Published: December 2020

A few days ago (weeks by the time I publish this review) I pulled the plug and made the decision to sell the majority of my film cameras (two M2s + my soul) and buy the newly released Leica M10-R. I purchased the black chrome version from the fine folks at Green Mountain Camera up in Vermont.

(Inserting my usual disclaimer here - what follows is my opinion and your opinion may differ, which is absolutely fine)

Why a new digital camera? Well, with two young kids I literally have zero time for film at the moment - developing, scanning and spotting that is. Could I use a pro lab to do all the work for me? Absolutely; however, I prefer to do a lot of it myself so I can better control the process end-to-end and the results. Additionally, if you do the math, it quickly adds up (approximately 50 rolls a year, a roll of film costs $7 these days, developing $10 per roll, and scanning $15 per roll, plus postage). Plus the price for my favorite film stock (E100, TMAX400, P3200, Tri-x 400) has gone up quite a bit recently. (not bashing film, still have a freezer/fridge full of it)

But a rangefinder in 2020? I’ve been using rangefinders for several years now. I’ve had the Leica M3, M2, M-A and MP. I’ve also owned the M240 when it first came out and the M9 used; however, I never warmed up to both cameras and sold them after a short time (both too bulky for me, disliked M240 colors). Besides Leica rangefinders, I still have a Canon VI-T rangefinder and a few years ago I’ve had the Hasselblad Xpan and the Zeiss Ikon. Long story short - I seem to have a camera problem, but I also prefer rangefinders and don’t care so much about auto-focus or multiple AF points.

Why Leica? I prefer how a Leica (film) camera feels in my hands and how it handles. I am used to rangefinder focusing. I also have a couple of M and screw-mount lenses. The M10 series is very similar to the film bodies that I’ve previously owned, yet it’s very different from the M9 and the M240 (which I really disliked).

Last but not least, (a stupid reason) it’s “Made in Germany” and I don’t mind paying a premium for a product that is Made in Germany or Made in USA. (a bit of pride/patriotism)

Why the black chrome version? The black chrome version shows better performance in low light, high ISO situation due to less reflection off the camera body - I am totally joking. The cameras are identical (silver or black) - it was just my preference to get black chrome version. Simple as that.

Technical Highlights

Sensor and Resolution:
CMOS chip, active area approx. 24x36 mm, without low-pass filter
DNG: 7864 x 5200 pixels (40,89 MP),
JPEG: 7840 x 5184 pixels (40,64 MP), 5472 x 3648 pixels (20 MP), 2976 x 1984 pixels (6MP)

Lens Mount: M mount; however, works with other lenses (Leica R, Canon LTM) using optional adaptor

Body: All-metal die cast magnesium body, synthetic leather covering. Brass top panel and base, black chrome plated finish

Dimensions (W x D x H): approx. 139 x 38.5 x 80mm

Weight: approx. 660g (with battery)

What’s in the box? Camera, Battery Charger 100-240V with 2 mains cables (Euro, USA, varies in some export markets) and 1 car charging cable, lithium ion battery (Varta), carrying strap, body bayonet cover, cover for accessory shoe

Price: 8,295 USD (Fall 2020)

Additional details: https://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/Leica-M10-R/Details

Die Kamera -Das Wesentliche

Using the M10-R feels like using one of Leica’s old film cameras, but the digital version of it. That pretty much sums it up. It’s simple to use and the buttons on the back are kept to a minimum. The camera menu is very intuitive. It has great resolution and colors. Raw files have a lot of details to work with.

Is it the perfect camera, the one and all that has all the latest and greatest bells and whistles, and innovations? No (see Cons below)

Is it expensive? Yes - you pay a certain premium for that red dot (plus the fact where it’s made).

Does it make you a better photographer? Do you all of a sudden take better pictures? No, not at all, it’s just a tool. I still take shitty photos with it (once in a while).

BUT - It is the perfect tool for me and for the type of photos I take, and I truly enjoy taking photos with it. I try to minimize the time I spend on the computer and this camera spits out jpgs sooc that fits my style/preference. I still shoot both raw+jpg, but my preference is not to spend hours on the computer editing files to perfection (it’s a rabbit hole). It’s similar to picking a specific film end sending it off to the lab for development and you have a rough idea of what you’ll get (the look) when you get your download from the lab.

In summary, here are the pros/cons of the M10-R

Pros

Feels like a film camera body in your hands, slimmer than the m240 or m9, great handling
Buttons and features kept to a minimum
Great resolution and colors, lots of detail to work with (raw files)
Sharp photos sooc
Intuitive menu and simple iOS app, especially if you’ve used Leica’s before
Solid camera (a tank), quality materials and work (I’ve had my kid yank one of my Leica’s off the shelve before and it survived without any issues and just a small scratch, but it aged me several years)
Works with old LTM lenses with an adaptor and the liveview/focus peaking helps nailing the focus even at f/1.2
Near silent shutter

Cons

Battery life sucks, you’ll need a couple of spare ones
Only one SD slot - taking “das Wesentliche” to an extreme
Slooooooooow Wifi
Black chrome version shows signs of use much quicker than the silver version
Seems to have an issue once in a while with adaptors (no lens mounted error)

Leica Fotos App

Leica’s Fotos app is available for free and as of recently all the features (raw) are free of charge. It’s available for iPhone and iPad, allows for raw and jpg transfer, and has Lightroom integration. Overall pretty nifty app that allows for seamless (but slow) transfer of files from the camera. Haven’t had any issues connecting both my iPhone and iPad, and switching between the two.

Sample Photos

All photos above were made (taken, captured, clicked, shot - whatever the trendy word is these days) with the Leica M10-R and Summicron 35 f2 ASPH. (some of them with ND filter)

[For more recent photos check out my portfolio]

Conclusion

I don’t regret my purchase (still accurate as of October 2023). With the M240 I had buyer’s remorse fairly quickly. For now, my plan is to keep this camera for quite some time (I keep saying this with every camera and I’ve failed so far - I’ve had a lot of cameras and at some point fatigue set in and I sold them). I don’t buy cameras to collect or invest in - I buy them to use them as a tool. Once I stop using them I sell them. I plan on using this one in the coming months and hopefully years, mainly to capture my kids growing up and other projects.

In short - I truly enjoy taking photos with this camera and love the results.

Leica M10-R Review - Part I