Leica M11-D Review by Jonathan Slack

[charlesphoto99]

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23 minutes ago, algrove said:

So I guess this means that I use my M11 to format the cards and then put that card into my M11D. How preposterous.

 

 

Won't that mean that you then have duplicate file numbers? I guess the only way is to format via computer. Yeah, really poor decision on Leica's part.

I love how they can take a base M, remove parts from it, do hardly anything else to make it special (and stand alone functional, vis-a-vis the original premise of the model) and then charge more! They know their target audience, that's for sure. 

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[elmars]

vor einer Stunde schrieb algrove:

Well I can tell you I WILL only format my memory cards in camera. So I guess this means that I use my M11 to format the cards and then put that card into my M11D. How preposterous.

Come on Leica give us the option of formatting cards and internal memory the way all other M11's allow.

Why did you not fight this ridiculous way of formatting cards in the M11D? Just Because you quote one WD engineer does not mean others do not have a workflow that they follow which has always worked for them.

I am tempted to send my M11D back if this how Leica expects me to format cards. And then what about formatting the IN? Same problem I guess.

 

If life gives you nothing worse than not being able to format a storage medium as usual, then I envy you very much.

Jono and I have been using the M11-D for many months (I think since the beginning of the year) and there have never been any problems with deleting pictures.

[emiltse]

45 minutes ago, elmars said:

If life gives you nothing worse than not being able to format a storage medium as usual, then I envy you very much.

Jono and I have been using the M11-D for many months (I think since the beginning of the year) and there have never been any problems with deleting pictures.

If Leica can give M11-D user “format” this option. Everyone would be happy and feeling comfortable. That’s it. Also, if this fiction is useless, why M11 and M11P has this? 

For me, no point for argument for this. At least I can not see any harm has this fiction with my M11-D

[jaapv]

2 hours ago, algrove said:

Well I can tell you I WILL only format my memory cards in camera. So I guess this means that I use my M11 to format the cards and then put that card into my M11D. How preposterous.

Come on Leica give us the option of formatting cards and internal memory the way all other M11's allow.

Why did you not fight this ridiculous way of formatting cards in the M11D? Just Because you quote one WD engineer does not mean others do not have a workflow that they follow which has always worked for them.

I am tempted to send my M11D back if this how Leica expects me to format cards. And then what about formatting the IN? Same problem I guess.

 

Formatting in camera is a quick way of making the card suitable for use on that camera. However, the proper way to format a card is in the computer using SdFormatter. Either a quick format or for a fragmented card Overwrite. 

[graphlex]

No problem formatting an SD card in the M10-D.  Best method, in fact.

[jaapv]

Not really the best - the only thing an in-camera format does is inactivate the files and write a couple of directories. But it suffices as long as the card has no issues.

[ymc226]

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1 hour ago, jaapv said:

Formatting in camera is a quick way of making the card suitable for use on that camera. However, the proper way to format a card is in the computer using SdFormatter. Either a quick format or for a fragmented card Overwrite. 

If you don't care whether have the card completely erased or not, is one method better than the other to make the card more "stable." using the SdFormatter app?  I usually just use the Quick Format function.

[jaapv]

Well, 

https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/

[didier]

On 9/13/2024 at 11:03 PM, tom0511 said:

If there was a M-D-Mono I would be tempted

 

All the more so if it could be black paint  

[tom0511]

vor 21 Minuten schrieb didier:

All the more so if it could be black paint  

yes, please black paint m-d mono which can be used without any digital endgerät

[elmars]

vor 9 Stunden schrieb emiltse:

If Leica can give M11-D user “format” this option. Everyone would be happy and feeling comfortable. That’s it. Also, if this fiction is useless, why M11 and M11P has this? 

For me, no point for argument for this. At least I can not see any harm has this fiction with my M11-D

Of course, Leica should offer the option of formatting the internal memory and SD cards in the camera if this is technically possible. My point was just that the lack of this is not such a big deal that it would put you off buying the camera.

[Smudgerer]

14 hours ago, elmars said:

If life gives you nothing worse than not being able to format a storage medium as usual, then I envy you very much.

Jono and I have been using the M11-D for many months (I think since the beginning of the year) and there have never been any problems with deleting pictures.

Hello Elmars, ( Jono too if he reads this )..........I just posted this on another thread:

I no longer own or use an iPhone so I'd like to know just how much this will effect my use of this camera, ( I have a "trial" one arriving later this week ), I do not want to have to dip back into the smart 'phone swamp just to be able to run this camera. With the m10-D it was simple enough, remove the SD card plug it into the Mac, download and re-format using SD Card Formatter, replace into the camera and you were away.............Now with the M11-D things may not be that simple, the SD card procedure should be the same but there's the internal memory to download from and clean off too and I am unclear how to do that.

