Object of Desire: Leica’s M10 Camera

M10 camera, $6,895, APO-Summicron-M 50mm lens, $7,995, leather half-case, $240, and leather strap, $95, all Leica. / Photograph by Toan Trinh

The city’s newest status symbol isn’t a handbag or an impossible-to-get dinner reservation. It’s a digital camera—and it has the waitlist to prove it. Since Leica released the M10 model earlier this year at its Arlington Street location, local photographers and hobbyists alike have been clamoring to own one. “We had one in the store to show it off on the day it was released and it has been back-ordered ever since,” says brand ambassador Tim Kennedy. So why all the hype for a camera whose design has barely changed since 1954? Sure, there’s the amazing picture quality and the fact that each unit is made by hand, but Kennedy thinks it may have more to do with today’s ephemeral cyber culture. “We’re all pretty tired of things that feel uninspiring. [The M10] has gears and knobs; it’s a tactile piece of equipment. With all of our flat screens and touch screens today, we miss that experience,” he says.

74 Arlington St., Boston, 857-305-3609, leicastoreboston.com.