When I was growing up, my parents had an old 35mm Leica they would take everywhere. I was never allowed to touch it though. It was like a rare museum piece that just so happened to be sitting on the kitchen counter amongst the mail and chocolate bars.

While you would think that as a kid I would take offense to not being able to use the precious camera and pull a Ferris Bueller, instead it never occurred to me to take it out for a spin. When I would look at that camera all I ever saw was impeccable craftsmanship. It was an intimidating piece of gadgetry that deserved to be revered. Some 30+ years ago that Leica takes better pictures than any digital camera I've had the opportunity to snap away with. My parents in the meantime, have gone through a handful of digital cameras that consistently break after only a year of use, while that antique keeps clicking away.

Now while I may never own a Leica, or for that matter touch the Leica my parents own, I can fill my desktop with an icon time line of the magnificent shooter...

The Leica icons are available for free for both Mac OSX and Windows. The collections includes mini versions of the M8 chrome, M8 black, Digilux 1, Digilux 2, Panasonic DMC-LC1, D-Lux, D-Lux 3 black, CM, CM Zoom, MP chrome, MP black, M7 chrome, M7 black, M6 Titanium, M6 black and M6 chrome.

via SwissMiss
photos: Thorston Overgaard