essential designs - that person's indispensable items
Case01: Toru Nishiyama and his Leica camera.

Nishiyama: Yes, I know. I am sure I don't look like I have much connection with the camera.

Nishiyama: At first, I just thought I'd give it a try. I had always liked cameras as objects, but the act of taking pictures with a camera requires a certain sense and knowledge. So it took me a while to get used to it, but even though I was unfamiliar with it, I liked taking pictures.

Nishiyama: I got my first Leica in 2009, and it was the M9. I chose this model because it was the first Leica digital camera with a full-size sensor, and also because I had a baby at that time.

Nishiyama: This summer, I took it to a photo shoot for "STUMP MAGAZINE" that I was directing this summer. However, when I went back to the hotel and looked back at the photos I took, I found that all of them had something like spots in them. It seemed that it was time to replace the sensor, so I couldn't use the photos after all. I was so frustrated that I bought a second "M11" (laughs).

Nishiyama: It is not that I only use Leica, but sometimes I use Sony's "α7" for "STUMP magazine, I sometimes use Sony's α7. I often go out to sea and shoot on boats. I often go out to sea and shoot on boats, and even in such a difficult environment, the camera automatically focuses on the subject and allows me to take pictures sensitively. I sometimes rely on this convenience, but Leica has its own advantages because it is not convenient.

Nishiyama: Because of the manual focus, no matter who takes the picture, it will not be the same, so there is a sense of being able to make it your own. I enjoy that. Conversely, perhaps it is precisely because it is inconvenient that I get that feeling.

Nishiyama: Yes, I agree. When I see everyone else with their smartphone cameras out, I feel a little bland. I can take the same pictures with the same angle of view, so I think, "Well, I'm fine with that. On the other hand, with a camera, you can take pictures from your own perspective and with your own senses. Also, while it is not mainstream to take pictures with a camera nowadays, I dare to choose to do so.

Nishiyama: That was the case at first. I used to carry it around with me all the time, trying to take pictures of something, but now I don't have that kind of obsession anymore.

Nishiyama: I keep it in my car so it's always around. However, I don't always take pictures. Photography is about getting in between people, so I can't always be so brazen about it. I release the shutter while keeping an eye on the distance between me and the person I am photographing, so I am not trying to force the shot. Now I hope to be able to point the lens naturally when I feel like taking a picture.

Nishiyama: If you work with "Laika," it's a work tool. However, when I use it on a daily basis, it is a hobby, and the way I use it is more casual and casual. The same is true of clothing; depending on how a person wears it, formal clothing can look casual, or workwear can look formal. In this way, depending on the person who uses the camera, the impression may change, and I think this is because Leica cameras are standard products. Leica cameras have a long history and are very well known. In that sense, before talking about what is essential for me, I would say that the existence of this camera itself is essential.

Nishiyama: I also think the workmanlike robustness is appealing. When I received a standard film model called "M3" from a friend, the case was beat up. But it was beautiful the way it had been used. You don't get that feeling with other plastic cameras.

Nishiyama: The surface of the warship part will peel off the paint and reveal the underlying brass after long use, but only with "Leica" can you experience this kind of change over time. For me, a "Leica" becomes more and more attractive as I continue to use it, rather than just keeping it clean.