The alternative camera (and one for 1/4 the price) is the Fuji X100T. Many people love this camera:
Though that one’s still 75% of the price of the Leica. Also, newer and as such in many ways an unknown quantity.
> Earlier in 2015 I used the Fuji x100t for three weeks but wasn’t impressed enough to write about it.
FYI -- I'm totally in love with the X100T.
I can't recommend the camera enough. If the form factor is too big for you, go with the newly released X70.
They are comparable, in that they are both fairly compact, fixed prime lens cameras that offer high quality (camera build and image).
They are not comparable,as the Leica has a better/faster autofocus system. In theory it has better optics as well, though I haven't seen a side-by-side.
A good friend is a professional photographer. His carry-around fun camera is the X100T. I think his professional-grade stuff is Nikon. I'm sure he'd love the Leica, but it's a lot of money for what is unlikely to be used professionally (at least not by him).