In nyc for a few days and made a pilgrimage to BH. My wife said “I’ll find a bench across the street since I know you will be in there for hours”. 30 min later I came out to her utter surprise. I went in with a singular mission - to finally hold an M in my hands. I am in love. I’m not a birder, kids are in college, so no more sports; it’s time for a camera for me. Even after telling her the price (used), she said, if that is what you want, sell your other gear and let’s save until you have enough to get what you want, you deserve it. My wife is awesome and everything is going on Fred miranda when we get back to Ohio.
The marketing hype is strong with this one, which other brand can get people to save up thousands for a camera 😂, Invest your money and buy it out of the profits from that investment, it's not all it's hyped up to be after the novelty has worn off, ends up just being a toy you take out once a while and the are many better tools for the job when photographing
@@kazino21 are there better tools? Yep, probably. But I don’t care. I’m 50 and for almost 40 years I have been taking pictures for one person and one person only - me. I have work that has occasionally been used in national ad campaigns and by news organizations but I have never made a dime; to do so would have made it a job and taken all of the pleasure from it. I have two main things in my life that I spend my money and time on besides my number on priority, which is my family. Those are travel and photography. I have friends with 40k boats to go bass fishing, 500k airplanes so they don’t have to drive to florida for vacation, 20k side by side atv’s to wander around on to go hunting. All of those things are completely (in my mind) unnecessary; a $1500 John boat, a $200 plane ticket and two legs would do all of those jobs perfectly well, but they have those other things because they can and they make them happy. Would a Nikon d90 from 2005 do the job? Yes, but a used $6k camera will make me happy.
I played with a Leica when I was about 19 years old back in the 1980s but never took the plunge (or could afford to), although that experience has lived on in my memory ever since. I finally bit the bullet and bought my first Leica, an m11P, which should be here this week. Talk about being excited, and I really enjoy your videos, keep up the good work.
Don't get disheartened by the immediate lack of results. I felt like I had forgotten everything I had ever known when I first used a Leica M camera. Now it's all second nature. Enjoy 😊
@@justamanwithanopinion Thanks for the encouragement. I started shooting with my M11-P for the first time the last week after trading in my Q2M for it. Your comment about the experience is spot on. I felt like a complete novice despite having shot for years on DSLRs and then mirrorless cameras. Sigh. But I am confident that with practice, the M11-P will be my go to for many years to come.
yes exactly to make photos with a leica is some special so long it does not break down the leica workshop is b no experience to be recommended to anyone. my camera is now away since mid march that is 4! months!! no end in dight. total incompetence
I had never seen a Leica camera in person, but a deal came up on Marketplace last year and I took the leap. My world changed and I haven't looked back since!
A terrific primer on all things M. Thanks, Dave. Virtually every video on TH-cam assumes you are part of the club and know every nuance of how these beautiful devices work, so I know this will be incredibly useful to many, many people. I admired these cameras from afar for decades, but rarely ever saw one and it wasn’t till I was in my 50s and my kids were out of college that I could afford/justify the cost. Today I love my M11-P so much I want to marry it.
Thank you! Totally get that. If I hadn't purged a bunch of music/studio gear (that I had accumulated over many, MANY years) AND a few camera things I wasn't using (and some I was), I would have never been able to go into Leica as I did.
For me, the first 5 years of photography was about learning the tools/skill ... then the next 8 years was trying to get the best gear possible while continuing to improve ... then the last 2 years has been solving the mystery of what I lost along the way ... which is the experience, and the M provides that for me. I don't think I was really ready for what the M provides until 15 years into photography ... and having experienced the loss of what I first fell in love with. And for the record, my Xpro2 (shooting in manual with the OVF) gets really close, but the M feels like holding a hand crafted hammer and the Fuji feels like a well designed mass produced screwdriver.
Finally! Owning a M6 and M240 for a few years now…I understand the frame lines completely! I’ve always had this partial understanding until now. Not sure what finally clicked with me but you get the credit!
This is so helpful! I’ve been an m shooter for the last three years and forgot how intricate and also simple this system is at the same time. I’m sure people new or interested in the system will get so much value from this. Cheers from NY
Thank you for this fantastic video about the Leica M system. Capturing the essence of shooting with a Leica M is no easy feat, and you’ve done it beautifully. One thing that always stands out for me is the initial reaction to its weight. The moment you hold a Leica M, you can feel its heft and solidity. Since getting my M11 in silver, I love watching the surprised expressions of friends when they first feel its weight. It truly embodies the quality and craftsmanship Leica is known for. I won’t go back.
I it took me 40+ years before getting an M. have collected Fuji cameras for years. I then bought a Q2 and a Q2M. I didn’t think I could afford an M so I bought a Pixii range finder (French very small camera maker - think Leica M10-D). I loved the range finder experience, went temporally insane, and traded by Q2 and Q2M for a pair of M11s. I now have an M11-P and an M11M and I couldn’t be happier.
Thank you so much for this video, this is exactly the type of video I’ve been looking for. I’ve had a Q2 for two years and just decided to buy an M 10-r. I didn’t want to spend so much on an M11. Also, I’m not much for reading directions so I like this type of video to teach me more about the camera. I think I love it already!!
I'm 64 and have been shooting since the 70's and I never saw a Leica until I bought one 6 years ago and fell in love.. I was street shooting a couple of weeks ago with my M10 and came across a gentleman shooting with a Nikon Zf and his comment once he noticed my camera was "never see those in the wild" .
They’re a lot more rare to see than people would assume. I have friends in the community but if I didn’t, I wouldn’t expect to see many out in the wild.
@@davidherring Mine are the only ones I have ever seen in person and I find that pretty wild.. When I first started shooting them with a 240 I was worried that it would stand out, but in the past 6 years that person a couple weeks ago was only the 7th person that noticed what the camera was and I carry it everywhere, I mean everywhere and it drives my wife crazy.. lol
Awesome video Dave! Just got my M11 two hours ago and doing som test shots on my way home. Pretty darn great experience! Thanks for creating these kind of videos. Love em all!
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...
About time someone made this video. It's surprising how little literal information on the system is on TH-cam. Even showing a mock patch and mock framelines isn't really in many videos. Maybe you've already done it, but a video covering tips for actual shooting would be awesome. The clock metaphor is a great example. There are a lot of little tricks like that. Like resetting to hyperfocal infinity between shots so you can "pull" the focal plane onto your subject in a simple predictable motion- always the same direction. Measuring for zone focus on your way out, then using that measurement to easily grab anything (sidewalk squares are a good example). Even just finding the contrasting verticals fast and first. I think people would really benefit from these simple tricks. No other system makes the process feel so much like a game. Reality itself feels basically like a video game. I even think of my aperture as my loadout. They're like little "grenades" of focal depth you can toss out to the right spot, and they explode to capture your subjects in the radius.
Thanks for this lovely intro to the Leica M. I have been shooting Leica rangefinders for 20 years now, and explaining how they are different to someone who never held one is actually very difficult. You grasped that part and I love your illustration of the view finder, frame lines and focus patch in this video. OTOH, there are lots of area's that you barely touched. No problem with that, an intro is just that. Make some people aware of what it is and maybe they will be curious enough to investigate further. As a Leica collector, I want to set something straight. The rangefinder lenses do not go back 70 years, they go back 95 years! Every lens released by Leica and by third paries since 1930 is fully compatible with the current Leica M11. A very simple adapter, only 1 mm thick will transform any lens for the LTM (aka M39) system to a rangefinder coupled M lens. There are some real gems to be found in these older (pre-M) lenses, and I use them regularly on modern digital M or even mirrorless camera's. Even some modern ASPH lenses from Voigtlander and other companies are still made in LTM, because the Leica M mount patent only expired in the late 90s and some models from that era are still in production. I would encourage anyone to pick up a film or digital M and use it for a while. I knew this was special when I held a Leica M8 in a store in 2008. I bought and used a Leica M2 for a week before I was completely sure. This was the way I liked to shoot... You need to really use a Leica M for a while to see what the magic is. And yes, the M is limited in some ways, as some comments point out, but no camera is all things to all people. The point is that on todays FF market the Leica M still has some unique qualities that can not be found in any other brand. I have several cameras to do what the Leica M is not good at. I know very few people that only use one camera for everything and even they will upgrade every few years when a better model comes along.
