M10-D, Leica's "forgotten" M?

[Guest]

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Last year I was invited to be one of the Beta testers for the newest M10/M10-P/M10-D's firmware and I was excited to have been chosen especially because I was given to understand that the M10-D would definitely benefit from the new firmware, and about time too was my opinion back then.......But soon after downloading and reviewing the firmware a keen sense of disappointment set in. The firmware prime "improvement" was primarily intended for trying to improve the poor GPS functionality for the M10's in general plus some promised improvements for the camera's Fotos WiFi connections and I guess some hidden bug fixes and general "tune-up" of the software. Personally I saw little or no improvement in the WiFi / Fotos connectivity in either my M10 or the M10-D, it remained, remains, absolutely woeful. The same went for the test results on WiFi connectivity with the GPS satellites, even with a clear sky view the connection time took so long that whatever image one wanted to capture and GPS tag had long since disappeared over the hill when the GPS finally locked in, unless one was shooting a still life or Stonehenge I guess. One thing I did discover though during the Beta testing was that whilst you can turn off the GPS function with the M10/M10-P cameras, you cannot do that with the M10-D because as soon as you attach the Visoflex 020 to the camera the GPS is turned on whether you want it or not and there's no way to turn it off in Fotos if you don't wish to use it, huh! This I reported to Leica at the time of the Beta testing and they agreed that "it would be a great idea to be able to turn off the GPS via the Fotos App" with the M10-D, thus saving unnecessary battery burn for when one doesn't need that function...............So that was last September. The new firmware came out and you still cannot turn off the GPS on the M10-D when you mount the 020, also NO OTHER functions were added to or improved that I could note to the M10-D's operation so basically the camera is as it was when it first arrived on the scene, and it so remains as of today.

Then there's the Thumbwheel, why the hell is it there at all? To set the time, give me a break. In the M10-D's manual it mentions three functions that were supposed I guess to be with the camera at it's outset, but the only function for the Thumbwheel is the manual time adjustment  via the OVF, isn't that just ridiculous? See attached jpeg from the manual. I contacted Leica after the public release of the recent firmware, the version that I Beta tested for them a month or so earlier, and asked whether there was any plan within Leica to give the M10-D a really meaningful firmware upgrade, even to give the rather useless Thumbwheel at least another useful function or two, even just implement what they mention in the manual or was the camera truly at a dead-end as far as any true / useful firmware upgrades?.......So Leica told me that the camera wasn't "forgotten", but at this point of time it feels to me that it really is the forgotten M10 and it is so frustrating that they've allowed such a great camera concept to languish to the point of being at a dead-end as far as it's functionality. 

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[poli]

Funny, earlier today I was wondering when there will be an update for the M10-d. For me, the most useful update would be faster boot up time. Compared to the M-D the camera takes ages to start up. I don't understand why, it has a faster processor.. so one would think the booting would be quicker.... 

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[Guest]

To be honest Poli I haven't noticed that, but then I tend to keep the camera turned on pretty much all the time and the wifi/on/off outside wheel taped over to prevent it wandering into the WiFi setting needlessly.

Don't get me wrong, from my post it could be taken to mean that I am very unhappy with the M10-M, far from it....it's my favourite M so far, ( even though my M10-M arrives tomorrow, so.....! ). I just wish that Leica would do more meaningful firmware development on the camera so as to extend it's operational scope, at the very least provide what it's manual says it can do in regards to the Thumbwheel. Perhaps Leica needs to be "nudged" by us M10-D owners more to see if we can get them to give the camera some attention.

[poli]

Same here, I am also very happy with the M10-D. The larger viewfinder, the quiet shutter, slightly thinner body, the results (sensor) in general. All good and they are improvements compared to the M-D. 

But a firmware update would be nice to address mentioned issues. Some weeks ago I didn't even remember whether the camera had a thumbwheel yes or no.. haha. Had to check. I've never used it! With the limited functionality it has right now, you wonder why not just leave it out? 

Regarding booting: maybe I should just leave it on as well. But the process of waking up is also slower compared to the M-D. For me they could have left the WIFI all out. And stick a bit closer to the minimalistic concept of the M-D. 

[Yigal]

It would be great if Leica added the following functionality through the next firmware update - scroll between single shot, continuous, self timer mode by half pressing the shutter button and turning the thumbwheel.

[AndreasG]

I don't remember when I used the thumb wheel last time with my M10-D, probably I did not miss it due a lack of functions, I also can live with the slow WiFi connectivity and the wake up time, though sometimes I might have missed a shot... What I dislike most is the GPS functionality, or better non-functionality of the Visoflex 020, it simply does not deliver. My first 020 got replaced by Leica, the new one is not better, my experience is 100% in accordance with Peter's statement above, the GPS function in connection with the M10-D  is simply not existing. So, my use of the 020 is reduced to occasional wide angle lenses exceeding the built in frames or with further Leica R-lenses I keep via R-M adapter. Nevertheless, I consider the M10-D as a great camera, but, there is room for improvement!

[sebben]

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Would be great for the next version if they could just remove the thumbnail and the extra buttons as they aren't needed. More minimalism!

Have to say though that I was very skeptical about the thumb rest at first. I love it now!

Faster boot time and an option to disable showing EV compensation on every shutter half press would be great. 

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

My M10-D has a 24 and a Visoflex welded on it, so I do have occasion to use the thumbwheel for occasional magnification while focusing. (But I suspect the rangefinder does the job better.)  I remember feeling that there should have been more functions accessible through Fotos, but can't recall now what those were, so I guess I didn't need them after all.  The GPS in a Visoflex 020 is pretty weak, so I'd be happy to turn GPS off entirely.  But I don't think it is much of a power drain..