I played with a Leica when I was about 19 years old back in the 1980s but never took the plunge (or could afford to), although that experience has lived on in my memory ever since. I finally bit the bullet and bought my first Leica, an m11P, which should be here this week. Talk about being excited, and I really enjoy your videos, keep up the good work.
Don't get disheartened by the immediate lack of results. I felt like I had forgotten everything I had ever known when I first used a Leica M camera. Now it's all second nature. Enjoy 😊
@@justamanwithanopinion Thanks for the encouragement. I started shooting with my M11-P for the first time the last week after trading in my Q2M for it. Your comment about the experience is spot on. I felt like a complete novice despite having shot for years on DSLRs and then mirrorless cameras. Sigh. But I am confident that with practice, the M11-P will be my go to for many years to come.
In nyc for a few days and made a pilgrimage to BH. My wife said “I’ll find a bench across the street since I know you will be in there for hours”. 30 min later I came out to her utter surprise. I went in with a singular mission - to finally hold an M in my hands. I am in love. I’m not a birder, kids are in college, so no more sports; it’s time for a camera for me. Even after telling her the price (used), she said, if that is what you want, sell your other gear and let’s save until you have enough to get what you want, you deserve it. My wife is awesome and everything is going on Fred miranda when we get back to Ohio.
The marketing hype is strong with this one, which other brand can get people to save up thousands for a camera 😂, Invest your money and buy it out of the profits from that investment, it's not all it's hyped up to be after the novelty has worn off, ends up just being a toy you take out once a while and the are many better tools for the job when photographing
@@kazino21 are there better tools? Yep, probably. But I don’t care. I’m 50 and for almost 40 years I have been taking pictures for one person and one person only - me. I have work that has occasionally been used in national ad campaigns and by news organizations but I have never made a dime; to do so would have made it a job and taken all of the pleasure from it. I have two main things in my life that I spend my money and time on besides my number on priority, which is my family. Those are travel and photography. I have friends with 40k boats to go bass fishing, 500k airplanes so they don’t have to drive to florida for vacation, 20k side by side atv’s to wander around on to go hunting. All of those things are completely (in my mind) unnecessary; a $1500 John boat, a $200 plane ticket and two legs would do all of those jobs perfectly well, but they have those other things because they can and they make them happy. Would a Nikon d90 from 2005 do the job? Yes, but a used $6k camera will make me happy.
yes exactly to make photos with a leica is some special so long it does not break down the leica workshop is b no experience to be recommended to anyone. my camera is now away since mid march that is 4! months!! no end in dight. total incompetence
A terrific primer on all things M. Thanks, Dave. Virtually every video on RU-vid assumes you are part of the club and know every nuance of how these beautiful devices work, so I know this will be incredibly useful to many, many people. I admired these cameras from afar for decades, but rarely ever saw one and it wasn’t till I was in my 50s and my kids were out of college that I could afford/justify the cost. Today I love my M11-P so much I want to marry it.
Thank you! Totally get that. If I hadn't purged a bunch of music/studio gear (that I had accumulated over many, MANY years) AND a few camera things I wasn't using (and some I was), I would have never been able to go into Leica as I did.
I had never seen a Leica camera in person, but a deal came up on Marketplace last year and I took the leap. My world changed and I haven't looked back since!
For me, the first 5 years of photography was about learning the tools/skill ... then the next 8 years was trying to get the best gear possible while continuing to improve ... then the last 2 years has been solving the mystery of what I lost along the way ... which is the experience, and the M provides that for me. I don't think I was really ready for what the M provides until 15 years into photography ... and having experienced the loss of what I first fell in love with. And for the record, my Xpro2 (shooting in manual with the OVF) gets really close, but the M feels like holding a hand crafted hammer and the Fuji feels like a well designed mass produced screwdriver.
Awesome video Dave! Just got my M11 two hours ago and doing som test shots on my way home. Pretty darn great experience! Thanks for creating these kind of videos. Love em all!
Finally! Owning a M6 and M240 for a few years now…I understand the frame lines completely! I’ve always had this partial understanding until now. Not sure what finally clicked with me but you get the credit!
