Sold my digital cameras for a leica m6
The decision to buy the Leica M6 has been building for a long time, and it didn’t come from specs or reviews. It came from watching the people around me and paying attention to how my own photography has been changing.
When Kim from Photobreak bought his Leica M4-P last year, I started noticing a clear shift in his work. His images had more intention, more patience, and a stronger sense of timing. It was inspiring to see how quickly he grew after switching to a fully mechanical film camera. The process changed the way he shot, and the results followed. We have shot together a long time, and seeing his development made me realise that the analog path was pulling me in the same direction.
My own step into film started properly last year when I bought the Hasselblad XPan. That camera opened up a new way of seeing and made me fall in love with analog photography all over again. But the XPan is a semi-electronic camera from 1998, and because of its age, I’m careful with it. I avoid using it in humid weather, cold days or rain, not because I don’t trust it, but because I want it to last as long as possible. It’s a special camera, but it’s also fragile, and I realised I needed a film camera I could rely on in any situation without worrying about electronics failing.
That’s where the M6 felt like the right step. It’s fully mechanical (ok, not 100% mechanical, the lightmeter needs batteries, but you know what I mean ), simple, and dependable. It gives me the confidence to shoot in any conditions while still offering the analog experience I’ve grown to love. At the same time, my digital cameras were becoming tools I didn’t reach for anymore. The GFX 50S II is great, and the GR3 has been with me for a long time, but neither of them matched the feeling or direction I wanted in my photography. Letting them go wasn’t difficult. It felt like clearing space for something that actually aligns with how I want to work.
The M6 with the 50mm Summicron doesn’t just give me a new camera. It gives me a consistent tool that encourages presence, attention and a slower, more thoughtful way of shooting. It’s a camera that makes sense for how I see, how I like to move, and what inspires me now. Watching Kim’s progress confirmed it. My experience with the XPan confirmed it. And the lack of connection to my digital gear confirmed it.
This wasn’t about buying a legendary camera. It was about choosing a direction. A tool that fits where my photography is headed. Something I can trust, something that pushes me, and something that keeps me excited to create.
That is why I chose the Leica M6.
