The Leica SL2-S that I use for photography was purchased from the Leica Ginza Store. It is the first Leica store in Japan, and in addition to selling and displaying the latest models, it also has a space called the ‘Pro Store’ where professionals can use the equipment, as well as a customer service area for repairs and inspections. From purchase to maintenance, you can enjoy Leica products with peace of mind, as the store has specialist staff who are familiar with Leica products and can provide a total service.
As I mentioned in the article on the SL2-S, as well as general sales, if you clearly state your intended use for photography, they will make specific equipment selection proposals based on the actual examples of professional customers. Although there are many cases where modern digital cameras are used in a rather casual way, they will select equipment based on the examples of professionals who use them to create final photographic works, so this shop is also recommended for those who want to create high-quality photographs.
The M-type Leica has so many enthusiasts that it hardly needs to be mentioned here, and it has always been a high-performance camera. What is particularly notable is that its lenses have a high performance that cannot be expressed with lenses from other manufacturers. In this day and age, when it's so easy to take photos digitally, I think that the reason why the M-type Leica, which is operated entirely by the user using a basic manual, is loved by people all over the world is largely due to the high-performance Leica equipment, its special shooting methods, and the fact that many professionals have used M-type Leicas to take works that have gone down in history.
It's a world that can seem a little daunting, and the brand image and full range of equipment can be difficult to understand for those encountering it for the first time, but I think that by actually visiting the store, touching the equipment, and talking with the knowledgeable staff, you'll be able to understand it.
Generally speaking, imported products with a strong brand image tend to be expensive, and Leica products are also expensive, but once you use them, you will be unable to escape their high quality and unique worldview, which elevates photography from a simple record to an impressive memory or, in some cases, art. Leica is a great brand that produces enthusiasts who cannot escape its philosophy of photographic equipment.
The Leica Ginza Store, a Leica-owned store, is a place where you can experience this world view for yourself.
Website https://leica-camera.com
Leica Ginza Store | Leica Camera JP
〒104-0061
6-4-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Phone 03-6215-7070 | Fax 03-6215-7071
OPEN 11:00 - 19:00
Closed on Mondays
I have bought the SL2-S that I wrote about, as well as the M10R black paint and the Apo-Summicron-M 35/2. I also bought the M Monochrome, the Summilux-M 35/1.4, the M35/1.4, the Apo-summicron-M 50/2, the M90/2, the first digital model without a rear LCD, the Leica MD, and the M10, which I have since sold on.
It started with the M3 film camera, and has been succeeded by the M11, the latest digital model. The great thing about the M-type Leica is that you can use M-type lenses made in the 1950s, which have the same mount as the original M3, right up to the latest lenses. This is why M-type film Leica cameras are still commonly used today compared to other manufacturers' products, and the large number of enthusiasts also far outstrips other cameras.
Although this is a technical point, there is a problem with limited lens selection due to the flange back, and there is a difference from Canon, which changed the mount once, and Nikon, which could not change the mount and could not break free from the curse of the old mount, and Leica's characteristic of valuing its long-standing customers. The problem of the flange back has now been solved with mirrorless cameras. Thinking about it in that way, the achievement of Sony's α7 was great.
I've gone on a bit of a tangent, but once you have a Leica camera in your hands and you've gone through the troublesome process of getting it to work, it's a strange camera that you can't bear to be without. The fact that there are so many technical aspects and histories involved in it is also interesting, and that is one of the reasons why I love Leica.
