Which Digital Leica to Get (Selling my M6's...new to digital Leica)?

[harleybob]

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I am currently selling my two M6 TTL bodies and looking to buy one digital M type.

I am keeping my 21mm, 28mm and 50 mm Leitz lenses, if that affects what body I would buy.

 

It used to be so easy...Had Leica M2, then an M3, then an M4 (skipped M5 YUK!) then M6 then M6TTL.

I can understand the progression and the model differences.

 

Now they have M9 and M10 but also M240 etc. (temped to get the Monochrome to save decision making).

 

So what do I want to get? I am likely to buy a new body, but maybe a used with very few actuations if possible.

 

So please direct me to a comparison chart or explain it in plain language. 

 

I do have vast experience with Canon EOS system, so its not the digital issue, its the model of Leica to choose issue.

 

Here are the priorities:

1. Feels as much like my M6 as possible

2. Uses my current M film lenses

3. Good latitude of exposure

4. Viewfinder as good as traditional M film cameras

 

Not important:

1. Video...I will not use it.

2. Rear screen live view..I will not use it to photograph, only review and operate menus. 

 

If the answer is M10 and they are too hard to get right now...what is the best of the previous models to match my wants and needs?

 

 

Thanks in advance.

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[Rambot-M]

All your requirements point to M10. Since you have no taste of digital Ms, I would suggest waiting for M10 and keep using your M6TTL till then

 

 

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[jaapv]

I would get an M10 in your place. A no-brainer if you can afford it. You have used the M6 all the time- what difference do a few weeks make? Besides, if you put a bit of effort into it, there are M10s to be found.

[Jeff S]

M10.

 

Search small dealers... when I heard that the price was going up $300 on May1, I had one within a week, and traded my M240.

 

Jeff

[Joshua Lowe]

I'd just wait for an M10 to become available, based on your requirements.

[adan]

Which specific Leitz lenses do you have? For example, do you have a Leitz 21mm Super-Angulon from the 1960s/70s? - or a Leitz 21mm Elmarit-M from post-1980? Or a collapsible 50? Or the close-focus "dual-range" 50?

 

Model name and lens version (if you know it - e.g. 28 Elmarit v.1, or 2, or 4) and approximate date of manufacture. You can check your lens' serial numbers vs. date here: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Serial_Number_Links_for_Leica_Cameras_and_Lenses

 

Will your ultimate goal be B&W pictures, or color, or both?

 

I ask only because of your priority (2) - there are some real potential problems or limitations with a few older Leica M lens models on the digital cameras, that you should be aware of, and consider, in making the leap to a digital body. Particularly the wide-angles, but a couple of 50s may have mechanical incompatabilities or limitations as well.

 

Not to discourage you - there ARE ways and means of getting nice digital pictures from almost any Leitz M lens ever made - but you'll get the best guidance in your case if we know which lenses exactly you want to bring over with you.

 

Other than that, your priorities do point to the M10, as the others have said.

[vhfreund]

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I am currently selling my two M6 TTL bodies and looking to buy one digital M type.

I am keeping my 21mm, 28mm and 50 mm Leitz lenses, if that affects what body I would buy.

 

It used to be so easy...Had Leica M2, then an M3, then an M4 (skipped M5 YUK!) then M6 then M6TTL.

I can understand the progression and the model differences.

 

Now they have M9 and M10 but also M240 etc. (temped to get the Monochrome to save decision making).

 

So what do I want to get? I am likely to buy a new body, but maybe a used with very few actuations if possible.

 

So please direct me to a comparison chart or explain it in plain language. 

 

I do have vast experience with Canon EOS system, so its not the digital issue, its the model of Leica to choose issue.

 

Here are the priorities:

1. Feels as much like my M6 as possible

2. Uses my current M film lenses

3. Good latitude of exposure

4. Viewfinder as good as traditional M film cameras

 

Not important:

1. Video...I will not use it.

2. Rear screen live view..I will not use it to photograph, only review and operate menus. 

 

If the answer is M10 and they are too hard to get right now...what is the best of the previous models to match my wants and needs?

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Keep one M6, you might regret it! I switched to digital 13 years ago and returned to film. I still do digital, but film is great too. Cheers Theodor

[robert blu]

As I wrote here (post 324) a few minutes ago I confirm the M10 is a digital camera you can use in the same way as a film M, controls, handling, simplicity.

robert

PS: of course adan is correct, check first lens compatibility. And if possible do not sell the M6 ...film and digital are both good...

[harleybob]

Which specific Leitz lenses do you have? For example, do you have a Leitz 21mm Super-Angulon from the 1960s/70s? - or a Leitz 21mm Elmarit-M from post-1980? Or a collapsible 50? Or the close-focus "dual-range" 50?

 

Model name and lens version (if you know it - e.g. 28 Elmarit v.1, or 2, or 4) and approximate date of manufacture. You can check your lens' serial numbers vs. date here: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Serial_Number_Links_for_Leica_Cameras_and_Lenses

 

Will your ultimate goal be B&W pictures, or color, or both?

 

I ask only because of your priority (2) - there are some real potential problems or limitations with a few older Leica M lens models on the digital cameras, that you should be aware of, and consider, in making the leap to a digital body. Particularly the wide-angles, but a couple of 50s may have mechanical incompatabilities or limitations as well.

 

Not to discourage you - there ARE ways and means of getting nice digital pictures from almost any Leitz M lens ever made - but you'll get the best guidance in your case if we know which lenses exactly you want to bring over with you.

 

Other than that, your priorities do point to the M10, as the others have said.