Thank you for this fantastic video about the Leica M system. Capturing the essence of shooting with a Leica M is no easy feat, and you’ve done it beautifully. One thing that always stands out for me is the initial reaction to its weight. The moment you hold a Leica M, you can feel its heft and solidity. Since getting my M11 in silver, I love watching the surprised expressions of friends when they first feel its weight. It truly embodies the quality and craftsmanship Leica is known for. I won’t go back.
I it took me 40+ years before getting an M. have collected Fuji cameras for years. I then bought a Q2 and a Q2M. I didn’t think I could afford an M so I bought a Pixii range finder (French very small camera maker - think Leica M10-D). I loved the range finder experience, went temporally insane, and traded by Q2 and Q2M for a pair of M11s. I now have an M11-P and an M11M and I couldn’t be happier.
I'm 64 and have been shooting since the 70's and I never saw a Leica until I bought one 6 years ago and fell in love.. I was street shooting a couple of weeks ago with my M10 and came across a gentleman shooting with a Nikon Zf and his comment once he noticed my camera was "never see those in the wild" .
They’re a lot more rare to see than people would assume. I have friends in the community but if I didn’t, I wouldn’t expect to see many out in the wild.
@@davidherring Mine are the only ones I have ever seen in person and I find that pretty wild.. When I first started shooting them with a 240 I was worried that it would stand out, but in the past 6 years that person a couple weeks ago was only the 7th person that noticed what the camera was and I carry it everywhere, I mean everywhere and it drives my wife crazy.. lol
Thanks for this lovely intro to the Leica M. I have been shooting Leica rangefinders for 20 years now, and explaining how they are different to someone who never held one is actually very difficult. You grasped that part and I love your illustration of the view finder, frame lines and focus patch in this video. OTOH, there are lots of area's that you barely touched. No problem with that, an intro is just that. Make some people aware of what it is and maybe they will be curious enough to investigate further. As a Leica collector, I want to set something straight. The rangefinder lenses do not go back 70 years, they go back 95 years! Every lens released by Leica and by third paries since 1930 is fully compatible with the current Leica M11. A very simple adapter, only 1 mm thick will transform any lens for the LTM (aka M39) system to a rangefinder coupled M lens. There are some real gems to be found in these older (pre-M) lenses, and I use them regularly on modern digital M or even mirrorless camera's. Even some modern ASPH lenses from Voigtlander and other companies are still made in LTM, because the Leica M mount patent only expired in the late 90s and some models from that era are still in production. I would encourage anyone to pick up a film or digital M and use it for a while. I knew this was special when I held a Leica M8 in a store in 2008. I bought and used a Leica M2 for a week before I was completely sure. This was the way I liked to shoot... You need to really use a Leica M for a while to see what the magic is. And yes, the M is limited in some ways, as some comments point out, but no camera is all things to all people. The point is that on todays FF market the Leica M still has some unique qualities that can not be found in any other brand. I have several cameras to do what the Leica M is not good at. I know very few people that only use one camera for everything and even they will upgrade every few years when a better model comes along.
Ha you're not wrong about the 95 years! I was stating about the M mount, not the Leica brand itself. I actually have a very old 5cm Summitar I use with an adapter. Shooting a roll of black and white film on my M6 with that lens feels like shooting in a time capsule!
@@davidherring Of course you are right too. The Leica M rangefinder like it is now was only released in 1953 with the M3. I just wanted to point out that Leica kept the same mechanism inside the lens that they had been using since 1925, and since 1930 with exchangable lenses. So any lens from 1930 til now works exactly in the same way. Once you have mounted the adapter its mechanical function is just the same as a modern 2024 lens. Of course optical design, glass and coatings evolved a bit, but even the oldest lenses can still produce decent results on the M11. AFAIK this is the oldest lens system that can be used on a modern digital camera with the same functionality as any current lens.
