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What happens when a Hasselblad photographer spends several months living with a Leica M11-P? After five years of shooting Hasselblad cameras—including the X2D II, 907X, and CFV 100C—I finally added Leica’s iconic rangefinder camera to my personal kit. In this video, I share my honest long-term experience with the Leica M11-P, comparing its manual focus, rangefinder, image quality, color science, white balance, ergonomics, build quality, Leica lenses, and overall user experience to the Hasselblad system.
Rather than another Leica review or camera comparison based on specifications, this video explores how two premium camera systems approach photography from completely different philosophies. You’ll see why the Leica M changed the way I photograph, what surprised me about its everyday workflow, where Hasselblad still excels, and why both systems have earned a permanent place in my camera bag.
If you’re interested in Leica M11-P, Leica M cameras, Hasselblad X2D II, 907X, medium format photography, rangefinder photography, manual focus, architectural photography, premium camera systems, or choosing between Leica and Hasselblad, this video is for you.
I’d also love to hear from experienced Leica photographers. If you’ve found solutions to any of the challenges I mention, please share them in the comments so we can all learn from your experience.
#leica #Hasselblad #camerareview
Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:35 The Rangefinder Experience
05:28 Unexpected Technical Surprises
10:29 Built Quality & Portability
12:14 Lenses
14:54 Conclusion
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First time hearing you and I love the way you honestly talk about cameras with no sugar cotting. I shoot with Sony cameras and a Leica Q2 that I love and I think about Hasselblad a lot for some time now… I guess you convinced me to go the Blad way!
What about Leica M EV1?
After sending my M10 to the factory for repair three times with the issue still unresolved, I have reached a personal conclusion about Leica's digital M series: it is a brand with poor electronics, outdated technology, and the worst after-sales service I have ever seen. It doesn't come close to Japanese camera brands in terms of stability. My advice to anyone who likes manual focusing and traditional shutter speed and ISO dials: buy a Nikon Zf and an electronic adapter with the green box focus confirmation feature.
Very honest review 👏
I had the Leica 35 mm steel rim on my M11-P for a very short time as it provided me with the same frustrations as you are articulating in this video. I realize it is a reissue and that it comes from a time and place when perfect sharpness was not considered required by most photographers. But in fact what I am using now with great satisfaction is perhaps what some may consider to be an older, less expensive and potentially poorer quality, M10-R. That M paired with a 50 mm F2.summarit and the 35 equivalent of the same lens. I love the M10-R colour science and get a lot of satisfaction of having it with me wherever I go. I hope you learn to love your M11-P as time goes on. I thoroughly enjoyed your review. Do yourself a favour and try some more modern Leica lenses. I just ordered the 21mm Ksana. Fingers crossed! Thank you, Mark.
Leica Rangefinder Cameras and Lenses are disgustingly expensive (not saying not worth it). When I had my M240 with 28mm Elmarit and 50mm Summilux I had a blast. Then I traded all for a Leica Q-116 and I started having more fun. I think Leica Q and SL line ups are better for most people, but there is nothing wrong with trying an M for a while. It is like owning a 911, conversation piece.
Dude has been driving a Bugatti since he got his license and one day gets to drive a Porsche and doesn’t like it… meanwhile, most of us driving Volkswagen
5:00 부터 하시는 말씀이 정말 와닿습니다. 즉, 선생님께서 하신 말씀을 듣기 전까지 저는 미처 깨닫지 못한 점이라는 거죠. 솔직하고 담백하지만 라이카 카메라의 정수라 할 만한 말씀 감사합니다. 특히 결론 부분은 끊임 없이 핫셀블라드 쪽에 관심을 갖던 제게 결정적으로 마음을 정리할 수 있는 계기가 되었습니다. 전적으로 개인 취미 영역인 제게 핫셀블라드는 맞지 않는 옷이 될 것 같다는 확신이 생겼습니다. ㅎㅎㅎ
Your observation on close focus is why I bought and use the newest 35mm Summilux, so I can go very close. I pair that to my M-EV1 so I can close focus but it would work equally well with the M11 and the Visoflex 2.
I forgot to mention the steel rims softness made me change my mind and i purchased summicron 35mm its super sharp and the cheapest 35mm.
Hello, I have been using my leica m11 for 2 years and I never had a charging issue. Is your software updated? I use my iPhone charger to charge it. For your storage issue you know that I never used my internal memory since its small 65gb. I’m used to SD cards and its easier to insert it into the laptop directly.
That’s why I didn’t upgrade from M10-R
This review destroys the Leica. Thank God mine is ok..
No regret for using Leica …… especially M9P + Noctilux 35mm f1.2 asph
Thoughtful typography definitely improves the process of taking photos. Always
Nice review, but I am puzzled you bought a very old design (1961) to judge image quality. Why not use the current Summilux FLE version 2? You simply can’t judge the m11 with a subpar lens (from today’s point of view).
Two completely different cameras for different kinda style. Let's not compare it. Hassalblad x2d mark 2 is a beast of camera. There's no camera exist other than phase one (imo) who can match the color science of Hasselblad. You compose your shot and its final. You don't need to do anything with it.
Thanks of the video, was interesting to hear your opinions about those cameras.
