These long form uploads have been a real joy. 🙏🏾 I’m loving my M11, I didn’t think I would be able to get use to a true rangefinder coming from an X-Pro. But now it feels like the only way I can truly feel like I’m capturing the moment. This shooting experience has retrained my eyes. Keep it up Gajan! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Well said. And thank you ✌🏾

Love your passion for the camera - I just got my M11 and concur. I've had many M cameras, and although my film Ms are still my favourites, the M11 is the closest to that experience yet.

Gajan, I love how your channel keeps evolving⚡️ It’s inspiring.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Mick 🙏🏾

My experience with the Leica M11 aligns with yours. Wow, I enjoy this camera.

I’m not a Leica shooter and I may never be, BUT I can totally understand why someone would buy this camera. Every camera is an extension of one’s creativity. Some cameras work amazing for some and not so amazing for others. Glad you enjoyed it. Great to see what the camera has to offer.

I have the M11 50 Lux and 90 f/2 APO. I have the Visoflex too! Love it!

+1 vote for the double exposure feature, number one thing i've wanted since owning a q2 for the past couple years

Jumped from my Xpro3 into the Hasselblad X2D system as it is more ergonomic and compact than the Fuji GFX. However, I am starting to struggle as the system does not always match my needs (which I knew but ignored 😅). The M11Mono may be just what I need… 🖖🙃

i love this video, my dream camera!

Great video and agree with your thoughts and experiences with the M11. I sold my M10 to get this one and while the files of the M11 are arguably better than the M10, it's all the conveniences it now offers that makes it so good. The only area that I disagree is the Fotos app. The new firmware upgrade made it better, but it's still hit and miss for me. Finally, I too haven't had any issues with mine.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Agreed! Enjoy the journey ✌🏾

Great Video. I love my M camera’s and look forward to adding the M11 this summer. The most perfect part of your whole video, to me, was the part about cameras as tools. I agree, there is more to it than just the camera being a tool. Great job!

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Glenn, appreciate the kind words 🙏🏾

Great to see you back. Just couldn’t afford an m11 so have old m10r instead.

wow, great video, great pacing, informative... so well done, congrats, and thanks.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Anne ✌🏾

I've a Wüsthof, a made in Germany chef's cleaver which I've used daily for the last 35 years and it's as good as new. It started as a tool but has grown to become an extension of me. Now I'm saving to buy a Leica M10P. Like the Wüsthof, I know how the story will end. Thank you.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Well said Tashi. Thank you for sharing 🙏🏾

I’m impatiently waiting for the M11P to come out so I can buy one of these M11s used for cheaper 😂

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha, not a bad strategy at all

I have the original M10 and I don’t see any reason to upgrade. With that said, I truly understand your thoughts about the M11, and there’s not that many cameras from 2017 that feels so fresh and solid than the M10. So I bet you can enjoy this M11 for a long period of time! (The funny thing about the M-series is that it’s so unique and beautiful, strangers tells me on the street, and still it’s design is almost 100 years old. With a timeless and simple design you get a tool that never feels old and/or boring) 👌

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Well said and so accurate. There’s also such a joy to use these cameras over a a long period of time and have them patina as you grow.

Only one thing matters : having pleasure to shoot, and being happy when you look at your pictures. The remainder has no importance. For me, the magic with any M cameras is mainly due to the pleasure you have to build your picture from A to Z manually. With my M, -M262 and M10Monochrome- my pictures are not better, not worst, but my pleasure is clearly higher ! Actually I shoot as if it was a film camera : at my own rhythm and sparingly. With a single 50mm most of the time. Pure pleasure (for me).

Thanks for your candid (hopefully) review. I wish I had the dough to afford not buying one with a good Leica lens, which I probably could, but to have it stolen, lost or broken. Your pictures are wonderful, congratulations.

I like your feature requests (double exposure, using the jpg recipes for a tiff, etc). I wouldn’t have thought of them myself, but now I want them.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Right? Would love to see them get added over time.

