The 1990s was an experimental period for Leica. It was during this period that Leica decided to try out the compact camera market. Out of this period, several compact point and shoot cameras were born. One of these being the Leica C1.
First released in 1999, the Leica C1 was the first camera in the Leica Cx series. Being a Leica, this camera was of exceptional build and design. It also came with some impeccable features that made it an excellent camera for every day quick snapshots.
Here’s a breakdown of some of these features.
Features of the Camera
The first feature you’re likely to notice when you first see the Leica C1 is its elegant but simple design. Like other Leica cameras, the Leica C1 comes in a minimalistic and sleek body, with a slightly modern design touch.
And that’s just the first impression. Once you start using this camera, you’ll love it even more.
Thanks to the lens, all your images, even those 100mm away, will be sharp and clear.
And that’s not all!
This camera also comes with an automatic focus feature, which helps to ensure every photo is sharp. When shooting, the lens zooms in and out as it focuses.
The Leica C1 also comes with an inbuilt flash system that automatically activates in low light conditions. And for images further than three meters, this camera comes with a red-eye reduction feature.
This camera also comes with an impressive exposure compensation feature that’s ideal for bright light conditions such as the beach or snowy landscapes.
The Leica C1 also allows long exposure shots of up to 90seconds for low light situations.
Shooting this camera is also a joy.
The shutter is responsive and is relatively fast with a maximum speed of 1/500 sec. It’s also a quiet shooter, making it an ideal street camera, where you don’t want to attract attention.
And as if that’s not enough!
The Leica C1 comes with a date imprint feature, giving photos taken with this camera a retro look. Seeing pictures from this camera is likely to bring back the memories of all pictures you took as a kid.
Thanks to the automatic focus feature, responsive shutter, and impressive center-weighted metering, using the Leica C1 doesn’t require technical knowledge. Just point and shoot.
Design and Physical Build
Like all other Leica cameras, the C1 was impeccably designed.
It came with a plastic body with an aluminum metal cladding that was either in black or silver. And in true Leica fashion, the Leica C1 featured a minimalist design with few but intuitive controls.
This camera is also relatively light (290g), making it the ideal camera when you don’t need a lot of baggage.
Shortcomings of this Camera
The camera has one major shortcoming.
It’s painfully slow. Thanks to the zoom in and out feature when focusing, there is a short lag between pressing the shutter button and when the shot is taken.
However, the wait is worth it, since the quality of images is always excellent.
Final Thoughts
The Leica C1 is not the best Leica. Neither is it the most famous point and shoot camera.
However, it’s still a great point and shoot camera. One that you can take to the beach, an outdoor concert, a ride around town, or even for your walk.
And with its impressive lens, you can be sure that all photos you take will be of high quality.
This, coupled with its attractive price, makes the Leica C1 a must-have for your vintage classic camera collection.