First time Leica Buyer -- M11

[Sean211]

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***First Post***
 

I've been considering the Leica M11 as my very first digital Leica camera (which will be my first ever Leica camera) and the 35mm Summicron f/2. I'm coming from 20 years of Canon/Nikon/Sony/Fuji, etc. 

However, I've been reading here about the freezing issues, rangefinder misalignment, etc. My question: as a new buyer into the Leica system, does the M11 make sense? Are there just too many issues or are these the types of issues common amongst the variety of digital M cameras? And to those experiencing these issues, would you still buy the M11 if you had to do it all over again?

Also, the 35mm Summicron will be the only lens mounted to the M11. I don't plan on adding any other lens (Leica or 3rd party) at this time.

Thanks.

Edited December 31, 2022 by Sean211
Clarification

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[jaapv]

Welcome on the forum

If you want to buy into a highly developed model with all teething issues ironed out, buy an M10 or M10R. However, after Leica has sorted this problem, the M11 will be a perfectly solid platform. 
As for your plan of sticking with one lens….

.

.

.

🤣🤣🤣

[Jk1002]

I would be curious to hear what the lasted firmware improved for people as far as bugs that were not detailed in the release note.

Best

JK

[maxpower]

My first M was also an M11 and I have not really suffered from all the mentioned things, I encountered a few lock ups in the beginning but can't even remember the last time it happened to me. Since then I've also acquired an M10 Monochrom which I also adore. 

I don't know your situation and what you are looking for or how you plan to use it, but if you can find a good deal on an M10-R I do think that might make more sense. I'm not sure the differences between the two are really worth the extra money and in hindsight I probably should have done that as well. However, I am still very happy with my M11 and reading this forum makes me feel like I got lucky to find a model without problems. 

Good luck!

p.s. My plan was also to stick to one lens, I have 6 now. Your mileage may vary. 

[robsonj]

The 1 lens plan, to quote the great philosopher Mike Tyson….

A plan is great until someone punches you in the face.

😉😁

 

[dpitt]

1 hour ago, Musky said:

Maybe consider the Leica Q2 then. It has a more useful 35mm called a 28mm. 😀 and it works reliably. 

If you have your heart set on a rangefinder my pick is the Leica M10R. Hurry before they don’t sell it new anymore. That’s a special camera IMO. 

YMMV. 

Eventually you’ll find a 28&50 combo is more useful than only one 35 and the lens chase will begin. Have fun. 

The good thing about M Mount is you have plenty of excellent choices. You don’t have to mortgage your house on a bunch of Leica lenses. 

Instead of jumping head first for a Leica 35, maybe start out with a Voigtlander 35f2 Ultron or 35f1.4 Nokton classic or something like that and then see how you get on with only one 35. 

• Q2 - Great but not a Leica M RF so not equivalent to me.
• Any older M that has matured might be the wiser choice. If you like the M11, the M10R is as close as it gets. M11 is an option if you trust  the Leica warranty. My experience with that is a bit dated (M8/M9) but it was second to none for me. YMMV
• 28 makes sense. If you do not mind cropping to simulate 35 and 50 occasionally. No issue with 60MP to start with. All Summicrons are great alround lenses. (vintage and new)
• I do not agree with the Voightlanders advice. Why buying the top of the line M and then save money on the lens. Try other lenses once you know what result you get with the combo as Leica designed it. IMO If money is an issue, its better to spend less on the M and squeeze the Summicron 35 in your budget. 

[Viv]

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3 hours ago, Sean211 said:

***First Post***
 

I've been considering the Leica M11 as my very first digital Leica camera (which will be my first ever Leica camera) and the 35mm Summicron f/2. I'm coming from 20 years of Canon/Nikon/Sony/Fuji, etc. 

However, I've been reading here about the freezing issues, rangefinder misalignment, etc. My question: as a new buyer into the Leica system, does the M11 make sense? Are there just too many issues or are these the types of issues common amongst the variety of digital M cameras? And to those experiencing these issues, would you still buy the M11 if you had to do it all over again?

Also, the 35mm Summicron will be the only lens mounted to the M11. I don't plan on adding any other lens (Leica or 3rd party) at this time.

