Why I sold my M-P240

[Henry Taylor]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Sorry, I tried. Yes, it finally came to  replacing my newly acquired M-P240. I realized that for me,  the MP240 wasn't for me. Yesterday bought a M9 for Camera West that had l a new  corrosion resistant glass BG60 installed by Kolar Vision .  I 'm expecting delivery this Monday. 

I was always sorry I had sold my original M9 . I never realized what a great camera it was until I started comparing with the MP 240. 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Henry Taylor
changed word

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Herr Barnack]

Just curious - what was it about the M-P 240 that you couldn't live with?

 

[Henry Taylor]

I'm sure there are many that love the MP240 but as I stated for me it wasn't a good fit.  I have been using Leica cameras ever since I bought my first Leica in the late 50's . When I first got my M 9 I was concern that using the digital wasn't going to  be the same as shooting with film, it isn't but still  came as close as I was going to  get.

 MP240  

1. Electronic finder  EVF Delay

2.No preview lever

3.Didn't need camera to  take movies  

4. When trying to pick up camera for quick shots sometime lost the ability to respond and lost the shot.

I just loved the old M9  the tones in B/W were better and the color images seemed more realistic   

 

 

[tom.w.bn]

vor einer Stunde schrieb Henry Taylor:

1. Electronic finder  EVF Delay

 

I hope you didn't miss the fact that the M240 has a viewfinder. If you don't like the EVF, don't use it.  Is the EVF delay better with the M9...? 🙂

[Herr Barnack]

We are in agreement on some of the M-P 240's "features" -

1. Electronic finder  EVF Delay (I have the shoe mount EVF, but never have found a need to use it except for macro work with extension tubes)

2.No preview lever (can live without it, but it should be on every M camera).

3.Didn't need camera to  take movies (no M camera needs this turd of a "feature" 🙄 ).

4. When trying to pick up camera for quick shots sometime lost the ability to respond and lost the shot (it's annoying to have to be mindful of constantly waking the camera up).

JMHO but the M10 is the camera that the M-P 240 should have been.  Better late than never, though.

All the above is why I still think about selling off my M-P 240 Safari kit and replacing it with an M10R, even though I'd be short a 35 Summicron ASPH afterwords.  IMHO my Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 ASPH would fill those shoes.

 

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Herr Barnack

[jdlaing]

1 hour ago, Herr Barnack said:

We are in agreement on some of the M-P 240's "features" -

 

2.No preview lever (can live without it, but it should be on every M camera).

 

 

 

?

Edited December 5, 2020 by jdlaing

[Jeff S]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

9 minutes ago, jdlaing said:

?

GAS.  No logic required.

Jeff

[fotomas]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb Henry Taylor:

MP240  

2.No preview lever

? 

My M-P 240 has a preview lever. The M 240 has non.

[Jeff S]

16 minutes ago, fotomas said:

? 

My M-P 240 has a preview lever. The M 240 has non.

Funny that both of above users apparently own, or owned,  the camera and neither noticed. Only in Leica land.

Jeff

[tom.w.bn]

It's not the first thread where people express that they don't like the camera because it can record movies. I would really like to understand why the movie function can't be ignored with this camera.

There is a small movie button next to the shutter button that is absolutely unobtrusive. I never even pressed this button by accident and with my silver Leica I really forget that it's there. We have the tiny holes on top for the microphone, and then there is the menu. When I counted right, there are 36 menu items and there is only ONE that is solely for movies: that is the sound setting.

Please educate me why these three little things are a deal breaker. 

Edited December 5, 2020 by tom.w.bn

[fotomas]

You can even disable the movie function in the menu.
But of course it's more exciting to buy a new camera to get rid of it;-)

[Adam Bonn]

I have an M9p and a M240

I think if I could only keep one of them it would be the 9... 

JMHO but like many comparisons it’s win some/lose some

I’ve missed opportunities with the 240 because it went to sleep and I forgot to tap the shutter before going for the shot, but equally I’ve lost m9 opportunities because in discrete mode the shutter didn’t recock fast enough after the first shot release.

I got the EVF bundled in with the 240 thinking “that’ll come in handy” I doubt I’ve used it 5 times in a year! But it’s still a feature the 9 doesn’t have

For sure the 9 has a ‘look’ and charm to its base iso images that often requires very little PP work to achieve, but the 240 has more natural colours that survive higher ISO use

I do miss the frameline lever (and as I have a 240 not a 240p it’s definitely not there 😀) but aesthetically more than functionally.

