The M10-R is my favourite camera.

[Nick De Marco]

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I have not posted on this forum for a long time, though I continue to regularly read it, and post my photos on my Rangefinder Chronicles blog and elsewhere where I see some of you, but I wanted to share my new found love for the M10-R with similarly minded folks.

I’ve had (have), and often used, the M240 for about 10 years. It’s as good now as it was when I bought it, and I wasn’t temped by what seemed small upgrades of the M10 for many years. Instead I used film for most of my photography until the pandemic and after priced it out or I went through a series of different digital cameras used alternately with the M: the Leica CL, the M Monochrom 246 which I picked up used a coupe of years ago and really like, various L mounts (Sigma fpL: great sensor but maddening utility, the Panasonic S5, excellent all rounder but small low res finder, the Leica SL2-S, one of my best cameras, excellent at everything but too heavy for a daily carry around), the Ricoh GRIIIs (ideal when I want something to put in my pocket, but naturally limited), the Fuji X-series (of which the X100v and X-Pro 2 are my favourite), which I really like, second to the Leica, or first if I want AF, and various phone cameras which get better and better.

Finally last Autumn I bought a used M10 from Red Dot Camera. I instantly fell in love. Didn’t realise what a difference the thinner profile and lighter weight would make. The M240 feels like a brick now in comparison. But also the viewfinder seemed so much clearer, larger and brighter, making it more enjoyable to use. I’m sure the sensor is improved, but probably not so much to notice in 90% of shots. I bought the M10 after the M11 came out, which no doubt helped with the price. But I had, and still have, no real interest in the M11 or 60mp. I did, however, start to look into the M10-R, and, having read about it, in particular the fact the increased resolution does not appear to ‘out resolve’ most lenses or show too much shake (unless you shake too much) and that it appeared to have better dynamic range and higher iso, as well, of course, as the quieter shutter perked my interest. Red Dot had a used chrome one at a good price. I would have gone for black, but the advantage of chrome is I can easily distinguish it from all my other digital Leica Ms. 

I have used it quite a lot in the past few weeks, including being my camera of choice on my current photo trip to New York City; in fact it was in part bought for this trip. I haven’t been to NYC for nearly 30 years, and back then I only had a pocket film camera. Being a lover of architecture & street photography I thought about this short trip, and what to take with me, for months before taking it. I was tempted to be monochrome only, but remembered the vibrant colours of NYC and didn’t want to miss them. 

So far I could not be happier. The camera remains light and portable - walked over 20km with it yesterday taking photos all day and didn’t break my back. I’ve taken a selection of small and light Voigtlander lenses on this trip, which have been ideal. The files I looked at from using it earlier in London were great - any deficiencies all being my fault and not the camera’s.

It feels like I have found the nearest thing to a perfect camera, at least when I don’t want AF, macro or something more specialised. I expect I shall hang on to it at least as long as the M240, which I really think I now ought to sell, as I can’t see myself using it anymore but it is still a great camera. I need to consider whether to sell the M10, even though I have only had it (used) a short time, and am very happy with it. I’ll either use it alternately with the M10-R, so as not to ware out the latter, or I’ll sell it. Not sure yet. And then there is the 246 Monochrom. Very happy with that, but now I’ve gone M10 I wonder whether I ought to sell it and use the money for a used M10 Monochrom. Decisions, decisions….

Anyway, thanks to anyone who has read to the end, and let me know your thoughts on the M10-R too. Am I in the throngs of early love infatuation that will be cruelly let down in good time, or have I found a good long term partner?

Nick

[hdokgst]

Hi Nick,

I absolutely subscribe to most points you mentioned about the M10R. Coming from a M9P, I enjoy the higher resolution, better metering, improved low light behavior and the better screen. Compared to most other full frame cameras, body and lenses are compact and the camera is very discrete. I use 21, 35, 75 mm and, with the Visoflex, also the 90 mm macro. I can carry everything in a comparably small bag while the weight is very acceptable to me. The M10R has since become my everyday and everywhere camera. 

 

[Chaemono]

No need for an M10 Monochrom if you don't shoot high ISO and push the files, too. 

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[Chaemono]

Here the M10 Monochrom ISO 12500 picture from above after some further processing in Topaz DeNoise

Less compressed JPEGs here can be downloaded: https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-hv4mvG/

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[o2mpx]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the M10-R; feel the same way and plan to keep mine. It seems to be the end of an era of bodies, with the removable bottom among other things, that can be traced by to earlier times. In contrast the M11 seems to be a break from the lineage. 
 

