一起徠呀！徠卡相機的一切 為甚麼徠卡相機這麼貴還不好用？

This is Brad Pitt. He's hot. This is Bruce Gilden. He's a famous photographer. This is Julia Roberts. She's hot. This is Peter McKinnon. He's a famous photographer and hot. What do all these people have in common? Well, they all use Leica cameras. Not only is it the weapon of choice for some of the world's most respected photographers, it has also become a trendy accessory for amateurs who have the means to buy one. Like this f**king guy. Just sitting there, looking cool. 60-year-old, $6,000 Leica camera, which probably doesn't even take photos that much better than my phone. Seriously, tell me which one of these came from a Leica, and which ones came from an iPhone. The answer is at the end of the video. So what makes Leica so special? I thoroughly just enjoy the process of using this thing more. I only use it for video. And it's diesel. They're like really tough. They're designed for like war photographers. It's just a beautiful camera to hold. Just feels. Yeah. I want one of these. So after hearing from enthusiasts, there were really three reasons for Leica cameras being held in such high esteem. Their track record, their technology, and hype. But hype isn't quite the right word. We'll dive into what I mean a little later. But for now, let's start with Leica's legacy. Leica's legacy begins in one of the craziest times for human innovation ever. The beginning of the 20th century. In 1913, Oskar Barnek was an engineer at Ernst Leitz Opsticker Werke, a company already well regarded for its high-quality microscopes and other optical instruments. Now Oskar, spelt with a K, was a hiker, also spelt with a K. The dude loved walking around outdoors. And he wanted to create a small portable camera that could be used for landscape photography while out on his hikes. I think I need a smaller camera. He also wanted to reduce the long exposure times associated with larger film formats. All right. Say cheese. Cheese. I wish this film didn't have to be exposed for so long. Ultra optical engineer. It wasn't done yet. Leveraging the optical expertise at Leitz, Barnek developed a prototype camera that used 35mm motion picture film, which was much smaller than the medium and large format film stock popular at the time. Movie film. Smaller film sizes allowed for a more portable camera, but smaller film sizes also result in lower quality. Oskar made a crucial innovation with this 35mm camera. He ran the film horizontally, which let him capture a larger exposure, improving image quality while maintaining portability. I could have thought of that. Yeah, but you didn't, did you? It took good pictures and you could carry it anywhere. Now, unfortunately, Leitz and Oskar had to shelve prototypes during World War I. Mr. Leitz II, do you think we can start working on my camera again? Everyone loves your camera, Oskar, but... I don't think the time is right. During this damn World War I! Finally, after the war, the project was picked back up and the resulting camera was introduced to the public in 1925. I could have thought of that. I was still fighting the war. Always the war with you. I did some very, very bad things. Lame! The Leica I was revolutionary and allowed photographers to take spontaneous photos in a way that wasn't possible with larger, studio-bound cameras. Leica's early success was not just due to the camera's portability but also because of the superior lenses that the Leitz company produced. These guys are good at making glass. And they made the 35mm format not only viable, but downright desirable. Now, the success of the Leica I led to the development of the Leica II and the Leica III. It's how Germans name stuff. All Mercedes are numbers. All BMWs are letters and numbers. They don't, like, name s*** after animals or nothing. But unfortunately for Oscar with a K, metered-dose inhalers did not exist in the 1930s. And his asthma ultimately led to his death in 1936. He was an innovator. It will be years before we find another engineer like him. Rest in peace, King. His simple 35mm camera had an enormous impact on the company. I mean, they would literally go on to change their name from Leitz to Leica. You know what else hot famous people do? They pay a lot of attention to their diet and nutrition. And I'm trying to get on that level. So, this episode is sponsored by AG1. One thing I've done is simplify, standardize and upgrade the nutrients that I intake every day. Which is where AG1 comes in. AG1 is green. All right. So you know it's good for you. It is a daily drinkable scoop of vitamins, minerals, probiotics and whole food sourced ingredients in one. Getting your specific nutrition... Getting your specific nutrition right is hard to dial in. But their formula is validated by research and designed to help your whole