About time someone made this video. It's surprising how little literal information on the system is on RU-vid. Even showing a mock patch and mock framelines isn't really in many videos. Maybe you've already done it, but a video covering tips for actual shooting would be awesome. The clock metaphor is a great example. There are a lot of little tricks like that. Like resetting to hyperfocal infinity between shots so you can "pull" the focal plane onto your subject in a simple predictable motion- always the same direction. Measuring for zone focus on your way out, then using that measurement to easily grab anything (sidewalk squares are a good example). Even just finding the contrasting verticals fast and first. I think people would really benefit from these simple tricks. No other system makes the process feel so much like a game. Reality itself feels basically like a video game. I even think of my aperture as my loadout. They're like little "grenades" of focal depth you can toss out to the right spot, and they explode to capture your subjects in the radius.
The best explanation I have found so far explaining the M model Leica. I am also an ex Sony shooter looking for a new way to shoot and I keep coming back to the Leica, I am really keen on the M11 monochrome. I can’t get away from it and keep getting drawn back to it.
Love your videos! 20-something years after graduating from photography school and not doing anything with that degree, I just picked up a M10-P and falling in love again...
I think it’s partially an age thing. Some of us began photography when autofocus, EVFs, IBIS etc existed only on Star Trek! So for us, the often quoted’ disadvantages’ are merely what was normal when we learned.
Thank you so much for this video, this is exactly the type of video I’ve been looking for. I’ve had a Q2 for two years and just decided to buy an M 10-r. I didn’t want to spend so much on an M11. Also, I’m not much for reading directions so I like this type of video to teach me more about the camera. I think I love it already!!
That`s a perfect explanation of the M`s raison d'être . Started out 35 years ago with an M3ds and now shoot a 246 and a BP M4 .I also use an SL2S and CL but enjoy the M the most .
Thank you for this very good presentation and explanation on the main special issues of this fantastic camera system. And so you transported me a further step from my Q2 to a M. Best regards
Good video. But. I owned an M8 and everything you’ve said is correct. Due to eyesight issues I sold it, and I’ll miss the shutter sound. I have to say at this point that my salvation is a Leica Q. Including a 35mm crop mode that gives me a frameline feel and I can do zone focussing. The evf is great as is the look and feel. Never say never though🙃✌️
Good idea to have made this video, long time owner of a Leica M7 and still working with TriX400. I have also found the same feeling with the Pixii Rangefinder Camera with M-Mount Lens. 👌🏽.
An amazing video super clear about the M philosophy, congratulations And one thing concerning the arrow for the ligthmetering system they indicate the direction where you have to turn your shutter speed dial or your aperture ring to get the good exposition, really useful when you know that :)
7Artisans has a stick on tab. I picked one up for my 50mm Summicron v3 which had no tab. Works wonderfully. Love my M11 and M5. I just purchased the M9M and waiting for it to be delivered. Although I knew all of this, I watched the entire video. Great overview!
Thank you for a very thorough review of the Leica M’s. I remember when I first got to use a Leica. My mother was gifted a Leica IIIF. It was a jewel of a camera but unfortunately it was stolen. My first camera was a Nikon F that I has my uncle pick up when he was stationed in Japan in the early 60’s but I lusted for a Leica M3 or M2 but they were about $350 - $375 body only (lol…about 1960 price). I finally made the plunge about 1972 when I bought a used M2 with 50mm Summilux for about $1000. Later also got an M3 and these have been my go to cameras. For someone looking to get into Leica M’s look at the older meter less models. You can Sunny 16 or get a light meter and still have some money to get an M mount lens. There are many used and new third party M mount lenses at very affordable prices. I prefer the M2 and M3 as 14:36 there is only one frame line in view. This is no problem as I use 28mm, 35mm and 50mm. On rare occasions I use the old and compact 90mm Tele-Emarit. Of course the M system isn’t for everyone. But for those who use the Leica M’s don’t regret their choice.
For me it has always been about the feeling of the camera. When you pick up a leica M then it feels so good. It is the build quality and feel of the buttons and it is built like a tank. Some times I just pick it up from the shelf and it gets me inspired to go out and shoot.
Just recently I got myself a Leica M6 and an M11. I still feel a bit slow with them, but starting to get used to them. These are the cameras I feel I will never sell, they're just so good.
Yeah my M6 is 40yrs old and will be with me for life and then go to my kids. My M11...I love it but one day I'll likely swap it for a newer model. Maybe the M15 haha.
