Leica M early impression T Overgaard

[umcelinho]

having electronic framelines like the X100 has would be so sweet. only one focal length on the viewfinder and that could also mean 40mm, 85mm, 100mm shooters and so on would finally be able to shoot with their focal length framelines...

 

[Godfrey]

The X100 viewfinder was one of the reasons I didn't like it. So-so optical finder, easily too cluttered, and poor EVF.

The new M differs from the M9 viewfinder in that the frame line illuminatir is now an LED light source instead of ambient light, just like the M9 Titanium. This means the frame lines can always be consistently bright and adjust in brightness for ambient conditions, and their color can be set by the user between red and white.

The frame line mechanism is the same as in the M9 other than the removal of the selector lever for previewing. I don't use it often enough to bemoan its loss personally, and removing it helped keep the price in check, I'm sure. Perhaps it will reappear on a future "P" version.

 

[gavinlg]

The X100 viewfinder was one of the reasons I didn't like it. So-so optical finder, easily too cluttered, and poor EVF.

You are aware that you can turn pretty much everything off in the x100 ovf leaving the meter and framelines right? :bang: The contents of the finder are user adjustable.

 

[Godfrey]

You are aware that you can turn pretty much everything off in the x100 ovf leaving the meter and framelines right? :bang: The contents of the finder are user adjustable.

Yes, of course I know that.

I just didn't like the way things looked through it. Optically, it lacked the snap and sparkle of the add-on Leitz and Voigtlander Brightline finders I use on the GXR, and was no match for the superb optics of the viewfinders in the CL, M4-2 and M9 bodies either. The rest of the camera didn't appeal to me very much either, it felt too cramped and fiddly, the menus are lousy.

The similarly sized GXR doesn't feel that way, and has a menu layout much more to my liking.