 

All three of my lenses are new after 2000. 21mm  2.8 ASPH, 28mm 2.0 ASPH, and 50mm summilux. 

 

I would go with film, but I shut down the darkroom a few years ago and when I did, I stopped shooting them. (I do still have all the gear..including my Focomat)

[Belle123]

Would repeat what a few others have suggested, keep one of your M6 cameras. If I had to do it all over again, would have kept one of mine and saved for monochrome work before I went for my first digital M, which at the time was the M9. Since then gone to the 240, then the monochrome 246. Waiting to see how the monochrome M10 turns out before getting the M10.

[harleybob]

Is there chart that compares the different digital models? 

[jaapv]

There are four M series - BTW, they are a progression rather than parallel models.-

 

M8 - APS-H 2006-2009 10MP  CCD,

M9 Full Frame 2009-2012, 18 MP CCD, more sophisticated and marginally better high-ISO performance,

M Typ 240, 2012-now, 24 MP CMos, better high-ISO, improved viewfinder/rangefinder,Video, Live View, EVF, better battery life

M10 2017-? Smaller, more developed, Video dropped, improved viewfinder. The most advanced one of the bunch but with some features missing and shorter battery life.

And a bunch of spin-offs from the base models.

So either you go for the extra features and extra size of the M(typ 240) which is at the end of its production cycle or you opt for the more sophisticated and film camera-like M10.

[harleybob]

There are four M series - BTW, they are a progression rather than parallel models.-

 

M8 - APS-H 2006-2009 10MP  CCD,

M9 Full Frame 2009-2012, 18 MP CCD, more sophisticated and marginally better high-ISO performance,

M Typ 240, 2012-now, 24 MP CMos, better high-ISO, improved viewfinder/rangefinder,Video, Live View, EVF, better battery life

M10 2017-? Smaller, more developed, Video dropped, improved viewfinder. The most advanced one of the bunch but with some features missing and shorter battery life.

And a bunch of spin-offs from the base models.

So either you go for the extra features and extra size of the M(typ 240) which is at the end of its production cycle or you opt for the more sophisticated and film camera-like M10.

 

Thank you much for that. The "Typ 240" etc just threw me as a naming convention for models. I guess things change so fast in the digital development cycle Leica had to abandon the M# naming or run out of numbers too quickly. 

Of course they could have gone to MKII, MKIII like some brands do. 

Thanks for all the advice....sounds like M10 will be the one most likely to keep make me feel comfortable about the transition from film. 

 

The good thing I go for waiting is used values are good for selling my film camera bodies (I have a .58 and a .72 version M6TTL). I also waited on my Hasselblad system. First prices where very low, then popped

back up later int he digital conversion cycle. 

 

I am going to list on eBay US only even though it may be better to list internationally. Is their one or two countries I should add to listing that are most likely to have high demand?

[jaapv]

You could consider the buy-and-sell on this forum.

[LocalHero1953]

If you can afford a harley, bob, don't get an M8 mate, though the M9's fine, but get an M10 when (it becomes available).

As for the M240 ........oh sod it

[adan]

All three of my lenses are new after 2000. 21mm  2.8 ASPH, 28mm 2.0 ASPH, and 50mm summilux.

 

Thanks - the word "Leitz" threw me, since the company name, and the engraving on lenses, has been strictly "LEICA" since the mid-80s. No more Leitz...

 

The only question then would be, are your lenses (especially the 21/28) "6-bit-coded?" Introduced 2006 along with the M8. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-news/leica-lens-codes/

 

Not absolutely required, since you can use the menu to ID each lens manually when mounted. But it is something of a PITA to have to mess with the menus at every lens change.

 

This just has to do with how close M lenses sit to the sensor (as opposed to your Canon SLR(s), where the mirror imposes a much larger minimum distance). You will get color vignetting (cyan or purple stains at the long ends of the picture)  - especially with the 21 and somewhat with the 28, unless the camera "knows" which lens is mounted, so that it can apply mathematical corrections to your pictures as they are taken, to delete the color stains.

 

http://www.overgaard.dk/thorstenovergaardcom_copyrighted_graphics/uncoded-versus-coded-leica-lens-images-640w.jpg

 

(The 50 is far enough from the sensor/film to behave like an SLR lens - no visible color artifacts, whether coded or uncoded)

 

At any rate, it won't affect your camera choice, since it applies to all the Leica color digital cameras, including the M10.

[harleybob]

Thanks for the codes link...none of the lenses are coded but yes the the 21 and 28 are "Leica" and the 50mm Summicron is Leitz.

[rqliang]

I'm bit surprised that no one has suggested M-D 262.

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[jlindstrom]

Thanks for the codes link...none of the lenses are coded but yes the the 21 and 28 are "Leica" and the 50mm Summicron is Leitz.

Since you're not using them at the moment, you could send them in for 6-bit coding, calibrate to digital & cla maintenance.

 

The calibration might not strictly be necessary, but good to make sure. 6-bit coding is just pure convenience and 15 year old lenses could use the maintenance cycle anyway.

 

I believe Leica can do it in the US, so should be pretty fast turn around.

 

 

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[tbonanno]

I went through something similar.  Have an M4, and now M10.  Had the digital M type 262 before the M10.  I would recommend that you get the M10 if at all possible.  I believe it is a significant improvement over all the previous digital M's.  However, if you really want to get an earlier digital M in the interim, I would suggest the M Type 262 (not the MD version).  I believe it will meet most of your requirements.  No video, but a LCD to review images, etc.