M11D

[Godfrey]

I had the M-D 262 and absolutely loved it (still scratching my head as to why I sold it). If I had the money I’d either buy it back or save even more pennies and get this.

I’m glad they moved the ISO dial back to where it first was — it is not awkward in the least. With the M-D 262 you could easily rotate it on the fly with your right thumb, so I can’t imagine it would be any different with this one.

As far as non 6-bit lenses go, Leica made specific reference to them with the first M-D. There should be no issue and you can just shoot normally.

I never had an issue with blowing highlights with my M-D. One thing I could do is adjust the meter to -1/3 and all was fine. Can’t imagine it would be any different with the new camera (would likely be even better). I wouldn’t even bother with the smartphone interface while I’m shooting — if the whole point of the camera is to focus on ‘das Wesentliche’ then utilizing a smartphone app seems incompatible to the concept.

To my mind and my experience, if ever there was a digital camera that came closest to a ‘film-like’ experience, this would be it. A CFV back on Hasselblad 500-series camera (or in my case a 1000f) would be a close second.

100% agreement. I don't know why I sold my M-D 262 either, whatever reason is lost in the mists of Time. But I wish I hadn't, no matter how happy I am now with the M10-M and M10-R.

I haven't even been interested enough to look at the M11 features/specs until now, but I know that I'll be looking to buy an M11D in a year or so.

G

 

[boojum]

Just turn off the screen on the back of your camera and save the price of an M11-D purchase.

To be honest, I just do not understand all the fuss. If the screen is on you do not have to look at it. If your camera has a poor battery life problem, turning off the screen can extend battery life.

 

[Archiver]

Just turn off the screen on the back of your camera and save the price of an M11-D purchase.

To be honest, I just do not understand all the fuss. If the screen is on you do not have to look at it. If your camera has a poor battery life problem, turning off the screen can extend battery life.

The funny thing is that I tend to turn off image review on every camera except the M9! Perhaps it's because of the lack of precise framing, but I sometimes want to see what I've just shot on the M9, whereas with EVF and TTL viewfinders, I already know more or less what the image is like. I could always snap the leather back on to the half-case if I want a screenless experience.

 

[Mute-on]

Handled an M11-D at a Leica dealer today (apparently it arrived there yesterday). I’ve not handled an M11 and was quite put off by the shutter ‘close-open-close’ action which seemed to rock the camera in my hands at 1/180. The camera body also felt quite sharp edged compared with my M262 and any of my film Ms.

Overall, I wasn’t particularly impressed. No doubt the results are excellent, but the experience of photo taking was underwhelming.

 

[Godfrey]

Just turn off the screen on the back of your camera and save the price of an M11-D purchase.

To be honest, I just do not understand all the fuss. If the screen is on you do not have to look at it. If your camera has a poor battery life problem, turning off the screen can extend battery life.

You may be able to turn off the LCD, but the screen and its surrounding buttons are always there. Having owned an M-D 262, this really does make a difference, which I revisit every time I pick up my M4-2 (and now M6TTL).

I'll have to take a ride into San Francisco sometime soon to visit the Leica Store there so I can actually see and handle an M11 or M11D. There's no place left here in Silicon Valley that actually has new Leica gear on the shelf.

G

 

[Freakscene]

You may be able to turn off the LCD, but the screen and its surrounding buttons are always there. Having owned an M-D 262, this really does make a difference, which I revisit every time I pick up my M4-2 (and now M6TTL).

I'll have to take a ride into San Francisco sometime soon to visit the Leica Store there so I can actually see and handle an M11 or M11D. There's no place left here in Silicon Valley that actually has new Leica gear on the shelf.

What happened to Keeble & Shuchat? Did they close?

 

[Godfrey]

What happened to Keeble & Shuchat? Did they close?

K&S closed six or eight years ago.

Internet sales at rock bottom prices destroyed them ... People would come in the store, consume valuable sales time with the personnel, then buy the items from lower priced vendors on the internet leaving them with zero profitability. Plus, the owners owned the buildings at their location on California Street in Palo Alto, and the accumulated rise in property valuations made is FAR more lucrative to sell off the business inventory, then sell off the property, and retire with many millions in the bank. The principles were both at or past retirement age anyway ...

Sad, but that's how it went.

G

 

[boojum]

What happened to Keeble & Shuchat? Did they close?

Yes, they closed a while ago. A real shame. They had a wonderful camera museum on the second floor. Then they moved, still in Palo Alto, to a smaller place. Then they got hit by some smash and grab jerks who got a lot of gear and things were just bad for them. They closed their doors. It was great to go in and buy gear, even if not Leica. They are missed.

Keeble & Shuchat to close Palo Alto camera stores

Keeble & Shuchat Photography will close both its stores on California Avenue at the end of October after a 51-year run in Palo Alto. Terry Shuchat, who owns the business and building, said the …

www.mercurynews.com

 

[Archiver]

Yes, they closed a while ago. A real shame. They had a wonderful camera museum on the second floor. Then they moved, still in Palo Alto, to a smaller place. Then they got hit by some smash and grab jerks who got a lot of gear and things were just bad for them. They closed their doors. It was great to go in and buy gear, even if not Leica. They are missed.

Keeble & Shuchat to close Palo Alto camera stores

Keeble & Shuchat Photography will close both its stores on California Avenue at the end of October after a 51-year run in Palo Alto. Terry Shuchat, who owns the business and building, said the …

www.mercurynews.com

As an aside, that reminds me of what happened to microbrand lens company Veydra. They made a range of high quality cine lenses specifically for micro four thirds. This was when the GH3 and GH4 were making waves in independent small budget productions. Their warehouse was hit and hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stock was stolen, cleaning them out. They never recovered, and folded within a year.

Interestingly, Chinese company Meike acquired the lens designs and relaunched the lenses under their own brand. Some tests suggest the new ones perform even better!

 

[Dogman]

I think I would shoot a lot more frames with this camera. Just to cover my backsides. With my current crop, I usually check to be sure I'm not screwing up the photos and then continue shooting after any necessary adjustments. Doesn't anyone ever make mistakes? Like inadvertently pressing a button with the camera strap or the heel of the hand? Of forgetting to reset something after the last outing? Unfortunately, I have lots of experience in the error department, 'specially with all the button on cameras.

Still looks like a nice camera to me and I wouldn't mind having one. But money.




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[Godfrey]

I think I would shoot a lot more frames with this camera. Just to cover my backsides. With my current crop, I usually check to be sure I'm not screwing up the photos and then continue shooting after any necessary adjustments. Doesn't anyone ever make mistakes? Like inadvertently pressing a button with the camera strap or the heel of the hand? Of forgetting to reset something after the last outing? Unfortunately, I have lots of experience in the error department, 'specially with all the button on cameras.

Still looks like a nice camera to me and I wouldn't mind having one. But money.
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Of course we all make errors when shooting. Just like we did when shooting film. Then, there was the additional constraint of only having a limited number of exposures before needing to reload, and you couldn't know what worked and what didn't until you processed the film...

You makes allowances for that and get better at setting focus and exposure so as to minimize wasting film (which is expensive). This is why previsualization is so important when shooting film.

G

 

[Bill Blackwell]

I shoot my M11-P with a Luigi case, rear flap closed, and rarely look at the LCD screen. But for the same money, why would I choose a "D" variant?
I'd probably not miss the LCD screen all that much until I wanted to clean the sensor or format the memory card.