M10-D’s “advance lever”

[veritalens]

Just want to know what you guys think about it. I was hoping it would actually be functional, like my RD-1, and was not expecting Leica to implement something purely aesthetic. Still a very cool camera though.

 

[Godfrey]

My note to each of the ten Leica dealers who sent me announcement notes:

You can tell your contacts at Leica that the only time I'm ever going to be interested in an M10-D is when they offer a model without that stupid faux film wind lever on it. All those stupid things do is get in my way. I put up with them on film cameras as a necessity, I DON'T WANT ONE ON MY DIGITAL CAMERA. At all. EVER.

Thank you,

Beyond that it sounds like a nice enough camera, albeit that I think it breaks the notion of what a simple M should be.

I'm delighted that I have my M-D typ 262.

G

 

[Jono Slack]

Just want to know what you guys think about it. I was hoping it would actually be functional, like my RD-1, and was not expecting Leica to implement something purely aesthetic. Still a very cool camera though.

HI There

Well, it's not purely aesthetic.

Leica set out to design a thumb grip which was better than a plug in thumb grip, and which could be used (or not) as required . . . . this was what they came up with.

Walking for 18 days in Crete and carrying the camera with me all day in one hand (mostly with the 75 summicron) I learned to really appreciate it.

Any sort of functionality added to it would have caused constraints for some users:

cocking the shutter would make continuous shooting impossible

having it as an on/off switch would have made it's use compulsory

So it's simple function is as an optional thumb grip.

all the best

 

[jc1000]

My note to each of the ten Leica dealers who sent me announcement notes:

You can tell your contacts at Leica that the only time I'm ever going to be interested in an M10-D is when they offer a model without that stupid faux film wind lever on it. All those stupid things do is get in my way. I put up with them on film cameras as a necessity, I DON'T WANT ONE ON MY DIGITAL CAMERA. At all. EVER.

Thank you,

Beyond that it sounds like a nice enough camera, albeit that I think it breaks the notion of what a simple M should be.

I'm delighted that I have my M-D typ 262.

G

Wow, a bit over the top. I'm sure someone will come up with a solution to replace the lever with a simple spacer washer under the shutter release bezel. Cheers, jc

 

[Sjak]

I haven't used it myself, but I like the idea. It eliminates the need for an even uglier add-on thumb grip by integrating it in the camera-design, but also makes it non-compulsory for those who prefer the sleek camera-back. I hope it works well.

 

[Lord Lucan]

Leica should ask all potential buyers if they want their preferred inscription engraved in the blank space on "advance lever." Gold filled?

 

[veritalens]

Hi John. I looked at your site, and I love what you shot with the M10-D.

I own two M bodies, an M9 and an Rd-1. I thoroughly enjoy shooting with the Rd-1, and have been hoping for a “successor” to appear for quite some time. Which is why I was excited to see the advance lever on the M10-D.

I understand that it isn’t merely an aesthetic addition, however I don’t follow the logic of not adding an advance lever, because it would prevent people from shooting in continuous mode. Isn’t the point of purchasing a ‘stripped-down’ and simplified M that is supposed to replicate the film-shooting experience to rid oneself of those types of features?

 

[Godfrey]

My note to each of the ten Leica dealers who sent me announcement notes:

You can tell your contacts at Leica that the only time I'm ever going to be interested in an M10-D is when they offer a model without that stupid faux film wind lever on it. All those stupid things do is get in my way. I put up with them on film cameras as a necessity, I DON'T WANT ONE ON MY DIGITAL CAMERA. At all. EVER.

Thank you,

Beyond that it sounds like a nice enough camera, albeit that I think it breaks the notion of what a simple M should be.

I'm delighted that I have my M-D typ 262.

G

Wow, a bit over the top. I'm sure someone will come up with a solution to replace the lever with a simple spacer washer under the shutter release bezel. Cheers, jc

Possibly, but some things do cross my 'line in the sand' and stuff like this just irritates the heck out of me.

