Very late Leica M240 review

[borge]

After owning it for almost two years I decided to write about my experience with the M240:

http://indergaard.net/2015/08/24/the-very-late-leica-m-typ-240-review/

 

[oscroft]

Hi Børge,

That's excellent, many thanks for sharing. I'm in the position of thinking of an M digital, and that's exactly the kind of thing that will help me. I think the way you summed it up at the end...

If you have M-glass available, and really prefer the manual mechanical way of working with a Leica film or digital body, and want to change between using the same lenses on film and digital bodies, then there is basically no other option – you have to get the Leica.

...describes me exactly. I want to keep on shooting with my M2 and M6 too, and be able to swap lenses between digital and film bodies.

So I have no choice really 😀

 

[chaospress]

1) Agree, the color from the M240 reminds me of slide film as well.

2) Personally I've never seen the need to add sharpening on a digital M. The Sigma DP1 I have seems to make sharper pictures, but when I compare them they often look too sharp, losing atmosphere, if that makes any sense.. Still interesting what a $700 camera (and my original DP-1 is probably worth $200) can do file-wise next to one costing $6380. I can see that by personal taste, one could pick the Sigma (based only on the files, not usability)

3) Wearing glasses, I find a diopter correction lens to be invaluable on any camera I use.
When I shoot the glasses either go atop my head or hang from my mouth. I'm so used to taking them off and on I hardly think about it.

 

[Godfrey]

After owning it for almost two years I decided to write about my experience with the M240:

http://indergaard.net/2015/08/24/the-very-late-leica-m-typ-240-review/

Good user review.

My very brief review: I've had my M-P only since about February 2015, so a couple of years of production and several fw upgrades past when you acquired the M. Exposure metering, AWB, and skin tones seem right on the money most of the time; I can often use the JPEGs right out of the camera. It's not needed any adjustments by Leica: the RF and everything else seems just right. It's made about 3000 exposures for me now.

For me and my eyeglasses, the viewfinder is fine with down to 35mm lenses. The 28mm framelines are too hard to see; I use an optical accessory finder or the EVF when I need precise framing with 21, 24 and 28mm lenses. The viewfinder overall is a bit cleaner, a bit easier to focus with, than the M9 was.

I'm thoroughly delighted by the M-P typ 240. It realizes what I wanted in a digital Leica M.

G

 

[agoglanian]

I agree with much of this review, the AWB only works for me in natural light conditions. As soon as it's dark or I'm under artificial lighting, it goes berserk, so I just fix it in the raw file later.

Metering has proven to me to be challenging in harsh lighting conditions, to the effect that I have to not rely on it anymore and simply go off my understanding of light.

I experienced an evf / live view lockup for the first time this past week while I was shooting in Paris. The camera just totally froze on me and I had to pull the battery and restart it. I found that to be a little frustrating.

Now if only I could figure out why the prices on these are suddenly plummeting, I knew it would drop eventually but I didn't anticipate losing $1500+ in less than 9 months of ownership. That's the most rapid depreciation I've ever experienced with any camera I've purchased.

 

[borge]

Now if only I could figure out why the prices on these are suddenly plummeting, I knew it would drop eventually but I didn't anticipate losing $1500+ in less than 9 months of ownership. That's the most rapid depreciation I've ever experienced with any camera I've purchased.

Expect more in the near future. There are rumors that a new digital M will be announced during Q4 of this year, which most likely will affect 2nd hand value even more. I've been thinking about selling my M240 for a while now, since I actually prefer to shoot film with my MP. I'm afraid that if I wait, especially to after the announcement, the 2nd hand value will plummet even more. Then again I truly love the results the M240 gives me. I just don't use it as often as I feel I should. The MP loaded with HP5+ is seeing at least 80% of my use, and have been for the last 6 months.

 

[Keith]

Very good review and pretty well matches the way I feel after a year of ownership. I recently added a D4 to my digital armory because I figure anything you can't do with these two camera systems probably isn't worth doing. 🙂

 

[Michael Markey]

Now if only I could figure out why the prices on these are suddenly plummeting, I knew it would drop eventually but I didn't anticipate losing $1500+ in less than 9 months of ownership. That's the most rapid depreciation I've ever experienced with any camera I've purchased.

I`ve noticed that too ... there seems to have been a marked fall in prices.

 

[whitecat]

Excellent report and photos. The main thing about digital cameras I don't like is that they could be obsolete after 6 months.

 

[borge]

Excellent report and photos. The main thing about digital cameras I don't like is that they could be obsolete after 6 months.

