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APERTUREL E I C A - C A M E R A N E W S L E T T E R

2011Issue 87: Reminisce

La station metro de Franklin Roosevelt, Paris

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Wild GemsPatrick DemarchelierHermés × LeicaShutterbug Guide

PARIS CINEMATOGRAPHIQUE || 092: BN4XV • • • 81A

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Celebrating 99 Years of Sand, Sun and Rain

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CONTENTSCEO’s Message 4

Wild Gems 6

Patrick Demarchelier 17

Hermés × Leica 20

Leica Infographics 22

One Hundred Years 24

Shutterbug Guide 29

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Jonathan Brûlé, Chief Executive Officer

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INSIGHTSRumour has it that our cameras will be going mirrorless soon but that aside, I would like to celebrate another year of Leica’s presence in the ever-growing camera market.

We’re just one more year from the golden 100th Anniversary, come 2013. Given today’s rapid technology upgrades and changes, we are glad for our niche area of photographers who continually name Leica as their premium choice.

From the M to the S to the compact models, sales have been brisk and better despite the financial crisis. Worldwide sales of Leica have gone up by 28.7% in the first quarter of 2012, with an increase of more than 30% sales in the Asian region compared to the previous year.

We are looking forward to expanding our market share in the Asian market. In addition, Leica hopes that its line of cameras will provide endless possibilities for photographers everywhere.

In line with our theme of ‘Revisiting, reliving and preserving our heritage’, Leica has committed itself to The Billion Trees Project under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Photography for a natural cause, what more can we say? It has been a great pleasure to work with the UN to help in the preservation of Mother Earth and her environment. The

charitable auction event raised a total of £266,500 and helped plant 418,831 trees. It goes to show how a Leica provides the possibility of preserving heritage in the most unlikely way possible.

Patrick Demarchelier also demonstrates the concept of revisiting and reliving heritage through his fashion photography series, shot using a Leica camera in this issue.

Travelling to different parts of the world for the sake of capturing cover-worthy photographs, Patrick demonstrates and highlights the inherent relationship he has with his Leica that every other photographer should model after.

With Patrick Demarchelier as a Leica fan, it reminds me of our partnership with Hermès last year that saw us launching the Hermès edition of our highly sought after M7 line.

We revisit our partnership after one year and relive the memories of our collaboration.

It pleases to me to announce that the M7 has been well-received since its launch a year

ago and we look forward to possible future partnerships with other brands.

Every Aperture issue features a few of our newly launched cameras. This issue, however, we’ve decided to timeline our historical invention of Leica cameras through the past few decades while highlighting their evolution at the same time.

It’s been a long while since we’ve looked through our history books and well, we believe its time for our consumers to have a look at it as well.

Finally, as part of reliving our heritage, this issue also presents ‘100 years from a Leica’. They say a camera is like a mirror with a memory, well we beg to differ. Memories can be well-kept but heritage is innate in everyone. A photograph taken with Leica is a part of heritage.

We’ve chosen to present 100-year transitional heritage of (insert) architectures through the eye of our dear Leica shutterbugs, specifically buildings that will be celebrating their birthday on the same year as us.

Its crazy how our surroundings have changed and are still changing but the people remain the same. Well until then, I hope everyone’s re-immersing themselves in yesteryear’s’ heritage. Leica up!

“Memories can be well-kept but heritage is innate in everyone.”

• CEO’s Message

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WILD GEMS • CSR Initiative

Commited to our cause under The Billion Trees Project, we have invited 4 renowned photographers to document their travels with their Leica M. This special takes you on a journey to places less traveled that have withstood the test of time, but now face the real threat of global warming.

The photographers have captured remarkably beautiful images of these destinations, which foretold another sadder story; the eroding beauty of these landscapes due to climate change.

These photographs were then auctioned off and proceeds were handed over to The Billion Trees Project. While the photographs were sold, their memories of these natural heritage remain as they tell us their journey into mother nature’s crib.

ARA GULER × REINFRIED MARASS × KATHEY CARTER × BRAD

Swedish Arctic • The Great Rift Valley • Kanto Region • The Amazon

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• CSR Initiative

TheSwedishArctic

The Arctic is home to majestic creatures such as the polar bears, muskox and the arctic foxes, while experiencing nerve-numbing temperatures that can dip to -40 degree celsius.

Spanning miles and miles of white snow-capped lands, the Arctic Sweden is also a great place to catch the “Aurora Borealis”, known as the Northern Lights, as what I had done in Abisko.

