Regret buying a Digital M. Can't compare to a film M

[brickftl]

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On 10/29/2024 at 4:52 PM, LondonL said:

As the title says, I regret adding an M10 to my camera line up. I never use it! I thought I would, I thought it would be the perfect addition to my camera stable, but I never reach for it, it never grabs me. In the digital world I also have a Q-P which I adore. In the digital world fast auto focus, EVF and everything else that comes with it just seems to be better for my needs. These are not options in the film world (well ok fast AF is, but it somehow isn't necessary)

In my film world the M6 is king. I can't stop using this camera and trying the M10 has just made be love the M6 and film even more.

Anyone feel the same or have similar experiences to share?

I came back to film 2 months ago with a mint used MP and I'm obsessed, so much so that I bought a backup film body, mint original M6 that I can keep loaded with a different film stock. BUT, I still love digital (M11M and CL) and now and love picking them up as well. Digital vs film: totally different looks/purposes, both equally valid IMO

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[Ko.Fe.]

I was walking with my slightly trashed M4-2 in Toronto.  Spotted one dude with film camera which was obviously film rangefinder,  but it looked kind of cheap. I thought it was Zeiss M.

I approached, he was from France, camera was M6.

To me M6 has zinc plate and useless gizmo a.k.a. meter. 

But I agree,  any film M is superior to digital M at the moment of taking quick exposures. 

But if time is matter,  then meter is useless. And if I have time, phone exposure metering app is much more flexible

 

 

[jaapv]

On 1/3/2025 at 9:26 AM, LocalHero1953 said:

till you can find a dealer in a big city for a replacement.

Assuming that a dealer is within 2000 km and not involving a light aircraft as part of a connection.

[charlesphoto99]

I once made the mistake of going to a fairly remote place, at great time and expense, without a backup body to 'save weight.' It was a disaster. 

[LocalHero1953]

12 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Assuming that a dealer is within 2000 km and involving a light aircraft connection.

The person I was responding to doesn't seem to have much trouble flying somewhere else to buy a new camera (no disrespect to him intended).
We were talking about RTW trips after all.

[jaapv]

I am talking about being isolated in the bush, with the only serious camera store on the continent in Johannesburg.

[ktmrider2]

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Actually, I was a professional pilot for thirty years after spending two as a newspaper photographer back in the mid 1970’s so the idea of using a small aircraft to go camera shopping is not that far off base.  I may have actually done that in Alaska to replace a camera during one of my many wilderness trips in the “Great White North”.  Stewart’s Camera in Anchorage is a great store and I believe rents and sells lots of gear to tourists who left their cameras at home by mistake.

My schedule starting 1 February is Kuala Lumpur (food is amazing), Sri Lanka, Egypt and Jordan, followed by ???.  Thinking either Morocco, Turkey, or Florence after Jordan before returning to Alaska by 15 April to get taxes done.  The D-day beaches at Normandy is the only thing I know for sure that I want to do.  Thus my question on another thread as to visiting Leitz.

I was going to do this whole trip on film with a MP with 35/90.  I got bitten by a bug for a Q3 which I picked up in Bangkok so now I am dragging two cameras around the world.  Luckily, they are not very large cameras and each offers some interesting features.  

Am open to other destinations, especially in Europe in the 30 days I have between finishing in Jordan and being back home in Alaska.  Suggestions?

Edited January 6 by ktmrider2

[LocalHero1953]

11 hours ago, jaapv said:

I am talking about being isolated in the bush, with the only serious camera store on the continent in Johannesburg.

I realised that. You would have a perfectly valid reason for taking a back-up. But again, that's not why I made my suggestion!

[rmueller]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb ktmrider2:

Am open to other destinations, especially in Europe in the 30 days I have between finishing in Jordan and being back home in Alaska.  Suggestions?

