M11 experiences so far

[M11 for me]

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Thx @elmars

I start to understand this better now.

And I presume that the fact that in Leica Fotos the pics are displayed twice when storing on SD plus SSD is a result of poor implementation as well. Lets hope for Firmware update (plus Leica Fotos for M11 is Beta anyway.)

Edited June 7, 2022 by M11 for me

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[SrMi]

37 minutes ago, elmars said:

1. 

From the M8 on I deleted files on SD cards and nearly never formatted the card after deleting all images. Never had problems. I think this is one of the myths of early SD days that this should be avoided. If it would be true You shouldn´t delete data on Your SSD in the computer.

2. 

If You delete files You must be shure on what storage You are. Files are only deleted on that storage that You are in when pressing delete. If Your setting is IN0SD You have to delete every photo twice, once on SD, once on IN. DNG and JPG are deleted together. As I wrote it is not easy to know what storage is active. If You are in SD You can delete. I have made it often. 

The deletion could lead to fragmentation (exFAT?), but that is doubtful to have any performance impact. On the other hand, you can often recover files you accidentally deleted. I wish all cameras had the option to delete all files instead of doing only a single image delete.

[Mikko Kankainen]

Just got mine silver today. I was not afraid of slow shutter speeds even though many was unhappy with 1,2xfl speeds. I used Canon 5ds professionally many years before R5 and got used to deal with high Mpix cameras (bigger camera=more grip but a mirror).

1/60s is totally fine, I get sharp pictures with 35mm every time. I also made a test with 1/15s, took 10 pictures 9 were sharp, also with 35mm lens. Really no issue even with my copy. Colors are natural, quite modern look but I have to tweak these things to my liking later on. 

What I was afraid was shutter making three clicks but this is so quit shutter that this really is no issue imho. For me this is a tool, it's a fine camera, my feelings are quite positive, it's just like any other M camera.

 

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Edited June 7, 2022 by Mikko Kankainen

[lct]

1 hour ago, elmars said:

If You delete files You must be shure on what storage You are. Files are only deleted on that storage that You are in when pressing delete. If Your setting is IN0SD You have to delete every photo twice, once on SD, once on IN. DNG and JPG are deleted together. As I wrote it is not easy to know what storage is active. If You are in SD You can delete. I have made it often. 

OK thanks i got this but in IN=SD mode my pic files happen to be "IN" on display while i never chose to be there, at least willingly. What am i supposed to do for my files to be on SD as expected? 

[M11 for me]

vor 7 Minuten schrieb lct:

OK thanks i got this but in IN=SD mode my pic files happen to be "IN" on display while i never chose to be there, at least willingly. What am i supposed to do for my files to be on SD as expected? 

Go to post 11. There Elmar has it described: When reviewing you pics then turn the wheel to the left until you get the sceen to choose either SD or Internal . . . I believe that this is quite useful and satisfying.

In addition to what you wrote above: I experienced that sometimes when reviewing the pictures then the screen show the picture from SD card and sometimes from Int. That is most distracting. But now I know what to do. As you do I normally use IN=SD.

[hdmesa]

4 hours ago, Jeff S said:

Don’t delete or rate pics in-camera.  I concentrate on shooting and save the rest for PP (and rarely delete pics anyway). Also reduces risk of accidental deletion or other unintended action.  But I also never took my darkroom with me when shooting film. 😉

Jeff

Good advice, but for casual use where I don't care what happens, it can be convenient to:

• Use only the internal memory for writing the images to when shooting
• Star the images I want to keep as I go
• When internal memory is close to full, use the option to copy star images over to the SD (256gb card)
• Reformat internal memory and keep going (remove SD card first if afraid to accidentally erase it)
• Replace SD with a new one when full 

Edited June 7, 2022 by hdmesa

[lct]

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12 minutes ago, M11 for me said:

Go to post 11. There Elmar has it described: When reviewing you pics then turn the wheel to the left until you get the sceen to choose either SD or Internal . . . I believe that this is quite useful and satisfying

Got it thank you .

[Jeff S]

17 minutes ago, hdmesa said:

…but for casual use where I don't care what happens…

My 35mm (or larger format) usage is always intentional, and part of a print workflow if the pic warrants. I never tossed my slides or film contacts, which can provide learning, and see no reason to delete digital files other than due to accidental shot/exposure errors. Storage is cheap, and there have been occasions when I’ve revisited a pic previously overlooked.  My shooting style, created in film days, remains disciplined with digital. And now my phone camera is available for ‘casual’ or documentary snaps. 
 

This works for me. But of course others have different shooting styles and goals.
 