@spyhardman

Жыл бұрын

Also related to jpeg conversion: I wish more cameras would let you do conversions at will after the fact like Fuji. I’d like to take my DNG and run it through a couple of different profiles right on the camera; I’d probably do 75% of my final edits that way if I could.

Dangit, Gajan. I’m trying so so hard to be content with my M10s 😭

@A1000Truths

Жыл бұрын

They work and make money in photography. Simple as that.

@billyabroad8057

Жыл бұрын

@@davidmurray5926 Anyone in the western world can afford a Leica if it’s what they really want bad enough. These gentleman are masters at their craft “photography” and therefore can afford such a premium tool. Your comment comes off as jealousness due to your lack of abundance mindset.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

@David Murray the answer’s right in front of you but I don’t think you wanna accept it. The reality is that most people don’t have the creative execution and business acumen to subsidize their tools through their photographic work. And for some, rather than acquire the knowledge, they instead make salty comments on KZread. I hope you find some happiness in the future ✌🏾

@Fleet42

Жыл бұрын

@@billyabroad8057 he’s a hater!

@azzalos

Жыл бұрын

@@billyabroad8057 very well said my brother. Abundance mindset.

Don't know if I'll ever be able to justify purchasing a Leica but they are fun to shoot with!

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Agreed!

I’ll get there sooner rather than later lol I just got a new to me m240 that I’ve been lusting after for 8 years, no regrets at all.

Thank you for an excellent review.

@GajanBalan

9 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching ✌🏾

Nice Video. I second nearly every point you're talking about. But get the summilux 28 or the apo-summicron 50, and you will be blown away by the quality.

You managed to describe the essence of Leica M uniqueness so well 👌

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching ✌🏾

Awesome photos.

Nice informations here, thanks for sharing your thoughts

@GajanBalan

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching ✌🏾

Dammit. Much love. ❤️

Great video! Which on camera flash are you using with the M11 there?

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

EFX20, it’s a discontinued flash from Fujifilm.

I love my M11. The last update destroyed the software so much that I would have to go to a Leica store to have it reset. 😅 Hardware is really fantastic.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

No way? Hopefully it’s sorted out.

Been following you since your Fuji days Gajan...Like you I switched from Fuji to Leica as well. I have the M11 and M10-Mono. Curious to see if you'll pick up a M11-Mono when that comes out (rumors say its soon)... Keep up the great work man!! Love your channel, and love to see you like Leica. Love the engraving Leica did on your camera!! What lenses do you have for your M11??? Would love to learn what your Leica kit entails. Thanks Gaj, keep up the great work bro...

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thank you, the next video is actually a review of all the lenses for my M kit.

@forgottenamericana

Жыл бұрын

@@GajanBalan sweeeet! Looking forward to it! Thank you bro

Experienced some lockups this week on my m11. Some issues with focus aid and i feel like the processor in the camera is slower than mass consumer brands. If you clicked playback too quickly, it could get lock up and require a battery reset. With that said….. Still think Leica cameras have the ability to connect easier with people or when you’re trying to take pictures of strangers. Having a mirrorless with a large prime lens makes it quite intrusive and is just too unpleasant to bring around.

Hey @Gajan are you still using the GFX100s? How does it pair with your M11?

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

I haven’t used it in months 😬

Love the idea of an M11 but do you think you could use it commercially for lifestyle, brand work?

Great video! You mention that you use the user profiles to have settings for special circumstances. Would you be willing to let us know how you set up your M11. I’d really like to see if this would affect how I use my own camera. Thanks!

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I’ll have four profiles and this is the general idea… Street: B&W with 1600 ISO ceiling Night: B&W with 6400 ISO ceiling Bright: Colour with 400 ISO locked Studio: Colour with 100 ISO locked There’s other settings tweaked, but these are the key parameters right now.

