GEAR TALK - A Second Look at the Leica M10-M and M11-M

LEICA M10 MONOCHROM

In the previous Gear Talk entry, 'Mid Year Update', I listed some of my angst with the Leica M11 Monochrom. Those frustrations have persisted, along with a nagging feeling that the Leica M10 Monochrom would have somehow rendered the scenes better. Several months ago I decided to re-buy a Leica M10 Monochrom in hopes of putting the matter to rest.

TONALITY DIFFERENCES

The M10-M does better at showing textures in the upper highlights. The M11-M has the pixel detail when looking at 100% magnification in Photoshop, but its tone mapping is more muted. The M11-M has a hyper-clean look. It reminds me of a camera with a strong AA (anti-aliasing) filter. Sometimes the M10-M comes across with a ruddier, grittier feel, but to my eyes that comes across as looking more film-like. The M10-M's acuity is generally better.

The deep shadows are a similar story. The M10-M has a more open contrast in those areas - details seem more visible. As those shadows get boosted, they can be gritty - which usually just looks like film grain. Whereas the M11-M renders extremely clean shadows. The shadows look really smooth, but also really-really-really black. Details seem more blocked-up.

It is easiest to say the M10-M and M11-M are two different "films". The M10-M is more 35mm-film-like, and the M11-M is more 120-film-like. I do not want to say one is better than the other, they just have a different tonality. While the M11-M is supported in Capture One, Capture One has not "profiled" the M11-M, so that could explain why the Leica M11-M DNGs look so different.

SHUTTER DIFFERENCES

No need to mince words here - the M10-P / M10-R / M11-M have the better feeling shutter. I have more than covered this topic in 'Mid Year Update' and '7 Annoying Things About the Leica M11'. I struggle to get sharp handheld images with the M11 family. It is not shutter speed related because I am shooting 4X the focal length or higher. I blame it on the M11's close-open-close-open shutter cycle.

But... the Leica M11 does have the electronic shutter option. After years of bellyaching about it, finally Leica addressed it. But then they did the daffy close-open-close-open shutter cycle for the mechanical shutter mode... one step forward, two steps backwards...

For handheld shooting, the M10-M is the better camera in my opinion. M10-P / M10-R / M11-M shutter sounds better and feels better (more dampened). If shooting on tripod, then the M11-M is the better choice in most cases given its electronic shutter option (a big help with long telephoto lenses).

EVF DIFFERENCES

With the same lens on the M10-M and M11-M, the Leica Visoflex 020 at 100% magnification is sharp and critical focus is easy on the M10-M. Same lens on the M11-M with the Visoflex 2 EVF, 100% magnification is very soft and lacks details that are clearly present on the M10-M set-up. Again, it is like the M11-M has a really strong AA filter in play.

I suspect it is either the top glass on the 60 MP sensor - maybe it is thicker, and/or maybe the CMOSIS 40 MP sensor has better micro lenses. And/or the Visoflex 2's "digital stabilization" is obscuring details. Whatever the case may be, as things stand today, I would give the "win" to the Leica M10-M and Visoflex 020 EVF.

LEICA M11 FIRMWARE 2.02

As you have probably guessed by now, I decided to switch back to the M10-M. That was until Leica released the new M11-M firmware. The firmware update resolved some of my M11 gripes: lack of a timer option with bracketing, sensor being exposed when changing lenses, and file names limited to first character being user defined.

The big change for me was the addition of the timer mode, which for the first time on digital M allows for a countdown when shooting exposure bracketing mode. Paired with the M11's have electronic shutter, The M11 family is now very capable kit for for bracketed captures. This is limited use case (for me), but I did alot with the Phase One gear.

WRAPPING IT ALL UP

My approach to comparing these cameras is very informal. Simply put, I do my thing and take pictures as I normally would. The files get edited. From there, I pick which images I like best and see which camera it was.

The first six pictures on this page are from the recent M10 Monochrom. The edits look consistent with my previous M10-M pictures over the past 3 years. The second half are recent pictures from the M11 Monochrom, some after the latest firmware update.

There are things I like about both cameras. The M10-M is the more filmic camera or the two. The one thing that stands out with the M11-M edits, and in my best cartoon voice - "they are soooooooo clean!" If that smooth tone and hyper clean look works for an image, the M11-M has its own "look".

Mechanically, I prefer the Leica M10-M. It has the better feeling, the EVF is sharper, the button layout is quicker, the RRS L-bracket is more compact and easy to take on & off. If Leica updated the M11 firmware for a more traditional Electronic First Curtain Shutter (ECFS), I think that would vastly improve its shutter feel and address the shutter lag / ambiguitity.

I had hoped this little write-up would end with a clear, conclusive outcome. It did not. In the end, I still sold the Leica M10 Monochrom. But that is more about me knowing that 2024 will be a very telephoto centric year, and for that agenda, electronic shutter is mission critical.

Had the decision been about which camera I "like" better, that is a pretty easy decision - I like the M10-M better. That said, it is also a matter of perspective. If just looking at the images in this post, one could say this article is a whole bunch about nothing. But as the person who took the pictures and did the edits, to me, they are very different cameras.