@@davidherring Same here! What are your thoughts on the rumours of the M12 completely abandoning physical buttons in favour of a huge touch-screen? I'm both excited and disappointed by this. They obviously need to innovate and add new features to stay afloat, but at the same time the M is changing so drastically that it might start to lose those traits that made it iconic.
@@ilyamiskov I don't know, I saw the rumors today. Honestly, it's going to come down to knowing their current and future customers, and balancing this. I went with Lieca for simplicity and heritage. If the rumors about the M12 were true of say, the M10 or M11, I wouldn't have them. I would have figured something else out to have that simplicity satisfied. So I am not certain of what they will do, and with any rumors... no one is until Leica says it.
Back in the 70's, I had a Nikon F2 and had several focus screens that were interchangeable and one of the had the horizontal line similar to the Leica.
My M10 and M10 Monochrom are the only M cameras I’ve ever seen in person. I live in a town where people mainly use Nikon or Canon mirrorless while the beginner photographers just starting out use old canon DSLRs (which isn’t a bad idea) so I’m the odd one out but luckily not too odd, there are some who use medium format film cameras and even large format but those are people that are much older than me. But I would love to run into a fellow Leica owner one day, but I may have to travel somewhere else for that to happen. I still remember the very first day when my Leica M10 came in, got it for $3,800 in good condition with a new Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/1.4 II MC (which is super small) and I couldn’t believe I finally owned an M camera. After wanting one since 2019 I finally got one in August 2022. It honestly felt natural to me, like I’ve used it for a while but had only taken a break from using it. I could not believe the images, the colors science is my absolute favorite thing about my M10 and SL 601. Oh and the user experience of using a true rangefinder for the first time felt natural. What was in the frame was what would be in the final image, took me a little bit to trust the frame lines but after a couple of days I got the hang of it. The only thing that did take some time was the spot metering, luckily I’ve never lost any shots due to improper exposure but it did take the longest to get to grips with. Now I don’t see myself parting with either of my Ms. The M10 Monochrom was bought after renting a Q2M. While I liked the Q experience, I wanted to have the ability to change focal lengths, so I found a very lightly used M10M that had a basic servicing from Leica Tokyo (rangefinder calibration and sensor cleaning). The Monochrom experience just adds more to the Leica rangefinder in my opinion. I’ve always loved black and white and my SL 601 does absolutely beautiful black and white but I wanted the benefits of a true monochrome only camera and I’ve not looked back since. My 3 Leicas (M10, M10M, and SL 601) will be with me for as long as I live and stay in working order. I also have a Lumix S1R and GX85 for when I want to use more traditional mirrorless cameras and they’re also a joy to use (not as much as the Leicas though). The Leicas also cured my GAS because they taught me that I prefer a camera that’s absolutely fun to use and gives amazing photos and colors despite how old they are. So I don’t really have interest in newer cameras or the latest releases. I never thought I’d cure my GAS but my Leicas showed me what I really want in a camera and it’s not the latest technology or super high resolutions (which is rich consider I have a M10M 40MP and Lumix S1R 47MP cameras).
I had a Leica M6 but couldn't justify paying the price of film so sold it. Now I have an M11. Wow. I did feel like I had to relearn photography but what a journey...
I really relate to this. I sold my R5 kit and bought an X2D. I love it. But that said, I can see an M in my future (especially if it ever gains an EVF).
@@davidherring After watching a few more of your videos, I’m staring to agree. There are indeed benefits to the optical finder. I must admit, it would be nice to go back to absolute basics.
2:39 that’s also the reason I chose Nikon and it’s F mount lenses which fit and work since the ‘50s. I do have and love a M9-p for the last 10 years too. Nikon D700 & Leica M9-p …… what a combo!!! Both great sensors. M9 CCD sensor developed by Kodak to look like Kodachrome.
8:14 you can actually buy a stick-on focus tab(I think 7-artisan makes them) and stick it onto the lens, it works great for my 75mm f2.5 which also doesn’t have a tab
For real. And humanitarian history. Leitz took very good care of their employees and anyone else they could- up to and including smuggling Jews during WW2!
