The Leica M Edition 60 and the deconstruction of the digital camera

[hamish_gill]

I very rarely jump in here with links to my blog, but on this occasion I am quite intrigued to read the thoughts of the locals here on what I have to say about the M60

Its a bit verbose, but if you have some time on your hands...
http://www.35mmc.com/02/07/2015/leica-m-edition-60/

Taking into account my opinion, would you buy something similar if Leica were to make a cheaper version?

 

[quadtones]

Hamish--

Thanks for a very thought provoking article. While I continue to use my M9 and MM, it also explains why I continue to shoot some film in the M6, as well. The act of shooting is different when I can just focus on the shot and my expected results, but am unable to see what I've really managed to capture until I get home and soup the film. This camera presents the same opportunities, orientation and approach.

I've often considered how I would like to see a digital M with a hinged LCD that could be flipped around and face inward. I could then use it for setup, were I to want to do so, or just ignore it, completely.

 

[starless]

How did you check how much space left on the memory card, or the battery life?

Since they have removed some of the electronics, couldn't they have also made the body slimmer, like the film Ms?

 

[Godfrey]

I very rarely jump in here with links to my blog, but on this occasion I am quite intrigued to read the thoughts of the locals here on what I have to say about the M60

Its a bit verbose, but if you have some time on your hands...
http://www.35mmc.com/02/07/2015/leica-m-edition-60/

Taking into account my opinion, would you buy something similar if Leica were to make a cheaper version?

Nice article, well done.

There have been a couple of extended threads on the topic of the M Edition 60 already. My opinion about it hasn't changed since the beginning: I'd love one to use; I don't need another 35mm lens; nor do I want a special edition. I'd rather not pay the 30% premium on both for a special edition.

If Leica made an MM246 version of the ME60 as a standard production body, at or about the same price level, I'd be likely to cancel my order for the MM246 and get one of those instead.

G

 

[Godfrey]

How did you check how much space left on the memory card, or the battery life?

Since they have removed some of the electronics, couldn't they have also made the body slimmer, like the film Ms?

The M Edition 60 instruction manual is available on the Leica website which can answer your first question. In brief, the viewfinder readout tells you what the states of the battery and storage card are.

Since you cannot review what's on the card in the camera, Leica provides no way to erase or format the card in the camera: you use a computer to do that. (Even something as simple as an iPad will do it nicely ... use the Lightning to SD card adapter, import all exposures into the iPad, and at the end the iPad will ask you whether you want to delete or keep the exposures. Hit Delete and the card is cleared for re-use.)

The storage is not something you have to worry about all that often. Setting my M-P to DNG only, and using a formatted 32G card, 10 exposures consume about 1/66 of available space on the storage. So consider that a single 16G card can hold 320 exposures, a 32G card can hold 650 exposures, and a 64 G card about 1300 exposures. A pair of high-quality, fast (95Mbps) Sandisk Extreme Pro 64G SDXC cards cost me $80 recently. (And a fully reformed battery will run about 700 exposures per charge.)

Keep a spare card and a spare battery in your bag...

By measurement, my M-P body is about 4mm thicker from front to back than my M4-2 body. Eliminating the LCD isn't going to save much thickness unless you also want to use a smaller (and likely lower capacity) battery because the battery for the typ 240/246 bodies is a light sliding fit with the inside of the body. The bezel for the LCD adds only about 2 mm or so (same as the film door on the M4-2...).

G

 

[photomoof]

While I would much prefer a digital M-A, still it seems perfect for someone like me who absolutely refuses to read a manual. My position remains, if one needs a manual, then the electronic object needs to be redesigned (I know rather an Apple position).

My only question (other than the obvious question of how does one carry a camera with no lugs? I detest cases, half or otherwise.)

1) How do you know if it is working?

RE the above, why doesn't it have any computer interface via bluetooth, so it can be connected to a iPhone?

