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Rating: 
Summary: An excellent introductory Leica book for anyone
Review: As a diehard Leica M user - an M-4 with a wide range of lenses and accessories -, I came across this wonderful book several years ago and puts its purchase aside until recently. Not that I needed this book to "learn" about the superb Leica cameras and lenses or for that matter photography in general, since I have been using Leica equipment for over 25 years, I just wanted to add it to my own selective collection of books on the Leica.This book should be read and enjoyed as an introduction to the near recent Leica "M" cameras. To be sure, a complete technical, imaginative, and profusly illustrated up-to-date Leica rangfinder (and SLR) book is solely needed. Leica camera are you listening? On the other hand, readings of various older books on the Leica M cameras provide a wealth of photographic information as does attendance at a Leica photographic seminar, if they are still offering them around the country. Decades ago, I had the privilege of attending two Leica photographic seminars - one in Peoria, IL and the other at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, where I witnessed the quality of Leica photographic equipment when 35mm slides were projected onto an 8 ft X 12 ft screen. Of course, the better way to learn about the superb quality of Leica photographic equipment is to simply learn from one's own practical photographic endeavors. Despite several reviews to the contrary and the possible absence of Leica photographic seminars, this book does definitely give the reader a glimpse of the quality that awaits the new Leica user.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent introductory Leica book for anyone
Review: As a diehard Leica M user - an M-4 with a wide range of lenses and accessories -, I came across this wonderful book several years ago and puts its purchase aside until recently. Not that I needed this book to "learn" about the superb Leica cameras and lenses or for that matter photography in general, since I have been using Leica equipment for over 25 years, I just wanted to add it to my own selective collection of books on the Leica. This book should be read and enjoyed as an introduction to the near recent Leica "M" cameras. To be sure, a complete technical, imaginative, and profusly illustrated up-to-date Leica rangfinder (and SLR) book is solely needed. Leica camera are you listening? On the other hand, readings of various older books on the Leica M cameras provide a wealth of photographic information as does attendance at a Leica photographic seminar, if they are still offering them around the country. Decades ago, I had the privilege of attending two Leica photographic seminars - one in Peoria, IL and the other at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, where I witnessed the quality of Leica photographic equipment when 35mm slides were projected onto an 8 ft X 12 ft screen. Of course, the better way to learn about the superb quality of Leica photographic equipment is to simply learn from one's own practical photographic endeavors. Despite several reviews to the contrary and the possible absence of Leica photographic seminars, this book does definitely give the reader a glimpse of the quality that awaits the new Leica user.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book but not updated
Review: I'm a casual Leica user. I have my share of the equipment and I bought this book partially to learn about Leica history and also to learn about the lenses and bodies that are available out there. This book took care of the history part. Unfortunately it didn't take care of the technical questions. This book is outdated. It gives you a good description on whatever was available 5-10 years ago but nothing about the new releases. I also expected the photos to be little more exciting. It's a good start-up book for the beginner. But even beginner will realize the lack of depth and actual information that are necessary when purchasing Leicas. In my opinion you would probably get more info from the Leica Manufacturing catalog that you can obtain in bigger photo stores (FREE) than from that book. Except for the history part of course.
Rating: 
Summary: When, oh when?
Review: Its time Leica Camera published a real reference on the technical facts and tricks you can do with the latest equipment, in simple native language to whatever market they are offering it for sale on. I urge everyone to write Leica and ask them to do so. For example, wouldn't it be nice to have a chapter on things you can *do* with the flash unit for the M6 TTL, like exactly how to do fill in, how to move the flash off-camera and still use TTL, not just 'auto' mode, and so on. This information was very hard to find, and you would think that the sheer technical competence with which each of us who buy the fabulous Leica stuff is required to have in order to understand why Leicas are fabulous - and therefore to plunk down the fabulous amounts of cash in order to procure such fabulous equipment, that Leica would take that into consideration and not publish this useless dribble...
Rating: 
Summary: Great Leica Book for any level
Review: Of the many books written on the subject, this is one of the best books written on the Leica M system. Simple to read, a lot of material is covered on the selection, use and pros/cons of the M system. Beautiful photography that showcases the quality of the system is reason alone to buy it. If you have to buy only one Leica M systems book, this is the one!
Rating:
Summary: Great Leica Book for any level
Review: Of the many books written on the subject, this is one of the best books written on the Leica M system. Simple to read, a lot of material is covered on the selection, use and pros/cons of the M system. Beautiful photography that showcases the quality of the system is reason alone to buy it. If you have to buy only one Leica M systems book, this is the one!
Rating:
Summary: Good introduction to the Leica system.
Review: This book is a good book for the beginner just entering the Leica system. Very good description of Leica's history, camera bodies, lenses, and accessories. There is also a section on collecting vintage Leica's. If you purchase this book, I don't think it is necessary to purchase the other books by the same author, e.g. Leica Lenses. Most of the information is repeated. The downside of this book is that the photographs are not very exciting or interesting. I was not impressed overall, although there may be one or two photos that I really liked.
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