Ha you're not wrong about the 95 years! I was stating about the M mount, not the Leica brand itself. I actually have a very old 5cm Summitar I use with an adapter. Shooting a roll of black and white film on my M6 with that lens feels like shooting in a time capsule!
@@davidherring Of course you are right too. The Leica M rangefinder like it is now was only released in 1953 with the M3. I just wanted to point out that Leica kept the same mechanism inside the lens that they had been using since 1925, and since 1930 with exchangable lenses. So any lens from 1930 til now works exactly in the same way. Once you have mounted the adapter its mechanical function is just the same as a modern 2024 lens. Of course optical design, glass and coatings evolved a bit, but even the oldest lenses can still produce decent results on the M11. AFAIK this is the oldest lens system that can be used on a modern digital camera with the same functionality as any current lens.
That`s a perfect explanation of the M`s raison d'être . Started out 35 years ago with an M3ds and now shoot a 246 and a BP M4 .I also use an SL2S and CL but enjoy the M the most .
Thank you for this very good presentation and explanation on the main special issues of this fantastic camera system. And so you transported me a further step from my Q2 to a M. Best regards
Thank you for a very thorough review of the Leica M’s. I remember when I first got to use a Leica. My mother was gifted a Leica IIIF. It was a jewel of a camera but unfortunately it was stolen. My first camera was a Nikon F that I has my uncle pick up when he was stationed in Japan in the early 60’s but I lusted for a Leica M3 or M2 but they were about $350 - $375 body only (lol…about 1960 price). I finally made the plunge about 1972 when I bought a used M2 with 50mm Summilux for about $1000. Later also got an M3 and these have been my go to cameras. For someone looking to get into Leica M’s look at the older meter less models. You can Sunny 16 or get a light meter and still have some money to get an M mount lens. There are many used and new third party M mount lenses at very affordable prices. I prefer the M2 and M3 as 14:36 there is only one frame line in view. This is no problem as I use 28mm, 35mm and 50mm. On rare occasions I use the old and compact 90mm Tele-Emarit. Of course the M system isn’t for everyone. But for those who use the Leica M’s don’t regret their choice.
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. 👌🏽.
7Artisans has a stick on tab. I picked one up for my 50mm Summicron v3 which had no tab. Works wonderfully. Love my M11 and M5. I just purchased the M9M and waiting for it to be delivered. Although I knew all of this, I watched the entire video. Great overview!
Good video. But. I owned an M8 and everything you’ve said is correct. Due to eyesight issues I sold it, and I’ll miss the shutter sound. I have to say at this point that my salvation is a Leica Q. Including a 35mm crop mode that gives me a frameline feel and I can do zone focussing. The evf is great as is the look and feel. Never say never though🙃✌️
For me it has always been about the feeling of the camera. When you pick up a leica M then it feels so good. It is the build quality and feel of the buttons and it is built like a tank. Some times I just pick it up from the shelf and it gets me inspired to go out and shoot.
My M10 and M10 Monochrom are the only M cameras I’ve ever seen in person. I live in a town where people mainly use Nikon or Canon mirrorless while the beginner photographers just starting out use old canon DSLRs (which isn’t a bad idea) so I’m the odd one out but luckily not too odd, there are some who use medium format film cameras and even large format but those are people that are much older than me. But I would love to run into a fellow Leica owner one day, but I may have to travel somewhere else for that to happen. I still remember the very first day when my Leica M10 came in, got it for $3,800 in good condition with a new Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1.4 II MC (which is super small) and I couldn’t believe I finally owned an M camera. After wanting one since 2019 I finally got one in August 2022. It honestly felt natural to me, like I’ve used it for a while but had only taken a break from using it. I could not believe the images, the colors science is my absolute favorite thing about my M10 and SL 601. Oh and the user experience of using a true rangefinder for the first time felt natural. What was in the frame was what would be in the final image, took me a little bit to trust the frame lines but after a couple of days I got the hang of it. The only thing that did take some time was the spot metering, luckily I’ve never lost any shots due to improper exposure but it did take the longest to get to grips with. Now I don’t see myself parting with either of my Ms. The M10 Monochrom was bought after renting a Q2M. While I liked the Q experience, I wanted to have the ability to change focal lengths, so I found a very lightly used M10M that had a basic servicing from Leica Tokyo (rangefinder calibration and sensor cleaning). The Monochrom experience just adds more to the Leica rangefinder in my opinion. I’ve always loved black and white and my SL 601 does absolutely beautiful black and white but I wanted the benefits of a true monochrome only camera and I’ve not looked back since. My 3 Leicas (M10, M10M, and SL 601) will be with me for as long as I live and stay in working order. I also have a Lumix S1R and GX85 for when I want to use more traditional mirrorless cameras and they’re also a joy to use (not as much as the Leicas though). The Leicas also cured my GAS because they taught me that I prefer a camera that’s absolutely fun to use and gives amazing photos and colors despite how old they are. So I don’t really have interest in newer cameras or the latest releases. I never thought I’d cure my GAS but my Leicas showed me what I really want in a camera and it’s not the latest technology or super high resolutions (which is rich consider I have a M10M 40MP and Lumix S1R 47MP cameras).
Hi Dave, thanks for your sharing. It seems there is mechanical between the lens and the range finder. Do you need to have the camera regularly checked and adjusted?
Just recently I got myself a Leica M6 and an M11. I still feel a bit slow with them, but starting to get used to them. These are the cameras I feel I will never sell, they're just so good.
Yeah my M6 is 40yrs old and will be with me for life and then go to my kids. My M11...I love it but one day I'll likely swap it for a newer model. Maybe the M15 haha.
@@davidherring Same here! What are your thoughts on the rumours of the M12 completely abandoning physical buttons in favour of a huge touch-screen? I'm both excited and disappointed by this. They obviously need to innovate and add new features to stay afloat, but at the same time the M is changing so drastically that it might start to lose those traits that made it iconic.
@@ilyamiskov I don't know, I saw the rumors today. Honestly, it's going to come down to knowing their current and future customers, and balancing this. I went with Lieca for simplicity and heritage. If the rumors about the M12 were true of say, the M10 or M11, I wouldn't have them. I would have figured something else out to have that simplicity satisfied. So I am not certain of what they will do, and with any rumors... no one is until Leica says it.
