Rangefinder mechanics built in 1984. Budget digital cameras become obsolete in three years.
Why Not Just Buy the Cheap One?
Cheap point-and-shoot digital cameras rely on processors and batteries that degrade, software becomes incompatible, and you're stuck with compressed JPEGs. The Leica M6 uses mechanical shutter and optical rangefinder—zero electronic decay. Film grain is tactile, colors shift intentionally, and the build quality is paranoia-level.
The Buy-Once Math
You'll cycle through $200-400 budget cameras every 2-3 years chasing 'better specs.' That's $1,500+ in a decade of mediocre images on unreliable hardware. The M6 costs $800 used and will work in 2050. Film costs $2-5 per roll—your only recurring expense—versus cloud subscriptions and replacement bodies.