Leica is like a moment frozen in time. A memory made possible by a device that gets out of the way yet wants to be noticed at the same time. When I see a Leica, I want to pick it up and use it, interact with it. And I want it to help me capture memories.
I have said many times on this site that gear is part of my hobby. And what better gear to use than a Leica? It’s simple, trimmed down and essential. No complicated menus and no messy, scattered controls. Easy to remember. Das Wesentliche shines through in every camera Leica makes.
Staying true
I appreciate the fact that Leica stays true to its vision. So much so that I forgive them the commercial necessities of non-traditional smartphone partnerships. But I prefer to have Leica stay in business, even that means a little compromise.
I feel a kind of kinship with the people that make the cameras. I have not actually met the people that make the cameras, but as an owner and user I do feel connected to them.
Furthermore, I have met many Leica users, and I get along with most of them. There is a shared memory and appreciation for things that are made well.
Why positive engagement?
For me, Leica represents a powerful example of positive engagement. We encounter lots of negative engagement these days. Broken flows in interactions with companies or government institutions. That kind of engagement can only frustrate. The antidote for me is Leica.
But when I use Leica cameras, I experience a different, purer kind of positive engagement. A small nudge, guided by the design and a goal of photographic excellence. To nail manual focus and to create with the bare minimum of assistance is part of my muscle memory. When I fail to get exposure or focus, I want to embrace that failure and learn from it. It’s all the motivation I need to do better.
Memory aid, or aide memoire if you prefer
But most importantly, Leica makes cameras that I want to take with me. For me, photos are more than just a keepsake. My memory is terrible, so I use my photos as an external memory system to record and remember my life’s events.
They are essential for me to remember and cherish moments that are worth returning to for a second look. A recollection of time passed. I don’t want to be someone who lives in the past, but I do want to be able to keep cherishing it. It’s important to be aware of the evolution of our lives and those of our loved ones as we spin through the vast emptiness of space. Can I do that with any camera? Yes, I can. Will it feel the same? No, it won’t.
A memory preserved in an enduring connection
I don’t know what the future will bring. Leica is after all a company, owned by an investment fund. Things can change. I sincerely hope they stay true to ‘Das Wesentliche’ as much as possible. What won’t change is the connection I felt to every single Leica I have ever owned. For that, I am grateful. “Danke“
Join the Macfilos subscriber mailing list
Our thrice-a-week email service has been polished up and improved. Why not subscribe, using the button below to add yourself to the mailing list? You will never miss a Macfilos post again. Emails are sent on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8 pm GMT. Macfilos is a non-commercial site and your address will be used only for communications from the editorial team. We will never sell or allow third parties to use the list. Furthermore, you can unsubscribe at any time simply by clicking a button on any email.
None of us know what tomorrow will bring — but your photos suggest you’re making very good use of the present!
By the way — your article, “Telling Stories” with photography was one of the first I read on this website. While it may not have changed my life, it has given me much to think about and to try to put into practice.
While again, not predicting the future, I hope we’ll be able to read your thoughts, view your photos, well into the uture.
Very interesting article, and I understand what you are talking about. I have been a user/collector/dealer in Leica since I was a pre-teen. I have a very strong connection with Leica for over 60 years at this point. I have a friendship with Stefan Daniel that goes back over 25 years, working with him on exclusive special editions for the LHSA. I will be there in a few weeks to help celebrate 100 years of the Leica.
One point to correct in your article. Dr. Andreas Kaufmann and his family own the majority interest in the company, with a minority interest in the company by an investment fund. I consider Andreas a friend as well. You should make your way to Mecca one day in your journeys!
Thanks for the correction, I understood the majority stake was by the investment firm….
I found your sentence … “Leica is after all a company, owned by an investment fund” of interest. Logic would suggest that investment funds would have, as their primary objective, to sustain the companies that they own and therefore, so long as Leica continues to deliver profitable growth, I would expect them to maintain an arm’s length involvement. I find Leica’s business strategy to be of particular interest – for example, how they have managed to continue selling cameras, at high prices, with a focusing system from the 1930’s when, at lesser cost, cameras with AI-powered auto-focus are available. However, long live those who plough their own furrow and, despite the path taken by others, continue to follow their own vision.
Hear hear!