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Yet another "Should I upgrade from M9?" thread.


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I have a chance to upgrade from an M9 to an M240 at a pretty good price, so I'm thinking about doing it. I'll have a chance to try out the M240 before deciding, so most of my decision will be based on my own experience with the two cameras. Before that happens, I've gotten way too caught up in reading comparisons online, looking at images from each camera, internally debating which one I would like better. With some background, I would appreciate any advice and points for consideration in making this decision, which is significant for me both financially and photographically.

 

I can only afford to have one digital M body. I think the M-Monochrom would be my preferred one, but it's a little out of my price range at the moment. My favorite M is my M7--it's quiet, easy to focus, and I love the resulting images, which I print up to 16" x 20". I shoot mostly Tri-X and some Portra 400. I find the texture of film in b&w prints to be really appealing. (If I could have one camera, it would be the M7 + 50mm Summicron.) But the process of scanning and printing is expensive and sometimes frustrating and more time-consuming that I can manage. Nonetheless, I love the process of shooting with this camera more than any other.

 

My first digital Leica was the M8, which I really enjoyed using and thought had excellent image quality and colors, particularly when paired with Leica lenses. I then upgraded to an M9, which I also really liked. Though I mostly convert to B&W, the color images can be used and look special without any post processing. I use Lightroom and Nik applications, but I would prefer to not have to process my images on the computer. I don't enjoy the process much at all. Thus, having a really flat, malleable file upon DNG import isn't necessarily a good thing to me. (I know that goes against my desire for an MM.)

 

With that said, why would I consider upgrading? Well, not having been able to shoot my M9 at f/8 or above has been somewhat limiting because of the sensor corrosion issue. I don't change lenses or clean my sensor often, so I don't know if the problem would return in a couple years once I get it replaced. But I imagine that, at some point, Leica will no longer be able to replace the sensors, and I'll then have to pay much more to upgrade. Or maybe that's an overly pessimistic outlook, and they will support the M9 for another decade.

 

Some of the usability features of the M240 appeal to me. Some people say that the rangefinder is easier to focus, and that would be a boon. I've found the M8 and M9 more difficult to focus than the M7. I like that the body is weather-sealed. I like the quieter shutter sound, although the discreet mode on the M9 is good enough for me. One of the major issues I've had with my M9 is not always knowing whether to trust the rangefinder or not. Having liveview confirmation and a better LCD screen now and then might improve my confidence in shooting with the rangefinder on the M240 with different lenses. That would be worth quite a bit to me. Being able to shoot reliably at higher ISOs would be nice, but I don't really need any more capability than what I can get with traditional 35mm film. I understand that the M240 might be more responsive, and that's a good thing. I don't like missing shots because my camera has been asleep and I forget to first press the shutter release to wake it up before taking a photo.

 

I don't having interest in video or the longer-life battery or bigger buffer. Those features simply don't come into play in how I shoot.

 

So, part of the decision will be about which camera I enjoy using more. I suspect it will be the M240. And part of it will be about which camera produces images that I like better. That I'm not sure about right now. Based on what I've seen so far, I fear that I may be in the camp that favors the M9 images. The ones I've seen from the M240 too often look like what I could get by processing files from my Nikon D600. That's not a bad thing--the D600 has many great, objective qualities: dynamic range, color representation, etc. However, the images also often look too smooth, too plastic-like, too perfect, too digital, too accurate, etc. And I want a Leica that will produce a subtly distinct look that is more textured, more film-like, less realistic and more interpretive.

 

Anyhow, I'll be trying out the M240 to see if I think it's a suitable digital alternative to my M7 and a replacement for my M9--not only in the way it handles, but also in the way it uniquely renders images.

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I replaced my M9 with an M mostly on account of the EVF. Of course, I knew that it's not the best EVF there is, but it still beats lugging another camera around for those few shots when I'm out of my depth with the RF.

 

However, what finally made the difference for me was not the EVF, even though it works well enough for my needs, but the RF. It's vastly superior to the RF in the M9.

 

The other features of the camera which you describe above are quite nice, too, and I would not even consider returning to the M9, having accustomed myself to the M.

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consideration in making this decision, which is significant for me both financially

 

My advice is to save your money. Stick with the M7 and Tri-X – a winning combination that works beautifully and which you acknowledge you already like.

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I fully encourage you to get an M7, but as regards upgrading to an M240 consider that a new model isn't so far away given Leica's turnaround history. After the standard model (the M240) has been upgraded to the 'pro' model (the M-P) it isn't a long time before the next new camera arrives. So buy an M7 or wait for the new digital, but either way the M7 will last far longer and won't become outdated in the same way a digital Leica does.

 

Steve

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I'm happy with my M9 and wouldn't think of upgrading, except for the sensor corrosion issue. Through the decades I've always carried an SLR (SL, R4, etc.) for long lenses and macro, so for my use an A7 as a companion made more sense than moving to the 240. Now I'm debating again due to the potential for my M9 sensor...

