Leica I want a Leica M (240)

Armanius

Bring Jack back!
Location
Houston, Texas
Name
Jack
DigitalRev's review of the Leica M(240)

Leica M 240 - Hands-on Review

I recall watching DigitalRev's review of the Leica M9 a few years ago. Along with spending way too much time at Steve Huff's website, Kai's review of the M9 inspired me to crazily purchase one.

Leica M9 - Field Test and Hands-on Review

Now if my wife would only offer to buy me a M ... I won't make the same mistake again (that I did with the RX1).
 
I predict that before the end of the year, Armando will have sold me his M9 at a great personal loss to help finance his new M(240). And the icing on the cake is that his lovely bride will kick in the money that she would have spent on the RX1 gift that he turned down.

And they all lived happily ever after.
 
I predict that before the end of the year, Armando will have sold me his M9 at a great personal loss to help finance his new M(240). And the icing on the cake is that his lovely bride will kick in the money that she would have spent on the RX1 gift that he turned down.

And they all lived happily ever after.

You crack me up!!! Love your sense of humor! We really need to have a SC get together in the future. We can all crash in BB's new pad!
 
I want one too, but there are a few things that are just wrong, for me. I use my frame line lever on my M9's all the time. The longest exposure time is LESS than the CCD M9 and there's no hidden T mode anymore. The operation of exposure compensation in Av mode is just stupid. Why can't I just rotate the dial without having to dislocate a finger to find the front button. Yet again there's no option to switch on a shutter speed display in manual. And the tripod thread is going to frustrate me, badly. Hopefully RRS will make a decent QR plate/base/release.

I'll eventually get one just for the lovely new shutter, although it should have gone to 1/8000. And I know I'll like a few extra pixels and a bit more DR, although neither of these are critical for my usage. The EVF and live view will be used, a lot. My 12mm and 21mm already get a lot of use. And I may even look at getting an adapted macro for it. However, it's still not quite enough for me to have it as my only system. Close, but not quite.

Gordon
 
I don`t want a M240. I was an early adopter to the M8 and M9 and still have the M9. When the M9 came out, it set the new IQ benchmark for compact cameras with nothing in the market coming close. Combine this with the pleasure of RF shooting and the ability to use the unmatched M-mount lenses and the steep price was somehow acceptable. It`s 2013 and a Ricoh GR, Coolpix A, RX1(r), Sigma DP1,2,3M can produce files matching or even exceeding the ones made with a M240. Some ILC come close in IQ and have the ability to use m-mount lenses and all at a fraction of the price of the Leica. Soon we will have improved ILCs announced and available in the marketplace before M240s are, with IS, including FF ones, with sensors better than the one in the Leica. In short, there is no rational reason to buy a M240 any longer but for the pleasure of RF shooting. And this alone does no longer justify the huge price premium for me.
 
There is no doubt that it is a nice video. I too had a brief moment of intense desire. But it always comes back to the same thing, which is not only that I really can't afford a Leica M but that as soon as you factor in the amount of kit you could buy for the same cost (or the opportunity cost as economists like to call it) my ardour began to diminish.

After all, for the price of Leica M body you could get a D600 body (which I see as about the same weight/size as a M) and adapt a veritable array of Leica R lenses with Leitax mounts. Not the same schtick but probably the same or even better IQ.

And on top of that I am awaiting to see what Sony do next. Rumours abound of a FF Nex with dedicated Zeiss lenses. To my mind, that would be a M-killer.

LouisB
 
I am afraid that I have to go through a divorce before I can buy an M :dance3:
I am already facing the challenge to convince her that I need a film-based Leica.

But it seems to be a fantastic camera. BTW: The camera looks pretty big in Kai's hands. Is it bigger than the M9?

For those of you who had not seen it yet. This is Ming Thein's review of the M240. I wish I had his "eye for photography".
The 2013 Leica M Typ 240 Review by Ming Thein
 
Me.

I am fortunate to own, or have owned, the finest film Leicas money can buy, including the M7 and MP. The current digital line-up from is off the pace and leaves me cold.

Sent from another Galaxy
 
I personally never shot a Leica before, but yes id love to try one. Im afraid of loving it though.

Also dont have the money and i spend too much time, in Steve Huff, blog reading and reading readers post with different leicas and lenses.
 
I'd love to have one, but I'd have to win the lottery. The RX1 was a huge stretch for me and I'm glad I got it, but for an m240 and 2-3 premium lenses I'd have to reorder and re prioritize my financial life and give up a lot of non-camera stuff I'm not willing to give up. Or else give up buying any other camera gear for another ten years or so. And I'm not willing to do that either. So it's not happening, but I'd sure love to have one if it was doable.