I now own both an M3 and an M-A, I love them because the range finder focus system just resonates with me. I get some of the sharpest pictures using those cameras vs any SLR. It’s just easy to use. Leicas are not for everyone and that is totally ok, at the it’s just a tool used to produce a picture. What is important is if makes you want to get out and shoot vs dreading it.
Bought my M6 and a used 35mm version 4 in 86 never serviced but still accurate. Added an M246 when it became available and have a few lenses now. The 35 is still a great lens.
there are also several pratical avantages with an M camera - Since the M 10 P the noise of the shutter is almost unperceptible so it allows to shoot without disturbing anyone when the area has to be very quiet (church, theater, ....) . When you experiment "intentional moving camera with a slow shutter speed the subject is always visible in the view finder. With all other modern cameras you become blind as the shutter is open. When I mount the Summaron 5,6/28mm wich is less than 2 cm long , the camera is so compact that it could fit in a pocket, or easy to protect it under the clothe when it's rainy. Never mind if the minimum aperture is 5,6 in low light regarding of the ISO with the last models. And it's particulary efficient with an M 10 or M11 monochrom.
Thank you for this video and your other great ones as well. I saw in another of your videos, you mention you are almost blind in your right eye. I am as well. It looks like you are comfortable using the viewfinder with your left eye. Do you find that difficult with the camera’s ergonomics (buttons/screen vs face/nose)? Add to this, that I also wear glasses. I tried an older digital M many years ago, for a few minutes in a Leica store. All seemed to be good then. Wondering if you would caution a left-eye dominant, glasses wearer, away from a digital rangefinder? Thanks!
I’m a left eye dominant, right handed, and often glasses wearer (to relieve headaches from single vision eye strain), and I have no problem using my left eye for photography. I don’t even notice it. I was born with no real vision in my right eye, so I’ve never known life with that eye working, so it all feels normal and natural to me.
Great video. I bought an m-10p and a 35mm summichron. Then I bought the 90mm summichron. Like you, I would not do that again. Thanks for your analysis.
I was about to retire when a new boss came in and wanted to cut staff, upshot was I worked a month beyond my retirement and got a redundancy payment . It could have gone into general funds but I decided part went on an X- vario. A few years after and the bank balance was better and an X2. Dammit these things are addictive so be warned! Still the best glasses I have looked through
Leica M is one of my favorite camera im thinking to change and get the m11 mono but i will love to see your next video on the q2 mono and how it performs. Thank you.
This is the video I've been waiting for. I always want to know how the focusing looked through the range finder. Is there a lot of maintenance required to keep them accurate?
Once calibrated I've found the focus accuracy not needing to be later readjusted. When a get a new (meaning used, but new to me) Leica rangefinder the first thing I do is check the calibration. If it is slightly off it's easily corrected in just minutes by adjusting a small hex screw.
Thanks for pointing out 3:45 about the picture you get isn't going to exactly be what you see in the viewfinder. I had a friend who returned back their M10 or M240 because when they were taking a picture, everything was exactly in focus, but the photo itself was always slightly shifted in perspective. I tried to tell them that it's always going to be close, but never exactly what the shooter sees. Instead of a 180 degree straight line, it might be 170 degrees, etc. They didn't listen to me and returned back a beautifully functioning M camera.
I’ve spent about 1 year using a lens without a focusing tab (50mm Summicron v5) and a year using a lens with a tab (Voigtlander 35mm f1.5). I prefer the tab and I’ve bought but not yet fitted one of those aftermarket tabs - an internally ribbed circle with a tab on the outside. Probably 3D printed. Any experience or views on whether it’s a workable solution?
I tried the SL and T models and the contrast and color science on these systems even though they are 10 or even more years old as of now, they still BEAT THE STINK out of new gears from Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, Nikon (whats a Nikon?) and I am on the look for a m camera to try it, I recall talking to you about the m8 so I am looking at videos and informing myself on the M. Because I will get one! When? God knows, not me.
Totally agree. I still think the SL601 and Q116 have some of the best color science of any camera, period. This was paramount to me when I sought an M body, and I ended up on the M240. Auto White Balance is a little cooler, but otherwise it captures a lot of that same magic. I refuse to fall into the trend of cameras relying on heavy RAW editing to let them just skip putting good color science right in the body.
