The Digital Leica M Image Sample Gallery

The Digital Leica M Samples Gallery (Any digital M from M8 to M-D 262)

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Below are all images taken with a digital Leica M from the 240 to the m_P to the M-D, the latest and greatest M Rangefinders from Leica Camera. You can click any image for a larger view which is the best way to view it as this site compresses these down to what you see below, so click ’em if you want to see the better file at 1800 pixels wide. My full Leica 240 review can be seen HERE and it is a 15,000 word extravaganza so be sure to sit down to it when you have some time to spare.

Once you browse the selections below you will be able to see the amazingly rich color that the M puts out. You can also compare the B&W conversions to those in my Leica Monochrom gallery HERE, but the MM is the superior tool for B&W over the M or M9 if you are truly serious about your B&W. I tried to showcase all kinds of samples so you can get an idea of what to expect from the camera.

 

To see them how they were meant to be seen, YOU MUST click them for the correct size/view. These range from base ISO to ISO 6400

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH (latest M mount version)

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Leica 50 Summicron f/2 – NOT the APO

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90 Summarit

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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90 Summarit

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50 Summicron f/2 (NON APO)

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90 Summarit

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24 Summilux (Alien Skin IR filter applied)

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75 Voigtlander

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50 cron

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24 Summilux (Alien Skin IR Filter)

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 APO

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90 Summarit

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50 Summarit 1.5 (OLD lens)

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Voigtlander 35 1.4 SC

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Voigtlander 15

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Voigtlander 15

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50 Summicron f/2 (NON APO)


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Voigtlander 15

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Voigtlander 50 1.5

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50 Summilux ASPH

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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Leica 50 Summarit 1.5 (OLD lens)

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Voigtlander 15

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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Voigtlander 15

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Leica 35 Summicron 8 Element (rare classic)

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50 Summarit 1.5 (Old classic)

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35 Summicron 8 Element

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50 Summarit 1.5 (classic)

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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50 Summarit 1.5 (classic)

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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50 Summicron f/2 (NON APO)

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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Nikkon 8.5cm f/2 (classic RF lens)

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Leica Noctilux 0.95

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Nikon 8.5CM f/2

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50 Summarit 1.5 (classic)

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Nikkor 5cm 1.4 (classic RF lens)

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Leica 50 Summarit 50 1.5 (classic)

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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Nikon 8.5cm f/2

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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Voigtlander 15

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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Voigtlander 50 1.5 ASPH

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Leica 50 Summicron f/2 (NON APO)

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Canon 50 0.95 Dream Lens

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50 Summicron (NON APO)

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50 Summarit 1.5 (classic)

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50 Summicron (NON APO)

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50 Summicron (NON APO)

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50 Summicron (NON APO)

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50 Summicron (NON APO)

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50 Summarit 1.5 (classic)

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50 Noctilux 0.95

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50 Summicron ASPH APO

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50 Summicron ASPH APO

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50 Noctilux ASPH 0.95

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Canon Dream Lens 50 0.95

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35 Summicron ASPH

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Zeiss 50 Sonnar 1.5

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 35 Summicron ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Summarit 1.5

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50 Noctilux ASPH 0.95

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Zeiss 50 Sonnar 1.5

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50 Noctilux 0.95

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Zeiss 50 Planar f/2

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Canon Dream Lens 50 0.95

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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35 Summicron ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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Canon Dream Lens 50 0.95

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Noctilux ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Noctilux ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Noctilux ASPH

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Brandon and the 35 Summicron ASPH

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50 Noctilux ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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35 Summicron ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Summilux ASPH

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35 Summarit 2.5

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50 ?

