Leica M Typ 262 Review | 2021
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- Опубліковано 27 лис 2024
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A 6 month review of the Leica M 262 digital rangefinder camera.
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I love my M262 which I’ve had since 2017. Yes it is quirky and yes the lag time even if you leave it switched on is poor, but in terms of its simplicity and the “Leica look” (filmic), it’s wonderful. As to manual focus, you can of course zone focus, or set the focus tab to infinity and then quickly turn the ring to the correct focus point. It’s very quick because you are only going one way. I have set the rear wheel to exposure compensation and that works well. It’s a fast way of dealing with tricky light situations. Lastly, I use a thumbs up which really improves its handling and does what it says on the tin. It’s a beautiful camera which is a joy to use in my view.
I agree, it is beautiful and it is a joy to use ✌️
Great review. I've an M240 and an M-P240, plus a Q for my professional press photography. Some month ago, the newspaper got a new trainee, who never had shot with a camera. I gave him the M240 with a 50/1.5 and the manual. The next day he came back with very good shots, and he improved his skills during the three-month period he was working at the paper. So the M can be a first timer best friend... When folks are complaining over the price, I'll mark out, that the quality and joy of use will remain long after the price is forgotten. You can improve your grip on your M when putting some anti slip tape on the thumb grip and on the front. It's very comfortable.
Thanks Paul. Good points here. You’re absolutely right.
The more expensive the gear I talk about, the more I’ll hesitate to recommend it on the internet as I worry about folks spending their savings when all they really needed was a Fuji XT2 to take photos casually. I know that the younger version of me would have gravitated to over-spending and expecting the camera to carry me through so I’m always trying to manage that mindset in my reviews. Hopefully that makes sense.
Sounds like you had a good trainee with a sensible head at the newspaper ✌️
Yup, I shot with a Canon 1000D for a year, bought a ton of lenses during that year and decided I really just didn't like the experience. Sold it all for an M6 and a 35mm Voigtlander f/1.2 and absolutely loved it. If film wasn't so expensive to shoot these days I'd still be using that combo.
If you enjoy it, and it works for you, then it's the camera for you... You don't need to justify it to anyone else.
Glad you love it, from a fellow Scot who once owned an M9 & 35mm Leica lens..
X100V, iPhone XR and am awaiting the Ricoh GRIIIx (on backorder) Flickr: Ormie (O)
🏴
Absolutely agree, Jim! I just like to justify it for the sake of UA-cam videos :) I actually wanted an M9 but I couldn't find a reasonably priced one with a replaced sensor. I'll likely have another Fuji soon... or a GRiiix
Great review. 👍 I just got my M262 last week. For me the only drawback is that the back display is not accurate. The actual result photo is far more pleasing than what is shown in the display. I shoot JPG and the result is amazing, especially the skin tone. Definitely an upgrade from M9. Surprisingly , the color science is different from M240.
Yeah the display is just good for checking the exposure/composition. But I don't mind it that way. I'm just happy the final images look good :)
Hey Liam, I used to have the m262 and I really loved it, moved over to the m10. the m262 is beatter in some ways, it is lighter, battery ends for ever, and the functon to hold down the shutter to keap the photo on the screan and when you relese the shutter it goes is not on the m10. and changing iso with holding the iso button is probably easier then the newer m10 dial, The files are really simmilar from both cameras, only the vewfinder and a little thinner boddy are the changes. It is a fantastic camera with a real Leica hart
Hey Aggi, it really is a nice camera. I was initially looking for an M9 but I am glad I found this one :)
Thanks for the video. I love my Typ 262, which was bought gently used some years ago.
Thanks for watching! I feel the 262 is a bit of a hidden gem.
When I used to shoot range finders (film, not digital because I'm not filthy rich), I used to take one measurement and stick to that for the rest of the day. I angeled the palm om my hand at 45-35 degree angle, and measured with my camera. The exposure came out pretty decent every time, and I didn't have to check my settings all the time. This works if the light is not frequently changing, like going from overcast to clear skies every minute, but even then you can take two measurements, remember them and keep changing between them when the light changes.
