Leica M11

[Pelu2010]

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Hey, 
I have the M11 and I think it's a great camera. 
When I take portraits, I would like to use the Vidoflex 2.
But then I have to decide: either I use flash and then I don't have a Visoflex 2 or I only work with LED light and then I have a Visoflex 2.
What do others here in the forum think? With a 90 mm M lens or a Noctilux it will be difficult to flash and produce sharp images. I would like to have a Vidoflex with flash synchronization for the next development. This could also be done by a contact and then another form of cable. The contact could be magnetic and would then go into the trigger, or into the flash. 
If you want to expand the community of people who work with this system, then I see great potential in this area. Or at least potential. Everyone else doesn't have to use the contact (wherever it would be positioned) and you can certainly get such a contact watertight. 
Who else wants to be able to take 70-135 mm portraits with flash and super wide-angle photos with flash?

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[lct]

8 hours ago, Pelu2010 said:

What do others here in the forum think? With a 90 mm M lens or a Noctilux it will be difficult to flash and produce sharp images.

Not sure i'd need an EVF with flash. I could do it either in RF mode or in LV mode, if needed, with the LCD screen. Here in LV mode with LCD and Macro-Elmar 90/4. Too sharp for such a dirty subject. I would rather use the RF mode as i cannot get a WYSIWYG preview in LV mode with flash.

35/2 8E

[jakontil]

I dont use the evf with flash, or worse case is i use the liveview from the lcd, and with the flash

even when i use continuous light, i use the RF most of the times when the light suffice

as a matter of facts, i no longer posses my visoflex 2

[3D-Kraft.com]

Mismatch of use case and tool (and thread-title).

[Pelu2010]

Hey, 

I know that there are a lot of photographers that can’t imagine to take the evf nor a flash. The thread wasn’t ment for them. I would like to have a discussion with people that would love to have the feature. I know that there are pros and cons. 
I just think that there are many situations where this would be helpful. 
maybe I am to old ? 

[lct]

You could as well be a youngie to some of us oldies here Problem is not EVF or flash, but EVF + flash IMHO. I guess you'll find few enthusiasts for both accessories, but i could be wrong 😎

[jakontil]

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Not old at all.. it’s just i have been wishing such evf with a remote trigger flash since M typ240 and it never came to fruition so i have to adjust to life without such feature..hence the LCD

[Pelu2010]

The problem for Leica is that in order to acquirer new customers it would be nice if they are young too. Can’t build a business on a dying customer base. And I am not asking for something „strange“ The M3 > M7 all have a X Flash Port. The new Sl3 and Sl3s come with a „timecode“ port that looks like a X port. And I don’t care where it’s located! I would also buy a Grip if there where one with a X-port, but there isn’t. That’s why I think that the next camera should have one. Or another Auxiliary that provides this. I don’t mind if the camera as an integrated 2,4 ghz remote flash implemented that can trigger external flashes. There are many ways to implement this without „older people“ noticing. Or am I to young? 

[jakontil]

May be leica can update and do something about the usb c port other than charging the camera and transporting files and photos

[charlesphoto99]

16 hours ago, Pelu2010 said:

Hey, 

I know that there are a lot of photographers that can’t imagine to take the evf nor a flash. The thread wasn’t ment for them. I would like to have a discussion with people that would love to have the feature. I know that there are pros and cons. 
I just think that there are many situations where this would be helpful. 
maybe I am to old ? 

Write all the threads you want on here about this, the answer will be the same: with an M you need to make a choice (personally I think the Viso is an abomination of all the reasons to shoot an M, but I guess me being an 'old' 61, I'm in the minority). As it is, typically when using flash you're not using an f/stop much wider than f4/5.6, so that should cover many focusing discrepancies. IME, it's not at all a problem to use the rangefinder to do portraits with longer lenses, even wide open. Practice, practice, practice - or use a different camera more suited for your case.

[Pelu2010]

Hey, 

I am using zone focusing all the time. 
I am speaking of the time when it’s not possible and when making a decision is not an options and you are using the tool in extreme situations. 
And there the visoflex 2 in tandem with a flash is vital. And the 240 had a handgrip that provided the x-port. 
 

I am talking about situations where the absence of the sync port makes it very hard to take pictures , but it should be easy 

cheers 

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[Pelu2010]

90 mm 

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[charlesphoto99]

 Nah, not that hard. M10, M10M, M9, 50-135mm lenses

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[charlesphoto99]

1 hour ago, Pelu2010 said:

Hey, 

I am using zone focusing all the time. 
I am speaking of the time when it’s not possible and when making a decision is not an options and you are using the tool in extreme situations. 
And there the visoflex 2 in tandem with a flash is vital. And the 240 had a handgrip that provided the x-port. 
 

I am talking about situations where the absence of the sync port makes it very hard to take pictures , but it should be easy 

cheers 

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!

Not sure a flash would help you here. You would lose any sense of drama using a longer lens and flash - would light up the back of some heads nicely though. Now if you could use a flash, it would be best with a wider lens, and down in front (as long as it was okay with band and venue), and then you wouldn't need a Visoflex. Below - 18mm lens, Profoto A1 handheld, wireless with the Connect puck on the M10M hotshoe. No finder needed. 

