Jump to content

The Leica M (Typ 240) is fantastic

Lindolfi

By Lindolfi
in Leica M (Type 240 / 262)

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 55
  • Created
  • Last Reply
erudolph

erudolph

Posted
Posted
Thomas,

 

<snip>

 

By the way I forgot to mention that it is nice to have a faster camera with a better post check on the LCD screen of sharpness, but not essential for the process of photography with an M.

 

Also it is a good idea to use SDformatter for startup time (1 sec. in stead of 2.5 sec.).

 

The number of images you can store on a 16 Gb card is 435 images, in lossless compressed mode, that's 12 rolls of film! (and 304 images uncompressed).

 

Finally, it was nice to discover that the EVF is very workable with spectacles (full image visible) and has a smooth diopter correction.

 

 

+1 on the EVF working for glasses wearers. Also, I am left-eyed and the EVF with diopter correction allows me to use my right eye.

 

As for SDformatter. I have formatted my 32gb Mustang card with SDformatter, both quick and complete formats, and doing so doesn't change my startup time which remains constant at about 2.5 sec.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Lindolfi

Lindolfi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The shutter sound is really a pleasant surprise: we are in M6 territory again!

 

Here are sound recordings at close range to the camera's, all at 1/125 sec, same lens mounted:

 

M6 shutter sound

 

M9 shutter sound

 

M (typ 240) shutter sound

 

Peak values in dB:

 

M6: -5 dB

 

M9: -5 dB

 

M (typ 240): -11 dB

 

So this shows that also type of sound and frequency content are important. Both to my ear and from measurements, the M (typ 240) is the least obtrusive one, but the M6 is less obtrusive than the M9 to my ear, while the sounds are equally loud.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Overgaard

Overgaard

Posted
Posted

It's worth noting that the Leica M9 cameras have different shutter sounds. Some are more silent than others. This is old and new, M9-P and M9 alike, they can sound different.

 

I have heard quite a few of them side by side, and they are different. Also mine was different after the sensor got replaced.

 

The M9 Titanium has a more metallic sound, probably because of the body.

Link to post
Share on other sites
MirekE

MirekE

Posted
Posted

Advertisement (gone after registration)

It's worth noting that the Leica M9 cameras have different shutter sounds. Some are more silent than others. This is old and new, M9-P and M9 alike, they can sound different.

 

I have heard quite a few of them side by side, and they are different. Also mine was different after the sensor got replaced.

 

The M9 Titanium has a more metallic sound, probably because of the body.

 

That explains why other M9 owners did not understand when I said that the sound is irritating and drawing attention. My M9 sounded much different than the recording above. The sound was hollow, metallic, like scratching an empty can.

Link to post
Share on other sites
pop

pop

Posted
Posted

All of the above, plus: they have improved the viewfinder. On the M9, I was utterly unable to focus my 135mm Elmarit because of the very low contrast in the finder. It's perfectly usable on the M now.

 

My wife used to laugh about the sound the M9's shutter made; she likened it to the sound made by the ViewMaster.

Link to post
Share on other sites
dwbell

dwbell

Posted
Posted
That explains why other M9 owners did not understand when I said that the sound is irritating and drawing attention. My M9 sounded much different than the recording above. The sound was hollow, metallic, like scratching an empty can.

 

I was about to say, I'd have been over the moon with THAT M9 sound compared to my M9 and M9-P which are, literally, an embarrassment. (And the M6 is still my favourite by a long way - 'snick')

Link to post
Share on other sites
Paul Verrips

Paul Verrips

Posted
Posted

Bert,

 

Congratulations with the purchase of the new M and thanks for sharing your experiences. Is is possible on your 365blog to mention the camera used for the photo's? I like to see more results of the M.

 

Paul.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Lindolfi

Lindolfi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Just a remark on the sound recordings: they were done in the same way, high quality microphones at about 4 cm from the camera, no auto level, so the sounds can be compared directly in amplitude.

 

Hi Paul. Up till now all pictures in my blog since the 1st of June are from the M. In the future you can check the EXIF data to be sure, because as I said, the M9 is not forgotten.