The swirling, mystifying lights were a sight to behold, a phenomenon beyond the depths of our imagination. I had lucked out, since one can only catch the Aurora Borealis from September to March. I had reached the Arctic Sweden as January came to an end.

The locals had also kindly informed me that the period I had arrived in was also

predicted to be one of the best seasons to catch the lights.

Abisko is also one of the prime locations to view the lights, known for its clear patch of sky that is not hindered by cli-matological effects such as fog and haze.

The Abisko Mountain Station near the city of Kiruna, offers the best unim-peded views of the lights dancing across the heavens with a special look-out and exterior decks.

From Kiruna, I then travelled down to the mountains of Laponia in the Lapland region. There, I was given the oppor-tunity to walk a reindeer and I jumped at it. I had tagged along with the Sami as they embarked on the traditional reindeer migration routes.The weather was numbing cold, the track to walk

Aurora borealis, 10km north of Abisko, Sweden

The Arctic actually means “Bear” derived from the word Arktos in Greek. It was called “Bear” due to the Great Bear constellation above the North Pole.

by ARA GULER

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the reindeer was muddy and wet, and i almost lost my fingers due to frostbite.

Despite all these, it was a memorable experience. I learnt that reindeers are gentle animals that can be easily do-mesticated. The only gripe was that they seem to be always grazing for food, funghi in particular.

The Sami, whom I tagged along with, welcomed me on their journey and were not hesistant in reprimanding me if I did not follow their cultural norms.

On our way, the Sami started a discus-sion with me and how the effects of global warming had threatened their way of life and living. Each year, the temperature experienced in winter seemed to be on a rise, which had result-ed in flooding in some of their villages.

Standing atop a mountain as I inhaled the sights of Lapland, I tried to compre-hend their concerns and felt slightly an-gered that the beauty I was surrounded by may be destroyed one day.

As the sun dipped into the horizon, hours earlier than expected, I was sad and secretly wished that I didn’t have to leave. I made a promise to come back, and that I would help preserve this beauty so that many others after me would be able to enjoy it.

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01 Sami fisherman on a frozen lake near Jukkasjärvi02 Aurora Borealis, Kiruna03 Lappoten, the great Lappland pass

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TheGreat Rift Valley

I brought along my trusty Leica M Rangefinder as I explored the depths of the Great Rift Valley. The natural lighting conditions at the Great Rift Valley were perfect for compositing my scenery shots, and this experience has enriched my photographic journey.

I started on the journey early morning, making my way from northern Kenya and into Ethiopia. I knew I was truly in The Great Rift Valley as our safari truck rumbled slowly past a flock of marabou stocks that barely stirred.

The view ahead seemed vast and endless, an understated statement of the 40 million year old Rift that spans 4,000 miles from the Middle East to Mozambique.

I felt like I was trespassing on the

intimacy of the Great Rift, as we drove past hordes of cape buffaloes, zebras and waterbucks that tended to their business.

It was a grueling ride but we finally reached Lake Nakuru in Ethiopia. Lake Nakuru is also a preferred forgaging spot for flamingoes. During certain timings, millions of birds can be seen occupying the lake all at once.

However, the soda lake has started to experience long dry spells during certain timings, forcing the residental birds to seek for temporary shelter. It has been suggested that dry spells were possibly caused by humans, due to local agriculture and industrial development.

We then proceeded to our next location, Lake Natron, a large yet shallow soda

by REINFRIED MARASS

Mount Kilimanjaro, view of the south face, Tanzania

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lake adjacent to the Gelai caldera in Tanzania.

Soda lakes in the valley can reach a burning 140 degrees during flooding and is also a source of food and living space for flamingoes. Sodium carbonate can be harvested from the lakes to make glass, ceramics and paper, obtained from the layer of crust left behind when a lake dries up.

At the Samburu National Reserve, it was there which I witnessed and captured the majesticity and beauty of wildlife. I was not able to capture more shots in the day due to the inactivity of the animals.

However, by nightfall, the reserve painted another story. I couldn’t fall asleep, listening as the elephants created a scene by stepping on undergrowth; the scuttling of snakes; and a dinner chase conducted by the leopards.

The Great Rift valley opened up my mind to images I would never otherwise have captured, if stuck in the comfort zone of my cushy life. This experience has reminded me why I am a photographer; to capture the fleeting beauty in images that can last.