body, brain and gut health thrive. Their goal is to replace multiple supplements by covering nutritional gaps with a comprehensive blend of nutrients. Tell me something that looks like that isn't good for you. And it tastes pretty good. Sometimes I put a squeeze of lemon in it. Just a little dab of hot sauce. Cause I'm a freak. There are probably a lot of ways to get these nutrients. But that takes research and planning and diligence. I don't want to deal with that if I don't have to. I just make it easy. Mindless. I drink one of these bad boys first thing in the morning. It doesn't take a lot of effort. What I like is that it's an easy way to remove any excuses for myself. Every day that I start by drinking AG1. Which is basically every day. I feel pretty good knowing I've immediately accomplished something beneficial to myself. Right off the bat. AG1 has prebiotics and probiotics that work together to support your body's ability to break down food. Alleviate bloating. And make your poops more consistent. You know our guts are like our second brain. You gotta keep both of your brains happy. You know what I mean? Start with the fuel that you put in your body. Set yourself up for success. Just like a guy that I am compared to constantly. Especially now that he's moving to a Ferrari. Sir Lewis Hamilton. That guy drinks an AG1 every day too. So go to drinkag1.com slash speed. Or scan the QR code to subscribe. And save $20 off your first subscription of AG1. It tastes exactly like you want something that looks like that to taste. Like healthy enough. You know? It's great. Should I get a Laika now? Am I hot enough for a Laika now? Shortly after Oscar with a K's death. Like every German brand I've ever talked about. Things got interesting in World War 2. On September 1st 1939. Hitler unleashed his blitzkrieg. During the Second World War. Ernst Leitz II took an enormous risk. By helping Jewish employees and their families escape Nazi Germany. Basically the company would hire Jewish employees. And transfer them to other locations outside of Germany. For their job. He thought that what the Nazis were doing to the Jews was wrong. And he tried to make amends that way. They risked their lives to save hundreds of others. Very few people knew about Ernst Leitz II's actions. In fact his motto was do good but don't talk about it. That's sick. Dude's a legitimate hero. No stretch. 100%. Definitive by definition. During the Second World War. The portability and reliability of the Laika 1 and 2. Made them extremely popular for photojournalists. Some of the most famous photographs from the time. Were captured through the lens of a Laika. So companies like Canon, Nikon and Asahi. Which would later become Pentax. Were all making their own versions of the Laika. But they were selling their models for much much cheaper. Laika was on the ropes. Laika needed an innovation. He was an innovator. It will be years before we find another engineer like him. My name is Willy Kiner. Does anyone know where I can get a job. Being an innovative engineer building cameras. Oh yeah. I do. Sounds good. Trust legend. Willy Kiner had joined Laika the same year. As Oscar With a Cape Barnet's death. Coincidence? No such thing. Follow the money. After several years working alongside Leitz II. Willy Kiner led the charge on developing. One of Laika's most influential. Innovative. And celebrated cameras of all time. The Laika M3. Craftsmanship. Look at it. These things were freaking tanks. There are tons of used M3's available today. In perfect working condition. Not because they've been babied. And meticulously preserved. Because the M3. Is practically bullet proof. The camera. Not the car. Very important to remember. The camera introduced the M mount lens system. Now instead of screwing the lens on. The M mount uses a bayonet system. That made lens swapping faster and easier. Which was important to both photojournalists. And street photographers. Now even though Laika wasn't the first. To release a bayonet design. They were one of the first adopters. And they built such a solid system. That they still use the exact same lens mount. On their cameras to this day. That is a 70 year long run. And counting. Canon has updated their lens mount. Like 5 times in the same period. And the most innovative part of all. The M3 was the first camera. With a parallax corrected view finder. With an integrated range finder. James what is that? You might ask. Well this is where it's worth. Taking a break from the history of Laika. To dive into the technology of Laika. At the time of the M3's release. In order to frame up your shot. Most portable cameras. Use what's called a direct view finder. Which is just a lens. Mounted directly inside the camera's body. This uses a direct view finder. You find