There must be hundreds of YouTube videos discussing the best camera for stealthy street photography. But this week, we can point you in the direction of a real humdinger. And if you like taking photos with your phone, but would prefer a Leica lens, we have just the thing for you — as long as you live in Japan. Continuing our coverage of inexpensive, Chinese-manufactured M-Mount lenses, we have our screwdriver at the ready. For those of you enjoying the knock-down, drag-em-out scrap between Leica and Fuji for street camera supremacy, perhaps the definitive comparison has finally arrived.
Sneak preview of the 44th Leitz Photographica Auction on June 8
The next Leitz Photographica Auction will take place Am Leitz Park, Wetzlar on June 8. Highlights are announced, including a rare Leica MP2 outfit finished in black paint. Although 27 outfits were produced, only six were finished in black paint. This is now one of the rarest Leicas known to exist, and bidding will start at €400,000.
Demonstrating that special editions are nothing new, an early Leica Model I kit in gold finish is sure to be a popular lot, starting at a modest €160,000. Just 95 ‘Luxus’ Leicas were produced from 1929 to 1931 and only a handful still exist today. Leitz Photographica Auctions say the camera is exquisite, in original condition, and never restored. It is accompanied by a pair of Leitz 3×20 Luxus binoculars, also in gold.
Another unusual specimen, which probably needs handling with care when used for “street photography”, is the Ernst Leitz New York Leica Rifle, which was produced for just one year in 1938/39. Bidding starts at €120,000. Don’t bother asking for permission when using this beast because anyone would say “yes” before running in the opposite direction.
See the full catalogue and further description of the above items at the Leitz Photographica Auction website.
Leitz Phone 3 launched in Japan
Here’s an alternative that might be a better choice for stealthy street photography. The latest version of the Leitz Phone went on sale in Japan last week. It features a 47.2MP one-inch CMOS sensor and a dual rear-camera array, including a 6x digital zoom and a wide-angle lens. On the front is a 12.6MP sensor and an 8x digital zoom for “high-quality selfies”. For the first time, the Leitz Phone 3 incorporates Leica Perspective Control, a feature which has already featured in Leica cameras. An important feature for Leica aficionados is the Leica Looks software, which allows the phone to replicate the signature of popular Leica M lenses.
In a recent press statement, the company announced that the Leica Leitz Phone 3 will be exclusively available for purchase in Japan from April 19. Although the handset’s price is yet to be revealed, it comes in a single black colourway. Additionally, promotional images on the Leica website highlight the option to purchase the advertised lens cap along with an external phone cover, which can be bought either as part of a bundle or as separate accessories. Find full details of the new phone here at Leica.
The third generation of the Leitz Phone moves closer to the history of the Leica brand than ever. The brand, synonymous in the field of photography with the “Made in Germany” guarantee of quality, has concentrated on the essentials in the design of the compact, sleek and user-friendly Leitz Phone 3. They go on to say that inspired by the iconic design of legendary Leica cameras, functional beauty and a high-quality feel are what set the Leitz Phone 3 apart. The back has the unmistakable look and feel of a Leica and offers the perfect grip to deal with the challenges of everyday life. The Leitz Phone 3 is not only easy to use. Weighing it at just 209 grams, it is particularly comfortable to carry. Details like a lens cap with a magnetic fastening system bear witness to the smartphone’s proud legacy.
Leica website
The Leitz Phone 3 is produced exclusively for the Japanese market in collaboration with Sharp Corporation and is available from Softbank, Japan’s leading distributor of information and communications technology. It’s a pity we don’t get the chance to buy it in other parts of the world.
Leica announces Oskar Barnack Award jury selection
Jury members for the 44th Leica Oskar Barnack award (LOBA) have been announced. The panel consists of Dimitri Beck, Head of the Photo Department of Polka (magazine, gallery, factory) France; Per Gylfe, Head of the Education Department at the International Centre of Photography (ICP), New York, USA; Ciril Jazbek, Photographer and 2013 LOBA Newcomer winner, Slovenia; Amélie Schneider, Head of the Picture Editorial Department, Die Zeit, Germany; and Karin Rehn-Kaufmann, Art Director and Chief Representative Leica Galleries International, Austria.
