What is your favorite wide-angle lens for the Leica M system? There are lots of great options to choose from, and one of our favorites is the 21mm f2.8 Elmarit-M. The clip-on E55 hood is a small marvel in itself and has a cutout so as not to block the viewfinder. The M6's 0.72-magnification viewfinder has frame lines for lenses up to 28mm in width, necessitating the external 21mm finder seen mounted here. 

Technical image quality is rarely the deciding factor in making a great image. In this test, we pitted the plastic lens ripped out of a Kodak disposable camera against one of the most desirable and expensive Leica M lenses -- the 35mm f1.4 Summilux-M (pre-ASPH). After drilling a hole in a Leica M body cap and affixing the plastic optic with a mix of glue and gaffers tape, our "disposable" lens was ready to go, sporting an f/11 maximum aperture and fixed focus.  While hardly a fair comparison, we wanted to see the character of the images from both lenses and shot a roll with a Leica M6 at a summer party.

These sample images demonstrate that the Summilux is profoundly better than the disposable lens in every optical category, which comes as no surprise. What did surprise us is how fun the soft-focus effect of the plastic lens was, especially combined with the heavy grain caused by the underexposure of the f/11 lens. In a way, the blurry images from the disposable lens evoke the memories of this evening more than indexical mini-realities of the Summilux. 

The P. Angenieux Paris 50mm f1.5 Type S21 can be used to dramatic effect in portrait photography. This rare French lens evidences its cinema background with a swirly, ethereal rendering. Here, staff member Michael poses with his daily carry, a Leica M6. 

Here are some samples of the new Light Lens Lab 35mm f2 8-Element Summicron replica lens on Rollei RPX 100 black and white film. The original Leica 35mm f2 Summicron is renowned for the quality of its black and white tonal reproduction, and the LLL 35mm f2 does a good job of emulating that classic look. 

The new Light Lens Lab 35mm f2 is a replica of the classic Leica 35mm f2 8-Element Summicron. Like the original, it features single coating (most modern lenses are multi-coated), and delivers a slightly "vintage," warmer color cast in its images. These samples were taken on Kodak Gold 200 on a recent adventure in the Columbia Gorge. With the aperture stopped down, the LLL 35mm f2 exhibits fine sharpness, contrast, and flare control, even without a lens hood. Wide open, it offers a pronounced separation effect between subject and background, as seen in the portrait of staff member Anna. 

The Light Lens Lab 35mm f2 is a nearly identical copy of the original Leica 8-Element 35mm f2 Summicron lens. One subtle difference is the replacement of Leica's classic "Red Dot" lens mounting mark with a transparent synthetic ruby, lending some modern character to an otherwise faithful replica. Here, a gloss black paint LLL 35mm f2 sits nicely on a black M6 TTL with MP viewfinder upgrade. 

You don't even need to load a Leica with film to enjoy it. The camera offers up balance, ergonomics, and so many other little tactile pleasantries to your eager hands.⁠

Leica is known as the king of limited editions.  Since 1975, the company has been producing special editions of their cameras, working in conjunction with artists and designers to create unique cameras, or to commemorate historic times and individuals.⁠

⁠In 1996, to honor the 100th anniversary of the death of the Austrian composer, Anton Bruckner, Leica produced a special platinum M6, with an iguana skin leather, and engraved with the likeness of the famed composer.  They made a mere 200 of these cameras and packaged them with a matching 50mm f/2.8 Elmar lens, as well as a CD collection of Bruckner's symphonies.  The result is something akin to candy for a camera collector, sparking a glow in the eye and a slightly nervous jitter to the hands.  To lay eyes on one of these 200 cameras is a story to remember...

Anton Bruckner was born in Ansfelden, Austria in 1824.  He grew up during the Romantic period of classical music and was a contemporary of both Wagner and Brahms - though, unlike the former, Bruckner was known for his extreme humility.  Humble to such a degree, he was variously described as socially naive and "half simpleton."  Bruckner biographer, Karl Grebe perhaps said it best, "his life doesn't tell anything about his work, and his work doesn't tell anything about his life."  But it is clear Bruckner loved music and he spent his entire life immersed in it, from childhood until his 70s.  Bruckner was one of those composers who musical genius was widely overlooked until late in his life and, even then, not fully realized until decades after his death.  His symphonies have gone on to influence generations after him.  A good place to start is his Symphony No. 4, which we had playing as we wrote this brief history.  If you think parts of it sound familiar, that is because well-known Hollywood composer, John Williams, has cited Bruckner as one of his early influences.  Hints of Bruckner can be heard in Williams' scores for films such as Superman and Star Wars.  It comes as little surprise that Leica created this edition for their Austrian distributor Leitz-Austria Vertriebs GmbH.  

To own a Leica like this is unlike any you have ever owned and, not only is it a prize for the camera shelf, the collection of Bruckner symphonies which accompanies it will have a noticeable impact on your morning commute as well.

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Our wizard of a scanning technician, Shawn's favorite cameras is his Leica M6.  Shawn keeps a relatively small rotation of cameras -hopping between this Leica, his Hasselblad 500C/M, and a Nikon F, but what he does with those cameras is as varied as one could imagine.

We made this portrait back when Shawn had first joined our staff in 2018.  In the years since, he has taken over all of our digital printing operations and is constantly stopping us in the hallway to show us an adorable dog or cat video pulled from Reddit.  That, or he is showing us cross processed Lomochrome, bleach bypassed film, Kodak TMax 3200 pushed to ISO 250,000 or another one of his innovative film experiments.

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Just a little Leica love for you today.

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The Leica M6: the future is then. 

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Even the trash cans of New York City have good camera taste.

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A good customer of ours recently bought his first Leica (an M6) from us the other day. Moments before he chose to go forward with buying the camera he was a bit uncertain, a bit on the fence. "Isn't it just about the lenses?" He asked, and in that question was a mild implication that the camera itself wasn't as incredible as its reputation. We explained that the allure of a Leica was about much more than the glass. Fast forward to today, the same customer comes back in with his first roll of exposed film and even before he has seen negatives, let alone prints, he exclaims "I love this camera". Cameras are more than their results. It is in how they feel in your hands, how they operate, how you feel when using them. It is about the process as well as the results and few cameras demonstrate this as well as Leicas.

While the beauty of the Leica M6 is inarguable, it was lens on this camera that caught our fancy in this moment.  Voigtlander optics are considered a "bargain" option for Leica M, but they are anything but bargain, in terms of their form and function.  We would daresay we'd prefer to own this Nokton 40mm f/1.4, rather than the Leica M6.  Don't think we are being too absurd.  Of course, the ideal scenario is both paired together and that is exactly what we had here.

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Does it get any hotter than a Leica M6 with red grip and shutter button, plus a 35mm f2 Aspherical on a 100 degree day in Portland?

No, we thought not.⠀ ⠀

In other hot news, we just brought in a consignment that includes seven different Leica M bodies, including this one. So the heat wave of triple digit temperatures may have passed but a whole other heat wave is on the horizon.

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