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01 Flamingoes at Lake Nakuru, Kenya02 Zebras at a watering hole, Tanzania03 Cheetahs in the savannah, Mozambique

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日本からこんにちは (Hello, Japan!)

Japan truly lives up to its reputation of ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ with its impeccable food quality, friendly citizens and rich culture from my past few experiences. I’ve always, however, wanted to explore the natural and ecological side of this Asian gem The geysers, hot springs, volcanoes (dormant or not) and fauna intrigued me for the longest time. Not forgetting the cherry blossoms, otherwise called sakura blossoms. And Mount Fuji, of course!

And so, as I stepped out of the airplane, I knew that this wasn’t going to be just another ‘eat-shop-sleep’ trip. It was going to be a trip with my Leica M and photographs of our mother nature.

My first stop: Shinjuku Gyoen and Ueno Park. They may be, according to most

travel guides, the noisiest and most crowded places to see these flowers in action. But contrary to these popular beliefs, I actually enjoyed it the most when I admired them from an open public space.

With a fresh warm bottle of green tea, of course! Well, maybe because I went there at an unearthly hour of 7am where the no one in the right mind would be in the park (except for some children and elderly, of course).

They were insanely magnificent with the backdrop of an opulent sunrise. It was only then I realised why they were raved about every year. Just like a platter of fresh seafood sashimi, the cherry blossoms represent a flora and fauna heritage that will not be disappear easily.

by KATHY CARTER

Autumn leaves, Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo, Japan

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I then embarked on a railway journey with JR to visit the tallest waterfall and its sister waterfall in Tateyama, four hours away from Tokyo. Affectionately but less known as Shomyo-daki (Shomyo Falls) and Hannoki-no-taki, these natural reserves are a sight to behold.

Unbelievably magnificent is an understatement to describe the rock patterns and structure of this gift we have received from mother nature. To be brutally honest, this was the closest I have ever been to the heart of a water fall to hear its roaring echos. It is and will always be a remarkable feeling, especially when you are standing on treacherous terrain.

My heritage holiday ended with a long-awaited trip to Beppu Geyser and Hotspring - one of the world’s most famous hot springs. A highly popular hot spring town amongst locals, I took an overnight train from Tokyo to Beppu with the picturesque countryside as a backdrop.

This was my virgin trip to a geyser and I was not going to run it by spending my entire day in the hot spring tub.

And so, I embarked on a journey on bus to explore the centuries old ten “hells” tucked in the middle of a small valley town. The ten “hells” consisted of its start attraction, the Beppu Geyser and

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01 Crowd at Ueno Park, Tokyo02 Tateyama waterfall, Tateyama

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other multicoloured volcanic pits of boiling water and mud. Of which, the geyser was 2.5km away from the rest of the muddy “hells”.

I assure anyone who has not seen a geyser to believe me when I say that the steam will cloud your vision. Even when you are not in geyser. This “vision impairment”, however, opened up a window of photographic possibilities.

The stark contrast between a normal naturally erected valley and a geyser was the presence of water vapour and bubbling heat. Ah sigh, the wonders of this natural world we live in continues to make me breathless.

Dreams aside, while I did not capture Mount Fuji in pictures this time, I am certain that I have explored and embraced a side of mother nature’s history less seen in my Leica M. During moments like these, I wish everyone owned a Leica to see what I saw and am still seeing.

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03 Monkey Soaking in a hot spring, Beppu04 Beppuu Hot Springs, Beppu

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The AmazonRainforest

The impressive Amazon Rainforest, a vast green space cut by winding rivers, approximates at about 7 million square kilometers, which makes up more than half of the rainforest in the world.

The Amazon is an organ of the ecological system, transporting 15% of the world’s available freshwater to the sea while playing home to more than 500,000 cataloged species of plants.

The rainforests also help to maintain stability in the local and global climate by controlling the emission of greenhouse gases; possible with the storage of organic carbon in the soil and biomass.

The Amazon is under threat as constant deforestation is carried out against it. Over time, extensive damage on the

Amazon might destroy this tropical gem forever. I was excited to make a trip down to the exotic Amazon and immerse myself in mother nature, along with my favourite Leica M.

I started off the leg of the journey with a trek into the Amazon rainforest in the region of Ecuador. As it was difficult navigating on my own, I had a guide to help me out. The local guide was able to adequately educate me and point out on the amazing flora and fauna exclusive to the Amazon, as well as taught me a few pointers in making my way through the green maze of a forest.