Hi Dave brilliant video, like some other guys, im thinking about a leica. I have my eye on a second hand m240, but concerned that it is too old. Any advice. Niall
I think it’s partially an age thing. Some of us began photography when autofocus, EVFs, IBIS etc existed only on Star Trek! So for us, the often quoted’ disadvantages’ are merely what was normal when we learned.
great video! i had the leica M1 and used zone focus all the time but currently my daily carry is the Leica CL with a voigtlander 40mm 1.4 and i love it! i also have the 90m f4 but that rarely goes on ;P
@@davidherring same here! The only reason i dont use it as often as i would like is because it stick out a bit too much and the camera isnt too pocketable anymore ;p but i do always carry it along just in case :)
8:14 you can actually buy a stick-on focus tab(I think 7-artisan makes them) and stick it onto the lens, it works great for my 75mm f2.5 which also doesn’t have a tab
An amazing video super clear about the M philosophy, congratulations And one thing concerning the arrow for the ligthmetering system they indicate the direction where you have to turn your shutter speed dial or your aperture ring to get the good exposition, really useful when you know that :)
I now own both an M3 and an M-A, I love them because the range finder focus system just resonates with me. I get some of the sharpest pictures using those cameras vs any SLR. It’s just easy to use. Leicas are not for everyone and that is totally ok, at the it’s just a tool used to produce a picture. What is important is if makes you want to get out and shoot vs dreading it.
@@davidherring nope. Look at the raw rolls of any camera and then something like the m which really forces one to slow down and consider it all, and there very few throw aways with the m. That's the big difference to me. I feel like a photographer with the m and a consumer who wants good shots with anything else
I had a Leica M6 but couldn't justify paying the price of film so sold it. Now I have an M11. Wow. I did feel like I had to relearn photography but what a journey...
Thank you for this video and your other great ones as well. I saw in another of your videos, you mention you are almost blind in your right eye. I am as well. It looks like you are comfortable using the viewfinder with your left eye. Do you find that difficult with the camera’s ergonomics (buttons/screen vs face/nose)? Add to this, that I also wear glasses. I tried an older digital M many years ago, for a few minutes in a Leica store. All seemed to be good then. Wondering if you would caution a left-eye dominant, glasses wearer, away from a digital rangefinder? Thanks!
I’m a left eye dominant, right handed, and often glasses wearer (to relieve headaches from single vision eye strain), and I have no problem using my left eye for photography. I don’t even notice it. I was born with no real vision in my right eye, so I’ve never known life with that eye working, so it all feels normal and natural to me.
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?
Bought my M6 and a used 35mm version 4 in 86 never serviced but still accurate. Added an M246 when it became available and have a few lenses now. The 35 is still a great lens.
Great video. I bought an m-10p and a 35mm summichron. Then I bought the 90mm summichron. Like you, I would not do that again. Thanks for your analysis.
Thanks for pointing out 3:45 about the picture you get isn't going to exactly be what you see in the viewfinder. I had a friend who returned back their M10 or M240 because when they were taking a picture, everything was exactly in focus, but the photo itself was always slightly shifted in perspective. I tried to tell them that it's always going to be close, but never exactly what the shooter sees. Instead of a 180 degree straight line, it might be 170 degrees, etc. They didn't listen to me and returned back a beautifully functioning M camera.
2:39 that’s also the reason I chose Nikon and it’s F mount lenses which fit and work since the ‘50s. I do have and love a M9-p for the last 10 years too. Nikon D700 & Leica M9-p …… what a combo!!! Both great sensors. M9 CCD sensor developed by Kodak to look like Kodachrome.
Great video explaining the M system and philosophy! Thanks for sharing. Which Leica camera did you buy first after that encounter with the old man out west?
Leica M is one of my favorite camera im thinking to change and get the m11 mono but i will love to see your next video on the q2 mono and how it performs. Thank you.
I really relate to this. I sold my R5 kit and bought an X2D. I love it. But that said, I can see an M in my future (especially if it ever gains an EVF).
@@davidherring After watching a few more of your videos, I’m staring to agree. There are indeed benefits to the optical finder. I must admit, it would be nice to go back to absolute basics.
Thanks for this, Dave! I have a Q3 and the Fuji X-T5. Consider selling them or a significant part of the Fuji kit to afford an M10-R or M10-P. Did you like any of them? Still need to start building the lens kit from scratch. A summicron 50 v5 or v4 is the one I was looking at. My idea was to have the M + a full frame mirrorless companion body; not sure if keeping the Q3 or maybe a Nikonz ZF/Z6iii to pair the M or vintage lenses with adapters.
I had the M10R for a long time. Loved it! It was the last film-inspired digital M. The M11 is a digital experience. The M10P, while lower res, is beautiful. You won’t go wrong with either.
@@davidherring Awesome, thanks for your answer :) Have a €6,149 deal for a black M10-R in Leica FR (3-year warranty) or a €4,4k option with a private seller for an M10-P in black that is quite conserved. Even though it has potential hidden issues, who knows? Without a warranty for this price, it is a bit scary, tbh. Anyways, will keep following your channel to learn more about the M system! Have a nice one.
@@davidherring Yeah, I'm just afraid of misalignment issues that can occur with some bodies, etc. Had problems with my Q3 with the delaminating of its viewfinder coating (I guess bc of sunscreen on my face), and it was smooth to change in Wetzlar in Germany under warranty. But, yes, it's a high price to pay.
Dave.... (or anyone who wants to comment) I have the M9-P and thinking of getting M11-P but to help finance it may sell the M9-P. In short should I sell or will I regret it?
For real. And humanitarian history. Leitz took very good care of their employees and anyone else they could- up to and including smuggling Jews during WW2!
This is the video I've been waiting for. I always want to know how the focusing looked through the range finder. Is there a lot of maintenance required to keep them accurate?
Once calibrated I've found the focus accuracy not needing to be later readjusted. When a get a new (meaning used, but new to me) Leica rangefinder the first thing I do is check the calibration. If it is slightly off it's easily corrected in just minutes by adjusting a small hex screw.
Back in the 70's, I had a Nikon F2 and had several focus screens that were interchangeable and one of the had the horizontal line similar to the Leica.
I tried the SL and T models and the contrast and color science on these systems even though they are 10 or even more years old as of now, they still BEAT THE STINK out of new gears from Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Nikon (whats a Nikon?) and I am on the look for a m camera to try it, I recall talking to you about the m8 so I am looking at videos and informing myself on the M. Because I will get one! When? God knows, not me.
Totally agree. I still think the SL601 and Q116 have some of the best color science of any camera, period. This was paramount to me when I sought an M body, and I ended up on the M240. Auto White Balance is a little cooler, but otherwise it captures a lot of that same magic. I refuse to fall into the trend of cameras relying on heavy RAW editing to let them just skip putting good color science right in the body.
@@SourPlanet I think thats one of the best perks Leica offers, the images don’t need much of a touch on editing because they are close to perfect straight out of the camera
The M8 is very unique with its crop sensor and Kodachrome style rendering. I don't edit my M8 raws other than exposure. The newer M's are much more normal in the sense of shooting and editing. Best of luck!
It was the old T which made me switch from Sony to Leica, because of the different rendering and better colours. My take is that I could use any Leica and be fine, although the M is special.
I discovered my 50mm Rigid from my M3 doesn’t play nice on my Type 262. It’s coming into contact with some of the internals on the 262. All of my M3 lenses work great! Even the 35mm with the goggles.
I’m one of the opposite people. I never shot Sony or Fuji. I grew up with Canon Nikon and Leica. So for me it was a bit weird leaning those cameras. I do have a 21mm Voigtländer LTM on a Leica IIa but no finder. Still have that extra finder?
@@davidherring I’m hoping to get one soon. Driving to west coast in the next couple of months. If I have it by then, I’ll look you up. San Francisco, right?
Was in Osaka Japan and ran into a Japanese guy with an M11, and I was carrying my M11. I had a 75 mm and he a 38 mm lens. We nodded at one another, was cool moment and I kept thinking, wow a Japanese guy with a Leica M.
Thanks for another great video! I wonder what is the use of the additional and perhaps somewhat random additional framelines? If the focus is on the essentials surely one would not need to be presented with the 75mm view also for instance.
