Leica M (Type 240) Hands-On Review 

personally, I bought Leica M to play with it. it is not just about stellar image quality, there are a lot cheaper cameras with same specs and similar quality in the market. but, with Leica, you can really feel the experience of taking pictures and it will never be the same with other cameras. Sure, it is very expensive. but it is worth the price. try before judging it, you will love it.

Another excellent, informative Camera Store review. Keep em coming!

People that don't get Leica, just don't get Leica. Moreover, most people that buy a Leica M will not use it like a soccer parent with their new fancy DSLR and kit lens. I have pro DSLRs that I use to make money as I am a semi-professional wedding and portrait photographer. They are big plastic computers that allow you to shoot in the dark. They have more options than iPhones and everybody has a DSLR nowadays. I got my Leica M8 to slow me down. It's a finely carved hunk of brass and mag alloy that mates to the world's best optics. I find I actually think about what I am gonna photograph and the whole process of making an image with a Leica is intoxicating. Leica Ms make you a better "photographer." You capture moments rather than just making cool images. Sort of like shooting film. I love my Nikons and my D800 is amazing. But, when I go out the door, it's always the Leica M8 with Elmarit 28mm that goes in my bag. That and a Nikon FE film camera.

The RX1 certainly does have a crispness too it but all comparisons you see are straight raw files converted without sharpening in lightroom. The Leica M 240 does render colour and tone very uniquely and the boost in dynamic range is a big plus. Chris @ The Camera Store TV

Cant wait to watch this in 1080p while having breakfast :) You just know that when TheCameraStore has a new video uploaded that its gonna be great!! You guys are easily one of the top camera gear video makers on youtube, keep up the good work and your own style! Greetings from Finland.

You guys do some of the best camera reviews out. Its like the opposite of DigitalRev. Informative, professional and speaks to the average camera consumer.

You guys always have the best and most trustworthy reviews anywhere on the net! Thank you so much for giving amazingly down to earth and unbiased reviews!

Hey Erik, thanks for enjoying our show. Monopods and tripods are good ideas but a good video camera should render any movement that is present nicely. The M doesn't have a truly appropriate shutter speed given it's frame rate but also seems to render motion in a stilted fashion which to our eyes is less pleasing than other cameras. It's subtle but it's there. P.S. if your getting jitters on your SLR try a shutter speed double your frame rate if you haven't already. Chris @ The Camera Store TV

this is the best Leica M review , very honest and very practical review, many many thanks to Chris.

I'm never disappointed with your reviews. Great work, keep doing it. :)

That photo was shot on a 50mm F2 @ F2. Chris Tait also had a 35mm F1.4, 28mm F2.8 and 75mm F2.5. I'm glad I hung onto the originals to check the EXIF data! Jordan @ The Camera Store TV

Chris is getting better with doing these videos. Nice work!

Really beautiful pictures from Chris. Thank you guys for the video.

Finally ! Review with print samples.

To be fair I never used one for extend periods, only tested two that my friend has because its very expensive, the build quality and the less are top I can say that :)

An enjoyable review. Glad to see, for the most part the M lives up to expectations. Good job Chris.

The adaptor was not delivered in time for the review, but we have used M lenses with an extension tube and it works brilliantly! Jordan @ The Camera Store TV

You guys deserve 10x more subscribers for sure, keep up making these awesome reviews!

Love these TCS reviews!..

Did you use a tripod with each camera system in approximately the same place when making the comparison photographs?

It's funny, snow is a staple in The Camera Store TV videos, while sunny and hot days are the most common in DigitalRev.

Excellent review as usual Chris.

Happy with my M9-P and great glass.

Very anxious to get mine! Even with some limits I am shure I will enjoy this camera. And over all, it is the only full frame interchangeable lens camera that will fit in my bicycle handlebar bag.

I feel another serious digitalrev video

Wow this is much more of an actual pound for pound review. Good job sirs!

Thank you very much Chris for this nice video.

Thank you for the review. I'm using a Fuji XE1, but I'm falling in love with thi Leica M. It now has all what I wanted in the previous M.

The image quality is identical to the M9, which has been written about in great detail by many photographers. All you sacrifice is a USB port and frame line preview. With so many new cameras out there, we probably won't do an M-E video in the near future. Jordan @ The Camera Store TV

This was a great balanced review. I'm quite certain my conclusions will be quite similar. Thank you for making the leap and putting your reputation on the line with your comments on the rx1. And thank you for comparing prints. Good job. From a Leica user.

Super awesome backwards walking!

There is a way to see the exposure changes "live". If you half press the shutter and adjust the settings it will update in real time to the actual exposure.