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Noctilux ASPH

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75 Summilux

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Noctilux

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35 Summarit 2.5

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50 Summilux ASPH

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50 Noctilux ASPH

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75 Summilux

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75 Summilux

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50 Summilux

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50 Summilux

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50 Summilux

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50 Summilux

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50 Summilux

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35 Summicron

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50 Summilux

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50 Summilux

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50 Noctilux

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50 Noctilux

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35 Summarit 2.5

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50 Summilux

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50 Summilux

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75 Summilux

90 Comments

    • I have long been a fan of your street imagery Mr. Huff, well, actually, I don’t want to pigeon hole myself like that. Let’s just say I am a fan of your work period. I love some of your portraits, I really like the two shots of the draped windows in some old abandoned home, very ethereal feel to them, work nicely as a diptych ….so nice! Anyway, as to your article. I totally agree, the Leica M240 is just a gem as are all Leica, at least to me……I just splurged and upgraded from my old Leica M8 to the Leica M240 shhhh, my wife might hear……lol…But man oh man, did I get a good deal. I bought it from an older man who resides down in Phoenix….he advertised it on Ebay as “MINT M240 – with boxes manuals etc” though he did not offer returns which kind of spooked me! Anyway, I asked why he was selling and he told me he had a number of old Leicas and he doesn’t like computers thus, he just prefers shooting film over digital. I also enjoy film when shooting landscapes and sometimes portraits, with my feild camera. Anyway, the camera showed up and it and the boxes were better than advertised, the were absolutely pristine. The owners manual doesn’t even have a single bend or crease in it, and in one drawer of the box was the bil from some cameras store down in Arizona. It was dated back a few years with a price tag of seven thousand and three hundred dollars I believe, I know it was over 7000USD as my jaw near dropped. I always thought they were 5k new in the states….Anyway, the bill was also was crisp to the touch, as if it was printed yesterday.., long story short, the camera is a dream and a real find as I only paid 2300 USD….Now I am up in Canada so I was expecting a big tax bill as well as a duty bill – no bill at all. The kind old fella listed it as a gift……thus he saved me 15% on 3500 Canadian dollars. I just love the camera. I went out a bought a used 35mm Zeiss Biogon f2 to go with my Voigtlander 50mm f/1.5 Nokton – some day it would be nice to snag a Summilux or even better a Noctilux f.95 You have a picture of grass, extremely shallow depth of feild, I love that image Steve……Anyway, I have been scanning and scanning my butt off al winter long as I am thinking of doing a black and white photo book on street photography from around the world or maybe just Japan, as I lived there and spent a lot of time going back and forth, same with Havana – Anyway, you can see some of the imagery I want to start editing into a small book with and essay and other thoughts….love to know what you think of the imagery? Anyone feel free to take a look – photography is a solitary pursuit – but I am a social person and I love to talk photography – It is my life, it really is, without it I probably wouldn’t be here now – Anyway, that’s another story for another time – be well folks and may peace fill your souls! https://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/profile/1051610/

      Reply

  2. What you said made a great deal of sense. But, think about this, suppose
    you wrote a catchier title? I mean, I don’t want to tell
    you how to run your website, however what if you
    added a post title to maybe get people’s attention? I mean The Digital Leica M Image Sample Gallery – STEVE HUFF PHOTOS is a
    little vanilla. You could look at Yahoo’s home page and note how they write
    article titles to get people to click. You might add
    a video or a picture or two to get readers excited about everything’ve got to say.
    In my opinion, it might make your blog a little bit more interesting.

    Reply

    • This was NEVER a post or meant for mass traffic. It was set up long ago as a companion page to the M 240 review, and linked from there. Nothing more or less. My posts get plenty of traffic in google, but this is a page, not a post meant for mass viewing. The review was set up for that 😉

      Reply

  3. Hey Steve,
    Many thanks for your reviews. You are an inspiration. You may have explained elsewhere, but how does the 240 get those clean edges with the Voigtlander 15? My 15 is a disaster
    with the m9/m8; correction helps, but never fixes it. So what’s the secret? Is it BW conversion?
    Regards Will

    Reply

  4. Hi Steve,
    Would it be a possibility to add a function showing the EXIF data (at least cam type, lens, aperture and shutter speed used) for the photos shown when moving the mouse over a picture?
    Would be very helpful for beginners in photography like me 😉
    Regards and keep going!
    Alex

    Reply

    • Well, Leica does not record the true aperture used…and I would say that 98% of these were all shot with the lenses wide open, so 0.95, 1.4, 1.5, 2, etc

      Reply

      • Thanks a lot for the quick reply!
        Didn´t know that this info is not inlcuded in the exif data.