There is a frameline for each of the standard M focal lengths: 28,35,50, 75, 90 and 135mm. Nothing random about it. If you purchase a 75mm lens for your M, you will be glad to have the 75mm frame lines.
Thanks@@Mojave511, but I was actually referring to the additional frameline shown apart from the one representing the focal length. For simplicity I would think that you would prefer to have only one shown at the time, but maybe there is a good reason for the additional line?
@@Schulz1392 It's a carry-over from the mechanical framelines era. The same system is still used within the rangefinder apparatus-- it's just lit with an LED now.
Thanks@@SourPlanet! I heard somewhere that Leica used to customize framelines one request? Could be nice. I get the nostalgia of the old system, but not sure I see the point in the additional lines.
@@Schulz1392 Well, it's not really for nostalgia-- it's for backwards compatibility. The rangefinder mechanism uses a series of masks to accomplish framelines, and each mask has two. M mount lenses have a small "tongue" which activates the appropriate set of frame lines. Since the masks share a set of framelines, then two different focal lengths have the same "tongue" depressor. One major bonus of Leica is the insane breadth of lens choices. If they change the system, that will disrupt their legacy lens compatibility; and that's a major system draw.
there are also several pratical avantages with an M camera - Since the M 10 P the noise of the shutter is almost unperceptible so it allows to shoot without disturbing anyone when the area has to be very quiet (church, theater, ....) . When you experiment "intentional moving camera with a slow shutter speed the subject is always visible in the view finder. With all other modern cameras you become blind as the shutter is open. When I mount the Summaron 5,6/28mm wich is less than 2 cm long , the camera is so compact that it could fit in a pocket, or easy to protect it under the clothe when it's rainy. Never mind if the minimum aperture is 5,6 in low light regarding of the ISO with the last models. And it's particulary efficient with an M 10 or M11 monochrom.
I’ve owned my m6 for about 5 years now and I’ve had the leica Q series for about 4 years. Contrary to what many experience, I much prefer to use my fuji x100v or pentax LX (for film).
Love this camera! I think you need time to understand why you will love such a camera. Mostly you have a history with a lot of camera stuff and on one point you begin to think about all this stuff. Then you will take a M in your hands and it is over: you want one 😃😂 Love my M 246 monochrome ❤
The only reason why I don't shoot with an M: telephoto lenses. I cannot do what I do without long lenses. It's not just my subject matter, it's my 'vision'. From where do you take a photograph? From as far away as possible. Mind you... the M11's 60Mpx sensor does give you an effective 270mm lens from the 135mm if you crop, and you get about 15Mpx of resolution to play with. Not bad. Not bad. The M10-R will give you 10Mpx images, which is about the same as an M8, but with much better DR and sensitivity. So, it's not as if you can't use a very narrow AOV with an M. But it's just an expensive way to do it!
After sneaking around the M9 as an object of desire for some time, I got my first Leica M (Type 240) in April 2013 - and was pretty much disillusioned. The colors were quite horrible and extremely difficult to bend into an acceptible look. You had to decide for either getting handsome skin tones or a nice looking blue sky - but you could'nt get both at the same time... There were also a lot of other downsides like not beeing able to move around the zoomed-in preview area. So I quickly sold it again - fortunately without loss - and switched over to Sony A7R arriving later that year. Now, after over 10 years with more and more technically perfect Sony camera generations (currently the A1), I was bored from that perfection and made another attempt with Leica M. This time I decided for a 16 years old M8.2 (the first digital Leica). It is so basic and imperfect compared to the A1 but the colors and vintage look out of the Kodak CCD sensor are so delightful, that I got back to really enjoying the shooting experience more consciously. So I think, it may need some time to be ready for the "M" and not every M will deliver, what you expect.
In nyc for a few days and made a pilgrimage to BH. My wife said “I’ll find a bench across the street since I know you will be in there for hours”. 30 min later I came out to her utter surprise. I went in with a singular mission - to finally hold an M in my hands. I am in love. I’m not a birder, kids are in college, so no more sports; it’s time for a camera for me. Even after telling her the price (used), she said, if that is what you want, sell your other gear and let’s save until you have enough to get what you want, you deserve it. My wife is awesome and everything is going on Fred miranda when we get back to Ohio.
So cool! Once you finally get your M, you’ll never want to go back to any other system.
great story!!
The marketing hype is strong with this one, which other brand can get people to save up thousands for a camera 😂, Invest your money and buy it out of the profits from that investment, it's not all it's hyped up to be after the novelty has worn off, ends up just being a toy you take out once a while and the are many better tools for the job when photographing
@kazino21 75yrs of careers would say otherwise but you do you. ✌🏼
@@kazino21 are there better tools? Yep, probably. But I don’t care. I’m 50 and for almost 40 years I have been taking pictures for one person and one person only - me. I have work that has occasionally been used in national ad campaigns and by news organizations but I have never made a dime; to do so would have made it a job and taken all of the pleasure from it. I have two main things in my life that I spend my money and time on besides my number on priority, which is my family. Those are travel and photography. I have friends with 40k boats to go bass fishing, 500k airplanes so they don’t have to drive to florida for vacation, 20k side by side atv’s to wander around on to go hunting. All of those things are completely (in my mind) unnecessary; a $1500 John boat, a $200 plane ticket and two legs would do all of those jobs perfectly well, but they have those other things because they can and they make them happy. Would a Nikon d90 from 2005 do the job? Yes, but a used $6k camera will make me happy.
I played with a Leica when I was about 19 years old back in the 1980s but never took the plunge (or could afford to), although that experience has lived on in my memory ever since. I finally bit the bullet and bought my first Leica, an m11P, which should be here this week. Talk about being excited, and I really enjoy your videos, keep up the good work.
Don't get disheartened by the immediate lack of results. I felt like I had forgotten everything I had ever known when I first used a Leica M camera. Now it's all second nature. Enjoy 😊
@@justamanwithanopinion Thanks for the encouragement. I started shooting with my M11-P for the first time the last week after trading in my Q2M for it. Your comment about the experience is spot on. I felt like a complete novice despite having shot for years on DSLRs and then mirrorless cameras. Sigh. But I am confident that with practice, the M11-P will be my go to for many years to come.
Thank you!
I am 68. As I grow older my Leica M240 is like an old friend. A simple joy to hold and take a picture the old fashioned way.
That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing!
yes exactly to make photos with a leica is some special so long it does not break down the leica workshop is b no experience to be recommended to anyone. my camera is now away since mid march that is 4! months!! no end in dight. total incompetence
my camers isn’t old. it’s the Q3 under warranty
I had never seen a Leica camera in person, but a deal came up on Marketplace last year and I took the leap. My world changed and I haven't looked back since!
Awesome, congrats!
A terrific primer on all things M. Thanks, Dave. Virtually every video on TH-cam assumes you are part of the club and know every nuance of how these beautiful devices work, so I know this will be incredibly useful to many, many people. I admired these cameras from afar for decades, but rarely ever saw one and it wasn’t till I was in my 50s and my kids were out of college that I could afford/justify the cost. Today I love my M11-P so much I want to marry it.
Thank you! Totally get that. If I hadn't purged a bunch of music/studio gear (that I had accumulated over many, MANY years) AND a few camera things I wasn't using (and some I was), I would have never been able to go into Leica as I did.
it took me thirty years to get my first M. it was worth the time and effort.
Worth it!
For me, the first 5 years of photography was about learning the tools/skill ... then the next 8 years was trying to get the best gear possible while continuing to improve ... then the last 2 years has been solving the mystery of what I lost along the way ... which is the experience, and the M provides that for me. I don't think I was really ready for what the M provides until 15 years into photography ... and having experienced the loss of what I first fell in love with. And for the record, my Xpro2 (shooting in manual with the OVF) gets really close, but the M feels like holding a hand crafted hammer and the Fuji feels like a well designed mass produced screwdriver.
