Finding an Affordable Leica Camera

Is it possible to find an affordable Leica in today‘s highly inflationary world? A Leica comfortably within the means of a younger first-time buyer? That is the question addressed in this article.

Many photographers aspire to own a Leica camera, but few succeed. It is easy to understand why. Just look at their retail prices. For example, a new digital M-type rangefinder camera, together with a modest kit of say, two or three prime lenses, can cost up to £20,000, or more, depending on the choice of optional accessories. Even half of this budget would still be required for other leading brands of modern digital cameras. Photography can be a very expensive hobby.

For most people, other priorities in life rule out such an indulgence until, say, retirement age, when mortgage payments, education and family costs reduce radically. So how can a younger person fulfil a dream to own such a prestigious camera brand? The one with a little red dot!



A Lucky Find
For a few, dare I say, lucky ones, the cheapest entry point is inheritance. A distant relative has nominated you to take over a cherished ‘Leica’. It can happen; it does happen, as evidenced in international forums when newcomers often seek help when an unexpected Leica falls into their lap. They usually have no idea how to operate such a rare bequest, and often need help in finding replacement batteries, chargers or even film. (Leica pioneered the famous miniature film cameras) But that is highly unusual; as is the chance find of an historic Leica gem in a local community ‘garage sale’. Oh yes, that has also happened.

Another possibility is to seek advice from an older relative, who just might have been a keen photographer and owned a Leica in his earlier years and wishes to encourage the younger generation. But you need to make clear your genuine interest in advancing your photographic interests, not dropping hints. In my experience, most young people are more than satisfied with their smartphone cameras; but a few have ambitions to try a genuine dedicated instrument. For the remaining aspirants, it is a question of searching the market to see what can be found.





Target price
First we need to define the term ‘affordable’? A simple dictionary definition suggests ‘having sufficient money to buy something’. In today’s uncertain times it is very difficult to choose a number. However, for the purpose of this article, I have chosen a sum just short of four figures, namely, under £1,000. You might not agree with my arbitrary figure, but I am setting a benchmark and invite your comments at the end. My range of target prices is up to £999.

With one exception, only used cameras will be sought. Surely there has to be a few candidate digital Leica cameras in this range. (I am concentrating on digital because film photography has much higher operating costs) The one new Leica available in this price range is the Leica Sofort, coproduced with an Asian manufacturer. It is a kind of hybrid/instant camera, which I regard as not a serious contender in this exercise.

My search begins
Because I have no retail shops selling Leica cameras and lenses within thirty miles of my home, I studied dealers’ websites to find what is a available for novice photographers, who might be looking for an affordable Leica. That is a realistic approach considering the growth in online shopping. I quickly discovered that there is a very limited supply of good used Leica cameras available through dealers. But keep trying. Stock turns over fairly quickly.

Red Dot Cameras is a London-based shop totally dedicated to Leica products and Leica compatible items. The cheapest Leica digital camera I found was a V-Lux Typ.114 boxed with essentials in condition grading ‘Exc’, with a 6 months warranty for £500. (There was a slightly better one for £550). Also listed for £550 was a Leica D-Lux (Typ 109), boxed with a handgrip and accessories. These two cameras would certainly be on my shortlist and would make for rewarding and satisfying Leica photography, well within budget.

A Leica V-LuxTyp.114 with lens extended to reveal some of the effective focal-lengths available on this versatile camera

The D-Lux is more compact and has a faster Leica Summilux lens. I possess both of these cameras and was intrigued to find they came out top of my search with this dealer. No other small-format cameras were available from Red Dot, mainly because they are genuinely in short supply. Owners realize their value and are very reluctant to sell them.

A Leica D-Lux Typ.109 camera fitted with two useful Leica accessories; viz. a handgrip and an automatic lens cap, which eliminates the risk of losing a conventional lens cap.