        Greetings from Germany.

        Reply

    • Thanks for putting the lens labels. I am really digging the look of photos taken by the voigtlanders 15mm, 35mm, 50mm. They have some sort of magic going on with the photos.

      Also the 50mm summicron (non-app) images looks very nice to my eyes too.

      Reply

  8. The Rooster, the Barns & the Cows in mono are my fav shots.
    I really want a 240, hopefully the wait times will get a little better as time goes on.

    I’d love a 50mm for my first Leica lens but I think that a 35mm would be more usable overall.

    Ta for your reviews, thoughts & photos Steve. 🙂

    Reply

  9. Love the pictures! The colorful barns photo totally reminds me of the Bliss (Windows XP Wallpaper) photo. Maybe because of the greens, or the hill in the background.
    Thank you for a lovely collection. Makes me want to sell my car and get the Leica! 🙂

    Reply

  10. The M 240 is very ergonomic. Having to take the back cover off each time one wants to change the battery or card is a pain, and not having the WB easily accessible as a button is cumbersome. Also, the EV is hard to control. Otherwise, I have no complaints.

    Reply

  11. Feel very confident with the M240 and a 35 mm lux. Easy to travel with, total control over the camera, and I know that if I get a lousy picture it is my own darn fault.

    Reply

  13. It’s really cool to see that older / classic lenses work nearly as well on the M 240 as the do on the M Monochrom! I can’t wait to try my 40mm f/2 Rokkor M when my M 240 comes in.

    Reply

  14. I think the shots that the M240 can take are very beautiful. I agree with some peoples posts about finding it harder to distinguish a photo from a DSLR more so than with the original M. I own an M9P and RX1. For me that is the perfect solution. For others without an M9/8 a M240 would work out great!
    I haven’t managed to spot one in the wild yet. Hopefully soon!!!

    Reply

  15. I’ll stop coming here because I’ll break my piggy bank and buy Leica….PS. Photos are fantastic, you can feel your joy when you took them…

    Reply

  17. Why can’t we all just get along?! Clearly we are all reading and responding because we like what Steve has to say and how he says it and I will thank him (thanks Steve) with every correspondence. I traded in my beloved M9 last weekend and I have been shooting my new M 240 for the last 5 days and I write simply to echo the sentiment that there is most definitely a learning curve when moving to the M from the M9. I use Lightroom 4 for PP and I am finding that the new M files respond entirely differently to practically every single adjustment when compared to the M9 in Lightroom 4. If not for reading Steve’s exhaustive review of the M before downloading my first M file, I’d have been really freaking out that I traded in my M9, which I felt was an extension of my arm, for this new prosthetic appendage. With the successive passing of each of the last 5 days I’ve learned more and more how to shoot and how to process these files. It is not a simple matter of just “switching over” to the M, it is akin to an early romance, learning how to treat her and learning what you can expect and even sometimes being surprised by how she responds without even asking her to. Thank you Steve, for the succession of files, exemplifying even your learning curve, as well as your eye as a photographer. No one is being forced to agree, no one is being forced to buy, we are all here exchanging ideas. I would argue for a positive approach as opposed to a negative one.

    Reply

  18. Love that the library is growing here – showing a variety of lenses to compliment the new M. Appreciate the totally untouched shots that you sprinkle in as well (meaning no Lightroom clicks at all – not even a B&W click). Nothing that says it’s better than the M9 legacy yet – but still impressive to watch unfold.

    Reply

  19. Hi Steve,

    Thank you for the great review !! Marvelous Job !!