I'm going to assume you mean me, Chris Niccolls, and not my counterpart Chris Tait. He's going to be hurt but he'll get over it. Thanks for watching our videos! Chris @ The Camera Store TV

I think it has something to do with our respective proximity to the equator. We actually had liquid water outside today!!! Chris @ The Camera Store TV

Excellent review, as always!

Very interesting review. Thank you so very much.....

Agreed.

I just want a Leica so much

Chris, very enjoyable and informative as always. It was very useful to see the comparison between RX1 and M9 too... now I need to find some money to buy this! I tried noctilux beast with M, and man that is a killer combo.

I seriously think TCS deserve a lot more attention than they currently have

I like this video a lot. Good honest opinion and the guts to play it side by side against a camera like the RX1. Most Leica reviewers would immediately put Leica on a different playing field so it does not look bad even when other brands are doing a better job at not even 1/2 of the cost. Leica still makes some great lenses with some very unique image signatures. It may boil down to personal taste but on the camera body department Leica does not seem to be able to win with a 3rd party supplier.

I was posting as I was watching ;) Great Review! LiveView and the ability to use an EV are great additions to the system.

Great review!! Very thorough and honest

Looking for something smaller (for stills!) than my DSLR with an optical viewfinder, so I thank you very much for the excellent video from a non-Leica-purist.

Great review. I love the style of these.

You are the Colin Farell of photography. Awesome!

Very nice reviewed and thanks.

Best Leica M review. Thank you.

Excellent video! Thank you very much!

This makes me feel A LOT better about going broke for an RX1 even though they are totally different cameras. I'd still rather have the Leica M mostly bc I can change lenses, but the size of the RX1 is ridiculous. So portable. Great review!

Its clear that people buy and enjoy leica like a hobby or something like that, not because its good the best one, I don't get or agree with that but hey there a crazy people for everything right?

Excellent and well thought out review. The Leica M is enticing for those of us that have M lenses. Unfortunately I find the RX-1 a more interesting camera for street photography, candid portraiture, environmental portraiture and for discreet compact carry. Thanks and keep it up!

Great review, thank you very much!

What I was going to say before I pressed return was , I desperately want to like the digital m cameras but feel do let down with reliability they are only good for amateurs as a pro could not rely on them like you could before. One of the big selling points to me as a professional is reliability which most people don't even mention. Reliability is even more important than picture quality.

Excellent review!

It certainly is, a nice feature but the lenses aren't yet so I think it only serves to provide perceived confidence in your investment being safer Chris @ The Camera Store

i wouldn't walk backwards on the snow holding a leica with one hands. you like to risk :)

He's referring to the manufacturer of the sensor, CMOSIS, a relatively unknown Belgian sensor manufacturer, not to the sensor type (ie. CMOS).

You can still mount your lenses, they work just the same as the mount hasn't changed outside of the coding. You won't be able to see your aperture or what lens you used in your EXIF data but the photos will be there and look awesome.

In terms of clarity and detail I would say yes it's better, and I love the D600. The Leica M also has very pleasing colour and tonal range but the D600 gives better high ISO quality and dynamic range. It's really mostly to do with the physical advantage of leaving out the mirror and gap and not the glass. In the end though a shovel made in Germany and a shovel made in Japan both dig holes. Chris @ The Camera Store TV

Amazing that the RX1 can compete considering the massive price difference.

TCS Team: Bravo on another superb, subjective, and informative camera review. I'm on the fence regarding the new M (240), and you raised some excellent points that any potential buyer should ponder. I'd love to hear your thoughts regarding the new grip and the EVF (same as the X2). In addition, did you experience any software/firmware issues as this is a new generation for Leica. Thanks, and please keep up the outstanding work!

Great review! I know that Leica has its followers, but it seems that nearly every camera they bring out has technology that is a few years behind the competition's and a price that is a few thousand dollars higher than the competition.

i love that camera!

11:22 That's a crop from the M9, not the M240 compared to the RX1 though! (I actually have all three cameras as well!)

Very nice review .

What are you talking about? Did you see the images? The M clearly has better image quality in every regard to the M9. Sharpness, color depth, tonal quality, contrast, dynamic range, and iso performance are all improved.