-Ray
 
There is no doubt that it is a nice video. I too had a brief moment of intense desire. But it always comes back to the same thing, which is not only that I really can't afford a Leica M but that as soon as you factor in the amount of kit you could buy for the same cost (or the opportunity cost as economists like to call it) my ardour began to diminish.

After all, for the price of Leica M body you could get a D600 body (which I see as about the same weight/size as a M) and adapt a veritable array of Leica R lenses with Leitax mounts. Not the same schtick but probably the same or even better IQ.

And on top of that I am awaiting to see what Sony do next. Rumours abound of a FF Nex with dedicated Zeiss lenses. To my mind, that would be a M-killer.

LouisB

There's no doubt that you and retow are mostly correct (not sure about the coolpix a exceeding an M9 at base ISO) when it come to the sensible arguments. But, to me, Leicas aren't for sensible folk. Buying a Leica is an emaotional choice, pure and simple. The image quality thing is over for my usage. I was happy with the 5D2 sensor and the M9 is better than that at base ISO (where I spend 95% of my time). I no longer purchase small format cameras based on IQ. If I want purely IQ I'll get a MF digital. A Pentax 645 with a few lenses costs no more than an M240 and a few lenses.

I just don't like DSLRs. And I don't like digital cameras without an EVF. If there were another real digital rangefinder I'd be all over it. But there isn't. I just like rangefinders and I like digital. So I'm bound to Leica, for now. For *me* the usage challenges, the simplicity, the build and most of all the rangefinder is more fun. More satisfying. Mostly with DSLRs I feel more and more disconnected from the image. After 25 years of them I think I'm just sick of looking at everything through a wide open aperture.

Sure the Olympus, Sony and Fuji (etc...)cameras can be fun for a bit. But they feel a bit soulless, to me, which is more than I can say for any optical viewfinder DSLR. I pretty much know that if a camera has more than one page of menu items it's not going to be something I really bond with. And if it doesn't have an integrated EVF or a rangefinder forget about it. Every camera and lens I've ever wanted, I've owned (except the Noctilux - watch this space) It took me a long while to realise that a better sensor or sharper lens doesn't make me a better photographer or make better photos. But a camera I really connect with does. It's a horrible cliche but a rangefinder feels like an extension of my hand. MY XPan was the first camera I loved. It had a personality. So do my M's. And I now choose lenses with personality rather than ones that are perfect.

I appreciate that most cameras can produce stunning images. But they don't make me want to carry them everyday like a rangefinder does. They don't let me see like a rangefinder does. Yes. I already know I'm weird. I'm definitely not saying the M is a better camera or that it makes better files. I'm saying that for some reason a small and select group or rather unique individuals fall for the way a camera makes them want to go out and make images, despite it's individual quirks. While some see those things as limitations or failures, I see them as features. Some of us get that from a Leica. Others get it from an X100 or a K1000 Pentax. What ever that camera is for you I hope you enjoy it as much as my quirky old Leicas.

Gordon
 
There's no doubt that you and retow are mostly correct (not sure about the coolpix a exceeding an M9 at base ISO) when it come to the sensible arguments. But, to me, the image quality thing is over. I was happy with the 5D2 and the M9 is better than that at base ISO (where I spend 95% of my time). I no longer purchase small format cameras based on IQ. If I want purely IQ I'll get a MF digital. A Pentax 645 with a few lenses costs no more than an M240 and a few lenses.

I just don't like DSLRs. And I don't like digital cameras without an EVF. If there were another real digital rangefinder I'd be all over it. But there isn't. I just like rangefinders and I like digital. So I'm bound to Leica, for now. For *me* the usage challenges, the simplicity, the build and most of all the rangefinder is more fun. More satisfying. Mostly with DSLRs I feel more and more disconnected from the image. After 25 years of them I think I'm just sick of looking at everything through a wide open aperture.

Sure the Olympus, Sony and Fuji cameras can be fun for a bit. But they feel a bit soulless, to me. I pretty much know that if a camera has more than one page of menu items it's not going to be something I really bond with. And if it doesn't have an integrated EVF forget about it.

I appreciate that most cameras can produce stunning images. But they don't make me want to carry them everyday like a rangefinder does. Yes. I already know I'm weird.

Gordon

At base iso, in my personal ranking the M9 comes in second after Sigmas DPM. However, the Coolpix A is probably as good as the M9 with a 28mm lens. This guy even thought it would beat a M240 with the 28 Summicron: Tim Ashley Photography | Blog.
Not to be missunderstood: I don`t want a M240 at its list price. But I will continue to shoot and enjoy my M9 until it falls apart as the RF experience is unique and more satisfying to me than anything else. Who knows, until then used M240 or its successor can be had for USD 2000 or less ;) and I might buy one.
 
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