    I also used the M9 (since early 2010), and like most viewers above, thought I was to hold on to my M9, cos it is still the best out there,
    but I ordered my new M anyway, and regrete only why I did not order on the 1st day of launch like Steve did,

    over and since the late years of the M8, I have collected all the Summilux
    21mm (replaced the 24mm), 35mm FLE, 50mm, and I also have a Elmar M90 f4 (with marco adaptor),
    all very hard to use wide open, and if the new M focus peeking and live view helps,
    I am willing to spend another 7K to make all my above lenses more joy to use

    like steve I sold my 50mm summilux back then and only missed it and buy it back (almost at double the price) !!!!

    No doubt Leica is expensive, I hate the high price too !! I wish it is cheaper !!
    I see a lot of people buy Canon and Nikon (they are all great cameras), and spend 10k USD easily over their lenses alone,
    usually 16-35, 24-70, 70-200, 50 f1.4 (if not f1.2), fisheye, tilt/shift, or even 300mm f2.8

    for Leica, you need just 2 lenses, 3 at most (after you fall in love)
    and for 10k you can buy 35mmf1.4 and 50mmf1.4 and 90mm f2.5

    Leica just grows on you,
    if you have yet tried “Leica M” please give it a try for a year or so, if you don’t like it, just sell it,
    Leica is a experience that no Leica user forgets,
    I sold all my Nikon lenses purchased with the D3, and never regret it,
    but I still hold my M8, because it is still a special camera, and the new M will enhence my “Leica experience” further,

    recently I got a used M8 and Voigtlander 15mm ASPH for a dear friend as birthday present, he had never used Leica before,
    but I am confident that he will love it in no time 🙂

    I also used the Hasselblad H3DII-31 (nice files and nothing special)
    503CW with (CFV, and Phase One P45+)
    and recently S2
    but what defines Leica is the M series, if I can only keep one camera, I choose the M,
    so for camera fans not using a Leica M yet, and try to justify buying a Leica M,
    I say “why not give it a try ? even with Voigtlander lenses like 35mm f1.4 at 600USD, it will grow on you”

    thanks Steve again for many lovely samples of your family !!
    I enjoy all the pictures !!

    Reply

  20. Hi Steve,

    Thank you for the great review !! Marvelous Job !!

    I also used the M9 (since early 2010), and like most viewers above, thought I was to hold on to my M9, cos it is still the best out there,
    but I ordered my new M anyway, and only regrete only why I did not order on the 1st day of launch like Steve did,

    over the years since the late years of the M8, I have collected all the Summilux
    21mm (replaced the 24mm), 35mm FLE, 50mm, and I also have a Elmar M90 f4 (with marco adaptor),
    all very hard to use wide open, and if the new M focus peeking and live view helps,
    I am willing to spend another 7K to make all my above lenses more joy to use

    like steve I sold my 50mm summilux back then and only missed it and buy it back !!!!

    Leica just grows on you,
    if you have yet tried “Leica M” please give it a try for a year or so, if you don’t like it, just sell it,
    Leica is a experience that no Leica user forgets,
    I sold all my Nikon lenses purchased with the D3, and never regret it,
    but I still hold my M8, because it is still a special camera, and the new M will enhence my “Leica experience” further,

    recently I got a used M8 and Voigtlander 15mm ASPH for a dear friend as birthday present, he had never used Leica before,
    but I am confident that he will love it in no time 🙂

    thanks Steve again for many lovely samples of your family !!
    I enjoy all the pictures !!

    Reply

  21. The M 240 images are worse than the M9’s? What did I miss? I think these M 240 photographs look terrific. I saw a mint used M9-P today priced at a bit under $6000. The M 240 is “only” a thousand bucks more. I’ll start saving. Thanks for posting.

    Reply

    • Take it from me. I have used the M9 since launch up until 3 months ago or so. This new M is better in every single way from features, speed, usability and IQ. At $1k more it is a no brainer.

