LEICA M10 Review & Hands On with Sample Photos / January 19, 2017 by Benjamin Traves

THE NEW LEICA M10 HAS ARRIVED!

I'm very excited to finally be able to talk about the newest Leica M camera, the M10. It keeps all the things I liked about the M typ 240 and fixes many things I didn't like. It might just be the perfect camera for me.

UPDATES -

HANDS ON: Finally! So glad to try it out, and it really is as good as I hoped. I'm not just saying that. It is VERY, VERY GOOD!

Yes, it's that good. Think SL image quality in a slim M body with only the features essential to real photography. I'm very excited about this. Looking forward to posting some of my own images soon but for now please enjoy the beautiful product photos by Leica Camera AG.

IMAGE QUALITY: Fantastic, of course, but does seem to be a bit different than the SL and Q sensor output. I've shot both of those quite a bit as well, and this is definitely something different.

Note: This is a "rolling review" meaning I will first post the product photos provided by Leica and later put all of my own images from the M10.

** PRE-ORDERS: I'm happy to say you can now speak to me directly about ordering your new M10. That's why there are no ads on my website, because I work for an official LEICA Dealer which means you can actually talk to me and buy directly from me. For inquiries, please CONTACT ME and we can discuss important issues like whether you want your Leica M10 in silver or black. In all seriousness, I do not bias my reviews to sell cameras. I merely ask that if you have independently decided to purchase a Leica, please do so with me as it helps me out and I'd love to continue posting more good content with zero ads and clutter. My position at a major camera store (and authorized dealer for most camera brands) allows me to sell cameras and lenses from all the popular brands, not just Leica. I am able to discuss nearly any other camera available today with relative familiarity. Sony, Nikon, Canon, Fuji, Zeiss, Hasselblad, Phase One, and also lighting companies such as Broncolor and Profoto. If you have a camera question, I can help.

"Official" Leica press images, followed by my own assessments of the new camera.

SAMPLE PHOTOS - Taken by me - ©2017, Benjamin Traves

Here are the first sample photos taken with the M10. For now, I'm stuck shooting out of a window until I get the OK to take this baby outside.

Many more sample images will be posted soon...

LOW LIGHT / HIGH ISO

Here's the first low-light "Max ISO" test at 50,000 with NO noise reduction applied to the raw file in Lightroom. This is the "worst" it will get at maximum ISO, which of course you shouldn't ever use anyway, on any camera. But people will ask me, so here it is:

Here's one shot at ISO 25,000 handheld, out a window, at night, with the 90mm Summicron at f/2

Fujifilm X100T Review and Sample Images / November 4, 2015 by Benjamin Traves

Fujifilm X100T

The Fujifilm X100T (aka "Fuji" X100T) is the culmination of three generations of improvements to the same essential camera concept. It is what I would call a "companion camera" as it has a certain sentimental pull combined with relatively light weight and ease of use. The APS-C sensor (same size as found in most DSLRs) is a bonus, as the real joy of this camera is the extremely well-designed control layout and incredibly useful (and I might add, revolutionary) viewfinder.

Buy this camera for the viewfinder. Not the sensor, it's great but not rare. The optical / electronic viewfinder is what makes the Fuji X100T different. It's easy to go a bit crazy reading specifications online for all the different cameras you may be considering as a future purchase. Don't do that with this camera, it won't really give you a proper idea of why it is so good.

The image quality has not changed since the last version, the X100S (or so I've gathered, although I did not own that camera). So don't worry about image quality, it's great. Image quality doesn't mean anything at all if you miss the capture of the image due to fumbling with controls on your camera. That won't happen with this Fuji.

The controls on the Fuji X100T are intuitive and tactile. The dials are especially nice. Autofocus is good. Image playback doesn't lag (at least not with the fast SD card I was using). Image quality is not the standout feature of this camera, in my opinion, because there are many APS-C sensor options out there and most are fairly good. The ability to use both optical and electronic viewfinders (both with information overlays which can be customized) is a very, VERY cool feature. Other than the Leica M, which has the option to add an EVF on the hot shoe in addition to the built-in optical rangefinder, I don't know of many cameras that could be said to have both an optical and an electronic viewfinder option.

Speaking of the Leica M, what has always intrigued me about the Fuji is that everyone likes to compare it to Leica cameras. I work with both Leica rangefinders and compacts on a regular basis at Leica Store Miami (they do not endorse/sponsor my posts here, this is a personal blog). The Fuji and the Leica are very different animals. I will explain.

1. The Leica M series are MANUAL FOCUS. You ought to see the look of surprise some customers give me when I explain this.

2. The Leica M series are optical rangefinder cameras, though they now have Live View and the option to add an EVF on top (Leica M and M-P)

3. The Leica M and a 35mm f/2 Summicron lens will cost you over $10,000 (plus tax) and the new Fuji X100T (with a lens) is $1,299

4. The Leica M is compatible with the full range of M lenses. The Fuji X100T does not have interchangeable lenses (not that the lens it comes with is bad, it's actually great, but you can't change it later on and that's an important consideration).

5. Lots of other reasons. Doesn't mean either camera is good or bad, but they are definitely different. Although I won't deny seeing a certain resemblance, don't forget the M cameras have been around for 60 years and the look of the camera has remained true to its origins ever since.

Fuji X100T perched on top of a Leica M (typ 240) with 35mm f/2 Summicron lens

Fuji versus Leica...

Sample images... more coming soon!

Monochrom (typ 246) - New Leica Monochrom Review and Sample Images / June 28, 2015 by Benjamin Traves

The new Leica Monochrom (typ 246) is finally here, and it is fantastic. The previous version was my favorite Leica so it will be hard to beat, but I think the new (major) improvements in usability will make a big difference to many photographers.

* This is a "rolling" review, meaning I will be updating it regularly with more samples and also my opinions on using the new Monochrom.

Below are a few sample images, more coming as soon as I have time. All were DNG (Leica's raw format) processed with either Lightroom 6 or Capture One 8.

The lens was the new 50mm APO-Summicron (also amazing, need to review it soon).

New!! Low light image samples...

ISO 12,500 at night through a shop window. Still extremely sharp. Lens was the 18mm Super Elmar

More coming soon...

New Leica Monochrom is here! Officially known as the "Leica M Monochrom (typ 246)" / April 30, 2015 by Benjamin Traves

I have had my hands on a prototype of the new Leica M Monochrom (typ 246) and it is fantastic!

Officially, it is known as the "Leica M Monochrom (typ 246)" but the internal code name of the camera in development at Leica (before it was announced today) was "Elliott" after the legendary photographer Elliott Erwitt.

Leica has posted information and some incredible sample images by photographer Ragnar Axelsson.

Long story short, it is the same body as the Leica M-P (typ 240) but with a black chrome finish similar to the previous Monochrom camera. There is a sapphire crystal protecting the rear LCD, as with the previous Monochrom and the current M-P 240. No markings on the body, which is different from the engraved top plate of the M-P, but similar to the previous Monochrom. Sensor is the 24 megapixel CMOS from the M-P but without an RGB color layer, hence the "monochrome" images, even for the raw files (the raw file format is DNG for all Leica M cameras, in case you're new to Leica). All accessories from the current M/M-P should be compatible with the new Monochrom (typ 246).

If you want to read a very in-depth review of the camera with lots of great sample images by David Farkas, check it out on Red Dot Forum

Another great interview (and photos) with Ragnar Axelsson on the official Leica Camera Blog

You can pre-order the new Monochrom at Leica Store Miami

I will be shooting with the new Monochrom (typ 246) and posting sample images (and video) soon!