Jordon the only thing I do not like about the Sony NEX-FS700U is that it does not have a coffee mug holder. I think that's a deal breaker for me when filming out in the cold. LOL

Chris, you looked so young man~

I have an old Leica M6 (Film camera) with two old Leica lenses; 35mm 1:2 / 35 Summicron and 90mm Summicron 1:2 APO ASP. If I buy this new Leica M ( 240) - digital body only, could I still use my old Leica M6 *lenses : 35mm Summicron and 90 mm Summicron with Leica M (240) ? Do I need an adapter ? Are these lenses compatible with Leica M ( 240 ) ? OR I have to buy a new Leica M (240) lenses ? Specific for Leica M (240) only.Thanks. Bernie ( Ret.)

Image quality might be better, yes. But the focus on the RX1 is incredibly slow and a rangefinder has many advantages for accurate shooting. Not to mention it's a fixed lens; you are comparing apples to oranges when it comes to what type of camera it is.

great review thanks

Great review! Keep up the good work. Just wondering why you didn't include the external viewfinder.

Hey Chris, thanks for the review! Big fan. Just one request. Could you PLEASE do a review on the new Leica M-E as well. I've seen a lot of the M review, but not much on the M-E, and preferably a comparison test between the M-E and the M9. Thanks!

They milk the brand name, but I still feel that you're paying the money not for any perception of IQ but for the unique nature of shooting a rangefinder. It's all about the experience of shooting and not the final product. One could argue that liveview makes the camera less unique compared to the rest though. Is that good or bad?

St Pattys! Nice review, would be nice if I could afford Leica gear for street shooting and portraits.

I can understand your opinion, its just that as soon as I got used to the 50 'lux asph it was hard to use anything else.

....camera and lens setup when there are very able cameras out there that in my opinion do just as good a job.

great review chris, just one note -- the jittery video, wouldnt that be from not using a stabilizer? i get the same jitteryness no matter what slr/photography camera i use for video, and you guys were on a train which i feel would exacerbate that. thanks and great review like always, been watching a lot of your stuff

From what you have shown today, I think I like the image quality of the RX1 better. Which is strange to me, because I always thought that Leica was the best in it´s market.

Get Last Identity leather Strap for it, they are great...

would love to see a review with the R lens adapter but great review

We mentioned this at 5:36.

M-E is exactly the same as the M9 except without a frame-line selector or USB port. Same sensor, screen, menu, etc.

I would any time choose a Fuji X over this Leica!

Chris!! I'm on the pre-order list for the Leica M and am expecting it very soon. If it arrives, I can't return!!! Need your opinion ASAPPP please T.T. So, i ordered the Leica with the classic 50 Cron. I love how "pure" it is - little gimmicks, however I also saw tests of the RX1 and it is AMAZING in detail. However, the colour seems to have less "character" than the M, and the electronic focusing leaves little to be desired. What's your take!?

He's filming the D7100 review today. He might compare it with Pentax and Canon's offerings. Liked this review. Any words about the abysmal DxO sensor results?

Wish they hadn't not done the "video" mode. They should have put as digital/optical switchable finder or optical with digital read-out options as well as the live view. Not going to make me switch from m9 as I don't really want to drop that money.

The M-E is not a successor, it's the M9 renamed and without the frameline "preview" lever and USB port.

Just curious - what do you have against the Leica straps? I personally love them - I have them on all my cameras. They're simple and never get in my way or slip.. Thanks

quick question regarding Chris' photos. What lens was he using for the images shot? Specifically the first one at 8:29?

I would not buy this camera ... The M-E on the othere hand, yes please! And please people, if someone likes to shoot Laica? Why not? Leica still makes some of the best feeling and most durable camera's. And there made for the street and i think leica makes the best camera's for that market. I would like you to point your D800+ lens in someone's face :P. And if you really hate Leica, try one, with a 35 sumi, you will love it ;)

From the days of working as a cruise ship photog in the late 1980's Iusing M4's & M4-p's to using the m6 in the 90's I bought an M8.2 which is a very nice camera but with very disappointing reliability compared to the others.

From the eoshd interview with Leica I was expecting extraordinary video, it's averaging pixels rather than line skipping. But maybe that's also related to the weirdness you observed, perhaps rolling shutter effects are different in this setup.

I wish you could review Nikon D-7100 against Pentax K-5 II / Pentax K-5 II s Please vote up if you think it would be interesting review..

i wish i have RX1 .. beautiful camera 👍

At this price point, the only sane comparison for this camera would be the Nikon D4s and the Canon 1Dx , both of which smash this snobby thing to pieces in terms of frames/second, ISO, focusing, etc.

SONY RX1 FTW!

Well, it does work fine being quite cold.

Chris & Jordan, could you pit D800E + Distagon 35/1.4 against Leica M + Summilux 35/1.4 ASPH FLE? I think it would be fairer to compare similarly specified lenses. Too bad there is no D600E yet.