M10 compared to M-D typ 262, M-P typ 240

[Godfrey]

I totally understand the feeling. I left a Nikon F, 55 macro and 105/2.5 in a friend's garage when we left the country around 2000. They were what got me started in the 1960s. A divorce and various vicissitudes (not mine) mean that they are no longer to be found. I can still recall the "ka-whomp" of the F shutter when shooting from the audience seats during a quiet rehearsal.

The Nikon F is like a comfortable old truck: All the newer ones run away from it with their fancy interiors and bazillion conveniences, but the old clatterbox just keeps krumping along regardless. When the new ones are put down because they don't have the latest stereo conveniences, the F just keeps going and going.

My first SLR was a 1969 Nikon F Photomic FTn with a Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens. I used it through the rest of my high school years and through my first years in college. Gave it to a friend in 1976 when I bought the Olympus OM-1...

This one belonged to a friend, who got it in turn from a friend, and for reasons unknown he took the lens off it and put it in a box in his cellar with other junk for a decade. When it turned up in conversation a few years back, he mentioned that he didn't know what he'd do with it (he's a Pentax shooter) and couldn't find the lens. I offered that I'd be interested and he just gave it to me, body with lower half of the case and the original selenium clip-on meter (not working, of course). I tested the body and found it was so full of dirt that none of the slow speeds were working, so off it went to the shop for a thorough cleaning and overhaul. $170 later, it came home in sparkly nice working condition with just a little bit of roughness to its cosmetics... perfect! I'd picked up the Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 Pre-AI for some other project for the grand price of $80 about then. I don't use the F often, but I enjoy every moment with it that I do. It's very much a case of revisiting my errant youth in photography.

The F6 and D750 are sold. The 25-50 and 18mm are sold. Time to post another couple of lenses...

onwards!
G

 

[Godfrey]

Another update... The Great Equipment Sell Off ...

The Nikon sales continue. I'm down to just the Nikkor 28/2 AI and Nikkor 50/1.2 AI-S to post at this point. I've thought of holding back the 28/2 for use with the old F as well as the 55 Macro, and then I think of just selling it and the F and 55 Micro too. A clean sweep, I'll be completely out of Nikon gear.

But no matter, I'll figure that when I get to it. Time to pull out the tabletop setup again and get photos of all the FourThirds/Micro-FourThirds gear ready. As well as a few other miscellaneous things ... I'm enjoying seeing all the empty space appear in my closets.

G

 

[SKueh]

The M10 is now about 7 months old since it was released on Jan 18th. As this thread title suggests, I would be very much appreciated to the ex-owners of M-D type 262 or M type 240 if they can post images taken with their new M10 and compare the image ID with the type 262 or 240.
Thanks again.

 

[Godfrey]

The M10 is now about 7 months old since it was released on Jan 18th. As this thread title suggests, I would be very much appreciated to the ex-owners of M-D type 262 or M type 240 if they can post images taken with their new M10 and compare the image ID with the type 262 or 240.
Thanks again.

As the original poster of this thread, that was not the focus of this thread. My comparison thoughts were more about the haptics of the two cameras.

I don't think you'll see much difference in image quality between them unless you're looking at out-of-camera JPEGs—where the color calibration might be a little different—or at the absolute extremes of sensitivity. I certainly don't see much difference from what I get with the M-D (or got with the M-P) in any of the photos I've seen from the M10.

G

 

[airfrogusmc]

I have both the M 10 and the M 262. I can tell you from use in both professional and personal work that the M 10 is very good to about 20,000 ISO. The M 262 at 6400 was sketch at best. The M 10 I would say has better files without the banding issues and better color and DR at 20,000 than the M 262 has at 3200. The M 10 is also insanely responsive. I can say that it is the finest 135 or crop format camera I have ever shot with. Having the ISO dial on the top left side and retaining the shutter speed dial on the to right and the aperture and DoF scales on the lenses is just perfect in my opinion. I can see everything I need to know at a glance without having to go into the menu. And if I do have to push buttons and go into a menu there are only 3 buttons on the back to push and the menu is only a couple of pages and extremely easy to manage especially compared to many other digital cameras today.


Here are a couple of test shots I took right after it arrived just a little over a month ago.
M 10 20,000 ISO tungsten bulbs that were in the room.

And some street stuff all at 3200 IIRC

and something for a client at 400 ISO IIRC 35 lux FLE wide open

 

[airfrogusmc]

As far as how the M 10 feels in your hands I am a big guy and never felt that the M-E (M9) or M 262 was to fat. The M 10 is slimmer and feels that way to me. I did buy the Leica stock brown leather half case for mine and it is terrific. Feels great in the hand.

