"Downgrading" to M10-D, Reflections on the M11-P etc.

[HoratioPerdu]

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I own a bunch of Leicas, including the M11-P. My favourites have always been the D and Monochrom series. Minimalism really is the ultimate luxury.

One of the cameras I own is the M11-P, which I have the opportunity to trade (almost 1:1) for a mint M10-D. I'm very tempted, but given the generational and technological gap, I wanted to solicit some feedback from more "experienced" Leica shooters. 

I really like the M11-P. But it's always left an odd taste in the mouth. For all its conveniences and capabilities, it strikes me as among the first of Leica's "Sony" cameras: cheaper to manufacture, easier to use, more oriented to tech. I may be wrong, but Leica today seems slicker, more corporate, more interested in successive "drops" than before. It's not that there isn't a great deal to love about their products (the Q line is astonishing, for example), but I see a greater emphasis on mass-market appeal than before - sometimes at the cost of heritage. 

The M10-D feels great in the hand. Yes, it's heavier, it's brass, it's expensive to make, it's excessive in the materials. But that's exactly what I love about it (and what doesn't feel right about an aluminum-bodied M). A hunk of metal with no screen. Fast start-up time. Primitive metering. A dedicated E/V dial. Limited manufacturing numbers. Everything about it screams yes. 

But trading for an M11-P? Am I nuts? 

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[sinjun]

Yes, the M10-D feels great in the hand, and I really like the faux winder / thumb rest as an aide to handling and balance. I also really like the M10 colours though occasionally find myself wishing there were more highlight recovery potential. Metering might be primitive, but I like centre-weighted - it's predictable and I use exposure lock quite a bit. If all these things work for you, why not? Though a 1:1 trade sounds a bit steep...

[jakontil]

I love everything about the m10D to the thought that i wont get the m11D, coz it aint brass.. but the sensor gap left me desiring… im sticking with m11p for now 

[maxpower]

The 100 year edition is brass! I would consider trading my M11D in for that, if only it had strap lugs (not a case guy)... and was available.. and affordable.