For times needing autofocus, have sold the SL2 but retained the Sigma fp-L primarily to reduce bulk and weight. Still not a good solution as having the 24-90 or 16-35 on the Sigma isn’t well balanced given how big the lenses are. Have thought about the Panasonic S5 and SL2-S, but would prefer higher MP, perhaps the SL3 would be smaller and lighter. Similarly, have done a round of Fuji xpro3 and a couple of zooms but the menu options are a pain. 

[Ouroboros]

I bought a black paint M10-R in late December '21, it was a carefully considered purchase as the M11 had been announced and there are aspects of the M11 that did not and still do not appeal to me.  The M10-R is my first Leica digital M, I am a long time user ofLeica film M cameras and none of the digital M's prior to the M10 appealed to me for various reasons, mainly due to being either fatally flawed (M8 & M9) or too bloated with mediocre high iso capability. 

It has travelled well in the past 18 months since I bought it.  It has been used most days locally and further afield, often alongside one of my film cameras.

A couple of weeks after I bought the M10-R, I took it on a month-long cycle and backpacking tour through Sri Lanka with 28mm & 75mm summicrons , in Jan/Feb '22.  In August '22, I took it on another cycle tour through National Parks in Namibia with 28mm, 50mm & 90mm summicrons and this year (2023) it has been on a trek with me to Annapurna Basecamp in Nepal followed by six weeks backpacking in Northern India and Sikkim with 28mm & 50mm summicrons.  In October it will be coming with me on a cycle tour through wildlife reserves in Eswatini followed by a jeep safari in Botswana and Okavango and then a couple more weeks backpacking in South Africa.  I'll probably take the 28mm, 50mm and 90mm summicrons.

I can't fault the M10-R, it has survived temperatures ranging from -15 in Nepal to 45 in Rajasthan, snow, rain, dusty desert conditions, bumped around in a rucksack and liberally smeared by sweaty hands and sunblock.  It's showing a little brass on the thumb rest and is otherwise unmarked.

I can't say it is my favourite camera, I think that would be a contest between my film Leicas and my Hasselblads and Fuji medium format cameras, but it is one of my favourite digital cameras for travel photography (of which I have owned many types for my paid work since 1999).  Some digital camera sensors are dust magnets (eg; Nikon dslrs and Fuji XT-x), but my M10-R continues to have the cleanest sensor of any I have ever owned.

A future M1x would have to be really compelling to convince me to upgrade the M10-R.  Great camera and I can understand why the OP started this thread. 

 

 

[twogun]

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I just purchased an M10R for all the reasons mentioned already. Looking forward to put it thru its paces in the next week or two.

[ramarren]

17 hours ago, Nick De Marco said:

...Very happy with that, but now I’ve gone M10 I wonder whether I ought to sell it and use the money for a used M10 Monochrom. Decisions, decisions….

Anyway, thanks to anyone who has read to the end, and let me know your thoughts on the M10-R too. Am I in the throngs of early love infatuation that will be cruelly let down in good time, or have I found a good long term partner?

I bought the M10 Monochrom last year, new, and have been delighted with it. After not using it too much for half a year, I started to concentrate on it and found that it suited me perfectly ... Except when I needed/wanted a color camera. The M10-R seemed a good complement. My dealer friend had one in stock... now it is mine. 

And I am delighted. Two otherwise identical cameras ... one with dedicated B&W sensor and one with excellent color sensor ... means that all accessories interchange, all lenses interchange, and my settings are consistent between them. I'm pretty happy with them both, and which one gets used more remains to be seen. 

G

[Adam Bonn]

I bought my R on a bit of a whim, I was seeing what they go for on ebay and through the happenstance of an unrelated matter I met irl with the guy selling the one I liked the look of on ebay, and we did a deal*

I had the standard M10 and although on paper the differences between 10 and R seem minimal, I found that they equate to a more refined user experience (less so I’d imagine with a 10P) and files that I enjoyed to work with far more

 

 

*It was quite a surreal moment… chatting to this Leica enthusiast and me mentioning I was looking at the R, him saying oh I’m selling one, me saying well I quite like the look of this ebay one, and him saying. ’oh that’s my one it’s in the car wanna have a look?’

[Nick De Marco]

13 hours ago, Adam Bonn said:

I bought my R on a bit of a whim, I was seeing what they go for on ebay and through the happenstance of an unrelated matter I met irl with the guy selling the one I liked the look of on ebay, and we did a deal*

I had the standard M10 and although on paper the differences between 10 and R seem minimal, I found that they equate to a more refined user experience (less so I’d imagine with a 10P) and files that I enjoyed to work with far more

 

 

*It was quite a surreal moment… chatting to this Leica enthusiast and me mentioning I was looking at the R, him saying oh I’m selling one, me saying well I quite like the look of this ebay one, and him saying. ’oh that’s my one it’s in the car wanna have a look?’

