Leica M11, IS IT WORTH IT?

[@TOOBBIINN1]

I have to say. This feels like the first honest review on the M11 on KZbin, well done! Also, Camtec is my fav store ever! Cheers from Nova Scotia!

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks for the support! Love the guys there too, cheers!!

[@guyloughridge4628]

One of my first shots with the M11 and the 50mm APO was in the twilight / blue hour. That photo was remarkable, with a perfect blue hour sky, razor sharp stars and the window light of a nearby house looking really nice. That was on day one with no effort on my part except for setting the exposure values. That first photo still amazes me.

[@donharrington576]

Because of your excellent review and great experience I purchased the m11 . It’s my 3rd m Thank you.

[@feherberci]

Thank you for the review. Honestly for the color pictures I chose a Hasselblad X2D. The body is about the same price however clearly outperforms the M11 in every way - especially the colors. M11 without IBS is a bit risky... I will keep my MP and M10M for monochrome pictures.

[@frankjermannphotoart]

One of the best reviews on KZbin so far! Very informative!

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks so much for the support 🙏

[@norbertsteinkamp9380]

While your review of the M11 is informative and you're presenting it very well, the thing I cannot stop looking at is that sample of the Summicron 50mm rigid. Very cool!!

[@adamloeffler3617]

Can't thank you enough for this review. Hands down best out there.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks 🙏

[@norbelthomas]

Great review as always. I got the M11 the on the first release date. No regret. I highly admire the lovely color rendition and full of detail with capturing both the highlight and shadow extensively.

[@GenericPhotographer]

There we go! Congrats and agreed!

[@jeromearnould9940]

Very good video and excellent review with nice photos. Just sold my M10P and waiting now for my M11 to arrive end of Feb ....

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks 🙏 Congrats on the new camera!

[@joemills4603]

I'm just watching this after over a year, having just upgraded M10 - M11... Gotta say I completely agree regarding the colour profiles! I really struggled with the M10 to get the green/yellow separation... but the M11 is absolutely brilliant. So easy to get the colours to pop how I like them. In this regard, the M11 is much closer to my M8 and M9 from years ago.

[@daijijin]

Does the m11 stil freeze up?

[@joebasswizard]

​@@daijijin It happened once to me, first time using after an update. More annoying was that the update wiped all my settings!

[@Holl.Mvrk.]

Looks like this is the perfect time to snag an M10R ! That’s the route I feel I’ll be going. Great video and very informative!

[@GenericPhotographer]

Haha my thoughts exactly. Thanks for the comment!

[@ansgarbook712]

Hey thats my thoughts as well: - startup delay, - possible more dust collecting sensor - your comments on the electronic shutter - comments on the shutter shake problem - more noise in your comparison pictures ---is loading via cable safe concernig current damaging? I think M10R with two batteries will be my way

[@dangerpowers123]

Great, detailed, informed and honest review. Thank you

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@TheVFXbyArt]

Very good point on the high mp and camera shake. I want a 25mp m11!

[@GenericPhotographer]

I’d love to see an SL2S or even a74 sensor M11. 60mp is a whole different can of worms

[@paulsehstedt6275]

I'm shooting with M-P 240 and M 240, and they suit my need perfect. They are fast in handling, have a long battery life and can also shoot video. Maybe it will sound funny to you, but my standard settings for the grab-and-shoot are 12 MP, auto ISO and auto shutter - the fine-tuning comes later. USD 7.575 is a lot of money, and I've to sell a lot more press photos to earn the price back. Keep on rolling and thanks for your POV on the M11.

[@GenericPhotographer]

The best came is the one you have already…especially if it’s paid off!

[@Nerdzombiedisco]

Best user review for street thus far. Thx!

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks, glad you thought so!

[@rexgigout1472]

Thanks for this honest, joyful, inspiring review. I viewed this one, and then noticed that you had recently posted a five-year review of the M10, so, watched that one, too. Taken together, I feel reassured that I am comfortable remaining at the M10 “level,” for the foreseeable future, and that I made the correct decision when I decided to add a nice pre-owned APO Summicron 75mm ASPH, rather than make a goal of acquiring a new camera body. (I also have an M Type 246 Monochrom, that I actually bought pre-owned, after I already had my M10. They are a good “team.” Life is wonderful.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Life is good! Solid move and enjoy the 75 apo, it’s a killer lens!

[@kalealee3675]

Thank you so much for your lively sharing!

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks for watching

[@tangosix5779]

Thoughtful review and video. The image shake talk almost spooked me but after buying the m11, I find that I’m shooting wide open as much as possible with faster shutter speeds. I love this m11 - strangely so. It’s the best of both worlds. Now it connects to my profoto b10x and with focus peaking I can nail focus in studio.

[@marcusoutdoors4999]

Thanks for an extremely useful review and making sense of this great camera. Currently I shoot on an SL often using VM lenses, so this really makes me want to take the leap.

[@GenericPhotographer]

That’s for watching. Best of luck with your decision! The SL is no slouch either!

[@kevinkazakevich5766]

I have an M6 and have never looked in the digital version. I guess you could bet more shots at night. I like the colors from film.