Yes, on a sunny day I start at ISO800, 1/1000, f11 and it's reliably accurate. In the shade it's usually 3 or 4 stops under but I find the shade is actually pretty variable. Close to an intersection it's brighter, narrow streets are darker, the thickness of clouds changes things. So I find myself checking exposure more often. I think over time I'd get used to guessing that too.
Hello Liam, no, I don’t have any interest in this camera, but I always enjoy your honest reviews. As far as cameras with the film like operating features, I still enjoy my Fuji X-T4 with all the controls on the outside of the camera without having to use the menus, it reminds me of my Minolta and Nikon film cameras. Be well and stay safe.
Thank you kind sir! Yes, I expect a lot of people will disagree with me on the film-like experience :)
I stumbled upon this video because I’m looking for reasons not to sell my M262. Ever since I got an A7C I find myself only reaching for that camera due to practicality and versatility.
The M262 lives in a drawer next to my M3 and that’s a lot of money sitting there unused.
Like someone else said in the comments, I think the real “magic” comes from the marriage between Leica lenses and the optimized sensors in these M and SL cameras.
If it’s not the camera you’re reaching for then I think that’s your answer. I think for some it’s the lenses that make the difference but my motivation was always the feeling of how it operates. No doubt I’d rather be shooting a 35 Summilux but perfect glass isn’t my main motivation… and I can’t afford it yet anyways 😅
On the bright side. They won’t depreciate very quickly.
I had a M6 decades ago. Then a R8 + Digital-Modul-R (DMR). Then a M240. Many other brands in between. And currently a M262. M bodys are relaxing. They don't bother you with hundred of menus, settings, all the more so as you even don't know how to find your functionalities back (I had a A7RIII.......). That's why I stick on my M camera and shoot ZEN, with an exceptional rendering.
Relaxing is a great way to describe them!
Reasonable though not sold. I've never shot a Leica either so what do i know but the love you have for it sounds similar to the love I have grown for my fujis. I just love the personality of just about any camera and the relationship you end up building with it, warts and all, through putting it through it's paces. Nice video, thanks for sharing it.
Thanks Kevin. I'm by no means trying to sell anyone on these cameras. I'd recommend Fuji over them any day.
I typically set exposure compensation at -2/3 or so
Nice all around review Liam.... You stated it like it is. No frills...minimalistic in nature. It either fits you or not. Even in the Leica brand there are various digital models that fit a person's tastes, either old or new. In fact, even in the film cameras it may be true. My suggestion is to listen to what Liam says and begin to reflect upon your own shooting style and see which M camera fits your own needs ,or...it might be another brand all told, but read up on, research...reflect based on you.
Thanks Jim.picking the right camera is sometimes tricky these days. There’s so many options. In the end, it felt like less is more.
Very honest review. I think the ‘less is more’ (that we could translate into ‘less cost more’) summarises what Leica represents nowadays, particularly the bodies. Optics are overprice too, but I think there is where distinction resides.
Thanks Antonio. There's an enjoyable feeling from shooting with the bodies though. But that could just be my ego telling me that because I'm holding a Leica :P
@@TheLiamGordon I’m sure you’re right and there is also joy on using the bodies! Cheers!
I´m on the fence right now for an opportunity of this specific Leica model. Thank you very much for a very comprehensive, realistic and fair analysis, I´m a Sony a7RII user, so, I find your review very clear, to see what I would find in the M 262.
Thanks very much for watching. For additional context. I’m still enjoying using the same camera and lens for most of my personal work but also have an old Ricoh GR to throw in my pocket when it’s more appropriate. ✌️
Interesting that right now the few 262 cameras for sale are priced higher than the more well equipped 240. Simple is better.