Dear Gajan, great video. I would like some advice on a 35mm M mount lens for M-11 (non-Leica brand as I am an amateur photographer with some budget concerns). Do you have any recommendations? Cheers.

Hey Gajan, where did you get the Leica black sticker (used to cover the red logo on your M11)?

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

This was from eBay. There was a seller that had red dots scrapped and painted black. Worked like charm.

All great points! I love my M11 but am having issues that I know/hope Leica will be able to fix (locking up still). With that said when I saw that terrarium in the background I thought it was weed! LMAO! I was like damn Gajan...the camera was that good?! :D Love your content. That photo of the school girl is amazing!

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Hahahaha, maaaan… it looked so much more different in person and then I looked at the footage on cam and well, yea people gonna see this differently 😂

Great review with very good insights and information. I wish all reviewers had your ability to "get" a camera.

I love my M11 as well. I need a small fill flash for those sunset portrait moments on a cruise without the reflectors. What are you using please?

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Moved to a Profoto solution with the A10x and A2. Works great.

Hey, if you have to choose between GFX100s and Leica M11 witch one would you keep

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Personally? I already made that choice. M11.

Nice vid, Gajan. I guess your vid is going to cost me again ;-). The M is indeed a camera that makes you want to go out and shoot. As a fashion/beauty photographer I’ve been around the block when it comes to cameras: Canon, Sony, Fujifilm and Nikon. However, last year when both Profoto and Capture One started to fully support Leica, I’ve switched completely. Always had an M7 and M10-R for personal work, but now also a couple of SL2’s and an SL2-S. The menus are indeed fantastic and so is the Foto App. Hands-down the best of all I’ve tried. It can easily be your tilted LCD screen. Best of all, though is that I can use my M glass (28 cron, 50 lux and 90 apo) on the SL’s too, while maintaining the same IQ. Right next to the fabulous APO-SL lenses. My ab fav is the 50 summilux-m. It is gorgeous, esp in dim light.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Congrats! Enjoy the journey ✊🏾

Great review Gajan. I recently bought an M11 and love it. By the way as someone who speaks for a living (trial attorney), I have to say that you speak really well. Your observations are clear and concise, and your delivery is very good. You could have been an actor. BTW, what is that design in red on the top of the camera. Is that a map?

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, Scott. Truly appreciate the kind words. It’s a map of my homeland, spoke about it toward the end of this video kzread.info/dash/bejne/h3uqzM6BksnViKw.html

Have you installed the new firmware 1.6.1 fix freezing 🥶

That "Grab the camera just to feel it" Yeah...... I know that feeling really well

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha, yup!

I would love this camera and came very close to buying one, but for $9000… 😬 Maybe when I tire of lugging around my larger camera and lens, I would def buy one with a nifty fifty and the 28, but for the time, the X100V fills the minimalist role I like.

@reyjoson7895

Жыл бұрын

agree. But for me, I can't even afford the x100v.

@mvonwalter6927

Жыл бұрын

Buy a Leica M240 which is 90% of this camera's strengths for about $2500 used in mint condition.

Inspired 🙏🏾

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thank you brother ✊🏾

Love the video and your perspective. If all goes well, I’ll be picking up a M11 tomorrow morning. I do have a question about this in that, where did you get the “black sticker” for your M11?

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Found it on eBay. Clean!

@michaelacedeno

Жыл бұрын

Can also use a small piece of black gaff tape 😉

how did you find the ease of focusing with this rangefinder on the go? thx

@GajanBalan

5 ай бұрын

I enjoy it. There’s a learning curve but once you put the time with the lenses, it feels like second nature. Especially with respect to zone focusing.

What's that engraving on top of the camera supposed to be??

Thinking of trading all my Nikon gear for the m11, but I am on the fence

I would love a double exposure mode.