He also shared with me how life was like in the jungle. I stayed at the Tapir jungle lodge, which was well positioned in the middle of the rainforest with full ameneties. The lodge also planned and

by BRAD

San Rafael Falls, Ecuador

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provided activities. It was an exciting trip for me and my Leica as we captured some rewarding photos while fishing for piranhas. The following day was also fulfilling as I embarked on a hike around the forest, snapping up delightful, vivid shots of the wild.

From the rainforest, I proceeded down south towards the river. I had made plans to take a boat ride along the relentless and massive river, and it was an unforgettable, unique experience. It was great lounging on my hammock atop the boat as it chugged languidly down the river, with the passing breeze caressing my face.

I had heard stories that the Amazoniann wildlife was not easy to capture, but I had hit the jackpot with my Leica. I had captured a series of jaguar shots, a group of crocodiles hunting down a deer, a tarantula spinning her web.

Although the photos captured veered off from my usual style of street photography, it was a great experience to be able to use the amazing Leica M to capture the greatness of the Amazon.

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01 Lustrous purple & gold, rare Amazonian flower02 Young Jaguar03 Toucan’s beak

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In line with our theme of ‘Revisiting, reliving and preserving our heritage’, Leica has committed itself to The Billion Trees Project under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Photography for a natural cause, what more can we say?

It has been a great pleasure to work with the UN to help in the preservation of Mother Earth and her environment. The charitable auction event raised a total of £266,500 and helped plant 418,831 trees.

It goes to show how a Leica provides the possibility of preserving heritage in the most unlikely way possible.

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Tree night & day by ARTGALLERY

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PATRICK DEMRACHELIER

“Arts and photography may juxtapose each other in many different situations. But when it comes to retaining, reliving and preserving the heritage of fashion, Patrick Demarchelier manages to fuse both into what is the classic example of a seamless creation.”

Demarchelier & the Leica heritage

Paris | London | New York | Tokyo

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PATRICK, 2005

• Fashion × Photography

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Let’s rewind to the year 2008. It is a lovely afternoon at Paris Fashion Week in the Grand Palais where Patrick Demarchelier was attending Chanel’s Spring/Summer’s ready-to-wear fashion catwalk. Well, I bumped into him while we were both lost in the seat maze.

It is not difficult to admit that I was entirely awestruck when I saw him. Like oh my god dude, he’s one of the best fashion photographer in the 20th century. Just a backgrounder, he’s the only man who has ever shot every ‘90s top model.

And so, we proceeded on to try and have a normal conversation while I controlled my excitement. As we spoke, it wasn’t difficult to realise that Patrick is a great fan of our Leica M range. With that sentence, he sparked an idea that has since become history.

Three years after sponsoring him with three prototypes from our Leica M range, Patrick still admits to me that he still prefers the one he used to own in the ‘90s. But with that said, he has taken the Leica brand to a whole new level with four Vogue Italia, Paris and China covers each and three covers of Vanity Fair all under the Leica belt.

He told me of how his old Leica reminded me of the times he spent in his hometown, Le Havre. The picture’s composition, colour and exposure taken with the Leica M reminded him of how every photo had that vintage tinge to them in the early ‘90s. He described earnestly of how you could achieve that effect even without the tremendous

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01 Lady & the Hat02 The Ballet Skirt

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effort of photoshop. According to him, if there was one thing he hated, it was the whole idea of post-processing and editing before the photo gets released on covers.

True, a Leica minimizes post-processing procedure but it still rare for fashion photographs to not undergo these editing norms. But well, I guess that’s how a Leica photograph by Patrick Demarchelier is taken.

After three years of fervent travelling and photographic journeys that our Leica M has taken with Patrick, it is evident that he has developed a special feeling for this weapon of his choice.

A simple Leica endorsement has turned into a lifelong relationship. Taking photos of every different city and fashion show he has been to has turned his passion into a photographic heritage with Leica that will continue for decades.

Showing me recent photos of his holiday trip to Cape Town, South Africa, a pang of realisation hit me - Leica is actually part of this documented history and heritage. Patrick’s life journey in the past three years with the brand has shown us how rich cultures can be and can continue.

It’s been a great three years with Patrick and our relationship continues as we speak. We are currently in talks with Patrick for our next collaborative endorsement project. All hail the Leica heritage!