@@SourPlanet I think thats one of the best perks Leica offers, the images don’t need much of a touch on editing because they are close to perfect straight out of the camera
The M8 is very unique with its crop sensor and Kodachrome style rendering. I don't edit my M8 raws other than exposure. The newer M's are much more normal in the sense of shooting and editing. Best of luck!
It was the old T which made me switch from Sony to Leica, because of the different rendering and better colours. My take is that I could use any Leica and be fine, although the M is special.
I discovered my 50mm Rigid from my M3 doesn’t play nice on my Type 262. It’s coming into contact with some of the internals on the 262. All of my M3 lenses work great! Even the 35mm with the goggles.
Love this camera! I think you need time to understand why you will love such a camera. Mostly you have a history with a lot of camera stuff and on one point you begin to think about all this stuff. Then you will take a M in your hands and it is over: you want one 😃😂 Love my M 246 monochrome ❤
I’m one of the opposite people. I never shot Sony or Fuji. I grew up with Canon Nikon and Leica. So for me it was a bit weird leaning those cameras. I do have a 21mm Voigtländer LTM on a Leica IIa but no finder. Still have that extra finder?
Very valid point. I've had a few freezes, they've just released new firmware yesterday so I'm hoping they've sorted that now but we'll see in the next week if anyone is still getting them.
After sneaking around the M9 as an object of desire for some time, I got my first Leica M (Type 240) in April 2013 - and was pretty much disillusioned. The colors were quite horrible and extremely difficult to bend into an acceptible look. You had to decide for either getting handsome skin tones or a nice looking blue sky - but you could'nt get both at the same time... There were also a lot of other downsides like not beeing able to move around the zoomed-in preview area. So I quickly sold it again - fortunately without loss - and switched over to Sony A7R arriving later that year. Now, after over 10 years with more and more technically perfect Sony camera generations (currently the A1), I was bored from that perfection and made another attempt with Leica M. This time I decided for a 16 years old M8.2 (the first digital Leica). It is so basic and imperfect compared to the A1 but the colors and vintage look out of the Kodak CCD sensor are so delightful, that I got back to really enjoying the shooting experience more consciously. So I think, it may need some time to be ready for the "M" and not every M will deliver, what you expect.
Thanks for another great video! I wonder what is the use of the additional and perhaps somewhat random additional framelines? If the focus is on the essentials surely one would not need to be presented with the 75mm view also for instance.
There is a frameline for each of the standard M focal lengths: 28,35,50, 75, 90 and 135mm. Nothing random about it. If you purchase a 75mm lens for your M, you will be glad to have the 75mm frame lines.
Thanks@@Mojave511, but I was actually referring to the additional frameline shown apart from the one representing the focal length. For simplicity I would think that you would prefer to have only one shown at the time, but maybe there is a good reason for the additional line?
@@Schulz1392 It's a carry-over from the mechanical framelines era. The same system is still used within the rangefinder apparatus-- it's just lit with an LED now.
Thanks@@SourPlanet! I heard somewhere that Leica used to customize framelines one request? Could be nice. I get the nostalgia of the old system, but not sure I see the point in the additional lines.
@@Schulz1392 Well, it's not really for nostalgia-- it's for backwards compatibility. The rangefinder mechanism uses a series of masks to accomplish framelines, and each mask has two. M mount lenses have a small "tongue" which activates the appropriate set of frame lines. Since the masks share a set of framelines, then two different focal lengths have the same "tongue" depressor. One major bonus of Leica is the insane breadth of lens choices. If they change the system, that will disrupt their legacy lens compatibility; and that's a major system draw.
Best camera and lenses ever made . Years of experience printing negs from all different lenses from 35mm cameras . The sharpness , the edge to edge flatness , and internal contrast can be seen and compared . I shoot nikon f cameras Because i can’t stand range finders and need slr focus . Leica thou is the best , bar none .
