Landscapes with the M11

[eleven24]

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For decades I've loaded up my backpack with a camera, lenses, tripod and filters for long hikes to planned landscape locations. Every time I've always had an M with me, but never really considered it for the actual landscape photos because of the rangefinder focusing & my use of focus stacking as well as long exposures to flatten out water, etc. 

As my 55 year old lifetime of ice hockey ravaged knees can attest, lugging all of that gear isn't fun. Lugging a GFX100S and all of its lenses through the Canadian Rockies (yet still with the M slung over my shoulder) had me sell it upon returning for an X-T5. I then rented a X2D and its super lightweight lenses. Was sold. But it's been that way for as long as I've been in digital. Love it, not happy with it, get something else. 

Except the M. That has remained constant. M240 to this M11. 

I just have this mental block with the M and landscape. A completely irrational mental block. I mean, I never had a tilt screen with film back in the day. I never worried about touch autofocus on the foreground then the background with my old Canon Elan. I know I can get NDs and polarizers for M lenses. I know the M can be put on a tripod - no matter how silly it may look. I know I can use a visoflex or the iPhone app for those times I can't see. I know the images from the M11 rival that of the X2D.

So I'm seriously thinking about dumping everything but the M11. Hiking with a small bag and that's it. 

I just need some convincing that this is the way. 

 

lol

 

 

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[robsonj]

I use the M a lot for landscapes, though generally don't take mine backpacking, mainly because of concern over condensation, getting beaten up etc - I take a cheaper camera quite often for that - often an GRIII. But the M is a great landscape camera, though these days I rarely use a tripod, unless it's a long exposure. The manual focus is very forgiving for landscape photography- f8 (11) and be there!

Quite a lot of these are with my M's, just look at the exif, as some are with my GFX also... 

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Also, I find the geotagging on the M to be the best of any camera I have used, handy for landscape photography.

 

Cheers

Jonathan

[anonymoose]

Part of what sold me on the M11 was seeing one of my favorite photographers post amazing landscape photos taken handheld with an M11 + 35 Summilux.

When I take landscapes with my Q3, it's almost always handheld, I use manual focus, and generally shoot f1.7 (with foreground elements) up to f4 and get amazing shots (15+ prints around the house that guests frequently ask ("where did you buy these photos?"). I see no reason the M11 wouldn't be great for landscapes. Focus stacking isn't absolutely necessary is it? Long exposures to smooth out water is something that, at least among my generation (about a decade younger than you), has fallen out of favor as it looks artificial.

Check these out:

 

[caloosajo]

I am on the brink of doing exactly this! Mind you, I am certifiably a hobbyist in the landscape space but I take the craft quite seriously. Have enjoyed a Hasselblad 503cw and a Chamonix 4x5 with filters, etc but I’ve lost the luxury of time and space to pack all of this, particularly when I’m now either solo fastpacking/trailrunning to an alpine lake or hiking/packmuling with the kiddo and dogg-o (and wife-o). Similarly, my visits to the community darkroom have dwindled and I’m pleased with my inkjet printing workflow. I tried SL2-S as a candidate to be a dedicated landscape digital kit, but I always rather would shoot M. Yes the 35 APO-SL is amazing, but is just not to my liking compared to using M lenses. May keep the Hasselblad just out of reverence for what it taught me, but I think we’re looking through the same lens…

[hdmesa]

5 hours ago, eleven24 said:

...I just need some convincing that this is the way. 

Take a short landscape photo trip and try it. The M11 is essentially a manual focus cropped X2D/GFX100 sensor.

From my experience, you have to be cognizant of M gear weight if you want it to make enough of a difference versus an X2D:

• Black aluminum M11
• Aluminum lenses
• Well spaced focal lengths and use slight crops to make up the in between

Reason I say to watch your M system weight is because if you have a brass M11 and a bag of four or five brass M lenses, you're now as heavy or heavier than you would be with medium format plus two zooms.

Depending on budget:

• Voigtlander 15 4.5 or Leica Tri-Elmar 16/18/21
• Voigtlander 21 1.4 or Leica 21 3.4
• Voigtlander or Leica 35 APO
• Voigtlander or Leica 50 APO
• Voigtlander 90 APO or Leica Macro 90

Or if you want to pare down the filters you bring, put together a different set based on filter size.