Thanks.

My M11 has been fault-free since new.

[ianforber]

The M11 was also my first Leica M camera, although I’d used the Q2 for a year or so beforehand. I’ve not had any of the freezes reported by many people here. I’m no expert but I suspect they are a result of how the camera is set up and the frequency with which it is used (I don’t use mine weekly, let alone daily and when I do I take relatively few images) so there’s just less opportunity for it to go wrong. I don’t have any experience of the M10 cameras but from what I’ve seen/read here there seems to be little difference between the two: M11 has a different metering system, more megapixels and a longer battery life but in terms of the photos they produce I don’t think I could tell the difference and the M10 cameras seem to be more sorted given the time they’ve been in production. 
 

I went for the M11 for several reasons, principally the battery life, Q2-style baseplate/battery and the megapixels because I often crop massively. YMMV, as they say. 

[M11 for me]

The M11 ist a great camera. As a lens consider the 28mm. With in-camera crop 1.3x you have your 35mm perspective and still enough pixels. 

[Jeff S]

6 minutes ago, M11 for me said:

With in-camera crop 1.3x you have your 35mm perspective and still enough pixels. 

Pedant alert…. same perspective (from same camera to subject distance), but different field/angle of view.  Same as cropping in post.

Jeff

[Photoworks]

The M11 is an excellent choice in combination with 35mm lens.

Since you where glasses 28mm would be hard to see the hole frame in the camera.

The software issues are pretty much resolved, the few people reporting freezes are probably do to SD cards that don’t work with Leica. If you have a freeze take out battery and you are back in back in business.

I have been using it for years and it a great system, it just takes a little to learn to focus and to predict the frame.

[M11 for me]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb Jeff S:

Pedant alert…. same perspective (from same camera to subject distance), but different field/angle of view.  Same as cropping in post.

Jeff

Absolutely correct. 35 angle of view it should have been. That is not pedant; just correct. My fault, sorry.

Have a great new year.

Edited December 31, 2022 by M11 for me

[TheEyesHaveIt]

I came to Leica from Sony. I first bought a Q, then upgraded to a Q2, then recently bought an M11. My M11 (knock on wood) has not had any major problems - especially after the latest firmware update (froze twice before then). Shooting with an M11 is very different from shooting with the Sony - or even the Q2. But it is a joy once you get used to it. I wouldn't want to go back to another system now for the majority of my photography. I would buy the M11 again. And I likely will buy an M6 in the future too.

Edited December 31, 2022 by TheEyesHaveIt

[Antonio Russell]

To paraphrase Sergio Larrain, buy whatever camera you want and go out and take photos. 😀

[LanceR]

@Sean211I too bought my first Leica camera this year, after about 16 years of Canon and Fuji.  I was about to purchase an M10R last December, when the leaks broke about the M11.  I put my name on the list got my M11 on launch day.

I have not had issues like other people have seen.  I have zero regrets on the M11.

I also purchased the Summicron 35mm with my M11.  I love the lens, especially for travel.  I am a one camera, one lens type of person when I travel.

The M11 and 35mm have traveled about 25,000 miles and taken more than 2000 photos over the course of 2022.  I am not a professional photographer, but I share that to let you know that it has not just been an ornament on my shelf.  Yes, it is that when it is not in hand, because they are simply beautiful to look at as well.

I will say, I found myself "constantly" cropping my images, so I rented a Summilux 50mm in the fall of this year to try.  I liked it so much, I bought one after the rental.  It has not come off my camera since, although I have not yet traveled international with it.

For me, I am finding the 50mm a "better" focal length and lens.  I like the subject isolation.  I like it for both group and individual portraits.  I like the versatility of the f/1.4.  I also like seeing more context, beyond the frame lines, in the viewfinder.

I was originally considering the 28/50/90 lens kit, but opted for the 35/75.  Part of why I did not go the 28mm route is because I wear glasses and I simply cannot see the 28mm frame lines.  Even with the 35mm, I mostly need to use the entire viewfinder as my frame.