      Reply

  22. Steve,
    I do not have any intention to buy the M240, I do not have the currency to spend for that now. I use NEX-7 and a few elder dslr’s like D200, Fuji S5, all gear that make good shots. Now, I have never been a fan of Leica prices, nor am I yet. But those pictures speak for themselves. Different from the M9 sensor, much different, but with that crisp and sharpness, this crazy dynamic range one can await from a camera. Yes, Leica turns to become a photo-video camera, it will sooner or later have automatic features, it will look like others, but on the end, it is still a too expensive gear. Just must say, congrats, you got a great camera there, despite of it’s overpricing. I love those shots, they have all one can have, for the moment. I just wait to see what Sony and others will make out of the new 20 mpix apsc. I prefer that format for dof reasons, the shots I do, need sharpness in depth, something where a FF is too narrow for me.

    Reply

  23. I just looked at this series of pics for the first time. Since the first 240 pics I saw, I changed my opinion. At first I was somewhat disappointed in the M240’s IQ, because its character indeed differs clearly from the M9, which I loved (and still love).
    But with every new set of M240 pictures, I appreciated them more. This really was a “learning” process. In the meanwhile, I have to say that I see a kind of serene riches (again in these pics), that I appreciate tremendously. I clearly see more nuances. I really love it. Really love it.

    Reply

  24. can any one explain to me why CCD can’t do liveview on stills cameras? I use CCD video cameras all the time for tv programmes, like the sony pmw500, and that has/has to have “liveview”…cheers

    Reply

  25. Wow, wow, wow….just got my M9…and was happy to keep it for the forseeable future especially as it was a pressie from my dearest …but these pics are just outstanding especially re the colour…and no doctoring?…
    Incredible…
    Absolutely, tangibly… incredible!

    Reply

  26. My eyes love the output of the 240 better than the 9. They have such warmth, life, and sharpness. Amazing.

    Reply

  27. HelloI steve, sorry but it seems that every new leica is for you better than the older. This time, it’s not true. I have buy the last M9 available In Brussels in september 2012 and i’m so glad i’ll have do that. Your pictures are good but nothing amazing that justify to buy the new M.

    Reply

    • Hate to disappoint you but the new M is better in every way and my images from this camera look much nicer than my M9 shots. Add to that all of the other improvements… I would not go back to the M9 after using the M for a few weeks. But for you the M9 may be better. For me, technology improves as did the M just as the M9 did over the 8. Why didn’t you just go to an M8 since the M9 is newer? In any case, the new M is the best digital M yet, hands down.

      Reply

    • If you really feel that way, go buy any digital camera, and just crush your blacks and tint everything slightly cyan and you’ll essentially have the poor colouration and contrast of an M9. 😉

      Reply

  29. Steve, I’m just not sure how the new IQ is going to grow on us when the images look like they come from any decent FF camera (D800 for sure). Those that complained about the M9 when it came out could not argue that the IQ was like every other DSLR on the market. Leica kept the M9/ME in production bc it produces an image that you cannot find anywhere else. The feature difference between the M9 and M are obvious but it does seem that you have to compromise the signature look for the bells and whistles. I think your images are good, but the CMOS look just isn’t unique. Not a knock on you as a photographer, just a statement of fact about what I see in the shots the new camera produces. You continue to tell us how the new camera is superior in every way but I struggle with how that could be if true if the images are nothing special.

    Reply

  30. Have to agree – these M images lack “something”. When I first saw M9 images all those years ago, they bowled me over instantly. They looked nothing like anything that had come before, or since (although the new Fuji X’s are catching up). The colours were deeper and denser. These, by comparison, are more “digital”, and “samey” when compared to other digital full frames.

    Reply

  31. Thanks for these shots Steve, Leica should have saved a few blushes and got you do shoot the publicity shots!

    Reply

  32. Thanks for all these updated Steve.
    Great pics, quick question.. it seems that most of them have heavy vignetting. That is from your post process (and thus artistic interpretation) not the sensor/lens combo, correct?

    One lens you have to try on the M is the 90mm Elmar Macro. I just sold my Summarit 90 for one (I hated the build quality and rough focus) and was stunned by how the Elmar renders in regular photography. Smooth , sharp and that Leica 3D pop we love. I had no idea the Summarit – albeit sharp – was so flat in comparison.

