Fuji was difficult yet I’m loving it. I agree that the boot up time is much too long. I do also find it harder to take photos in low light (although I’ve started experimenting with a flash). Yes - many photos are soft or out of focus but I do love the experience over using my XT30 or XT5. (I too doubled down and got a Bessa R2M rangefinder as a poor man’s M6 — build quality is far far from Leica).
Intertesting, I've found it a joy to use in low-light, but ocassionally struggle with the rangefinder patch focusing when it's too dark. Despite the build quality, do you like the Bessa R2M?
Yeah - it’s a similar rangefinder experience
Enjoyed that Ari, I've also just bought a new M11 with the Voigtlander 35 Ultron and I have similar thoughts, it's not about autofocus, it's about using a camera with soul that belongs in your hands, and inspires you. Great images too mate
Thanks Dave, and congrats on getting an M11 too. Really admire your photos and I think it makes complete sense for the type of street photography you do. I look forward to seeing what you share on IG.
Very relatable. There is one thing more about Leica and it is the lenses.
I recently rented a RF50/1.2 for my Canon R6ll, a camera I use for filming and scanning negatives. It’s an iconic piece of glass, one that made people jump into canon’s eco system after all. The images I take with this combo are tech sharp, the AF system nails every shot but the photographs have all one thing in common: A complete lack of soul. Even the 3-D pop that I was looking for is non-existent. Sure, from a technical point of view the images are perfect but that’s not everything. at least forccc me it isn’t…So after one day of trying out the RF 50 I went back to my beloved 35 summicron , half a century old, scratches, fungus, haze, it will die on me eventually , but the images are perfect to my eye and they are alive!
Still wanting an 8 elements though.
This is something I noticed also with the premium Nikon Z lenses. I rented a few of them for a paid gig in Hamburg and they were also brutally sharp, but they have this digital crispiness to them. I shot with the Leica too and almost every image I preferred from the Summilux or Summicron.
I think my concrete wall would be a CFV 100C + A12 back on a Hassleblad 500CM.
Also curious about that transition away from Fuji and Fuji colours to Leica. The couple of times I’ve tried friends Leica I was pretty unimpressed with the colours although I didn’t look at them in post and see how rendered.
Mostly I think I’m too much of a sucker for Fuji’s colours to venture out. I mean there is also the high cost of switching but we’ll see. I’m happy with Fuji but there always another camera. That Fuji to Leica pipeline (at least according to Fujifilm YouTubers) appears to be a thing.
In terms of JPEGs, the Leica M11 colours aren't anything exciting. But in Capture One, I hardly need to edit the RAWs to get to a point I'm happy with. A strength of Fujifilm is how good they look on the back fo the screen and that can be very encouraging.
I dare not tempt myself with such dangerous thoughts.
Great write up. My step back into a life of loving photography began when I bought the Fuji xpro1 and their 35. Slow, quirky, illogical. And magic for my brain. I've followed that Fuji rise through spec increases, better glass , more widgets. Worse for brain. Getting too close to a self driving car.
Last year I found myself metaphorically walking past Leica shops that weren't on the way home. Irrational decision led to an MP and used 35 Summicron. Oh, my photos went straight to crap. The speed and ease has definitely left me leaning on the gear more- so this camera pulled back the curtain on what part the photographer is doing. I nearly sold everything and quit. But I keep loading film and my keepers are increasing. ( I'd love to shoot a digital m to facilitate a little of this re-education!).
All of this to say- the act of making any kind of art, document, record is kind of an irrational act. So you might as well enjoy the ride.