Hi Gajan, what was the name of the camera strap? Thanks

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Ona Sevilla

I was thinking, I would like to own a Leica someday because they are build like sturdy tanks. I use a X-T2 for about 7 years now and I feel like that the X-T5 is finally a worthy upgrade. But everywhere I read, and hear on youtube is that the XT5 feels cheap on dials, knobs and screen. I have owned a Oly OM-D 5MII and this camera felt more solid than the X-T2 does. It feels like that a lot of brands are downsizing built quality to keep the sales high. So I am going to use my X-T2 till it dies, no need to upgrade. Leica is expensive but it is made in Europe and they are sturdy solid tanks. Just a thought that came up to me. I need to rent a Leica M11 to experience what it is all about. But Fuji GFX is also nice for landscapes and portraits... (man.. here we go! shut up my monkey mind.) Your photo's are stunning!

As I approach my 50th I am sitting on the fence on getting my first Leica, leaning towards the M11-P and the 35mm F1.4 lens, its such a hard decision when I have got a significant amount of Sony gear with me. Your in-depth candid video is helping me make the decision. Will let you know if I get it!

@GajanBalan

6 ай бұрын

Good luck, and wishing you an awesome 50th ✌🏾

@thinkpadx60

4 ай бұрын

@@GajanBalan I must thank you again for your inputs. I picked up the M11P today and the SUMMICRON-M 28 f/2 ASPH III 11618 (0.4m minimum focusing) from the Leica store in Hong Kong. Hope I picked up a decent lens to start off with.

@GajanBalan

4 ай бұрын

@@thinkpadx60 Congrats! Put that thing to work and enjoy the journey.

Excellent

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching ✌🏾

What color profile are these images... I dont have a Summilux, its a Summicron 50 f2, and Elmarit 28, Distagon 35mm 1.4. Zeiss and couple of Voigts... each lens has such different colors. I love your colors ... so would appreciate if you share the secret !

Haven’t seen it asked but what flash are ya using in your thumbnail pic? Been looking for a small flash like that I can throw on my SL2-S

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

It’s the discontinued Fujifilm EF-X20. Pretty pricey nowadays but such a great little flash.

@michaelacedeno

Жыл бұрын

@@GajanBalan Still less than Profoto ;-)

where did you get de black leica dot? really nice

@GajanBalan

6 ай бұрын

Found someone on eBay that paints the originals black, but I don’t see them listing it anymore.

M2 for me 😁

Can I ask where you got that shutter button? Many Thanks.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Aliexpress, skull shutter

Mostly agree with all you say in the video :) Most photographer tell me « man this camera is so expensive » and … yes it is! But most of the photog I met got like a Canon R5, a 24-70 2.8, 70-200 2.8 a 35 and or a 85… It’s almost the same amount :) The internal storage, the battery life are just game changer for me. All the lens you have access to is phenomenal (because no, there isn’t only expensive Leica lenses who work great… My go to kit is a 28 Ultron from Voigt and the Lux 50 :) ). And as you say, THAT menu system and THAT app… c’mon FujiCanikoSony… you can do that too… It was hard at the beginning, but it’s clearly my favorite camera, ever…

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Totally agree. And that 50 Lux is tempting me…!

@Reportageandart

Жыл бұрын

I know!!! So true! And then they upgrade it in 2 years for the latest Canon or Sony etc.

are you editing your M11 files in Lightroom or Capture one?

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Capture One

Your photography is fantastic on whatever camera you’re using. I’d love to sell everything and get one camera and one lens. But probably not this camera.

That's my only real gripe with Leica. The manual focus with the range finder in bad light. I have spent so much of my life manually focusing and as much as it slows me down to consider the image one of two things usually happens: 1. I miss moments 2. My composition suffers because I'm overly focused on manually focusing, and don't notice my framing got wonky or something. This doesn't matter at hyperfocal distances, so I feel more free to work a scene and things, but as soon as I'm in non-ideal light I lose all confidence in the tool and start worrying.

