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Leica M10-P vs. SL2 - please help me to decide!


thetankengine

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On 1/14/2020 at 12:33 AM, xrogers said:

I'm an M240 owner thinking about the SL2 because I like EVF framing, EVF focusing is fine, I love my M lenses, and would appreciate more pixels for cropping. I looked the M10P and SL2 side-by-side last week for about a half hour (only enough time to form an initial impression and try my wide angle lenses). My main takeaways:

- I expected the SL2 to be bigger and heavier, but it is even bigger and heavier than I expected.

- The SL2 viewfinder is excellent for focusing M lenses. I felt no need to magnify focus at any time.

- My 21 elmarit asph and 35 summilux asph both work very well on the camera. This isn't a rigorous test, just a series of shots wide open and stopped down, close up and infinity. Both lenses appear truly excellent on the SL2, more than good enough for me.

- The IBIS really works well, and I like it. It isn't a critical feature for me, though.

- The M10P seemed much easier to focus correctly than my M240. The person in the Leica store suggested it could be due to additional magnification of the viewfinder. I'm not convinced, I may have my RF adjusted to make sure the M240 is getting a fair shake in comparison.

- I liked how the M10P touch screen allows fast positioning of the focus zoom point when using the (much better) EVF.

- The M240 shutter is totally acceptable to me, but is the loudest of the three cameras. The M10P shutter is exceptionally, wonderfully quiet. This isn't a critical feature for me either.

- I prefer the thinner body of the M10 series vs the M240. Again, not critical.

I'm mostly motivated by size, weight, lenses, cost, and joy of use. I do really like the SL2 feature set, and am convinced that my M lenses would work well with it, but fear that it is too big and heavy for me. Some mental realignment would be required before I would get an SL or SL2. If size and weight is less critical to you, I expect you'd love the camera. It is beautiful.

If the RF magnification difference is what makes focusing work better for me, I'd consider moving from M240 to some M10 version.

A couple of points on the above as I still have a type 240 and my M10 plus SL and SL2.

The M10 is easier to focus than the type 240. Mine are both perfectly calibrated and the difference is obvious to me with fast and long lenses.

The SL/SL2 size and weight are the same as the M240 with the added grip and EVF. The M10 is lighter but I think it feels lighter than it actually is.

***************************

I really do hope for a higher resolution M (although I know some don't). I print big, regularly and I'd love to have a 40+MP M camera. If the rumors of a 41MP M10M are true I'm probably in. Until than I use the resolution the SL2 offers me and the IBIS allows me to shoot at a much lower ISO in many situations. It's also better for critical focusing.

So for me,, get the SL2. It's great.

Gordon

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On 1/15/2020 at 11:21 AM, thetankengine said:

Thanks for you guys’ advice.  Trouble being that I live in New Zealand and I was told by the official dealer here that there’s only one SL2 in this country at the moment.  Test drive would be nice but looked like that’s not a viable option for me for now anyway.  I guess the best option is for me to delay my purchase and wait till there’s a SL2 for me to try first.

I would call Lacklands, and talk to Ken Newell - if they don't have an SL2 to demo now, I'm sure they'll get one at some stage.

I passed on the SL2 - no interest in more megapixels and the SL works just fine for me.  I don't need IBIS (so far as I'm aware ...)  If you're in Auckland, I'm happy for you to have a play with my cameras and lenses.  The SL has become a bit of a workhorse for me.  I took it on the Routeburn a couple of weeks ago, and it got a beating - worked flawlessly.  At one point, my Tie Her Up Rock n Roll strap became undone and the camera hit the road in Te Anau - the bottom of the body is a bit battered, but it seems to have had no ill effect.

If money is an issue, don't discount the SL - it's a very nice camera as a universal platform.

I would also say that (having 4 different systems - TL2, M, SL and X1D II), rationalisation is a good thing.  With one camera and one system, you do get to know how to optimise your photography.  It always takes me a while to remember how each system works, which is not ideal.  I also passed on the M(240), which made the jump to the M10-D more appealing.  My M system remains the core of my photography (Monochrom, M10-D and M-A, with 9 lenses) - it all depends on why you photograph.  For me, the range of 21mm to 75mm is the core, with the goal not really to record reality as to portray something different.

Cheers
John

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On 1/12/2020 at 6:01 PM, thetankengine said:

Currently I own a M240 and I"m thinking about upgrading it since the M240's performance in the low light is not meeting my demand.  I now face the dilemma of whether getting another M, or should I dive in for the SL2.  I use my camera mainly for travel and landscape photography as well as taking pictures of street cats.  With the Leica SL lenses so expensive, I doubt I'll be able to take advantage of the AF of SL2 anytime soon, i.e I'll most likely get an adaptor to fit my current M lenses onto it, and I thought if I can't use AF straight away, is there a point of getting a SL2?

On the other hand, the SL2 is a newer camera but is less expensive than the M10-P, which is the new M I'm thinking about.

Really cannot make up my mind here, somebody who has used both systems could you please give me some advice.  Please don't say "get both" - if I have that sort of money, I'll get the SL2 with a couple SL lenses.

True, the cost of entry (the SL2 body only) is less money, but overall (unless you are looking at the exotic M glass) the SL lenses cost way more

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