Are you a digital photographer curious about the analog photography experience? One of the most interesting yet expensive gear options that will give you just that is the Leica M-D 262. Vintage Leica cameras remain popular these days. But if you’re not willing to wait for your film scans, this digital version may just work for you. In the video above, Melbourne, Australia-based photographer Matthew Ruderman shows us what it’s like to shoot with this camera.
“The Leica M-D 262 is the most analog digital camera ever,” said Ruderman in his video description. This is because this model doesn’t have any connectivity options for checking your images while you’re shooting. “So like film you simply have to wait until you get home to see if the images worked out or not.”
Okay, that sounds like a full-fledged analog experience in digital form. However, he also noted that the M-D 262 is both rare and expensive. It costs almost double the M262 (essentially the same camera but with a screen), with its extra value coming from the experience itself. So, for the video, he took the camera out for a photo walk and a portrait shoot. Then, he talked about what it was like shooting with it, how the photos turned out, and how it compares to actual film photography.
In the end, Ruderman said he would recommend the Leica M-D 262 for its unique shooting experience, if wasn’t “so excruciatingly rare and expensive.” Do you agree? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Why not simply buy a M262 and put a cover over its screen? As for that matter do that for any digital camera. There you have it – then go home and download and see what comes about! Save a lot of $$$$$ and have the same experience. O – what you say? It would not be the same. Your probably correct. We humans are simply silly and I agree – a Leica is possibly the top of all Top-Drawers.
It all boils down to the “purity” of the experience, and companies like Leica are partly in the business of selling the experience. Take the Leica M Monochrom with its monochrome sensor. You can just turn on your camera’s monochrome shooting mode (if it has one) to get the same experience. But Leica and its fans can argue that the monochrome experience won’t be the same or complete.
Oh well, I guess it’s not an issue if money isn’t an issue!
I recently bought a m-d 262: for the second time. No chimping and just waiting for the results is what brings my back to my time with film. Also: if a frame is useless: who cares. Taking myself less serious gives me freedom to make mistakes and hence learn. The m-d 262 is certainly one of a kind and completely different then being the controlfreak in my studio.
The MD262 is by far one of the most enjoyable cameras I have ever owned. It’s designed for the experienced photographer or someone that wants to master manual controls. Combine this with the summilux 35 FLE and you have a perfect combo