It was a similar situation when I was shopping for them. Less is often more in the Leica world, it would seem :)
Hi Liam, like many others I guess, I couldn't get the desire to own a Leica M out of my mind.Even after I almost broke the bank by buying a Q2, I couldn't ignore the urge to have one so I sold my "as new" X100V, a Canon 5D MkII and a couple of Canon lenses and purchased a 262 (although I still had to find additional cash) and a Voigtlander 35mm lens. Of all the cameras I have had, the 262 is the most basic, un-sophisticated, un-featured camera of them all, and yet it's still the camera I want to take out with me on most occasions. I can't really give a logical explanation why, but for all its limitations, its the camera I get the most pleasure using. I suspect you know exactly what I mean!
Absolutely. It’s just lovely to shoot with. At the same time, when taking pictures of family or my dog, I miss the x100v.
I guess that's the joy and pain of being a photographer, there's always something else we need!
Thanks Liam for such a nice and honest review. To be honest, like many others I also feel the need to know just how it feels to use a Leica M camera and what’s the fuss about it. Especially seeing the masters to whom I look up to using it and you explained it beautifully, All feels no facts!
From the start of the video it might seem that the list of cons is way to much but the feeling that you get by using the camera is worth it in the end!
Thanks Rashik. Yes, it really is nice to use and the cons are sometimes actually pros in certain circumstances.
Great review and honest commentary. A couple of points: Startup time can be improved using a 16gb sandisk sd card. And secondly even though ISO is limited to 6400 and 3200 is quite usable. How much more does anyone really need when using fast lenses?
Thanks Ozkan. Is there a certain speed of 16GB SanDisk I should try?
With regards to the ISO, I regularly shot 6400+ in lowlight conditions when I had a Fuji. With the Leica I'm not really using fast apertures, I like to shoot at at least f8. Although, wider apertures are fine if I'm in a place where I can take my time. Chalk it up to inexperience but I'm not proficient at photographing moving subjects on the streets with wide apertures, yet. While it can of course be done, it's something that is much easier to lean on with a more modern camera.
@@TheLiamGordon I use the sandisk class 10 ultra 100mb/s 16gb sd card. I read somewhere 8gb may be even better for quicker startup time.
As for fast focus you can always use hyperlocal focusing technique or zone focusing. I would suggest a 24mm, 28mm or a 35mm lens for this if you are using f8 or f11. With the wider ones you can go faster such as f4 or f5.6.
Congrats again on your purchase of M262 and your great video.
Crazy! I have been using an old 8GB card in my m242 since I bought it so I was shocked about the longer startup time you’re experiencing. Plus the low power sleep mode it goes into seems to last forever so I basically never turn it off. I don’t use it all the time but like every other month I use it and it has enough to do what I need for the shot I’m going for.
Your car analogy is spot on.
Thanks, Mario!
Nice honest review Liam. I like how you didn't focus on specs and technical jargon. As someone who has never used a Leica, I'm starting to understand more and more about the ecosystem and where the M262 fits in. BTW, who are you talking to off camera?
Thanks Joshua. I'm the worst at focusing on technical stuff, it gets way too granular for me. I was talking to my wife off camera. She may be the most confused about why I like that camera.
Are you editing your photos, and if so: how? ☺️
Just bought a m 240 and the same 35mm you have 😍
A very basic edit if any. Adjust exposure, white balance, maybe add a little contrast. I try to stick to the basic sliders because I just don’t have the time or patience to get deep into editing personal work.
Great combo you bought there!
@@TheLiamGordon thank you :) I am already loving it. Just the feel of it is so good. Not this plastic light feel of almost all the other cameras (apart from some old film cameras of course.. reminds me of my yashica 35 electric.. the whole feel. Just “heavy” and metal and glass)
And thanks for your recipe, I will try that out. So excited for these “ccd sensor” type colours 😮💨
I'm torn between the M262 and M-P240. On one hand, I don't know if I'd like the handling of which camera better, theoretically I would want the lighter M262 (more likely to pick it up I guess?). On the other hand, the live view on the M-P240 would allow me to shoot macro and perhaps achieve critical focus easier with super fast lens. I've heard the M262 has slightly better image quality too, so there's that.
