Why I love and hate the Leica M

[anonymoose]

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1 hour ago, jaapv said:

I like the T series for its concept and execution but I do feel that it  was a dead end. Too smartphony and smartphones caught up… I would hate to see the M go down the same rabbit hole. 

Wholeheartedly agree. I loved the concept of the TL2, but ultimately nailing focus manually was way too hard with its version of focus peaking + rear display (especially outdoors with screen reflections). With the 23mm f2 lens it made some beautiful film-like photos and the UX was surprisingly good. The size/portability was another huge benefit.

I had zero regrets when I traded it for the CL. Having those two customizable wheels, top display, and EVF made a huge difference. Now that I own an M11 and think about it, the CL was like a mini-M in terms of user experience (outside of the big RF / EVF differential).

That being said and being a very tech-forward person, I'd hate to see the M go the TL2 route. Leica will alienate more customers than they'd gain with a change like that unless they do something seriously innovative that we're not thinking about here.

Edited December 20, 2024 by anonymoose

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[Altair]

6 hours ago, anonymoose said:

A larger back screen is welcome (especially having recently held an X2D), but no physical buttons is a big step backwards. Hybrid RF (like the X100V has) could be an interesting addition especially if purists can turn the display off and go traditional RF.

I've found myself ignoring my Sony (except for taking videos) since picking up the M11. I'm trying to immerse myself with the M11 and get as much practice with RF/MF as possible to improve my hit-rate.

I think we are both in the same " I am no longer a virgin" stage. I am trying to master the RF to a degree that I force myself to take pictures of difficult subjects with repeating patterns lines everyday. In waiting rooms I would pick up the M11 from my briefcase and start shooting. Practicing focusing is important, but i hope to get it out of the way quickly so I can go back to practicing photography 

[DigitalHeMan]

8 hours ago, Altair said:

Some bad news then, reports indicate the M12 is going to have a larger back screen, NO buttons ( that would be a disaster!) and no articulating screen. It also seems a hybrid viewfinder is in the works.

@Altair which reports specifically are you referring to? The old ones from May, or something more recent?

[otto.f]

I can’t say that I know for sure in advance that I would hate an M12 without buttons. Maybe an M12-D is not needy anymore if you can put the screen off; no buttons no screen, what a bliss. A digital M4 without the rewinder. The thing with the TL was the EVF. It seems that you can fully bypass the EVF with a  better OVF. You only use EVF with 90mm and longer. In the end you’ll work faster with any lens. I just hope the battery won’t be too heavy. 

Edited December 20, 2024 by otto.f

[T25UFO]

11 hours ago, Altair said:

This is according to Leica Rumours, who have a strong track record. 

A continuation of your sentence:

" . . . of getting it wrong"

[evikne]

Our most reliable source is the Frenchman who comes and goes. I hope he'll be back soon in a new incarnation. 😉

[kkm]

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vor 4 Stunden schrieb otto.f:

no buttons

How to make a picture with no buttons? 🙃

[LocalHero1953]

I don't know why anyone could get upset with a Leica with no buttons, or at least none of the buttons added by a digital M. My M4 and MP only have one button, for the shutter. Isn't this notion just a return to the traditional design, with just a screen for settings.

This just leaves the question of how to activate the screen. Shake the camera? Voice activation?

[Derbyshire Man]

1 minute ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I don't know why anyone could get upset with a Leica with no buttons, or at least none of the buttons added by a digital M. My M4 and MP only have one button, for the shutter. Isn't this notion just a return to the traditional design, with just a screen for settings.

This just leaves the question of how to activate the screen. Shake the camera? Voice activation?

Pop the battery?

[DadDadDaddyo]

1 hour ago, kkm said:

How to make a picture with no buttons? 🙃

The new DWIM* interface 

 

 

 

* Do What I Mean...

[charlesphoto99]

About every six months or so I accidentally touch the screen on my M10-R that reminds me the screen is actually a touch screen. I take thousands of photos a week sometimes. That is how much I DON'T need a touch screen. Buttons are easily recognized as to what they do by anyone, and work with gloves on and in all different weather situations. 

[otto.f]

2 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

Voice activation?

Including an AI command like for ChatGpt, for instance: ‘make in this street a photo like HCB’

[otto.f]

3 hours ago, kkm said:

How to make a picture with no buttons? 🙃

Btw, this is indeed possible with the Nikon Z6 by touching the screen, a screen-button though.

[LocalHero1953]

3 hours ago, kkm said:

How to make a picture with no buttons? 🙃

Same way as a smartphone

[anonymoose]

9 hours ago, Altair said:

I think we are both in the same " I am no longer a virgin" stage. I am trying to master the RF to a degree that I force myself to take pictures of difficult subjects with repeating patterns lines everyday. In waiting rooms I would pick up the M11 from my briefcase and start shooting. Practicing focusing is important, but i hope to get it out of the way quickly so I can go back to practicing photography 

Picking up the M11 to take random pictures of things is something I find myself doing frequently as well. I find myself wanting to use it in a way I absolutely don't with my Sony.

My new challenge is getting sharp pictures of my 1-year-old's eye as she moves all over the place. I think my hit-rate is sub-5% 🤣

[anonymoose]

3 hours ago, kkm said:

How to make a picture with no buttons? 🙃

I don't remember which camera it was that I owned, but I accidentally turned on a setting where touching the screen focused on that area and took a picture. It was strange and I couldn't turn it off fast enough.

[DadDadDaddyo]

9 minutes ago, anonymoose said:

I don't remember which camera it was that I owned, but I accidentally turned on a setting where touching the screen focused on that area and took a picture. It was strange and I couldn't turn it off fast enough.

Classic SLR form factor "Mirrorless Shot Acquisition via Nose Activation" (MSANA).

The viewfinder eyepiece where it should be for a right-eyed photographer: another reason why I love M-series bodies. 

And for a bonus, no nose shmutz accumulation on the rear screen!

Yaaay!

Edited December 20, 2024 by DadDadDaddyo
Typo, not caused by nose...

[kkm]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb otto.f:

a screen-button though.

 

vor 11 Stunden schrieb otto.f:

no buttons no screen,

😙

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[lct]

On 12/20/2024 at 1:50 PM, LocalHero1953 said:

I don't know why anyone could get upset with a Leica with no buttons, or at least none of the buttons added by a digital M [...]

Besides the shutter release, i need 4 buttons on both my M11 and digital CL: Play, FN, Menu, Info. Replacing them with screen buttons would be enough to reject the M12 AFAIC. YMMV.

[setuporg]

47 minutes ago, lct said:

Besides the shutter release, i need 4 buttons on both my M11 and digital CL: Play, FN, Menu, Info. Replacing them with screen buttons would be enough to reject the M12 AFAIC. YMMV.

Coming back to M9 and M240 feels like a bonanza of useful buttons and lack of idiotic touchscreen.  Something got lost in translation to today.  Also love the M9 scroll wheel.