I love the M and am an evangelist for it, but I do think those who will appreciate it most have put the years in!
Finally! Owning a M6 and M240 for a few years now…I understand the frame lines completely! I’ve always had this partial understanding until now. Not sure what finally clicked with me but you get the credit!
Oh wow that's awesome!
This is so helpful! I’ve been an m shooter for the last three years and forgot how intricate and also simple this system is at the same time. I’m sure people new or interested in the system will get so much value from this.
Cheers from NY
I hope it's helpful for years to come!
This is the most informative and helpful Leica video I’ve ever watched. Thank you so much ☺️
Thank you!
Thank you for this fantastic video about the Leica M system. Capturing the essence of shooting with a Leica M is no easy feat, and you’ve done it beautifully. One thing that always stands out for me is the initial reaction to its weight. The moment you hold a Leica M, you can feel its heft and solidity. Since getting my M11 in silver, I love watching the surprised expressions of friends when they first feel its weight. It truly embodies the quality and craftsmanship Leica is known for. I won’t go back.
Yes! You can feel the quality in the weight, especially on the brass cameras.
I it took me 40+ years before getting an M. have collected Fuji cameras for years. I then bought a Q2 and a Q2M. I didn’t think I could afford an M so I bought a Pixii range finder (French very small camera maker - think Leica M10-D). I loved the range finder experience, went temporally insane, and traded by Q2 and Q2M for a pair of M11s. I now have an M11-P and an M11M and I couldn’t be happier.
I absolutely love my M and can’t see myself ever choosing any other system as my primary camera.
Thank you so much for this video, this is exactly the type of video I’ve been looking for. I’ve had a Q2 for two years and just decided to buy an M 10-r. I didn’t want to spend so much on an M11. Also, I’m not much for reading directions so I like this type of video to teach me more about the camera. I think I love it already!!
Awesome!
I'm 64 and have been shooting since the 70's and I never saw a Leica until I bought one 6 years ago and fell in love.. I was street shooting a couple of weeks ago with my M10 and came across a gentleman shooting with a Nikon Zf and his comment once he noticed my camera was "never see those in the wild" .
They’re a lot more rare to see than people would assume. I have friends in the community but if I didn’t, I wouldn’t expect to see many out in the wild.
@@davidherring Mine are the only ones I have ever seen in person and I find that pretty wild.. When I first started shooting them with a 240 I was worried that it would stand out, but in the past 6 years that person a couple weeks ago was only the 7th person that noticed what the camera was and I carry it everywhere, I mean everywhere and it drives my wife crazy.. lol
The best M summary I’ve seen so far 😮
Thank you!
Awesome video Dave! Just got my M11 two hours ago and doing som test shots on my way home. Pretty darn great experience! Thanks for creating these kind of videos. Love em all!
Thanks man, and congrats!
I have a Leica Q since 2016. It has changed everything for me. One day I will own an M.
The M is my favorite camera experience, ever.
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...
Thank you! The M10 lineup is fantastic.
Just got my first M last week. Have put 6 rolls through it so far. Absolutely amazing shooting experience.
There’s nothing that beats the M experience!
About time someone made this video. It's surprising how little literal information on the system is on TH-cam. Even showing a mock patch and mock framelines isn't really in many videos.
Maybe you've already done it, but a video covering tips for actual shooting would be awesome. The clock metaphor is a great example. There are a lot of little tricks like that. Like resetting to hyperfocal infinity between shots so you can "pull" the focal plane onto your subject in a simple predictable motion- always the same direction. Measuring for zone focus on your way out, then using that measurement to easily grab anything (sidewalk squares are a good example). Even just finding the contrasting verticals fast and first. I think people would really benefit from these simple tricks.
No other system makes the process feel so much like a game. Reality itself feels basically like a video game. I even think of my aperture as my loadout. They're like little "grenades" of focal depth you can toss out to the right spot, and they explode to capture your subjects in the radius.
Felt like this would be a helpful video and I'm glad it's helping people! I'm planning a "tips" video so stay tuned!
Thanks for this lovely intro to the Leica M. I have been shooting Leica rangefinders for 20 years now, and explaining how they are different to someone who never held one is actually very difficult. You grasped that part and I love your illustration of the view finder, frame lines and focus patch in this video.
OTOH, there are lots of area's that you barely touched. No problem with that, an intro is just that. Make some people aware of what it is and maybe they will be curious enough to investigate further.
As a Leica collector, I want to set something straight. The rangefinder lenses do not go back 70 years, they go back 95 years! Every lens released by Leica and by third paries since 1930 is fully compatible with the current Leica M11. A very simple adapter, only 1 mm thick will transform any lens for the LTM (aka M39) system to a rangefinder coupled M lens. There are some real gems to be found in these older (pre-M) lenses, and I use them regularly on modern digital M or even mirrorless camera's. Even some modern ASPH lenses from Voigtlander and other companies are still made in LTM, because the Leica M mount patent only expired in the late 90s and some models from that era are still in production.
I would encourage anyone to pick up a film or digital M and use it for a while. I knew this was special when I held a Leica M8 in a store in 2008. I bought and used a Leica M2 for a week before I was completely sure. This was the way I liked to shoot...
You need to really use a Leica M for a while to see what the magic is. And yes, the M is limited in some ways, as some comments point out, but no camera is all things to all people. The point is that on todays FF market the Leica M still has some unique qualities that can not be found in any other brand. I have several cameras to do what the Leica M is not good at. I know very few people that only use one camera for everything and even they will upgrade every few years when a better model comes along.
Ha you're not wrong about the 95 years! I was stating about the M mount, not the Leica brand itself. I actually have a very old 5cm Summitar I use with an adapter. Shooting a roll of black and white film on my M6 with that lens feels like shooting in a time capsule!
@@davidherring Of course you are right too. The Leica M rangefinder like it is now was only released in 1953 with the M3. I just wanted to point out that Leica kept the same mechanism inside the lens that they had been using since 1925, and since 1930 with exchangable lenses. So any lens from 1930 til now works exactly in the same way. Once you have mounted the adapter its mechanical function is just the same as a modern 2024 lens. Of course optical design, glass and coatings evolved a bit, but even the oldest lenses can still produce decent results on the M11. AFAIK this is the oldest lens system that can be used on a modern digital camera with the same functionality as any current lens.
Thank you for the link to the red dot cover! I’m getting my M 240 next week
Nice!
That`s a perfect explanation of the M`s raison d'être . Started out 35 years ago with an M3ds and now shoot a 246 and a BP M4 .I also use an SL2S and CL but enjoy the M the most .
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this very good presentation and explanation on the main special issues of this fantastic camera system.
And so you transported me a further step from my Q2 to a M.
Best regards
That was my journey! Q to M is a natural progression 😅
Thank you for a very thorough review of the Leica M’s.
I remember when I first got to use a Leica. My mother was gifted a Leica IIIF. It was a jewel of a camera but unfortunately it was stolen.
My first camera was a Nikon F that I has my uncle pick up when he was stationed in Japan in the early 60’s but I lusted for a Leica M3 or M2 but they were about $350 - $375 body only (lol…about 1960 price).
I finally made the plunge about 1972 when I bought a used M2 with 50mm Summilux for about $1000. Later also got an M3 and these have been my go to cameras.
For someone looking to get into Leica M’s look at the older meter less models. You can Sunny 16 or get a light meter and still have some money to get an M mount lens. There are many used and new third party M mount lenses at very affordable prices.