me? Now because you aren't seeing. Through the camera's actual lens. There are a few problems. With direct view finder. First. You can't easily know. When a subject is in focus. The second problem. Is that you only see an approximation. Of the final framing. While direct view finders. Have built in frame lines. To help better approximate. The framing of various lenses. It's never 100% accurate. While far and medium distance subjects. Frame pretty accurately. The closer a subject gets to the camera. The bigger the discrepancy becomes. Between what the view finder sees. And what the main lens. Actually captures. But the M3. Solves both of these problems. First. It solves the focus problem. By integrating a range finder. Directly into the camera. It does this. By having a second window. And a mirror. On the other side of the camera. The light. Coming through the second window. Reflects a second image. Onto the view finder. Using a prism. The two images. Are overlaid. In a center circle. As you focus the lens. A cam. Near the lens. Tilts the mirror. And aligns the parts. Of the image. That are in focus. As for the inaccurate. Framing problem. The M3's frame lines. Are also controlled. By the focusing cam. So. As you focus. On a closer subject. The frame lines. Move to adjust. For the parallax. Giving you a much better. Approximation. Old cameras. Are both simpler. But also. Way more complicated. Than I would have ever thought. Before we started making this video. The M3 was everything. That Oscar with a K Barnack. Had set out to make. With the Leica 1. Perfected. Although Leica would go on. To evolve the M3. Into the M4. The controversial M5. And one of the most beloved. Cameras of all time. The M6. The revolutionary M3. Would in many ways. Signal the beginning of the end. For Leica's dominance. In 1956. Two years after the release. Of the Leica M3. Ernst Leitz II. Passed away. At 81 years old. His son. Gunther. Would take over. And he would face. A much more competitive. And dynamic market. Than his father or grandfather had. Man. I hope the camera market. Doesn't go through some radical change. That would endanger the future. And success of my family's camera empire. That I. Just. Inherited. Gunther. And other leadership at Leica. Were about to make. A huge mistake. On December 21st. 1957. Walter Benzer. An advisor to Leica. Would write a letter to Gunther Leitz. Warning. About a technology that was changing the entire market. The single lens reflex. AKA. The SLR. You've probably heard the phrase SLR. But in case you don't know what that means. In an SLR. Light enters the lens. And is then reflected by a large mirror. Up through a prism. And then into your eyeball. Letting you see exactly what the lens sees. When you snap the shutter release button. The mirror flips up. And the shutter activates. Exposing the film. Those focusing and framing problems. That Leica had fixed. With the M3's rangefinder. And viewfinder combo. Were just as easily fixed. With the single lens reflexes design. But. They still believed. That their rangefinder technology. Was superior. German guys thinking something superior. Never heard of that before. So why did Leica believe. That their rangefinder cameras. Were so much better than everything else. Well because. Honestly. Legitimately. They kind of were. On an SLR. Since you have to fit a giant mirror mechanism. In between the lens and the film. You end up with a longer flange distance. And because the light has to travel further. You end up with more distortions. More vignetting. More chromatic aberration. All things that you don't want. In photographs. Unless you're a moody little f**k. Leica was an optics company. They knew that the shorter flange distance. Would result in better images. Also. A change in flange distance. Would make any lens. Designed for a rangefinder camera. Incompatible. And a lot of people. Had bought Leica lenses. And they were nervous. That people were going to get mad at them. If they were like. Hey. Thanks for buying all those lenses. They're not going to work with your new camera. You know the thing Apple's done. Seven times with their cords. We all got mad. Tim Apple. You f**king b**ch. I'm going to try and call. A billionaire a b**ch. In every one of these videos. Unfortunately for Leica. Most people were willing. To take a slightly downgraded image. In exchange for. The better user experience. That came from being able to see. Exactly what the lens was seeing. Leica did release. The Leica Flex in 1964. Five years after Nikon. Had released their highly successful. Nikon F. By then. The competition had made big strides. In SLR technology. And the Leica Flex. Was already considered outdated. Upon its release. Gunter Leitz would pass away in 1969. And leadership would move. Outside