@-grey

Жыл бұрын

Also, I totllay recommend one of those handmade wood grips that you attach with a plate to the tripod mount. I got one mostly for the mounting options, but it makes such a huge difference to the grip comfort while not adding much to the profile once the lens is on the body.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I’ll have to check it out. I try to keep the weight down but some of these pieces are so useful.

Just out of curiosity what is that red scribble on the top plate?

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Much more than a scribble kzread.info/dash/bejne/h3uqzM6BksnViKw.html

I don't know about you, I shoot multiple different cameras almost daily and pretty much never need menus for anything. And if I need menu, there is usually an interface to make an easy access to functions that matter to you. Maybe there is something wrong with Leica's UI, since it seems all M users have to browse menus :)

@GajanBalan

2 ай бұрын

Lol that’s cute. Good luck with your photography Oleg ✌🏾

Nice video. Could you please give me the reference of the cable you've used for the EX-20 flash on the M11 ? thank you :)

@GajanBalan

9 ай бұрын

It’s an off-camera speedlite cord. It’s not TTL so I use this one here amzn.to/3PxCBGh

@scronier896

9 ай бұрын

@@GajanBalan Thank you for your answer :)

Btw i also have the 35mm lux fle ii and the lens is indeed the holygrail

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Totally agree! Enjoy the journey ✌🏾

I think you forgot a major improvement for the Leica M serie : a pop-up flash !!! Just kidding. Great video.

Can I ask you kindly where do you buy the red sticker on the top of your camera? I want to spoil my m11 😍

@lydiajoann2306

Жыл бұрын

If you mean the linework on the top of the camera, then it's an engraving done by leica :)

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Much more than a sticker kzread.info/dash/bejne/h3uqzM6BksnViKw.html

Yo. Nice to hear you talk. Let's meet up soon...

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Yes brother ✊🏾

Tamizhan pola irukKe ? Aana American polavum irukke ? One of the most confident photographers on KZread who has a great eye... kudos!

I have this camera and I downloaded the latest firmware and it's still freezing up!!! I don't know what I should do? But still, m11 my favorite camera 📷

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Interesting. I would take advantage of the warranty while you can. Better to explore every avenue to land with a working camera.

@HN-sk2lr

Жыл бұрын

@@GajanBalan thank u for prompt response

Which flash is the one at 6:42?

@GajanBalan

11 ай бұрын

It’s the discontinued Fuji EF-X20. Can find it online on some places but pricey.

Where can I get the shutter button

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Aliexpress had it, skull soft shutter button

One of the best videos on photography I've seen in a while.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Thank you 🙏🏾

The efx20 suits the Leica considering how much those are selling for now lol

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

😂

why did you retire the 100s?

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Probably deserves a video but it largely came down to where my work is going. Less studio, more in the field, dynamic, and a healthy amount of video. Great camera, but I find myself not using it as much.

Taking pics while standing behind the cricket bat...brave man!! lol

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha

I love my M, but I wear glasses and it just doesn't work well with them

After watching this I'm again reconsidering selling my M10 and get an M11😅

It used to be the x100V

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

It did

I do also love that it’s like $1USD per photo hahahaha

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha 😂 what’s wilder is that it’s still cheaper than Kodak film per shot 😂

I''d love to know what it's like to shoot on a leica, but I can't afford that lol.

I am surprised neither you, nor anyone else, is mentioning the MAJOR problems with the digital M cameras' fragility. Mine has no tolerance for moisture, even slight moisture that my Leica SL handles perfectly well. Also, the camera is not dust resistant, and neither are the lenses, so over time, you are likely to end up with dust both inside the viewfinder and between lens elements (has happened to me). Finally, it handles physical shocks very poorly, since the rangefinder is easily knocked out of allignment. All in all, it is not an "all weather camera" at all.

@GajanBalan

7 ай бұрын

Two years of using this all over the world in all types of conditions, I have yet to have this kind of issue. That’s unfortunate.