I prefer the M2 and M3 as 14:36 there is only one frame line in view. This is no problem as I use 28mm, 35mm and 50mm. On rare occasions I use the old and compact 90mm Tele-Emarit.
Of course the M system isn’t for everyone. But for those who use the Leica M’s don’t regret their choice.
Thank you for sharing your story!
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. 👌🏽.
Nice! I want to try the Pixii. Need to see if they'll loan me one!
7Artisans has a stick on tab. I picked one up for my 50mm Summicron v3 which had no tab. Works wonderfully. Love my M11 and M5. I just purchased the M9M and waiting for it to be delivered.
Although I knew all of this, I watched the entire video. Great overview!
Interesting! I wonder if I could just slap it on my 90mm haha
Good video. But. I owned an M8 and everything you’ve said is correct. Due to eyesight issues I sold it, and I’ll miss the shutter sound.
I have to say at this point that my salvation is a Leica Q. Including a 35mm crop mode that gives me a frameline feel and I can do zone focussing. The evf is great as is the look and feel. Never say never though🙃✌️
Totally get that!
For me it has always been about the feeling of the camera. When you pick up a leica M then it feels so good. It is the build quality and feel of the buttons and it is built like a tank. Some times I just pick it up from the shelf and it gets me inspired to go out and shoot.
Agreed!
My M10 and M10 Monochrom are the only M cameras I’ve ever seen in person. I live in a town where people mainly use Nikon or Canon mirrorless while the beginner photographers just starting out use old canon DSLRs (which isn’t a bad idea) so I’m the odd one out but luckily not too odd, there are some who use medium format film cameras and even large format but those are people that are much older than me. But I would love to run into a fellow Leica owner one day, but I may have to travel somewhere else for that to happen.
I still remember the very first day when my Leica M10 came in, got it for $3,800 in good condition with a new Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1.4 II MC (which is super small) and I couldn’t believe I finally owned an M camera. After wanting one since 2019 I finally got one in August 2022. It honestly felt natural to me, like I’ve used it for a while but had only taken a break from using it. I could not believe the images, the colors science is my absolute favorite thing about my M10 and SL 601. Oh and the user experience of using a true rangefinder for the first time felt natural. What was in the frame was what would be in the final image, took me a little bit to trust the frame lines but after a couple of days I got the hang of it. The only thing that did take some time was the spot metering, luckily I’ve never lost any shots due to improper exposure but it did take the longest to get to grips with. Now I don’t see myself parting with either of my Ms. The M10 Monochrom was bought after renting a Q2M. While I liked the Q experience, I wanted to have the ability to change focal lengths, so I found a very lightly used M10M that had a basic servicing from Leica Tokyo (rangefinder calibration and sensor cleaning). The Monochrom experience just adds more to the Leica rangefinder in my opinion. I’ve always loved black and white and my SL 601 does absolutely beautiful black and white but I wanted the benefits of a true monochrome only camera and I’ve not looked back since. My 3 Leicas (M10, M10M, and SL 601) will be with me for as long as I live and stay in working order. I also have a Lumix S1R and GX85 for when I want to use more traditional mirrorless cameras and they’re also a joy to use (not as much as the Leicas though). The Leicas also cured my GAS because they taught me that I prefer a camera that’s absolutely fun to use and gives amazing photos and colors despite how old they are. So I don’t really have interest in newer cameras or the latest releases. I never thought I’d cure my GAS but my Leicas showed me what I really want in a camera and it’s not the latest technology or super high resolutions (which is rich consider I have a M10M 40MP and Lumix S1R 47MP cameras).
Thanks for sharing all of that. I'm hoping to make some gear changes later this year, and hoping that cures my GAS haha.
Hi Dave, thanks for your sharing. It seems there is mechanical between the lens and the range finder. Do you need to have the camera regularly checked and adjusted?
I have had an M6, M8, M10, M10R, and M11… and I’ve never once had to have them adjusted.
Just recently I got myself a Leica M6 and an M11. I still feel a bit slow with them, but starting to get used to them. These are the cameras I feel I will never sell, they're just so good.
Yeah my M6 is 40yrs old and will be with me for life and then go to my kids. My M11...I love it but one day I'll likely swap it for a newer model. Maybe the M15 haha.
@@davidherring Same here! What are your thoughts on the rumours of the M12 completely abandoning physical buttons in favour of a huge touch-screen? I'm both excited and disappointed by this. They obviously need to innovate and add new features to stay afloat, but at the same time the M is changing so drastically that it might start to lose those traits that made it iconic.
@@ilyamiskov I don't know, I saw the rumors today. Honestly, it's going to come down to knowing their current and future customers, and balancing this. I went with Lieca for simplicity and heritage. If the rumors about the M12 were true of say, the M10 or M11, I wouldn't have them. I would have figured something else out to have that simplicity satisfied. So I am not certain of what they will do, and with any rumors... no one is until Leica says it.
You articulated the M series perfectly.! I know have a better understanding. Thank you.!
Glad it was helpful!
With a 21mm on the M11 you use the Visoflex 2 or the LCD live view.
Sure, I was merely speaking of the rangefinder.
I love my M10 and M6 😊
Awesome!
That was great! I’m a Q-shooter but always curious about the M-system!
Hope it helped!
Great intro to the M System 👏
Thank you!
Nice info. By seeing the hollow tattoo, I bet you’re musicians too!
I am!
Hi Dave brilliant video, like some other guys, im thinking about a leica. I have my eye on a second hand m240, but concerned that it is too old. Any advice. Niall
Thank you! I think the 240 is a great camera. I have friends who use it and love it.
I think it’s partially an age thing. Some of us began photography when autofocus, EVFs, IBIS etc existed only on Star Trek!
So for us, the often quoted’ disadvantages’ are merely what was normal when we learned.
Totally get that! Thanks for sharing!
great video! i had the leica M1 and used zone focus all the time but currently my daily carry is the Leica CL with a voigtlander 40mm 1.4 and i love it! i also have the 90m f4 but that rarely goes on ;P
Thanks! Yeah the 90 is my least used, but when I use it, I love it.
@@davidherring same here! The only reason i dont use it as often as i would like is because it stick out a bit too much and the camera isnt too pocketable anymore ;p but i do always carry it along just in case :)
Terrific, well-balanced summary. Thx!
Thank you!
Well explained, Dave. I'm using M Leicas since 1991, but in the meantime I am working with Visoflex that is really more practical
I have never tried the Visoflex, but see its benefits!
8:14 you can actually buy a stick-on focus tab(I think 7-artisan makes them) and stick it onto the lens, it works great for my 75mm f2.5 which also doesn’t have a tab
I saw that in another comment and got one! Game changer.
An amazing video super clear about the M philosophy, congratulations
And one thing concerning the arrow for the ligthmetering system they indicate the direction where you have to turn your shutter speed dial or your aperture ring to get the good exposition, really useful when you know that :)
Thank you! And yes, I didn't clarify the arrow being the direction. Thanks for sharing!
We also pay for a company with a highly trained and well compensated workforce. Historically, Leica has always taken care of their employees.
Truth!
And hand made build with excellent metal construction
I now own both an M3 and an M-A, I love them because the range finder focus system just resonates with me. I get some of the sharpest pictures using those cameras vs any SLR. It’s just easy to use. Leicas are not for everyone and that is totally ok, at the it’s just a tool used to produce a picture. What is important is if makes you want to get out and shoot vs dreading it.
Agreed! Thanks for sharing!
I have the M262 and really enjoy shooting with it. Nice to have a camera that's all manual.
Manual is best!
Good video - so many Leica videos out there which maybe list features but which don’t tell you anything about what the cameras are really like . . .