M 10 35 Lux FLE at 6400 ISO

6400 24 Elmarit 2.8 asph

 

[airfrogusmc]

M 10 with Leica half case

 

[Godfrey]

Thanks for your thoughts, AirfrogUSMC. Some interesting photographs you posted, thx!

I still prefer the M-D (not the standard M typ 262) over the M10. It has nothing to do with the camera's technical capability: I just like it more every time I pick it up. So much for rationality ...

Since I have it set to either ISO 400, 800, or 1600 about 99% of the time, whatever the performance at ISO 3200 or 20,000 might be is pretty much irrelevant to my use.

G

 

[airfrogusmc]

I totally get the M-D. Love the simplicity. I am waiting to see if they come out with an M10D and an M10MM down the line.

Word is there will be an M10Mono next year.

 

[DwF]

With my MM at Leica New Jersey awaiting shipment of sensors, I learned yesterday that it could be a while before a new batch comes in. They've had my camera since May 23rd! I inquired about upgrading, and they said I'm eligible for upgrade to M 246, to M262 or MD.

I have to say the M-D really intrigues me, as does the more practical M 262. I asked them if I did choose to upgrade, whether they'd send me an M-D to fondle for a few days so I can see whether it's for me; in concept it is quite appealing. They said no. So here I am reading about these cameras and mulling options. I really love and miss my MM and may just exercise more patience. ......that's it

 

[Godfrey]

With my MM at Leica New Jersey awaiting shipment of sensors, I learned yesterday that it could be a while before a new batch comes in. They've had my camera since May 23rd! I inquired about upgrading, and they said I'm eligible for upgrade to M 246, to M262 or MD.

I have to say the M-D really intrigues me, as does the more practical M 262. I asked them if I did choose to upgrade, whether they'd send me an M-D to fondle for a few days so I can see whether it's for me; in concept it is quite appealing. They said no. So here I am reading about these cameras and mulling options. I really love and miss my MM and may just exercise more patience. ......that's it

I don't really know what makes the standard M typ 262 more "practical" than the M-D model. The M246 has video capture, live view, and a monochrome only sensor which might make it more versatile for some things, but between the M262 and the M-D262 there's really no functional difference other than the lack of JPEGs and the lack of an LCD for photo review. But whatever ...

The M-D has become my favorite M and pretty much my favorite camera. It's all I've been shooting with for the past six months, other than the occasional tabletop shot with the SL or some iPhone/Polaroid snappies. The M-D along with the 50 and 35 mm lenses are in my grab'n'go bag: they're all I'm using right now. I just pulled the bag out, charged both batteries, and now I'm set to drive to Houston, Texas for my Thanksgiving trip... All I need, all I want right now.

G

 

[DwF]

Godfrey,

As I "sent" that post, I knew the word "practical" would come back at me. Practical for the obvious,"sometimes, i want Jpeg, review option and so on" none of which I need, but enjoy having sometimes. Your point is well taken.

Your kit for the drive to Texas sounds good. Have a safe and fun drive!

David

 

[Godfrey]

Hi David,

As suspected, it's the added conveniences that inspired the "practical" moniker. I don't deny that there's value in these things, but I have to admit that I like to keep the M experience as simple as possible.

I'm on the last leg of my drive today: stayed the night just west of Abilene and will be in Houston this afternoon. I've stopped and made some exposures with the M-D along the way. Even though I have the card reader with me and can bring the files into the iPad to process, I haven't even looked. Something about working it like I always did with a film camera is fun and satisfying ... I'll enjoy reviewing the photographs when I get home to see what I did, what I saw, and what I missed.

If I really, absolutely, MUST get the shot, I bring the SL to a shoot. With that camera, I have all the modern features and conveniences at my disposal as well as TTL viewing/focusing/exposure evaluation. Where with the M-D I might make five exposures to get a difficult shot 'right', with the SL I generally only need one. This is why having both is really my ideal camera kit.

It's rare that I'm under that kind of pressure these days, but it sure makes doing tabletop work with the SL the right way to go...

G

 

[DwF]

Sounds like a nice drive Godfrey. Would enjoy seeing pics when you process them.

For the holiday I went out and stayed at Deer Harbor in the San Juan Islands and it was quite beautiful. With my MM at Leica awaiting a sensor, I took the X Pro2. I'm thinking I will remain patient rather than doing the "upgrade" with Leica for now. Looking back at files from the Monochrom, some of those files look exceptional to me and I want to grow some more with that camera rather than let it go. My X 113 and X Pro 2 are there for any color shooting I want to do. All that said, I am still hoping going to get my hands on an M-D. If Leica had been willing to send me one to check out for a day or two with return privilege, I might have considered the upgrade seriously but they were not and it is hard to find one to check out.

David