I like the LED framelines more than I thought I would. Plus I’ve never lifted the 240 to my eye, pressed the shutter only to see that I haven’t turned it on 😅

The video can be disabled  (and in my case before I left the store when purchasing the camera was)

The 240 battery life is amazing and I like that very much. Not only are M batteries far from cheap (compared to more mainstream brands) but changing the battery on a digital M is also a PITA (compared to more mainstream brands)

Occasionally an M9 user says that they wish Leica would re-implement the classic frameline illumination window....

...for me it’s the 1m calibrated framelines (the 240 and newer models are 2m) my furthest (sic) close focus Leica lens is 1m, the rest are all 0.7 or 0.8 (iirc) 

2m framelines don’t really cut it for me personally... YMMV of course.

[Herr Barnack]

3 hours ago, Jeff S said:

Funny that both of above users apparently own, or owned,  the camera and neither noticed. Only in Leica land.

Jeff

Jesus.  Let's gloat, mock and bask in the glory of another person's mistake like asinine little tween girls.

For the record:  In the past, I owned an M240; I disliked the absence of the preview lever.  I currently currently own an M-P 240 which has become my backup M camera, meaning that I have not shot with it much at all since the arrival of my Q2 in November of 2019 a year ago and my M10 Mono in July of 2020.  I simply forgot that the M-P 240 has the preview lever and the M 240 does not, that's all.

All better now? 🙄

As for movie making mode, if you like - you are welcome to it.  I think its a waste of space on an M camera body.

Edited December 5, 2020 by Herr Barnack

[Jeff S]

Just now, Herr Barnack said:

Jesus.  Let's gloat and bask in the glory of another person's mistake like junior high school children.

For the record:  In the past, I owned an M240; I disliked the absence of the preview lever.  I currently currently own an M-P 240 which has become my backup M camera, meaning that I have not shot with it much at all since the arrival of my Q2 in November of 2019 a year ago and my M10 Mono in July of 2020.  I simply forgot that the M-P 240 has the preview lever and the M 240 does not, that's all.

All better now? 🙄

As for movie making mode, if you like - you are welcome to it.  I think its a waste of space on an M camera body.

As I thought, which is why I wrote "only in Leica land"...(could someone forget about a $7k or so camera in a closet somewhere). 

No gloating needed.  The amusement is offered for free daily on the forum.

I also never mentioned movie mode.  But when I had my M240, I disabled it.  Happy?

Jeff

[benqui]

Everyone to his taste Henry. If you feel good with the decision, it is perfect.

I have the 240-P and for my kind of photography, it is more than sufficient for my needs. I really like the colors and also in b/W I do not have to do a lot of post processing. What I like most is the battery life. After shooting the whole day, I still have 40%. I never had to use my second battery. I do not think that I will switch to a M10. I do not care so much about the smaller size. Only the higher ISO capability could be a reason to change. But frankly speaking, I never lost a photo because of bad low light capabilities of my 240.

[Herr Barnack]

14 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

As I thought, which is why I wrote "only in Leica land"...(could someone forget about a $7k or so camera in a closet somewhere). 

No gloating needed.  The amusement is offered for free daily on the forum.

I also never mentioned movie mode.  But when I had my M240, I disabled it.  Happy?

Jeff

If it was not your intent to gloat, I apologize - it came across as gloating and mockery.  I did not forget about the camera itself - just one of its features.

My comment about movie mode was a response to tom.w.bn (above) which I did not make note of earlier. 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Herr Barnack

[david strachan]

Some completely miss the point of the M typ240 series.

They are the first digital M cameras to have an electronic viewfinder.

This allows true macro, proper and accurate framing, close-up photography, more accurate focusing, using micalibrated lenses focused properly, a horizontal level and real-time exposure curve...etc...and many other features including the fastest exposure and iso control.

These cameras allow many manufacturers lenses to be used on an M sensor...for example i use many Nikkor lenses which are excellent...particularly some zoom lenses.

These features were not available on any digital M until the type 240 series.

If this was lost on owners they don't deserve to have such an excellent camera...😝

Edited December 5, 2020 by david strachan

[Jeff S]

6 minutes ago, Herr Barnack said:

If it was not your intent to gloat, I apologize - it came across as gloating and mockery.  I did not forget about the camera itself - just one of its features.

My comment about movie mode was a response to tom.w.bn (above) which I did not make note of earlier. 

Well, at least you didn't start a thread listing the lever absence as one of your four complaints and reasons for buying another camera.  😂

See what I mean?

Jeff

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Guest]

What is a preview lever?

I have a m262 for reference.

[Jeff S]

11 minutes ago, steve 1959 said:

What is a preview lever?

I have a m262 for reference.

Shows alternate frame lines so one can preview different composition without having to mount lenses of varying focal length. The M262 omitted the lever, as I recall.

Jeff