    Reply

    • There is no vignetting with the 50 Lux on the M. What you see in some of the B&W conversions is a result of the AlienSkin filter, that is all. Others are due to me lowering exposure or deepening the black level. All photos I show have gone through RAW processing with minor tweaks during the raw conversion. No PP in photo shop or external editing has been done.

      Reply

  33. Ad Evil Ted…..

    Hyperfocal is an option most camera’s these days ommit (no DOF markers on lenses for instance is normal these days)…..and that is not only so for the RX-1 also for most of the Micro 4/3 group and some Nikon…..I use manual Nikon glass on my OM-D to counteract that. The fastest AF is HF (or ZF Zone Focus).

    “Any “look” is achievable in post” I should say yes as far as color rendition is concerned…..but for the cripsness of the M9 sensor….well, that is hard to copy (no AA filter and blisteringly sharp and (micro)-contrasty glass coupled to the smoothness of the CCD sensor).

    Greets, Ed.

    Reply

  34. Sorry everyone but isn’t the lenses the most important to obtain the best image If you seriously want the best Leica experience don’t buy a M240 with a Summilux lens Buy a secondhand M8 or M9 and spend your $7,000 on a Noctilux 50mm f0.95 which is approximately the same price. A M8 and Noc vs M and Lux the M8 and Noc would win hands down in every way.

    Reply

    • M8 and Noct will not beat an M and a 50 Lux. No way, no how. You can also not buy a Noct 0.95 for 7k. Even used they are $9200 or more. The M8 is very limited in its use (daytime only mostly) and you will also need a $200 filter on that noct for the IR issue. For $11k plus it would cost for a Noct and M8, the much better buy would be a $10k M and 50 Lux. This is coming from someone who has shot all of these combinations. The Noct is gorgeous but in reality it does one thing very well.

      Reply

      • Have seen a Noc go for 7,000 maybe be better worded towards a noc never the less images I have seen recently of a noc easily surpasses the images just posted Don’t get me wrong as I love Leica and use all the time but the point i was trying to make is that the glass is more important than the camera, and I have seen many reviewers confirm that.

        Reply

      • Steve, since I tried M + noctilux, I have been thinking of buying an XE-1 and SLR magic 50/0.95 to fit in my budget. Do you think you would be able to review that combination?
        I know you tried Fuji before and were not very happy with its speed, but would be great to see the IQ.

        Reply

  35. If you want to pay $3500 for an RX-1 + EVF and have a fixed lens camera that is useless for street photography versus $7000 for a Leica that isn’t can support all the existing M lenses AND turn into a DSLR by supporting all the R lenses, then by all means go for it.

    It’s horses for courses.
    The RX-1 simply isn’t a good enough camera for the street, doesn’t manual focus worth a toss. Doesn’t support hyperfocal focusing and can’t find it’s own ass in low light. Sorry, I’ve had that experience with the original Fuji X-Pro1 and my feelings are the new X100s will kick the RX-1 into touch.

    The only feasible comparison today for a street photographer is Fuji X100s now, Fuji X-Pro2 in June or Leica M 240 now (or June if the wait list is forever).

    Personally, I have a Fuji XE-1 and a Canon 5D MK3 so, the only answer for me is the Leica M.
    If you complain about the new M look, learn how to PP better.
    Any “look” is achievable in post…

    ET

    Reply

  36. The M9 sensor providing the “Leica look” is a myth. The Leica look is provided by the lenses, not by the recording media (be it film or digital sensor). The simple truth is that there is not a big difference between the look of the M9 files and the M-240 files, and it will be even less of a difference once the firmware and software camera profiles are a little more developed.

    The M9 is a great camera and there is no shame in sticking with it. But if you want cleaner files in low light, wider dynamic range and more flexibility in post processing, the ability to use live view and focus peaking, more versatility for shooting and accurately focusing lenses longer than 90mm on your rangefinder camera, and a host of other features, then the M-240 is a solid upgrade and well worth the money.

