mrds
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Leica M or Q? I need a little help from the serious guys.
I have been toying with the idea to get a "real" camera for many years. I have discarded cameras about 10 years ago and moved to iPhone only, as probably many did. However, the itch does never quite go away.
I am considering buying a camera to shoot on trips, holidays and around town. Mainly street and landscape/cityscape. There could be the occasional portrait but this is not a focus. No studio shots for sure.
What is important to me:
- I want a good camera that will keep me happy for the next 10 years. Initial outlay is less important than longevity.
- Digital
- Not too bulky, ie not an SLR with huge lens
- Versatile, ie should be a good companion in many different type of settings (and not too bulky)
- I look forward to spend time with it, learn how to use it to get the best out of it. If the learning curve is flat, I'll invest the time to get to a satisfactory level.
- The reward should be pictures that I couldn't, or wouldn't take with an iPhone
What I did like about the M:
- The engagement of the photographer with the picture he's about to take
- The feel of the camera
- Availability of different lenses, so you can grow your repertoire one step at a time
- The fallback scenario: if it turns out to be not an ideal choice, you can resell the equipment at a manageable loss
What I liked about the Q:
- The ability to go AF so you can take a picture quickly if need be
- A well-made, versatile package with a good sensor and enough resolution to "zoom" by cropping a picture
- The feel of the camera
- About half the price of an M with 1-2 lenses (but probably a deeper cut when deciding to sell)
(Full disclosure, I originally also considered the Hasselblad X2D but I think this is too bulky a package compared to the Leicas.)
I have not enough experience with serious photography to make a good decision, so I'd like to invite the opinions of the great bunch of contributors to this forum. Any experience with both systems?
Thank you!
Leica M or Q? I need a little help from the serious guys.
I have been toying with the idea to get a "real" camera for many years. I have discarded cameras about 10 years ago and moved to iPhone only, as probably many did. However, the itch does never quite go away. I am considering buying a camera to shoot on tr...
Q vs M
I have both and love them a lot; M has been my go to camera for creativity, versatility and value retention along with world class quality M lenses!! However Q has become my “weapon of choice “ for travel due to its compactness and superb versatile featur...
Thank you DocAbe
Great to hear you love them both! A simple question (maybe no simple answer): if you had none of them and wanted to buy only one, which one would you go for?
I wanted a Leica years ago. I don't know it was just people being haters, but I remember a few telling me that these days there's not an appreciable difference.
This was about 10 years ago, but I also remember comparisons between examples of photos from several cameras. Posters could not pick out the Leica shots vs a canon or Nikon or sony. Reminds me a bit of audiophile forums where some posters claim a massive ...
I think you‘re right.
Most probably technology has converged and there is no huge difference between a Canon and a Leica. However, this is not very important for me. Even if a Nikon was a slightly better camera, what matters to me most is that I love to use the camera and that...
I have the first gen Q and like it a lot.
I used AMEX points to get it all those years ago.
I had to spend a lot to get all those points.
I put every business expense possible on my AMEX card though. All my UPS shipping charges added up to about 50k a month 😁
When I was a professional photographer the 2 sweetest cameras probably were,.....
probably for 35mm Leica mainly for the lenses, and Hasselblad for medium format. Masterfully built cameras and lenses, and the format was determined by how large you intended to enlarge the photographs. So I chose Hasselblad and for 30 some years it was m...
Thank you Blansky for this honest advice.
I am aware that an expensive camera will not make me a good photographer. I hope to find a tool that makes me want to use it often and learn along the way. Good point about Lightroom and post processing! Thanks a lot!
I'll second Blanksy's post. I started shooting a Nikkor with no light meter, dreamed of someday traveling with a 35mm Leica M, and now just shoot whatever the new Sony is.
It's a great point, digital is supposed to be post processed just like film and prints were supposed to be pushed, pulled, nudged and edited in the development process. No post work in digital is like the film equivalent of shooting a point and shoot on g...
