M10-P minireview from a forum user, not a dealer/blogger

[onasj]

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I sold my M10 and purchased an M10-P in silver. In case people are looking for them, I hear the silvers are in stock still at several places though the black model is already hard to find. Since the black model is chrome, not painted, it wouldn’t patina in the way some like their black Leicas to age, though personally I just like silver bodies, especially with silver lenses, better.

 

I shoot a lot of thin-DOF images with the 75/1.25, 50/0.95, and other lenses, and checking focus by the usual play-cursor scroll-enlarge wheel-cursor scroll-enlarge wheel-cursor scroll-enlarge wheel routine is very slow and cumbersome. Being able to double-tap any part of the image to jump to a 100% enlargement is therefore a major improvement to my shooting workflow. Touchscreen scrolling (by dragging one’s fingertip) of an enlarged photo was quick, responsive, and smooth. Occasionally reverting to my M10 habit of scrolling with the cursor quickly reminded me of the much greater ease and speed of touchscreen scrolling. These are two simple functional improvements that make a significant increase in the ease of reviewing images. Of course I appreciate that some consider viewing the images you just took to be worthy of derision, if not excommunication, but for me actually checking my work as I shoot helps maximize the quality of the resulting images.

 

The other non-cosmetic difference is the shutter sound, which is substantially quieter than the M10’s, and also more pleasant (less like two hard objects colliding at the end of the “stroke”). It’s not just a little bit quieter... it’s much quieter. Quiet enough that I will be able to use the M10-P at some (not all) quieter stage performances and recitals, whereas my attempts to use the M10 at such events were limited by its shutter noise. The sound of the M10-P shutter does not quite evoke romantic dreams of a kiss as Anthony Lane noted in his beautiful and brilliant essay about Leica cameras of yesteryear (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/09/24/candid-camera ), but it is to me a more pleasant and less disruptive sound envelope than that of its predecessor.

 

The cosmetic differences are minor. The M10-P is gorgeous. The M10 is gorgeous. There’s no red dot on the front, but that’s not exactly stealthy given the huge Leica engraved on the top, and I rather liked the red dot, preferring it over a countersunk flathead screw. Honestly I don’t think 99.9+% of subjects or people around my shoot care if your camera is a Leica or not. The dimensions are the same as the M10, and my half-case (by Arte di Mano) fits both perfectly.

 

The ISO dial is still stiff to lift up. The sensor is supposed to be the same. I took some shots with the 75/1.25 at ISO 12500 (which I’ve done quite a bit with the M10) and was a bit surprised by how clean the images were, but without a side-by-side comparison between the M10-P and M10 one couldn’t tell if there was any improvement in high-ISO processing, and I would be surprised if there were any differences given the lack of mention of this point in Leica’s (surprisingly sparse?) press about their latest M camera. WiFi still takes far too long to set up and connect, and a bit too long to transfer, but I guess my M10 trained me well and I’m used to that now.

 

Overall, the M10-P provides the best digital Leica M experience, which is noteworthy. Until the M11, of course.

Edited August 22, 2018 by onasj

[6bit]

I was hoping you were going to say they fixed the ISO dial. Bummer there. I am not sure why they couldn't have put all that tech in this camera at the start. Reasons, I am sure. Regardless, glad you like it!

[digitalfx]

I was hoping you were going to say they fixed the ISO dial. Bummer there. I am not sure why they couldn't have put all that tech in this camera at the start. Reasons, I am sure. Regardless, glad you like it!

 

 

Whats to fix?

 

Mine functions perfectly.

[Alistairm]

I just spent some time playing with an M10, MP and MA side by side. My MA has my favourite shutter to date - there is something about the lightness and the sounds that just makes me want to keep taking photos. 

 

The MP is quieter than the M10 and the MA - much quieter. Curiously, with the lens off, it sounds rather loud, but with lens on the sounds seems to all be contained in the box - you can "feel" it in the camera more than with the M10. I'm not sure how Leica has achieved such a quiet shutter, but it is marvelous. If I can get a decent price for my M10 I'll be switching. 

[lanetomlane]

Whats to fix?

 

Mine functions perfectly.

 

I totally agree; I'm perfectly happy with the ISO dial as it is.

[onasj]

I totally agree; I'm perfectly happy with the ISO dial as it is.

 

 

I was referring to the fact that when you want to pull up the ISO dial, it takes some effort and an amount of force beyond what would be necessary to avoid accidentally lifting it up (indeed, its shape and positioning alone already minimize accidental lifting).  I have seen some M10s in stores that have easier-to-lift ISO dials, so it's possible that with some wear this issue self-resolves, but still, Leica could have reduced the amount of force needed to lift the ISO dial in the M10-P.

Edited August 24, 2018 by onasj

[SiOnara]

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Curiously, with the lens off, it sounds rather loud, but with lens on the sounds seems to all be contained in the box

Yes I noticed that. Was trying an M10-P today. Very, very quiet shutter with the lens on, took it off and fired it and it sounded a lot louder. Definitely different to the M10 when you do the same thing.

Edited August 24, 2018 by SiOnara

[pico]

Curiously, with the lens off, it sounds rather loud

Well, that puts the M10 into the bin for my Zen photography. Lenses are a crutch.

Edited August 24, 2018 by pico

[Kevinfinity]

Wish Leica could provide an upgrade project to replace the old shutter.

[Tragg]

I was referring to the fact that when you want to pull up the ISO dial, it takes some effort and an amount of force beyond what would be necessary to avoid accidentally lifting it up (indeed, its shape and positioning alone already minimize accidental lifting).  I have seen some M10s in stores that have easier-to-lift ISO dials, so it's possible that with some wear this issue self-resolves, but still, Leica could have reduced the amount of force needed to lift the ISO dial in the M10-P.

 

I would suggest that this 'problem' is specific to your camera. The ISO dial is NOT hard to lift on my M10 and no force is required to lift it

[M11 for me]

I would suggest that this 'problem' is specific to your camera. The ISO dial is NOT hard to lift on my M10 and no force is required to lift it

Does that mean that you just can push that dial up with just one finger? On mine I have to take a grip with 2 fingers. I got used to that and most time I just leave the knob up. But I would prefer if it would work smoother.

[onasj]

I would suggest that this 'problem' is specific to your camera. The ISO dial is NOT hard to lift on my M10 and no force is required to lift it

I’ve had two new M10s (one was a replacement for a sticky frame lever), tried a third and fourth floor model in the store, tried two new M10-P, and a third M10-P floor model. Of these seven M10(P) cameras, six had hard-to-lift ISO dials that requires two fingers to lift. So it’s not specific to just one camera Only one was easy to lift (one of the M10 floor models), which is why I speculated above that perhaps it gets easier to lift with some wear, since that one was the oldest and (at least by appearance) most used of the seven.

[MarkP]

I just leave the ISO dial up when shooting where I may have to change ISO quickly.  

[6bit]

I was referring to the fact that when you want to pull up the ISO dial, it takes some effort and an amount of force beyond what would be necessary to avoid accidentally lifting it up (indeed, its shape and positioning alone already minimize accidental lifting).  I have seen some M10s in stores that have easier-to-lift ISO dials, so it's possible that with some wear this issue self-resolves, but still, Leica could have reduced the amount of force needed to lift the ISO dial in the M10-P.

 

 

Exactly what I was referring too. It is too difficult to pop up. I will go though the menu before using the ISO dial. Too difficult for me.

[Guest tofu_man]

mine pops up easily...just lift with a fingernail.

[earleygallery]

Usually difficulty in 'popping up' is an age related thing.