I don’t know about you, but when I think about beginner photographers and what camera they should buy, Leica isn’t the first name that springs to mind. However, some people are happy to invest thousands into a system they don’t even know they’ll like yet.
Photographer and YouTuber Mattias Burling says that he gets people asking him which camera to buy on a weekly basis, and they often want to go with Leica. So, in this video, he talks about what he believes is the best Leica camera for beginners.
If you’re impatient, buy a Leica M8
For the TikTok generation or anybody else with the attention span of a goldfish, he recommends the Leica M8 (buy here) right at the start of the video. Literally, within 20 seconds of the video starting, he says to go buy the Leica M8.
But then he spends the next five minutes expanding on this. Because it’s never this simple. With any brand, the first thing you need to think about is what you want to do with the camera. What do you need the camera to do for you?
It’s an important factor because not all cameras, even within the same brand, are equal. Different cameras are tailored to different needs and even genres. Yes, you can shoot pretty much anything with any camera, but some are just best suited to specific tasks.
Leica has made a lot of different camera models over the years. Even if we only look at their digital cameras, there are quite a few to choose from.
Lens choice is important, too!
The same thing goes for lenses. You’re likely not going to want a 500mm lens for shooting landscapes. Just as likely, you’re probably not going to be shooting much wildlife photography with a 24mm wide-angle lens. You might need something with an extremely wide aperture for shooting in low-light environments.
Mattias goes over a lot of the reasons why you might want to pick one over the other in the video. And the Leica M8 might not actually be the best option for you. But, if you really can’t decide which one you want, he says to just buy the one that looks cool.
Personally, I think there are better investments than a Leica when you’re just starting out. You can get a lot more for your money with other brands, especially if you’re hunting the used market anyway. And you can always turn around and sell it and then get a Leica when you’ve got a bit more of an idea of what you need.
But it’s your money, and if you want a Leica, knock yourself out.
