Something strange is happening. I pick up my Leica M10 to go out photographing with and more often than not I put it back on the shelf and go and get my Panasonic Lumix GX9 instead. Now to be clear the M10 is a beautiful camera, a true design classic, with an illustrious history. Part of the M series of Leica cameras that has taken some of the most iconic images of the past 100 years. It also turns out fabulous images with the best colour separation I've ever seen and incredible sharpness. So exactly what is going on here?
To put this into context here's a list of the advantages and disadvantages for each camera as far as I'm concerned.
LEICA M10
The image quality from the M10 is undeniably better. It's sharper, better at higher ISO's and has wonderful colour. It has a better viewfinder and better battery life.
PANASONIC GX9
While the GX9 supposedly 'suffers' from it's small sensor, it's by no means a poor image quality camera, particularly since I always since I alway shoot at low ISO's. The poor battery life is however very frustrating.
It's important to say here that for what I shoot there is no great advantage to full-frame / 35mm size sensors. In fact the lesser depth of field of FF cameras is often a disadvantage. I shoot mostly landscape, architecture, travel and the natural world and for most of that the more DOF I can get the better. With the GX9 I can use wider apertures giving me higher shutter speeds to get the same 'look' as the Leica. Plus because the lenses are smaller they can be manufactured to very high standards. (more on this later)
LEICA M10
The M10 is a pretty slow camera to work with. Manual focus doesn't help, switching between the viewfinder and live view is painfully slow and even with the added Visoflex EVF and focus peaking it takes a while to get the image.
PANASONIC GX9
While the viewfinder on the GX9 gives a smaller and 'tunnel like' image, the fast and accurate AF makes it quicker and easier to use than the Leica. In fact now winter has arrived focusing the M10 is more of a chore, as is holding a (very) cold metal camera. The GX9 is a pleasure to use in all situations.
While these are essentially two different kinds of camera ,operating characteristics CAN be compared. Those who have never picked up a Leica M should know that they are not light cameras and there are also issues about working with the layout of the camera, which is a bit old fashioned, to say the least! While there are many occasions when I enjoy that 'old school' process, there are also times when I don't.
LEICA M10
Leica M lenses are legendary, but the new ones are ridiculously overpriced. Yes you can some older lenses which are a lot cheaper and high quality, but current fast Leica prime lenses are beyond my budget and from my experiences using borrowed and hired ones, the difference in quality is much less than I thought it would be.
PANASONIC GX9
I like m4/3 lenses a lot. I think many of them are superb. I've just bought a pair of Sigma f/1.4 lenses, the 16mm and 56mm and they are seriously good. At the low ISO's I use they are just as good as the lenses I use on my M10. They are fast primes that don't cost an arm and a leg and I doubt most people could tell the difference.
And that really is the crux of this whole discussion. If I got a significant advantage using the M10 then I would stick with it and put up with it's 'quirks'. But I really don't. I've stated often that, for me, m4/3 is the best pro rata system for the image quality / sensor size equation that you can get. Sure, after years of using it I know exactly how to get the best out of it, but these days it is a seriously good format in terms of cameras and lenses. Indeed the Olympus E-M1X I've recently bought is the best (i.e. most suitable for me) camera I've ever owned.
Here's a few more things I like about the GX9.
- It shoots video, the M10 doesn't.
- Live view is miles better than the M10.
- AF is fast and makes focusing simple and sure.
- The cost is obviously a serious advantage.
Now all of this may make you wonder why anyone buys Leica M cameras in the first place. A of their appeal is certainly history and their iconic status. It may seem strange that they still in demand, particularly when Leica make some very special 'modern' cameras. But in a strange way owning and operating a Leica M camera is a confirmation that you are a 'real' photographer. And yes I realise how that sounds, but if photography is your passion, as it is for me, if you can afford one there is a special pleasure in creating images in this old school way.
Before continuing, I'll put some pictures in the post without saying what camera took them.
Now I'm not trying to be clever here and attempting to say that you can't really tell the difference, because at this size there is no way to spot which is which. But the general point is that there are many cameras that will give superb results and a lot of the bickering about which is better is pointless when it comes to results. For me, the choice of which camera to use is more about usability and how it 'inspires' me rather than pixel peeped image quality. And yes the Leica M10 does inspire me to try and do justice to the traditions of the brand.
So where do I go from here? Well to be honest I have no idea. I constantly think that I should sell the M10, but that's easier said than done. And will I get an M11, which will probably have the 47MP sensor from the S1, SL2 and Q2 ?? Well, yes I might. But then what about the rumour of a Sony made 41MP m4/3 sensor? What difference would that make? Because the capture part of digital photography is just getting better and better, driven in no small part by the remarkable advantages in smartphone sensors. I am in a position that means I don't really have to make a choice at the moment. I have recently sold a lot of gear that I rarely use but I still have 5 digital cameras. Leica M10, Leica Q2, Olympus E-M1X, Panasonic G9 and GX9. And though I've sold a lot of lenses I still have a fair number sitting on the shelf. The problem is that as well a professional photographer I'm also a photographic enthusiast. I make no apology for stating that I love cameras and lenses, film and digital. Photography is my job and my hobby. And over time this has confused and frustrated my accountants, since it affects my purchasing decisions, which are not always made with the benefit of business 'efficiency.
So I guess I'll keep using the M10 and the GX9 and see what happens. If eventually I hardly ever use the Leica then it may go, but there is every possibility that I'll start using it regularly again. And it is of course nice to have dilemmas like this.