In closing, I will say, I spent the time between December of 2021 and when the M11 launched agonizing over the decision between 35mm and 50mm for my first lens.  If I was forced to choose one today, it would likely be the 50mm, although traveling with the small lightweight fantastic 35mm Summicron is a dream.

I realize that you seem set on the 35mm, so sharing my experience with the two may not have been useful.

All the best and enjoy your journey!

Lance

 

[Herr Barnack]

@Sean211  Some M11 owners have been plagues with problems, many have not.  Apparently it is sort of a crap shoot.  Given that, I would lean toward starting with an M10-R or an M10 Monochrom rather than an M11.

A 35mm Summicron ASPH. would be a good starting point in terms of lenses; it's about impossible to go wrong with that lens. 

As for your plan to be a one lens Leica owner, your intention is admirable but doomed to failure.  😅  More than a few have tried to adhere to that path and ended up with a camera bag full of lenses - "not that there's anything wrong with that," to borrow a line from the Seinfeld TV series.

Last but not least, welcome to our happy little online insane asylum that we call l-camera-forum.

Edited December 31, 2022 by Herr Barnack

[dpitt]

32 minutes ago, Herr Barnack said:

As for your plan to be a one lens Leica owner, your intention is admirable but doomed to failure.  😅  More than a few have tried to adhere to that path and ended up with a camera bag full of lenses - "not that there's anything wrong with that," to borrow a line from the Seinfeld TV series.

+1
Beware, Leica stuff comes with a bug (sometimes called GAS). That is why I advice to start with a Leica lens, any of the Summicron's made since the 50's will be a good first introduction to the Leica system. Once you have seen how that works out for you, feel free to experiment with other makes regardless of price. Half of the fun of owning  a Leica M is that you have so many options. It is hard to find a bad Leica lens (provided it is in good working condition)

See https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/M_Lenses_x_Focal_Length

1 hour ago, LanceR said:

I spent the time between December of 2021 and when the M11 launched agonizing over the decision between 35mm and 50mm for my first lens.  If I was forced to choose one today, it would likely be the 50mm, although traveling with the small lightweight fantastic 35mm Summicron is a dream.

I also lean towards 50 more than 35mm.
My preferred traveling 50 is the Leica Summicron 1:2.0/50 mm  collapsible. Even smaller than the 35 Summicron when collapsed, and lots of character to play with. Just protect the front element with a filter onde you find one without cleaning marks. The glass of the front lens is notoriously soft and scratches easily. 

For daylight, the old LTM Leica Elmar 1:3.5 / 50 mm is a great little bargain. It is hardly sticking out of the body when collapsed and it only weighs 125g. The 50s versions can be really sharp when stopped down, and have nice vintage colors. All these can be used with a cheap and light LTM-M adapter:

https://wiki.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Screw-thread_Lenses_x_Type

Edited December 31, 2022 by dpitt

[Stef63]

12 hours ago, jaapv said:

Welcome on the forum

If you want to buy into a highly developed model with all teething issues ironed out, buy an M10 or M10R. However, after Leica has sorted this problem, the M11 will be a perfectly solid platform. 
As for your plan of sticking with one lens….

.

.

.

🤣🤣🤣

First of all, I have had a lot more issues with my M10 than with my M11 which has been flawless up until today.  The M11 has been out for a year now so if money is not an issue why step into an older now obsolete model?  The M10 and M10R are very good camera’s but the M11 is the better one from my experience. 

That being said I do agree with @jaapvhowever on the plan to stick with one lens.   That is stupid, believe me 🤣

Seriously : if the plan to stick with one lens is because of budget constraints go for a M10 and start with at least 2 M lenses (old, very old or new).  The Leica M platform is a platform where the focus is on lenses, not on bodies.

Sorry for the contradictory answer… hope it helps. 

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[Qlan]

7 hours ago, Photoworks said:

The software issues are pretty much resolved, the few people reporting freezes are probably do to SD cards that don’t work with Leica.

Please don’t speak for us. Still as many freezes as before the firmware in my case.

 

However, I love my M11 despite the frequent freezes and would buy it again. 

[CDodkin]

No issues - old or latest firmware

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