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Delivery status Leica M 246


SiggiGun

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Hi Moz,

 

I am considering upgrading my m9-p (sensor issue) towards the m246. But reading your feedback as well as Thorsten is making me hesitate.

 

If I understood right the highlights would require a more careful exposure than the m240 to avoid burning.

 

Could you confirm this?

 

And can anyone explain why that's the case? I know the rgb separation can help recovering details since some color component may not be burnt. Is this the only reason? I don't see any other difference between the m240 and the m246 exposure system which could explain this behavior. Am I missing something?

 

I find the M246 to be very special. Honestly, if I could only shoot M246 or M240, I would choose the former (and I love color).

 

You have to really try to blow out the highlights, and ISO 5000 offers a whole new world (IQ, I think, similar to M240 ISO 1600).

 

Thorsten will speak for himself, of course. In the class I took with him, which was well worth the $$!, Thorsten shot with one lens and one body. Period. My guess is that he does not want to schlepp an M246 along with his M240...  we will read what he thinks.

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Thanks for your input. I might have been taking Thorsten's article too literally.... And starting to think I was missing something about the physics of the M246 sensor.

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/247997-third-article-on-the-leica-m-246-on-overgaarddk-the-monochrome-goes-to-paris/?p=2857426

 

reading the above discussion and Jeff's comments also helps clearing things up.

 

now my dilemma remains: not being able to afford two M's, do I give up colors entirely on the account b&w is my choice 90% of the time, or stay happy with b&w conversions from the M-P? I believe I know all pros and cons but still can't decide!

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Having played with four versions of the full-frame M (starting with M9) I will say that M246 is indeed special. I am particularly thinking of a very pleasant tonal representation/separation at low ISO and an attractive film appearance at high ISO. The degree of shadow information is furthermore remarkable and certainly beyond what a colour sensor (of the M-type, at least) can match. Highlight clipping is not a problem as long as you realise zero - nil - help from one or two of the three colour channels if clipping occurs ;) - of course... So whereas M240 is an impressive machine in it self, little compares to M246.

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I have just replaced a MM1 with a M246, at first I was unsure that I had made the right move, I have followed Thorsten's very good articles on the M246, compared to the MM1 I find the M246 to produce a slightly higher contrast image. I have just started printing my first photos from the MM1 and although I like a lower contrast look on my screen I have had to increase the contrast to get the prints to look good, I have been going through all my photos with the MM1 and adjusting them accordingly. I have now got used to the slight increase in contrast and this has made me warm to the M246, however when I tested my lenses on it I really did not like the 50 lux asph when I did some landscape shots with it, luckily I have a 50 Apo which thankfully produces a look that I like.

    A bit concerned that reports of the M246 not liking bright conditions, I shot into the sun on a misty morning to provoke the clipping using a 75 cron, with the scene fresh in my mind I put the photos up on my screen, I was very impressed, there was still detail in the sky around the sun just as my eye had seen it but what impressed me more was how the camera captured the rest of the landscape, what would have been a dull colour shot even with the autumn colours just emerging in the sunlight was transformed into black and white. As others are saying the M246 is a special camera.

   I have a M240 and have tried  black and white conversions a number of times. They look fine but the MM1 and M246 are just special, I would love to have one camera that did both colour and black and white as well. I find with each change in camera, M9 to M240 and MM1 to M246 I have had my doubts that I had made the right move, my confidence takes a knock but like all new things, it takes a bit of adapting, a couple of really good (lucky) shots and confidence is restored and I am away.

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now my dilemma remains: not being able to afford two M's, do I give up colors entirely on the account b&w is my choice 90% of the time, or stay happy with b&w conversions from the M-P? I believe I know all pros and cons but still can't decide!

Did you try using your color M240 with color for DNG and jpeg in B&W?  At least you can review your jpegs & histograms in B&W. I used this technique while deciding whether to buy the MM1 or not. Although I did buy the MM!, I also kept my M9 at the time.

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Did you try using your color M240 with color for DNG and jpeg in B&W?  At least you can review your jpegs & histograms in B&W. I used this technique while deciding whether to buy the MM1 or not. Although I did buy the MM!, I also kept my M9 at the time.

Yes this is the way I have my M9 setup. I find it really helpful for a quick evaluation of the shot, better than the color preview. And also appropriate when most of my shots are "thought" in b&w anyway.

 

But how many of you guys would be willing to sell the M and keep just the Monochrom? Or said differently if you could own just one body, would it be the M or the Monochrom? At this point for me, the right answer seems to be "pick one and be happy with it!"

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Julien, difficult to answer your question...

I made a choice regarding my needs and my experience with theses cameras (and many others too).

It won't probably match your experience.

MMs are wonderful cameras anyway, if you feel like switching to a MM it will surely get you to a higher point.

What I could tell is that the MM1 is more organic and versatile feel where the MM2 is definitively more a winter and night companion  :rolleyes:

Hope it helps...

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been on the wait list since the first week in May, with Leica of Miami.  Last I checked a week or so ago, they still had no idea of delivery status.  They did say there were hearing that Leica would be ramping up deliveries soon, whatever that means.  I'm getting impatient, to say the least.

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Yes this is the way I have my M9 setup. I find it really helpful for a quick evaluation of the shot, better than the color preview. And also appropriate when most of my shots are "thought" in b&w anyway.

 

But how many of you guys would be willing to sell the M and keep just the Monochrom? Or said differently if you could own just one body, would it be the M or the Monochrom? At this point for me, the right answer seems to be "pick one and be happy with it!"

Hi, Julien. I only have one M, and that is the M246. I am very happy with it, particularly with the Summicron Apo 50. I have no problem with living in a B&W World.

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