Talk to any experienced street photographer and many will tell you how keeping a low profile when out and about is key to getting that killer candid shot. That means moving about the environment quietly and naturally, preferably with a camera that’s small and discreet.
With that in mind, street shooters will probably give the latest shooter from Leica a miss.
Unveiled this week, the brightly colored French-flag-branded Leica X ‘Edition Moncler’ has got “LOOK AT ME!” written all over it, and while it may help strike up a conversation or two with photography-focused folk on the street, you can probably kiss goodbye any plans you had of blending in with your surroundings in the hope of grabbing some natural portraits of people going about their daily life.
But then, this limited edition model isn’t really aimed at street photographers. Francophiles perhaps, and camera collectors, but not street photographers.
Based on the $2,300 Leica X (Typ 113) camera, the Leica X ‘Edition Moncler’ is the result of a collaboration between the German camera maker and French-Italian clothing firm Moncler (yes, the clue is in the camera’s name). The unique design, Leica says, “reflects the common values of both brands – high-end quality and technicality.”
The three-color scheme is a nod to Moncler’s French origins, and only 1,500 units have been produced.
In an arguably flimsy effort to justify its hefty price tag (we don’t know what it is yet but you can bet camera collectors’ wallets the world over will start quivering when it’s announced), the camera maker is kindly including a case in the form of a padded white pouch that “refers to the down jackets that made Moncler famous,” together a matching leather strap bearing the inscription “Leica & Moncler.”
Available globally from this month in Leica stores and flagship Moncler stores, the new design – just like the Leica X (Typ 113) camera on which it’s based – features an APS-C CMOS 16.2-megapixel sensor, a Leica Summilux 23mm f/1.7 lens, and a 3-inch 920,000-dot display.
[Source: Leica]
