Leica M( ) and M-E: first impressions

[Gabriel M.A.]

Early adopters (some of them RF and/or digital noobies) report issues more promptly than improvements. Then time passes by and all misunderstandings become urban legends.

But before that happens there's always speculation and extrapolation. Based on the trickle of a yet-to-be-owned product, what are your impressions so far?

 

[Avotius]

The new M bodies look like they took old surplus M8 bodies that had mis printed top plates and just used them so they wouldnt go to waste. The whole thing looks weird and strange. They should have just called it the M10, the M is just a bad name.

As someone who has owned both the M8 and M9, the M9 was a much better all around package, and I dont want to sound vain but I will, that cut out on the top left that they had on the M9 just made it more beautiful. The M8 was ugly, and this M thing is worse.

The ME is ok I guess. Nothing really new there, the M9 was not exactly brimming with feature anyway, so I wonder what they stripped back....

That said, I think I will have an "M" anyway.

 

[bugmenot]

Video: Demonstration of The New Leica M

Video: Demonstration of The New Leica M

Before ANYBODY passes judgment without usage, I HIGHLY suggest you go ahead and watch this video if you haven't done so already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_4xHIqU4t8

It makes a world of difference to see it under natural, changing light, in the hands of somebody actually using it. Please watch.

Also, this poll is stupid.

 

[Spicy]

Welcome to the new Leica MEh

Before ANYBODY passes judgment without usage, I HIGHLY suggest you go ahead and watch this video if you haven't done so already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_4xHIqU4t8

It makes a world of difference to see it under natural, changing light, in the hands of somebody actually using it. Please watch.

Also, this poll is stupid.

Thanks for pointing out the video


Edit: sweet &(%*¥@?!%> it's huge. Good lord, parallels of jessica simpson spring readily to mind. No wonder the only shots of it have been myspace angles to hide the fatness (head on and weird 3/4s view from slightly above)

 

[bugmenot]

Edit: sweet &(%*¥@?!%> it's huge. Good lord, parallels of jessica simpson spring readily to mind. No wonder the only shots of it have been myspace angles to hide the fatness (head on and weird 3/4s view from slightly above)

I know, right? D: It is SO BIG. I didn't realize just how HUGE the camera gets with the EVF and the new Grip attached.

For others: Watch 3:00 to 4:00 on the video for size.

On the other hand, that little control pad on the back doesn't look as cheap as the photos make it seem.

 

[wollivp]

I don't know about you guys, but after saw the video (on vimeo & youtube) I feel this new M image quality is too 'digital' compare to the M9. I don't see the 'leica color depth' in it.

What do you guys think?


here's the link to the vimeo video (better quality than youtube):
https://vimeo.com/49464083

 

[Jaans]

Early adopters (some of them RF and/or digital noobies) report issues more promptly than improvements. Then time passes by and all misunderstandings become urban legends.

But before that happens there's always speculation and extrapolation. Based on the trickle of a yet-to-be-owned product, what are your impressions so far?

A little early in the game to be able to form a reliable opinion, especially as all we have is a youtube video to go by.

 

[J. Borger]

Before ANYBODY passes judgment without usage, I HIGHLY suggest you go ahead and watch this video if you haven't done so already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_4xHIqU4t8

It makes a world of difference to see it under natural, changing light, in the hands of somebody actually using it. Please watch.

Also, this poll is stupid.

That video killed the concept completely for me. It is too forced. And loaded with compromises.A pumped Sony Nex with a red dot and an integrated rangefinder.
I would not want to walk with that device if i add the strap finder a zoom lens and a flash .... Just use a straight M9... and a DSLR if you need longer or closer focussing lenses.

I agree the poll is stupid because i would give completely different answers for the ME compared to the M.

 

[Keith]

The M (whatever) addresses all the issues that pissed me off about my M8 when I had it ... and when I think that I paid $6000.00 for my M8 (back when the Oz dollar was mainly useful for plugging cracks in the walls) this thing doesn't seem that expensive to me. It's all relative I guess!

The focus peaking, video, optional EVF etc don't interest me but if it has usable ISO of 3200 it will be the camera the M8 might have been.