Great video Dave! I agree with all the points you made, but would like to add just a bit on why Ilove shooting with a rangefinder. First, i love the compactness. It means i can take my camera everywhere with me. Second, taking a picture is about visualing the shot before you lift the camera to your eye. With the optical (non-digital) viewfinder on a Leica rangedinder you experience the minimum change to how to then continue to view the scene after you bring the camera to you eye. This preservation of the organic viewing experience is addictive. Third, with the camera to your eye there are only two operations to do. One is to decide what should be in the frame - the frame lines let you see both what is in and what is out - and lastly focus. No autofocus is faster than zone focusing. And when it comes to manually focusing on a subject, aligning the double images in the patch is quick and easy - certainly when compared to trying to assess "sharpness" through an EVF, except when shooting with telephoto lenses or at f/0.95. Lastly, the images that i produce with my Leica rangefinders and M lenses have such a 3 dimensional quality. They are full of life and hopefully also beauty. I'm looking to capture this every day and the Leica rangefinders make this possible in a way i have not found elsewhere.
Small correction - while focusing shooting at f/0.95 may have benefits by using an EVF, I still prefer shooting these shoots using the rangefinder viewfinder.
The Ms are the best cameras of all time. I don’t own one now sadly but I really should get an M10 and that would do for me for the rest of my life. The only part I don’t agree with is your customisation point, people aren’t putting thumb grips on Sonys because Sonys don’t need them.
True, Sony's don't need them. But I use to put small custom stickers on all my gear so when I'm out shooting with friends, I could quickly identify my camera, caps, lenses, etc. I don't really need to do this with my Leica M11, as it has a black sticker, a wooden shutter button, and a thumb grip.
1st of all get into photography as early as possible in your life to be able to capture those precious moments: youth, kids, parents… any camera would work, but better when you have a portrait lens 85mm+ on top of a general purpose 35mm or 50mm. 2nd - print! Enjoy with age ;)
Good video but you forgot to mention that M’s have no ibis as well as all M lenses have no ois. Except Q line which use “ kind of M lens” which is actually not. And this might be a problem especially with high resolution sensors like M11’s 60.3 MP. Yes, the solution is in either shorter exposure or faster lenses. But fast Leicas M lenses cost a fortune. On other side who will ever carry a tripod with M11? All in all it is a very expensive, very niche camera which marketing slogan should be Perfection in imperfections.
The M system is limited by its own nature. In technical terms it is a dinosaur because the industry has moved on since the introduction of mainstream SLRs. But still, by the same nature it offers features that no other technology offers today. e.g. the size and quality of the lenses. And in some area's it excels so much that users want to sacrifice a bit here and there. There is no way to have everything in one system IMO. When used within its intended technical boundaries the Leica M system is unique, and most M users have other systems they use for things the M was not designed for. Many ask for IBIS now, and in theory there is no technical reason why Leica could not make a rangefinder with IBIS. For the moment it seems that size and weight prohibits Leica to release an M with IBIS. To clarify: The added thickness of a few mm for the first digital M8/M9 (39mm where all film Ms are 34mm) was a revolution in the M world. With the M240(42mm) Leica added 3mm extra and it was rejected by many Leica users because it was "too fat". Now they are back to 38,5 mm and that seems to be the ideal acceptable thickness. The 38,5mm thick M10 and M11 are praised for their "smaller" bodies today, so even adding an extra mm is a big issue... 😃 This just to illustrate that a Leica M user is accepting to give up AF and lots of other features , just for the joy of using a rangefinder, while at the same time he might make a big fuss over one mm extra body thickness or an extra 50g. in weight.
In short, and IMHO - Leica M is not for everyone. Especially not for people who tend to shoot very wide (28/21 or below) or very long (100mm+). It's not good for macro or even near focus shots due to the lenses being able to focus at the nearest of 0.7 m. The framing lines actually are pain in the a** to quickly make a straight and good composition. Shooting in portrait orientation and manually focusing is an even bigger pain in the b***. If your vision is not good, be prepared to splurge on additional viewfinder lenses in order to see something at all. There's no diopter adjustment as in (almost) any other camera. All in all, Leica M is primarily for people tending to shoot either 35mm or 50mm focal lengths. The 28/24 folks would be better of with a Leica Q (1/2/3). M is a wonderful camera system especially for its size and weight first, but comparing it to contemporary digital cameras with EVFs, I wouldn't say it's the best choice for most of people. If one wants to experience the Leica look and feel, I'd suggest him to get a SL2-S and adapting M glass via adapter. This is a much easier setup to use. I'm a happy user of SL2-S, M11 and Q3, and these are my 2 cents on the whole Leica in the modern age usage.