Thank you!
Great video Dave…. The experience is inspirational with Leicas. Most won’t know until they feel it themselves.
Thanks!
Do you ever use flash with the Leica M?
Not often, and the one I used broke my hot shoe.
Learned to photograph on the M10. Now I’m on M11, the second there’s an M12 I’ll buy it, won’t even look at the specs. Absolutely love manual M.
The M can't be beat!
@@davidherring nope. Look at the raw rolls of any camera and then something like the m which really forces one to slow down and consider it all, and there very few throw aways with the m. That's the big difference to me. I feel like a photographer with the m and a consumer who wants good shots with anything else
I had a Leica M6 but couldn't justify paying the price of film so sold it. Now I have an M11. Wow. I did feel like I had to relearn photography but what a journey...
It is a journey!
Thank you for this video and your other great ones as well. I saw in another of your videos, you mention you are almost blind in your right eye. I am as well. It looks like you are comfortable using the viewfinder with your left eye.
Do you find that difficult with the camera’s ergonomics (buttons/screen vs face/nose)?
Add to this, that I also wear glasses.
I tried an older digital M many years ago, for a few minutes in a Leica store. All seemed to be good then.
Wondering if you would caution a left-eye dominant, glasses wearer, away from a digital rangefinder?
Thanks!
I’m a left eye dominant, right handed, and often glasses wearer (to relieve headaches from single vision eye strain), and I have no problem using my left eye for photography. I don’t even notice it. I was born with no real vision in my right eye, so I’ve never known life with that eye working, so it all feels normal and natural to me.
@@davidherring Thank you!
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?
Just got a cheap tab recommended in the comments and it's perfect on the 90! GAME CHANGER. amzn.to/4dQpQkl
Bought my M6 and a used 35mm version 4 in 86 never serviced but still accurate. Added an M246 when it became available and have a few lenses now. The 35 is still a great lens.
These lenses are always relevant, no matter the year!
Excellent vidéo 👍from a twenty years user film M camera! 😉
Thank you!
Great video. I bought an m-10p and a 35mm summichron. Then I bought the 90mm summichron. Like you, I would not do that again. Thanks for your analysis.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the overview - exactly what I was interested in!
Great!
Thanks for pointing out 3:45 about the picture you get isn't going to exactly be what you see in the viewfinder. I had a friend who returned back their M10 or M240 because when they were taking a picture, everything was exactly in focus, but the photo itself was always slightly shifted in perspective. I tried to tell them that it's always going to be close, but never exactly what the shooter sees. Instead of a 180 degree straight line, it might be 170 degrees, etc. They didn't listen to me and returned back a beautifully functioning M camera.
That's pretty wild haha.
@@davidherring I know, right? I should have told them definitely something wrong, let me have it for a while 😂
beautifully and skilfully explained
Thanks!
2:39 that’s also the reason I chose Nikon and it’s F mount lenses which fit and work since the ‘50s.
I do have and love a M9-p for the last 10 years too.
Nikon D700 & Leica M9-p …… what a combo!!! Both great sensors. M9 CCD sensor developed by Kodak to look like Kodachrome.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Great video explaining the M system and philosophy! Thanks for sharing.
Which Leica camera did you buy first after that encounter with the old man out west?
I got the M6 as my first M! Then it was the M10.
Leica M is one of my favorite camera im thinking to change and get the m11 mono but i will love to see your next video on the q2 mono and how it performs. Thank you.
I'm still getting familiar with the Q2M but a longer review video is for sure coming!
That Q2M video is on the horizon!
Can you screw a diopter (example +1) on the viewfinder?
Yes as far as I know, you can.
Can you link where to buy the black sticker to cover leica red dot?
It's in the description, thanks!
Very well explained. I could have used that video some years ago. Great job.
Thanks!
I really relate to this. I sold my R5 kit and bought an X2D. I love it. But that said, I can see an M in my future (especially if it ever gains an EVF).
Thanks for sharing. You can add an EVF to the M with a visoflex, but it defeats the purpose of the M in my opinion.
@@davidherring After watching a few more of your videos, I’m staring to agree. There are indeed benefits to the optical finder. I must admit, it would be nice to go back to absolute basics.
@peterfritzphoto it worked for so many generations of photographers. There’s something timeless and tech-less about it.
@@davidherring I think I’m sold. I really appreciate your videos, David. 👍
Thanks for this, Dave! I have a Q3 and the Fuji X-T5. Consider selling them or a significant part of the Fuji kit to afford an M10-R or M10-P. Did you like any of them?
Still need to start building the lens kit from scratch. A summicron 50 v5 or v4 is the one I was looking at.
My idea was to have the M + a full frame mirrorless companion body; not sure if keeping the Q3 or maybe a Nikonz ZF/Z6iii to pair the M or vintage lenses with adapters.
I had the M10R for a long time. Loved it! It was the last film-inspired digital M. The M11 is a digital experience. The M10P, while lower res, is beautiful. You won’t go wrong with either.
@@davidherring Awesome, thanks for your answer :) Have a €6,149 deal for a black M10-R in Leica FR (3-year warranty) or a €4,4k option with a private seller for an M10-P in black that is quite conserved. Even though it has potential hidden issues, who knows? Without a warranty for this price, it is a bit scary, tbh. Anyways, will keep following your channel to learn more about the M system! Have a nice one.
@RobertoPaveziNetto Leica stands by their gear for many years. I wouldn’t worry too much about that included warranty.
@@davidherring Yeah, I'm just afraid of misalignment issues that can occur with some bodies, etc. Had problems with my Q3 with the delaminating of its viewfinder coating (I guess bc of sunscreen on my face), and it was smooth to change in Wetzlar in Germany under warranty. But, yes, it's a high price to pay.
@RobertoPaveziNetto yeah I hear you. I’ve never had an alignment issue, but I understand it’s relatively easy to fix. But yes, totally hear you!
Dave.... (or anyone who wants to comment) I have the M9-P and thinking of getting M11-P but to help finance it may sell the M9-P. In short should I sell or will I regret it?
M9-P is very sought after, so I'm sure it would sell quickly. That said, well working aging cameras like the M8 and M9 are getting harder to come by.
Very clearly explained about M11. How will be the Leica DLux 8 ?
I don’t really use the DLUX cameras, and have very little experience with them, so I’m afraid I can’t speak on the 8.
I'm back agian. Just to tell you that having bought the Summilux 50 was a game changer! A Leica camera needs a Leica Lens.
Nice! One of my favorite lenses.
Not to mention that while some may have some quirks it's a camera made by hand with the finest materials.
For real. And humanitarian history. Leitz took very good care of their employees and anyone else they could- up to and including smuggling Jews during WW2!
Agreed!
Thx, great video!
Thanks!
Are you left eye dominant?
Blind in my right eye 👁️
@@davidherring So really really left eye dominant!
Haha yep, 100% left eye. You should see me fire a shotgun as a right handed left eyed guy.
My canon 5Diii is great! I use it a lot, my M10 only for special photos, and my M6 for extra special photos.
Thanks for sharing!
Have you had to get your Leica range finders calibrated every few years?
I haven't, they've been fine for me so far!
This is the video I've been waiting for. I always want to know how the focusing looked through the range finder.
Is there a lot of maintenance required to keep them accurate?
Once calibrated I've found the focus accuracy not needing to be later readjusted. When a get a new (meaning used, but new to me) Leica rangefinder the first thing I do is check the calibration. If it is slightly off it's easily corrected in just minutes by adjusting a small hex screw.
I have never had any calibration issues with the body, only with a lens. It was quickly fixed and no issues since!
