Well, its more than eight years that I used this camera and made more than 2000 excellent quality negatives/prints.
Nevertheless,it did not finally escaped the E02 plague and is now operationally useless though, otherwise, is like brand new. Really beautiful.
LEI CA factory in Germany asked me 199,5 Euros (that would sum-up to 235 Euros plus VAT) for restoring operation, given that they include the shutter malfunction in an overall servicing that would NOT otherwise be indispensable for me.
I asked the repairing of the shutter (E02) only but they denied the repair, arguing that the mechanics of the camera are tired...! ! ! already and need be replaced.
Here are then my grievances go.They preferred returning a useless camera to me, their client, than isolating, restoring and billing me for the shutter problem only.
I now have a very beautiful LEICA MINILUX camera useless on my bookshelf.

A good travel companion, fairly light and discreete compared to a regular SLR. After putting some tape over the Leica logo, it will be taken for a rather cheap looking point and shoot camera. I picked it up to substitute my SLR on thrips where I did not want to bring a large kit and loaded with a roll of Velvia and I was always pleased with the results.

Although you'll be able to pick one up at Ebay for a cheap price it will most likely die with the shutter error when you need it the most. It is possible to get the shutter replaced, but somehow I have a feeling that I will end up with another E02 a year down the road.

Fairly expensive to buy, expensive to fix and not even really a proper Leica. Trust me when I say that this one will never be a classic...

Minilux - the most expensive paper weight of all times. After being a good companion for quite it died on me with an E02 error without any warning. Funny enough I still keep it around and I sometimes power it up just to see if it decided to start working again... I don't really know if it is the quality of the photos it used to shoot or the rather hefty price I once paid for it that keeps me from throwing it into the bin.

I think a lot of people get it wrong with this camera, it is actually a rather simple Panasonic unit with a fantastic Leica lens wrapped up in titanium looking steel with a red Leica badge glued onto it.

Customer Service

I was not impressed with the customer service provided by Leica. They did not even bother to give a response to a polite letter asking for an explanation to the shutter error problem.

I have once owned and used majority of the high end point shoot in the market. However, this is the camera with the best lens. Most of the professional review on the web seems to support this point. I was somewhat worried about the infamous EO2 failuare, but with the current bargain price of $350, it is well worth taking a chance....

Shutter speed is limited to 1/400... but you can use slow film such as the Fuji Reala 100 and not have to worry about the overexposure.

I went all digital few years ago and I currently use Nikon D70 and few Nikon lenses for most of my photos. Hoewever, I really missed the picture quality of the prints from the 35 mm negatives and the entire process of carefully composing, waiting, and shooting that can easily be neglected from digital shooting.... Thus, I surfed web and bought this camera for $350.... I was once a high-end Point and Shoot afficinado, so I used and owned most of them in the market before eventually selling them all.... I really believe this is the best point and shoot camera and one of the best bargain now at around $300 to $400 in good condition from www.KEH.com...

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Contax TVS I, II, III, Minilux Zoom, Contax T2, Contax T3, Yashica T4

* The 40mm summarit is a star * Consistent performer * Reasonably portable * Pleasure of ownership

* On/Off switch is a bit of a clunker * What a racket it makes * Manual focus option is a bit limited, don't get carried away, it's no RF

For a while I've been "shall-I / shan't-I" about this camera. Many of the reviews here are worrying. Reliability seems a big problem. However there's some amazing deals on Ebay at present. What the hell, for 200 quid I took the plunge. Unwrapped it and yes, build is a level above, a true pleasure to hold. But how does it perform? I spent two weeks in the beautiful Scilly Isles on a head-to-head - the Minilux vs an old R4 with a selection of wide angle lenses. The results amazed me - the Minilux had the edge every time - a bit crisper, more contrasty, sharp but so so smooth. Honestly, they are the best most consistent set of prints I have ever seen with any camera. It reminded me (not that I need it) how much I love film. So far so good. Will I get E02 error? Time will tell. At £200 it's worth the risk I feel.

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Leica C3

Looks cool, people get impressed by a Leica

See above

Overpriced camera, unreliable, not even the optics are very impressing. When comparing to my Yashica T5, the leica minilux took less sharp photos, is a lot heavier and finally it broke (E02, shutter error). From now on, I will stick to Carl Zeiss lenses, i.e. Yashica and Contax.

