The Longevity of the M60

[setuporg]

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With the M10-D in the wings, I’ve returned to the original feeling of wonder that the glorious M60 has produced.  How unexpected it was!  How marvelous!  The finely machined steel, and the unique Summilux 35mm/1.4 ASPH matching it down to the lens caps.  And no lugs, driving mad various folks just like the faux lever is driving some folks up the wall now.  If one laments the fact that the M10-D still provides a way out to chimp and fiddle with the menus, the M60 surely foreclosed that.

Now that they are all gone, and rarely surface, what do you think of the idea to get one and shoot with it?  The firmware has not been updated and probably never will be.  The Typ 240 batteries can be had new and last longer than the M10’s.  The included case solves the missing lugs problem while leaving M60 uniquely beautiful, and Luigi makes a special case for M60 with the strap being a whole with the half case.  The only thing really worrisome for an M10 shooter might be the low-light ISO...  The lack of levers and knobs and the simplicity makes it look even more timeless and classic somehow, with the advent of the M10-D.  And since the -D line continues, the true origin, the revolution, is not the M-D, but the M60, worth it just for the history of the new digital film-like experience.

What do you think — would you get the M60 set if an opportunity presented itself? 

Edited December 3, 2018 by setuporg

[IkarusJohn]

Probably - I regret selling mine.

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[setuporg]

Why did you sell yours, @IkarusJohn?  I’ve found quite a few posts from you researching the M60 here...  Very insightful...

Edited December 3, 2018 by setuporg

[IkarusJohn]

Rationalisation, I guess.

I took the trade on my corroded M9 for an M-A, kept the Monochrom and bought an SL for colour photography.  I find myself returning to the M cameras more, and I have the M10-D on order.

My only reservation about the M60 was that 35mm is not my favourite focal length (the stainless steel 35 Summilux is the best lens I have ever handled bar none).  As a daily user, I liked it a lot.

[ramarren]

When the ME60 came out—a special celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the M3, equipped only with the minimal essence of what an M3 was modulo a built in meter—I knew I wanted one. But I didn't want a special edition model, with the enormous premium tacked on. I wanted a standard production body, in black, and I already had all the lenses I wanted. A guy on another forum had one that he wanted to sell, body and case only (everything but the lens) and I nearly went for that. But I decided that it wasn't quite what I was looking for. 

Then Leica came out with the M-D and I bought one. It is my favorite M of all the ones, film or digital, I've had. It's everything that the ME60 inspired me to want and I'm completely happy with it. 

The M10-D is not that minimalist notion. It's a way to have a full featured M10-P but with the ergonomics and shooting feel of a film M that the ME60 and M-D have. Aside from the (still to me foolish) "thumb rest", it'd be the right camera for me the next time I feel I need a new Leica body to complement my M-D and CL, because it has the EVF option and thus the ability to use my macro and long lens stuff from the R system. 

But that's a fantasy notion at the moment. The M-D does it just right for me as my M, and the CL complements beautifully for what the M-D cannot do. I already have more cameras than I can hope to use regularly, so there's really no point to spending the money for another.

For similar reasons, I wouldn't buy an ME60 set at this point ... The M-D is what I wanted, and the M10-D would be a better fit if I want something else. The ME60 set is more of a collectible honorarium, even if very usable. But if it hits your buttons right: Sure, why not?

[setuporg]

Yeah M10-D looks sweet, I’ve ordered one too and was wondering when it will show up at my door, only to see a French user starting an open letter to Leica demanding printed manuals, having received his already by November 13.  Meanwhile I’ve sent my M10 to Allendale (NJ) for reattaching the decoupled ISO knob, apparently a not infrequent occurrence, and was leisurely scanning eBay for M60 deals until I suddenly found one.  So I’m strangely likely to end up with both an M60 and the upcoming M10-D.   The M-D has never appealed to me being a kind of a commoditized M60 without its unique properties.  So M10-D will completely supersede the M-D, but nothing ever will be the first as the M60 is.

BTW I’m in Oakland, and saying it with the residual Russian accent often leads to keen interest in Auckland among the fellow Americans, that I’m sorry to quickly disappoint.:)

[setuporg]

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20 minutes ago, ramarren said:

For similar reasons, I wouldn't buy an ME60 set at this point ... The M-D is what I wanted, and the M10-D would be a better fit if I want something else. The ME60 set is more of a collectible honorarium, even if very usable. But if it hits your buttons right: Sure, why not?

