M10 and 24mm lens

[dempski]

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I use the 21mm Super-Elmar, as well as the WATE, all the time for landscapes on the M240 with EVF2.  I live in Texas, where a polarizer is essential on wetland projects; the EVF2 is sufficient to frame the photo, and adjust the skies and reflections appropriately.  With the electronic level as the visible tool, I can capture tripod-worthy images handheld. 

 

But as a fair warning, the M10 has omitted the electronic level tool.  Leica has not said if the hardware was sacrificed to slim the camera down, or if it can be made available with a firmware update.  If a built-in level is part of your wide-angle method, the M10 may not be the solution.  I'm not going to "upgrade" to the M10 until they can turn the feature on again.

 

Leica Camera Customer Care just replied to my inquiry, and said "the missing horizon/level tool is in process and is integrated with one of the next firmware updates".  

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[Guest]

That's good news I am happy about that. It is useful.

[scott kirkpatrick]

I've used Leica 21s extensively shooting inside construction projects, handheld.  The Leica 21 optical clip-on finder is excellent, although I would trust a live view finder to be a bit more accurate.  The 21 Summilux is very big, blocks much of the view on an OVF (this does not depend on the magnification), and the 21 SuperElmar is better in this.  I can appreciate not using a tripod in the swamp, but a level indicator is very nice to have in live view for hand held shots.  For subjects that don't move too much, it isn't too distracting and saves a lot of work in post processing.  Especially the vertical indicator, which Leica does quite nicely in the SL, to prevent keystoning.

 

scott

[otto.f]

Leica Camera Customer Care just replied to my inquiry, and said "the missing horizon/level tool is in process and is integrated with one of the next firmware updates".

 

That is one good news! I hope it works in portrait position too because that's where I make the most mistakes

Edited February 8, 2017 by otto.f

[indergaard]

Leica Camera Customer Care just replied to my inquiry, and said "the missing horizon/level tool is in process and is integrated with one of the next firmware updates".  

It's 15 months later... What happened? :-)

[mdemeyer]

Well... they didn’t say “the next firmware update”. ;-)

[indergaard]

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Well... they didn’t say “the next firmware update”. ;-)

 

I guess it's reserved for the M10-P at this point, as a feature to make people upgrade. If there is an accelerometer in the M10 it shouldn't take very long at all to implement the code to show a spirit level, especially since the SL uses the same Maestro II engine and thus code base... If there isn't an accelerometer in the M10, then, well, it was never possible to implement it later in firmware in the first place.

[Herr Barnack]

So what do you people recommend in my case I have the 21mm Super-Elmar-M 3.4 ASPH ? I have an M10 on order, this will then become my only camera. All other M lenses I have comply with the framelines of the M10 (50/90/135). My two R Macros 60/100 apparently will be fine when using the external viewfinder. (In the studio that is fine by me).

 

The 21mm should I keep it or exchange it for a 28/35 which does comply with framelines of the M10? What sort of issues will I face using the 21mm with the 1) rangefinder 2) viewfinder?

 

I would recommend that you use your 21 Super Elmar on your m10 body - a lot. 

 

You don't really need the EVF which would require shooting in live view mode and drain your battery very quickly.  Use the optical viewfinder with the 21 SE - you will get the hang of how much extra space to allow to accommodate the extra real estate that the 21 covers that is not shown in your OVF. 

 

People who shoot from the hip when doing street photography get to be very skilled using the guesstimate/shoot without looking technique.  I would propose that it is no harder to learn to use the M10's OVF with the 21SE - and probably somewhat easier, given that you will be using the OVF to frame your shots.

Edited May 24, 2018 by Herr Barnack