Leica M6 and Fuji x100v: The perfect Street Photography setup I ever had

28mmStreet
Nov 13, 2025
4 min read

November 2025 - Blog# 21

Back in June 2023, I bought the much anticipated Fuji X100V for street photography, I was ecstatic at first but - reality soon set in.

Fast forward to May 2024 - I was ecstatic again - this time about the Leica M6 film camera.

The Fuji came first and quickly became my edc (everyday carry) camera for capturing moments on the go. It was the start of my hybrid film and digital street photography setup that would evolve and mature over the next two years.

About a year later, I added the Leica M6, and that changed everything.

For nearly two years, this mix of film and digital shaped how I worked and saw the streets. By June 2025 - exactly 2 years later I decided to let go of the Fuji.

Reflecting back on my film and digital workflow. The Leica M6 and Fuji X100V combo for street photography — still feels like the most balanced workflow I ever had.

It taught me more about finding balance between digital and film in street photography workflow than any other setup I’ve used.

Let me explain why.

**Fuji changed "the game" for me**

Buying the Fuji x100v was not only a game changer for my street photography workflow - it re-defined my entire street photography "worldview" unbeknownst to me. I struggled a lot in the beginning with the Fuji as I was only used to a Sony full-frame mirrorless camera. I was set in my ways of doing street photography.

I have a few videos on my experience using the Fuji x100 on my Youtube channel, check them out here: https://youtu.be/-Glb5T2pINQ

But at some point the real breakthrough came, when I started to understand the magic of the fuji and how I could use it for a different kind of street photography than I was used to. I quickly fell in love with different aspects of this glorified point-and-shoot camera that the Fuji x100 is also called.

I started to love the small compact size, the many functions and features the camera was "born" with. I started to carry the camera with me everywhere, religiously.

I was over the moon about the photographs I could make — and how stealthy I could finally be. Something I've struggled with a lot for the past decade I've been doing street photography.

Everything was just picture perfect but end of the day I still had a longing for film street photography.

Enter 35mm film longings

I've been wanting to venture into 35mm film photography for a long time. The reason I bought the Fuji x100v in the first place was to somehow put a lid on those longings. I convinced myself that the Fuji x100v would be a great replacement or runner up for the Leica.

I could just use the film simulations and replicate the film look and the camera itself also looks like a Leica M6 as it's retro looking and designed as a rangefinder.

As you probably guessed - it didn't work for me. As much as I love my Fuji x100v it wasn't a Leica or a film camera. The film simulations felt underwhelming and the "rangefinder" experience itself felt far from a real rangefinder experience should be like.

Now what!?

I caved..

Almost a year later I couldn't hold my intense desire to do 35mm photography. I'm known to romanticise things a bit especially when I want some(things) badly enough.

In May 2024, I bought my dream Leica M6 for street photography and paired it with my favorite focal length the 28mm.

I was in street photography heaven, indeed.

Now a whole new set of dilemmas started to unfold. I was so excited about learning to use my new camera (the Leica M6) and the whole workflow that comes with shooting film ie. bulk loading, home scanning and eventually home development - that I completely forgot about my beauty little Fuji x100v - for months on end.

I started to have dark thoughts about selling it and never do digital street photography ever again.

But luckily I walked myself back from the ledge and continued to find a proper balanced and use cases for when to use digital vs film. It wasn't that hard and before I knew I had a whole new workflow I started to enjoy.

The best workflow

For 12 solid months I perfected my new film and digital street photography workflow.

I'll admit that I mostly used my Leica in this period as the summer and fall season made it easy to justify shooting film.

However I still went for my digital camera in times where the weather was dull or overcast - so naturally the winter months. I also used my digital camera occasionally for night street photography.

BUT the true strength of this hybrid or dual workflow was when I combined the speed and efficiency of digital with the slow down and intentional process of 35mm photography. This fit me perfectly as a seasoned street photographer looking to better myself in a different way.

With the Leica I was back to being a beginner who was re-learning street photography, but with the Fuji the seasoned street photographer came out to play.

I learned to rely on different skills and competencies based on which medium I was using.

In the end it was either or...

As the 12 months progressed I would, 9 out of 10 times, pick up my Leica M6 instead of the Fuji. They are on the shelf side by side.

I started to feel guilty again - having an expensive piece of equipment just sitting there collecting dust. I started to think about selling it again - this time seriously.

A few weeks later the Fuji x100v was gone. Just like that.

It marked the end of my dual film and digital street photography workflow, but the lessons from that setup still guide how I shoot today.