15 years of digital Leica M - which model is your favorite and most hated?

[rramesh]

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The photographer loves all his wives. 😉 

Edited August 4, 2021 by rramesh

[mike3996]

M240-P was my first M. I love it so much. In 2.5 years of ownership I've shot some 35000 frames with it.

I very recently acquired an M9-P to test it out but I quickly found out that I prefer the better build quality and operation of M240.

I have no big desires for M10 because M240 is so close specs-wise and does what I need.

I just have to wait and see, like the others, what the M11 will bring to the table.

Edited August 4, 2021 by mike3996

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[Al Brown]

21 hours ago, mike3996 said:

I have no big desires for M10 because M240

The M10 is not only better basic specs on paper, it is a leap from M240 on many levels in small workflow and sensor solution details - bigger finder, better shadow opening in post, highlight recovery, better buffer, simplified menu. But I do understand the M240 affection - mine lasted for years until last week.

[oudjunk]

I have owned 

Leica M10 leitz park edition and Leica M 10

Leica M6 titanium and Leica M6 TTL titanium

Leica MP hermes edition 

and Leica M8 

now all of them are sold or traded to other lenses or other cameras.  

My most favorite one for me is Leica M6 TTL titanium. It's very beautiful when mounted with Leica summilux 35 v2 titanium. 

P.S. Now, I use Leica SL with M mount lenses and I wanna buy some M camera again (Digital)  

[mike3996]

1 hour ago, Al Brown said:

The M10 is not only better basic specs on paper, it is a leap from M240 on many levels in small workflow and sensor solution details - bigger finder, better shadow opening in post, highlight recovery, better buffer, simplified menu. But I do understand the M240 affection - mine lasted for years until last week.

Trust me -- I have lusted after every detail of M10. M10P further improved on it (I do love quiet shutters) and then M10R piled on with the extra highlight recoverability that's a dear topic to me.

But at the end of the day I love shooting M240 and that shooting experience at its core is not changing if I decide to upgrade. Trade-in would cost a pretty penny and I reason that the 5k would be better spent on Leica glass.

That's why I wait for M11 to see if it improves on those areas that M10 didn't improve enought in my opinion.

[colint544]

I bought an M9-P back in 2011. When the M Monochrom mk1 was announced the following year, I switched to that, and have been using it ever since. I've become accustomed to its quirks. For a digital camera, it doesn't feel out of date (even though it really is) after nine years. It still gets plenty of use.

If I ever came into a lot of money in the future, I like the look of the M10R, or the M10M. Doubtless the speed and handling are light years ahead of the M9 platform.

Seems the M11 will dispense with the removable baseplate. That alone is bound to divide the room. 

[erniethemilk]

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I’ve only owned a Leica M10-P and even almost 2 years in it does everything I want it to do. 

I guess my head could be turned by a Monochrom of some description as an addition, but not as a replacement. 🙂

[FrozenInTime]

Skipped the M8 due to the purple nylon IR issues and crop, and spent that time wishing I'd taken a chance on the Epson RD-1.

M9 and M9M gave many years of good service, only upgrading them when the sensors corroded, by which time the M10 was available.

The M240 did not have any appeal, which was justification to skip and buy a M-A to pass the era and give film a last hurrah !

Missed the M9M bayer less image aesthetic, so was first in-line to buy the M10M, which has been absolutely fantastic and would give it the best Leica-M ever award.

M10 still doing good service, but is a bit less refined than the M10M so a seed of thought was forming ; a bit more dynamic range and pixels from the M10-R would be nice, but will likely not act ; not without a little disappointment, thinking the M10-R will not be available in black chrome P spec and the uncertainty of the M11 rushing in with big changes and a red dot.

[Raid Amin]

I still have the M8, M9, and M10. The M10 seems to be the overall best digital Leica that I have owned. 

[Guest BlackBarn]

I used the M10M for years but it became so limiting so in hindsight probably the worse camera I’ve used. I skipped a few models and recently purchased  the M14 with the upgraded AI features which emulates every Leica lens ever made and simulates the subjects position through 360 degrees with its 42 lighting conditions. However looking forward to the M15 with its rumored ‘hover’ function. So the M14 along with the old iPhone 186 would be my favorites. 

[Photoworks]

3 hours ago, BlackBarn said:

 

I used the M10M for years but it became so limiting so in hindsight probably the worse camera I’ve used. I skipped a few models and recently purchased  the M14 with the upgraded AI features which emulates every Leica lens ever made and simulates the subjects position through 360 degrees with its 42 lighting conditions. However looking forward to the M15 with its rumored ‘hover’ function. So the M14 along with the old iPhone 186 would be my favorites. 

wow I feel it was announced only last year.  good that you will enjoy 15, seams to be a good number

[Harvard Kiwi]

I've only ever owned an M10 so it is the best and worst M I have ever owned. Indeed, we have a love-hate relationship where I love everything about the camera, but occasionally hate how it shows up my lack of photographic skill. Still, like any great partner, it sits there looking at me and encourages me to do better.