What did you do with the M10 standard? Keep it? If so how do you use it?

[Nick De Marco]

Thank you for the various replies and views. Just back from New York where I was so pleased to have had the m10-r with me  (with 3 light travel lenses Voigtlander 21m f3.5, 40m f 2.8 & 75mm f1.5). Apart from the occasional freeze (I think mostly after use of the Visoflex), I could not have been happier with my choice of camera. Can’t wait to edit and post the photos, but that will be in about 6 months time given my work & workflow.

The trip made me only appreciate the M10-r more, so I think I’ve decided to sell my M 240  & M 246 (originally liking the idea of sharing batteries & Evf between them, but if the M 240 is to go, less reason to keep the 246) and buy a used M10M instead. Only remaining decision will be whether to then keep the M 10 standard as a second / third all all purpose camera . Expect I will, it’s nice to share one system /batteries etc, I have no urge for an M 11, I intend to use the M 10 system for the next few years ( or until AI kills the camera) and it might make things more bearable if one of the cameras dies.  

[Adam Bonn]

On 5/29/2023 at 11:22 PM, Nick De Marco said:

What did you do with the M10 standard? Keep it? If so how do you use it?

I sold it about 2 months later because I wasn't using it

[Alberti]

I really had a hard time deciding M10R. [Due to the turmoil]

Once the pictures came in I was so happy. Lenses really look different. 

Example, my Summicron 50mm always had a harsh effect on the M240 now has a soft tone to the background and the objects just seem to float in space. Separation stands out. Really remarkable. And the colour saturation is great.

The M240 is sharp really really sharp, wideangle is superb. The M10R adds just a few layers to that. 

 

[MarkPS]

I have an M10R and think that it is fantastic, Frankly, it took some getting used to as I had become accustomed to digital Nikons and Fujis with autofocus,  I was concerned that my 35mm summicron. and 90mm tele-elmarit would not resolve correctly but that has not been the case. As for “shaking”, that is a matter of practice, unless you shake naturally. What I really like is that this camera has renewed my interest in street photography.  Again, it takes some practice to zone focus but the 35mm summicron does the job nicely.

[Snipe10]

On a whim, I bought a M10R Black Paint LNIB for $3900 and couldn't be happier. The deal came to me fast and even though I never had a M, I couldn't pass that up.  I have a Q2M also so I'm set. Buying lenses will now consume my cash.

[jakontil]

9 hours ago, Snipe10 said:

On a whim, I bought a M10R Black Paint LNIB for $3900 and couldn't be happier. The deal came to me fast and even though I never had a M, I couldn't pass that up.  I have a Q2M also so I'm set. Buying lenses will now consume my cash.

that's cheap! congrats on the purchase!

[sebben]

On 6/4/2023 at 9:51 AM, Snipe10 said:

On a whim, I bought a M10R Black Paint LNIB for $3900 and couldn't be happier. The deal came to me fast and even though I never had a M, I couldn't pass that up.  I have a Q2M also so I'm set. Buying lenses will now consume my cash.

Where on earth did you find that?

[Kiwimac]

I'm enjoying the 10R a lot. 

Although there are a few things in the 11 I’d welcome, I still don’t think it’s mature enough and as was mentioned above, it’s a bit of a break in the lineage design wise. 
 

My biggest conundrum is the complete lack of any pre owned bodies in NZ for sale so I can’t have another one. I’d kill for a black paint one. 
 

I can get a new 10M so I’m thinking of doing that. 

[pgh]

I feel the same way - I haven't owned but only rented the R. I own the 10 and the 10-M. If I come back around to color I'll pick up an R but the 10-M is my favorite digital camera I've ever owned and while not perfect it's the best thing out there in that realm. Not sure I'll ever sell my original M10 as it's been through some journeys with me and I do enjoy it for its own reasons. For color, the R is the most desirable digital camera out there IMO though. I'm aware of the 11 series - doesn't have the magic for me for multiple reasons. 

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Hallo,

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[julianf73]

On 6/3/2023 at 5:51 PM, Snipe10 said:

On a whim, I bought a M10R Black Paint LNIB for $3900 and couldn't be happier. The deal came to me fast and even though I never had a M, I couldn't pass that up.  I have a Q2M also so I'm set. Buying lenses will now consume my cash.

Holy smokes, that sounds like a dirt cheap price. Did you have to also give up a kidney or something?