Camera Geek

Leica make exceptional cameras. Some say that they create photos with a “look” that’s different from other makes. I don’t know if that’s true. If it is, it’s due to their superb lenses and, today, their digital sensors and in-camera software.

But they are expensive – very expensive. How expensive, you ask? Think a camera and lens for the price of a car.

I bought one of their least expensive models a few months ago (not car-level pricing), but haven’t done much with it yet. It’s different from the Sony and Nikon cameras that came before. I’d call it a more manual, hands-on type of photography. Much like my beloved Olympus OM-1 film camera that I hauled around the world for three years. If I ever get to the point where I feel my photos justify the camera, I’ll post some.

In the meantime, let me tell you how you can own the Leica ascetic for $6.99.

Leica have released an iPhone app called Lux. It replaces the Apple Camera app and simulates the look of photos taken with various Leica cameras and lenses. It eliminates some of the impressive “computational photography” features found in the Apple app in favor of a more traditional mode of operation. But you can use the two apps side-by-side, choosing whichever best suits the shot you want to take.

By now, if you’re still awake, you’ll have realized that this is a post for camera geeks. I know there’s at least one among my subscribers. And if you are such a one, you will know that an expensive camera does not make a good photographer out of a mediocre one. Any more than buying an expensive bike will let you win the Tour de France. But it can be a tool that helps you do things you could not do before.