[eleven24]

4 hours ago, anonymoose said:

Part of what sold me on the M11 was seeing one of my favorite photographers post amazing landscape photos taken handheld with an M11 + 35 Summilux.

When I take landscapes with my Q3, it's almost always handheld, I use manual focus, and generally shoot f1.7 (with foreground elements) up to f4 and get amazing shots (15+ prints around the house that guests frequently ask ("where did you buy these photos?"). I see no reason the M11 wouldn't be great for landscapes. Focus stacking isn't absolutely necessary is it? Long exposures to smooth out water is something that, at least among my generation (about a decade younger than you), has fallen out of favor as it looks artificial.

Check these out:

 

I have to admit, the "among my generation" got an audible laugh out of me here at the office. Long exposure, slow shutter speeds, or whatever you want to call it is foundational in landscape photography in blurring water, skies, or even at night. Focus stacking can be very necessary if you're layering a landscape with a foreground element and one in the distance. Off the top of my head my head I was recently placing a rock formation 8 feet away from the camera but still wanted the crisp silhouette of the backlit mountain in the background. I'm certainly not getting both with one photo, and especially not if shooting wide open - which I rarely, if ever do in landscapes. 

That's just one example though, and neither of which I'd call generational differences. If anything, I'd call it more differences in how a YouTuber presents landscape photography versus how someone else does who's actually been doing it for decades. 

[LMBSGV]

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I’ve used a Leica M for landscape photography since 1976 when I inherited my wife’s grandfather’s M2. I used that with a 35mm Summicron until I fell in a creek in 1998 and trashed it. I got an M7 and loved it using with a 35mm ASPH Summicron and 90 Elmarit M. I finally went digital with the M262. I traded that in towards a M11 in 2022.

I briefly used an inherited Nikon F4 in 2004-5 and ended up trading in all the Nikon gear for the M262. For me, nothing feels so sublime like using an M. I have no problems and even prefer using a rangefinder. I find auto focus and auto exposure a distraction at best. I much prefer being able to control exposure and depth of field. I mostly use a tripod (Peak Design) for landscapes. I usually use f5.6, 8, or 11 for landscapes and almost never have a focus issue. I don't do focus stacking. At any of the exhibititions I've done or on my website, no one has ever commented on the sharpness of the focus beyond "how did you do that?" The Summicrom and Elmarit M (I can't afford an APO) have been sufficient. Since it’s much lighter than a DSLR, it’s great for backpacking. With a Think Tank Hubba Hubba Hiney (I hate that name) as a case I carry the M11, 35mm Summicron, 90mm  Elmarit M, and a SPOT messenger. At my current age (73) I don’t even consider anything but the M11 for hiking and backpacking and therefore landscapes.

Edited December 2, 2024 by LMBSGV

[eleven24]

1 hour ago, caloosajo said:

I am on the brink of doing exactly this! Mind you, I am certifiably a hobbyist in the landscape space but I take the craft quite seriously. Have enjoyed a Hasselblad 503cw and a Chamonix 4x5 with filters, etc but I’ve lost the luxury of time and space to pack all of this, particularly when I’m now either solo fastpacking/trailrunning to an alpine lake or hiking/packmuling with the kiddo and dogg-o (and wife-o). Similarly, my visits to the community darkroom have dwindled and I’m pleased with my inkjet printing workflow. I tried SL2-S as a candidate to be a dedicated landscape digital kit, but I always rather would shoot M. Yes the 35 APO-SL is amazing, but is just not to my liking compared to using M lenses. May keep the Hasselblad just out of reverence for what it taught me, but I think we’re looking through the same lens…

Exactly where I am. I love the images from the X2D, but there's no need to have 2 camera systems. It just creates this internal creative chaos where I spend my time planning for a hike and/or getaway with my wife debating over which gear to bring. Part of me just wants to go monochrome and just focus on one tool and the creative options I can get from it. 

[eleven24]

18 minutes ago, hdmesa said:

Take a short landscape photo trip and try it. The M11 is essentially a manual focus cropped X2D/GFX100 sensor.

From my experience, you have to be cognizant of M gear weight if you want it to make enough of a difference versus an X2D:

• Black aluminum M11
• Aluminum lenses
• Well spaced focal lengths and use slight crops to make up the in between

Reason I say to watch your M system weight is because if you have a brass M11 and a bag of four or five brass M lenses, you're now as heavy or heavier than you would be with medium format plus two zooms.

