Jay B Posted October 25, 2012 Share #1 Posted October 25, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Quick hands-on: The 2012 Leica M (Typ 240) – Ming Thein | Photographer 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 25, 2012 Posted October 25, 2012 Hi Jay B, Take a look here New M-240 quick review. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Tonki-M Posted October 25, 2012 Share #2 Posted October 25, 2012 thx for sharing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted October 25, 2012 Share #3 Posted October 25, 2012 Ming Thein comments Next up is selectable metering: you now have the old centerweight, but also spot and matrix; I didn’t get a chance to test matrix extensively but it seems a lot less prone than the M9′s meter to drastic underexposure when you have a bright point source in the frame. Is it just me, or is this the first time this has been mentioned? If yes, it's a MAJOR change. Spot metering would be something I for one would really value with an M. How interesting! Is it mentioned in the brochure? Anyone else with hands on able to comment - or has a cat been let out of the bag? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppyman Posted October 25, 2012 Share #4 Posted October 25, 2012 (edited) Chris it is mentioned in the initial information releases. When you have Live View of course you must have additional (edit, I guess I should have said alternative) metering options since there are no shutter blades to meter from. Edited October 25, 2012 by hoppyman 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted October 25, 2012 Share #5 Posted October 25, 2012 Or, turn it around, it's only with Live View that they can implement spot and matrix. In normal rangefinder mode, the metering will be the same as the M9. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted October 25, 2012 Share #6 Posted October 25, 2012 It's very obviously still in development, I wouldn't be surprised if there is sometime before it goes into production. The LFI magazine talks about the camera, sighting things with the image system yet to be finalised. I wonder if the ME was more tactical than was first thought. I also wonder just how much better the image quality will be at low ISO. It does feel like they are very concerned about the potential for one full image to be released. The 9 is better than me and full frame so I won't be buying in any case, I do hope it's a genuine step forward as this has to support Leica holding the top rangefinder pedestal for a good few years. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted October 25, 2012 Share #7 Posted October 25, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Or, turn it around, it's only with Live View that they can implement spot and matrix. In normal rangefinder mode, the metering will be the same as the M9. That makes sense ... less of a departure. The only times I'm likely to use the evf / live view will be with long lenses - and I suppose these metering modes will then have their uses (+ in macro mode - I can see this being really useful). The rest of the time it will be metering off the zebra stripes - which I'm more than happy with. So - again, it looks like the M will give us features which we can choose to use, with others being available if we need them. The key USPs for all users will then be the improved overall performance + quieter / better shutter and better high ISO (here you can decide if you need these - if not, then the M-E or holding on to your M9 will be the solution). If you need the other things (for me, it will be the capacity to use longer lenses + video for a small number of assignments + all the other goodness), then the M-240 will be the way to go. Looks like Leica has the market fairly well covered Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppyman Posted October 25, 2012 Share #8 Posted October 25, 2012 Mark, Unfortunately, no one can be told what The Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself; You must choose the red pill, (or is is Dot?) If you take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. Morpheus..... 1999 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bybrett Posted October 25, 2012 Share #9 Posted October 25, 2012 Or, turn it around, it's only with Live View that they can implement spot and matrix. In normal rangefinder mode, the metering will be the same as the M9. You can use the advanced metering modes in rangefinder mode but it introduces a slight shutter lag to the shooting experience. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonel Posted October 25, 2012 Share #10 Posted October 25, 2012 Its essentially two different cameras in one the focus and metering of the OVF and Messsucher has nothing to do with the focus and metering of the EVF neat! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted October 25, 2012 Share #11 Posted October 25, 2012 You can use the advanced metering modes in rangefinder mode but it introduces a slight shutter lag to the shooting experience. Well Well - it's going to be very interesting to get some field experience with this once production models are available. I'm not sure that revolutionary is the right word for this - but it's certainly an extension of what you can expect from an M and marks a very clear distinction between the M-240 and the M9 / M-P. The more I think about it, if I can possibly afford it I'm going to be tempted to keep at least one of my M9 bodies - given the differences in sensor, shutter, mechanics and the rest, each camera is going to offer a strongly contrasting experience... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 25, 2012 Share #12 Posted October 25, 2012 It's very obviously still in development, I wouldn't be surprised if there is sometime before it goes into production. It can't be very long. Leica has stopped production of the original M9 and M9P bodies and these stocks will be depleted soon. Once that happens they will 'only' have available a premium priced B&W-only body and a self-styled "essentials" version of the M9. I think Leica will want to have production examples of the M 240 in their stores pretty soon in the new year – even if buyers have to join a (predictable and rather tedious) waiting list. This timetable would be consistent with the reviewer's information that he expects a production camera for review in December. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 25, 2012 Share #13 Posted October 25, 2012 The reviewer writes: "That said, I do like the simplicity of the M9-P – with the ever increasing number of features, I can now see the sense in keeping the product lines separate; the more features the camera has, the more settings and menus are going to be required to tame it. This does somewhat dilutes the photographic purity of the M – but then again, I’m not a videographer" I must admit that I feel the same way without even touching the new camera. I only have to look at the photos of it (and read the spec about matrix metering options, etc.) to know that it just doesn't interest me at all. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWC Doppel Posted October 25, 2012 Share #14 Posted October 25, 2012 It can't be very long. Leica has stopped production of the original M9 and M9P bodies and these stocks will be depleted soon. Once that happens they will 'only' have available a premium priced B&W-only body and a self-styled "essentials" version of the M9. I think Leica will want to have production examples of the M 240 in their stores pretty soon in the new year – even if buyers have to join a (predictable and rather tedious) waiting list. This timetable would be consistent with the reviewer's information that he expects a production camera for review in December. You might be right. But the likelihood of M9 or M9-P purchases now must be deminishing and would i suspect be slowing without a Photokina announcement. If back in the summer you were looking at Photokina as the launch date for the new M10 and you were having final development challenges with the new 'M' what would you do ? I hope your right Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyalf Posted October 25, 2012 Share #15 Posted October 25, 2012 Thanks for sharing! ts very valuable to hear (subjective) opinions on handling. A quick question: Did you get any feel or preferences for shooting with live-view as opposed to RF? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted October 25, 2012 Share #16 Posted October 25, 2012 Think about it. The only way the M can meter the exposure is from the light reflected off the shutter curtain or by using the sensor to do it instead. The reflected light metering will be the centre weighted solution we are used to, spot and matrix require the light to be measured at specific and possibly multiple points. If you can use spot or matrix in rangefinder mode, as Brett says and I don't doubt him, it can only be done by running the sensor in live view mode, even if you are not seeing the image on the LCD. It will be interesting to see how well this works compared to, for example, the new metering sensor the Nikon D4. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 25, 2012 Share #17 Posted October 25, 2012 If back in the summer you were looking at Photokina as the launch date for the new M10 and you were having final development challenges with the new 'M' what would you do ? I would imagine that Plan A was to have the camera available to buy (subject to a waiting list) immediately after Photokina but this timetable must have slipped slightly. Unfortunately, the dates of Photokina are set in stone so I guess Leica had little choice but to run with a rather unsatisfactory soft launch with a promise of deliveries in the new year. There wasn't really any alternative – the only other new product is the Monochrom (which is too niche, too M9-based to be the centrepiece at Photokina and had already been launched at its own event in Berlin). That said, I don't think the delay will be damaging. Leica already have a reputation for missing deadlines* and few potential buyers are going to buy something else instead. *e.g. Where is the 50 APO? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted October 25, 2012 Share #18 Posted October 25, 2012 Yes, Leica have been missing deadlines for years. Nothing new there. As for the 50 APO, it was the same with the 21 and 24 Summiluxes and the f0.95 Noctilux. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted October 25, 2012 Share #19 Posted October 25, 2012 Indeed and where are the CS lenses for the S system? Are there any actually available to buy yet? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bybrett Posted October 25, 2012 Share #20 Posted October 25, 2012 Think about it. The only way the M can meter the exposure is from the light reflected off the shutter curtain or by using the sensor to do it instead. The reflected light metering will be the centre weighted solution we are used to, spot and matrix require the light to be measured at specific and possibly multiple points. If you can use spot or matrix in rangefinder mode, as Brett says and I don't doubt him, it can only be done by running the sensor in live view mode, even if you are not seeing the image on the LCD. It will be interesting to see how well this works compared to, for example, the new metering sensor the Nikon D4. Yes Mark, as I remember you can select Classic (centre weighted) or Advanced (spot or multi) metering. Using the camera as a rangefinder (!) the sensor can be live with the shutter blades open and live view off. There is a slight delay in recording the image due to the shutter blades closing and then opening for capture. In Classic mode the shutter lag is the same as M9 which is a little bit more than M8 which is a little bit more than film... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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