As in the past, award winners will be selected based on proposals from a panel of nominators made up of more than 80 photography experts from around 50 countries. Both the shortlisted series and the winners in the Main and Newcomer categories are chosen by a five-member jury, which will meet at the end of May at Leica Camera AG headquarters in Wetzlar.
The main prize winner will receive €40,000 and Leica camera equipment to the value of €10,000, while the newcomer receives €10,000 and a Leica Q3. Furthermore, the LOBA winning series, together with those shortlisted, will be presented in a touring exhibition, starting at the Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar in October. Afterwards, the series will be on display in Leica galleries and at selected photo festivals worldwide. The announcement and award ceremony for the winners of both categories will take place in Wetzlar in October 2024.
Simon Wheatley’s Silverlink exhibition at London’s Leica Store Mayfair
Leica Store in London’s Mayfair is to stage Simon Wheatley’s ‘Silverlink’ exhibition between May 17 and July 21 this year. It’s a great example of our theme this week: stealthy street photography.
Simon Wheatley is a London-based photographer who has become increasingly known for his raw and intimate photographic portrayal of the city and its communities. Between 1998 and 2010 he photographed the overland train service he first encountered as The North London Line, which then became Silverlink after its privatisation.
The series, which Wheatley initially envisaged as a documentation of the social polarisation of neighbourhoods, continued until the Kodachrome film (which he chose after reading that Bruce Davidson also used this film for his series ‘Subway’) was discontinued. Not only was this a poignant full-stop in terms of photographic craft.
The exhibition will show 21 of Wheatley’s images from the series Silverlink, all shot with the Leica M system and exclusively printed for Leica Gallery London for the first time. All works are for sale together with signed copies of Simon Wheatley’s book ‘Silverlink’.
Leica user blown away by TTArtisan lenses
Writing for DPReview, Sebastian Oakley tells of his new love affair with TTArtisan lenses for the M-Mount system.
… I’ve found a way to enjoy my Leica cameras (I currently own two) without spending an absolute fortune in the process. This includes the initial purchase of the camera body or bodies, in my case, lenses, which is another massive investment that often gets overlooked when wanting to buy the best Leica cameras.
As a reviewer, Sebastian has had the chance to try some of the best Leica lenses, such as the 28mm Summilux and the 50mm Apo-Summicron. While he notices a slight loss of contrast in TTArtisan lenses, “it’s not enough to make me want to sell them off and go head first into the Leica pool of debt”.
He does, however, warn that these Chinese-made lenses are not calibrated out of the box, so some DIY is needed. But the manufacturer provides a little screwdriver and an instruction book. He reckons the 50mm lens took about 20 minutes to get just right, while the 21mm was ready in five minutes.
If you have been considering adding a 50mm M-lens to your stealthy street photography kit, it sounds worth a look.
Read the full review and watch Sebastian’s videos at DPReview.
Read here in our The M Files series about the M-Mount lens manufacturers from China.
Is it time to ditch the tripod?
Do we really need tripods these days? With massive improvements in sensor quality, high-ISO performance, and in-body-image-stabilisation (IBIS), can’t we just shoot everything hand-held? Tripods are bulky, slow us down and generally get in the way. Better to be shot of them entirely.
With tongue firmly in cheek, Rod Lawton of Amateur Photographer, makes exactly this argument. He has a point: many photographers, including me, do not even own a tripod.
However, like all good debates, he also offers the counter-argument in favour of shelling out for one. Consider your ‘safe shutter speed’, that is the slowest speed at which you can hold the camera steady, without the help of IBIS. For him, it is 1/125s for a 50mm lens. So, with 5-stops of stabilization, he should be able to manage a sharp image when shooting at 1/4s. Impressive.
