The camera choice of Messrs Helmut Newton, Robert Frank and Man Ray has arrived on MR PORTER.

Is the Instagramification of photography killing off the conventional camera? The shoot, edit and share convenience of smartphones is undoubtedly leaving its mark – the total number of compact cameras sold in 2014 dropped 35 per cent from 2013, while Snapchat users now wirelessly share more than 700 million photos per day. But in a world where fast fashion captures a share of the clothing market, artisanal brands become even more special. For cameras the premium manufacturer is Germany’s Leica.

Launching this week on MR PORTER, Leica cameras are the antithesis of disposable photography and the apotheosis of covetable gadgetry. They are handcrafted in relatively small batches, they hold their value well, and enthusiasts consider ownership of one of its flagship M cameras akin to investing in a Patek Philippe watch. Its roll call of owners speaks volumes – Messrs Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Man Ray, Helmut Newton, Robert Frank and the Beat poet Allen Ginsberg all swore by theirs.

Like the cut of a Huntsman suit, the overall design of Leica cameras has changed very little in 60 years, simply because they work so well. It’s not just their reassuring heft, or the enjoyment of manually aligning the two images in the viewfinder to ensure perfect focus. You get a palpable sense of uncompromising precision when you pick one up.

In an era when megapixels are erroneously valued as the measure of a camera’s image quality, Leica prefers to focus on the quality of its lenses – and no one makes better glass.

MR PORTER has worked together with the team at Leica to put together this selection of six cameras. Read on for a snapshot of each model. Whether you’re a photography purist or you simply want to instantly upgrade your social media feeds, we think you’ll find something you Leica (feel free to groan here).

Best for: collectors

Leica’s highly prized olive-green Safari limited editions date from 1960 and were originally made for use in the field by the military, which explains why there is no telltale red-dot logo on the front. This latest iteration is equipped with arguably the most popular Leica lens of all time (the Leica Summicron-M 35mm f/2 ASPH). The camera comes with a premium cowhide carrying strap and matching SD and credit-card holder.

Best for: social media

This pocket-size camera was created in conjunction with Audi’s design team. Its integrated Wi-Fi and Near Field Communication (NFC) allows the user to both remotely control the camera and then view the image on a smartphone, which means premium-grade selfies. It’s particularly easy to use, has an impressive 7x zoom lens and delivers outstanding images under any light conditions. Plus it has a super-fast autofocus as well as a 10-frames-per-second continuous shooting mode, so you’ll never miss the shot.

Best for: experts

This is the compact camera choice of high-level photographers, featuring comprehensive manual control and advanced settings not often found in smaller digital cameras. Videos can be recorded in full HD and saved in internet-friendly MP4 format. It comes with still picture and video-processing software so you can get creative with image manipulation. The best-in-class 24mm to 90mm lens makes it ideal for almost all genres – from portraits to landscapes, architecture to macro, and reportage photography, the classic domain of Leica cameras.

Best for: versatility

Lightning-quick autofocus, a fast frame rate of 50 frames per second and a massive zoom range of 25mm to 400mm combine to make the V-Lux ideal for sports or wildlife photography. Plus there’s no need to cart around extra lenses. It records in 4K – four times the resolution of full HD – so even frames grabbed from video can stand alone as brilliant stills. The largest of Leica’s compact digital models, it won’t fit in your pocket but it is the Swiss Army Knife of cameras.

Best for: aesthetics

This is the result of another creative partnership with Audi Design and you can tell: the minimalistic camera body is milled from a single piece of aluminium. A range of interchangeable lenses complements the camera’s 16.5MP APS-C sensor. The T has 16GB of memory built in and also features an integrated GPS and a Wi-Fi module, so you can sync your handiwork directly to your smartphone.

Best for: discretion

An extension of the Leica X family, the Typ 113 captures exceptionally bright and sharp pictures with natural colours even in poor light through its iconic 35mm f/1.7 ASPH lens. The fast, precise and almost silent autofocus makes it ideal for spontaneous and discreet photography. It records video in full HD quality at 30 frames per second. This camera comes in chrome and brown leather or in a stealthy all black.