[@GMaX-Eire-forever]

Great review. you've made me want the M11. I have a M9 which I love . My wife just got M10 and she has the CL as well. I will have to get M11 because of your review. Thanks

[@Leicashootr]

The best camera review ever ‼️thanks for sharing your thoughts ❤️ At 36Mb is there the camera shake noticeable or isn’t it there ❓❓

[@GenericPhotographer]

Haha thanks so much. The shake is still there unfortunately. Less so at 18 of course.

[@rubelukeable]

Wonderful review!! I traded in an M10P and I don't regret it. I have the black finish and kinda wanted the Silver chrome finish that you have, but Leica Soho in NYC only had the black finish. Definitely appreciate the weight though. Agree with your assessment of the improvements and also find that I have to be super steady when shooting with 60MP. I typically use the medium 36MP mode and super happy with the results. Also love the improved new battery system, screen resolution, metering and the 1.3 and 1.8 crop modes, (A la Q2). Thank you again for your in depth analysis and time that you invest in these videos. cheers!!

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks for the comment and congrats on the camera. Embrace the variety, I’d love to try the black one sometime. The crop modes are interesting, the variable resolution is still the greatest feature. Also I forgot to mention it in the video but the 18mp mode has a slight crop compared to the 36 and 60 megapixel sizes.

[@Tedwill-home]

Great review! I've been on the waiting list since Jan 13.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Hope you get it soon!

[@GamachePhoto]

Another great review, good of you to take us with you on your Street shoot! M11 is a fine camera all around, no doubt but I will keep my M10-R for a few more years. Maybe upgrade with M11-P haha.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks, so glad you enjoyed the walk experience! The M10-R is definitely still kicking, don't feel that GAS itch too much now ;)

[@bernardlesperance742]

Was quite surprised by the quick exit immediately after taking a picture of the person at the very beginning of the video. Maybe a bit of 'small talk' before leaving would have been in order. No?

[@cfperwil]

Well. After seeing rather many initial reviews of the M11 I am not convinced. As an amateur photographer who went from ”the poor mans Leica” (Fuji-X) to the M, six years ago. I feel more like the Leica M is going towards becoming a ”rich mans Fuji-X”. Many photographers online seem to want an hybrid rangefinder on the M - something that for me would be the ultimate fail for that M feeling. But thats just me. I only use my cameras for the fun of it and for the process of mastering a M camera with all its ”non features”. I dont doubt that all of you pros out there can benefit from an M11. I am sure this is an incredible camera, just as you say. I just dont see it for my self [yet?]. Anyway - great video as usual. Thanks!! 😃

[@GenericPhotographer]

Absolutely, the biggest challenge for Leica will be to retain the charm of the M while introducing more tech. The M10 was a fantastic blend of old and new and now we’re seeing what they’re truly capable of. I won’t be parting ways with my film M cameras anytime soon but the difference between digital and analog Ms has never been greater. Thanks for watching!

[@dgoullet1]

So good! I ordered one, should arrive next week

[@GenericPhotographer]

Congrats, enjoy the new toy!

[@EdwargGz]

Great review! Yep! Keeping my M10D.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Ooof, can I keep your M10D?

[@MKWHD]

I am so pleased with mine. It got that leica magic compared to the SL2. Love it.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Glad to hear! Enjoy!

[@MrVoayer]

Enthusiastic review that spreads the fever !

[@ljcbvideo]

I really like your report on the M11, thank you! Banding is a real problem with mirrorless cameras and digital. A pity, and although the choice of light source can be overcomed this issue and high shutter speed ...it is still a real problem unless one has a mechanical shutter option....

[@cfagil]

Some interesting insight. Many Thanks. Will definitely stay with my M10 and wait for the M12 with an inbody stabilization. I don't think it is there yet. I bet Leica loves your promotion; sorry, I meant review.

[@scott-wright]

Amazing that adding non-coded lenses to the menu is ground-breaking feature for Leica. Been on Nikons for years.

[@Deetroiter]

A year later…would you still purchase this m11? I really want to buy one but these stories about issues with freezing, etc really make me think twice

[@daijijin]

Does it?

[@LeFloSound]

I was thinking a lot about the m11 lately but I just decided to get a m10-r used for under 5k, and have more budget for a lense

[@fp5302]

Great review !! I would love to see a comparaison/your thoughts between a m11 and m10r

[@DRGBTL23]

I was laughing so hard when you suddenly stopped and looked behind your video camera and said “My rabbit is chewing on his cage” hahaha

[@spyhardman]

Looks rad! I’m on a list, hoping to get my hands on a black one. It’ll actually be my first M, so I’m opening that whole can of worms in terms of lens selection.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Wow, big move, what lens do you plan on going with first?

[@spyhardman]

@@GenericPhotographer I'm still dithering on that front. I know I'll want a 35 and a 50, but I'm still learning about the specifics. For wider shots, I'm still covered by the Q2 Monochrom's 28mm lens. I know it's an extreme option, but the versatility of the APO-Summicron 35 is attractive, so I may wait on the 35 and get a more reasonable 50 in the meantime. Then maybe by the time the APO 35 becomes more readily available, I'll have come back down to earth. It may be smarter to get some variation of the M10, but the way the pricing is structured, the M11 is the same price (barring a good used deal), and I know I'll appreciate the UI, since the Q2 is such a joy to use. Also, as someone who has no Leica nostalgia, the old style removable baseplate seems silly!