 

[hamish_gill]

Hamish--

Thanks for a very thought provoking article. While I continue to use my M9 and MM, it also explains why I continue to shoot some film in the M6, as well. The act of shooting is different when I can just focus on the shot and my expected results, but am unable to see what I've really managed to capture until I get home and soup the film. This camera presents the same opportunities, orientation and approach.

I've often considered how I would like to see a digital M with a hinged LCD that could be flipped around and face inward. I could then use it for setup, were I to want to do so, or just ignore it, completely.

It didn't work with the rd1 when I had it. It's a funny thing, temptation

 

[hamish_gill]

While I would much prefer a digital M-A, still it seems perfect for someone like me who absolutely refuses to read a manual. My position remains, if one needs a manual, then the electronic object needs to be redesigned (I know rather an Apple position).

My only question (other than the obvious question of how does one carry a camera with no lugs? I detest cases, half or otherwise.)

1) How do you know if it is working?

RE the above, why doesn't it have any computer interface via bluetooth, so it can be connected to a iPhone?

Apart from the light meter readout and the clicking it makes when you are taking a photo, I suppose you don't. At least you wouldn't know if all your files were corrupted and or just not saving for some reason.

But that said, how do you know the film in a film camera isn't spoiled, or going to get spoiled in dev.

I wouldn't want to speculate on the possiblity of digital failure over analogue... But I suppose the likelihood is digital would fail more times in 1,000,000 ... But really, for me, I don't mind the risk. Part of the joy of the camera is not having the reassurance of the photo being on the back, and I'd not be uncomfortable applying that same thought to chomping and checking for failure.

I suppose, without wanting to delve too deep in the the philosophy of photography, you would have to ask yourself just how important your photos are to warrant that requirement to check them... If you follow my meaning...?


Regarding the interface... That would ruin it wholly for me

 

[hamish_gill]

Thanks for the positive feedback all!

 

[Godfrey]

While I would much prefer a digital M-A, still it seems perfect for someone like me who absolutely refuses to read a manual. My position remains, if one needs a manual, then the electronic object needs to be redesigned (I know rather an Apple position).

My only question (other than the obvious question of how does one carry a camera with no lugs? I detest cases, half or otherwise.)

1) How do you know if it is working?

RE the above, why doesn't it have any computer interface via bluetooth, so it can be connected to a iPhone?

My Voigtländer Perkeo II has no strap lugs of any kind. I put it into a bag when I'm carrying it, if it isn't in my hand.

Manuals are useful for things beside "electronic objects." Have you never read the instruction manual for a Leica M6 with built-in meter? They're about 60 small pages long, same as the M Edition 60 manual. Most of what's in there is obvious at first glance, but there are some details that are useful.

Bluetooth or WiFi incorporated into the M Edition 60 would seem a bit of over-much complication, and would definitely require more in the instruction manual as well as, likely, a more sophisticated informational readout for configuration and connection management. That's kind of the opposite of what the ME60 is supposed to be.

G

 

[photomoof]

Most of what's in there is obvious at first glance, but there are some details that are useful.

Not for me, as noted I do not read manuals. I simply refuse to search for "easter eggs." No exceptions.

Bluetooth or WiFi incorporated into the M Edition 60 would seem a bit of over-much complication, and would definitely require more in the instruction manual as well as, likely, a more sophisticated informational readout for configuration and connection management. That's kind of the opposite of what the ME60 is supposed to be.

I am sure you are right, there is always someone who can make the totally obvious appear complicated.

I suppose this camera is kind of like all film cameras, you never know if it is working until you develop the film (or in this case remove the card).

 

[Godfrey]

Not for me, as noted I do not read manuals. I simply refuse to search for "easter eggs." No exceptions.

You've never wanted to know what the different LED readouts in the M6 meant? Or what the recommended procedure for loading the film was? Or how you checked the battery level in a CL properly?