 

This is perhaps an interesting one, since it was taken at 3200 ISO in difficult light to say the least:

 

ISCOMS2013.jpg

 

Here with the exposure data:

 

http://www.photoplaza.nl/lindolfi/blogeng1361.html

 

And this one is perhaps interesting, because a Tilt-Shift lens is used, so an example of a new venue with LiveView:

 

http://www.photoplaza.nl/lindolfi/blogeng1359.html

Link to post
Share on other sites
Lindolfi

Lindolfi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

After having used the camera in sport situations, I found the following concerning the use of the Rangefinder and EVF: The EVF is great for focus confirmation, but it has the disadvantage of giving a black-out of almost 2 seconds when the camera is in single shot mode. It is nice that your other eye can look over the camera house to keep track of the moving targets, but you can not take a picture during black-out, so frame rate is dropping below workable in fast sports. In Continuous mode, the camera does take pictures at high rate, but you do not see continuous live view, which is not workable in a fast moving scene like sports. You just see the images you took when the camera was in "Auto Review > Release Button Pressed", else you have continuous black-out.

 

The improved rangefinder really shows a big advantage by not only offering a flicker free, zero lag image, it show the area around the frame, so important for fast moving scenes. What a great invention! (next year the mechanism will be 60 year on the market).

 

That EVF makes it possible to get the best out of the (Leica) lenses, but in fast moving scenes (or quick decisions and framing in street photography) the Rangefinder is still the way to go (for me).

 

Now that I am getting more experienced with the EVF, I do not leave it on the camera. Only in low light, special lenses (very short, very long, very fast) or tripod situations I get it out of the bag.

 

In this way (apart from the quality improvements) the M (typ 240) has not changed the core business of M photography, but it does offer a safety net (EVF) in hard situations, which is very welcome.

 

Lastly: the shutter has a very short lag in Rangefinder mode, which makes it possible to shoot things like this undirected scene from yesterday:

 

Skirt Day

Link to post
Share on other sites
k-hawinkler

k-hawinkler

Posted
Posted
After having used the camera in sport situations, I found the following concerning the use of the Rangefinder and EVF: The EVF is great for focus confirmation, but it has the disadvantage of giving a black-out of almost 2 seconds when the camera is in single shot mode. It is nice that your other eye can look over the camera house to keep track of the moving targets, but you can not take a picture during black-out, so frame rate is dropping below workable in fast sports. In Continuous mode, the camera does take pictures at high rate, but you do not see continuous live view, which is not workable in a fast moving scene like sports. You just see the images you took when the camera was in "Auto Review > Release Button Pressed", else you have continuous black-out.

 

The improved rangefinder really shows a big advantage by not only offering a flicker free, zero lag image, it show the area around the frame, so important for fast moving scenes. What a great invention! (next year the mechanism will be 60 year on the market).

 

That EVF makes it possible to get the best out of the (Leica) lenses, but in fast moving scenes (or quick decisions and framing in street photography) the Rangefinder is still the way to go (for me).

 

Now that I am getting more experienced with the EVF, I do not leave it on the camera. Only in low light, special lenses (very short, very long, very fast) or tripod situations I get it out of the bag.

 

In this way (apart from the quality improvements) the M (typ 240) has not changed the core business of M photography, but it does offer a safety net (EVF) in hard situations, which is very welcome.

 

Lastly: the shutter has a very short lag in Rangefinder mode, which makes it possible to shoot things like this undirected scene from yesterday:

 

Skirt Day

 

 

 

Bert,

 

Thank you. Very interesting but extremely disappointing!

 

You just explained why the use of Leica R lenses on the M for fast moving subjects, like birds in flight, is a pretty hopeless endeavor.

For Leica R lenses the rangefinder stuff is simply useless. Bummer! Oh well, I better stick with my Sony NEX-7 for that.

 

NIce shot of Skirt Day! :D:D:D

One could get that shot with an M9 though.

Link to post
Share on other sites
jaapv

jaapv

Posted
Posted

That has been the objection to the EVF from the start, Bert. For long lenses for sports and other action the M is no replacement for a DSLR, albeit a vast improvement over the Visoflex.

Link to post
Share on other sites
k-hawinkler

k-hawinkler

Posted
Posted
That has been the objection to the EVF from the start, Bert. For long lenses for sports and other action the M is no replacement for a DSLR, albeit a vast improvement over the Visoflex.

 

 

Really. How long is the black-out for the Visoflex?

Link to post
Share on other sites
lct

lct

Posted
Posted

The EVF is no culprit for the slow refresh rate of the camera per se but we were indeed informed of this congenital defect since September 2012 thanks to Sean Reid and other serious reviewers.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...