bocaburger Posted June 17, 2014 Share #1 Posted June 17, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) I say "as an owner" because I did have prior hands-on use of an M240. I never saw how it comes packaged though, so that was a pleasant surprise. The little chest-of-drawers with magnetic flaps, and little drawstring bags for the accessories, is really classy compared to the M9 and M8 boxing! My unit, a so-called demo, doesn't have a mark on it that I can see, and it still has the protective film on the bottom plate and the LCD. File numbering is at the start, but that could've been re-set. The strap wasn't wrapped, so the camera probably was used as a demo or for an Akademie or something, but it appears as new. Not that I care about a few marks, but glad to know it wasn't thrashed around. The rangefinder checks out spot-on (a welcome thing after the experience I had with my brand-new M9 that was so far off it needed both adjustments done not just infinity). Once again I can't see one iota of improvement in the 240's rangefinder over the M9. I switched them back and forth to my eye again and again quickly, outside, inside...nada. Maybe there is improvement in factory calibration, or drift-prevention. I did notice the adjustment points in the lens mount seem to have lacquer on them, which the M9 didn't (although I put a drop of it on mine after adjusting). About the LED-lit framelines. After 45 years with M Leicas, not being able to just bring the camera to my eye and see the framelines is going to take some getting used to. And I tried out the red ones...for the first and last time no doubt. I can barely see them. Honestly I think the switch to LED is a bit of fixing what wasn't broken. I never had trouble seeing the old framelines if there was enough light to photograph in. And there was no LED to burn out. But it's a minor niggle. Of course I tried out Live View. And the Olympus EVF I bought a while ago. Worth the $100 I paid for it. I can't imagine paying 6 times that much for Leica lettering. The image is not that bad on it really, as long as you hold the camera steady. Panning with it I start to get a little seasick I doubt if I will use LV/EVF much. I like Leica because it's a rangefinder. Otherwise I prefer a mirror/prism SLR. Just my bias. I can see where the EVF will be more convenient than carrying around 12, 15 and 21 accessory finders and switching them off and on, and there is no parallax or distortion as with those finders. One little niggle, I really like the M9 rear deck setup better than 240's. That little bitty thumb rest is not very comfortable, and it seems whenever I pick the camera up my thumb presses the info button. Will need to re-learn my habits. I also checked all my DIY-coded (milled pits) lenses. I had read the 240's reader is more finnicky than the M9's, but my lenses communicate as they did on the M9, so that was a relief. My 16GB cards haven't arrived yet, so I plugged in one of my 2GB cards and formatted it. Set to JPEG-fine @ 24MP, it shows a card capacity of 24 shots !?!?!?! That works out to 83MB/shot! That can't be right. Can it? Is my shot counter messed up? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 17, 2014 Posted June 17, 2014 Hi bocaburger, Take a look here My 240 has arrived! 1st impressions as an owner. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted June 17, 2014 Share #2 Posted June 17, 2014 probably the card is full of cr@p that only a real reformat in the computer can remove. re the framelines, you probably tried them out in some light that confused the intensity sensor on the back. Personally, after I set them to red I never switched back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirekti Posted June 17, 2014 Share #3 Posted June 17, 2014 Congrats!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted June 17, 2014 The card shows full capacity when formatted on the M9 though. I switched between white/red lines in the same light. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcraf Posted June 17, 2014 Share #5 Posted June 17, 2014 Enjoy your new camera! The 240 is a superb tool. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalfx Posted June 17, 2014 Share #6 Posted June 17, 2014 Once again I can't see one iota of improvement in the 240's rangefinder over the M9. I switched them back and forth to my eye again and again quickly, outside, inside...nada. The improvement isn't a physical difference that is visible [ie.. brighter, clearer, etc...] I think you need to use the rangefinder for a week and then come back and tell us if you found it easier to nail focus. From my experience there is no physical difference that you can see. The difference is in the results. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share #7 Posted June 17, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) My M9 (DIY adjusted) is dead-nuts on, and when the images coincide, the focus is 100% pin sharp. The M240 seems likewise. The M240 has a higher-res sensor, plus different processing algorithms, and I can't think of a way to take that out of the equation so as to isolate any perceived difference in sharpness as attributable to the rangefinder. All I really care is that the M240's rangefinder was spot-on calibrated out of the box and I didn't need to spend hours of my time adjusting it as I had to do with the M9. Ohhh, and Jaap I am an idiot. My 2GB card is fine. Where it said on the INFO screen "JPEG 24" it was refering to the resolution setting (24MP) not the card's capacity! On the next line it says 1.89GB SD 00169. 