I shelved the M10-P, for now.

[WvE]

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Recently I've gotten a bit tired of digital photography and more often I pulled out my old M2 instead of my M10-P. The reason for that is somewhat cliché but so true for me. The image is more lively to me, less perfect and I tend to overhink a photo opportunity more than with digital. Yes, it's more expensive and more of a hassle but it feels damn good, so good that the M10-P Silver Chrome might be sold (but I'll keep my SL2-s). Has anyone gone the same route?       

[colonel]

15 minutes ago, WvE said:

Recently I've gotten a bit tired of digital photography and more often I pulled out my old M2 instead of my M10-P. The reason for that is somewhat cliché but so true for me. The image is more lively to me, less perfect and I tend to overhink a photo opportunity more than with digital. Yes, it's more expensive and more of a hassle but it feels damn good, so good that the M10-P Silver Chrome might be sold (but I'll keep my SL2-s). Has anyone gone the same route?       

I go back and forth. I wouldn't sell it, unless you haven't used it for 6 months. You might get bored of film and want digital M again

[cesc]

I sold all my digital Ms. And bought an enlarger, and paper. Now I just print my photos with the enlarger, and I realized my MP is just a tool, to have my negatives and work them as I want in the darkroom. I don't miss digital at all, but I am not a professional photographer that needs immediately photos to the clients. If you have again the hungry for analog, go full analog :)) that's my personal experience only here.

[jankap]

Not my line, but go ahead.

Last month, I discovered a lenticular software to "print"  my (digital) 3D pictures.

Edited July 30, 2024 by jankap

[ktmrider2]

I had the M9 and M240 and enjoyed them but traveling with such an expensive camera was a PIA (always worrying about loss).  And I realized I much preferred film so treated myself to a new MP back in February, 2024 while passing through Hong Kong.  However, I realize technology does have advantages so I picked up a Nikon Zf for my trip around the world this fall.  I can use all my M lenses with an adopter (have been living with a 24-120 zoom).Digital makes it easier to pass through security at airports and allows viewing the results immediately.  If I was a working journalist I would not even look at film for work.  And the retro features on the Nikon Zf combined with state of the art technology gives me the best of both worlds.

[Danner]

Welcome to the club!

[ktmrider2]

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One reason to purchase the MP in February, 2024 was simply that the last new film M I had purchased was the M6TTL back in 1994 (I think) and at 71 I felt I deserved it.  I had purchased a new model film camera with each new model from 1975 up till the M7/MP, along with classic M's like the M2 or M4.  My favorite model is and has always been the M2 as I think the viewfinder is the main reason to use a Leica over a SLR.  But I do like modern features like film loading and the rewind crank so my film body for the last five years was a mint 50th anniversary M4 in black chrome instead of an M2.

I am going around the world in a couple months and will be taking the Nikon Zf with 40f2 and 24-120f4.  If I had a lot of room in the luggage I would throw the MP into the luggage, perhaps with a 35 or 50.  I am trying to do the trip with just carry on so the MP may be replaced with a Ricoh GR3.  We shall see once I pack next month.

[colonel]

I am traveling this month with an M6 only. I have been loads of times before with just a film camera and a bag of film. I take it all back home to be developed. Never had an issue. Airpot xray doesnt seem to make any difference.

[Greenhilltony]

I have been on this route since exactly last year, starting from curiosity I bought an M4 and sold the Minolta CLE, and then it opened the door: my M10-P was only taken out when I was assigned to event shootings for my professor, and I bought and sold a chrome M3-SS, bought a repainted M3 and M4, and ordered a silver chrome M2 yesterday. I bulk loaded the Vision3 5219/5207/5294 and do the development & scanning all by myself. I enjoyed pretty much joy from handling the film M cameras.

[grahamc]

I took my 10-D on holidays for the last 2 trips I made, and didn't use it .  I much prefer the feeling of using the analogue cameras.  Won't sell my 10-D just yet though but it isn't getting any use unfortunately. 

Edited August 1, 2024 by grahamc

[WvE]

4 hours ago, grahamc said:

I took my 10-D on holidays for the last 2 trips I made, and didn't use it .  I much prefer the feeling of using the analogue cameras.  Won't sell my 10-D just yet though but it isn't getting any use unfortunately. 