Jeff

[Photoworks]

20 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

My 35mm (or larger format) usage is always intentional, and part of a print workflow if the pic warrants. I never tossed my slides or film contacts, which can provide learning, and see no reason to delete digital files other than due to accidental shot/exposure errors. Storage is cheap, and there have been occasions when I’ve revisited a pic previously overlooked.  My shooting style, created in film days, remains disciplined with digital. And now my phone camera is available for ‘casual’ or documentary snaps. 
 

This works for me. But of course others have different shooting styles and goals.
 

Jeff

over the pandemic I have scan 20 years of photography in NYC. many of the shot where nothing interesting back then.

20 Years later the styles have changed, car change and the hole city has grown. the all images are interesting again.

Even the stupid family pix from friends and family that lost touch or no longer around are great memory.

I just save everything, plus I back it up!

[Jeff S]

15 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

over the pandemic I have scan 20 years of photography in NYC. many of the shot where nothing interesting back then.

20 Years later the styles have changed, car change and the hole city has grown. the all images are interesting again.

Even the stupid family pix from friends and family that lost touch or no longer around are great memory.

I just save everything, plus I back it up!

My print archive is approaching 50 yrs. Yikes.  No scans, though.  The only pics truly worth saving in a house fire, or passing along after death, is a family history album… pics and stories… that I asked my parents to start 30+ years ago as my birthday present. 
 

Jeff

Edited June 7, 2022 by Jeff S

[elmars]

vor 13 Stunden schrieb elmars:

In the betatest phase especially one professional critisized the implementation of the internal storage very hard and verdicted it useless. Most of us shared his opinion but not his final verdict. One often does not know clearly or on first sight in which storage one is; and the camera should not switch to another storage without active confirmation of the photographer, when the chosen storage is full (now there is only a warning: if for example SD is full the M11 stores in IN if You go on shooting after the warning). If You don´t notice the warning You don´t know where Your photos are. Not a big deal for me but a no go for the professional.

So what would I do:

• Change of storage in the camera menu and in the quick menu in addition to the existing method.
• One color for each storage (perhaps red for SD and blue for IN).
• Every photo (or group of photos) gets a colored frame (red or blue).
• The icon before the file number is colored in red btw blue.
• The camera should not switch to another storage without active confirmation of the photographer, when the chosen storage is full.

One additional thing:

It has to be possible to download separately from IN or SD. 

[LBJ2]

On 5/15/2022 at 4:33 PM, tap360 said:

I have an M9-P, MP and SL but don’t like the EVF, so going to upgrade and focus on rangefinder.

I was thinking a used M10-P, but have the opportunity of a new M11 in black!

I have 28mm f/2, 35mm f/2 and 50mm f/1.5 Voigtlander lenses. 
 

I love all the new M11 features, but how are people finding performance?  Any concerns/issues?

I normally go for silver M’s, but have only been offered a black one. How is the new finish (or does anyone want a swap for silver??)

 

 

Silver rangefinder aficionado here. I shot the M10, M10-R and now the M11. For me the M11 was a good and fun decision. But I also enjoyed the M10 and M10-R quite a bit too. IMO an awful lot to like about the "quality of life" improvements in the M11 to include maintaining the M11 as a true and authentic rangefinder.  Most of the new M11 features are for those that choose to use these features or not. Other than the new live metering and respective shutter behavior, most other new features are under the hood so-to-speak ready when needed but in no way get in the way of a true rangefinder workflow or experience. 

I don't respect many of the now infamous maniacs IMO who get on the forums and complain repeatedly ( apparently once or thrice is not enough for them) and rather hysterically go on about a camera they've never used just on "principal" but then again "free speech" comes in all forms agreeable or otherwise. And yes, there have been some legitimate problems people have discovered with their cameras--just like every single other new camera system. 

As usual, I think the majority of happy customers don't make it a habit to start principled sour milk and/or pompous "principled complaint" threads, but those that do always seem to command a lot of attention time and time and time again. But that comes with the territory.

My M11 has had some problems I had to deal with to include some of the initials bugs most others experienced too. But so far, M11 firmware updates seem to be coming relatively fast IMO with more features and enhancements to come IF I think about the M11 GPS Beta label I see every day in the Fotos app...hence my hope for more good stuff in the not too distant future. 

Again, the M11 remains a true rangefinder camera, not my opinion. No I don't believe there is a compelling need to update from previous M cameras for many. Just depends on what one considers a priority feature or not and of course the M10-P/R are very very solid performers w/ excellent PQ for years to come. As is customary for Leica M cameras. 