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Yashica T5 (yashica T4 super in the US)

- good and fast lens - good metering - sturdy body

- expensive - unreliable - loud startup, focussing and "firing" noise (all lens movements); no candids with this camera... - battery hungry - mode and ev-compensation buttons cumbersome (e.g.: press mode button 6 times to switch off flash) - f16 and 1/400 sec max, be carefull with fast film in bright light - very small viewer with only 2 leds as indication (focus, flash, out-of-range exposure)

Unreliable and overpriced. I bought the minilux in summer 2001 to take hiking (starting with a mountaineering course)instead of a SLR. Since I should mostly slides, I wanted the best optics and metering, so stupid me fell for "the Leica Mythos". True, the optics and metering are good, but the camera now has developped the E02 error (defect shutter, repair costs 141 Euro excl. postage). Within one year the camera underexposed around 2,5-3 stops (on a hike in Yellowstone). This turned out to be a non-reproducable error (Leica Netherlands: user error, only the dealer concluded the same thing as I did: he checked the settings and did some test shots). And about a week before the E02 error the camera managed to drain the battery from full to empty within 5 pictures according to its indication, then it stopped working... Next time I'll take an EOS 300v /Rebel Ti with 50mm/1.8 hiking.

Customer Service

An unfriendly "User error" instead of "not-reproducable". I still doubt if I will have the shutter repaired due to the underexposure/battery problems (user error, I'm shure).

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Last 10 years only EOS SLR's.

Lens quality Solid quality feel. Flexibility of setting focal length and aperture.

Long term reliability. Price with regard to above.

I have owned my Minilux for over six years, and have found that it takes excellent photos, on most types of film. Most recently I have been using it with Ilford FP4 and HP5 black and white film, processed and printed by Ilford UK. The results are superb, capturing all of the details and dealing with levels of contrast. I find that the speed of the lens allows me to get away in low-light situations without resorting to flash. It has a solid feel, exuding quality. I do feel that reliability is a big minus, however, and the camera was returned a year after purchase as it was rewinding film prematurely. Currently, it is in for repair again, an EO2 shutter failure that is going to cost me £199 sterling. If it was a cheaper camera I would junk it, but feel that the quality of photos when working merits it one more chance. Reading the reviews here I see that this type of failure is not uncommon, and Leica really should ensure that a product at this price level is able to be close to 100% reliable. I have many other cameras (Pentax Spotmatics, Canon EOS) and this and my Leica Mini II are the only ones needing repair.

Customer Service

Leica should own up to design faults and accept some of the cost of repairing this product.

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Leica Mini II Pentax Zoom 70 Pentax PC35 AF

Glass of lens. A camera is a good quality lens with a box around it. No matters about the viewfinder (it's a little bit small - but who cares when you see the pictures!). Strong box, not light plastic. When I've a camera in my hands I want to feel the weight. That means there is something inside, and if you are not in Naples (in that case you could have a piece of brick inside everything if bought in the street market) you have metal box and a big and good quality lens.

When I see my picture I don't think at any weaknesses.

It's a camera with a really good piece of glass. I means 1st class optical glass. Portable, easy to carry, gives you the chance to select aperture (that is basic for many photographers with reflex background education). After many years of taking pictures with different cameras I believe only in lens and quality optical glass. With the Minilux you have the best glass available on the market for a compact camera. Leica made a jewel with a 40 mm. SUMMARIT. I never had a Leica camera on my hands. I used Nikons with Nikkor 20 mm - 35 mm - 24mm - 50 mm - 85 mm, 135 mm manual focus. But the color rendition I have seen with the minilux is something different, velvet colours. Natural. Not sparkling. But really NATURAL. Simply Leica.

Customer Service

not needed

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Olympus XA - Yashica t4 - Rolley prego micron - Pentax 90 WR

Aperture Mode - allows you to choose the right aperture. Slow function mode - generally useful for certain occasions. Good lens. Picture quality.

Sometimes you need a zoom lens because situation wont allow you to move closer to the subject. Maybe, the small viewfinder (similar case with most P&S)

Sometimes the convenience of carrying a P&S camera is indispensable specially if you are travelling with your family (including you kids). My SLR is now in the shelves since I bought this one. It fills my needs which is convenience, portability, amazing picture quality, contrast, nice color rendition and a good a 45mm perspective lens.

Customer Service

Havent tried.

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Ricoh GR1S, Leica C1

- Sharpness - Secure Exposure meter - Not too big and not too small - Wonderful B&W photos - Aperture Control, distance control and exposure override - Excellent quality even in bad lighting conditions - It is a Leica

-Too many steps for electronic exposure compensation (it will be better a manual way) - Low Shutter speed (1/400 is low for 400 films)

It is a wondeful machine. I usually practice several outdoor activivities and I was looking for a small size and low weight camera without losing the quality of my pictures. At regards Leica Minilux has improved my objectives. To the end the essential is the high quality of my slides: sharpness and real colors. With Velvia is too much...good. The exposure meter is very good and exact. And for B&W photographs, well, it is a Leica. I hope to enjoy this camera for a long time.

Customer Service

No need

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Nikon, Minolta