It's a tricky choice. For me it came down to the one I could afford, so that made the choice for me. However, given my style of shooting I would have took an M-P240 if I could as the bigger buffer and faster shooting rate was a big draw. That being said, now that I have the 262, I don't crave any of the "better" M models and my fears of the smaller buffer have only came true once or twice.
I see your point with the live view if you're shooting macro stuff though.
In raw mode, can you have the image show on the display in black and white instead of colour (even though you're actually shooting in colour, since its raw mode)?
@@bernardlesperance742 yes, you can. If you set BnW under jpg settings it will show on the screen even when file format is set to raw only.
Oh wow saw that tejon sign, are you in the springs? Definitely subbing
Yes sir! I appreciate the sub 🙏
@@TheLiamGordon nice! I’ll make sure to say hi if I see you on the streets, I just bought a typ240 for an amazing price, waiting for it to get here tomorrow I’m so excited!
@@bychrisjones definitely say hi if you see me. Give the 240 a little adjustment time and I think you’ll really enjoy it. They’re very satisfying to shoot with.
I'm really itching to move into the digital M world to give my M4 a friend. I love the simplicity of the M-D 262 but can't justify that price tag. I'm curious, though, how you handle color. With the M-D it seems like the perfect deal since you get what you get. There are no choices. But with the M, you have the same WB settings as other cameras. Do you find that you leave it in auto WB for that "Leica look" or do you tend to match the scene?
There’s only 4 wb settings, plus auto. So auto seems pretty consistent as it just picks one of the 4 settings as far as I can tell. I usually leave it on daylight (I think) unless I’m in doors under weird light temps. I haven’t changed it in months though 😅
@@TheLiamGordon Cool. Thanks for the info!
@@jaxytvids I stand corrected. There are lots of white balance settings. I just never found them before 🤦🏻♂️
@@TheLiamGordon No worries. How much a month can change. I'm shooting a M10 now. 😀
Which Lens is that on the camera? Nvm. It’s the Voigtlander color skopar 35. Do you enjoy it? I have the nokton mk2 - but haven’t bought my first M yet, but that tiny lens is REALLY attractive.
Yes I really enjoy it. Not to say it’s perfect. It vignettes, it flares quite easily in backlight but it is sharp, contrasty, has nice color, is small, and affordable (bought mine used). it’s the only lens I use on the M. The Nokton is still pretty small though and I’m sure you’ll be just as happy with it!
Have you ever shot with an M camera? What are your thoughts?
The porshe analogy was dead on, Liam! I've used my M240 for about 3 months now. I've taken some dumb ass photos and some really good ones with it. Lol! Anyway, my thought is just that, really: It makes you feel you're taking pictures as opposed to the camera doing it. Have a good one, man!
I'm shooting an M10, M6 and M4 since 2018 and the M series (or other rangefinders cameras like the Konica Hexar) are the only cameras I would recommend for street shooting. The reason is the most basic ever😂but almost nobody is talking about it. Those cameras don't suffer from shutter lag or viewfinder blackout every time you take a photo. You always engage with the scene as it is, not through an small digital screen (EVF) which turns black for a second with every shot and have lag and inaccurate contrast, exposure and colors. That's for me what justify spending 6000$ on an M10 instead of other Leica models like the Q or the SL series (or other camera brands, of course). The next feature I like is what you said about focusing by feeling. You know what you have in focus just by touching the focus tab of your lens. As you said, faster than the fastest autofocus, but also you don't have to worry about where your focus point is. Rangefinders free your mind and let you focus on the scene without technology involved at least your type of photography is shooting portraits at f/1.4. You can do it with an M camera but there are other cameras that do this better. At night, the M8, M9, M240/M262 can be a struggle but the M10 delivers good files at ISO 5000 and 6400.
@@TENGUJAPON As I say at the end of the video, you’ll know if a Leica M is the camera for you. And for you, it is clearly the right camera ✌️
My thoughts on shooting M Digital is that it makes me want the SL series a lot more
@@leedeleon2745 that’s fair. SL looks great with adapted m lenses too
Very honest review.
Thank you John!