[@spyhardman]

After further thought, I decided why wait to start playing with a Leica lens. I ordered a 50mm Summilux and a cheap E mount adapter so I can use it on my Sony camera. Someday, I’ll have an M to put it on.

[@UncleMichaelable]

Get one on eBay, not hard to find.

[@gumy99]

great video! thank you so much! watched many videos past two days about Leicas ... but this is so good! Whats your go to lens? 50 summi? thank you

[@MikeMyers00]

After enjoying your review of the M10, I figured I would watch this one. You cover things I wasn't aware of before, such as if the shutter dial was a tiny bit off, the image would be ruined. What bothers me the most, is your experience with "camera shake". I can't accept that this is due to the larger sensor. For me, this would be a MAJOR issue. You've also refreshed my insistence on buying black cameras, so people aren't as likely to notice them. After watching your video, I've already decided not to buy an M11 right now, and you've confirmed that thought. I am perfectly happy with my M10, and most of the possible benefits I see in the M11 aren't that important to me. I think 24 megapixels is more than enough for everything I do. That the M11 is "louder" is also an issue. My M10 doesn't seem loud to me, unless I compare it to my M3. For daily use, my M10 is more than quiet enough. While I like a lot about the M11, it's not (yet) for me. Finally, I replaced my Adobe software with DxO PhotoLab - for me, a giant step forwards. I don't know when PhotoLab will release the software for the M11. That will be important to me if I ever decided to go with the M11. You brought up a thought that this is leading to a hybrid viewfinder in the future. That's what I was thinking as well, but then I realized none of that would be worth doing unless the lens is properly communicating with the body. Perhaps Leica will make the next M with a different lens mount for coupled lenses, and give it a new name so it will be in addition to the current M cameras, not instead of.

[@johnkasianowicz6536]

Michael, first, the M11 sensor isn’t larger. It has greater resolution. Second, I think the M11 shutter is quieter. The reviewer mentioned it sounded louder when the lens was removed.

[@jacobh5817]

Great review. Very informative and your passion for M photography oozes of the screen. For now I’ll stick to my M10-R (and M7) but the M11 has many small and some big improvements. I’ve indeed noticed some changes in colors as well, but since I’m using Capture One styles anyway, the difference is mainly when you look at the jpegs. Although Leica will never tell, it’s safe to say that this sensor is the exact same Sony sensor found in the A7RIV and (cut to different sizes) also in the A6600, the Fujifilm 26MP X-models (albeit with a different color filter) and the Fujifilm GFX100(S). It’s a great sensor in terms of resolution and lattitude and combined with Leica’s processor software, specific microlens- and UV filter layers it performs great in the M11. Using all 60MPs without any shake is indeed a challenge. It was already with the 40MP in the M10-R, but this is even more extreme. You need to have super sturdy hands, sufficient high shutter speed and very, very precise focusing. The latter is often overlooked by M owners coming from lower resolution Ms.

[@FART-REPELLENT]

Some of the old masterpieces taken using analogue Leica Ms have proven to being not perfectly focused thus not sharp; therefore a static subject shot on a M11 at either 60 MP or 36MP that's not quite in perfect focus won't look bad if the print size is reduced to say 30"x20", but will look bad at 60"x40".

[@kurocamera]

Thank you for the in depth review…but as I was watching all i could look at was your Frankenstein summicron, what is going on there? Please explain ahah

[@GenericPhotographer]

Haha it’s half rigid and half v3. It belongs to Jean at Camtec. It’s a truly beautiful lens, I couldn’t find any faults with it either.

[@bernatix]

Great review, thank you. For me, although I could, I'm just not ready to spend that amount of money... I use an SL2 and since today again an M10

[@yungsoohong28]

On the M10p, one trick is to keep the power saving mode off and keep the camera on, then the response time will be very snappy. The Shutter lag on M11 may be you can try full mechanic Shutter and make sure use a shutter button on it, it should be find then.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Could be a good way but I feel like it would greatly impact the battery life

[@yungsoohong28]

@@GenericPhotographer not really if is not using any EVF on M10

[@jon-nolanacousticsingerson9920]

Oh yeah, getting one in December!

