Leica M10 MM durability and toughness

[Shu_downunder]

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As a amateur, I mainly use R lenses on mirrorless platforms for over 10 years. 

Recently I started to seriously consider using M as my main ‘always-taking-with-me’ camera. 

I understand its limitations, actually I appreciate some of these limitations, which frees Leica to achieve in some aspects to a level that no other camera can achieve. And these aspects, like compact body and lenses, simplicity, handling and image quality are really important to me. 
 

What I couldn’t found online, which is also very important to me, is it’s durability and toughness level. 
 

I’m not going to abuse it, of course, but is it tough enough for daily use for at least 10 years?

I might occasionally shot in light rain, I might bring it to a long trip that last for 6 months without a backup, I might bring it to the beach with kids. I need to use it as a tool. 
 

Can it survive all these without too much of factory service?

 

Thanks in advance. 
 

Shu
 

 

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[Cobram]

I own M and SL camera. IMHO SL is more resistant to physical abuse.

[Shu_downunder]

45 minutes ago, Cobram said:

I own M and SL camera. IMHO SL is more resistant to physical abuse.

SL is approx 475g heavier than M10, assuming both using the same M lens and SL with an adapter. 
 

How do you feel about the extra weight and size? Is it still ok to take all day long?

[Cobram]

@Shu_downunder Yes it is heavy and not the best choice for sunday beach family walks, IMHO. And yes, I use it mainly with M Summilux 50 ASPH. 

M mount is lighter, smaller and best family trips "gadget". 

About durability: Al Brown is right. If you treat it well it will maybe last 10 years but you must remember RF is a delicate piece of mechanics.

It is also very important how you prefer to store your camera during outdoor trips: backpack, shoulder bag, no bag at all,... If you already use mainly backpacks than SL is a valid choice. On contrary if you prefer to hang the camera around your neck and enjoy your time with family members... well in this case I prefer M as a lighter and smaller very capable machine.

[ELAN]

3 hours ago, Shu_downunder said:

 Can it survive all these without too much of factory service?

Yes it will survive well. I have an M hanging on my hip wherever I go.  In the rain and on the beach and recently through a sandstorm it’s always ready to take a shot. It has never been in a bag. I clean it well every week and it looks almost new, even though it bumps into things every now and then.  It’s actually remarkable how reliable and durable it is for a camera that hangs on my body and goes everywhere everyday. 

Factory service is mostly luck of the draw. I’ve had Ms than never visited the factory and others, like my current M10-P, that needed its shutter replaced after a year. Like anything, it can break at any moment. Mostly I worry about bumping the rangefinder out of alignment because for me that means factory service. Thankfully the RF on M10s is more durable than the M240s and the M9s were.

So yes, the M10 is perfect for your intended use. 

[a.noctilux]

Reliability of Leica M or R ?

As decades old Leitz/Leica user, I just can say "it depends" on luck/how-hard-using/how-transportation/etc.

Dozen(s) of Leica gear I have and had led me to think that "each can break or malfunction" every...where every... time.

The best thing is Leica or some repairers can repair or CLAed most of time (more expensive * than I hope).

 

*

so as time goes by, I have accumulated some backups ( if not as collector by surprise ! )

I do have some Leitz/Leica gear needing repair, but as I don't need them for work, I just leave them as they are.

my M10 bought at launch 2017 works flawlessly, also  my other Ms I can say that new M can be tough (for me as amateur user ! )

my last need for Leica service was for replacing sensor on Monochrom in 2015

Edited April 7, 2021 by a.noctilux

[newtoleica]

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Have you thought of a Q2 for this purpose?

[Shu_downunder]

28 minutes ago, newtoleica said:

Have you thought of a Q2 for this purpose?

I actually have, for a quite a while, as it ticks so many boxes, until I realized that I probably need a 35 lux for its versatility, or a comb of MM+5.6/28 for its extreme compact size and super fast way to focus. 
 

As I shoot lots of architecture, 28mm is not wide enough for me anyway.  So in the end Q2 is out. 

Edited April 7, 2021 by Shu_downunder

[Shu_downunder]

2 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Do not expect the durability and toughness of the film M cameras.
If you treat it well it will last 10 years, shutter and electronics withstanding. But it is NOT a Canon 1Dx MkIII - you can hammer the nails with the latter.