Hi, 

might want to consider Budapest, a city that has managed to maintain at least some of its original character. PLUS: A visit to the Robert Capa museum might be a good start for your Normandy trip, see https://capacenter.hu/en/

Few images from Budapest I took with the MM1 back in winter 2018. The one with the person using an umbrella is from inside the Capa museum.

Warm regards,

Ralf

 

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[rossawilson1]

Same thing happened to me,  M8, M9, M10r, M11, owned them all but never for long. For me film keeps me in the moment, no temptations to look, it’s the experience that suits me, and the end result I just like more, feels more real. I enjoy the fact you have to wait, you don’t know what you have makes you connect to something bigger. But I’ve used digital and enjoyed it. I don’t knock it at all, it’s just what works for you. But capitalism does constantly try to make you feel like you’re missing out if you don’t have a new thing, 

[Paulus]

I regretted this december not having an MP anymore so I bought a new one. Actually the whole story is:

 

bought an MP with winder in 2006 next to my M6ttl in 2006 

I sold my  M6ttl to finance an M8 

Sold my M8 and my first MP to finance an M9

sold my M9 to buy a M240

Bought a new second MP a la carte because I missed my MP while shooting with the M240

Sold my second MP to finance my M10.

regretting selling my MP and bought a great looking third MP for the original price ( € 2000,- ) I bought the first MP

Sold my MP and 2,0/ 90asph because I did not have used it so much. 
 

after seven years of using the M240 and M10 for work, I stopped with my photography work. 
now it’s just a hobby and  It doesn’t matter any more how long it takes to produce a picture, I have no deadlines anymore. 
so I bought a newly looking 7 year old forth MP. Bought the same second hand camera protector from Leica , which I bought and sold years ago when the first MP was made. 

I use my M10 and MP now. The M240 is a back-up.

I have develloped and printed my own films the last 25 years but my dark- room has gone now. I still have to work out how to process and print the negatives. 
 

I understand that Leica is one of the only brands still making a decent film -roll camera. I understand that for the sake of cost reduction they stopped with an M7, in the time that people hardly believed that analogue had a future.  
 

For the ones that think that you have to be a real donkey to sell your MP three times and buy a forth back, I can only defend myself in saying:” I really love this camera and made some stellar pictures with it.” And… the MP I sold kept their value, I never have sold them for less money than I paid for them. 
 

But also with the M8/ M9 / M240 and M10 I was glad to have them and still enjoy the captures. 
As for the M10 battery it’s not great but do-able if you have a spare;  The film rol of my MP changes more often that the M10 - battery…
 

 

Edited January 12 by Paulus

[jakontil]

On 1/6/2025 at 1:18 AM, charlesphoto99 said:

I once made the mistake of going to a fairly remote place, at great time and expense, without a backup body to 'save weight.' It was a disaster. 

Im obsessed with backup until i forget i was carrying two medium formats in hasselblad and rolleiflex.. no wonder my back aching..

but i always carry a couple of M films and a couple digital too

[BenMathes]

I have to agree- been through 3 M9’s - all with filthy sensors out of the box. M10R had fail to fire issues and Leica said it was fine (I can’t afford to miss a shot and be told the camera is fine- I even sent videos of it frozen!)

I love my Q2 Reporter, but rarely use it. My M6’s are incredible. Used them years ago in 27+ countries and now prefer them to anything. The Canon F1 N is superb, but the M6 is my constant choice. So grateful every time I use an M6! 

[skahde]

Am 12.1.2025 um 17:53 schrieb Paulus:

For the ones that think that you have to be a real donkey to sell your MP three times and buy a forth back, I can only defend myself in saying:” I really love this camera and made some stellar pictures with it.” And… the MP I sold kept their value, I never have sold them for less money than I paid for them. 

Ask me how I got to own four Nikon FM2 over the years. 

With respect to the lack of innovation in 35mm-Leicas I agree we should give them kudos for continuing to manufacture the MP while anyone else emptied their shelfs and didn't look back. Then they released the MA, then they reconstructed its metering and made the current M6. If the film-renaissance continues maybe the M7 is next. I doubt it though as it never sold in big numbers. 