Perfect review! I totally subscribe all his critical remarks. Starting with an R5 and mainly a 100mm ASPH lens, I had some great experience with this brand. Then I moved to the M240 when it came out, together with 35 and 90 ASPH lenses and a 21mm. Genuinely underwhelmed by the performance with exactly the same critical points mentioned in this video (exposure is a nightmare). Naturally there is whole fan community out there, which lives and breathes only by Leica. But the Emperor has no clothes. It seems that the most important element is the red dot for many customers. For them Leica has become a luxury item to own together with a Ferrari and some Louis Vuitton luggage. I visited the old Solms factory when I bought the M240 and I could feel that the former chief engineer was not so happy about the move to digital. Some years later I visited the new center in Wetzlar (a 6000 km journey): my Leica guide just left me standing there as he was more interested in taking care of a professional photographer. You could see him handle the cleaning of a sensor on YT, which demonstrated clearly that careful precision work is no longer the main characteristic of Leica. In another life, I would have switched to Hasselblad, but now I am a retired amateur and my financial means don’t allow that anymore.
This camera sounds awful 😅
"I stopped caring about about latest camera specs". Shoots with Hasselblad.
Its like when a billionaire says "I stopped caring about money."
Great to see you’ve taken the plunge into a lighter design. I use the Visoflex2 which is great for alignment, as well as wider and longer lenses. Take a look at Mandler lenses for a low cost and sharp option.
The steel rim should not be your first and or only lens. The 35mm Summicron ASPH or APO is technically better. The steel rim is a gimmick for Leica to cash in on the trend of Chinese manufacturers recreating old lenses. Thanks for the video. I'm considering a X2D2…maybe I should sell some Leicas lol.
Having owned Analogue Leicas I had a similar frustration with framing inaccuracies. Ive even made the same mistake with leaving the lens cap on. i’ve owned digital and film Nikon SLRs, Hasselblad 203FE and now X2D, but I still miss the Leica. Despite the rangefinder limitations, the M is a joy to shoot with. Would I trade my X2D for an M? No way!
Great video. Unraveling the mysteries of the iconic Leica and its LEGENDARY manual-focus lenses.
It would be excellent if a photographer as skilled as you made more videos about the M11-P, as well as M-mount lenses adapted for the Hasselblad. The “Steel Rim” lens isn’t exactly a model of great build quality or aesthetics. However, it would be worth trying out the 35mm Summilux f/1.4 FLE II; I’d really love to hear your take on it.
Great review. I like to share my experience with USB-C charging and the 35mm Steel Rim. If you tried to charge the camera using your laptop — yes, that can cause the issues you highlighted. However, try charging the camera using a standard wall charger, and you should be fine.
The Steel Rim 35mm — that's a classic lens, supposed to offer that vintage rendering. The Zeiss 50mm f/1.5 C Sonnar is another example; the latter uses the same lens construction Zeiss used in the 1930s. That's not tack-sharp like modern lenses, and I have seen many complain about it. 🙂 If you need corner-to-corner sharpness, I suggest considering the Voigtlander APO 35mm f/2. Or, if you don't mind the size and weight, the Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 ZM is a fantastic lens. I have hardly used my Fuji GFX 100S since I bought the Leica M11-P.
Mounting the camera in macOS is likely to be an issue with the OS rather than the camera. I did not encounter this issue when mounting the camera on Linux. However, I have spoken to Apple Support, and they agreed to raise a request for enhancement.
I think your review is spot on. Your requirements for tools are similar to mine, and the experience has been similar. tbh for my life record shots and every day carry, I've gone back to my Ricoh GR IIIx. Fits in a pocket, lovely raw files that have a Renaissance light quality to them, and just works – the camera captures the moment and it can then go back in my pocket allowing me to be part of the moment.
My reflections on the M11-P:
1. Monochrome is better than colour for the reasons you mention about white balance, color science etc. Arguably the Leica RAW files make better monochromes than the Hasselblads, for my visual taste and post production skills anyway.
2. Perspective control – the perspective control mode (with Live view) is genuinely useful for precise framing and allowing me to see how the final perspective corrected RAW file will look and avoiding wasting pixels. This makes such a difference for architectural work.
3. Metering – yea, I use the in camera spot meter meter, or a Sekonic spot meter, to ensure I get the exposure control I need for critical shots.
4. The M11-P is an amazing camera, but it's use cases are very specific for specific people, and if you use it like that it is amazing, but it is not a jack of all trades.
5. The real strength of Leica is the M lens system which allows you to select a lens with the technical characteristics and visual character that suits the story you are telling. Hasselblad lenses are amazing for a slice of visual perfection, but if I want a different look then it all needs done in post.
Several comments below have suggested that the solution to your Leica lens problem would be current Leica lenses, which are stunningly good, rather than a heritage or vintage throw-back lens from many decades ago. As for your Auto White Balance problem, one may ask, "Why use it?" If you're outside, just set the camera to Daylight, or if you're inside under artificial light, set it to Tungsten, and so forth—very simple, easy, and basic. Also, keep your camera updated with the latest firmware as Leicas are constantly being improved. Leica M cameras are for enjoying photography (and for enjoying the cameras as objects themselves), not for pursuing perfection. No one looking at a Cartier-Bresson photograph ever objected that the focus wasn't perfect, the exposure was off, the framing wasn't precise, or the film grain was too visible. Great photography is about more than such stuff (even if commercial photography may require it).
Yet another product promoting video….🤮🤮🤮