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The fact that we were able to identify which photo was taken with the Leica in all 5 cases is IRREFUTABLE proof that it has a unique look. Whether we can replicate or describe it is another matter, and the fact that they look “similar” doesn’t mean that Leica’s inherent particularity doesn’t exist. The ability to identify them in a blind test is the evidence.

Love this video. Thanks for sharing Dave.

Thanks Dave - great tips. I feel that the exposure tip is my favourite. I tend to do this with all my night photography when I'm using the phone. It really helps with the colours.

Love it, more iPhone content please 🙏

Thanks for this Dave! Been waiting for this one. 😊

@5:48 please don't go to Tony Northrup for 'science'. His 'opinion' is totally biasd towards whatever new product he's testing/comparing/providing affiliate links to buy.

I’ve a M11P, I used to have occasionally freezes like others did and often find the image review is often showing photos that are not complete with focus (but it is perfectly in focus when viewed in Capture One). This had been quite discouraging given the price tag. But after the recent 2.1.1 firmware update, almost all these freezing and display issues are gone, now I’m starting to fully enjoying this camera like I used to with my old M10P!

On the one hand I totally disagree with your statement that the Fujifilm X100 camera is "basically an iPhone". On the other hand I agree with your premise that it doesn't replace a smartphone and most people should just use that thing they have in their pocket already. I laughed at first because you also use a Leica M11 and that's a far bigger contrast to an iPhone than an X100. But I am going to make an assumption that you like the experience of using the Leica (that's why I would use one and am considering it). For me, my Fujifilm X100F rekindled my interest in photography and I love using it. I get no joy from taking pictures with my iPhone (even though it's technically very capable), but I LOVE using the Fuji. That makes me carry it more, use it more, and get more pictures. It's all very personal and that's fine. So I guess I don't disagree with your conclusion for yourself, but I feel differently. Cheers.

Way to go M8 vs newer mightier 11! Visibly more saturated colors, but, who knows, that might be a sought-after feature. I remember when the M8 came out and they said a full-frame digital M was simply imposible (for a # of tech reasons...). But then, not too long after that nonsensical rubbish, Leica was kind enough to give us the M9. Great video/side to side samples.

Dave, that would be super awesome if you can improve the sound in your videos, like do limiter and compression for both - your voice and music, so it sounds on the same level, thanks in advance

Might be worth mentioning that Photos (desk top or phone) will convert the RAW file to a JPEG unless you hit Export Unmodified Original. It's this unmodified file that you want to Import into Lightroom if you're going to edit the file in there. Meanwhile, a really useful video - I learned several things from it.

Great Tip with the minus 1 on the exposure compensation.

My understanding was that the telephoto on the 15pro is a 3X. The 2X being a crop from the main sensor.

Small correction: iPhone 15 pro has a 3x optical lens. So the 2x option is a digital crop.

Is there an iPhone (pre)setting for dropping the clarity / sharpness?

I’d love to see them add a shutter speed option

This is interesting because I love black & white and perhaps this would be an ideal camera for me but I love the black & white conversions I use from my Hasselblad X2D. I get clean images with great dynamic range in low light because I have IBIS at ISO 64 and the tonal range I get is silky smooth if that's what I'm going for. Or if I want I can get smooth grain with a little rough texture like in 4X5 photos. At the same time though the black & white Jpegs from my M11 are good enough for everyday family stuff and black & white edits from Lightroom are great all around.

Funny how as you mature as a photographer, you realize less is more (applies to both gear and edits)

Why Oh Why do content creators use the same Slow Monotonous beat music, so retardant to the senses, please move on. Nice visual content of Yosemite though.

I have the best of the two words. After owning and heavily using my first Leica which is the Q2M for one year, I purchased the M-11 P. I am enjoying using both cameras.

I have q2M and Q3 and even though I’m crazy about color the Q2M I always keep.. just something magical

Very clearly explained about M11. How will be the Leica DLux 8 ?

Love your videos! 20-something years after graduating from photography school and not doing anything with that degree, I just picked up a M10-P and falling in love again...

Just bought a M11P yesterday so this video came in handy. Trying the settings out here in NYC!

We were in Yellowstone/teton Jackson Hole 2 years ago in May as well, exactly the same weather conditions, but the experience and the memories last forever! Ok, Q2M has more pleasing and even contrast image to my eye as opposed to the M11 a little bit more contrasty.

Fair and realistic comparison, thanks for also sharing the images on your website, I really wanted to see the comparison and I really love the Q2M <3 Might take the big step one of these days!

Just got my first M last week. Have put 6 rolls through it so far. Absolutely amazing shooting experience.

The M11 barn photos show the strong vignetting of the Summicron 28. on street and portraits this can be very helpful, but on your landscapes, I like the evenly lit Q2M more. In general, I am lacking the discipline shooting B&W JPG with my M11 - I very often fall back to the raw and process a color variant. So for me, a monochrome sensor is forcing me to compose the best possible B&W image. It is still not enough to justify the investment…

Good idea to have made this video, long time owner of a Leica M7 and still working with TriX400. I have also found the same feeling with the Pixii Rangefinder Camera with M-Mount Lens. 👌🏽.