[@TheLDunn1]

Good vid, thanks for posting. Some thoughts (from a relatively new member to the Leica family, M10-D owner for a ~year): You made a number of references of the M11 files comparing to M10 files, was that to 24mp M10 or 40mp M10-r? As you say shooting at 36mp on the M11 feels like the ‘sweet spot’ for you, again, I wonder how that compares to using the M10r I can see how you might shoot the M11 at 36mp most of the time, and made reserve the 60mp for when you know you are focal length limited and will need to be cropping…wonder if you could set up one of the function buttons to quickly toggle to 60mp and use it like a ‘digital teleconverter’, quickly switching to 60mp for one shot that you know you will crop in post. Just a thought. The observation that the M11 is now a true mirrorless with the sensor ‘on’ continuously is an interesting one, and it feels like the M11 is a step towards maybe a future M12 with a hybrid EVF/OVF…or maybe even a derivative of the M11 that totally replaces the OVF with a permanent built in EVF, a big brother to the CL if you will, seems an intriguing prospect, that may mean some potential customers may want to hold off and wait for such an evolution, while others might want to jump in sooner…depending upon how one feels about rangefinder vs EVF. Generally, the one potential weakness of the M-system vs most if not all other mirrorless cameras is that the cameras do not know the aperture that the lens is set to, and while the cameras can estimate the aperture, those estimates can often be wrong. I like that the M lenses are small with no electronics, I consider that a big plus. But, it has got me wondering if Leica one day could put a small lens/sensor that looks at the lens and could use optical character recognition to know the aperture and also even the lens type.

[@sergiocasado2978]

Always appreciate your real, authentic down to earth reviews Andrew. I haven’t tried the M11 yet but from what I’ve seen it doesn’t create any urgency at all to jump into one. Sure great camera, it’s a Leica M! I’m very happy with my M10M and M240 for color/harsher condition situations… I can see myself moving up to M10-R eventually or waiting for M11P which will for sure come with certain improvements usually worth it, either from a design or functional standpoint. There’s a lot of value on sharing accessories, batteries, cables… Anyway, as said, very much appreciated man. By the way, how’s that 28mm Ultron v2 performing? Really really considering to add to my arsenal of glass… Thanks!

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks for the comment! You’re doing fine with that combo, don’t succumb to the GAS ;). Yeah I’m not jumping from the M10 ship just yet, especially with all the accessories I have for it, the 10R is looking more and more compelling. My good friend actually wound up buying the 28 and he’s really enjoying it, I’ve used it a few times since and I’m always so close to buying one. It’s a fantastic lens, especially for the money.

[@dr.michaelbraida9186]

Great review! I am waiting for my M11 and I was very surprised about the high level of detail and shutter speed challenge. I think that you are correct stating that the chrome version looks more like an old film camera! I think that I will switch to the chrome version. Did you notice a significant increase in weight compared to the black M10?

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks for the comment! Best practice will be to shoot at least one stop faster than you’re used to. There’s not a significant weight difference between the 10 and 11, in fact I believe that the M10 is slightly heavier.

[@genobambino]

The M11 is the first model with different materials, and different weights,between black and silver versions.

[@MrKILLIANSMITH]

Guys … it’s only a few ounces … go to the Gym …

[@stefankoen]

Don’t stop uploading please!

[@sebcastilho]

Great review. What lens was used for the shot at 24:04 where there is a huge sunstar and a slight ring flare?

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks! That was shot with the voigtlander 21 3.5 color skopar, it’s a lovely little lens. Check out the video I did on it if you’re curious.

[@austinbruce2422]

11:48 the girl just reading a book in the snow trips me out. As someone from Atlanta, Ga, that is crazy to me.

[@myoung48281]

Lots of photographers aren't that much into photography per se, but equipment updates keep them interested, nothing wrong with that.

[@anthonymiller8979]

What I like about Andrew's reviews is he really dives into the image quality, clarity and color and how the equipment affects that rather than just the specs of the equipment by many reviewers but with no real eye to the resulting image benefits.

[@frozenf8]

Nice video! Love photography in Montreal. Seems Mcgill College is still blocked 😂😂

[@GenericPhotographer]

Honestly I feel like it’s been closed for most of my life

[@alexdiaz3465]

Hi can you compere with the sl2

[@emmalindsay7972]

Looks like a pretty cool camera! 🤑

[@GenericPhotographer]

Buy me one please 🥰

[@emmalindsay7972]

@@GenericPhotographer maybe on our 80 year anniversary I will have saved up enough 😊

[@GenericPhotographer]

@@emmalindsay7972 I’ll hold you to it

[@Pezinokrm]

Great review nicely done, I have a question have you tried the Leica M10R? and if so how does it rate compared to the M11? Cheers! 🥃

[@phillipallaway7306]

Thnks for the review. Just ordered my M11. Will be shooting at full res though, not 36. Do you think you will get the Visoflex? I don't use mine on the M10 but reviewers are saying it is very helpful with this sensor given the improved resolution of both the camera and EVF.

[@GenericPhotographer]

If you don’t use it with your M10 I doubt you’ll use it on the M11. I personally don’t see a point in using it, and the screen is superior to the that of the M10.

[@phillipallaway7306]

@@GenericPhotographer True, but as the years pass (I'm 66 years old), the EVF can help me to get a lower perspective, particularly doing street. The screen is surely better than on my M10 but I can't get down as I used to. It's why I'm also looking at the soon to be released Q3 which is rumoured to have a tilt screen.

[@erickpro]

How long does it take to power on in "power save mode" ?

[@blazeboy777]

it looks like m11 has worse noise at high iso than m10, but nicer colors. Sony sensors are trully amazing and I am glad Leica got their colors right. Many people think I try to insult Leica for using sony sensor, but so does Hasselblad which has one of the best colors. It's just like P... it's how you use it ;)

[@kalealee3675]

I am going to get my first Leica, choose between m20r or m11. Do you think it’s better to get M11 instead? Regarding camera shake in m12, just setting a faster shutter speed will over come it?

