My Search for the Perfect Camera: 25 Years of Photography, Systems, and Insights
Photography has been with me for nearly 25 years and on this journey I’ve tried many camera systems. I´ve learned a lot. Not only about camera technology but also aboiut myself as a photographer. From my first Canon PowerShot A70 to over my beloved Canon 5D Mark III full-frame camera all the way to the Leica M11, it’s been a path filled with discoveries and decisions that have significantly shaped my view of photography.
The Beginnings with Canon: The First Big Step into Photography
It all began with the little Canon PowerShot A70 - a compact, simple camera that opened up the world of photography for me. Digital photography was just emerging at the time and the PowerShot with its tiny 3.6-megapixel sensor was a state of the compact camera back then. A few years later I upgraded to the Canon 40D - my first DSLR with interchangeable lenses. It was a major leap for my photography giving me my first experience with settings like ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. About five years later I moved on to the Canon 5D Mark III, a camera that transformed my photography in many ways. It was my first full-frame camera with excellent image quality. It remains one of my all-time favorites. With it I discovered my passion for travel photography. This was definitely the camera that had the greatest impact on me and the quality of my photos.
Switching to Fujifilm: The Perfect Camera for On-the-Go?
Though I loved my Canon, over time, its weight became too much. For my travels I wanted something smaller and found it with Fujifilm’s mirrorless XT-2. It was the perfect mix of compactness and flexibility, a dream to travel with compared to the 5D and all it´s heavy lenses. My favorite series in Morocco was shot with the Fuji. Everything would have been perfect if it weren't for the dynamic range. Spoiled by full-frame the X-T2’s smaller APS-C sensor hit its limits more often than I liked. So, after three years it too had to go. The dream of the perfect compact travel camera was on hold for now as there were no alternatives in the full-frame realm at the time. So it was back to start - back the bulky full-frame setup.
Sony A7 III: Technology Alone Isn’t Enough
In pursuit of better image quality I gave the Sony A7 III a try. This fullframe camera had everything: excellent image quality, the best autofocus in the market and countless settings. It was praised all over the internet. But soon, I realized that the camera overwhelmed rather than excited me. The design and interface felt impersonal and uninspiring. The Sony didn’t bring me the joy of photography that I was used to - it was just a soulless technical device. I lost interest so much that I hardly took any photos for almost three years. It was an expensive lesson: technology alone isn’t enough. For me, design, form factor, and a focus on the essentials matter much more.
The Move to Leica
After this long break I felt the urge to photograph again. In those three years a lot had changed in camera technology. I was now 43 - a good age to fulfill a long-held dream of owning a Leica. I had never had the chance to shoot with a Leica in all those years. Although a Leica M had been a dream I didn’t feel ready for manual focusing. All my previous photos were taken with autofocus, so switching to an Leica M might have been too costly an experiment. So I decided for the Leica Q3 and traded it for the SL3 only a few months later which I hade for another 5 months. Both are incredibly beautiful and impressive cameras and I had a lot of fun with them. I’d never seen such image quality before. How Leica creates this almost three-dimensional images is still a mystery to me. These two cameras instantly rekindled my passion for photography. After years of a break I knew what I had been missing in life.
Leica M11-P: The Perfect Blend of Inspiration, Image Quality, and Portability
So after a year in total I sold both the Q3 and the SL3. The Q3 because the fixed 28mm lens was too limiting, and the SL3 because it was too big and heavy. The days of large, heavy cameras are obviously over for me. In the end the long break with Sony served me well. I feel like I now know exactly how I want to photograph and what kind of photography I want to pursue. I feel a renewed desire to shoot more frequently, spontaneously in everyday life, not just on planned trips. I want to engage more deeply with the craft of photography. And with which camera could that be better achieved? Probably the manual Leica M which requires time and an understanding of the photography process. No autofocus, no face detection, no endless buttons and options - just ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.
So, a few weeks ago I took the plunge and switched to the Leica M11-P with a 35mm Summilux lens. And oh boy I’m in love. The perfect setup! To sum it up, I haven’t been this excited or enjoyed photography this much since the 5D Mark III. With the M11 I feel like I’ve opened a new door in photography. I love working with manual settings. Only now do I realize how much I still have to learn about the craft. But that will come. This camera definitely has the potential to take my photography to a new level and I’m looking forward to it.
Conclusion: The Journey to the Right Camera Has Been Crucial for My Photography
Over the past 20 years I’ve learned something from each camera. The Canon 5D Mark III was an entry into travel photography, Fujifilm showed me the value of compactness, and the Sony A7 III taught me that technology alone isn’t enough. The Leica Q3 and SL3 brought me back to photography and helped me discover my style.
With the Leica M11-P I finally feel I’ve arrived. This camera has restored my joy in photography and my love for visual storytelling. After years of searching I now have a system that completely fulfills and inspires me - and I can’t wait to continue exploring the world with this camera.
Here are some impressions I’ve captured so far with my three different Leicas.
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