What you can't do with iPhone
If you want what an iPhone can't do, consider medium format, specifically the Fujifilm GFX series. However, your list of requirements seems like it would be better served by two cameras than one. Street photography, travel, portraits, and landscapes are p...
Thanks LK.
I hope that if I leave out the rare portrait I can cover the other stuff with one camera. Medium format probably would limit the times I actually carry the camera with me, so I guess something like a X100VI or a Q3 would be a good starting point.
I have the Q2 and I absolutely love it—
Size, weight, feel in the hand, ease of use, etc. I mainly use the camera for travel and city-based photography. I continue to grow in my comfort with using it — exploring and experimenting— and for me that experience never ends and is delightful.
This sounds like a great experience with the Q!
Thank you orahu. I might well go the same route.
Chalk & Cheese
I have a Q3 28 and I keep considering an M. The M is totally different and will not give you the same success rate as a Qx. You also have to consider the OVF with a manual rangefinder mechanism is harder to master than an EVF with autofocus. Your best bet...
This is great advice. Thank you chief!
I‘ll check whether the local Leica store is open to renting it out over several days. The guy store manager was very nice and competent. Interesting that, at the level you‘re using the Q, you are considering an M. Love your work!
I agree with Blansky
I use a Sony RX10 Mk iv and I chose it because it has a reasonable close up 24mm and long reach zoom @ 600mm, quick focus for action shots. It’s not too heavy or large, and has a non-removable lens. I can operate zoom, stills, movies, etc. with one hand (...
Many thanks, cazalea!
You hit it spot on that today’s more serious zoom cameras are incredibly versatile, and at the fraction of the cost of, say, an M system. To me it is more important to engage with a scene or picture in a different way than I do using the iPhone. And that ...
Are you starting with a requirement that the new camera be a Leica, and then trying to figure out which one?
Just asking, because there is a huge photo world out there. I think the Q (former owner here) is pretty fantastic for walking around, but somewhat handicapped by the fixed lens. As an only camera it has limitations. I sold mine. And has been mentioned, ra...
I'm not attached to the Leica brand per se.
The requirement is mostly based on my ignorance of "the huge photo world". I don't have the experience to judge the pros and cons of all the cameras out there that on paper could be suitable for me. So, to take a watch analogy, my thinking is to stick to ...
There are cameras that do it all and will make fantastic pictures ...
but nothing will give you an experience and a long-term love affair like an M. Since you are deciding between the Q & the M, my advice, FWIW is to go for the M. It may not seem logical at first and you will have doubts when you first start out with it...
This does help a lot, dear Fernando.
I am tempted to dive into M system photography and the learning this requires. I only do it for passion and for myself. I don’t need every picture to be good - I hope that every year I can take a really good one or two. The one thing that is a slight conc...
Sorry to chime in late.. flu off and on with holiday activities unable to give me a proper rest period..
I’m on that fence myself. Full disclaimer, i have yet to use a Q but i give my 2 cents anyway. If you’re ok with a fixed lens and your focusing eyes are not what they used to be, the Q would be the way to go. If you value the process/experience of taking ...
Many thanks for your comments.
I tend towards the M, basically to go full in on the experience and see where that takes me. However the Q is very attractive and it would be a better travel camera and allow you to take quick shots with a better success rate. Your comment about eyesight ...
If you gravitate towards wide angle lenses and use, say, f/5.6 or higher, manual focusing might be less of a chore..
It’s what i have noticed when i use my 21mm which i usually set at f/5.6. With my 50mm lux which i tend to use wide open, it can be a challenge. Also, if you’re shooting from afar, like mountains for example, you can just set the focus to infinity (assumi...
Thanks again Echi for your valuable inputs.
I‘ve been back at the store for a quick check on the focusing with regards to my eyesight. Did some practicing and had no problems in the shop. Best is they offer to test drive the M11 for an hour or two, or are open to renting it out for a week. I will d...