[@GenericPhotographer]

Faster speed should help but it’s a learning curve

[@maheshg212]

A completely different question.i notice that you have a 35 /2.8 summaron. Have you ever tried that on a Sony body (you mentioned Sony bodies too) and are there major issues with that? Thanks

[@GenericPhotographer]

I’ll be making a video on the summaron next. It seems fine in my Sony a7rii bodies however the larger grips on the subsequent models won’t allow for the goggled version to mount. I’ll go into more detail in the video. :)

[@carlosmcse]

A Leica M more like a mirrorless camera is exactly the M I don’t want. It will be a big difference from your M10 but not so much from the M10R. IMO the 10R is the perfect M. 40MP is as much as you need on a rangefinder. You don’t have issues with camera shake and it’ll give you as much detail as you’ll want. The highlight recovery is incredible. When you’re walking you don’t take pictures at 1/60th with a 50mm lens. That’s nuts. 125th at the slowest regardless of focal length. During the day there’s no need to go slower than 250th. Also these photos you took are rushed out of focus thoughtless nonsense that would be fine on the M10. You really don’t need a 60MP M11 for these sort of pictures. I think you would’ve done better with a Ricoh GR. Save yourself $8,000 bucks.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Well said!

[@genobambino]

I walk and my subjects walk and I find that I only lose most of the shake issue at 1/1000, even with a 28mm cron. With the higher ISO this style requires, the noise makes recovered shadows super chunky and unreadable. I agree it’s a learning curve though and I’m working on it. All these issues only really show up when I’m pixel peeping but the point of high resolution is to have this level of precision. I bet there’s a little less shake with the black version.

[@oorcinus]

Have you checked if using a different card or no card influences the startup time?

[@GenericPhotographer]

No difference either way unfortunately

[@oorcinus]

@@GenericPhotographer Weird. And unfortunate. I've seen wildly varying reports of startup times, ranging from 1 to 3 seconds.

[@andrewkuo99]

Loved your detail review of the M11. Been wanting to get a color M as I have a M Monochrom. Btw, where can I get a M10/M11 profile for post in Lightroom? Thanks again

[@semicoolin]

I've been looking to get this camera and have watched all the videos and read all the reviews I can. I do think yours is one of the best. I've also downloaded a good 20-30 raw files and played with them in both Lightroom and Capture One. And honestly, I wasn't happy with what I was seeing. It looked like almost every single image had a slight blur to it at the 100% and up level. I figured it was the extremely sensitive camera shake people have talked about. Then, interestingly enough, I read someone's comment on a forum that said something like the images look smoothed over by noise reduction. That's when I went back to the files in capture one and dropped the luminance noise reduction slider to zero, and the images looked drastically better! Now I'm looking at images captured at 1/125th to 1/250th of a second and feeling much less concerned about the high megapixel camera shake. Try it for yourself. Capture One seemed to show more of an improvement over Lightroom.

[@michaelwplant]

Can I ask what software are you using to process your raw files from your M11?

[@charlesmason58]

Great review. Did the firmware update resolve the sense of shake you were getting at higher speeds? Did you get that shake with electronic shutter, or manual shutter? I have an M11 coming. I’ve been vacillating between it and the M10R. I’ll be primarily using it street work. Seeing your image bounce makes me re-think it again! Please let me know. Thank you.

[@ykc8888]

What lens/lenses are you using with the Leica M11? Thank you.

[@kevinhan721]

If money no object, between M11 and SL-S, which one would you recommend and why?

[@GenericPhotographer]

Really depends on what you intend to use it for. I’d go for the M11 if I didn’t need video features. The M11 is a more engaging camera and much easier to carry around as a daily camera. As a work horse I’d go with the SL2-S, but once again it depends on the intended use. For weddings I’d still enjoy the M11 more.

[@nunosantos8784]

"Held up in the intire time".. ??? ...what about the complaint of the shutter speeds?? You mentioned that even at 1/500 you see motion blur. That is helding up the entire time? How you overcome that? The traditional street photographers shoot between 5.6 and 11, pushing even further the need to use lower shutter speeds or increasing the iso too much, I´m not seeing a practical use, or get the full potential of this sensor for street photography, and that´s where the M cameras were born. The question is, using the 36 or 18mp options, the pixel binning will compensate that issue, or the challenge to get sharp images remain the same? Also, regarding the use of apertures between 5.6 to 11, knowing that the DLA (diffraction) should start around 6.1, how the image quality will suffer using those apertures. Last one is the new approach for multi metering, using the sensor. Yes, is great to have that option, but that comes with the cost. Every time you press the shutter button, the shutter needs to close, open again and close again. Aside of the annoying double sound that we never experienced in a M camera, translates also to a delay since you press and take the actual image. This alone can be a huge step back for a M user, as it was one of the main selling points of a M camera, when you see an image through the viewfinder, the time to capture it was instantaneously, and is not anymore. Well, this can be a great camera for landscape photographers. For street photography, I hope one day Leica put the SL2-S sensor on a M, with all the nice improvements from the M11, but please, keep the same light metering from the M10, as I probably I will hate the double sound and delay of the M11.