But, that’s clearly not long enough for really low light conditions, or for capturing silky-smooth water flowing over rocks. And what about astrophotography or macrophotography? In fact, Rod lists many reasons why it can be a good idea to mount your camera on a tripod, including leaving your hands free.
So, unless you shoot only in bright sunlight, or restrict yourself to genres such as stealthy street photography, perhaps you should make room in your camera bag for that three-legged friend.
Here’s the article from Amateur Photographer
Fuji vs. Leica: The eternal rivalry
The one camera to take everywhere. The good companion for any journey. A perfect choice for stealthy street photography. A reliable friend for everyday use — a promising idea, and we can only wonder why so few manufacturers take the trouble to bring such products to the market. Maybe they are afraid that they won’t see ever new accessories, lenses, and the like once the customer is served. Or it’s just very difficult to create such a camera in the tradition of the Olympus XA or Mju models, the Rollei 35 and the like. But Ricoh, Fujifilm and Leica have made brave attempts.
We have all seen these side-by-side “which is the better camera” video reviews that leave us with time spent and no information gained. All the bigger is the surprise when watching this video by Tyler Stalman. His topic is not original, but the comparison between the Leica Q3 and the Fujifilm X100VI is very well done. Tyler seems to have understood both cameras, and he is serious in highlighting which are the pros and cons of every camera. And he resists the temptation to be polemic about Leica prices. Finally, an excellent contribution to the eternal question of which is the best camera. One could argue, there are already so many emotions in this Fuji vs. Leica rivalry that the best approach is indeed the one based on facts.
And if you watch the video, you will get an extra bit information: Store cameras with leaf shutters — both the Leica Q3 and the Fujifilm X100IV have this feature — flat on their backs in your drawer. We never thought about this here at Macfilos, but Tyler’s explanation is absolutely convincing.
An unconventional camera project raises half a million
Sometimes, crowdfunding projects are a mystery to us. Yet many urgently needed products were made possible by Kickstarter, GoFundMe and the like. Think only of the device for digitizing negatives and transparencies by our colleague and friend Hamish Gill from 35mmc. Others were special camera straps, new approaches for tripods or the I’m Back module for Leica that can transform any M-Mount Leica from the analogue days in a (kind of) digital camera. Kudos for all these inventors!
But what we are seeing now is really, say, special. Under the old brand name of Yashica, “the world’s smallest mirrorless camera” (that is, system camera with interchangeable lenses) is announced. For $299 (as of writing), you can fund the project and hope to get the kit with the 12 MP camera, a wide-angle and a telephoto lens and a miniature tripod in November. The company behind the project, I’m Back (yes, the one mentioned above) is located in Switzerland and has raised almost €500,000 so far (significantly more than the target of €10,000!). So, you can expect to be served with typical Swiss precision.
Many media outlets have covered the story already, among them Techradar in this feature. This review also gives you interesting details on the camera, the used sensor type and the lens line-up. But we mustn’t forget the disaster Nikon had with their System, 1, with a comparably large one-inch sensor. And anyone around to remember the Pentax 110 system, a miniature SLR for pocket film? All gone under because we tend to believe that the bigger the sensor, the better the outcome. It will be enlightening to see if the Yashica project is more than a short-term media hype.
Nevertheless, if you are in the market for a tiny set-up for your stealthy street photograph, get funding.
Join the conversation
Scroll down to add your views on this article. Meet regular Macfilos readers and join in the discussion.
The leaf shutter claim is complete BS – does that apply to other cameras with leaf shutters? If you think about it for 1/500th you will realize it’s nonsense. If it was true Leica would ship the camera face down in the box. They don’t.
I’ve never known a leaf shutter get stuck because the camera hasn’t been put down on its back – and I have some pretty old leaf-shutter cameras from the nineteen thirties.
BUT, CD players and MiniDisc players/recorders ..yes, definitely store them upside down! Otherwise the spring which pushes up the record/playback laser(s) can get too ‘tired’ and compressed – over a year or three – to push the head up properly towards the disc from beneath, and can mis-read or fail to read what’s on the disc ..in my experience. Same, of course, for DVD recorders/players. Silly, isn’t it, that the head has to be pushed upwards by a spring? (..though B&O and Amstrad used to sell vertical-playing CD machines.) But playing the underside of a disc means that the printed label on top can be more easily read.
