Leica M and M-E

[chris_tribble]

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Have bought a used olympus EVF2 on ebay for £100. Can't wait to get my M to use it on.

 

Nice one!

[Guest WPalank]

Have bought a used olympus EVF2 on ebay for £100. Can't wait to get my M to use it on.

 

I'm looking forward to having a red dot on mine, for an extra $600, that I will then cover with black gaffers tape.

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[philipus]

I'm looking forward to having a red dot on mine, for an extra $600, that I will then cover with black gaffers tape.

 

Tihi, just make sure you get the Leica-issued tape (part no. 18320 or TESAF I believe).

[flyalf]

Hi,

 

Here is a subjective attempt to judge the handling of the M quantified. My "score" would be 70 (of max 100), and its still a poorer performer than the RD-1 with 90. A Sony NEX-5n would only score 30.

 

------ How to judge the camera handling? -----

 

Easy, just give the camera a score on these points. But please note that these are only a part of the cameras performance.

 

1. Hard on/off .

2. Hard* ISO.

3. Hard* exposure time .

4. Stop/start point on exposure time switch (possible to set blindfolded).

5. Hard* aperture.

6. Stop/start point on aperture switch (possible to set blindfolded).

7. Hard* "A" compensate.

8. Hard manual focus.

9. Stop/start point on manual focus (possible to set blindfolded).

10. Hard* self-timer .

 

Score: 0 = totally missing ... 10 = excellent

* Hard means a dedicated (mechanical) switch designed so that the settings can be seen while camera is turned off and set without using any menus.

 

Examples of some cameras:

 

Reference camera: Epson RD-1:

--------------------------------------

Total: 90 of 100

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

0

 

Leica M

--------------------------------------

Total: 70 of 100

10

0

10

0

10

10

0

10

10

10

[lct]

...Hard means a dedicated (mechanical) switch designed so that the settings can be seen while camera is turned off and set without using any menus...

Good idea but you can't see a lot of things when your R-D1 is turned off and it would be interesting to take into account battery level and remaining shots as well.

[jamriman]

I would rate my MP-9 above my RD-1 but only because it's FF.

[flyalf]

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Good idea but you can't see a lot of things when your R-D1 is turned off and it would be interesting to take into account battery level and remaining shots as well.

Agree. That would improve the handling rating of RD-1, and make the Leica poorer, as battery level and remaining shoots can be seen at a glance from RD-1 when turned on, but one needs to access these by additional button on Leica .

 

I could also have added other handling such as the ability to quickly format memory card (by dedicated buttons such as Nikon DSLRs have), but these are 2nd priority for me.

[flyalf]

I would rate my MP-9 above my RD-1 but only because it's FF.

So how does FF affect the handling of the camera? For DSLR this impacts the viewer, but for RF?

[jamriman]

So how does FF affect the handling of the camera? For DSLR this impacts the viewer, but for RF?

 

Apparently I missed the point. I just meant overall. Thanks.

[lct]

Agree. That would improve the handling rating of RD-1, and make the Leica poorer, as battery level and remaining shoots can be seen at a glance from RD-1 when turned on, but one needs to access these by additional button on Leica...

Not on M8/M8u/M8.2. Also your test is aimed at « dedicated (mechanical) switch designed so that the settings can be seen while camera is turned off » and not « on ». The only superiority of the Epsons there is their film-like ISO setting on the top plate, right?

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(...) The only superiority of the Epsons there is their film-like ISO setting on the top plate, right?

 

Which used to be a serious challenge for me. I could not read the numbers in dim light.

[lct]

No need to see my friend. Full right 200, full left 1600, and 400 & 800 in the middle.

[Likaleica]

Interesting to see the evolution in M cameras. I imagine in another few iterations they might have to change the designation to...... R

[bybrett]

Interesting to see the evolution in M cameras. I imagine in another few iterations they might have to change the designation to...... R

 

Only when the EVF is as good as an R viewfinder...

[hoppyman]

There is no doubting the enthusiasm of R lens users.

It seems a little out of proportion to me that so much of the discussion on the new M cameras is about the R lens adapter option. That itself is only an additional option made possible by the new sensor of course. I have no doubt that some R lens owners welcome it. It is not the primary purpose of the M and that camera would be identical without that consideration bar a few lines of 6 BIT code selections in the menu.

 

I think I read recently that active R users are about 10% of the number of M8 users, who themselves are about 25% of the number of M9 users.

In the end Leica Camera did exactly what they said after the 2009 announcement of the R10 cancellation (to Forum members first).

They have provided one means of using those R lenses on a digital camera but it was not going to be a conventional dSLR.