“100 Leica Stories” book

Finally got my hands on 100 Leica Stories! The first batch sold out in Singapore, so I’ve been waiting a while. A hundred years ago, Leica released the Leica I — the very first mass-produced 35mm camera. To celebrate the centenary, Leica has been running events all year and just announced a series of special editions: the M11-D, M11, D-Lux 8, Sofort 2, plus a commemorative photobook. I can’t exactly splurge on the cameras, so the photobook it is — and honestly, it’s more than enough.

Spanning 320 pages with 170 photographs, the book captures 100 stories that weave together personal moments, iconic images, technical breakthroughs, and rare behind-the-scenes glimpses. You’ll find legendary shots that shaped the way we remember the 20th century: Henri Cartier-Bresson at Gare Saint-Lazare, Yevgeny Khaldei atop the Reichstag, Ilse Bing’s mirror self-portrait, and Marc Riboud’s confrontation with the National Guard.

What makes these photos special isn’t just the Leica name — it’s the fact that they’ve endured, both as documents of history and as powerful works of art.