169 available shots. Next time I'll RTFM better Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted June 18, 2014 Share #8 Posted June 18, 2014 Happy that you are One thing that is far better is the mechanical stability of the new RF mechanism. Yesterday my camera bag dropped straight down on a concrete floor 1.50 meters.... (don't ask...) and there was nothing wrong with the RF at all (nor anything else, thank you Mr.Billingham...), but I am 100% sure that my M9 would have had the vertical allignment knocked out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted June 18, 2014 Glad to hear that. I suspected there was some attempt on Leica's part to improve stability...I noticed right away the rangfinder arm adjustments were secured with lacquer, which was not heretofore the case. If there are internal improvements so much the better. Billinghams are great bags. I have 4, including the discontinued rucksack, and the one made specially for the Hassy X-Pan, which so happens to fit a Rollei TLR. Well I just got my 2 new Sandisk Extreme 16GB cards, the used Leica everready case (looks brand new to me) which I will use primarily as a half case. I really like the magnetic hanging back flap vs the kind with snaps. And a spare battery. I had to LOL when I read the paperwork on the battery that says Made for Leica by Varta in Indonesia, and then on the battery label it says Leica Camera of Korea. I remember a few years ago when people were putting a stigma on Leica products that were made in Canada! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delcredere Posted June 18, 2014 Share #10 Posted June 18, 2014 Billinghams are great bags. I have 4, including the discontinued rucksack, and the one made specially for the Hassy X-Pan, which so happens to fit a Rollei TLR. n Canada! Oh, I have a much loved X-Pan but didn't know there was a Billingham for it. Please could you say what the product code or other identification is? I just had a look on eBay and there was nothing I could see referring to "X-Pan", though of course there may not be one on offer at present. Sorry to be so far off thread. And many congratulations on the acquisition of the M240, which is a great advance on the M9, itself a terrific camera! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share #11 Posted June 18, 2014 The Billingham for X-Pan was called the Panexia. Scarcer than hen's teeth as we Yanks say. I have never seen another one (not that I've ever searched for it) but they must be out there. It's a vertical rectangular box shape with a large main compartment and a smaller one in front of it, both under a flap with single leather fob/press-stud fastener. Perfect size and shape for a Rolleiflex plus some small accessories and a few rolls of film. Here's a picture of one: http://xpan.free.fr/0d75e0e0.gif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delcredere Posted June 19, 2014 Share #12 Posted June 19, 2014 The Billingham for X-Pan was called the Panexia. Scarcer than hen's teeth as we Yanks say. I have never seen another one (not that I've ever searched for it) but they must be out there. It's a vertical rectangular box shape with a large main compartment and a smaller one in front of it, both under a flap with single leather fob/press-stud fastener. Perfect size and shape for a Rolleiflex plus some small accessories and a few rolls of film. Here's a picture of one: http://xpan.free.fr/0d75e0e0.gif Thank you so much for going to such trouble, the picture is especially helpful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share #13 Posted June 19, 2014 No problem. Hope you find one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Barnack Posted June 20, 2014 Share #14 Posted June 20, 2014 Glad to hear that. I suspected there was some attempt on Leica's part to improve stability...I noticed right away the rangfinder arm adjustments were secured with lacquer, which was not heretofore the case. If there are internal improvements so much the better. Billinghams are great bags. I have 4, including the discontinued rucksack, and the one made specially for the Hassy X-Pan, which so happens to fit a Rollei TLR. Well I just got my 2 new Sandisk Extreme 16GB cards, the used Leica everready case (looks brand new to me) which I will use primarily as a half case. I really like the magnetic hanging back flap vs the kind with snaps. And a spare battery. I had to LOL when I read the paperwork on the battery that says Made for Leica by Varta in Indonesia, and then on the battery label it says Leica Camera of Korea. I remember a few years ago when people were putting a stigma on Leica products that were made in Canada! It would be fantastic if Billingham would resurrect the rucksack model. As I remember it, it would be about the best rucksack you could get for an M kit. Damn, how I wish I'd gotten one years ago... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share #15 Posted June 20, 2014 It would be fantastic if Billingham would resurrect the rucksack model. As I remember it, it would be about the best rucksack you could get for an M kit. Depends on your kit I suppose. I think it could easily fit 2 bodies and one of every lens Leica makes. http://www.cambags.com/reviews/data//25/2Billingham_25_Rucksack.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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