[@claudiohughes7824]

Hello and thank you for the very nice review. I have a question: several reviewers are mentioning the blurriness at not high enough speeds and they assume -like you- that it is due to the 60 MP resolution of the sensor, but no one as far as I know tested this problem at lower resolutions. Maybe it is a problem of shaking appearing due to the new shutter system and not the high MP sensor? Or does it go away at 36MP or 18MP? Thank you for the answer. Cheers!

[@romaingautier2986]

Hey! I got a M11 too ;) I have really less "shaking" at 36 ou 18mp. I don't shoot under 1/250 with my 50mm @ 60mp.

[@galenfong4377]

When using 36MP, how does the image quality, dynamic range, noise compare to M10R?

[@zakariyeawnur2558]

Did you test it against the M10R? I find them very similar in terms of colour science.

[@GenericPhotographer]

I’ll be playing with a M10R more in depth sooner than later so I’ll be able to comment more. For now all I can say is that the files from the 11 are very different than the ones coming out of the 10 in the sense that they’re dramatically less saturated.

[@67davejb]

Enjoyed your video, thanks. However you talk about camera shake using at reasonable sutter speeds Does this mean that it is not usable at these speeds?

[@premythienprasiddhi5383]

What lens do you use? I noticed it looked like a body of summicron rigid but the front part isnt.

[@estogaza1]

Thanks for the M11 review. Your review is the best and hoest review.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Appreciate it, I don't sell myself too short with these ;)

[@AaronMichaelz]

Is the shutter shake still bad 1 year into it from this video?

[@bernardfranck1318]

It seems to be so great that I have to try it... If I switch to leica, probably m system... Did you try one 75mm or 90mm, easy to use with m body? I'm used to take a 50mm but I need also minimal tele. I'm curious if I could leave my big hard case and switching for m & 3 lenses🌞📷🌞 thanks for your video, I'm always curious for the content and your enthusiasm is contagious 👌

[@GenericPhotographer]

Hey, yeah I use a 90mm elmar f4 ( which I did a video on) and a 135 hektor. The two are great. I prefer the elmar. The apo Summicrons are also sublime but harder to focus, of course practice makes perfect. It’ll definitely be a smaller kit. All my gear fits into a small bag when I travel.

[@jdsd771007]

Nice summation and video! Out of my price range for the moment. Frankly I’m still more looking at film Leicas(M4/M6), and the M9 has peaked my interest as well (sensor etc). I do love seeing all the new technology they are cramming in these cameras whilst still maintaining their classic styling and history!

[@GenericPhotographer]

It’s truly remarkable to see where they’re taking these cameras. Doesn’t mean that of the others aren’t good, Leica’s aren’t really know for their tech but this is a pleasant surprise! Thanks for watching and for the comment!

[@dalyugo]

Gracias por este vídeo! :)

[@Eliehbk]

I love this camera and I'm really tempted by it. But at the moment I am using my M lenses on a Leica SL2-S, and I have to say that the colors and high ISO I get from it are much better than my Q2 and M10R. Looking at same images of the M11 at high ISO, I cringe at how much more noisy they are than the SL2-S. I know we are comparing 60 to 24 mega pixels, but when you don't need that many...

[@GenericPhotographer]

Totally see your point. Here’s wishing for a SL2-S sensor in a M body 🤞

[@absonus]

Interesting your comments re colour .Besides my two film M`s I shoot a CL and an SL2S with my M lenses. Looking at digital M`s but they only make sense over the SL2s on weight grounds and I do like the output from the SL2s ... more versatile for my needs too. You might have saved me some money :) Good review as always Andrew

[@1946gsp]

I'm struck by how much the colors resemble the ones I used to get with Kodachrome 64

[@simossosias3727]

What have you done to this Summicron?

[@GenericPhotographer]

It’s a mix of a rigid and a v3. Belongs to Camtec. Maybe I can ask to do a video of it

[@bmkq2007]

I'm planning on getting a leica M series, i guess getting the M11 is the natural choice here. This will be my first ever leica camera but owned 2 leica M lenses for my fuji xt3. love the compact design and IQ. Thank you by the way on the voigtlander 50mm f1 review. Its in my list for purchase. I'm still not settled on which variant of M11 to choose, eventually will decided before i hit the buy button. At some point i even thought of buying the Q2 in addition to the M11 instead of only buying the 28mm f1.4 Leica 😅. I'm not a pro photographer but used to buy my gear through freelancing that im no longer have the time to do, but the Leica idea is dented in my brain for so long and feel like early next year im jumping in. If you have a recommendation for a street photography lens brand, even if they are old, please do share. I own the Leica M 90mm, Elmar 21 f3.4 bought them used while i was in Hong Kong.

[@milanckonjevic4404]

I think the reason you got rid of vignetting is due to the sensor size which even though is called FF is in fact a bit smaller than the one on M10.

[@gurugamer8632]

Which elsn do you use on the Leica. Which one is your favourite?

