Film Leicas are some of the most enduring cameras you can get. And it’s not just the M series either, here are the best Leica point and shoot film cameras you can get that are still worth it after all these years.
Leica has always been a premium price company. While the M series was their top of the line, they also had quite a few consumer-friendly 35mm film cameras for sale. These are way more compact but still has that beautiful Leica “Savoir faire” built into them.
These best Leica point and shoot cameras are of course not in production anymore. Moreover, most of them are quickly becoming cult cameras, so if you like one, get it now because the prices only can go up.
List of the best Leica point and shoot film cameras
Below is the list of the best Leica point and shoot film cameras. Afterwards we will look at each camera in detail with sample images to see what they can do.
| Name | Focal Length | Aperture | Film | Get it here: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Leica Minilux | 40mm | f/2.4 | 35mm | Check on ebay |
| 2. Leica AF-C1 | 40 & 80mm | f/2.8-5.6 | 35mm | Check on ebay |
| 3. Leica C3 | 28–80 mm | f/3.6–7.9 | 35mm | Check on ebay |
| 4. Leica Mini II | 35mm | f/3.5 | 35mm | Check on ebay |
Let’s now look at each camera and what makes them deserving of a spot on this list of the best Leica point and shoot cameras.
| Reasons to buy | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Amazing 40mm f2.4 lens ✔️ Fast and small ✔️ Viewfinder ✔️ Sharp lens | 🛑 Most expensive on this list |
Let’s start this list of the best Leica Point and shoot with the most sought after and highly regarded Minilux. Why? Because this is essentially a Leica M camera with a 40mm f2.4 lens that went trough a shrink ray. And yeah that lens makes some of its images have that Leica glow, hence the price that is about 1k.
This is still a far cry from film Ms and this one actually fits in your pocket nicely. The lens is tack sharp and focuses accurately. The overall camera is simple and geared towards the simplicity of point and shoot but it does offer more controls than the average PS camera.
It has a dial on top that not only allows you to control the aperture but also let’s you adjust the distance (manual focus). This is great for street photographers who like to do zone focusing. There is also the possibility to override -2 to +2 EV.
40mm is a great focal length for reportage/street and narrow enough to be suitable for portraits, especially at f2.4. That sharpeness and Bokeh is incredible.
There is a rare and more expensive black version of this and also a data back accessory. A similar camera but without the fixed lens is the Minilux ZOOM that has a 35-70mm f/3.5-6.5. It has a similar build and cheaper.
Leica Minilux Sample images
| Reasons to buy | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Double focal length ✔️ Sharp lens ✔️ Cheap | 🛑 Kind of slow to use |
Second on this list of the best Leica point and shoot cameras is the Leica AF-C1, not to be confused with the Leica C1. This is a based off a Minolta Tele Super, but much sleeker even tough it’s still a chunky plastic monster with a trademark 80s look that is hard to beat.
This is somewhat of a fixed lens camera with two possible choices: 40mm f2.8 and 80mm f5.6. The man draw for Leica fans would of course be the 40mm f2.8 that is similar to the Minilux. It has a nice viewfinder and the lens is sharp.
It’s a bit clunky and slow to use as this was one of Leica’s first tries into point and shoots but it shoots wonderful images and is mostly an automatic camera. The price is right too, only a few hundreds, so you will not find this kind of price for such fast lens.
Leica AF-C1 Sample images
| Reasons to buy | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Nice zoom range ✔️ Sharp lens ✔️ Rounded design ✔️ Still cheap | 🛑 Hate it or love it design |
This is the third Leica in their C camera line. It has a great “do-it-all” zoom range of 28-80mm f/3.6-7.9. It’s good for short telephoto purposes like nature but it’s wide enough for some great street photography.
The design is almost like they took the M shape and added a sliver tone to it and added a grip on the side. The operation is fast and completely automatic, so if you can a camera that will give you sharp images with no frills, this is it.
It’s still “under the radar” so to speak so you can get it for a few hundreds.
Leica C3 Sample images
| Reasons to buy | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ One of the best looking ones ✔️ Amazing lens ✔️ Fast-ish aperture ✔️ One of the smallest | 🛑 Wish aperture was faster |
The Leica mini is, well small! This is one small camera that is reminiscent of a Contax T with that little lens in the front. The lens is super sharp with a respectable f3.5. While it is not as fast as some of the earlier options is this list of the best Leica point and shoot cameras, it’s a force to be reckoned with.
The 35mm is the “Goldlocks” focal length, good for everything from street to environmental portraits. It is fast, lightweight and sharp and probably one of the best looking Leica P&S too, save the Minilux.
You can still get this for a few hundreds, the original Minilux is great too but this has upgraded autofocus system and +2 EV compensation.
Leica Mini II Sample images
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this selection of the best Leica point and shoot film cameras. The most desirable one, with a price tag to match is the Minilux, it has a sharp, fast lens that can give that mythical Leica glow. A great alternative to that is the Leica Mini II with a slower 35mm f3.5. The Leica AF-C1 is one of the cheapest ones you can find with a fast 40mm f2.8. Lastly if you are looking for one with a zoom, then the Leica C3. happy shooting!