Depending on budget:

• Voigtlander 15 4.5 or Leica Tri-Elmar 16/18/21
• Voigtlander 21 1.4 or Leica 21 3.4
• Voigtlander or Leica 35 APO
• Voigtlander or Leica 50 APO
• Voigtlander 90 APO or Leica Macro 90

Or if you want to pare down the filters you bring, put together a different set based on filter size.

I already have an elmarit 21, 35 summilux and the 50 apo - in terms of landscape lenses.  I have a few others for everyday and street photog, which I find myself doing more and more lately. Living between NYC and Philly does have it's benefits.

I hear what you're saying on the weight though, but most of that would be incredibly offset by not needing a full size backpack or a full size and much heavier tripod/ball head. I'm planning a trip in February and I may just bring the M11 and see how it goes. I just have to make sure if I do sell the X2D system that I don't find my way into a Leica store shortly after that... funny how that always seems to happen. 

[eleven24]

43 minutes ago, LMBSGV said:

I’ve used a Leica M for landscape photography since 1976 when I inherited my wife’s grandfather’s M2. I used that with a 35mm Summicron until I fell in a creek in 1998 and trashed it. I got an M7 and loved it using with a 35mm ASPH Summicron and 90 Elmarit M. I finally went digital with the M262. I traded that in towards a M11 in 2022.

The problem is my son was born in 2002 and I *HAD* to get the Canon D60 DSLR because, well... hey I don't need film!  It's been a long and winding path down various digital camera roads, but the only constant on those travels has been a Leica M of some variation. 

As technology progresses, I think we forget just how much we know about photography and how little we actually need all of the tech assistance. 

[Robert Blanko]

M11 is IMHO great for landscape photography.

Maybe 50% of my photos with my Ms are landscape photos. Taken mostly with 50 APO, but also 24 Elmar, 75 and 135 APOs, sometimes also with the WATE.

I never used a tripod except for Milky Way photos.

Thus, you may save a lot of weight compared to your current setup without significantly compromising (if at all) technical quality of your photos.

[anonymoose]

1 hour ago, eleven24 said:

I have to admit, the "among my generation" got an audible laugh out of me here at the office. Long exposure, slow shutter speeds, or whatever you want to call it is foundational in landscape photography in blurring water, skies, or even at night. Focus stacking can be very necessary if you're layering a landscape with a foreground element and one in the distance. Off the top of my head my head I was recently placing a rock formation 8 feet away from the camera but still wanted the crisp silhouette of the backlit mountain in the background. I'm certainly not getting both with one photo, and especially not if shooting wide open - which I rarely, if ever do in landscapes. 

That's just one example though, and neither of which I'd call generational differences. If anything, I'd call it more differences in how a YouTuber presents landscape photography versus how someone else does who's actually been doing it for decades. 

The notion of "foundational in landscape photography in blurring water, skies" is actually generational from my experience (especially in national parks and among photographer friends). The 50+ crowd comes out with tripods, multiple lenses, wearing safari gear, lugging a backpack full of gear, and take the types of photos you're describing. Then you have yokels like me (35-45) with nice gear (mirrorless + prime or nice zoom) hanging over their shoulder, no desire to carry a tripod, that take 5 seconds to find decent framing and interesting foreground to add some depth, snap a pic or two, and move on. And then you have people 25 and under taking 57 selfies with their iPhone to post on social media 🤣

I bought the M11 specifically to slow myself down and catalyze a stylistic/process change, learn something new, and have less weight dangling around my neck all day. All I'm downsizing from is a Sony + 35mm f1.4 and Leica Q3 (both fit in a 9L sling) to an M11 + 35mm f1.4 and I'm excited to be carrying even less. The weight that will be lifted from your shoulders (literally) is quite a bit more than that. I think it's worth stepping out of your comfort zone and using it as an opportunity to experiment with your style/process.

Side note: here's an example of my "find good framing, find some interesting foreground, and snap a handheld picture wide open" style taken with a Q3 43 I was testing out (f2, 1/4000, ISO 100) for reference. You'd be appalled if you saw how I held the camera while framing this shot. Is it the best landscape photo? Not a chance (I still don't like the colors/edit). Does it make me happy to look at printed+framed on our wall? Yes. Did I love only having a lightweight Q3 around my neck all day long in Yosemite while also carrying around a 1-year-old? A million times yes. Excited to see how things change with the M11!