[@GenericPhotographer]

My 50 summilux asph is definitely my favorite

[@Paul-jb6rk]

Nothing wrong with the "archaic" light metering... It has benefits such as less wear on shutter, less battery usage, nicer sounding shutter, less shutter lag...

[@GenericPhotographer]

Don’t forget about less dust on the sensor too! My M10 won’t be getting replaced any time soon.

[@stefanluno2821]

Just wondering the difference in image quality between M10 and M11? I'm debating between the beautiful M10-P Ghost and M11 - not sure if the difference in image quality is meaningful enough for an amateur photographer to give up on the beautiful look that the ghost version has?

[@GenericPhotographer]

Get the ghost, you won’t regret it at all

[@stefanluno2821]

@@GenericPhotographer kk thanks for the advice! Does your advice change if I already own the Leica Q2 ghost version? Also, is the difference in image quality really that noticeable?

[@frankiacone6642]

I have one coming tomorrow.

[@checkmybadself]

Hi, I just stumbled across your channel as KZbin knows I’ve been watching lots of M11 videos lately :) I was intrigued by your comment on effectively motion blur when using on the street. Most of my street shots of while I’m moving + the subject is moving - and as I’m London based, it usually means grey skies. I shoot with zone focusing (Fuji cameras), lets say F/8 or F/11 if I’m lucky and if I stop walking and shoot, 1/250 is usually OK but if I’m walking and they are walking it needs to be 1/500+. How do you find things normally and do you think I’d have to sacrifice a stop of shutter to get to the same point?

[@paulpavot6446]

That’s a shame to hear about the cameras sensitivity to camera shake. Do you add contrast or color saturation ?

[@basilbrush9888]

I borrowed a brand new M11 with 35mm lens a few days ago. I wanted to see what was so different about Leica and the always talked about ' Leica Look'. I have compared very detailed shots of the new M11, a Sony A7iii and Fujifilm XPro3. Aside from resolution, i seriously cannot fathom the extra $10000 price tag for the Leica. Sure the image is much higher in megapixels, but honestly all 3 cameras produced roughly the same quality photo. I appreciate that people like to purchase high end brands as they like prestige gear, but......i do not see it being worth it. For anyone stuck on the fence about getting a Leica camera, I can honestly say that if you have the money do what you want. i have the money to purchase a few of these M11's but to be brutally honest I cannot see any reason aside from social image status to own one. i have tested dynamic range and processed the photos like any normal consumer would and I would bet nobody reading this could determine which camera made which photo. Note to newcomers, DO NOT get caught up in the leica hype. Like all other mirrorless bodies, they are just sensors and a lens like any other mirrorless camera. After shelling out $10,000 plus for a leica, you are kidding yourself if you think your photos are superior to anything else a fifth the price on the market. Dont believe me?......rent one and see for yourself. I have leica raws and I could tell you they came from a sony a7iv and you would believe me as they look like any other camera. KZbinrs seem to pushing the Q2 at the moment, avoid it at all costs. You are not getting a camera that is superior in any way. Leica cameras do have once strength that none of the other brands have yet to achieve. Their bodies and lenses drain your wallets very quickly with no noticeable benefit to the owner. Maintenance on leica is insanely offensive too along with accessories. I dare you to prove me wrong.

[@stuartwalker121]

Basil Brush, Leica is a huge black money rabbit hole, if only folks could be happy with that xpro3 but the Leica gang need the red dot prestige and glory. All the Instagram photos never go above 6mb never mind 60mb. As generic photographer says you need to be at 1/2000 to be on the safe side of shake. What's all that about for 10,000 bucks?

[@basilbrush9888]

@@stuartwalker121 I agree, I keep hearing Leica owners talking about the 'LEICA look' with their photos. Goto flickr, lookup all photos submitted and taken with an M10, M11 Q2. They all look like any camera has taken them. Their is nothing unique about a leica photo and yet the leica community believe they have some blessed camera that produces images beyond comprehension of any other brand user. the whole thing is a massive gimmick thats sucking in new generation photographers who really need to think about what they are buying and what they are really getting from owning one of these cameras. Like i said, I can have one tomorrow paid outright and to be honest i went into a leica store to once and for all have a look at one. I captured some shots and assessed them in PS and I really cant justify $10,000 worth of image quality in the photos. There is a very clear engineering and mechanical difference between a lamborghini and mercedes benz but there is no real performance difference between a sony a7mk4 and a leica m11 aside from megapixels. I dont condone people buying leica, i just despise when they make out their cameras are far superior than any other brand on the market, like they worship the camera.

