Skip to main content

Here’s a Leica that won’t break the bank, though there is a catch

Leica Store, Miami

Leica cameras don’t come cheap. The Leica CL, for example, costs $2,800, while the Leica SL will set you back $6,000. And then there’s the Leica M10-P, which costs an eye-watering $8,000.

The Leica M, however, has a price tag of just $45. But take note, this is a Lego version of the full-functioning M, which comes with a $6,000 price tag.

At 3 inches long, 2 inches high, and 1.25 inches deep, the Lego Leica M is also much smaller than the original device, though the design is more detailed than you might expect — from the “LED display” right down to the camera strap mounts. It comes in two versions — black/gray and brown/gray — though neither bears the distinctive Leica logo on the front. But that’s something you can easily add yourself (with a red marker!).

Leica’s Miami store, which is selling the kit, suggests the Lego Leica as “a great gift for the photography enthusiast,” adding that build instructions can be found online if the construction process gets a bit tricky.

OK, it may not be the real Leica camera that you dream of one day holding, but if you love Leica and like Lego, then you could still have some fun constructing a toy version of the Leica M.

You can purchase the Lego Leica M online from Leica’s Miami store, though at the time of writing the kit is out of stock. However, the store promises to fulfill all orders just as soon as the next batch comes in.

Another Leica-inspired gift selling alongside the Lego kit is a $45 Leica M10 USB stick with 16GB of storage.

If you’re after a more complex camera-based challenge for yourself or your kids, then you may want to hold out for the Kano Camera Kit. It also uses Lego bricks, but the final result is a 5-megapixel digital camera that actually works. The construction process teaches simple coding skills and creative photo manipulation, among other things. Kano’s kit is expected to hit stores in 2019 following a successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this year that saw pledges top half a million dollars.

London, U.K.-based Kano has produced a number of award-winning kits, among them a $250 laptop that kids can build themselves.

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The Steam Deck won’t have any exclusive games, says Valve
Steam's new handheld console, the Steam Deck.

When it launches next year, Valve's Steam Deck will be able to run a suite of PC games, none of which will be exclusive to it. The mobile console, which is really more of a handheld Steam machine, won't have any exclusive games according to Valve.

In a beefy FAQ section for developers, Valve says it won't support exclusive games on its upcoming console. "No, that doesn't make much sense to us," reads an FAQ answer. "It's a PC and it should just play games like a PC." In short, don't expect a "killer app" that's only available on the device.

Read more
Nokia 9 PureView won’t get Android 11 after all; HMD offers a discount instead
Nokia 9 PureView

HMD Global is breaking the update promise it made with the Nokia 9 PureView. The company shared that due to circumstances beyond its control, it would be unable to update the phone to Android 11. Instead, a discount will be offered to the Android 11-capable Nokia XR20 instead as a replacement for eligible Nokia 9 owners.

As part of the Android One program, Nokia phones benefited from the promise of at least two operating system updates, something that was emphasized as one of the selling points of phones like the Nokia 9 PureView, which launched with Android 9 and really should have received Android 11 over a year ago. While HMD Global has been notoriously inconsistent with regard to timing, this is the first time the company has simply declined to push out an update.

Read more
Marvel’s Avengers won’t give Spider-Man his own story missions
One of Spider-Man's costumes in Marvel's Avengers

After a long wait, Marvel's Avengers players on PlayStation are finally getting access to Spider-Man this month, just without any story missions. As revealed in IGN's preview of Spider-Man in the Marvel-based action game, the web slinger's debut won't include any story missions.

Marvel's Avengers Expansion: Black Panther - War for Wakanda Cinematic Trailer

Read more