As expected, I visited the Leica Store in the Meatpacking District in Manhattan after my late lunch at Katz’s. I’ve visited a few times when in New York, usually not for anything specific, but just to take in that Leica boutique atmosphere. This time, however, I was curious about a particular camera.

Last year, in 2025, Leica celebrated its 100th anniversary, commemorating the introduction of the Leica I in 1925. They released a few special-edition cameras and assorted merchandise. I was interested in the limited-edition D-Lux 8, which I had seen online but wanted to see in person. They had a sample on display near the entrance.

The camera looked nicer than expected, and I shot a few pictures of it, ironically with my standard-edition D-Lux 8. While a limited edition, this “special” D-Lux is not numbered, and Leica gave no indication of how many they were making. Still, the little touches that transform the D-Lux into something that echoes the original Leica I were unmistakable—the silver accents on the black body looked great.

I eventually purchased this model, but not from the New York store. I ordered it from the fine folks at Leica Store Miami, whom I particularly like because of their extra-expressive enthusiasm for Leica products. In reality, the camera is not very exclusive, unlike the limited 100-unit editions of their significantly pricier M11s. But for me, it’s a nice piece of history that looks great on my display shelf.

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