    And if you are justifying your decision to stick with the M9 based on the 240 not providing the “Leica look” (especially based on these very early images), then you are just fooling yourself. From the comparisons I have seen, there is very little difference between the two at base iso.

    Reply

    • You summed everything up correctly…But just get a Nikon D800E save your self a tons of money plus reliability is a lot higher and no worries about RF being out of alignment. I know Leica fan boys will bite my head off, but I own two Leicas as well M8 and M6. I love my M6 but M8 is quite limiting.

      Reply

  37. Hey Steve,

    The IQ on the M240 looks great pretty similar to the M9 in my eyes. The question I have is I LOVE my M9 but wish it was better at low light. I can shoot it at 1250 for blog type stuff but if I need to print big for a show 400 is max. How much advantage is the M240? All the other bells and whistles have no interest to me. Should I “upgrade”?

    Thanks Sean

    Reply

  38. It would be great to see the virtue of the is camera as compared to the Monochrome in a direct camera to camera comparison.

    Reply

  39. I own a M8.
    Now seeing the sample images of Steve, i still can see clearly, the images have a Leica signature. No doubt about that for me.
    That’s what count. It’s not the Cmos sensor or the CDD what makes a Leica a Leica. It’s the Glass!

    Jiri, The Netherlands

    Reply

  40. Hi Steve,
    Thanks for posting these samples! If you get a chance to get to some dark sky, would you mind posting a sample Milky Way shot at ISO 6400 with your widest lens (using shutter speed 600 divided by the focal length)? Thanks in advance.
    -Ken

    Reply

  41. Hi Steve
    I must admit some of the colord pics look really nice. Sharp with very good and pleasent colors -like the brown house for instance.
    I also like the B\W results

    Reply

  42. Steve

    For me two of the more compelling images are the image of the woman’s toes in the pool and the image of the Howard Hughes statue (Hollywood Director). I like the image of the toes for the subitilty of the tones. There are other images which do this well,but don’t work for me in some way or another; personal taste I suppose. The image of Howard also shows tonality in a different way, but the clarity and sharp to soft focus transition of the lens really stands out.

    Thanks for the stream of images, they are almost a stream of consciousness sort of thing. It really helps to see the mix (Blahs to good) of what you capture under a variety of conditions.

    Keep the images coming.
    PaulB

    Reply

  43. Thanks for the uploads. I have one queation Steve.
    As one can see in the pool photo, the shade on 11m mark has different temperature than the rest of the photo. This than makes a white plastic sign to appear bluish.
    Do you have any recommendation how to handle situations like this? I noticed this is very common effect when shooting digital.

    Reply

    • That’s not a “digital” problem.
      You would get the same effect shooting film without a skylight filter – especially with typical films that amateurs used like Kodachrome. Bluish shadow areas were the norm. Truthfully, in that light, I bet the shaded area was indeed bluish. That’s where millions of people got the idea to use Skylight filters in the slide/negative film days…
      You can use any photo editor that supports selective colour change to make that line of shade be whatever colour you like.

      Reply

      • The sky is blue and add some light to the all shadows…..Uwe Steinmuller’s great book on printing devotes almost a whole chapter on these blueish shadows….

        Greets, Ed.

        Reply

  44. Hah!

    Of all your shots with the new M, I really dig that one with the woman dipping her toes into the pool the most. Unique, clever and lovely as well.

    Great, fun capture.

    Reply

  45. Fun gallery Steve. I appreciate you choose to photograph human beings often – it really helps me to judge a camera and len’s performance. What lens was used on guy walking by pool?

