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

[ktmrider2]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I am curious as to those who regret buying a digital M over a film M feel the same regret about purchasing another Leica digital product.  I sold both an M9 and M240 within the last several years and purchased a new MP in February while thinking about a M10R.

It turns out that the Leica Store in Malaysia is half a kilometer from my hotel.  I came very close to purchasing a Q2 or Q3.  The Q model is very different than an M and most reviews give it high praise indeed.  However, I did not see it being worth the price since I have both the Ricoh GR3 and a Nikon Zf if I want digital.

Again, do not regret buying a film MP vice the M10 or M11.  But I do wonder about the Q2/3.  If I regret it, there is always B&H when I return to the USA or Hong Kong if I want it sooner.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Mr.Prime]

I've only handled the Q2 in a store and it's nice but I wanted to pick my own lens. I later bought the CL, which although a crop fame sensor, was useable with my M mount lenses using an adapter. I sold it in anticipation of the CL-2 which never came. Since them I've used an iphone for digital and stick with M for film. A new M6 is on it's way.

[rmueller]

I have no regrets whatsoever selling the M240 few years ago. My current setup is a M-A and MP film camera and I couldn't be happier. Q3 43 is tempting BUT I must admit, I really don't like EVF's. When I see something interesting I just want to hold the camera in front of my eye and look. For me it's a pain in the neck to first switch on the camera and wait for it to boot, big bummer. This is the reason why my X1DII-50c is collecting dust, it's a really fine camera with excellent image and color quality BUT, the spontaneity is ruined by the EVF IMHO.

[Danner]

I'm sort of that way too.  The M is a film camera to me, the best 35mm film camera, IMHO.  For digital, the comprehensive systems (Nikon, Sony Canon) don't leave much for wanting.  Features are nice.

[Danner]

On 10/29/2024 at 6:07 PM, 250swb said:

What is burdensome in photography is going down a path that isn't fulfilling. A little bit of work never killed anybody, and if aesthetically the results match the expectations it's hardly work at all. 

<snip>

 

One of my favorite past times is spending an evening under the red lights making prints.  Not work, a pleasure.

[hansvons]

@rmueller, the same here. Don't like EVFs either. The Q3 43 is the first digital Leica that I find tempting to buy for joy despite the EVF. But as I have an SL2-S, which I use with my M lenses for assignments that require quick turnarounds or occasional video shoots or film scanning, I’m sufficiently equipped. 

However, as my professional work evolves, a Q3 43 is not out of question. But I feel that the Q3 has to come as a pair (the 28mm and the 43mm) to work properly, like Ms always come in pairs, too. 

[ktmrider2]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

My flight from Malaysia leaves in a few hours.  I was so very tempted by the Q2 or Q3 but managed to resist temptation.  I did not see them as being worth $5000 more than the GR3.  I am tempted to pick up a GR3X so for $2000 total I would have 28 and 40 FOV compared to a cost of $13000 or so for the Q3 and Q343.  

To me Leica is film and has been since I started with a Leica CL back in 1975.

[lekitr]

On 11/5/2024 at 8:59 PM, Danner said:

One of my favorite past times is spending an evening under the red lights making prints.  Not work, a pleasure.

It' a kind of therapy for me too.

[lmans]

On 10/30/2024 at 11:27 PM, Mr.Prime said:

I use film M's too, but one of the reasons why is that Leica just doesn't make a digital M that I'd want to use (or pay the stupid prices for). The latest gear has gotten out of hand with too many pixels and lenses that are too expensive - the 35mm format digital M is now really capable of medium format quality but I don't need it and don't want to pay for it or deal with the file sizes. As for film M's, they are stuck in the past, I mean we have the M6 but no more the M7. I think Leica have lost their way.

yet the MA exists....essentially the M3 right? So I don't think you can say Leica has lost their way as the M6 with the light meter or the MA without, just about covers it. 

[Mr.Prime]

I mean to say, we have the MA, MP, M6 but they are all old designs, no attempt to move forward in the analogue realm The M7 was more advanced in terms of functionality but it's out of production. It's not so much that they lost their way in analogue, they simply stopped moving at all.

[JoshuaRothman]

I've been through the various permutations of this thought process:

• For a long time I was an M film purist. I tried an M10 and just didn't enjoy it.
• Then I went down the 'if I want digital, it must be über-digital," and paired a Q with my film Ms. Did the same with Ricoh GR cameras.
• Eventually I used a digital M and film M simultaneously.
• Now I own only digital Ms (M10-R and M10M) and use them the same way I used my two film Ms, one loaded with black and white film, the other with color.

In the end, for me, it's the OVF, rangefinder, form factor, and glass that makes the M system special. Not the film. In fact, I've concluded that—for my purposes—the look of digital files is superior. I actually look back on the years I shot film and regret that I wasn't shooting digital then, for aesthetic reasons. But everyone's different and has different goals.

All that said: there's no question in my mind that the experience of using a film M was special, and I sometimes miss owning a film M as a beautiful object. I end up looking at film Ms and browsing this forum. I have to look back through my pictures to remind myself that I prefer digital output.

[mark_s90]

The issue is that everyone is forgetting a critical component of the big flashy display screen on the M10. 

 

You can use it to focus the lens.    Yep,, there are some itneresting lenses on B&H in the M mount that have MACRO function, but lack any means for lens to interact with a range finder mechanism. 700$ for a 80mm prime with up to 2:1 macro that needs a display or EVF to function.. 

 

 

[jakontil]

My M digital is a backup M body to my M films.. i wouldnt mind using it when film aint attainable.. but no way i would replace it with a Q 

M swaps lenses seamlessly.. 

[mark_s90]

On 11/13/2024 at 4:59 AM, JoshuaRothman said:

I've been through the various permutations of this thought process:

• For a long time I was an M film purist. I tried an M10 and just didn't enjoy it.
• Then I went down the 'if I want digital, it must be über-digital," and paired a Q with my film Ms. Did the same with Ricoh GR cameras.
• Eventually I used a digital M and film M simultaneously.
• Now I own only digital Ms (M10-R and M10M) and use them the same way I used my two film Ms, one loaded with black and white film, the other with color.

In the end, for me, it's the OVF, rangefinder, form factor, and glass that makes the M system special. Not the film. In fact, I've concluded that—for my purposes—the look of digital files is superior. I actually look back on the years I shot film and regret that I wasn't shooting digital then, for aesthetic reasons. But everyone's different and has different goals.

All that said: there's no question in my mind that the experience of using a film M was special, and I sometimes miss owning a film M as a beautiful object. I end up looking at film Ms and browsing this forum. I have to look back through my pictures to remind myself that I prefer digital output.

I have a digital nikon because i released after sending 20 rolls of color film in, that a 600$ factory refurbished D7500 could break even in a mere 2,000 photos.  I have not done more then 12 shots with it this year.  But most likely 20' of black and white film for each of those 12 color shots..

We can look however at the fact that when we start "fighting" over what FILM M we use, the debate is over tangible things like what lens and generation of lens. And not some BS crap like auto rewind.