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01 The Jump, with Caroline Trentini02 Hang, with Adriana Lima

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HERMES × LEICALeica M7 limited Edition Hermès.Paris | Solms-Hesse

Transforming the iconic M7, luxury magnate Hermès collaborated with Leica in 2009 to produce one of the most anticipated mastery of industrial precision and understated gadgetry – the Leica M7 limited Edition Hermès.

For 174 years, Hermès epitomises the many passions for fashion, travel and lifestyle. What better way to commemorate the age of voyager and luxury hedonism than a partnership with the French manufacturer.

Available in Taupe and Hermès’ signature orange, the Leica M7 Edition Hermès reinterprets and unifies the timeless icon of photography and the brilliant perpetrator of fashion, from in front and behind the camera. The elegant photography instrument is especially desirable for both Leica connoisseurs and Hermès aficionados.

After two years of extraordinary response, we have decided to create two new colours in limited quantity – Rouge and Charcoal Grey, to celebrate Leica’s iconic logo in both red and charcoal black variations for its 99th anniversary and to revisit the partnership and relive the memories of our lateral collaboration.

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01 Atelier Hermés02 The Hermés logo

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Engineered in the ateliers of Paris, the body and the carrying strap of the camera are made in Swift Calfskin, a drummed leather with extreme suppleness. In addition to the silver chrome camera frame, the Leica M7 Edition Hermès camera maintains its silver anodised Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. wide-angle lens.

The lens is complemented by a classical round lens hood manufactured exclusively for the Edition Hermès.

This set also includes a Leicavit M rapid winder finished in silver chrome.

100 cameras are available in each of the two leather colours and will only be made available in the following cities: London, Paris, Milan, Geneva, Frankfurt, Stockholm, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney and Sao Paulo.

The Leica M7 Edition Hermès is available from the Leica Lab at $11,999.

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Everyone loves Leicas, but what exactly do they appreciate about it?

We went on a little globe trot and spoke to photographers from all walks of life, some saved up for years for their first M7, while others were lucky to inherit it. Either way, we found out why Leicas still receive much love around the world.

We were surprised by some and tickled by others.

What do you love about your Leica?

10,530 people love Leica for its great design and elegant silver chrome frame.

6,533 Photography Connoisseurs choose Leica as their premium photo-gagetry choice

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7,642 People admire Leica’s heritage and defined it as a luxury that is limited to a lucky few who owns a Leica camera

11,027 Aficionadoes cite Leica’s 99 year heritage as attestation to our high quality and excellence

INFOGRAPHIC

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A HUNDRED YEARSAh, 100 years from a Leica. New York | Copenhagen | Den Haag | Hannover

Grand Central Station | New YorkWhere the magic and flash mobs happenAll over the world, there is much grandeur and allure in the architecture and monuments erected in cities and countries. To commemorate Leica turning a grand 100 next year, the globetrotters at Leica have scoured high and low to bring you majestic architecture born in the same year as us, 1913, and delve deeper into the fascinating world’s deep heritage.

The man-made beauty of the Grand Central Terminal is situated at at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The Main Concourse is located right in the middle

of Grand Central. The bustling space filled by commuters, is immense and spacious, inducing an air of grandeur, 84 m long, 37 m wide and 38 m high.

Between 1903 and 1913, Grand Central Terminal was constructed and designed by architectural firms of Reed and Stem and Warren and Wetmore. Reed and Stem took charge of the overall design of the station, whereas Warren and Wetmore incorporated neoclassical architectural details of the Beaux-Arts style. The official opening of the terminal station was on February 2, 1913.

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Woolworth BuildingNew YorkSuch great heights

In 1910, constructed in neo-Gothic style, architect Cass Gilbert was commissioned by Frank Woolworth to design the tallest building in the world. Standing tall at 241 m, the construction cost a whopping US$13.5 million and Woolworth paid each and every cent in cold hard cash.

The limestone-coloured exterior, glazed architectural terra-cotta panels and pyramidal cap, bore a huge resemblance to European Gothic cathedrals, that evoke an air of eclecticism. The ornate, cruciform lobby was once touted to be “one of the most spectacular of the early 20th century in New York City”. The delicate detailing of Skyros veined marble, mosaics, stained-glass skylight and bronze furnishings are impressive art forms of the architectural world.

Worthy of preservation and appreciation is the very own Woolworth’s private office, that was magnificently re-vetted in marble in French Empire style, makes it a trip worthwhile with your Leica lenses for shutterbugs with an eye for man-made architecture beauty. This masterpiece was completed in 1913.

