Intro

Back in November/December I was making a decision of purchasing a new camera after letting go of my beloved Leica SL after two years. It was time to move on to what’s next or the latest and greatest or so I thought. It’s always a temptation to want the newest and shiniest things in life but after hands on use and a thoughtful consideration I moved to a direction that I was not expecting and so far I have not looked back. This post is my decision and thought process on how I chose the M10 over the SL2 or Q2.

02

How I Decided?

The process by which eventually determined my thought process was to just purchase an M10 and a Leica Q2 and have a hands on experience with both. I did not purchase an SL2 as that would have meant having three new cameras at the time which is ludicrous for my wallet. The Q2 had most of the elements of what I can expect in an SL2, with the higher resolution sensor so I can make a few judgement’s of what I would and can expect in an SL2. So here I was with two camera’s and the process began with taking each camera out and shooting photos to determine which came closer to my heart with the IQ and overall feel. I’m definitely not a pixel peeper so I was not going into all the details of each pixel or all the technical differences. This is really about how each camera feels, functions and produces an image that is unique.

Again this is an not a technical review, it is my opinion and how I prefer to travel and how a camera supports my function. The parameters of what my photography needs are and if you follow my photography then you know its travelling, agility, and on the go simplicity functions. So this is a huge factor in what my decision process is vs a studio photographer or what not.

Leica Q2 - Noah at Dinner Time

Q2 - Chicago Crown Fountain

03

My Factors

First factor was the sensor and the resolution. As more and more cameras are moving to a higher resolution there was is obviously an intrigue into the 47mp sensor. Resolving more details and doubling the pixel count. But the more and more I thought about it, the want for a higher resolution started to wane. Yes we all want more resolving power but do I really need it? This would double my capacity needs storage wise, slow down my workflow in Lightroom tremendously and just slow my overall workflow. Let alone I will never print an image that large where I would need the 47mp. All of this started to sway my decision towards sticking with what has worked best balance wise 24mp. The cherry on the top that gave me the decision to stick with 24mp is that low light performance suffers with the new Leica SL2 and Q2 due to the higher resolution. So not only does this slow down my workflow but I also suffer in low light. So this one was an easy answer as I started to decide on sensor, stick to 24mp and have more flexibility.

Next up was usage and form factor. Having owned the Leica SL and Q, I already knew what to expect overall with each. But I had never owned the legendary rangefinder line and the Leica M10. I like to travel light with one lens and although I did adjust to the size and weight of the Leica SL, using the M10 was a joy as it reduced the weight tremendously. Everything was also simpler with analog dials and the more and more I used the M10 the ergonomics just made sense. The one and only factor I was terrified with is my reliance with the EVF and will I adjust to a rangefinder?

M10 - Mexican Restaurant Kitchen

04

EVF vs Rangefinder

With my unrest of thinking I would struggle without the EVF and my love affair of the spectacular one of the Leica SL, I went ahead and purchased the Leica M10 EVF attachment. The first few weeks as I adjusted, I honestly would pop in the EVF and go back to my habits and where I was comfortable. But something changed over 3-4 weeks, I started to understand the nuances of the rangefinder and what was uncomfortable became comfortable. It takes some practice and getting used to but I started to warm up to it. A few benefits of using the rangefinder was for one battery life would extend much longer without using the battery guzzling EVF attachment. Secondly the rangefinder lets you see whats not in frame and this gave you an added advantage of seeing whats about to walk in frame before that decisive moment.

This pivot or turn in events was the moment where I decided that the M10 had warmed up to me and met all the needs I would need in a camera vs the more technologically advanced Leica SL2 or the Q2. Again, you might have other requirements for your own photography but the M10 lined up with the necessities I have.

05

Leica Pop and Colors

I had also heard about the M10 just having a different pop or look to it compared to the Leica SL or Q which are more technical in nature and this is something I wanted to find out myself. The colors of the M9 for example are highly heralded and from what I know the M10 tries to hearken back to this color palette. I am one that believes in a cameras soul and colors a camera produces given the vast number of bodies I have used over the years and I was curious to see this myself. I have only used the M10 over 3 months not but there is something that I see as I shoot with the M10, the colors, skin tones produced have much more depth and warmth to it. I am eagerly awaiting to take this on my next destination but with the coronavirus and the world shut down, that will likely have to wait for future posts.

M10 - Bianca Walking in the Snow

M10 - Wildlife Preservation Cage Snow Tops

M10 - Kids Playing Cards

06

Summary

In Conclusion, the Leica M10 won over my heart with simplicity, ease of use and the overall advantage of sticking with a 24mp sensor. The colors and IQ of the images produced are beautiful and learning how to use the rangefinder gave me a new skill or tool to love. Sometimes you need to be uncomfortable to rejuvenate your photography and its always about trying and learning something new. So far my love for this camera has grown closer to my heart, and I understand how this cameras form factor has remained unchanged for decades.