Leica ii (1932)- Still Relevant in 2024 ? - A Parody

Leica ii was introduced in the year 1932. Mine was made in 1938. It is the second iteration to the camera that was the world’s first 35mm still camera. YouTube and online camera gear forums are filled with content that talks about the usability of the camera that are old. Is this camera still good in 2024? Is that camera still useable ? Usually talking about cameras that are 1 or 2 years old maybe 3. Considering that the Leica ii is clearly old, I thought I’d make one myself to answer the question. Is Leica ii still relevant in 2024 ?

Built

Leica ii is carved out of brass. Heck the Leica ii black paint even wears off so beautifully. 80 year old Leica ii chrome looks better than one year old Fuji chrome cameras.

Full Frame

The tiny Leica ii packs a massive full frame in its body.

Iso performance

Iso performance has improved since the 30s. You can shoot at 3200 iso today. Grain is part of the charm.

FPS

The number of FPS is only limited to the user’s ability.

Auto Focus

The camera’s focus is faster than any AF in any camera. Just learn how to use the numbers on the lens if you don’t know already.

Shutter speeds

They max up to a super fast 1/500th sec. Some cameras are upgraded to a lightning fast 1/1000th sec. That’s all you need. There are slower speeds too if you do fine art photography for blurry images.

Shutter sound

The shutter is made of cloth. And it’s incredibly quiet. It would make a DSLR looks like a medium format Zenza Bronica from the 60s.

Battery performance

The camera works like magic and can take unlimited pictures without a battery. Also the camera is always on and ready to fire.

Viewfinder Lag

Absolutely no lag. You see everything as it moves through the viewfinder.

Flash

If you can see it, you can shoot it. Don’t bother with flash.

Size

The Leica ii is incredibly small, lightweight and truly pocketable. Fits perfectly on my jeans pocket. There is no modern day equivalent.

Looks

It’s the most classic looking camera Leica ever made. M can take the second place. What ? were you expecting Leica R cameras for the second place ?

It’s a conversation starter. Most younger photographers don’t even know this kind of cameras exists.

Lens

Usually seen married to Leitz Elmar 50mm F3.5. It’s a fantastic lens. Apparently, the father of street photography, Henri Cartier-Bresson’s favorite lens. Imagine shooting with the same setup that has shot some of history’s most recognizable and influential pictures.

The external VF is bigger and brighter than anything that you’ve ever seen.

Conclusion

Barnack Leicas are the real OG. It’s a brilliant way to get into Leica system. It makes you thinking differently than most cameras. But then again, it’s not like most cameras. It’s an experience that one should have. Life is too short to not shoot Barnack Leicas. Buy one, get it CLAed (you can send it to me. I just did a CLA on my IIIf RD ST) and you not just have a perfect shooter but also a piece of history. Also, beware of the fake Leicas. They are Russian copies of Leica (FED, Zorki) floating around. Happy hunting!