p.3 #1 · Leica M11-P as a Travel Camera: A Love–Hate Experience
1bwana1 wrote:
Next week I will leave on a 3 week trip in the Eastern Mediterranean. I will take an M11 and an M6. I love M cameras for travel. They are ideal for street, city, architecture, most landscape. and people. For me they add to the character and enjoyment of trips. So easy to travel with.
Where they don't shine is out to dinner at night with friends and family. For that either a small point and shoot, or phone camera is perfect.
I've had a Q3 43, M EV1, and M11 for extended periods over the last three months, because I'm trying to figure out what to take on an extended European vacation next month.
I still feel no closer to an answer 😅.
I want to take my MP but I also want a digital body.
p.3 #2 · Leica M11-P as a Travel Camera: A Love–Hate Experience
Like others I travel with my M11, either the M11P or M11 EV1 and often a M (or a Bessa R2) film camera, I have quite a few M film to choose from. It is the weight, size of camera and lens that is attractive. Battery, just carry a spare or a small powerbank problem solved. If I am shooting scenic, or city, or indoors the M is perfect, just a matter of matching lens to goal- almost always I anchor my choices with a 50 apo summicron and then build around it, wide or long, fast etc… depending on what I think will be presented. All this goesd out the window if it is animal or bird shoot then no M, it is Nikon Z8 with long lenses, or a fast plena and some normal lenses for the scenics. But that weighs a lot it is big volume, I love what it can do, but if I dont need it the freedom of a small light camera and going manual appeals.
p.3 #3 · Leica M11-P as a Travel Camera: A Love–Hate Experience
RomanMF wrote:
I've had a Q3 43, M EV1, and M11 for extended periods over the last three months, because I'm trying to figure out what to take on an extended European vacation next month.
I still feel no closer to an answer 😅.
I want to take my MP but I also want a digital body.
Where in Europe are you headed? I am living in Parma Italy.
For me it would be the M11 and the Q43 with the new small Godox TTL flash. I feel I could go anywhere in Europe and shoot happily with that setup.
I did not bond with the EV-1 those few days I shot with it.
p.3 #6 · Leica M11-P as a Travel Camera: A Love–Hate Experience
johnvanr wrote:
You know, I was wondering the other day if the shots I did take with the M11 stood out in some way. So, I looked through my Lightroom catalogue and found that they didn’t.
I'm sure of it: it was obvious when you posted above.
And somehow you are lucky: I would be very happy to ditch the M for something more modern, less expensive, a sensor that is not a dust magnet, etc.
I once went to shoot a big Ferrari gathering on a circuit. Went with a Nikon F100, 2.8 pro zooms, etc. And the M, 35 + 90.
Came back with good pictures out of the M, nothing from the Nikon.
In fact, historically I've shot good pictures with Canon, Leica (R and M), Pentax and Olympus. Never with Nikon or Sony.
I have no idea why but I accept that this is me, other people are different, etc.
p.3 #7 · Leica M11-P as a Travel Camera: A Love–Hate Experience
flash wrote:
If you need every frame in perfect focus and perfectly matched framing, you chose the wrong system.
This is the heart of the cope I see a lot, and if you believe it unironically, that's probably a good thing! It was serendipity, it wasn't ME! It was the CAMERA, and isn’t that the entire point of it all!
p.3 #8 · Leica M11-P as a Travel Camera: A Love–Hate Experience
1bwana1 wrote:
Leica is aware and investing heavily in both high speed sensor and processor right now.
I’m aware of that, as well as the minority stake—thanks to your previous posts. I appreciate the heads-up.
That said, I doubt most of us expect this new technology (which will probably arrive in a three-to-five-year timeframe) to do much more than compete more effectively with what Sony offers today. Personally, I don’t need anything beyond Sony’s current capabilities, and when combined with the Leica qualities you described so well, it should be more than enough to keep most of us happy.
p.3 #9 · Leica M11-P as a Travel Camera: A Love–Hate Experience
RomanMF wrote:
I've had a Q3 43, M EV1, and M11 for extended periods over the last three months, because I'm trying to figure out what to take on an extended European vacation next month.
I still feel no closer to an answer 😅.
I want to take my MP but I also want a digital body.
On my last city trips I have always used the M11-P plus MP for shooting, and I was mostly happy with it. Only here and there I was lusting an AF experience, so I have complemented this setup with a Fuji XE5 and the 23/2.8. Awesome, couldn’t be happier with it.
p.3 #10 · Leica M11-P as a Travel Camera: A Love–Hate Experience
bwcolor wrote:
I’m aware of that, as well as the minority stake—thanks to your previous posts. I appreciate the heads-up.
That said, I doubt most of us expect this new technology (which will probably arrive in a three-to-five-year timeframe) to do much more than compete more effectively with what Sony offers today. Personally, I don’t need anything beyond Sony’s current capabilities, and when combined with the Leica qualities you described so well, it should be more than enough to keep most of us happy.
I think Leica is fully competitive right now with the MF experience. Leica has a unique approach to this experience that is already the first choice for many. Certainly so with image quality.
Leica will never be class leading with speed and AF technologies. However, Leica is already competative in AF, IBIS, frame rate, resolution, and image quality in both stills and video, with the SL line with the release of SL3-P. Certainly enough for all but the most extreme AF requirements. Leica probably does lead the industry in build quality.
When it comes to lenses Leica is industry leading in both manual and AF prime lens image quality. Zoom lenses not so much, but with the whole L mount eccosystem most needs are met.
Many feel that Leaca also leads the industry in fixed lens, point and shoot cameras with the Q cameras.
So, in sum the Leica line is diverse and offers competitive and in some ways class leading products. I acknowledge that in innovation and cutting edge technology Sony leads the industry by a meaningfull margin in pretty much every category. Leica will never be that. But neither will Cannon or especially Nikon. I do have a Sony A1, but somehow have not used it in over a year.
Now the price/performance value proposition with Leica is a whole different discussion.
p.3 #11 · Leica M11-P as a Travel Camera: A Love–Hate Experience
Toertel76 wrote:
On my last city trips I have always used the M11-P plus MP for shooting, and I was mostly happy with it. Only here and there I was lusting an AF experience, so I have complemented this setup with a Fuji XE5 and the 23/2.8. Awesome, couldn’t be happier with it.
I really wanted to pair a Visoflex with my recent M11 loan but there wasn’t one available. I know the Viso 2 is a little long in the tooth, but that accessory feels like the perfect solve for me, especially once the focus peaking algorithms improve. I love optical viewfinders, I dig the rangefinder experience, but if the light is bad, or I’m shooting super fast lenses and critical focus is necessary, I could deploy the Visoflex.