Great presentation!!! Yea, love that focus tab. I don't have the 90mm, 75APO for me... no focus tab...🤣 Damn!!!
I hope to get an APO one day!
Great vid. Could you make it one about white balance on M digital cameras?
Haha the WB is always wild for me. I just set it to daylight and move on with my life!
Back in the 70's, I had a Nikon F2 and had several focus screens that were interchangeable and one of the had the horizontal line similar to the Leica.
Nice! Thanks for sharing.
Dave can you make a video about the visoflex 2
I’ve never used it.
I tried the SL and T models and the contrast and color science on these systems even though they are 10 or even more years old as of now, they still BEAT THE STINK out of new gears from Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Nikon (whats a Nikon?) and I am on the look for a m camera to try it, I recall talking to you about the m8 so I am looking at videos and informing myself on the M. Because I will get one! When? God knows, not me.
Totally agree. I still think the SL601 and Q116 have some of the best color science of any camera, period. This was paramount to me when I sought an M body, and I ended up on the M240. Auto White Balance is a little cooler, but otherwise it captures a lot of that same magic. I refuse to fall into the trend of cameras relying on heavy RAW editing to let them just skip putting good color science right in the body.
@@SourPlanet I think thats one of the best perks Leica offers, the images don’t need much of a touch on editing because they are close to perfect straight out of the camera
@@ericmorales1934 Yep, agreed. Big part of what landed me on them too. I'm a digital painter.. last thing I want is more time color fixing!
The M8 is very unique with its crop sensor and Kodachrome style rendering. I don't edit my M8 raws other than exposure. The newer M's are much more normal in the sense of shooting and editing. Best of luck!
It was the old T which made me switch from Sony to Leica, because of the different rendering and better colours. My take is that I could use any Leica and be fine, although the M is special.
awesome, explanation dude, if someone ask me again why i choose leica i will recomended your video 😘
Thank you!
I discovered my 50mm Rigid from my M3 doesn’t play nice on my Type 262. It’s coming into contact with some of the internals on the 262.
All of my M3 lenses work great! Even the 35mm with the goggles.
Interesting! Thanks for sharing!
just pray it never breaks down. mine is in repair for the 4th month now and waiting.
No issues so far!
I’m one of the opposite people. I never shot Sony or Fuji. I grew up with Canon Nikon and Leica. So for me it was a bit weird leaning those cameras.
I do have a 21mm Voigtländer LTM on a Leica IIa but no finder. Still have that extra finder?
Haha I do still have it. Hit me up on IG @daveherring
Can you do a review on the MP?
If I ever get my hands on one!
@@davidherring I’m hoping to get one soon. Driving to west coast in the next couple of months. If I have it by then, I’ll look you up. San Francisco, right?
@joseuribe430 yep Bay Area, so all the bay basically 💪🏼
@@davidherring yay
Was in Osaka Japan and ran into a Japanese guy with an M11, and I was carrying my M11. I had a 75 mm and he a 38 mm lens. We nodded at one another, was cool moment and I kept thinking, wow a Japanese guy with a Leica M.
Nice! 38mm... what in the world haha
@@davidherring sorry 35 I think. Lol
Haha ok that makes way more sense 😂
Thanks for another great video! I wonder what is the use of the additional and perhaps somewhat random additional framelines? If the focus is on the essentials surely one would not need to be presented with the 75mm view also for instance.
There is a frameline for each of the standard M focal lengths: 28,35,50, 75, 90 and 135mm. Nothing random about it. If you purchase a 75mm lens for your M, you will be glad to have the 75mm frame lines.
Thanks@@Mojave511, but I was actually referring to the additional frameline shown apart from the one representing the focal length. For simplicity I would think that you would prefer to have only one shown at the time, but maybe there is a good reason for the additional line?
@@Schulz1392 It's a carry-over from the mechanical framelines era. The same system is still used within the rangefinder apparatus-- it's just lit with an LED now.
Thanks@@SourPlanet! I heard somewhere that Leica used to customize framelines one request? Could be nice. I get the nostalgia of the old system, but not sure I see the point in the additional lines.
@@Schulz1392 Well, it's not really for nostalgia-- it's for backwards compatibility. The rangefinder mechanism uses a series of masks to accomplish framelines, and each mask has two. M mount lenses have a small "tongue" which activates the appropriate set of frame lines. Since the masks share a set of framelines, then two different focal lengths have the same "tongue" depressor. One major bonus of Leica is the insane breadth of lens choices. If they change the system, that will disrupt their legacy lens compatibility; and that's a major system draw.
there are also several pratical avantages with an M camera - Since the M 10 P the noise of the shutter is almost unperceptible so it allows to shoot without disturbing anyone when the area has to be very quiet (church, theater, ....) . When you experiment "intentional moving camera with a slow shutter speed the subject is always visible in the view finder. With all other modern cameras you become blind as the shutter is open. When I mount the Summaron 5,6/28mm wich is less than 2 cm long , the camera is so compact that it could fit in a pocket, or easy to protect it under the clothe when it's rainy. Never mind if the minimum aperture is 5,6 in low light regarding of the ISO with the last models. And it's particulary efficient with an M 10 or M11 monochrom.
Agreed. It's a wonderful system.
I’ve owned my m6 for about 5 years now and I’ve had the leica Q series for about 4 years. Contrary to what many experience, I much prefer to use my fuji x100v or pentax LX (for film).
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you. 😊
Thank YOU!
Cool video! :) Some time ago I was thinking about selling all of my gear and just buy M11 with some good 50mm, but I'm not ready yet. :D
Thanks! When you’re ready, you’ll have no regrets.
Love this camera! I think you need time to understand why you will love such a camera. Mostly you have a history with a lot of camera stuff and on one point you begin to think about all this stuff.
Then you will take a M in your hands and it is over: you want one 😃😂
Love my M 246 monochrome ❤
That’s awesome. Love mine too!
Nice rangefinder explanation
Thank you!
So there’s someone out there without the 21mm viewfinder to go with the lens you sold them
It was to a shop, not a person.
The only reason why I don't shoot with an M: telephoto lenses. I cannot do what I do without long lenses. It's not just my subject matter, it's my 'vision'. From where do you take a photograph? From as far away as possible.
Mind you... the M11's 60Mpx sensor does give you an effective 270mm lens from the 135mm if you crop, and you get about 15Mpx of resolution to play with. Not bad. Not bad.
The M10-R will give you 10Mpx images, which is about the same as an M8, but with much better DR and sensitivity. So, it's not as if you can't use a very narrow AOV with an M. But it's just an expensive way to do it!
The best gear is what serves our vision.
Thanks for explaining everything.
No problem!
After sneaking around the M9 as an object of desire for some time, I got my first Leica M (Type 240) in April 2013 - and was pretty much disillusioned. The colors were quite horrible and extremely difficult to bend into an acceptible look. You had to decide for either getting handsome skin tones or a nice looking blue sky - but you could'nt get both at the same time... There were also a lot of other downsides like not beeing able to move around the zoomed-in preview area. So I quickly sold it again - fortunately without loss - and switched over to Sony A7R arriving later that year.
Now, after over 10 years with more and more technically perfect Sony camera generations (currently the A1), I was bored from that perfection and made another attempt with Leica M. This time I decided for a 16 years old M8.2 (the first digital Leica). It is so basic and imperfect compared to the A1 but the colors and vintage look out of the Kodak CCD sensor are so delightful, that I got back to really enjoying the shooting experience more consciously.
So I think, it may need some time to be ready for the "M" and not every M will deliver, what you expect.
I have an M8 and I love it and it’s early digital experience. Sure it’s not anything like my M11, but it’s a blast to use. Thanks for sharing!