Lens and lens body quality are excellent, attachment is secure, pictures come out perfectly. I like to take close ups of bugs and plants in the garden and this does an excellent job of that. A tripod is a nice addition for the macro shots. Wide shots look great too.

First thing to get out of the way is that if you need a DSLR mainly for photography (not videography) then you can't go wrong with this one. The thing that will make any difference in your photos/results is NOT the camera body; its your skills/vision/compositions AND the lenses you have. Save money on body, buy this cheaper unit and use your saving to buy a second lens (the 50mm f1.8 is a MUST HAVE).Now onto why i really like this camera:1. Obviously the price! Espacially when paying more does not get you much more. This is espacially true for people who are looking for their first DSLR. These camera and their accessories WILL get expensive. As i said, the camera body is where you can cut some corners without impacting your end-results much. Buying it during holidays saves you more with deals and packages floating around.2. Battery life: My first DSLR was a Rebel XSi. It was very good but the best part was battery life - outstanding! Later i upgraded to T1i and sold my XSi. The T1i offers higher resolution LCD screen BUT that also causes the battery to drain much faster. This T3 is infact sort of a clone of XSi - same resolution, same kind of LCD and yes, same great battery life!3. Light weight: Its also very light and won't cause any trouble even after a whole day of shooting/wearing this on your neck. If you pair it with a light-weight prime lens like 50mm 1.8 or 35mm 2.0 (i would highly recommend both) - the whole package becomes a light-weight amazing photos machine.4. Easy to use: Perfect for beginners and offers much room to grow/get serious with your stuff. If you are coming from a point-and-shoot, it can act like one where you don't have to worry about any settings at all.This is my 2nd body along with my T1i - notice that i did not call it a "backup camera" - it is infact one of my primary camera. I grab either one depending on which one has the lens mounted that i need at the moment.Final note: I was a Canon-guy and Canon was first to bring the affordable DSLR to market so i went with their product. If you are just starting, it might be worth looking at Nikon D3100 as i've heard that is a better entry-level camera. But if you already have a collection of Canon lenses (or like them more), this is your camera.

Compact, powerful and Leica quality. The extra add on magnifying lens is really handy. It can read the smallest engraving on the smallest coin.So you get an excellent monocular for distant viewing like sporting events, bird watching, etc and a super magnifying lens to pick out the smallest detail on anything.

I would give 5 stars, but the lens is very tight when installing on camera body.

Say what you will about the Leica price premium but this is an amazing little monocular. I've been using it for about 6 months now and don't know how I ever lived without it. I'm a photographer and this fits nicely in my camera bag, to be used for spotting animals and people to approach and photograph. I also take it with me on extended mountain treks, where it is incredibly useful. The close-up lens is nice to have, but I find myself using it only infrequently, mostly because the case, where it is stored, is so bulky I tend to leave it home. It gets 4 stars instead of 5 due to the bulkiness of the case, which doesn't fit the lanyard, and factoring in price/value.But why the Leica? Because of the clarity and brightness of the image and the durability and build of the product. It's survived 4 foot falls onto dirt without damage. It's been inundated with rain and snow. I've let everybody and their uncle use the thing and it's still like new. The initial stiffness in the focus ring has loosened up. It's possible to shoot through the monocular using my Sony RX100M3 camera, or any smaller point-and-shoot. Just put the zoom on full and focus on infinity, then place the monocular over the lens. The results aren't spectacular, but it'll do as a long telephoto in a pinch.I look forward to decades of use of this investment, and eventually I'll pass it on to one of my kids.

For those looking for a front objective lens cover (which Leica should have provided!!!), the Leupold 20mm cover doesn't work. However, the Butler Creek 02 Eye Flip Open Scope Cover works excellently (1.225"). Try a couple different size rubberbands over the objective lens barrel to give it a snug fit and it won't budge, is watertight, and the rubberband can't be seen. Also it doesn't interfere with the focusing ring.

I purchased a Canon FD to Leica M adapter in order to get some more use out of my 17mm Canon lens. I’m pretty impressed with it so far. It seems considerably better quality than the cheap imported adapters, and not as expensive as a Novoflex. The lens hooks up solid and it feels solid on the camera body. I will most likely try some of their other adapters as necessary.

The product arrived very quickly. It feels heavy and of good quality. I have not been able to attach it to my Sony Alpha7ii yet, but it works well with the four legacy Minolta MD or MC lenses I have. Here's an image of a MD TELE ROKKOR-X 200mm 1:4 lens with the adapter in place. It fits VERY snuggly, and locks in place with a solid click. NO looseness whatsoever. The silver push pin on the adepter is a bit loose but does its job. Just line the adapter's red dot up with the red dot on the lens body and turn clockwise until it stops, (it will still feel a little loose at that point), then push a little harder for another eighth of a turn until you hear the adapter "click" and lock to the lens. The red dots on the adapter and on the lens body will be about an inch and a quarter from each other once the adapter is fully locked to the lens. If the adapter fits as snugly to the camera body as it does to the lens, it is going to be a very solid feeling experience. Note image #3 where the point of the pencil shows the adapter's pin locking in to a notch in the lens's stock Minolta mount.