[@johnkasianowicz6536]

I recently bought several Leica digital cameras (Q2M, CL, SL2, and M11) but not for any presumed “prestige” the Red Dot is supposed to confer. I simply like the look and feel of the cameras, their relative mechanical simplicity (very few buttons on the body), and the relative simplicity of their menus. I have Canon and Nikon DSLRs too, but when it came to getting mirrorless cameras, I wanted a simpler interface, so I got the Leicas. I can’t say they’re worth their price tags for anyone else, but they are to me. I also like the look, feel, and performance of all but one of the Leica M, TL, and SL lenses I’ve purchased so far. I bought three Voigtländer lenses and one TT Artisan lens last year but sold them all because they didn’t perform as well as I had hoped. I’ll be trying two 50 mm Voigtländer lenses this year. They’ll likely be keepers, as reviews of them suggest they provide excellent IQ. I’m hoping though that they’ll have a different “look” than the Leica lenses provide. Different lens types do have characteristic looks: the bokeh (swirly or not, bokeh ball shape, bokeh ball edge intensity) field curvature (which affects focus fall off), vignetting, spherical aberration (some can actually be useful, e.g., for the Hollywood 50s glamor style portrait). I’ve heard others mention the “Leica look”, but I haven’t paid any attention to that. I only care about what a lens can or can’t do on the sensors I have. I’ll start using my legacy Nikon glass on the CL and SL2, but might get a Nikon Z7 II next year. I looked at a friend’s, and still don’t like the menu system, but it’s one heck of a mirrorless camera and the new Nikon Z glass is presumably terrific. I’ve heard others complain that Leica camera owners “act like they’re superior”, but I fortunately haven’t met anyone like that.

[@basilbrush9888]

@@johnkasianowicz6536 You are a rare Leica user. I completely support Leica owners, I just don't like how influencers are trying their best to convince newcomers into thinking that having a Q2 or whatever makes them superior. On the subject of the Leica look, I am still torn about what it is supposed to look like. I would go today and purchase a Q2 or M11, but the buyers remorse would kick in once I compare image quality to previous work. I appreciate that there is a lure to own a Leica, like a BMW or Mercedes. Thanks for your reply.

[@gwynneharries7024]

it’s awesome. Nothing more needs to be said.

[@eek0212]

i loved digital M because of these less flat shadow contrast images ironcally made by less or inferior shadow highlight processing of Leica. But guess now on Leica decided the chosses the path, most of conventional modern digital camera manufactures done for past decades (especially by Sony) with this M11. So if your assesment is true, i think i better be just stick with my good old M10-R and M9 :) Thanks for the very detailed review, you just saved my few thousands bucks from my very shallow bank account.

[@bora8254]

Yes, the first reaction for M11 on the forums were the same as you wrote: the similarity of files with the Sony ones. As I am also an M10 user and happy with the punchy look of the M10 files, I have no interest in M11...

[@komagome03]

Good job on the review ! I would be really interested in knowing the story of that Frankenstein Summicron, I guess a mix of v2 and v3. Does it still have the lock at infinity ? How does it perform and how did it came about ? Seems it is the Summicron I have been looking for all my life…. Ahahah. Very cool looking too. Maybe you can do a video about it ?

[@GenericPhotographer]

Thanks for watching! The lock was removed but otherwise it seems to be simply the front group that was swapped out. It’s incredibly good actually, I’d buy it if it was for sale. I’ll see if I can make a video on it, seems to be gathering some attention haha.

[@Biosynchro]

FWIW, you apparently don't gain any DR by shooting 36Mpx. The guys from Red Dot Forum showed that to be the case. Of course, you do get smaller files which is a practical benefit.

[@GenericPhotographer]

Interesting, I can see how that could be the case for a majority of instances. Just like the files fluctuate depending on the lighting, I’m sure it’s dependent on the environment. The examples I included did show that the highlights had slightly more detail on the 36mp shots vs the 60mp ones. Particularly with the bricks and snow. It could boil down to processing power and lighting scenarios. I’ll check their findings to see what they got. It’s not impossible, though my experiences did slightly favor the 36mp files for dynamic range.

[@Biosynchro]

@@GenericPhotographer If I know anything about sensors, you should, if anything, gain detail in shadows, not highlights. And that's only on a per-pixel basis. But I should point out I'm not an engineer. Just a photographer!

[@GenericPhotographer]

@@Biosynchro of course, that’s usually the case and the reason I underexpose every photo I take. That said there have been a few sensors that I’ve tried that push that envelope. The SL for instance has remarkable highlight recovery, surpassing my M10 by a fair margin. I’d lump the M11 into that basket, but really the main benefit you’re getting out of the M11 is megapixels at the end of the day. We’ve reached a point of diminishing returns on digital sensors and the main selling point these days is low light performance. Treat a digital M camera like a film camera and you’re rewarded in spades, treat the M11 like a digital camera and it holds its own as well.

[@Biosynchro]

@@GenericPhotographer You are right about underexposure as long as the sensor is ISO invariant. You save the highlights and and the shadows are the exact same. I tried this with the M8 and it worked great. No need to change the ISO setting at all. Not many reviewers bring this up which is wasting the potential of the camera.

[@tonyli4509]

Dude that panda rigid is so raid!!!

[@rossawilson01]

Is "buttens" instead of buttons a Canadian thing?

[@GenericPhotographer]

lol is it the way I pronounce buttons? Now you got me thinking I should include words like schedule, cliche, vase, lever etc.

[@rossawilson01]

@@GenericPhotographer potato patata! I think Eric Kim does the same... is he Canadian? Great review BTW.

[@WristGame77]

Agree about the great AWB. But try shooting a red item on a red background. M11 totally fails here. Looks pinkish red. Almost like magenta.