    Reply

  46. Don’t listen to negative comment Steve. As far as I know this is the group that love and passionate with Photography and Camera.
    We enjoy your review, we love them. Especially Leica, we love it so much.
    So if some of them don’t like it just keep on moving, let them be, they are not your fans, your team, and your friend. I believe they are only a few.
    I also buy M240 using your Page connection. But mine is not arrived yet, so reading your review already make me so happy.
    Great Post

    Reply

  47. There is nothing special about the output from the M, that is the real problem. When the M9 was released, there was an argument to be made that its output was unique, and nothing of a similar size could rival it. However, this is no longer the case and for the RF experince alone, I`m not wiling to pay the steep and excessive Leica price premium. The future will tell whether Leica`s attempt with the M to go more mainstream and appeal to a broader audience will pay off. I will continue to enjoy the M9 until it breaks. And for best in class FF sensor, I prefer the truly compact RX1 with the exquisite Zeiss lens over the M.

    Reply

  48. Not convinced… Steve, thanks for your great coverage of the new Leica M. But everything you are saying about this camera and the sample photos you are graciously showing us here is simply not convincing me of the need to get rid of my M9 to go after the M. I realize that this is not your intention at all, but your great analysis is having that effect on me. Sure, the specs would have us believing that an upgrade would be worthwhile, but the results matter much more when lots of money is on the line. Perhaps the old “skip a generation” approach (as opposed to the “must have it” appeoach) would be a more prudent move at this point if the goal is to truly see nearly $3K of photographic difference in our art. I think I’m just going to give my trusty, old M9 big hug.

    Reply

  49. Good but sorry Steve I can’t see in these pictures what can justify all that money spent on the M240…Really.

    Reply

    • Just as there was nothing justifying the M8…M9…yea, I know. Heard it many times before with Leica. If you do not like Leica that is perfectly fine, but many of us do. It is much more than IQ (which this one is like having a D800 in a much smaller package) but it is also about the experience of using the RF and camera, which IMO is so much nicer than shooting an X-Pro or whatever. It’s the whole package. There is really nothing this new M can not do and what you see here are just a collection of snaps I have taken in the 1st 12 days of ownership of the M. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s a fantastic camera that to me, and many others who now have one, well worth the cost. I would take an M anyday over 3 D800’s and all Zeiss glass. Why? Size, weight, RF shooting, and the lenses.

      Thanks for looking!

      Reply

      • you can´t do long exposures in good quality. 240 seconds, that´s about it. If you want to do that, you´ll have to bring your Canon/Nikon again.
        Although Steve, you reviews are fantastic. Very well founded and a pleasure to read!

        Reply

          • No Bulb/Time mode? On some cameras, going into Bulb/Time brings up a stop-watch style timer for you to manually time out your exposure beyond the limits of the pre-set times.

  50. no doubt see your passion for photography, especially with this camera.(leica)
    I will continue to follow until one day I replace my M9 to camera like this one.

    Reply

  51. Hi Steve,

    Yet another great idea. Thanks.

    A question for the Huffians, those that follow Steve on a regular basis. What does everybody think about the M240 compared to the M9? I know, I know, it is a personal thing, but to me the M9 produces richer images with more of a (much debated) ‘Leica look’ then the M240.

    Interested to hear all your thoughts…

    Reply

    • Couldn’t agree more. I canceled my preorder for the new M once sample images were available. The CCD may be old tech but it has the look I want, that sense of something more that can’t be produced with a CMOS. Someone on another site did a comparison between the M9 and the Olympus OMD and the Leica images were easy to spot. The difference is night and day between the old and new sensor. Low light performance may be better but the allure has diminished.

      Reply

    • I agree as well. So glad I got the M-E instead of the M. Why make the move to look similar every other camera? I am hearing more and more from people that are looking to grab the M9’s / M-E’s while they can, before production stops and are stuck with used CCD or new CMOS as the only options.

      Reply

  54. Steve, Thanks Mate. You are one of the ‘greats’

    Rohan
    from Colombo, Sri Lanka and
    Melbourne, Australia

    Reply

    • Superb, Steve-your imagery is the original reason of why I got into photography! I get folk who diss me ’cause I shoot with a Nikon D700 and an 85mm lens!!!! I think you’ve hit the nail on its head-people feel threatened with the “new” and want to claw back the past!

      Keep shootin’ my friend!

      Ross

      Reply

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