Leaf shutters though? I’ve never had any trouble with any Kodak Bantam Special (of 1936) ..made 88 years ago, and still going strong. I find the video is just jabber-jabber-jabber, and he says himself that he can’t understand how the Dynamic Range enhancement – of the Fuji camera – actually works. (But the more enthusiastic or critical a Youtube video is, and the more views that it thus gets, the more that it earns for the poster from Youtube – whether it’s factually accurate or not.)
Oh dear, I’ve just tucked up all my cameras in bed, lying on their backs as prescribed. I’ll have to dig ’em out and set them on their feet again. I wonder what Thorsten thinks. I have seen him plonk his M and Noctilux rim-down on the table-top on more than one occasion. He doesn’t mollycoddle his gear, and a bet he doesn’t worry about the leaf shutters.
Yup, I’ve got a Pentax 110 camera and a few lenses for it – and a Rollei A110 (presently with a ‘Lomography Orca’ B&W film in it, I’m up to frame 12 at the moment) in my hand right now! – and a teeny (white and silver) Pentax Q-S1 (also in my – other – hand right now), and a variety of teeny Pentax lenses to go with that ..currently using the ’08 Wide Zoom’ (3.8mm – 5.9mm, equivalent to 17.5-27mm on a 35mm ‘full frame’ sensor, or film.
And I did buy the original ‘I’m Back’ attachment, and used it on a (film) Olympus OM-2; cumbersome and clunky, but good fun! I also bought the first (crowdfunded) ‘Yashica’-branded ‘toy’ camera – see it, and its pics, on Macfilos here: https://tinyurl.com/Y45hicaCam, but I’m not so enthusiastic about this new joint ‘Yash’ + ‘I’m Back’ venture ..I’ll pass on that.
I am, though, a real enthusiast for the teeny-weeny 1/1.7-inch sensor, 12.4 megapixel Pentax Q-S1 (..its Q-series predecessors weren’t quite so capable). The selection of lenses is (was) terrific, you can put half a dozen in a large pocket, the camera is really well specified (an easy-to-use over/under-exposure dial, easy ISO adjustment, Auto, manual, Aperture priority, Speed priority, 21 easily accessible ‘Scene’ settings, built-in retractable flash (though I don’t use flash), 4 instantly accessible user-choosable saved settings, instant-swap lenses, etc, etc, hot shoe for external flash, video, etc, etc). And its results are wonderful. (Scroll down to the 12th photo here: https://www.edituk.com/Wide_Photos.html)
Can’t fault it!
Tripod use depends on the subjects photographed. IBIS is not the panacea for all situations. I’m a WYSIWYG architectural and wildlife photographer and frequently set up a camera on a tripod to optimise the live view image. There is often so much detail in the live view image I need to be very selective regarding which elements to include / exclude. A tripod enables optimum assessment of the viewfinder image. I often need to use the magnified live view and the screen grid. I’ll use all necessary tools to optimise the live view image and hopefully obtain the desired result. Others may not have the patience to do this. When waiting for e.g. a bank vole to run across its feeding habitat I could not photograph them successfully without pre-focusing a tripod mounted camera / lens combination. Record photography is not everyone’s cuppa.
With my M cameras with their newer sensors and processors and the excellent noise reduction software available, a tripod seems superfluous. IBIS makes the tripod even less useful for the SL and Q cameras. Unless you plan to take long exposure shots, no tripod is needed!
As good as IBIS is and as useful as it is, I think most serious landscape photographers would often like to use a tripod for accurate framing more than reduction of camera shake. When hand holding a camera your precise framing can change with just a few millimeters of accidental movement.This is something that is important with carefully composed elements in a scene. You can’t always fix these things perfectly in post either and probably wouldn’t want to if you are coming back from a trip with hundreds of images to sort through.