Why did you decide to buy a digital Leica M.

[ptpdprinter]

Typical obnoxious response that I expect out of you.
I really don't know why you post here- nothing good to say, nothing to contribute.
This is an older forum, and has lost many members that get tired of people like you.

At least I was self-deprecating in contrast to your egomania.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

At least I was self-deprecating in contrast to your egomania.

No Egomania, posted a compliment from someone younger than the camera I was using.

You know nothing, you contribute nothing. You stroke your Ego with your witty little remarks made at the expense of everyone else.

I guess you have to post here, most other forums have banned people like you from ruining things.

 

[jsrockit]

Ok guys, relax. I like this particular thread and would like to keep it open.

 

[Darthfeeble]

The Leica mystique. I kinda liked the M8 but it had so many limitations, I loved the M9 even with it's flaws, but again limitations. I now have an M10 and have yet to find serious limitations.

 

[joe bosak]

I saw an M8 I could afford, so I bought it. I found it does what I wanted when I tried the X100T and XPro1 previously. I wasn't particularly after a Leica M, if there had been a Zorki 4K Digital I'd have bought that.

 

[Godfrey]

I continue to use both media, film and digital capture. My current digital cameras (M10-M, Light L16, CL, Hasselblad 907x, etc) are more capable in most ways than my film cameras (M4-2, Retina IIc, Hasselblad 500CM, etc) in most ways that matter and are more convenient/less expensive to shoot with. Between the two types of Leica M, with the same lenses, the differences are apparent but each has its charm. There's little "downside" to either ... what's best is what produces the right photos for your eye and the workflow that you prefer.

G

 

[CLAdictic]

I bought a CL digital when they first came out with the 18 f2.8 lens. Never regretted the purchase, and it's been a love affair from the first. Have not found a need or reason to drop a lot of money on a fancier digital M.

 

[Michael Markey]

I am still finding it easier and more practical to use a digital camera than using a film camera, but I find it more fun to occasionally use a film camera for smaller numbers of images. It is less costly these days to use a digital cameras than a film camera if you must send out the film for developing and scans. At least we are lucky to get both options available to us, Peter.

I find it easier and more practical too. I still have my film M`s but my daily user is a CL or SL2s . Either with M lenses (heresy I know but I like/prefer peaking) or native L glass. Both the CL and SL2s bodies allow me to use the longer F/l lenses I need but still facilitate the smaller lighter M lenses. So for me they are more flexible than just an M body . If I didn`t need the longer glass though I`d be happy with just an M body.

 

[Out to Lunch]

The main reason I bought the Leica SL2-S instead of another M, is that Leica did not invest in worldwide tech support for their M's. No more rangefinder adjustments is a blessing when you don't stay in one particular region. Also, with the M adapter on the SL2-S, shooting with M glass is a breeze. Cheers, OtL

 

[Godfrey]

The main reason I bought the Leica SL2-S instead of another M, is that Leica did not invest in worldwide tech support for their M's. No more rangefinder adjustments is a blessing when you don't stay in one particular region. Also, with the M adapter on the SL2-S, shooting with M glass is a breeze. Cheers, OtL

Hmm. Doesn't seem much of a justification to me.

I don't think I've ever needed to re-adjust the rangefinder in any of my Leica Ms, presuming that it was properly calibrated and collimated when I purchased the camera. Only one of my Ms ... the 1978 M4-2 I currently have and use ... required that service, but it was a 'bargain' grade purchase from KEH in 2011: was filthy inside and the rangefinder mechanism all gummed up. It's been 11 years since that service and is still perfect, and the camera has been used and carried about with no special care. None of my digital Ms (four of them to date) or prior film Ms (six? eight? can't remember) have ever needed a viewfinder serviced.

When I had the SL, I found that Leica R lenses were much easier to use on it than Leica M lenses ... a matter of the consistency of control positions and ergonomic feel on the R lenses compared to M lenses. Both worked well, however.

Re-visiting this topic again now, I bought another digital Leica M because I find now that my eyes don't accommodate using an EVF easily in bright sunlight as well as they used to, and a coupled rangefinder focusing system is much easier to use in such circumstances. Plus, the allure of the M10 Monochrom proved just about irresistible to me: this camera can see in the dark and has absolutely amazing dynamic range. (And I had all the lenses I need to use it already as well...)

G

 

[boojum]

Sensor image

 

[Out to Lunch]

"Hmm. Doesn't seem much of a justification to me." You've owned a dozen Leica M's and had one sent for rangefinder adjustment, only. Maybe you didn't use them all that much? It's all good, G. Cheers, OtL

 

[Godfrey]

"Hmm. Doesn't seem much of a justification to me." You've owned a dozen Leica M's and had one sent for rangefinder adjustment, only. Maybe you didn't use them all that much? It's all good, G. Cheers, OtL

"Didn't use them all that much?" Hmm lessee: only about 200,000 exposures on film and twice that on digital in the past 47 years, roughly 10,000 exposures per year... Yeah, I barely touch the darn things.