 

[Dylan Hope]

Truth be told the only thing I don't like about the M(10) is the lack of illumination window and the xbox hueg red dot, but that's not a deal breaker to me. I kinda like that it's such a versatile camera. I still won't be able to afford it, but it'll drive down the M9 prices, and the M-E might (probably won't) be more in the price range I could stretch to if I ever get too worried about film.

That said, I'm interested in seeing the files these things can produce, and I'll stick to my current M and film for as long as financially possible (Here's hoping to many more years)

 

[Richard G]

I am impressed with both the new ones and won't make a snap judgement about the M in particular as there is so much that is new. How practical in the end it will be to shoot with the R lenses is one issue. I could not, as someone earlier claimed, possibly assess colour rendition from that video! I like what they've achieved, but I am left pretty happy with my M9-P in particular. The M in chrome looks like a cyclops.

The ME is growing on me. It has everything I would want, and has removed the frame preview lever which I have never wanted. Can't understand how that survived in so many Ms. Totally unnecessary. If the ME is less ugly in the metal I reckon it is a winner.

 

[astro8]

The M looks huge in that video, or has he got little hands?

 

[Paul T.]

Leica are a tiny, boutique company. For that reason, the cameras are too pricey for me to justify.

But I think the M is a real achievement; 'cmon, even the new Fujis, from a company who produce millions of digital cameras, don't have focus peaking!

Obviously we have to see the quality of the files it produces - as far the the digital 'look', that will all be in the processing.

Good for Leica, this is a real achievement from a small company, I hope it works really well for them.

 

[kemal_mumcu]

I think the ME is quite pretty. Nicer than the original Leica M9 grey. Who cares about black paint.

 

[thegman]

Not for me, but I was never going to buy regardless of what the M10/M/ME was, I'm just not in the market. It is pretty beefy with the grip and EVF, it looks like a medium format camera almost. I suppose these days full frame 135 sensors might be enough to compete with medium format, so maybe that's intentional.

It's pretty much what I expected, a clip on EVF is pretty lame compared to the X100 or X-Pro 1 built in EVF and OVF, but Leica have to put a RF in there too, so technically must be a nightmare.

I think we'll see more people hang onto their M9s now, it's not that these new cameras are bad, but they are small evolutions, not revolutions I think.

 

[coelacanth]

Since I don't shoot video, M is a bit too much of a camera with things I don't need. I do like the look and the minimal package of M-E quite a bit. Would be even better if they didn't have the red dot but of course it's very personal preference. I'm actually surprised the M was $7k, not 8 or 9k. M-E's price point is "good" for Leica standard I guess.

So now the most expensive digital M other than limited editions is the Monochrom at $8k. I can see Leica dropping the new price of M-E to $4,999 in time while used M9 comes down to bellow $4k mark.

If I were to buy a new Leica, that would be the M-E.

 

[Chyn]

The M-E feels and operates just like any other digital M. The internals are almost all M9-P, so unless one needs the USB port and frameline selector lever, it's not a whole world of difference, user experience-wise.

The M (type 240) feels a much heavier upon first try and has a faster shutter than previous digital Leicas. Strangely, during yesterday's launch, much of the promised new features weren't exactly available. The R-adapter wasn't there, so there was no testing R lenses. No external viewfinder attached to see its responsiveness. Finally, we didn't get to see its accessory grip in action, so there was no way to test the video function. Given the specs and Leica's own admission, video is only supplementary feature of the camera.

 

[Avotius]

Truth be told the only thing I don't like about the M(10) is the lack of illumination window....

Holy crap. Thats what seems so off. I didnt even notice that. The other thing that seems off is the placement of the M. Its just hanging there waiting for something to come after it.

 

[Keith]

The M looks huge in that video, or has he got little hands?

Must be the same guy who does all the McDonalds ads! 😛

 

[Stelios]

I love the fact you can plug all these 'gadgets' on the M and make it a beast of a camera (in a good way), and yet you can unplug all these and still have the simplicity of the M. It's a step forward. And yet they keep the ME (or slightly repackaged M9?) on the line too for those who don't need the extras.
Mind you the name is confusing. Trying searching the internet for the Leica M... but all that is details...