why is leica camera so expensive?

[mrca]

Sorry, but a film camera is a pretty simple machine. It holds and advances film and has a shutter. I don't know they are any more precisely manufactured or long lasting than my nikon film bodies. But the Leica lenses are another thing. There is no "nikon or canon look." But like zeiss, there is a leica look and it has to do with outstanding lenses. 6 element count up to 16 blades. They emphasized qualities other than sharpness, vignetting or CA and their fantastic rendering is easily recognizable.Hence, on the front of my nikon film and digital bodies are many 20 yr old design zeiss or 25 yr old nikons. I walked into a gallery a couple years ago and after viewing the b&w images on the wall, looked at the elderly photographer and I said, you are shooting leica. He smiled approvingly. Unfortunately, the price to play in that game has a pretty high entrance fee. If I ever go mirrorless and can adapt leica glass, will do so with at least one of a 35 or 50. Right now, a 50 yr old nikon pancake 50 mm lives there.

 

[Fred von den Berg]

If you look on somewhere like Ebay, there are quite often Leica cameras and lenses being offered for sale by people who inherited them from their parents or grandparents. Some people who buy a Leica in such an auction will have children or grandchildren who will themselves become the heirs of these cameras. About 10 years ago I was offered a very nice Leica iii with 5cm lens (plus a bunch of Leica darkroom equipment) for 600 euros. I politely declined: not because of the price, but rather because I didn't want to own something that would daily remind me of my own mortality!