"Different strokes" and all that, Personally, I really like what Leica has done with the M11--signals to me there is a great future for the M system going forward. 

Edited June 8, 2022 by LBJ2

[tap360]

Thank you all the feedback. All being well, I plan to get the M11, never had a ‘new’ Leica before (exciting but a bit scary though!  Must make sure I don’t get worried about using it!!)

 

Have been wondering about simplifying down to 1 Leica lens, not 3 (very good) Voigtlander for a bit. I guess 35 Lux, or 50 Lux are the only options I guess or a Voigt APO

any experience, on how different lenses work with the M11?

[LBJ2]

17 minutes ago, tap360 said:

Thank you all the feedback. All being well, I plan to get the M11, never had a ‘new’ Leica before (exciting but a bit scary though!  Must make sure I don’t get worried about using it!!)

 

Have been wondering about simplifying down to 1 Leica lens, not 3 (very good) Voigtlander for a bit. I guess 35 Lux, or 50 Lux are the only options I guess or a Voigt APO

any experience, on how different lenses work with the M11?

If you decide to keep your M11 once it arrives, make sure to register with Leica within the first few months so you can take advantage of their offer to extend warranty for free for an additional year: 

https://leica-camera.com/en-US/leica-account

I've always liked 35mm for a one lens solution you can nicely crop in during post for "similar" but not exact 50mm FL look with the 60MPs, or 36MPs mode on the M11. My current favorite one-lens solution would be the latest 35 Lux FLE. 

If I had to skinny down my M lens kit to minimal, it would be 35 Lux FLE and 50 Lux asph. But others will have many other opinions on this topic. So you should get plenty of good feedback to consider. 

Edited June 8, 2022 by LBJ2

[tom0511]

vor 41 Minuten schrieb tap360:

Thank you all the feedback. All being well, I plan to get the M11, never had a ‘new’ Leica before (exciting but a bit scary though!  Must make sure I don’t get worried about using it!!)

 

Have been wondering about simplifying down to 1 Leica lens, not 3 (very good) Voigtlander for a bit. I guess 35 Lux, or 50 Lux are the only options I guess or a Voigt APO

any experience, on how different lenses work with the M11?

I would rather own and use 3 lower priced  lenses (for example 28-35-50) than just one super dooper lens.

I use mainly 21,28,35,50 and 75.

28/35/50 I would not want to miss for the M. Just one would be too much reduction for me. Anyways, maybe 28-50. But not just one lens for long time. (I sometimes just carry one lens for a certain occasion though) 

[lct]

 

2 hours ago, tap360 said:

[...] Have been wondering about simplifying down to 1 Leica lens, not 3 (very good) Voigtlander for a bit. I guess 35 Lux, or 50 Lux are the only options I guess or a Voigt APO

any experience, on how different lenses work with the M11?

Depends on your experience. Do you know your tastes well enough to tell which is your favorite focal length? If not, i would not spend little fortunes on a lens i could regret purchasing. If you feel better with standard lenses i.e. with similar field of view as the human sight more or less, i could be wise to purchase one CV 35 or one CV 50 to begin with and see what happens.

[Photoworks]

M11 frame line are best at 35mm and 50mm

does not stop me from using the 28mm and 90mm

I have a 21 SEM what is nice, but you will need a viewfinder.

[SrMi]

2 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

M11 frame line are best at 35mm and 50mm

does not stop me from using the 28mm and 90mm

I have a 21 SEM what is nice, but you will need a viewfinder.

Since I cannot use 28mm with the rangefinder anyway, I believe I will pair a 24mm with 35 and 50, instead of 21 and/or 28.

Leica dropping the 24mm lenses was a mistake, IMO.

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[LBJ2]

12 minutes ago, SrMi said:

Since I cannot use 28mm with the rangefinder anyway, I believe I will pair a 24mm with 35 and 50, instead of 21 and/or 28.

Leica dropping the 24mm lenses was a mistake, IMO.

I was lucky enough to grab a new copy of the 24 Lux before it was discontinued. The price shoot up from there for the remaining inventory. So maybe an investment at some point, For now It’s my wide angle fix for my rangefinder. A good performer adapted to the SL2 as well. 

[mikelevitt]

On 6/7/2022 at 11:01 AM, Jeff S said:

Don’t delete or rate pics in-camera.  I concentrate on shooting and save the rest for PP (and rarely delete pics anyway). Also reduces risk of accidental deletion or other unintended action.  But I also never took my darkroom with me when shooting film. 😉

Jeff

And deleting from the card can cause card/directory errors when ingesting.  I have never understood the point of deleting from the camera.