I wouldn't call it obsolete. The camera will still continue to make the same excellent pictures that it does for a long time, after many new models have been released. But it does plummet in 2nd hand value compared to film cameras indeed. So financially it might become obsolete after a short time, but it won't become a lesser camera over time..

 

[Keith]

I wouldn't call it obsolete. The camera will still continue to make the same excellent pictures that it does for a long time, after many new models have been released. But it does plummet in 2nd hand value compared to film cameras indeed. So financially it might become obsolete after a short time, but it won't become a lesser camera over time..

The Leica digital was born obsolete .... which is why we love it I suspect! 🙂

 

[Jan Pedersen]

The Leica digital was born obsolete .... which is why we love it I suspect!

One more 😄

 

[taemo]

great review and beautiful shots!
thanks for sharing your thoughts and tips with sharpening and banding fix.

this friday I'm travelling to Italy and France for 2 weeks with only a 50mm and 21mm, now you're giving me second thoughts on also maybe bringing the 35mm

 

[bobby_novatron]

Thanks for the review, I agree with your M 240 evaluation 100%. When I first got mine, I found myself frustrated at its 'quirks' but now after 6 months I find myself enjoying it very much.

 

[Godfrey]

I wouldn't call it obsolete. The camera will still continue to make the same excellent pictures that it does for a long time, after many new models have been released. But it does plummet in 2nd hand value compared to film cameras indeed. So financially it might become obsolete after a short time, but it won't become a lesser camera over time..

I agree, although film camera values have plummeted as well. After all, the Nikon F6 I bought a couple of months ago is still a new model, still available for sale new at about $2200 or so; I bought mine in as-new condition for $600. My Hasselblad SWC, a $5400 camera when last sold new, cost me less than $1000. My advice: don't buy any camera, particularly a high-end model, looking to retain your purchase price.

That said, my ancient and totally "obsolete" Olympus E-1 ($2400 new in 2003, $120 or less now) is still working fine, still every bit the excellent photograph maker it was when it was brand new. I acquired the Leica M-P new in March, paid $3750 for it with the M9 trade-in; I don't know what I can sell it for now, but who cares? I intend to be using it for another decade and beyond. It produces beautiful results, which will not change no matter how "obsolete" it becomes.

G

 

[Tonkatsu-Dog]

Great review and great shots. I do agree on the WB being off in artificial light. Also I don't like the start up delay, even with formated SD card its a bit to slow.

On price drops - I guess thats natural on a digital camera that is a few years old. Looking at it objectively they are insanely priced to being with. I do wonder how many years of usage we will be able to get out of them? I am looking at getting an M4-p from the eighties now, but I doubt people will be picking up M240's 30 years from now at similar price ranges as a M4 now.

But who knows in 30 years maybe this will be seen as the 'golden age' of digital cameras before sensors became to too good and clean for their own best..!
😉

 

[taemo]

Regarding the declining price value of the M240, I wouldn't be surprised if the strong US$ is a factor.
For americans a used M240 for around $4000 is a great price and when US$ and CAD$ were almost 1:1 it was a great deal but not anymore when it is 1:1.25

 

[Kwesi]

If your primary reason for buying a camera is to at least make your money back when you sell
Then you should only be considering older cameras with an established resale value.
Regarding the M240 think of how much it would cost you to rent one for however long you've owned it. Personally I find this idea that owning a camera should cost you nothing absurd.
My comments are not directed at anyone in particular. Just general commentary on a popular yet misguided sentiment. YMMV

 

[oscroft]

If you're worried about the declining value of your cameras, I reckon the best solution is to get out and shoot a lot more and so get the cost per shot down 😉

So if you buy a body for, say, $4,000, after 20,000 shots it'll only have cost 20c per shot even if it's worth nothing at all by that time!

 

[agoglanian]

I didn't mean to sound like a complainer. I do quite enjoy working with the 240 and as I mentioned I agreed with much of the OPs review. I never expected to make money on the camera whenever I decided to part ways with it, but I figured that over several years the value of the camera would depreciate gradually (as the M8 and M9 did), but seeing as how late last year it cost $5400 for a clean used body and now one can acquire one in the same condition for $3000 in some cases I found that to be a rather surprising decline.

However that doesn't mean I'm looking to sell my camera, nor does it mean I'm going to change my intention of how I use it in the long-term sense. What it does show me though is that this will likely be the only digital Leica M body that I purchase and that when this M240 has outlived its usefulness to me I will let it go and just shoot film M bodies going forward (as I do now with my M2). I don't regret buying the camera, it's just always a bit sad when you think how much further your money could have gone had you waited a little bit 😉

Anyways, I'll just continue using it and dragging it around 🙂