Leica Minilux 35mm Film Camera

Pros: Sharpest P&S lens I've ever seen!
Cons: A tad pricey for the casual shooter

LEICA MINILUX: Simple, Super-Sharp, Expensive

By Frank Van Riper
Professional Photographer, author and photography columnist for <Washingtonpost.com>

I’m on record touting the Contax Tvs III as the finest point and shoot...

Pros: Leica quality lens (and a 2.4)
Cons: price

When I decided to purchase a high quality "point and shoot" with manual capabilities, I only felt I had two choices: the Leica Minilux, or the Contax T2. Having already owned a leica III f, I looked at the minilux first. I found it to be a...

Pros: Flexible, superior optics
Cons: None that should stand in your way except $$$$

I have to admit it. I always wanted to have a Leica, and was envious of anyone who had one. Now I have my own, and I am a very happy lady. There is one reason to spend the extra bucks to buy a Leica minilux. No, not to satisfy your envious nature....

Pros: lens and logo
Cons: viewfinder

I bought my minilux last year after I sold my M4P, I wanted something that I could carry everywhere with a very good lens and a great design. Well the lens is great and sharp and in some cases it's hard to tell the difference with a summicron lens. The...

Pros: Quality, durability, aesthetically pleasing
Cons: A little pricey, but probably the only Leica I can afford

I bought my Minilux used nearly three years ago to use while traveling, hoping to shed the weight of a big SLR. The fact that it was so hard to find used says a lot. It was a bargain at $450, but it definitely showed a little wear.

After...

Pros: Superb on film performance!
Cons: Not a cheap camera to purchase.

I have owned many lenses from both the Nikon and Canon SLR systems (together with various SLRs of theirs, of course)over the years. The Leica Minilux has the best lens that I have ever used (SLR or not). Contrast, sharpness, color rendition and gradation...

Pros: Absolutely, the best lens of any P&S camera; past or present!
Cons: Closer minimum focusing

Being an "almost-there" professional, I needed something small to carry around everyday to get those pictures that would otherwise be forgotten; and with a lens that I could make LARGE quality prints from. The Leica Minilux is fantastic; the...

Pros: Size, Quality, Ease of Use
Cons: Price

You can keep it handy even with a backpack on. Put it in a small Eagle Creek-type pouch and run your chest strap through the loop. (I sewed a mini-pouch inside the E.C. pouch to hold a Swiss Army Knife, so that's handy too, and you can keep a lighter, a...

Pros: Amazing lens, solid construction, maual features, Leica quality.
Cons: Price, but its a Leica!

At the time I had an F4 as my primary camera and I felt funny about lugging it everywhere. I decided to get a point and shoot. I ended up with this Leica. I fell in love with it when I held it. It felt tough. Steel construction, not that flimsy...

Pros: Sharp shots Fabulous detail Much better than the Ricoh GR1
Cons: More expensive than the Ricoh GR1

This camera is much better than the Ricoh GR1 in every respect. If you don't buy the Leica Minil ...

Pros: great lens
Cons: limited flash range, limited shutter speed top end

I'm a confirmed SLR user now for the past 28 years (and throw in an M-3). Vacation usually meant lugging around a bag with 6 or more lenses, a Luna Pro, and sometimes, a tripod. You, I wasn't exactly packing light. Last year I finally got tired of all ...