I would have purchased the M10-R but I couldn't justify the increased cost. I tell myself that the higher megapixel count would only further highlight my photography flaws, so I've learned to live with, and indeed embrace my decision.

I'd love an M10 Monochrom because I shoot mainly in black and white but I feel I need colour for some things. My next M body may very well be a Monochrom.

I hate the M11! I have to actively avoid any article or discussion around it as I am afraid that my GAS would create significant financial difficulties, and somehow cause me to be less satisfied with my M10. My current camera is already better than me, so I need to improve to the point where my skills can justify an upgrade. The challenge with that however is that the better we become, the less we need the newer, fancier version!

[nicci78]

My favourite : original M Monochrom with its magical rendering. 

Least favourite : M9 with its horrible colour rendition. Especially the reds. 

Like it but nothing special : M10.

Do not like it but ok : M typ 240 too heavy. 

 

Special mention : M typ 262. Lightweight, awesome battery life. 
 

 

[FDS]

Here's my history with digital M cameras.  Nothing original in my very brief summary:

 

M8- Owned very briefly as a cheap backup to my M9s.  Vastly preferred full frame of M9 and didn't like shutter 'kick' so hardly ever used it.  (x1 owned) LEAST FAVOURITE

M9- Long awaited full frame camera and loved the images (though very narrow latitude and sometimes reds too strong)  but very annoying winding motor sounds and nearly useless monitor. (x2 owned) SECOND LEAST FAVOURITE

M240- A huge improvement but too fat and limited buffer resulting in frustrating delays.  Limit of ISO 1250 in terms of image quality for me. (x2 owned)

M-P 240:  The buffer problem solved and really liked this camera at the time.  (x2 owned)

M246:  Enjoyed the additional sharpness of images and higher ISO capability but struggled with flatness of tones in Lightroom. (x2 owned)

M10: I was a relatively late adopter but loved the return to familiar size, improved viewfinder viewing and better Visoflex.  ISO 3200 results great and sometimes even ISO 6400.  (x2 owned)

M10P: Appreciated the quieter shutter but wished I could turn off the touch screen feature.   (x1 owned)

M10R:  Much better retention of highlights, additional MPs useful for cropping.  A mature product that I am very comfortably using on a daily basis. Like with all other M cameras that I've owned, I wish that the rangefinder could be accurately and easily user-adjusted.  Not bothered by baseplate but a higher resolution Visoflex finder would be appreciated.  (x3 owned). MOST FAVOURITE

M10M:  Fabulous camera and results much better than M246 but I shoot very little black and white nowadays.  (x1 owned) SECOND MOST FAVOURITE

[Stef63]

M9, M Monochrom (the original), M240, M246, M10, M10M

- Least favourite: M246 because although it was technically a better body than the original Monochrom that was based on the M9 body, but the sensor did not produce the same magnificent b&w as the older model.

- Most favourite: M10M because it threw ISO out of the exposure equation “shutter speed - aperture - ISO”.  First digital camera I was able to use auto ISO.  Although I used to be a wide-open photographer, I’m currently exploring the world of f5.6 on many new and vintage lenses.  The M10M makes this possible without looking at the ISO settings anymore. 

[fotografr]

Started with the M8, skipped the M8.2, then M9, M9M, M240, M246, M10, M10-P, M10M and M10R.

Favorite overall would have to be the M10M with the M10R close behind. I love the thinner bodies, the ultra quiet shutters, but most of all the output they are capable of producing.

As has been mentioned by another person in this thread, the sensor issue of the M9 series really upset me and at one point I was ready to move away from Leica altogether. Part of the reason it upset me so much was that I was thoroughly enjoying the M9M at the time and still consider those files to have the most beautiful b&w characteristics of any digital camera I've used. That CCD sensor was just amazing.

My least favorite of them all is the clunky M240. I didn't like the feel, didn't like the shutter sound and didn't like the output. I got rid of mine after less than a month.

[Torpille]

The M10 without a doubt is for me a very good  one : image quality, colors, viewfinder, size and user interface. 

The M10 gives you all the flexibility you need, to shoot beautiful images in colors or b&w and gives you a lot joy. 

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Torpille

[crony]

Hi, I bought my first digital Leica, an M9 in 2010. (The analogue M6 I got in 1988.) 

I was so happy with it, that I bought another one last year. Here they are :

 

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!

 

Currently, I am too lazy to buy another M. (If I need high ISO, high res, IS, AF, longer tele lenses or a tilt screen, I use a SONY A7R2.

If I need high AF performance, I use a NIKON D800 ... --- )

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by crony
addition

[jensthoes]

Hello,

for digital photography, I like and use my brave M8 from 2006 (the 72th ever made). No need for another digital M.

Best,

Jens

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[tobey bilek]

My M9 sensor corroded after tender loving care to avoid issues like heat humidity, cleaning, etc.   A waste of $7000.   An M10R replaced it and is an in incredible camera.  Still like my noisy M8 with crazy filters and poor at high ISO.