Yes, also the feeling of handling a film camera is wonderful, but the results are also more satisfying, with all its imperfections.

[250swb]

My M10 has been in a drawer for the past couple of years, only taking it out once in a while to make sure it still works. My Z7 likewise gets an airing once in a while but I do use that for work and scanning my negatives, so in the scheme of things it ranks above my M10. The vast majority of my personal work is film, 35mm or medium format mainly, and for all the reasons already mentioned, it's just more satisfying in use and aesthetically the results.

[Jon Warwick]

On 7/30/2024 at 11:12 AM, WvE said:

 The image is more lively to me

 

On 7/30/2024 at 11:29 AM, colonel said:

I go back and forth. I wouldn't sell it, unless you haven't used it for 6 months. You might get bored of film and want digital M again

yes and yes for me; still holding onto my M7, and when i use it, what a joy to use a film camera, but the primary camera is my M11.

I'm exploring (with some success, to my eyes) using the M11's 18mp DNG-S files for some subjects, especially portraits, given it seems to reduce the "sharpness" and acutance to an easier starting point for me to achieve a filmic look in post production. I'm mainly using RNI's Portra 400 (I read Cobalt's is really good) and adding grain in ACR etc. Work in progress, but getting quite close to a credible film-like aesthetic that i like, helped especially with the DNG-S file that is gentler out the gate than 60mp.

[AceVentura1986]

I’ve got an M10P, M10M, and an early model M3 CLA’d by DAG. Of the three, the M3 is my favorite to shoot. However, the digital Ms are the ones I shoot most often, by far. They are easier to process, require no digitization, and provide nearly infinite card storage. The M3 is a very cool pierce of kit but the process comes with too much friction to make its use as easy as the digital Ms. YMMV. 

[hansvons]

On 7/30/2024 at 12:29 PM, colonel said:

You might get bored of film and want digital M again

How should that work? Shooting film is anything but boring.

The beginning of my professional life was characterised by how to lose the Betacam ENG video camera and make the leap to film. When I made that jump and enjoyed shooting film for 15 years in advertising, and all aesthetic questions seemed to be solved for good, I got threatened by digital, which promised to be so much cheaper but equally as pleasing to the eye.

It was not, still isn’t and the promise to be cheaper is unfortunately true. So, digital took over because money makes the word go round and not art. However, film is still around, and actually thrives, and threads like this show that at least in a niche aesthetics reign supreme.

I do own a digital Leica, like it, shoot with it for projects that require a fast turnaround for online publishing but my printer only sees pictures shot on film. And that is not because I’m a film die-hard. I have good images shot on digital in my collection. However, they miss that je ne sais quoi. So, no photo rag for them. 
 

[vinicio]

I have MP, M6, M7, SL3, M10-R, M10M…. For my personal works I love to work using films, mainly Tri-X or Provia, but for clients…. Have to go with digital, no ways to manage these differently. Said this, it’s mainly up to you. If you shoot for your personal purposes, stay with film if the cost (buying and developing) is not a “crime” to you. If you are working for third parties…. Probably a different approach will match better

Edited August 5, 2024 by vinicio

[costa43]

Similar for me, I’ve moved over to analogue mainly as I much prefer the experience. It was always on the cards, I love vintage lenses and regularly edit digital photos to mimic film so why not do the real thing. I will keep my sl2s for digital needs and sell my m10r. 

I shot a roll of Foma for some family pics recently and my wife and sister both told me that the photos touched them more than any others they have seen from all the years I’ve been into photography. Struck a chord.

Edited August 5, 2024 by costa43

[hansvons]

10 hours ago, costa43 said:

Similar for me, I’ve moved over to analogue mainly as I much prefer the experience. It was always on the cards, I love vintage lenses and regularly edit digital photos to mimic film so why not do the real thing. I will keep my sl2s for digital needs and sell my m10r. 

I shot a roll of Foma for some family pics recently and my wife and sister both told me that the photos touched them more than any others they have seen from all the years I’ve been into photography. Struck a chord.

Exactly my experience. I’ll keep the SL2-S (probably the digital stills camera with the best colours of today) and call it a day on the digital side. I was thinking of getting an M10 (hate EVFs) but already dropped the idea because, in reality, I need a digital hybrid for jobs and the SL2-S covers that already nicely if only it were less heavy (I travel a lot). So, I hold some of my breath for a Leica-vized S9 or maybe get a Q3 because its video capability isn’t too bad for interviews etc.