Very good comparison, did you change the contrast setting in the Q2M?

What’s better is subjective not objective

Nice! More wife!

only 36 exposures on the camera can not be reality. It will be enought that leica m11d software makes new folders on SDcard in every 36 shot counts.

Dave love this style of video, it's right up my alley and these are the style I got for as well. I am not as comfy sitting down in front of the camera. My favourite scene is @ 4:23 which is a person in their element. haha love it mate. Cheers

beautifully and skilfully explained

imo, doesn’t make any sense to shoot leica mono, i’ve barely seen any difference, for me personally it’s better to invest into M10D, than into M10(11)M

Was an M11 owner for two years. I’ve since sold it and now have an M11M. I really love the shooting experience on the Monochrom. one thing i will say is it has me actively looking for light and shadows way more than I ever did shooting color digital…which is a good thing. - right now using the m6 for all my color work. I’ll see how long i can afford that work flow lol. Thanks for the nice videos.

As much as I’d love to justify the value of an M11 monochrome, I just can’t. With a family I need to be realistic. For capturing memories and instagram I think converting to black and white will have to do it for me. Great photos as always and I loved the comparison. Also great to see some more in depth reading!

I’ve only been there in the winter months (multiple times), and I love it! One of my favorite places I’ve been. Looks beautiful in mono🙌

I was a bit confused in the video, whether you see any tonality difference between the two cameras, for high ISO definitely seems that the Q2 monochrome is a winner and maybe you have a bit more texture and clarity with the Q2 monochrome, Are you keeping the Q2 mono or happy with m11 conversion.

If we are only competing the feature of b&w then q2 hands down. I have this camera along with the q3, and if I’m going out to shoot only b&w then I don’t hesitate in picking up the mono

Nice comparison Dave! Looking back at the one year I had with the Q2M I think shooting with real monochrome sensors is for your own experience. You might see the tonal gradient between monochrom and color sensor, but the people you share the image with might mostly not see any difference (specially sharing on social media) and that's ok, because the experience is for yourself. As you wrote on your webpage, I think the real game changer is the real low light performance of monochrome sensors. They basically can see in the dark by providing an extreme clear image. That fact I really miss, but I didn't used it every day to justify the cost of a monochrome Leica camera 😅

Q2M for me ESP. on the farm set. The sky is richer, and you can see the snowflakes. M11 the sky is brighter.

Thanks for this exercise I find the M11 with high contrast give any « vignetage » as we say in France So I prefer the q2 monochrom pictures in mountain It’s the reason why I keep the 246 for the BW pictures 😉

The Tetons and Jackson are definitely on my bucket list. May happen this fall. This is something I have been contemplating lately, the switch from the Q2 to either the M246 or the M10 Monochrome. Over the last two years I have been shooting, primarily, b&w. I love the ability to shoot in color when I wish with the Q2. I'm curious if there is more leeway with the dng file with a monochrome sensor. I'm curious how you processed these images. Sounds like you shot jpg hc on the M11 and curious if the Q2 files were dng or jpg. I shoot raw plus jpg hc with the Q2 and I then convert in Lightroom from the raw file. I use the HC jpg as a reference while shooting. When all is said and done I love the results I'm getting. Hope you got some better weather while you were there. Thanks for this!

This is something I’ve personally struggled with. I had a M10 and M10-M and when the M11 came out I decided to go color with B&W conversion when I wanted to. I found I missed the shooting experiences with a monochrom like using colored filters and the great low light performance. So I ended up getting a M11M in addition to my M11. Some of the rationale has to do with the experience. Love the barn shots from both of you.

Have you tried shooting mono on the M8 without the IR-Cut filter? I’ve not done a comparison yet as I shoot everything in RAW so leave the filter on. But the mono JPEGs without it are supposed to be incredible.

I’ve spent about 1 year using a lens without a focusing tab (50mm Summicron v5) and a year using a lens with a tab (Voigtlander 35mm f1.5). I prefer the tab and I’ve bought but not yet fitted one of those aftermarket tabs - an internally ribbed circle with a tab on the outside. Probably 3D printed. Any experience or views on whether it’s a workable solution?

It was the indoor shot of you both, in the hotel (on the blog), that I instantly saw a difference. The amount of extra noise was quite obvious in the M11. As an M11 owner. Who prefers to use natural light. I am leaning towards using faster lenses for low light. To compensate for those 3+ stops.

The low noise performance of the Monochrome at high ISOs is really incredible. The Q2 is a bit noisy at 6400 and is pretty unusable at 25,000. The Q2 monochrome is still clean at 50,000, and the noise that appears at 100,000 looks more like grain than digital noise. It's definitely a bit sharper, too. But I think the main appeal is the limitation of not being able to decide you want a color version later on, or adjust the various color channels to make the "perfect" black and white version. (although there's still a lot of leeway in the raw file in terms of adjusting the shadows and highlights). The other fun benefit of the M is the ability to use colored filters, but of course, that forces you to commit even more, and that's another level of limitation. My ideal camera would probably be a Q2M with a 35mm lens rather than the 28, but the camera really is inspiring to use because of its limitations.