Yes — since you have the M-D it’s more of an honorarium, but I never got the M-D, as by the time I seriously plunged in the M10 was announced and became my very first Leica.  But the coveting of the M60 started it all, so it’s like returning home.  The strange thing about it is going back in time — my batteries and chargers and cases are all M10’s, so I have to get the bulkier Typ 240 batteries and a Luigi case just to enjoy the M60 as a real field camera it will become.  All the doubts of the 240 vs M10 are funny to read in retrospect as I already have the M10 with tens of thousands of shots.  I’ve also gathered quite a few lenses so having more bodies seems interesting to use with a larger walk-about bag and exercise them all together.  But it is an unusual feeling, justifying the older sensor for the sake of the beautiful body.  Price wise the rare lens itself is worth it, so I’m not worried there.  I wonder how much exercise the M60 will get and how well the IQ will stand its ground vs the M10.  I do shoot landscapes but also kids until the twilight and indoors so almost all of my lenses are Luxes.  The M10 ISO doesn’t seem to go over 1600 too much so it will have to be solved experimentally...

Edited December 3, 2018 by setuporg

[IkarusJohn]

!

Edited December 4, 2018 by IkarusJohn
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[IkarusJohn]

There’s actually an M60 stainless steel 35 Summilux on eBay for sale in Auckland, of all places!  IT’s a temptation I can resist, but it is a beautful lens if 35mm is anyone’s thing.

Leica Summilux-M 35mm F1.4 ASPH FLE Stainless Steel - Leica 60 - M60 - with Hood https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F173633095421

[setuporg]

Yes it looks beautiful.

Edited December 4, 2018 by setuporg
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[ramarren]

3 hours ago, setuporg said:

Yeah M10-D looks sweet, I’ve ordered one too and was wondering when it will show up at my door, only to see a French user starting an open letter to Leica demanding printed manuals, having received his already by November 13.  Meanwhile I’ve sent my M10 to Allendale (NJ) for reattaching the decoupled ISO knob, apparently a not infrequent occurrence, and was leisurely scanning eBay for M60 deals until I suddenly found one.  So I’m strangely likely to end up with both an M60 and the upcoming M10-D.   The M-D has never appealed to me being a kind of a commoditized M60 without its unique properties.  So M10-D will completely supersede the M-D, but nothing ever will be the first as the M60 is.

BTW I’m in Oakland, and saying it with the residual Russian accent often leads to keen interest in Auckland among the fellow Americans, that I’m sorry to quickly disappoint.:)

(bolded) One person's plus, another's minus ... The M-D 262 is exactly what I wanted. I'm not big on fancy styling, outre finishes, etc. Simple, plain black is fine by me. And I prefer not to use a case either, so the ME60 would be a bad choice for my use without any way to put a strap on it. But that's why YMMV rules...

(I had the M-P typ 240 before the M-D 262. There's a minor difference in the sensors between them, with the effect that I find it marginally easier to get the result I want out of the M-D than I did out of the M-P. But this is so small a difference it's really nothing to ballyhoo at all.)

[setuporg]

Thank you @ramarren!  Totally agree.  BTW if I'm not mistaken, some folks here call you Godfrey, are you the same Godfrey as on the DP Review Leica Talk, with some incredible almost 30K posts?:)

[ramarren]

LOL! Yeah. I've been on-line for a very very long time... many many many thousands of posts across several dozen forums.

My network presence started long before what is the current internet even existed, back in 1984.

[setuporg]

3 hours ago, ramarren said:

My network presence started long before what is the current internet even existed, back in 1984.

I came to the US in 1993 and we used the Usenet groups for a while...  Saw the Mosaic in early 1994...  But 1984 is early indeed. Gorbachev was next year.:)

[setuporg]

OK it arrived and is the most beautiful thing ever.  The lens alone is magical.  The metal is magical.  The sound is noble.  The box is a feast, the certificate signed by the CEO of Leica.  The battery lasts forever.  The case is the best Leica case (but Luigi’s is easier to put on/take off).  I could never believe why would anyone part with theirs.  I put the box in storage but I have a feeling it is not going anywhere.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[poli]

It is beautiful indeed!

Apart from the obvious differences with the M-D, are there any technical differences (Shutter, sensor, etc.)

Enjoy the camera!

[setuporg]

From what I've read so far, the buffer is 2GB, the rest is very similar.  It's beautiful & simple!

[IkarusJohn]

It has the same processor and 2GB buffer as the M(240)-P.

interesting that the M60 is based on the M-P and the M10-D is based on the M10-P, whereas the M-D is based on the M(262).  It is a different starting point, really.

I hope you enjoy your M60.

Edited December 7, 2018 by IkarusJohn

[kentishrev]

It is very beautiful. I can not justify (nor afford!) the extra £9000 over my M-D.  The shooting experience of the screenless Leica (without the M-10D temptation to fiddle and chimp through your phone) is perfection.  Enjoy.

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[a.noctilux]

Beautiful indeed 😍

I've hold and played with one in Leica Store when M60 was offered new.

The weight of the combo was the main factor I didn't buy, by then.

I think that there would not be another chance to buy one (for me).

...

As seen in your picture, this is the one unit from the last of production run "599/600" .