I just googled the price , eye watering. Good video , I enjoy your channel.
Thanks for watching! Yes they are a bit ridiculous :)
Try to get a Leica glass and I think your experience will be better, I have a few cameras and experience wise this camera is the best as I am always there in the moment. I have a R5 but somehow this is my fav camera...
Great review, thanks for posting.
Thanks for watching! 🙏
Nice video update about your leica m typ 262 is nice compact rangefinder classic full frame camera like a film camera 👍😁📸
Thanks Jeyel 👍
@@TheLiamGordon you're welcome bro and by the way how much you bought your leica m typ 262? I'm just curious about it thanks 🙏📸
@@junichinomura4810 I found one on eBay for 2700. I think I just lucked out as I usually see them for 3k or more.
@@TheLiamGordon oh i see thanks now they are getting expensive 😢🤔
I have an itch for Leica, but there are so many things that deter me from it at the same time. In this particular model i just can't look the other way with limiting lightmeter, not so great screen, time it takes to turn on, rangefinder is hard at night, leicas are actually pretty heavy compared with Fujis/etc. I was actually surprised when I tried a M10R, they weight a lot.
At the same time when a pay 2-3k for a body i just don't want to feel limited.
Maybe once the M10 get in the affordable (maybe never) i will jump...
As much as I love it, I agree that the limitations will make it disappointing for most people. I don't think the M10 is much different either. It only really works for me in certain situations. I'll certainly have another camera for non street stuff in the future.
how you transfer the photos in this camera ?
I plug the SD card into my computer.
@@TheLiamGordon That's, no wifi.
@@victorrodz3 correct, it does not have WiFi
The only thing that leica has above other cameras is the rangefinder experience and all it entails....beside that then it not worth the time compared to other digital FF. Not recommended from a value standpoint.
Exactly. It's all feelings no facts.
Don't forget the compact M lenses
I’m not suggesting that Leica is the best camera manufacturer, but there are other aspects of their digital cameras that I feel appealing. First, their menu system is simple (compared to those in mainstream cameras) and similar across the different models. Second, I like the simplicity of the cameras (very few buttons. Taking a picture requires paying attention to the exposure triangle (ISO, shutter speed, aperture) and focus. Third, I like their monochrome cameras. Fourth, they make many great lenses. Fifth, they pay their employees a living wage.
There is, of course, virtue in digital cameras made by other manufacturers, and I wouldn’t knock anyone for buying any of them.
The Leica M-D typ 262 goes all the way with no screen, no menus, no nothing except aperture (on lens), shutter speed, and ISO controls. A true digital 'film' camera. Otherwise same as the regular typ 262 but at the same time completely different. Only Leica would dare.
All those negative points you mentioned do not matter, because it is a range finder. Rangefinders are at their best with 28 to50 mm lenses. If you like a range finder, and know how to work it then its all good, otherwise you are wasting a hell of a lot of your money. Without being rude, Leicas are not for everyone, two zillion you tube videos or not. Just in case anyone is interested in what a 262 can do in the hands of someone who knows how to work it, watch videos by Ted Viera, you migjt even like the music.
I understand they’re not really negatives. I bought it precisely because of the way it works and I try to convey it’s not for everyone.
My whole channel is bloopers...
That's what's so great about it :D
@@TheLiamGordon Well thank you my friend.
I don't get it. Other than being a "Leica" why would anyone wanna buy this? For the old-school rangefinder vibes? Go with an XPro3, with manual lenses and turn inside your screen. You'll have much better results with much more flexibility. And you can buy an XPro3 NEW and much cheaper and you can use AF lenses too. I liked the review but never gonna buy a Leica unless I'll be a millionaire 😀
As I say, it's all feelings, no facts. I own and have used so many cameras that are better on paper. But on a sunny day shooting street, this is still somehow my favorite to use. X-Pro2 and adapted 21mm comes pretty close though.
Hahahahhaha - stick to your Cannon. The M262 is a brilliant camera and it's pretty laughable that you don't get it but still choose to make a video about something that you obviously with respect don't know much about!