The new Leica M11 Monochrom - Questions for prior version users

BCM

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I usually shoot 4x5 and 8x10 as well as 6x17 and am considering the M11/m and a few lenses as an alternate to film when I can't take my regular gear. This would be more of a point-and-shoot carry around the city type tool. A few questions for those who have used these prior versions:

1) Did you have any issues with the hardware?

2) The depreciation seems to be faster than that of the Leica film cameras.

3) Are there extended warranties available?

Thanks
 

GG12

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Dec 17, 2012
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This is opening a huge area for discussion - the relationship of monochrome Leicas to large format film is.... complicated. Have an M10M, and use it as a traveling "fine art" camera, sort of a handholdable tool to get high quality BW files, highly pliable, in unusual situations as the high ISO capabilities are exceptional.

Would this compare well to LF? No, I don't think so. There are so many many differences, its almost too much to cover. But to answer your questions:
1) hardware by the M240 and on is really solid. No issues. There is the occasional electronic hiccup requiring a restart, worst case pull the battery, but these are now rare.
2) digital camera depreciate. That said the monochromes hold up as well as any others.
3) not sure. But Leica service in the US can be lengthy- some just send back to Germany. I've not had problems.

Overall, the M10M (and the M11M likely but not tried) are exceptional cameras. They are not as good for fine fine images as large film cameras, but they are highly flexible and give very fine results. Not mentioned are the lenses you would need - the Leica ranges vary in expense and how far out on the quality limb you need to go - but CV have been making now some superb lenses. Oddly you can find very good lenses for not much money if you do your homework.

One last note - many people like the older M9M with its CCD sensor, claiming more filmic than the later CMOS sensors. I don't quite see this to be a threshold issue, and would not recommend, as later cameras are much more durable and have much higher ISO capabilities (like shoot in the dark).
 
OP
OP

BCM

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Follow up to my original post - I worked with the M11 for a day and then with the Hasselblad XCD100. In the end, I purchased the XCD100 along with a few lenses. Both were very well built and amazing cameras. After taking several images with both, I realize that having the color channels available to me actually gave me better control over local and specific contrast than did using B/W filters on the Leica. Lens cost on the Leica was a factor to consider as was the new ownership and support concerns at Hasselblad. The XCD100 images "looked" better to everyone who did side-by-side comparisons using both the monitors and final printed images. Both were very intuitive and fine cameras. The availability of color was probably the largest decision factor in my purchase.
 
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