You can hum along to the Who’s “Who are you?” and add a few seconds of the obligatory “Who, who, who, who” chorus if you wish. But if you can stop for a moment and ask yourself, how many ways can you interpret das Wesentliche (the essential)? What does it mean to you in terms of how you see yourself and your photography? You might be surprised. I can count at least three, maybe more, ways to interpret that phrase. Let’s take a look at them in turn in relation to Leica ownership.
The Leica “Mechanist” (or Luddite if you are British)
If you understand British history, “Luddite” can be considered a pejorative. For the rest of the world, it can be interpreted as someone who challenges and rejects automation. And therefore embraces a reduction of technology to “the essentials”.
Anyone old enough to remember Christmas when toys came with a label on the packaging that said, “Batteries not required” will likely feel at home within this group. As will anyone who still uses an external light meter.
They embrace mechanical simplicity (as they do with manual gear-change cars) wanting manual controls for as much of the process as possible. Film is essential and matches up to people who have a desire to keep record players functioning and to keep playing vinyl.
If that feels like you, then you may be a Mechanist. Any of the following cameras might work well for you: Leica I, II, III. These cameras take you back to the dawn of Leica cameras. Pick one up and you will recognize the controls. The Leica II added a rangefinder, that is still available on all generations of the Leica M including today’s M11.
The M “Messsucher” rangefinder followed, combining the separate rangefinder and viewfinder of the previous screw-mount cameras. The M1 through to the M4 cameras were purely mechanical, with no need for any battery of any kind. They still work and can still be serviced. And for the Mechanists, Leica still has a purely mechanical camera in the line-up and available for sale today: the M-A. There is no digital rot.
The Leica “Minimalist”
Mies van der Rohe might have invented this group with his “Less is more” statement. It’s a rejection of complexity and a focus on the essentials. It quite often comes with a question. What is the least amount of equipment that I can take with me to photograph something? I fit right into this group, as I hate carrying anything excess with me.
Weight is my enemy. I have always been a fan of Colin Chapman’s motto (he founded the Lotus Cars and Lotus’ successful Formula 1 team) which was “Just add lightness.” He would likely have been a nodding acquaintance of Mies if their paths had crossed.
My preference is one camera, one lens, one spare battery, and one spare memory card. And that will do me. It forces me to think ahead about what I want to focus on, and also forces me to be adaptable.
I also don’t want to stand out, so tape over the Red Dot (sacrilege!!!) to avoid conversations like, “That looks expensive.” Or, “Is that a Leica?” I just prefer to stay in the shadows.
What do Minimalists shoot with? I suspect any of the Q family essentially fits perfectly, or an M with one lens. A camera and lens that can be adaptable for a broad range of circumstances and conditions.
Perfection might be an M, or Q Monochrom, or an M Edition 60, M 262, M10-D, or current M11-D. Strap on a 35mm Summilux Steel Rim and you are ready for a Zen-like experience.
The Leica “Maximalist”
This is often someone who likes having a “suite” of lenses and cameras that can be used very specifically for particularly needs. Like a wine connoisseur, they know precisely what they require in terms of equipment at any given moment.
Recently, they have likely adopted the Leica firmware “profiles” philosophy, which allows them to select at the push of an icon how to shoot a scene or topic. Or how to choose a lens and then have a profile to get the most out of it. It’s actually an intelligent way to keep the controls and options simple; focus on the essentials, and avoid clutter.
I won’t name camera brands whose UIs remind me of the worst kind of American diner multipage menus, but if you’ve been here, you know the ones I mean. They seem to have been written in a stream of half-consciousness rather than end user logic.
What cameras might these Maximalists own or hanker after? It could be any member of the SL family, which is rich in user options that can get the absolute maximum out of any usage occasion. The Maximalist is always looking to improve and upgrade their camera equipment.
Or it could be an M with a set of M lenses in the bag to cover all shooting eventualities. Or even stepping back to the much-missed Leica CL and TL lenses. You have plenty of options to tailor the kit to your specific needs or usage and focus on your essentials.
How to decide who you are
This is clearly not exhaustive, nor scientifically based on statistically valid data. This is simply my observation of hundreds of posts on various forums over the years. You can see patterns and validate what you see. What is missing is what these groups use their cameras for. And that’s an entirely different topic…
You can create your own decision tree based on who you are and what you should own:
- Are you happy with electronic objects, or do they irritate you?
- Do you want to shoot film? Or are you happy shooting digitally?
- Does your wardrobe have your clothes organized by season and by colour? Or do you fit clothes in wherever you can find space?
- How do you approach packing for a holiday? Do you cover all eventualities, or do you mix and match to keep things simple?
- Do you keep adding items you like to your collection, or do you purge what you no longer use?
| More | |
| For Maximalists: The M Files Navigator | For Minimalists: The Q3 43 in practical use |
| For Mechanists: Back to the home photo lab | For all: Remarkable Macfilos images from 2025 |
Make a donation to help with our running costs
Did you know that Macfilos is run by five photography enthusiasts based in the UK, USA and Europe? We cover all the substantial costs of running the site, and we do not carry advertising because it spoils readers’ enjoyment. Every amount, however small, will be appreciated, and we will write to acknowledge your generosity.