I do have an iPad mini but as sure as hell I don't want to have to port that around with me when I'm out with the camera just to download to or change settings, that would be more than stupid.

So, what do you think? Will my use of a M11-D be compromised because I no longer have or use an iPhone? Can downloading files and reformatting the Internal Storage on the camera be done with a "hard" USB connection M11-D to Mac and not over a WiFi connection?

I doubt if using this camera that I would ever fill a card or the internal storage, I expect primarily to shoot at the lower mp rates, 18 / 36, and as always now I shoot as if I've just got a 36 exposure load with a film M, but I do wonder whether this new M D version would complicate how I like to work.

I'd appreciate your thoughts...........

 

[Mahesh]

Not sure why everyone keeps mentioning iPhone. The app works on android too. 

[davidnvh]

9 minutes ago, Mahesh said:

Not sure why everyone keeps mentioning iPhone. The app works on android too. 

Yeah, and the android version is working better for me (has more function than the current ios version also). With android, you don't have to reconfirm the wifi connection every time you reconnect to the camera like on ios and the connection is much more stable than with iphone (in my case at least).

[Kim Dahl]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb Smudgerer:

Hello Elmars, ( Jono too if he reads this )..........I just posted this on another thread:

I no longer own or use an iPhone so I'd like to know just how much this will effect my use of this camera, ( I have a "trial" one arriving later this week ), I do not want to have to dip back into the smart 'phone swamp just to be able to run this camera. With the m10-D it was simple enough, remove the SD card plug it into the Mac, download and re-format using SD Card Formatter, replace into the camera and you were away.............Now with the M11-D things may not be that simple, the SD card procedure should be the same but there's the internal memory to download from and clean off too and I am unclear how to do that.

I do have an iPad mini but as sure as hell I don't want to have to port that around with me when I'm out with the camera just to download to or change settings, that would be more than stupid.

So, what do you think? Will my use of a M11-D be compromised because I no longer have or use an iPhone? Can downloading files and reformatting the Internal Storage on the camera be done with a "hard" USB connection M11-D to Mac and not over a WiFi connection?

I doubt if using this camera that I would ever fill a card or the internal storage, I expect primarily to shoot at the lower mp rates, 18 / 36, and as always now I shoot as if I've just got a 36 exposure load with a film M, but I do wonder whether this new M D version would complicate how I like to work.

I'd appreciate your thoughts...........

 

Hi, I've thought the same thing a few times.

It could be liberating not to have my iPhone with me - just a dora phone.

I have thought that the solution could be to always have an extra sd card with me (like in the old days we had an extra 135 film with me) and then empty my card on the Mac when I got home.

I have a leica MD (the first D) and I haven't needed two sd cards yet - before I'm at home at my desktop mac.

By the way, love my MD and still considering whether an upgrade is necessary....

But maybe my Leica ME will have to be replaced with the M11-D... 😉 and then I'll keep the MD for a little longer... 

[Derbyshire Man]

18 hours ago, charlesphoto99 said:

Won't that mean that you then have duplicate file numbers? I guess the only way is to format via computer. Yeah, really poor decision on Leica's part.

I love how they can take a base M, remove parts from it, do hardly anything else to make it special (and stand alone functional, vis-a-vis the original premise of the model) and then charge more! They know their target audience, that's for sure. 

Not sure that's fair. Removing the screen, redesigning the rear casing, top casing and rear dial, along with new firmware and bespoke developing for Fotos will all have had a significant cost which needs to be covered (with profit) in the sales of maybe 1,000 - 2,000 items.

I do like the product and would love to have one and am really glad they do brave, niche things like this but I caught myself wondering the counterfactual, what if all there was were M11Ds and no cameras had screens for Leica or anyone else, what would the stampede be like if Leica invented an M11P with an actual screen🤣

[elmars]

vor 2 Stunden schrieb Smudgerer:

Hello Elmars, ( Jono too if he reads this )..........I just posted this on another thread:

I no longer own or use an iPhone so I'd like to know just how much this will effect my use of this camera, ( I have a "trial" one arriving later this week ), I do not want to have to dip back into the smart 'phone swamp just to be able to run this camera. With the m10-D it was simple enough, remove the SD card plug it into the Mac, download and re-format using SD Card Formatter, replace into the camera and you were away.............Now with the M11-D things may not be that simple, the SD card procedure should be the same but there's the internal memory to download from and clean off too and I am unclear how to do that.

I do have an iPad mini but as sure as hell I don't want to have to port that around with me when I'm out with the camera just to download to or change settings, that would be more than stupid.

So, what do you think? Will my use of a M11-D be compromised because I no longer have or use an iPhone? Can downloading files and reformatting the Internal Storage on the camera be done with a "hard" USB connection M11-D to Mac and not over a WiFi connection?