G

 

[Godfrey]

I've been so delighted with the M10-M since I acquired it last April... it is truly one of the most inspiring cameras I've owned... it's made me re-think my equipment kit, which right now spans five systems of bodies and lenses across film and digital. I decided that I would acquire an M10-R so as to have a color body that used all the same lenses and accessories with the same nominal pixel resolution, and sell most of everything else.

The M10-R I selected from my favorite Leica pusher (uh, dealer) arrived on Thursday evening. It's in beautiful shape cosmetically. I tested it yesterday: It has an issue ... rangefinder collimation and calibration are slightly off. So it will become the second Leica M that I send for a rangefinder service, out of 5 digital and 12 film Ms since the 1970s.

The dealer is taking care of it for me, of course. 😀

G

 

[TL7]

I just got a used but in LN condition 240 MP black paint for $2500- w/Leica 1 year warrantee. I promised myself years ago when these dropped into the mid 2000's range pricewise I would jump on one. I havent bought an M since the M3 in 88 and the M6 a year later.
So I actually feel like a photog again...it feels just right. I think its the perfect implementation considering all the issues they had before that. I bought it for video too and even though video is outdated it still has the fun factor in spades and is a real Leica. When I want to shoot better video I'll take the Panny S5 or the Sigma FP out for a spin. For me I'm just shooting the camera in B&W..it just seems right..and the files look very nice. Sure I would like the low light performance of current models..but wont buy until video is included because its a blast to shoot vids on a rangefinder and thats a must for me to spend that kind of dough. The rangefinder works fine for a bunch of my M lenses but the 35mm 1.4 pre wont focus correctly at infinity but is fine in the closer range. I just have to put a new infinity mark on the lens and every thing will be a-ok. Maybe if I get it CLA-ed I'll have Leica adjust which is what they suggest. It's real nice shooting a Leica M again. My film M's have been laying fallow for years now and its great to be able to shoot an M once more.

 

[wlewisiii]

I wanted a rangefinder, I wanted digital because of the cost of film and I had a small inheritance fall into my lap. I managed to parlay it into a M 240, a delightful handful of lenses, leather by Aki-Asahi & case by Luigi 😉

From the night I recovered it:

 

[Rayt]

Why Leica digital? I already have all the M lenses. If I had gotten into Hasselblad XD for example I would have had to also buy more lenses, so it was just practical.

Why did I stick with it? I tried digital before and it didn’t take. I had the M9 and then trade in when the Monochrom came out. Didn’t use it much along side my film M’s. At the time I thought it didn’t do anything my M7 couldn’t do. When the sensor got corroded I had it fixed and then sold it. The M10M is what I am using now. It’s a more advanced camera and can let me shoot at fast shutter speed with seemingly unlimited iso. I could get shots I couldn’t get with film or the M9M. It turned out to be useful.

 

[helen.HH]

I do both... film & digi
but as of Late digi is becoming more the way for Me to create
understanding it's uses and 'look' to fit my way of 'seeing'

I have crossed over to the darker side... giggles

 

[Godfrey]

... The rangefinder works fine for a bunch of my M lenses but the 35mm 1.4 pre wont focus correctly at infinity but is fine in the closer range. I just have to put a new infinity mark on the lens and every thing will be a-ok. Maybe if I get it CLA-ed I'll have Leica adjust which is what they suggest. ...

The 1972 Summilux 35mm I bought in 2011(?) or so had already been modified for use on the digital bodies. I had it CLA'ed and further modified so that it now has the correct six bit code and mates up with the digital Ms' EXIF and such automatically. It's worth doing that ... and definitely one of my favorite lenses. 🙂

G

 

[eckhardf]

I have had film M's for quite a few years now and built a modest collection of LTM and M mount lenses. I had been happily using these lens on a Fujifilm XE digital body but the 1.5x crop factor bugged me a bit as I prefer 35mm fov and wider for street photography. I always wanted a full-frame digital in RF form factor (didn't have to be Leica) to adapt my lenses to; but couldn't stomach the Sony Alpha series ergonomics and user interface: and Fujifilm remained committed to APSC sized sensors.

I wasn't totally convinced by Leica's digital offerings for the money and more than pleased with the XE ergonomics and performance. Then the M-D (Type 262) was released. Having been mesmerized by the M60; suddenly here was an almost affordable version available to the common man! If I was ever going to own a digital Leica; the M-D would be the one.

I was able to buy one second hand in 2019 for an almost affordable price - and I dare say it will be the last digital Leica I will ever own - mostly due to my financial sensibilities.

In late 2021 I suffered the dreaded SD card read error and my M-D made a multi thousand dollar repair trip from Australia to Leica Germany and back again. In the approximately six month interval I bought a Sony A7C (full frame RF form factor and closable rear screen) to use. Sensor performance was an order of magnitude better but the user experience felt soulless and, well: digital!

After that experience; no more Leica digital camera's for me (I think it's the only digital camera I have ever had fail). And besides; I now have a fully functional M-D again that is exactly the digital camera I desire.

Thanks for listening.

Eck.