richardHaw
junk scavenger
well, just think of it this way, at least it will drive used camera prices down to more realistic levels 
Gid
Well-known
A new M240 was already available for a similar price - Leica store UK had them on its list recently for £3,500, so I can't see the new ME making a huge difference to prices of used M240s. if you paid £5,500 for one then I can see that you might be annoyed, but that is just the way it goes. I bought a new Canon 6D less than a year ago for £699 compared to a launch price of £1799. If you wait until a product's life cycle end you can get them for a good price. Patience is a virtue but not always exciting.
Gregm61
Well-known
I read "sapphire glass" in a response or two above. Don't you need to buy the much more expensive "P" version to get that? I believe the Gorilla Glass back LCD on this new M-E is the exact same material used in the stock M240 unit as well as the only digital M (M262) I have ever purchased new......and still love shooting.
Far as video goes, these things could have 8K video capability in them and I'd still not shoot a second's worth of video. I can probably count the number of minutes-worth of video I've shot using all digital cameras I've purchased since 2003 on the fingers of one hand, and that was just fooling around with it.
Far as video goes, these things could have 8K video capability in them and I'd still not shoot a second's worth of video. I can probably count the number of minutes-worth of video I've shot using all digital cameras I've purchased since 2003 on the fingers of one hand, and that was just fooling around with it.
o-Tom-atic
Member
So, is it better to wait that the price of a used Leica M goes down or buy a new M-E instead?
richardHaw
junk scavenger
Huss
Veteran
Used M is now about $2500. New M-E is $4000.
Used M10 is under $5K now. Soooooo... how about used M10 or new M-E?
Archiver
Veteran
In Australia, there's no way you could get a GFX50R plus a lens for under 10k AUD. That's instant M10 territory. A new digital M body for 6k AUD is in the same range as the Leica Q, or even less than the Q II.
jja
Well-known
Used M is now about $2500. New M-E is $4000.
Used M10 is under $5K now. Soooooo... how about used M10 or new M-E?
I have not shot an M10, but based on what some users claim, the picture quality is similar to the M240, with only one additional stop of *usable* dynamic range (there are other differences not related to photo quality, such as marginally thinner body, simplified menus, addition of ISO dial, improved viewfinder, reduced battery life). Based on these reports, one might argue that either the M240 or the new ME are the best value. I have an MP240 going on three months now that I bought used, but if I were in the market for an M right now, new or used, I'd look hard at the ME. Two year warranty brings a lot of peace of mind.
o-Tom-atic
Member
What about the ISO performance of the M’s sensor vs the new M10 sensor? I read that with the M240, you shouldn’t go beyond ISO 3200. How does it compare to the M10?
Huss
Veteran
And a 47mp Nikon Z7 is a lot cheaper than the Leica. But so what? The experience is not the same.
Gid
Well-known
A well known reviewer estimates that the M10 has a 1.5 stop advantage over the M240 at high ISO levels - above ISO3200. The difference appears to be smaller at lower ISOs.
My experience with the M240 is that ISO3200 is perfectly usable but I tend to set ISO1600 as my limit. Bear in mind that my previous digital leicas were the M8/M8.2 where good ISO1600 would have been a luxury and prior to that I was happy with ISO400 film in any of my film Ms. It is all relative, of course, and what you consider good, bad or adequate performance depends to some extent whether you're looking back at how bad it used to be or forward to how good it could be
My experience with the M240 is that ISO3200 is perfectly usable but I tend to set ISO1600 as my limit. Bear in mind that my previous digital leicas were the M8/M8.2 where good ISO1600 would have been a luxury and prior to that I was happy with ISO400 film in any of my film Ms. It is all relative, of course, and what you consider good, bad or adequate performance depends to some extent whether you're looking back at how bad it used to be or forward to how good it could be
Huss
Veteran
Not ancient. Timeless. Seriously the whole point of the M is the traditional simplicity of the process. Digital photography stripped down. There is a purpose and intention to that. If you want the bells and whistles then it is stuff like the Q2 or SL.
What matters is the result, and Ms are very capable of making stunning images.
Gid
Well-known
What Huss said.
Having obtained recently the correct dioptre lens for my M240 I'm now keeping it.
Having obtained recently the correct dioptre lens for my M240 I'm now keeping it.
ptpdprinter
Veteran
Surely the new m-e 240 is using the same 24MP sensor that is in the M10 and not leftovers from 2012.
Gid
Well-known
The ME 240 is an M240 with the 2GB buffer from the MP240.
Emile de Leon
Well-known
Huss..I worded that wrong..
Its the chip and the electronics I was talking about..those aint timeless..
I have an M3 & M6 and other formats up to 16x20 ULF..
So if I want timeless..I got that covered..
Thing is..its an old azz interior electronically..
But a reliable one..esp in Leica digital terms..
And..I have no doubt..that the current partnership w/Panasonic..will reveal possible stunning improvements in the next itineration of the M240 series..and may well be worth the extra few K...esp in terms of speed and color..
But waiting for that is a fools journey..
And remember the M-E you bought..the last of the M9 series..priced el cheepo..to move em out..paint it grey..
Just the name...M-E..should send shivers of fear..up your spine...
PRJ
Another Day in Paradise
The ME is the perfect camera for the selfie generation. I'd bet if they called it the ME-ME-ME they'd sell ten times as many. It is just missing a mirror on the front.
Still, glad that Leica are making a camera that some more people can afford new.
Still, glad that Leica are making a camera that some more people can afford new.
Huss
Veteran
The M-E I bought was $5500 way back when! The one now is $4000 which shows what deal it is. Also the M240 series has been bullet proof. Leica knew they were selling defective kameras with the M9 series.
Does it matter if the interior of the new M-E is old? Doesnt what matter is that it works and the quality of the pics that come out of it are excellent? Cuz they are.
This is a case of having passed a level of sufficiency a long time ago.
Telling a story does not require IBIS/ISO80,000/Super duper metering etc etc. Look back at all those incredible pics throughout the history of photography.
The Leica M-E has got u covered. Or the M240. Don't waste ur money on an M10, no-one outside a high ISO pixel peeper (1 stop difference!) is going to notice any diffrence. But they may notice the difference in battery life and their wallet.
Emile de Leon
Well-known
Dude..! Dats a lot of do re mi..
Could buy a lot..of Tuna melts for that..lol..
But get the current M-E..
And 2 years down the road out of warrantee....its going for under 2K..
Thats 1 hell..of a deal..
Thing is..I would luv to have a rangefinder digital to use my Leica lenses with..
I would hate to buy this camera..and find out my Noct needs to be re calibrated..and my 35mm 1.4's..are out of rangefinder sync..
And the 135mm..is out..
May get it anyway though..
You only live once..unless you believe in reincarnation..
Who knows where Leica will be then..lol..
JeffS7444
Well-known
So are you saying that if someone took away your M-cameras and gave you a GFX50R in it's place, that you couldn't make it work for you? This isn't an apples-to-oranges situation, it's more like comparing two different varieties of apple.