With longer lenses on the M, zone focusing isn't a thing - one needs to learn how to track the focus. Personally I don't believe in zone focusing as many influencers have come to depict it - one should always be focusing/recomposing - the 'zone' just lets one know how much slop you have to work with, not an excuse to not have to focus.  

[DadDadDaddyo]

Have to say I really like the shots shown here that were made without flash. 

I stopped using a flash sometime in the 1970s. My problem with flash was that it's appallingly indiscriminate about where the light ends up. 

Aimed directly at the subect, it can easily wash it out with utterly flat intense illumination. Plus it spills over and around the subject, and can cast horrible shadows. 

Ok, then try bouncing? Fine. Now you're illuminating the ceiling. Depending on its reflectivity, and the angle of the bounce, your light will end up scattered to *somewhere, but not necessarily where you want it. The color of the ceiling can also affect the color of the bounced light. 

Well, of course, you can deploy multiple flashes, plus triggers, and dial in the lighting ratio you want, just as finely tuned as any static studio setup would be. 

Then, all you need to do is just ask the subject please to stop moving around so as not to spoil your carefully managed shot. 

Nah, too much trouble.

I find that if you can see in the lighting conditions you're working in, you can achieve proper exposure to attain just about any mood you want. 

Spot metering works wonders for me. 

Yup. I'm just an available light guy. No more flash. Works great!

I really do like the flash-less shots displayed here. This is part of what the Leica was made for!

Edited June 26 by DadDadDaddyo

[Pelu2010]

With flash no evf 

I can do this! 

But it’s much harder without. 
 

And wenn I use the evf I can’t flash! 
 

With the M240 it’s no problem. 
 

 

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[lct]

It is exactly the same problem, or lack thereof, with the M240 and EVF. Nice shots

[charlesphoto99]

6 hours ago, DadDadDaddyo said:

Have to say I really like the shots shown here that were made without flash. 

I stopped using a flash sometime in the 1970s. My problem with flash was that it's appallingly indiscriminate about where the light ends up. 

Aimed directly at the subect, it can easily wash it out with utterly flat intense illumination. Plus it spills over and around the subject, and can cast horrible shadows. 

Ok, then try bouncing? Fine. Now you're illuminating the ceiling. Depending on its reflectivity, and the angle of the bounce, your light will end up scattered to *somewhere, but not necessarily where you want it. The color of the ceiling can also affect the color of the bounced light. 

Well, of course, you can deploy multiple flashes, plus triggers, and dial in the lighting ratio you want, just as finely tuned as any static studio setup would be. 

Then, all you need to do is just ask the subject please to stop moving around so as not to spoil your carefully managed shot. 

Nah, too much trouble.

I find that if you can see in the lighting conditions you're working in, you can achieve proper exposure to attain just about any mood you want. 

Spot metering works wonders for me. 

Yup. I'm just an available light guy. No more flash. Works great!

I really do like the flash-less shots displayed here. This is part of what the Leica was made for!

Flash works best if off camera and diffused. Flash shooting also requires a lot of post (dodging and burning) to balance things out and make it look more natural. Much easier to do with b&w, and with film (imo). Here's one of Girl and Girl from New Zealand with an M10M with 18mm and Profoto A1. I reached around to my left and under and pointed the flash up. I knew I was pretty close so dialed the power down a bit from if I was standing off at a more comfortable distance. Hard to hold a shot like this for long, so just have to shoot quick. I adore the simple wireless puck of the Profoto. I t does hamper the use of a wide-angle finder so I just go for it and gauge from experience. With a 24 or below, you can focus to a distance with your subject, doing a dance in and out with camera as they move, so as to keep an equidistance, but always ready to pounce with a focus change if things shift dramatically. Yes, this is full frame. 18 is wide for me, I prefer 24 and my best known work was done at 24 with a Nikon. But with no finder to work with using a flash, the 18 gives even more wiggle room, especially to try and get in a full band in a tight space, and it such an incredible lens. With the A1 it's only manual, but the big dial and display is the best for dialing the power in. I've found yet. Very Leica like. I wish they made an old school auto thyristor one, like the Quantum's, which I used, but they were anything but svelte. 

The M10M and its ability to shoot at high iso has me smitten, though. Mudhoney, M10M, 28mm Summicron, 50K iso. 

 

 

 

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Goyo924]

What you need is a 1.4x or 1.25x magnifier that screws right onto the viewfinder. Light Lens Lab makes a 1.4x magnifier with a diopter that's much cheaper than Leica's version.

[kiwidad]

On 6/26/2025 at 6:31 AM, Pelu2010 said:

The problem for Leica is that in order to acquirer new customers it would be nice if they are young too. Can’t build a business on a dying customer base. And I am not asking for something „strange“ The M3 > M7 all have a X Flash Port. The new Sl3 and Sl3s come with a „timecode“ port that looks like a X port. And I don’t care where it’s located! I would also buy a Grip if there where one with a X-port, but there isn’t. That’s why I think that the next camera should have one. Or another Auxiliary that provides this. I don’t mind if the camera as an integrated 2,4 ghz remote flash implemented that can trigger external flashes. There are many ways to implement this without „older people“ noticing. Or am I to young? 

No idea why you think age is relevant and the new customer “needs” some features. 

As far a an evf when I use flash I find the fotos remote feature to be splendid and use my iPhone or iPad!