Shooting much of my business-related stuff on film (M6, M4P), often BW (TriX, 5222, D100), pays very much into my brand (big word). The feedback is super positive, people like themselves much more on film. They can’t pinpoint why (I have an idea, topic for another post) but attribute that to me 😉 regardless of how much I reject that.

Because I print and exhibit here and there, I thought maybe a Hasselblad 6x6 would be a meaningful investment. But I dropped that too because of the inevitable tripod (the mirror slaps heavily) and the larger overall bulk. Leica’s M cameras provide a unique UX which fits snugly my way of doing things. The only downside is that GAS wont have a chance and creative emptiness must be filled with work. 

 

Edited August 6, 2024 by hansvons

[Smudgerer]

26 minutes ago, hansvons said:

Exactly my experience. I’ll keep the SL2-S (probably the digital stills camera with the best colours of today) and call it a day on the digital side. I was thinking of getting an M10 (hate EVFs) but already dropped the idea because, in reality, I need a digital hybrid for jobs and the SL2-S covers that already nicely if only it were less heavy (I travel a lot). So, I hold some of my breath for a Leica-vized S9 or maybe get a Q3 because its video capability isn’t too bad for interviews etc.

Shooting much of my business-related stuff on film (M6, M4P), often BW (TriX, 5222, D100), pays very much into my brand (big word). The feedback is super positive, people like themselves much more on film. They can’t pinpoint why (I have an idea, topic for another post) but attribute that to me 😉 regardless of how much I reject that.

Because I print and exhibit here and there, I thought maybe a Hasselblad 6x6 would be a meaningful investment. But I dropped that too because of the inevitable tripod (the mirror slaps heavily) and the larger overall bulk. Leica’s M cameras provide a unique UX which fits snugly my way of doing things. The only downside is that GAS wont have a chance and creative emptiness must be filled with work. 

 

Fellow traveller........

 

PS. Try a Rolleiflex TLR, the 3.5's are just fine no real reason to lash out on the over-priced 2.8's........No mirror "slap", and get a prism for the viewing to have a "right way around" image. Mine weaned my off of my beloved Pentax 67, now there's a beast with "mirror slap" but what beautiful output the 67 has!

Edited August 6, 2024 by Smudgerer

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[Smudgerer]

On 8/5/2024 at 9:03 AM, hansvons said:

It was not, still isn’t and the promise to be cheaper is unfortunately true. So, digital took over because money makes the word go round and not art. However, film is still around, and actually thrives, and threads like this show that at least in a niche aesthetics reign supreme.

I

This "thing" about digital being cheaper (?)..............Sure with film you have to buy a new "sensor" every 36 exposures, then there's processing and printing, yep there's costs there too for sure but here's my take on this. I read constantly on this forum of people going out and shooting hundreds or even more images a day on their digital cameras, something that just boggles my mind. The time and the waste involved in sorting through maybe thousands of shots per week has a cost, maybe not monetary but a cost none the less, it's numbing, plus all of which have to be stored somehow somewhere on mediums that can be frail at best, there's costs there too. Then there's depreciation. Digital cameras do have a higher entrance fee and a shorter life span than film cameras, ( I'm not talking solely Leica here ), so sooner or later you have a brick that is worth only what can be salvaged for repairs other than the electronics. You could also have the frustration of dealing with seemingly endless unresolvable firmware and electronic odd behavior problems, ( M11? ), and there's a price being paid there too.

I am not saying that one choice is better than the other, digital or film, just that with digital the ability to shoot endlessly "without costs" does have it's own price albeit not such an obvious one as buying a roll of film.

I have a close friend who's a well known and admired photographer, a photographic artist, with many books and international exhibitions of work to his name, he shoots with a Leica MP, his only camera, with a 35 'cron V3, so always with film, never digital and his processing and printing is also all "wet". It's all subjective of course but for him film has "soul", digital is bereft of soul. He was just playing around with my M7 sometime ago, a Leica M that he has never been that familiar and wanted to try out, and I with his MP, actually I finished the roll with the last two shots.........He was well pleased because that roll of film had been in his camera for more than four months, now he could process it and see what he had shot. 36 exposures over months, that I am sure contained more than a few carefully shot gems.