@thomashilmersen711

7 ай бұрын

@@GajanBalan Yes, you have been lucky. My M246 has failed on me numerous times on mountain hikes, due to moisture. My brother has a Leica MP that he accidentally bumped. He had to send it to Germany to have it fixed, at a cost of more than 1000 dollars. Wrt dust, my Leica M lenses now have lots of dust inside them, simply due to several years of being used on the street in big cities with a lot of traffic.

I will love buying this camera in 10 years when its hopefully affordable for me haha

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Haha, fair fair

Under this outrageous price it is best camera to own, for sure. I bet you are writing it off from your taxes as business expense. For the rest of us ... No dust reduction on sensor camera, in 2023... No service in Canada brand, either, while Leica service is nowhere close to Canon Brampton by all means. I do own some Ms, but those are not cameras I would take to Toronto downtown during blizzard forecasted for tonight. :)

One thing I don’t understand: why do you even take the SD card out of the camera?

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Faster offload, especially for those large raw files.

@pmgalves1977

Жыл бұрын

@@GajanBalan interesting, from my tests, with a 100mbps cable, it’s around 80% as fast, which doesn’t compensate the rest (for me)

I wish the battery life of SL2s had the same kind of energy.. they just die so fast.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Same, two batteries a day when I’m using the SL2-s.

We need some way to embarrass the other companies into doing something about their crap apps!! I'm so jealous seeing the Leica app.

8:13 Say their name. SONY. They need to be named and shamed because I’m sick of their BS. My a1 shouldn’t be missing features that a $2500 camera has

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

It’s not just them but they may be the biggest culprit here.

beautiful but seems way overpriced like most Leicas. Very happy with my XE4

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Not for everyone 🤷🏾‍♂️

@adrian-qr6zk

Жыл бұрын

@@GajanBalan yeah for sure!

You guys a hilarious. 9K for just the camera with freezing issues. You guys are suffering from the sunk cost effect.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Haven’t had the camera freeze on me in months, but okay 🤷🏾‍♂️

“I’m not sure any other solution could have done these photographic moments justice…” Is what we all tell ourselves when justifying the cost of our gear. You should be a salesman. Not sure I’m buying it, but noteworthy hyperbole nonetheless.

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Maybe, but having used so many different brands for work I can’t help but feel that way for my personal journey. To each their own.

Gajan, I have a lot of respect for you as a photographer and KZreadr, but this is one instance where I think you are not being objective at all. I mean, it's okay that Leica take their time in fixing their issues "because they operate on a different timeline"?!? Come on! Things that are inexcusable (and rightly so) for any other company, are cute quirks for Leica? A whole video on the M11, and not one negative thing to say? At most some suggestions that would make a perfect camera even more so? I appreciate that you received excellent customer service from them with the personalized engraving and all, but there should be more to a review, at least by someone of your calibre. You are by no means the only person to do this- I mean if any other company had had the QC issues that Leica have had (on a body that costs as much as a car), they would have been slaughtered, while here they are being praised for their excellent customer service. So, I'm not truly surprised, it's just that I was expecting something different from you. Oh well.... On a side note, your images are as excellent as ever!

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

respect deez nuts

You made this video to cope with the price

@GajanBalan

6 ай бұрын

Yep, that’s how I spend my weekends. Writing and filming elaborate KZread videos as a coping mechanism for my spending habits 😂🤦🏾‍♂️

@Johnny5tele

Ай бұрын

If you cant afford the camera, don’t get upset because other more successful people can…simple.

Stopped watching immediately after the word “jpegs” 😂 man…

@GajanBalan

Жыл бұрын

Triggered by jpegs? Damn… good luck with that ✌🏾

Unfortunately, no diopter compensation - I can't take pictures with this camera at all.

@hellatightdude

Жыл бұрын

Can’t you buy diaptor compensators that screw into the viewfinder?