That's the salient point though isn't it? Does he want the Leica for what it does, or for what it makes him feel?
There are alternative lenses that you can get for cheaper, but I think the strength of Leica is the lenses.
There are alternative lenses that you can get for cheaper, but I think the strength of Leica is the lenses.
My personal experience with Leica was an M6 that I had for year or two. I HAD to have it, so I bought it and was lucky enough to find a Lecia Summicrom 50mm from like the 1950s for $300. The lens was really nice and rendered things wonderfully.
My first month with the camera was amazing. LOVED the way to felt in my hands. It felt perfect and well made. There was a heft and seriousness to it. As I started using it more I became annoyed by a couple of things though. First, I hated that it wouldn't focus closely enough (or as close as I was used to with SLRs and DSLRs). Second, I wasn't a fan of the metring system with the dots. It didn't seem as intuitive to me as I was used to - I even liked using the ancient needle metering of my OM-1 better. And the last thing I didn't love (which is something that most people like about a rangefinder) was the large viewfinder with the tiny squared off image lines in the middle. Sure, it's supposed to allow you to see beyond the frame lines, etc, but it just felt unnecessarily cramped to me.
After a few months, I started using the M6 less and less. I always seemed to reach for something else when I left the house. The Leica sat on my desk or shelf most of the time. I just didn't enjoy using it that much.
So, long story short. There is a Leica mystique that can be hard to resist. The lenses actually are really compact and wonderful. But in the end, it's just a camera - not a perfect camera. It has flaws for some users. And those flaws eventually led me to sell it to someone who would use it more. I've never been tempted by anything by Leica again - though I wouldn't be averse to using the lenses on my a7.
Edited to add, sorry that was long! But it's my way of saying you need the lenses if you buy into Leica. They are the best part!
There are alternative lenses that you can get for cheaper, but I think the strength of Leica is the lenses.
My personal experience with Leica was an M6 that I had for year or two. I HAD to have it, so I bought it and was lucky enough to find a Lecia Summicrom 50mm from like the 1950s for $300. The lens was really nice and rendered things wonderfully.
My first month with the camera was amazing. LOVED the way to felt in my hands. It felt perfect and well made. There was a heft and seriousness to it. As I started using it more I became annoyed by a couple of things though. First, I hated that it wouldn't focus closely enough (or as close as I was used to with SLRs and DSLRs). Second, I wasn't a fan of the metring system with the dots. It didn't seem as intuitive to me as I was used to - I even liked using the ancient needle metering of my OM-1 better. And the last thing I didn't love (which is something that most people like about a rangefinder) was the large viewfinder with the tiny squared off image lines in the middle. Sure, it's supposed to allow you to see beyond the frame lines, etc, but it just felt unnecessarily cramped to me.
After a few months, I started using the M6 less and less. I always seemed to reach for something else when I left the house. The Leica sat on my desk or shelf most of the time. I just didn't enjoy using it that much.
So, long story short. There is a Leica mystique that can be hard to resist. The lenses actually are really compact and wonderful. But in the end, it's just a camera - not a perfect camera. It has flaws for some users. And those flaws eventually led me to sell it to someone who would use it more. I've never been tempted by anything by Leica again - though I wouldn't be averse to using the lenses on my a7.
Edited to add, sorry that was long! But it's my way of saying you need the lenses if you buy into Leica. They are the best part!
It would be incredibly frustrating to have a M7 without a lens and your pictures would be "artistic" at best.
There are alternative lenses that you can get for cheaper, but I think the strength of Leica is the lenses.
My personal experience with Leica was an M6 that I had for year or two. I HAD to have it, so I bought it and was lucky enough to find a Lecia Summicrom 50mm from like the 1950s for $300. The lens was really nice and rendered things wonderfully.
My first month with the camera was amazing. LOVED the way to felt in my hands. It felt perfect and well made. There was a heft and seriousness to it. As I started using it more I became annoyed by a couple of things though. First, I hated that it wouldn't focus closely enough (or as close as I was used to with SLRs and DSLRs). Second, I wasn't a fan of the metring system with the dots. It didn't seem as intuitive to me as I was used to - I even liked using the ancient needle metering of my OM-1 better. And the last thing I didn't love (which is something that most people like about a rangefinder) was the large viewfinder with the tiny squared off image lines in the middle. Sure, it's supposed to allow you to see beyond the frame lines, etc, but it just felt unnecessarily cramped to me.
After a few months, I started using the M6 less and less. I always seemed to reach for something else when I left the house. The Leica sat on my desk or shelf most of the time. I just didn't enjoy using it that much.
So, long story short. There is a Leica mystique that can be hard to resist. The lenses actually are really compact and wonderful. But in the end, it's just a camera - not a perfect camera. It has flaws for some users. And those flaws eventually led me to sell it to someone who would use it more. I've never been tempted by anything by Leica again - though I wouldn't be averse to using the lenses on my a7.
Edited to add, sorry that was long! But it's my way of saying you need the lenses if you buy into Leica. They are the best part!
The question is, why you want a Leica M7. If you just want a Leica for having a Leica, then you need to think whether you'll be happy with a non-Leica lens on the front. If your answer is 'yes', get a Voigtlander lens, or even a Zeiss. These are all very good lenses indeed, in not quite Leicas. If you want a film rangefinder, have a look also at the Voigtlander Bessa range. Though not Leicas, these are pretty close for most practical purposes - but they don't have the Leicaness that makes a Leica.
Leica M cameras are a joy to fiddle with. You don't often get off a lot of quick shots. (It can be done but you have to know what you are doing.) Nothing is automatic. That said, I think the fun of owning a Leica comes with the lenses. They can't be beat.
...and the film goes where in the Sony?