I own both the mentioned SL2-S as well as 3 rangefinders. While the SL2-S might be "easier" to use for those familiar with DSLR or Mirrors cameras, my M cameras are the ones that I always take with me. They are smaller and easy to carry everywhere. Shooting with a viewfinder becomes addictive. I'll post my thoughts on that separately.
I have very bad vision and coke bottle glasses. Can confirm, the M system is challenging. I literally can't see frame lines below 35mm- and 35mm is tough too. I think magnifier helps with longer lenses, but of course that's another accessory. But, yeah, it's not *ideal* but the experience and form factor is hard to give up.
Great Leica introduction....but I take issue with one statement. I'm constantly hearing how the viewfinder allows you to see what is happening outside the frame lines. I'm calling bullshit on this oft-repeated statement. The average person today shoots with an eye phone at arm's length distance. These shooters are seeing what is outside the frame. Most Mirrorless shooters also use the rear LCD to compose their images. Like the iPhone shooters, they are seeing everything happening outside the frame. By comparison, a Leica shooter isn't really seeing anything outside the frame. Not to mention a rangefinder basically forces you to focus your attention dead center of the frame... When is all this seeing outside the frame taking place? I've been thinking of writing an article titled, "3 Leica Lies I'm Tired of Hearing" and this one will be top of the list. This comment is not meant to be of offense to you, Dave. I love your videos.
Well, I understand your point. But the reality is, you CAN see what's outside your frame lines. Yes, you can on any system if you have two eyes open, but not everyone does. I've been on a shoot with my Sony this week, looking through the EVF and I can only see what I see and completely compose based upon the EVF. This just isn't the case with the M. Alongside my Sony this week, I've had my M11 and 50mm Summilux. I'm composing within the frame lines, even though there is plenty outside the lines I can see.
@@davidherring I'm sure you'd agree however, that at the vast majority of mirrorless shooters aren't using the EVF. When I first saw photographers do it, I thought it was a hobbyist thing only. Eventually I began to see that most professionals don't use the EVF either when they use a mirrorless camera.
😀😀 Please Dave DON'T! I still remember those 3 shots to the Roman Forum with your M10. Luckily it does not do video, so I CAN'T substitute my Q2 with a M, and I save more than 10K bucks 😛
For me it's going to be Leica. I love Hasselblad, but if it was a choice, I'd grab my Leica every time. That said, I shoot the 500CM all the time too. I don't have the 100C but I've used it and it's fantastic.
I don't understand the fuss tbh. I've had an M10 for 4-5 years and while the camera itself is a beautiful thing to behold there are numerous downsides. It's heavy. As in it weighs a tonne. I saw one comment about how its weight was somehow a demonstration of its craftsmanship - how? It's just made out of heavy materials. Woe betide the thing swings against your side as you will really feel it smacking into you! I wish it was lighter. The fact that what you see through the rangefinder window is slightly different to the final image is not a good thing - it's massively inferior to modern cameras in this way. It also makes it much much harder to do any photography that requires precision when it comes to ensuring perspective is accurate or pleasing. Then there's the idea that seeing outside of the framelines helps with composing your photo. This is bol*ocks and a legacy of a 70 year old design and an excellent example of Leica's marketing spin - hats off to them. Then there's the absurd price and the absurd cost of the lenses. They are undoubtably good but the prices are... mad. I was motivated to get an M10 as Leica are supposedly the pinnacle. They are what all photographers yearn for at some point along their journey - we fetishise over them - but in my opinion, they are... overrated, as cameras. They do look very nice as an accessory though and tbh I think this is a lot of the appeal. I have toyed with selling mine in recent years but fear I haven't quite understood the camera and will miss it once gone. I guess there's only one way to find out. Oh, and don't get me started on the SL2!