Sure. I don’t need 95% of the features or advantages that 1Dx3 has, but I do need 95% of what M is good at. Therefore I accept its limitations. I just need to found out to whether I can use it anywhere anytime, reasonably. 

[Shu_downunder]

1 hour ago, a.noctilux said:

my M10 bought at launch 2017 works flawlessly, also  my other Ms I can say that new M can be tough (for me as amateur user ! )

I dare say I wouldn’t use cameras as frequently as you do. So regards your M10, can I ask how frequently do you use it? That will give me a good reference. 

[Shu_downunder]

1 hour ago, ELAN said:

Yes it will survive well. I have an M hanging on my hip wherever I go.  In the rain and on the beach and recently through a sandstorm it’s always ready to take a shot. It has never been in a bag. I clean it well every week and it looks almost new, even though it bumps into things every now and then.  It’s actually remarkable how reliable and durable it is for a camera that hangs on my body and goes everywhere everyday.

That’s amazing! Is it a film or digital M?

[Shu_downunder]

2 hours ago, Cobram said:

RF is a delicate piece of mechanics.

I have an illusion that the higher a camera’s mechanical-part to electrical-part ratio, the more durable it is. And if it’s designed properly, it will be tough. 
 

I was anticipating that M10 is such a thing, at least to a degree.  

Edited April 7, 2021 by Shu_downunder

[a.noctilux]

20 minutes ago, Shu_downunder said:

I dare say I wouldn’t use cameras as frequently as you do. So regards your M10, can I ask how frequently do you use it? That will give me a good reference. 

Every day ...

like now, or last week, I'm doing "repros" my thousands pics from 1980's.

Very hard for my back 🤥, but "light job" for my gear 😉.

M10/or other M + Beoon

yesterday, those with M262 + Summilux-M 50mm

This post specially for you Shu

 

Edited April 7, 2021 by a.noctilux

[Shu_downunder]

12 minutes ago, a.noctilux said:

Every day ...

like now, or last week, I'm doing "repros" my thousands pics from 1980's.

Very hard for my back 🤥, but "light job" for my gear 😉.

M10/or other M + Beoon

yesterday, those with M262 + Summilux-M 50mm

 

Thanks!

 

PS. Have you thought of making  the light table and the Beoon ‘stand up’ so you don’t need to bend down? Just a thought. 

[a.noctilux]

Thanks, so I use when I'm not in hurry my two slow Coolscan V in parallel, relax and very funny.

Have you seen this non typical use of M10 ?

 

[Shu_downunder]

12 minutes ago, a.noctilux said:

Thanks, so I use when I'm not in hurry my two slow Coolscan V in parallel, relax and very funny.

Have you seen this non typical use of M10 ?

 

Woah, never though it can be that good. Got one more item on the wishlist. I actually checked on eBay just now, but only found some Beoon parts. Would definitely get one. Thanks!

[Shu_downunder]

39 minutes ago, a.noctilux said:

This post specially for you Shu

Thanks! I spent two days reading this post🤪

[Shu_downunder]

3 hours ago, Cobram said:

It is also very important how you prefer to store your camera

I prefer to have the camera where my hand can ‘reach’ easily, in the car, maybe on the item tray, when I’m walking maybe hanging around the neck, in the airplane maybe in the small waist bag. 
 

It definitely not going to be kept in a bag all the time and would receive a degree of squeezing,  abrasion, collision and weather. 

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[Cobram]

1 minute ago, Shu_downunder said:

I prefer to have the camera where my hand can ‘reach’ easily, in the car, maybe on the item tray, when I’m walking maybe hanging around the neck, in the airplane maybe in the small waist bag. 
 

It definitely not going to be kept in a bag all the time and would receive a degree of squeezing,  abrasion, collision and weather. 

IMHO --> M is the right answer.

[Guest Nowhereman]

Shu - From what you say, you should be happy with the M10 as long as long you like the the viewfinder and the rangefinder focusing. It's rugged "enough" and the rangefinder mechanism on the M10 is less likely to fall out of calibration through minor shocks than earlier models. I carry mine on the shoulder with a strap short enough (84 cm) to wrap around my wrist when shooting.

Unfortunately, BEOONs are difficult to find these days.
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