Edited March 22 by skahde

[andym91]

With regret I had to seel nearly all of my Leica gear earlier in the year.

Gone was M2-3-6-7-8-9 and a plethora of lenses.

What remained was my cute Leica CL and 40 Cron Analog; and Nikon F3MA ; Mamiya 645 1000s and a digital Fujifilm X 20. 

Do I miss the M bodies? Oh yes.

Are my hobbyist photographs any worse for it? No

Actually enjoy my simple cameras a bit more to be honest, develop both Colour and BW at home and there isn't a visible difference compared to the M stuff.

I completely get the 'Lust of Leica' but maybe it was a good thing that I had to sell, it definitely reduces GAS dramatically, and, motivates me to use what I have and even be more interested as to how to get the best out of my slimmed down gear.

 

Good Light

 

Andy

 

[BWColor]

Great thread..old thread.

I have Leica Ms..M3 through M6TTL, but hadn’t used them for twelve years.  I was planning a trip to South Korea, so I pulled out my M6TTL and some Portra 160.  I long since packed away my Jobos and scanners, so I sent the film off… $50 and two weeks later I received high quality TIFFS which looked good, but the time factor and cost combined with some concern with Korean airport scanners made me look for plan B.  Plan B ended up being a Leica M11M ( obviously, I had forgotten about dissing film due to the $50.), which is my all time favorite camera.  For me, it does everything that my Mamiya 7ii with Acros 100 did, but it could do it in almost total darkness and in a smaller package.

Fast forward.. I have started a project scanning/copying thousands of negatives that predate the introduction of the Coolscan scanners.  So, I’ve purchased everything needed to copy negatives.  That makes me play with the idea of trying film again.  I’ve got hundreds of rolls of expired film that has been frozen since 2012, or so.

[Paulus]

Am 5.4.2025 um 05:50 schrieb BWColor:

Great thread..old thread.

I have Leica Ms..M3 through M6TTL, but hadn’t used them for twelve years.  I was planning a trip to South Korea, so I pulled out my M6TTL and some Portra 160.  I long since packed away my Jobos and scanners, so I sent the film off… $50 and two weeks later I received high quality TIFFS which looked good, but the time factor and cost combined with some concern with Korean airport scanners made me look for plan B.  Plan B ended up being a Leica M11M ( obviously, I had forgotten about dissing film due to the $50.), which is my all time favorite camera.  For me, it does everything that my Mamiya 7ii with Acros 100 did, but it could do it in almost total darkness and in a smaller package.

Fast forward.. I have started a project scanning/copying thousands of negatives that predate the introduction of the Coolscan scanners.  So, I’ve purchased everything needed to copy negatives.  That makes me play with the idea of trying film again.  I’ve got hundreds of rolls of expired film that has been frozen since 2012, or so.

I notice this week that the film scanning in shops is getting better. There must be a growing market for it. 

[ronner]

I used to shoot film, but gave it up about 20 years ago for digital.  But today, I went to Leica SF and bought an MP to slow down and try film again!  I have and like the M11 and M11M, but want to slow down even more.  Let’s hope it was worth it!!

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[250swb]

13 hours ago, ronner said:

I used to shoot film, but gave it up about 20 years ago for digital.  But today, I went to Leica SF and bought an MP to slow down and try film again!  I have and like the M11 and M11M, but want to slow down even more.  Let’s hope it was worth it!!

The key to slowing down with the M11 is to take every other photograph.

[brickftl]

15 hours ago, ronner said:

I used to shoot film, but gave it up about 20 years ago for digital.  But today, I went to Leica SF and bought an MP to slow down and try film again!  I have and like the M11 and M11M, but want to slow down even more.  Let’s hope it was worth it!!

the two approaches don't need to be exclusive, you can shoot film when you're in the mood for that, and likewise shoot digital when that strikes your fancy.