I often get asked about cheap cameras and also about cheap Leicas.
Because wether you like it or not they produce a special look and colors that many find desirable.
The X1 is the cheapest purebred Leica I know of.
Video recorded with:
Fuji X-T20
35mm f1.4
Manfrotto Befree
If one wants a Leica, what is the cheapest one?
I think the M8, T and even Q are all very affordable.
But they aren’t the cheapest.
The Leica X1 is a purebred Leica. There is no Panasonic clone to be bought.
It is the real deal.
Leica colors and a Leica lens in a very well built package.
The cheapest M8 I’ve seen is $1000. So anything bellow that makes it very affordable in Leicaland.
The Hunt
I started seeing the Leica X1 cheaper and cheaper on eBay and classifieds.
I even saw one that ended without bids at only $250.
So I started scouting for them. Two of them slipped through my fingers at only $200.
Finally there was one for $300 in a store with warranty and I went for it.
Impressions
With any old camera (2009) you will get some outdated technology.
- The AF is usable but pretty slow.
- The Screen is less than awesome.
- The ISO is enough, but is there ever really enough?
On the other hand you are getting some great things for the low price.
- A Premium APS-C compact.
- More pocketable than an X100
- Great build quality
- Excellent manual controls, makes much more sense than on my X100f.
- A Leica lens with the “Leica look”
- Leica colors
- Native DNGs
And most of all. You get a fun camera that didn’t cost an arm. Its a perfect b-cam, fun-cam or crash-cam.
I’ve had a lot of fun with it. I wouldn’t want it as my only camera.
But I wouldn’t want to be without it either.
Leica X1 Sample Pictures
