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leica m typ 240 camera review // mirrorless full frame camera

Click here to read my full review of the new Leica M full frame mirrorless camera

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29 Comments
  • Awesome Sam, can’t wait to play with this in Vancouver.

  • Paul Benjamin

    Great review, I really wished this would be a dog because now my credit card is cowering in fear in the corner.

    I guess we can survive with only one car…

  • ryan

    Nice review, Sam.
    Still waiting on my Noct order from over a year ago 🙁

    Steve Huff posted his review of the Leica M + Noct a month ago 😉
    http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2013/03/11/the-leica-m-240-real-world-camera-review-2013-by-steve-huff/

  • Woo. Amazing. That 16shot image is GOLD.

  • I am also shooting with the M(240) and 50/0.95 Noctilux, and agree that it’s a great combination, but there is definitely room for improvement with the camera. Specifically I don’t like that the Live View 5x and 10x zoom and focus peaking only magnify the center of the frame. This can be an issue when shooting at 1m when wide open, as the DOF is so shallow that recomposing can throw focus off.

    I have the same issue as you with continuous mode changing speed, as well as the number of frames which can be captured before the buffer fills and slows the fps rate. My experience is that this is related to not only the type of SD cards used, but how they are formatted. I have been able to improve the performance by formatting the cards with SDFormatter 3.1, a free program available from the SD Association (who control the standard). I feel this is another Leica bug.

    The camera is also prone to freezing and locking up, and I have usually had this happen at least once per shoot, requiring removal of the battery.

    Finally I am really struggling with not only the AutoWB (which is terrible) but the overall colors coming from the camera. Even after correcting the much too warm WB the skin tones still often come out with too much pink and orange; so much so that I have stopped showing previews to clients on the camera (which they all ask to see). The amount of PP to get acceptable results is currently maddening, because no two shots are the same. I have created custom profiles in Lightroom, but again it’s currently a moving target and no one profile is universally acceptable.

    I think this will be a great camera, but at this point my M9 is much more predictable and dependable.

  • Manual Leica Laborer

    Sam,

    I agree, color is fantastic – much better than the M9 which produced magenta skin tone that was often problematic especially at higher ISO. The new M color is excellent. If, WB is correct, the files need very little PP. I have yet to make a better camera profile than Adobe Standard. I think it is pretty good at this point. The LCD on the back of the camera gives gorgeous previews where my M9 was embarrassingly bad, not to mention it was difficult to judge my own shot on the crappy M9 LCD screen /image.

    I have yet to have a lock-up. Sounds like Steve got a lemon and I would return it to Leica with the list of the problems you are having and ask for an exchange. I formatted my cards in the camera and haven’t had a problem there either. Not sure why you need a special program to format a memory card – I haven’t heard of that before. Sounds like you have a bad camera.

    Most of the recent reviews have been good and I am glad Leica has produced such a great camera. Sam, I’m glad you love your new Leica as much as I do.

    Manual

  • dnguyen

    1.0 < 0.95

  • In my bag? Yes=) now thats swagger!!!
    As always you’re pictures come out awesome.

  • TopShelf

    Wedding Photographers lol

  • Dan

    I think there might be a few other pros out there rocking the Nocti and an M 🙂

    Nice review. I’m patiently waiting for news of mine. Back end of the year probably. Ugh

    To prevent banding its best to expose to the right huh. Over rather than under will appease some of the banding issues. More likely to pull back details in the highlights in LR than blacks which will just turn noisy and band for fun.

  • […] Sam Hurd beschreibt in seinem bilderreichen Review seine Erfahrung mit der Leica M und kommt auch auf die neuen Features der Kamera zu sprechen: Live View, Video und Fokus-Peaking. Er schĂ€tzt die Kamera mit allen ihren StĂ€rken und SchwĂ€chen. […]

  • […] Sam Hurd describes his experience with the new Leica M (Type 240) and talks about the different new features of the camera: live view, video and focus peaking. He appreciates the camera with all its strengths and weaknesses. […]

  • Hi,

    very nice review, thanks for that. I am a wedding photog, too, and implement the M9 into my work. Of course the M plays in another league, but many things apply to both, like the rangefinder advantages. As I still wait for my M to arrive I have to get the M9 to work.

    Here you can see some insights of how the M9 performs under stressful reportage wedding shooting.
    http://www.schmidt-weddingphoto.com/?p=2676

    a nice day to you,
    heiko

  • EvilTed

    What’s your thoughts on the Summicron 28 F/2 on the new M?
    Tim Ashley states that it is just plain boring.
    Makes me wonder if the Elmarit is better for the wide end at this point in time?

    ET

  • Wow Sam… I have been fighting Leica haters for years… The Noctilux images are amazing! I have a 50mm Summilux but have found myself using my 35mm summicron more.. This article has made me want to go back to using the summilux!

  • well – then we’re two working professionals with that kit. good times. i still miss my mp, though.

  • […] a lot more qualified have already provided this information (see Ming Thein’s article and Sam Hurd’s take on this camera).  But why the excitement about all these functions that have already made their […]

  • […] were made using the leica m typ 240 (i reviewed here) the leica 24mm f/ 1.4, the leica 50mm f/0.95, and the voitlander 35mm f/1.4. a few were iPhone […]

  • Rayden

    The colour in these shots look in my opinion pretty damn bad, I agree with Steve, everything I see from this camera is dissapointing. They should’ve kept the M9 the way it was, weather sealed it, gave it an increased buffer, and slightly increased the ISO performance if possible. Basically the only problem with the M is the sensor, i.e. the most important part of the whole camera. Skin tones and general colour reproduction look utterly foul. If you or your clients can’t see this I don’t know what to say to you.

    • Sam

      haha, do you have a link to any of your work?

  • […] Camera: Leica M Type 240 […]

  • […] with CMOS sensor, video recording(!), and live view(!), roughly ÂŁ6k body only. – Reviews: Wedding Photographer, Specifications, Sample Photos: ePHOTOzine, […]

  • […] Camera: Leica M Type 240 […]

  • I really like the pictures! Being a photographer I know it could be tough to choose the best shots but
    they are fantastic. I personally use some Lightroom presets to maintain some consistency with my
    own.

  • Steven

    Hey Sam, nice article, a strange kind of providence that I should come across it now a few days after meeting you at Pro Photo in Portland. I hope you’re putting that 135mm to good use!

  • bachtiar sidik adam

    leica is the best and amazing image…

  • Thank you for your camera test.I use the purchase of the Leica M240.Beautiful photos and perfectly captured moments.

  • […] Leica M 240 review by Sam Hurd: […]