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Edited December 2, 2024 by anonymoose

[Jon Warwick]

1 hour ago, eleven24 said:

Exactly where I am. I love the images from the X2D, but there's no need to have 2 camera systems. It just creates this internal creative chaos where I spend my time planning for a hike and/or getaway with my wife debating over which gear to bring. Part of me just wants to go monochrome and just focus on one tool and the creative options I can get from it. 

I hauled around a GFX100S, my M11, and a strong Really Right Stuff 3-series tripod to take landscape photos in the French Alps over summer.

In 45” images cropped down to 30x40” prints off the M11, the amount of fine detail captured is remarkably similar to what I got off the GFX100S. Really really close to my eyes, to the extent for those print sizes I’m more than happy with the image quality of the M11 vs medium format. In that sense, for color photos, it did feel like I was doubling up on camera systems for no real reason when it came to the final print.  

It taught be that I prefer flat field APO lenses on the M11 for landscapes, rather than (say) my 50mm v5 that has quite a lot of field curvature.

It also taught me that I really like to use a histogram for landscapes, such that I spent most of the time looking at the histogram on the M11’s rear screen or via the Visoflex 2.

So whilst I like the manual focus and low weight of the M11, I did semi use it a lot of the time as an EVF for both composition accuracy and for the histogram.

In some ways, it would make sense for me to sell the GFX, and for landscapes use a lightweight M11 and M11 Monochrom, keeping it all within the same ecosystem (M lenses, same batteries, Visoflex, tripod mount etc)

Edited December 2, 2024 by Jon Warwick

[eleven24]

3 hours ago, Jon Warwick said:

In some ways, it would make sense for me to sell the GFX, and for landscapes use a lightweight M11 and M11 Monochrom, keeping it all within the same ecosystem (M lenses, same batteries, Visoflex, tripod mount etc)

You sir, are living in my exact dilemma. From the Visoflex on the rangefinder for the histogram, to the comparing 100mp medium format vs 60mp full frame and not really seeing a difference. Yet despite the obvious answer, I see that you too are concluding with "in some ways it would make sense for me to..." instead of "So I just sold the other system and only have the M11 now" 

 

[eleven24]

3 hours ago, anonymoose said:

I bought the M11 specifically to slow myself down and catalyze a stylistic/process change, learn something new, and have less weight dangling around my neck all day. All I'm downsizing from is a Sony + 35mm f1.4 and Leica Q3 (both fit in a 9L sling) to an M11 + 35mm f1.4 and I'm excited to be carrying even less. The weight that will be lifted from your shoulders (literally) is quite a bit more than that. I think it's worth stepping out of your comfort zone and using it as an opportunity to experiment with your style/process.

 

 

Thing is, my comfort zone IS the M. The 21mm Elmarit and 50apo would easily fit in my 7L for landscape hikes. Perhaps a 90 or 135 would be a needed add on. Those 3 lenses and the camera body would still weigh less than my street kit with the 35 summilux and 50 noctilux though. 

[hdmesa]

7 minutes ago, eleven24 said:

You sir, are living in my exact dilemma. From the Visoflex on the rangefinder for the histogram, to the comparing 100mp medium format vs 60mp full frame and not really seeing a difference. Yet despite the obvious answer, I see that you too are concluding with "in some ways it would make sense for me to..." instead of "So I just sold the other system and only have the M11 now" 

Makes a difference how you use each system, too:

• Use both as 4:3 or 5:4 final output – more substantial advantage to the GFX
• Use both in their native ratios – advantage to the GFX but often minor
• Use both in 3:2 for final output – often difficult to see an advantage to the GFX

3 hours ago, Jon Warwick said:

I hauled around a GFX100S, my M11, and a strong Really Right Stuff 3-series tripod to take landscape photos in the French Alps over summer.

In 45” images cropped down to 30x40” prints off the M11, the amount of fine detail captured is remarkably similar to what I got off the GFX100S. Really really close to my eyes, to the extent for those print sizes I’m more than happy with the image quality of the M11 vs medium format. In that sense, for color photos, it did feel like I was doubling up on camera systems for no real reason when it came to the final print.  

It taught be that I prefer flat field APO lenses on the M11 for landscapes, rather than (say) my 50mm v5 that has quite a lot of field curvature.