I doubt if using this camera that I would ever fill a card or the internal storage, I expect primarily to shoot at the lower mp rates, 18 / 36, and as always now I shoot as if I've just got a 36 exposure load with a film M, but I do wonder whether this new M D version would complicate how I like to work.

I'd appreciate your thoughts...........

 

I always have my iPhone with me, so it was always with me when I used the M11-D. However, I never used it to adjust anything on the camera when I was travelling. The camera settings that you can only make in the Leica app are basic settings: the time until the camera goes into standby (which is far too short at 2 minutes by default); file format (DNG and/or JPG), file size; JPG style; content credentials. I always make these basic settings at home, even with my other M cameras. 

In this respect, you don't need an iPhone. However, if you value correct time recording in the Exif and geodata, you need to have the iPhone with you, as this data is transferred to the camera by the Leica app on the iPhone. This is the same with the M11/M11-M/M11-P.

[M11 for me]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb Smudgerer:

Hello Elmars, ( Jono too if he reads this )..........I just posted this on another thread:

I no longer own or use an iPhone so I'd like to know just how much this will effect my use of this camera, ( I have a "trial" one arriving later this week ), I do not want to have to dip back into the smart 'phone swamp just to be able to run this camera. With the m10-D it was simple enough, remove the SD card plug it into the Mac, download and re-format using SD Card Formatter, replace into the camera and you were away.............Now with the M11-D things may not be that simple, the SD card procedure should be the same but there's the internal memory to download from and clean off too and I am unclear how to do that.

I do have an iPad mini but as sure as hell I don't want to have to port that around with me when I'm out with the camera just to download to or change settings, that would be more than stupid.

So, what do you think? Will my use of a M11-D be compromised because I no longer have or use an iPhone? Can downloading files and reformatting the Internal Storage on the camera be done with a "hard" USB connection M11-D to Mac and not over a WiFi connection?

I doubt if using this camera that I would ever fill a card or the internal storage, I expect primarily to shoot at the lower mp rates, 18 / 36, and as always now I shoot as if I've just got a 36 exposure load with a film M, but I do wonder whether this new M D version would complicate how I like to work.

I'd appreciate your thoughts...........

 

Here the menu structure for the M11-D on the iPhone that you would miss:

First the entry window:

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

When you press on "Camera Settings" (Einstellungen) then you get: (Screen 1 top of menu and screen 2 bottom of the menu):

The Firmware Version I had to cover as it is test Firmware . . . .

 

Edited September 17, 2024 by M11 for me

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[M11 for me]

Gerade eben schrieb elmars:

I always have my iPhone with me, so it was always with me when I used the M11-D. However, I never used it to adjust anything on the camera when I was travelling. The camera settings that you can only make in the Leica app are basic settings: the time until the camera goes into standby (which is far too short at 2 minutes by default); file format (DNG and/or JPG), file size; JPG style; content credentials. I always make these basic settings at home, even with my other M cameras. 

In this respect, you don't need an iPhone. However, if you value correct time recording in the Exif and geodata, you need to have the iPhone with you, as this data is transferred to the camera by the Leica app on the iPhone. This is the same with the M11/M11-M/M11-P.

Sorry, Elmar, this just crossed

[jonoslack]

12 hours ago, Smudgerer said:

Hello Elmars, ( Jono too if he reads this )..........I just posted this on another thread:

I no longer own or use an iPhone so I'd like to know just how much this will effect my use of this camera, ( I have a "trial" one arriving later this week ), I do not want to have to dip back into the smart 'phone swamp just to be able to run this camera. With the m10-D it was simple enough, remove the SD card plug it into the Mac, download and re-format using SD Card Formatter, replace into the camera and you were away.............Now with the M11-D things may not be that simple, the SD card procedure should be the same but there's the internal memory to download from and clean off too and I am unclear how to do that.

I do have an iPad mini but as sure as hell I don't want to have to port that around with me when I'm out with the camera just to download to or change settings, that would be more than stupid.

So, what do you think? Will my use of a M11-D be compromised because I no longer have or use an iPhone? Can downloading files and reformatting the Internal Storage on the camera be done with a "hard" USB connection M11-D to Mac and not over a WiFi connection?

I doubt if using this camera that I would ever fill a card or the internal storage, I expect primarily to shoot at the lower mp rates, 18 / 36, and as always now I shoot as if I've just got a 36 exposure load with a film M, but I do wonder whether this new M D version would complicate how I like to work.

I'd appreciate your thoughts...........

 

Well - in your iPad mini you can set the storage management parameters to store to SD card first - then you can use the camera just like you want - remove the SD card, plug it into your Mac and download the files - then reformat the card. . . nothing changes. 

Certainly I never make changes in the field using my phone, and the iPad is a very nice way to do anything fundamental with the camera. 

I hope this helps

Jono