My next examples were identified on Park Cameras website, who have branches in London and Sussex. Camera models produced by Leica and Panasonic and badged accordingly, (and there are many), all have excellent Leica lenses and offer a rare entry point for buyers on a budget. At random, I picked one of five for sale at Park Cameras, UK https://www.parkcameras.com/used/cameras/panasonic/used-panasonic-fz330/ for a model called Lumix FZ330 for a modest £329. It is described as ‘Boxed and in excellent condition’. Each comes with a six-month warranty, for your peace of mind. A Leica version (I believe is Leica V-Lux 3) would be slightly more expensive, but still within our target budget and is versatile and capable of tackling a wide range of subjects.

Here is Leica V-Lux 3 camera which is noticeably smaller, lighter and slightly less expensive than later models of this camera.

The same dealer has the Lumix equivalent to the very latest Leica V-Lux camera, at around half of its new price. (£629), again with a Leica lens. I have to say that if I was looking for my first Leica, at an affordable budget, these models would be on my short list, not the least because of the acute shortage of older Leica models.

You might get an apparently better bargain on a popular auction site, but I would always recommend buying from a Leica dealer in your country of residence. After-sales support is essential and a good dealer will want to keep you as a satisfied customer. You also have a friendly knowledgeable person to consult when you have a problem or want to trade-up for a better camera in due course.

MPB - a website worth watching
A website specialising entirely in used photographic brands is MPB. Here, for example, is a ‘like new’ Leica C-Lux (the latest current model) offered for £669. https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/leica-c-lux/sku-2276696 Every item is fully tested and photographed before being placed on sale. What you see on the site, is the actual item you would be buying and it carries a guarantee.

Ffordes is another good source of used cameras and lenses. https://www.ffordes.com/p/SH-28-067544/leica/vlux-typ-114?srsltid=AfmBOop-3L0cB2RqHuNLnys3XZHUH2uN1ceFiMX9dOWswlENVQpxYo3QA2s

You may be wondering where in Leica hierarchy does the C-Lux range of cameras reside? There is no real definition; however, I like to think of the C-Lux range as a slightly simplified version of the D-Lux range. There is more scope for photographers to develop their skills with the range of features found with a D-Lux camera. But both ranges are capable of producing very fine results. I bought a Leica C-Lux 3 as a gift and it proved ideal for simple personal pictures.

The older smaller compact Leica C-Lux 3 is typical of an affordable Leica camera, well within budget, likely to be found today. Co-produced with Panasonic, which might be marginally less-expensive, both have an excellent Leica lens. It is a relatively simple model to operate]

Early models of the C-Lux are very small compact camera with a Leica Elmarit zoom lens, making it better than a smartphone for capturing details in the middle distance. It is typical of what you might find in a charity shop. It probably works, but make sure you get included a battery and charger, although both items or their equivalent, can usually be bought on the internet.. It is easy to use and can yield fine pictures.





A System camera
Thus far, I have been presenting complete cameras, albeit often with a zoom lens which increases their versatility. However, there is no scope for changing lenses. In contrast, a system camera comprises a body to which might be added any one of a range of compatible interchangeable lenses. So far as I can find, there is only one Leica camera which meets my pricing criteria, that is the Leica TL series, which has an L-mount. (The L-mount is important because Leica, Panasonic and Sigma have signed an agreement to share products employing this standard mounting. This extends choice and value for money)

In theory, a Leica TL system body could well meet my requirements, particularly if coupled with a Leica, Panasonic or Sigma L-mount prime or zoom lens. But I have been unable to find any Leica TL bodies. However, I have found a slightly older version, model T (Typ 701), the original model. In fact I found two copies offered by MPB, for about £425. You could complete the system by adding an L-mount lens such as an excellent Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 Contemporary lens for £359. With 6-months warranty, that simple set-up is well within our defined budget and would give you a very useful camera, with growth potential. You could always upgrade the body later if you found this camera meets your needs. Or even move into Leica CL territory which, at the time of writing, is beyond our target budget.