It also taught me that I really like to use a histogram for landscapes, such that I spent most of the time looking at the histogram on the M11’s rear screen or via the Visoflex 2.

So whilst I like the manual focus and low weight of the M11, I did semi use it a lot of the time as an EVF for both composition accuracy and for the histogram.

In some ways, it would make sense for me to sell the GFX, and for landscapes use a lightweight M11 and M11 Monochrom, keeping it all within the same ecosystem (M lenses, same batteries, Visoflex, tripod mount etc)

I've had the GFX multiple times over several models. Love the system, but unless the purpose of my trip is photography and I travel alone, it's too much of a hassle to carry. So for me, the M11 serves both purposes: casual and more serious work both.

I am looking forward to the fixed lens GFX100RF rumored for March 2025. It's reportedly only slightly larger than the X-Pro3. 

[hdmesa]

3 hours ago, anonymoose said:

The notion of "foundational in landscape photography in blurring water, skies" is actually generational from my experience (especially in national parks and among photographer friends). The 50+ crowd comes out with tripods, multiple lenses, wearing safari gear, lugging a backpack full of gear, and take the types of photos you're describing. Then you have yokels like me (35-45) with nice gear (mirrorless + prime or nice zoom) hanging over their shoulder, no desire to carry a tripod, that take 5 seconds to find decent framing and interesting foreground to add some depth, snap a pic or two, and move on. And then you have people 25 and under taking 57 selfies with their iPhone to post on social media 🤣

I bought the M11 specifically to slow myself down and catalyze a stylistic/process change, learn something new, and have less weight dangling around my neck all day. All I'm downsizing from is a Sony + 35mm f1.4 and Leica Q3 (both fit in a 9L sling) to an M11 + 35mm f1.4 and I'm excited to be carrying even less. The weight that will be lifted from your shoulders (literally) is quite a bit more than that. I think it's worth stepping out of your comfort zone and using it as an opportunity to experiment with your style/process.

Side note: here's an example of my "find good framing, find some interesting foreground, and snap a handheld picture wide open" style taken with a Q3 43 I was testing out (f2, 1/4000, ISO 100) for reference. You'd be appalled if you saw how I held the camera while framing this shot. Is it the best landscape photo? Not a chance (I still don't like the colors/edit). Does it make me happy to look at printed+framed on our wall? Yes. Did I love only having a lightweight Q3 around my neck all day long in Yosemite while also carrying around a 1-year-old? A million times yes. Excited to see how things change with the M11!

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Nice shot. I'm in the 50+ crowd, but you'll never catch me lugging around a tripod.

And I really enjoy shooting landscapes at infinity focus and at wide apertures like that. I find focus-stacked images to be too aesthetically flat to pursue wide DOF shots.

[hdmesa]

Example of using M for landscape while on trips not dedicated to photography.

Taken this past summer with the M11M and LLL 50 f/2 SPII, most shot wide open:

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Hallo,

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[nameBrandon]

I still shoot landscape with crop MF.. Went through the entire Hasselblad X lineup, and ended up with a GFX 100s which I'll probably never get rid of (I enjoy adapting 645 glass, and I like the Fuji "recipe" concept). It is essentially a dedicated landscape camera, but at the same time it's pretty hefty with the 20-35.. 

That being said, it did get me thinking about some points @eleven24 made because I'm the same way (tripod, focus stacking, filters, long exposures.. and for the record, I'm 45, so don't think it's too generational)..

On the M we have..

• Bulb Mode / app control for long exposures (and can turn LENR off for astro as needed) with metering to support long exposures
• Visoflex 2 for critical framing / dealing with bright (or dark) conditions
• Distance scales and manual focusing for focus stacking (pretty easy to overlap with the generous DoF from WA lenses and small apertures)..
• Easily adaptable filter size for square filter holders

And on the Q3 we've got all of the above functionality and a flippy screen.

The only thing I think the GFX/Hasselblad (crop) MF options have going for them is the (rather significant) increase in DR.. which allows me at times, leave the GND's at home and "cheat" in post. 

Hmm.. I think I may have just convinced myself to leave the Fuji at home next time.

FWIW, an "old school" landscape shot ( ) from Banff this summer (sorry, with the Fuji).

 

 

[jaapv]

Sorry, you'll have to find a Leica shot.