G

 

[olstrup]

I'm not a Leica shooter these days but used Leica M film cameras back in the day for more than 25 years so I have some hands on experience with Leica M ergonomy. I always used the flipped out advance lever as a thumb rest. I had a very secure grip on the camera with the thumb sqeezed in there between the lever and the camera body. I remember how much more unstable my M6 was to handle when I got a winder for it and didn't flip out the lever - even with the grip built in the winder. So yes, IMHO a flip out thumb rest is useful. Maybe Leica could have designed it for what it is now - a thumb rest - and not copy the M2/3 advance lever which to me is a bit over the top as far as nostalgia goes and will not provide quite the same ergonomy and comfort as a dedicated thumb rest/hook. But the flip out idea is good for anyone who uses a tightly packed bag. I could well use one on the cameras I use now.

--
"Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." (Henri Cartier-Bresson)

 

[Zvonimir Tosic]

Just want to know what you guys think about it. I was hoping it would actually be functional, like my RD-1, and was not expecting Leica to implement something purely aesthetic. Still a very cool camera though.

I don't think it is a very cool camera. It is more like a digital invalid camera, or a digital Frankenstein's monster camera, patched together with the remains from the graveyard of the photography history, that requires a lighting rod of "life" to come through the smartphone app to be operated, or remotely controlled. When the lightning strikes, and after a while, the camera speaks with a slow voice, "Master, I am at your service…". Or something like that.

However, the issue here is the ergonomics of a camera line that was never worked out to be entirely successful. Leica M without a grip is not good with any moderate or larger lens. Not even the rangefinder works well then.

Leica M with a grip (attached via the bottom plate) is more usable than a regular M and hardly needs "thumb rests".

Similarly, Konica Hexar, a fully automatic film transfer camera, (but which is based on film Leica M with 35mm Cron), has improved grip, contoured on its body, and needs no manual film advance lever to rest one's thumb on. Why?

Because in Konica Hexar the form follows the function: camera is not advancing film manually, it is fully automatic, and thus has a dedicated small grip, sufficient to balance the smaller lens.

Despite bragging about it, Leica NEVER satisfied that formula. With Leica, form NEVER follows the function. Simple Konica Hexar succeeded, and it is a camera with superior ergonomics.

Therefore bare Leica always begs for something else, some freaky attachment, some silly appendix, because the ergonomics of the camera out of the box is.not.good. It is nice to look at because of visual geometric simplicity, but it is not very good when using it.

Konica Hexar has superior ergonomics, and needs no film advance lever to be balanced

 

[Godfrey]

Therefore bare Leica always begs for something else, some freaky attachment, some silly appendix, because the ergonomics of the camera out of the box is.not.good

I've never used any thumb rest appendages on my Leica M cameras. I've never used the film advance lever on any of my film cameras as a thumb rest. The plain, bare Leica M-D or M4-2 fits my hands perfectly, with perfect ergonomics.

I put up with the advance lever on the M4-2 because I have to have some way to advance the film, unless I fit a winder. I leave it folded unless I'm winding the film, or trying to turn the shutter speed selector without the Leicameter MR-4 fitted.

If they make the M10-D's faux wind lever an optional accessory, it would improve the camera by a good bit.

G

 

[TheClueless]

[No message]

 

[Zephir 750]

My note to each of the ten Leica dealers who sent me announcement notes:

You can tell your contacts at Leica that the only time I'm ever going to be interested in an M10-D is when they offer a model without that stupid faux film wind lever on it. All those stupid things do is get in my way. I put up with them on film cameras as a necessity, I DON'T WANT ONE ON MY DIGITAL CAMERA. At all. EVER.

Thank you,

Agreed 100%.

 

[olstrup]

[No message]

 

[Irakly Shanidze]

Like I mentioned before... This "advance lever" reminds me of fake Rolex Daytona chronographs with non-functional subdials. Looks very cool at a distance

 

[jacketpotato]

Just want to know what you guys think about it. I was hoping it would actually be functional, like my RD-1, and was not expecting Leica to implement something purely aesthetic. Still a very cool camera though.

It's there to safeguard "street" photographers voyeur's let's say that intrude upon others.

These angry others will look at film lever think it is analog then relax more as they won't think their image is being posted on dpreview instagram 500pix flickr without their consent.

 

[jffielde]

It's ludicrous confirmation that Leica cameras continue to drift into becoming fashion jewelry more than photographic tools. I don't really care that Leica continues to release new "models" in different colors so that people can make sure they have a camera that matches their shoes, so long as they continue to have people on staff who care about taking powerful photos with a thoughtfully designed instrument.