While the Monochrom would be tempting, I still prefer my M4 for B&W work.

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I fully encourage you to get an M7, but as regards upgrading to an M240 consider that a new model isn't so far away given Leica's turnaround history. After the standard model (the M240) has been upgraded to the 'pro' model (the M-P) it isn't a long time before the next new camera arrives. So buy an M7 or wait for the new digital, but either way the M7 will last far longer and won't become outdated in the same way a digital Leica does.

 

Steve

 

For context, I have an M7 and an M9. I'm thinking about replacing the M9 with an M240 because I have a nice opportunity to do so.

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I'll have a chance to try out the M240 before deciding

Don't do this if you expect to keep your M9 ;) unless RF accuracy, quieter shutter noise and cleaner high isos are of little importance for you. Now don't expect the M240 to compete with more modern bodies if you intend to use it in LV/EVF mode mostly.

I would prefer to not have to process my images on the computer

The M240 is not the best option then i'm afraid. If you're happy with the out of camera jpegs of your M9 you could be disappointed with those of the M240. Matter of tastes though. Trying the M240 out will be necessary here anyway.

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You can make a preset in LR to convert to JPEG. The computer will run it through all designated images at 5 to 10 sec apiece. You can have several presets, one for more or less saturation , one for portraits etc.

 

When you use out of the camera JPEGS, how does it know how much sharpening to apply which should be based on print size.

 

Nothing more dull than scanning tri x. Different matter if you have a darkroom and then you do not want digital at all.

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Hmm. I upgraded in Jan 2014 but what I really wanted to do was keep my M9 and add the 240. My wife went (understandably) ballistic when I met her in Oxford Street after visiting Leica Store Mayfair and so I had no choice, really, but to plan to sell the M9.

 

I sold my M9 to a lovely member here, on the buy & sell, and I followed her photostream on Flickr. I see some images taken with the M9 and, I have to say, I want it back. Don't get me wrong; I love my Typ240 and I don't regret my decision, but the M9 is special in many ways. I don't want to get into the old CCD vs. CMOS debate here but I miss the look of the M9 images; there is something to them that can't quite be replicated with the Typ240. One thing I don't miss, however, is the high ISO performance; the Typ240 has a couple of stops advantage, there.

 

The truth is: I am not able to justify having two digital Leicas. The Typ240 was the right one for me, ultimately, because what I "lose" with the M9 I make up for with so much more. Better high ISO, better screen, the ability to use an EVF (I have the Olympus VF-2) and, not insignificantly, a quieter and more sophisticated sound to the shutter-charge.

 

I have the M7 as well; I love it and will never sell it. It is my Monochrom ;)

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I have a chance to upgrade from an M9 to an M240 at a pretty good price, so I'm thinking about doing it. I'll have a chance to try out the M240 before deciding, so most of my decision will be based on my own experience with the two cameras. Before that happens, I've gotten way too caught up in reading comparisons online, looking at images from each camera, internally debating which one I would like better. With some background, I would appreciate any advice and points for consideration in making this decision, which is significant for me both financially and photographically.

 

I can only afford to have one digital M body. I think the M-Monochrom would be my preferred one, but it's a little out of my price range at the moment. My favorite M is my M7--it's quiet, easy to focus, and I love the resulting images, which I print up to 16" x 20". I shoot mostly Tri-X and some Portra 400. I find the texture of film in b&w prints to be really appealing. (If I could have one camera, it would be the M7 + 50mm Summicron.) But the process of scanning and printing is expensive and sometimes frustrating and more time-consuming that I can manage. Nonetheless, I love the process of shooting with this camera more than any other.

 

I would wait. The M was out in 2013, a replacement will likely be out in a year or two. It may offer higher resolution.

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I would wait. The M was out in 2013, a replacement will likely be out in a year or two. It may offer higher resolution.

 

I don't have much need for higher resolution or better high ISO. For me, it's all about the tactile experience of shooting with a camera and the look of the images it delivers. (Note this is not sharpness or resolution or color accuracy or noise, but something more subjective. See, for example, the work of Pari Dukovic, whose images I really love.) 18-24MP is about all I want to deal with for my personal photography.

 

I also have never been able to justify/afford a brand new Leica digital M, so I typically buy at least a couple years into the lifecycle of a camera.

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Just to add: I never felt there was any difference to the RF viewfinder between M9 and M. I don't doubt that they may have made some improvements but I could never tell what they were.

 

Part of the issue around ease of focus between, say, M7 and digital M has to do with the VF magnification. Assuming you have the standard .72 In your M7, it will have a longer effective rangefinder base cf. the M or M9.

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I decided not to switch to the M240 because surprisingly all the features I thought I wanted in the new camera like the EVF didn't do anything for me. What I really liked over the M9 is the sound and feel of the new shutter and the new LCD screen. Try it out in the store and see what it does for you.

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