Leica X-series
The Leica X-series should provide a solution in our target price bracket, but they are extremely hard to find. However, I did spot two samples of the last versions X-U, but two days later they were both sold. It is a similar story with Leica Digilux cameras.

(Since drafting this article, I revisited MPB website and discovered a few extra items of interest including a Leica X1 in excellent condition for £554)

Anyone doubting the quality of an affordable Leica V-Lux camera lens should study the fine grass stems in this simple picture taken in my garden. A lawn was allowed to grow, unmown, for the summer months so that natural wild flowers and flowering grasses could flourish. Again, who would have chosen a 200 mm focal length equivalent, to capture such a subject. So easy with a versatile V-Lux. Timing, also, is a factor. There is a narrow band of summer evening light when such a picture is possible. But that comes back to the human factor. The camera merely portrays the subject chosen for it.

Conclusions
While niche luxury products form a tiny sector of any market, it should be no surprise that affordable Leicas are not the easiest products to find. However, my research has shown that it is possible to buy a Leica camera, or a camera with a fixed Leica lens, well within a target budget of less than £1,000.

Co-production between Leica and Panasonic, both pioneer partners in the L-mount Alliance (together with Sigma), has produced a range of cameras which benefit from economy of scale. That is why the Leica C-Lux, D-Lux and V-Lux all feature in my proposed solution. They represent the best value for aspiring Leica owners on a challenging budget. If you can find one, a Leica T, or TL, might also be considered, giving you the potential to expand your capabilities.

When buying used equipment, you are well-advised to buy from an approved Leica dealer, giving you peace of mind for the first few months of ownership.

There are older models which occasionally turn up, but any model over ten to fifteen years old, might be difficult to repair and Leica dealers tend to steer clear of them. Spares become increasingly difficult to source. Cameras co-produced with Panasonic (C-Lux, D-Lux and V-Lux were produced in greater numbers. Thus spares might be available for longer). Manufacturers stop making critical sub-assemblies such as digital 'mother boards', for example, when a camera model is discontinued. In this bracket, I include the remarkable Digilux 2. My version is still working, but it did receive a replacement sensor while it was under warranty. For those readers interested, here is a link to an earlier article of mine featuring this classic digital Leica. https://david2008.photium.com/my-way-with-the-leica

A fine old steam locomotive preserved in an English railway museum, was a perfect subject for my diminuitive little Leica D-Lux Typ,109. Exposure was 1/60th f/2.8, ISO 1,600, focal length 70 mm equivalent. Although a serious experienced photographer might not choose to do so, a lot of photographers would be quite happy travelling the world with this very capable little camera.

Sensor size is a factor which I have deliberately avoided discussing, but it might become a consideration if your interest develops. All of the models mentioned are capable of yielding excellent results, for most people, and will help you learn photographic skills.

Please accept that the prices are indicative of those cameras listed in February 2024. Stock changes as items sell and fresh used stock arrives, almost daily. So all of my sample prices should be taken as examples of what might be found in early 2024.

Finally, if you do not succeed, consider registering your interest with a few Leica dealers and be patient. You never know; you might be very lucky indeed. Or, alternatively, why not join our Leica Fellowship, attend a meeting, and find a bargain on the 'Buy and Sell' table? Members often trade their surplus photographic items among themselves, often at prices you might not find at dealers. indeed those items might never pass through the hands of dealers. Members occasionally list items for sale, that they no longer need, in the quarterly newsletter, another good reason for joining the Leica Fellowship.

Now if you were able to double your budget, to say £2,000, you would widen your choice even more, possibly to include a model in the famous M-range of rangefinder models, both film and digital. But be aware; moving from automated distance setting to manual focusing might seem like a retrograde step to take. It would be challenging and take time to master. However, once you are competent, you might enjoy the slower pace of making pictures with a Leica camera.

If you have any questions or comments, please post them in the section below. An experienced member of the Leica Fellowship will give you an answer or advice as soon as practicable.

Good luck with your hunt!