Just ordered an M10 Mono and have a few questions

[AceVentura1986]

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Hello, all, just ordered an M10 Mono and have a few questions. After 11 years of M9 bodies this will be a huge upgrade, I think. 

1. What type of memory cards are recommended? Speed? Manufacturer? My M9 cards are 32 gigs or less. 
2. Do I need a spare battery? 
3. Any pitfalls to keep in mind? 

[maxpower]

13 minutes ago, AceVentura1986 said:

Hello, all, just ordered an M10 Mono and have a few questions. After 11 years of M9 bodies this will be a huge upgrade, I think. 

1. What type of memory cards are recommended? Speed? Manufacturer? My M9 cards are 32 gigs or less. 
2. Do I need a spare battery? 
3. Any pitfalls to keep in mind? 

1. I don't know about SD cards advice so will leave that to someone else, from me: I have a mix of sandisk and prograde both uhs-ii and no issues.
2. I would say depends on your usage, how long do you go out before you can charge again and how much do you use the display and/or visoflex potentially. For me I try to avoid using the screen completely and so far haven't needed it, but definitely came close and the low battery warning when it gets low enough did annoy me. Luckily I have another M10 series camera so can just use that battery as a spare if I need it. They are pretty small and pocketable so if it's in budget, it might provide some peace of mind to take along just in case?
3. Probably the biggest pitfall is try to avoid blowing out highlights, and DNG output can appear flat so post processing is advised in my opinion. And as you probably know you can't adjust color filters in post processing as you would with color to bw conversions - you need physical color lens filters for that. They are fun to play with but you do have to bring them along with you (or just always leave on) so again, if it's in budget I would say do some research and play with them too!

Most of all, just enjoy! 

[Jeff S]

If you use a diopter, it will not fit on the wider diameter M10 VF without an adapter, or the equivalent M10 diopter.
 

If you’ve used the M Monochrom, then you’ll be used to the unique monochrome experience. If not, that change will require more adjustment than going from the M9 platform to the M10, which should be easy and pleasurable given its better VF and much quieter and more refined shooting operation.

I use slowish 32GB Sandisk cards with the M9M; faster 64GB Extreme Pro cards with the M10M. Battery usage of course depends on camera settings, shooting and chimping habits, etc. If I’m far from home, I always have a spare battery available.  But I never shoot enough in a day to exhaust a battery, and charge before extended use.  

Jeff

[Olaf_ZG]

Regarding 2., I always have spare ones. Rather too much, then too little. But then, once I was a wedding tog and needed lots of batteries …

[Photon42]

Congratulations. You will love it. I always buy at least one extra battery, and if it is only to have a backup in case of a failure. I use 32 or 64GB Sandisk cards, for instance the SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC U3.

[Stef63]

1. I use an older model Lexar 32GB 600x memory card. It has enough space and speed for what I need.
    
2. I have one battery that I keep in the Leica charger. The charger is smart and keeps the battery in good condition even for a long time. When I go out, I swap the used battery in my M10M with the fresh one from the charger. One charge lasts me a whole day (of my type) of shooting. 
    
3. Some tips:

• When taking photos, expose for the highlights. I always preset my exposure with a -1 EV adjustment.
• The M10M is my first camera in 25 years of digital photography where I use Auto ISO. I set the shutter speed to 1/2(f) to prevent camera shake and let the ISO automatically float from 160 to 32000. The choice of such a high ISO limit is personal, and you might prefer a lower setting. In this setup, the aperture is reserved for creative purposes rather than controlling exposure. ISO is no longer part of the exposure equation. The M10M high ISO is that good.
• Start with an orange filter that fits your favorite lens. Then, if you like, gradually add other color filters for more control over the image
• My top advice is to invest in a cheap LTM and/or M42 to M adapter. Then, start collecting inexpensive old LTM and M42 vintage lenses. The M10M is a fantastic camera that will bring a whole new dimension to vintage lens photography. Spending less than 1000 € can already give you a nice set of 4 to 5 fantastic lenses from the past that will shine on your M10M.  In LTM look at Leica, Canon and Nikon lenses and M42 will open the whole world.  Especially have a look at Pentax Takumars.  Good luck!

 

Edited December 10, 2023 by Stef63