My hat's off to you. Loading my CL and my M4-2 became so much easier and more reliable when I read what Leica had to say about doing it the correct way. I thought I'd been doing it right for twenty years before that ... ;-)

These are not "easter eggs."

G

 

[Spanik]

If it would be an DSLR I would directly jump to it. I just have too much trouble focussing a rangefinder.

 

[Monochrom]

Hi, there is nothing enigmatic, crazy or deconstructivist about this camera.

Enigmatic, crazy or decontructivist are concepts that can be applied to ideas, proposals tambigous enough to produce serious questioning.

This leica move or better said this marketing product is so clear in it´s beginning and it´s end that really isn´t challenging at all.

It´s a luxurious capriccio.

Decontructivist comes to mind when i think about those soviet artists in the middle of a revolution that disappeared hundreds of years in just few months...

...i like leica but leica is not decontructivist...

 

[Oscuro]

In English there is a saying, "RTFM2" or, Read The F***** Manual---Twice.

It's worth it. Yes, some are written better than others. But there is information there that is useful and in some cases essential.

 

[Pioneer]

Attracted and Repelled

Attracted and Repelled

Thank you for the link.

I felt your review of the Edition 60 was interesting and very well thought out.

This is one of Leica's recent digital cameras that I have really been attracted to, at the same time that I have been repelled by. Attracted by the camera's feature set (or rather lack of feature set.) Repelled by the high cost (though the argument can be made that the total package is not that high priced.)

At this point my unwillingness to pay the price of entry overwhelms my attraction to the package. Of course, should this camera become part of Leica's everyday offerings at a price consistent with what it is, I may find it very hard to resist.

BTW - I also enjoyed your M-A review which I had not seen yet.

 

[Keith]

Your blog and opinions have warmed me slightly to the idea of a screenless digital camera .... a concept that has previously never interested me. (great article IMO)

I have recently abandoned my smart phone (HTC) because I see no need to carry a computer around with me and was interested to hear on the radio while driving home yesterday that there is a resurgence of interest in basic mobile phones without the internet and no camera. Quaintly now known as 'dumb phones!'

I see a trend!

 

[mfunnell]

Thanks for the write-up. I do hope Leica produces a 'production version' of this, as a good many people (not including me) seem to want one.

If they do, I think they should provide strap lugs and some means of performing exposure compensation (unlike a film camera, changing the ISO setting of a digital camera doesn't bias the meter, it just changes the sensitivity). As it happens, with my M240 I hardly ever use exposure compensation since the meter behaves pretty much as I want it to. If I were to use a 'production E60' (I wouldn't) the lack of exposure compensation wouldn't bug me. But it might bug others who might wish to bias the metering one way or the other. And there's no provision for that in the current special-edition version. I think that's a pretty basic function in AE cameras whether film or digital, which pretty well all provide for in one way or another (if only by changing the ISO setting relative to actual film speed).

...Mike

 

[photomoof]

You've never wanted to know what the different LED readouts in the M6 meant?

Who knows, I just always assumed that the bright light shows the direction to adjust for "correct" exposure. Two different lights meant "almost" (half stop?)." But my two M6's had those awful early lights (I think sourced in California), Leica never could get them to match, so I took out the batteries and never put them in again.

As for loading, there is a handy drawing on the bottom of the camera.

 

[Kate-the-Great]

Great writeup Hamish! I am envious of your opportunity to try this kit.

The M60 seems like the perfect digital camera for the minimalist; I'd hoped my X-E1 would provide some of that experience but in reality it still very much feels like a digital camera. The R-D1 was the closest I've found to the "pure photography" experience on digital- I went as far as to tape the LCD shut to resist temptation- but the IQ is nowhere near the M60 I'm sure.

I can only hope that Cosina/Voigtlander takes pity on those of us that can't afford Leica collectors-edition prices and releases an updated, 135-format digital RF in the style of the R-D1 but perhaps with an "LCD-less" edition? (Stephen, put in a good word for us with your contacts )