• Leica is known for its precision glass, and its lenses have been praised for their exceptional clarity.camera - rertro image by Sergey Galushko from Fotolia.com
  
  Leica is a high-end manufacturer of optics based in Germany. The company has been making lenses, cameras, microscopes, and other optics for over 30 years. Leica's equipment is very specialized, but, using a little creativity, it is very possible to use Leica lenses on all sorts of digital still cameras.
  
  

Cameras Made By Leica

• Leica currently sells four models of digital cameras: The compact point-and-shoot Lux 20-V ($700 MSRP), which boasts 12x optical zoom; the compact X1 ($2,000) which features an APS-C sensor; the deluxe M7 ($6,000), which features interchangeable lenses and claims to be the world's first compact digital camera with a full-frame sensor; and the deluxe S2 ($26,000), which is Leica's answer to Canon's lens-swappable line of DSLR cameras.
  
  

Using Leica Lenses With Canon Cameras

• It is very possible to use a Leica R-series lens with a Canon digital SLR camera. Adapter rings are available for $89 (as of September 2010), and can be screwed into the EF-mount of the body of a Canon camera to allow functionality with any Leica R-series lens.
  
  

Using Leica Lenses With Nikon Cameras

• Similarly, there are adapter rings made by the Leitax company that will allow you to use any Leica R-Series lens on a Nikon SLR camera. They will work on any Nikon SLR camera, with the exception of full-frame cameras, as the adapter will end up pressing up against the sensor. As of September 2010, the adapter costs 60 Euros (roughly $90 American).