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The Little Mermaid | CopenhagenMystical charm of a fairytale worldIn the wonderful and splendid city of Copenhagen, lies the city’s emblem, The Little Mermaid statue.

Small but surprisingly enchanting, Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale statue has sat perched on a rock in the harbour, with an air of melancholy, since August 1913.

It is interesting to note that an annual tradition exists whereby swimmers dive into the sea to swim in formation to represent the number of years since the statue has been erected every August.

Assuming the tradition perseveres, it is highly recommended to visit and see The Little Mermaid and her entourage of swimmers with your very own eyes come next August, when the fairy tale statue reaches a milestone and hits a century old.

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Peace Palace (Vredespaleis) | Den HaagHeart of the International Law The grandeur Neo-renaissance-styled building was conceived in 1913, and currently houses the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Hague Academy of International Law, and the Peace Palace Library. Cordonnier, the commanding architect, had positioned the Palace in a classical manner with a strong symmetrical axis structure. The gardens that circle the Palace were designed by the renowned architect Thomas Mawson, whom had also built in a watercourse at the area that leads to a pond.

Stepping inside into the massive building made of a combination of Belgian natural stone and Dutch red bricks can be overwhelming, which also houses two big bell towers at the front. A fountain from Denmark, clock tower from Switzerland are all marks of the the international status of the Peace Palace. The Peace Palace is really a building that is one-of-its-own.

Avid shutterbugs should visit the Peace Palace in Hague to capture a piece of well-preserved history in the making.

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New City Hall | HannoverA domed-elevator like no other Speaking of buildings that are built and inspired by the shared German heritage, we cannot forget the New City Hall in Hannover built in an eclectic style in 1913. The local architects and builders of this castle-like structure did decide to create something that cannot be found elsewhere. They created a dome-shaped elevator, the first of its kind in Europe.

The grandeur of Hannover’s New City Hall quickly gained popularity as the municipal government moved their administration office here. This further gave photographers a chance to explore the building’s internal. The interior of it further showed that the designers were inspired by eclecticism where they brought together styles from the Neo-Gothic and Renaissance period. A mixture of different heritage

backgrounds pieced the building into what it is today. Nestled in the city’s quiet Maschpark, the New City Hall presents a sort of alluring presence amidst lush greenery especially in summer. Shutterbugs will be pleased to know that a magnificent view of Hannover also ensues once you decide to embark on its quirky elevator.

The reality in these to-be hundred old buildings are the fact that they have been, like us, torn by war and therefore represent the rich history and culture of an entire city. To document by taking a picture of New City Hall twenty years ago with a Leica is preserving your heritage, to view the same photo now is to revisit your heritage and to take another photo of the same place twenty years later is to relive your heritage.

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Leica V-Lux 2 Explore the world with new eyes.The Leica V-Lux 2 is a super-zoom compact camera suitable for travel and architecture photography. It is the ideal camera for globetrotters and architecture enthusiasts who want to discover more of the world’s architecture heritage.

Thanks to its powerful 24x optical super-zoom lens with an enormous equivalent focal-length range of 25 to 600 mm, it is extremely flexible. It addresses the needs of architecture enthusiasts who wants to capture grand and stunning architecture. The 3” LCD display can be twisted and turned in almost any direction and makes it easy for photographers to compose pictures from even the most unusual angles. Don’t forget your spare battery.

Now available at Leica Lab at $2240.

Leica V-Lux 2 Case Cover me up!Leica V-Lux 2 Case outdoor bag provides excellent protection when travelling. It is robust and made of the same hard-wearing, water-resistant material that the automotive industry uses to fabricate the soft-top roofs of convertible cars. Protect your gear, and enjoy the scenery. Now available at Leica Lab at $122.

SHUTTERBUG GUIDE

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Compact Flash Leica CF22Small but powerfulThe CF 22 electronic flash unit with a metric guide number of 22 (at ISO 100) provides photographers with additional options for flash exposure and fill-in flash when required. It is the perfect complement when night photography is desired.

Now available at Leica Lab at $362.

V-Lux 222Stablise and ShootThe V-Lux 222 Tripod with Aragorn grips provides a stabiliser for steady shots, in particular for the night photograhy, bringing your pictures to life. It is perfect tool to enhance your photographs.

Now available at Leica Lab at $499.

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Celebrating 99 Years of Precision and Perfection

The Leica M9 Titanium

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Since 1913