M240: Current Price vs Reliability

M240: Current Price vs Reliability

  • A safe bet. Buy it!

    Votes: 74 60.7%
  • It's about the same as any other digital camera.

    Votes: 30 24.6%
  • A money pit. Do not buy!

    Votes: 18 14.8%

  • Total voters
    122
I have a mint MP240 I purchased about 15 months ago from Classic Connection. I was talking to Tamarkin and they say that the introduction of the Q2 has really caused a price drop in all Leica M digital. I am very happy with the MP240 over the M9 but have absolutely no desire to spend the money on an M10. And I am finding out how good my new X100F is but I would sure buy an MP240 at those prices if I did not own one.
 
I have a mint MP240 I purchased about 15 months ago from Classic Connection. I was talking to Tamarkin and they say that the introduction of the Q2 has really caused a price drop in all Leica M digital. I am very happy with the MP240 over the M9 but have absolutely no desire to spend the money on an M10. And I am finding out how good my new X100F is but I would sure buy an MP240 at those prices if I did not own one.

M240 prices lowered before Q2.
Q2 has really nothing to do with M. It is expensive P&S with EVF, one from many, not RF.

They, at Tamarkin, were talking about their new excuse for low bail on trade ins for digital M. Their store prices shows no price drop on digital M.
In fact, I purchased and sold for less same digital M two years ago, comparing to their current listing.
 
Yeah I don't buy the Tamarkin story. A Q2 is nothing like an M, and I still think it's funny that the crop formats are sold as a feature. Cuz it's impossible to crop images from any other camera, ever made, in the history of photography.
Here's how you do the same thing with an M4, M5, M6, M10, M240, M9 etc etc. Frame your subject say with your 28mm lens on it. Then with your left finger move the frame selector lever to whatever freakin frame line you want to come up. That will give you an idea as to how that 'focal length' would look. And guess what? Those cameras have more frame/crop lines than what the Q2 offers!
But I digress.
 
Please do post once you check it out, been looking for a nice M-P 240..

JT

My M-P 240 arrived last night, and I've had a chance to do some initial testing. It was described as excellent and I can confirm that it is as described. A few bright marks on the top, common in the chrome finish, are the only evidence I can find that this is a used camera.

The camera operates well, the rangefinder is accurate with my 50/1.4, and the batteries seem fine (have not done extensive testing yet). Inside, the shutter looks pristine, everything seems in order. It's safe to say that unless I find something unexpected in the next week or so (2 week return policy), this camera is a keeper.

The camera came with its original accessories, original box and and all packaging. The signed inspection card states that this camera was manufactured in April 2016.

This is my first digital Leica, after shooting with Leica Ms for the last fifteen years. For a used digital camera, it's still expensive, but it's almost as capable as an M10, at less than half the cost of new. I'm really looking forward to being able to use my M lenses with either film or digital bodies that share almost the exact same ergonomic characteristics and rangefinder optics.
 
Glad to hear you're pleased with the new camera. Please share your impressions of it once you've done some serious shooting.

I've also been shooting film M cameras for many years, so I'm eager to hear what you think of the 240 compared to the film M experience.
 
The rf in my M240 has never drifted, while in my film Ms they seem to wander after a period of time/use. So it seems that Leica has that dialed down now.
 
My M-P 240 arrived last night, and I've had a chance to do some initial testing. It was described as excellent and I can confirm that it is as described. A few bright marks on the top, common in the chrome finish, are the only evidence I can find that this is a used camera.

So I went for one as well - and my experience so far is identical; mine is a few months older, but looks and operates great. While waiting for my modern 35mm f2 Summicron ASPH to arrive I had some fun with my dad’s old Summaron 35mm f2.8 - “eyes” and all!

Speaking of eyes, sure wish my vision was better , but hell, I have the same problem with my target shooting, so practice will make perfect.

My husband caught me sort of chuckling to myself as I was using the camera for the first time and commented on it. I think it had to do with using an RF camera that felt amazingly like my dad’s M3 with those old goggle eyes and seeing the pic instantly. Probably how folks felt when they first saw a Polaroid... will be lots of fun. Planning on a 50mm Lux at some point, that’s the focal length I grew up with on the Leica.

Thanks for the heads-up and encouragement, all. Oh, and Josh at Miami Leica was a pleasure to deal with.

JT
 
The more I use mine, the more I love it. The files are incredibly pliable in post and the BW jpgs are actually quite good. I haven’t used the vivid jpg, but in a pinch for quick sharing, the smooth film mode is decent. A little too much shadow loss for me, but for fast grab and shares on IG or FB of family stuff, the Toshiba FlashAir gets them to me wirelessly and it works.
 
The more I use mine, the more I love it. The files are incredibly pliable in post and the BW jpgs are actually quite good. I haven’t used the vivid jpg, but in a pinch for quick sharing, the smooth film mode is decent. A little too much shadow loss for me, but for fast grab and shares on IG or FB of family stuff, the Toshiba FlashAir gets them to me wirelessly and it works.

I’m not sure I’d describe the files as incredibly pliable. Maybe compared to an M8 but cameras like the Sony A7II/III and Nikon D750 have sensors that are so much more recoverable that it is not even close.

I’m wondering about the respondents who picked the it’s just like any other digital camera response. Because it clearly isnt. Not just because being a range finder but also because no other non Leica camera works as well with M mount lenses.
 
The MP240 is my current digital Leica. I have owned it about 15 months purchasing it used from Classic Connection. I have absolutely no desire to get an M10 which may be a step backward (no video). Can't get excited about the weight or thickness as I use an M5 as my present film Leica.

I think you made a good decision.
 
From the manual:

Can be used but are excluded from Classic exposure metering (see p. 180)
– Super-Angulon-M 21mm f/4
– Super-Angulon-M 21mm f/3.4
– Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 with serial nos. before 2 314 921.


So yes, it seems like it will mount but will not meter correctly.
 
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