of the family. Now it's hard to blame Gunter. Completely for Leica's slow adoption. Of the SLR. In hindsight. Sure. It was a bad move. But Leica was an optics company. Who put craftsmanship first. He stuck to those values. And invested in what he knew. Which was optically superior. Cameras. Finally in 1976. Way behind the curve. Leica released the Leica R3. Kicking off their R series line. Of SLRs. As always. Leica lenses. And the build quality. Of the camera bodies. Were praised. But with the competition. Releasing new and innovative features. Every year. Leica was always. At the back of the pack. Well into the 90s. All right. So let's recap. Oscar with a K. Introduces his innovative camera. And Leica leads the charge. Of the 35mm revolution. Then. They release the M3. Once again. An innovation for range finder cameras. Then there was the SLR revolution. They miss a step. That's okay. Because it's the turn of the century. And there's another revolution coming baby. The dance dance revolution. But for cameras. The digital revolution. And we are calling it iPhone. Rockwell Automation. Retro Entabulator. And what about this internet thing? Do you know anything about that? Sure. Leica had learned their lesson. They wouldn't fall behind again. By being slow to react. Wrong. They would be slow to adopt. They hadn't learned their lesson. Yeah. We don't have to get into it. But things did not go well. In the early 2000s. As SLRs were turning into DSLRs. Leica finally released some digital products. But none of them were very successful. Today there's yet another revolution happening in photography. Are you considering getting a mirrorless camera? Smallest full frame mirrorless camera around. Professional cameras are moving away from the SLR body style. Now that we can use digital viewfinders. We don't even need the mirror mechanism. To reflect what our lenses see. We just got a little screen in there. And as we've already talked about. The shorter flange distance of a mirrorless camera. Results in better images. Leica with their successful mirrorless rangefinders. Is better positioned for this new. Digital mirrorless era of cameras. And they're taking advantage. Their new Q series line uses digital viewfinders. They're mirrorless. And they are currently their best selling cameras. People love these things. Now as with all Leica's. Reviewers agree that they are well built. The optics are top notch. And they cost a lot of money. We've covered the history. We've covered the technology. But I still think that there is more going on here. Why do hot famous people love this camera? Well. The same reason that a lot of hot famous people. Like a lot of things. Hype. Let's rewind a bit. The whole time that Leica was struggling. To make a successful SLR. In the 70s, 80s and 90s. They were continuing to iterate. On their well loved. M series rangefinder cameras. Because not every photographer. Jumped on the SLR bandwagon. The quieter. Lower profile. And optically higher quality rangefinders. Remain popular among wartime photographers. And street photographers. I think this is crucial. To explain the esteem. In which Leica's are held. You may not know anything about guitars. But you know. That Eric Clapton. Jimmy Hendrix. And John Mayer. All play fenders. Tiger Woods. Who's sponsored by TaylorMade. Always used a Scotty Cameron putter. We're not talking about. An actor. Like George Clooney. Selling you tequila. The f**k does George Clooney. Know about tequila. I'm talking about. Professionals. Who regardless of. Whether they're being paid or not. Choose to use a piece of equipment. Because it's the thing. That allows them. To create their art. The best. Like me. Using. An LSM-9 Pop. Made in Taiwan. I could use. A much more expensive mic. And they would pay me. Handily to do so. But I say no. I need to use my LSM-9 Pop. Signature James Pumphrey model. Alright. So with all that laid out. Why do hot famous people. Or rich people. Or just cool people. Like this f**king guy. Use Leicas. Well it could be. Leica's interesting. And romantic history. Or it could be. The craftsmanship. Or it could just be. That famous street photographers. Use them. And if you're rich. You can afford to buy a camera. That somehow associates you. With those creative cool people. Hopefully this video. Has given you enough information. To draw half of a conclusion. But ultimately. I want to encourage you. To go find the other half. When you see this f**king guy. At a cafe. With that Leica camera. Or some other niche gear. That seems old. Or outdated. Or overpriced. Don't just wonder why. Go ask him. Be nice. But just walk over to him and ask. He'd probably love to tell you about it. Read books. Talk to people. And only go on the internet. To watch my videos. Welcome to Speed. 歡迎訂閱我的頻道