It’s confusing how many Leica M10 versions there are out there. And it’s not fully clear what the differences between the models are either! In this article I’ll show you exactly what the differences are between the different Leica M10 models. Let’s dig in:
List of Leica M10 versions
| Name | Megapixels | Difference | Get it here: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Leica M10 | 24 | Original | Check on ebay |
| 2. Leica M10-P | 24 | Dropped the red dot | Check on ebay |
| 3. Leica M10-D | 24 | No screens | Check on ebay |
| 4. Leica M10-R | 40 | Upgraded sensor | Check Price |
| 5. Leica M10 Monochrom | 40 | Black and white only | Check Price |
| 6. Leica M10 Leitz Wetzlar | 40 | Special edition | Check Price |
What is a Leica M10?
The Leica M10 is the successor of the Leica M240. As an M camera is takes M-mount lenses. These cameras usually are used for street photography, portraits and travels. Before getting into the biggest Leica M10 versions differences, here’s the common points:
What every M10 camera has in common
Here’s what the different Leica M10 versions share:
- All of them are M-mount and manual focus
- They pretty much have the same design and build quality
- They are sealed so they can resist dust and some rain
- They all have optical rangefinders (viewfinder)
- They are all compatible with the Visoflex EVF (Even the M10-D)
- They all have wifi
- They share the same BP-SCL5 Battery
- They all have high megapixel counts
Now, for all intents and purposes they are all the same camera physically but each version carries key differences…
Leica M10 versions differences
| Reasons to buy | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Amazing camera ✔️ Cheapest M10 ✔️ 50,000 max ISO ✔️ Built in Wifi | 🛑 Lack of video? |
If we are to talk about the Leica M10 versions we have to talk about the original. It follows the Leica M Typ 240 and it ditches the video recording mode of the that camera and also halves the battery life. It is also slightly smaller than the 240 line and has the same megapixel count of 24 but has an updated sensor and processor. The M10 reverts back to no video, that is not important for most Leica photographers because these are primarily photographer tools, if you really want video check out the Leica Q2.
| Reasons to buy | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Same as M10 ✔️ Dropped the red dot logo ✔️ Added touchscreen | 🛑 None |
Next in our list of the Leica M10 versions, the -P model. Because of their status Leicas tend to draw attention. The Leica M10-P is practically the same as the M10, it has however dropped the red logo making it a more stealthy camera. The biggest “upgrade” is a touchscreen.
| Reasons to buy | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Film shooting feeling ✔️ No LCD, no preview ✔️ EV dial ✔️ Film lever / thmb grip ✔️ All main controls are on camera | 🛑 Every other setting must be changed in-app |
There’s something to be said about shooting film. There’s a zen to it, the immersion of just being alone with your images without having to deal with settings and a myriad of buttons. Film comes with its downsides like getting rare by the day and the film will most likely end up being scanned. The M10-D solves this by being an all digital camera that shoots like film.
There is no LCD so you have no idea of what you shot, and all of the main controls like aperture, shutter speed and ISO are all done on camera. Besides the EV dial in the back every other setting has to be changed in an app.
This might be slightly annoying but once the settings are locked in, it’s pure photography, It even has a “film” lever that acts like a thumb grip.
| Reasons to buy | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ 40 mp sensor ✔️ Mechanical shutter | 🛑 Minimal upgrades |
Up until then the Leica M10s have had minor twists to them. This one makes a huge leap when it comes to the sensor and shutter. The shutter is mechanical with a satisfying click and is near silent and reduces camera shake and vibrations. The star of the show here is really the doubled megapixel count from 24 to 40 with better noise level handling, so better for low light. With such high megapixel count it allows for a lot of cropping power if you have a wide lens.
| Reasons to buy | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Based on the M10R, not M10 ✔️ Amazing black and whites ✔️ Mp10-P looks | 🛑 Can’t turn back |
The strength of a color sensor is that you can always turn a color shot into a black and white shot afterwards, but with the Leica M10 Monochrom, you can only shoot black and whites. If you are the dedicated fine art photographer because there is no color filters the camera shoots extra sharp and stunning black and whites. The sensor is based off the M10R so it has 40 megapixels and physically the camera tkes after theM10-P because it lacks the red dot logo.
| Reasons to buy | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Special Edition | 🛑 None |
Same as the regular Monochrom, just a special edition, only 650 made. No red logo there either and has “Leitz Wetzlar” (the original name of the company) engraved on top. Because only 650 will be made you bet in the future this will be one of the most sought after Leicas.
Leica M10 Comparisons
It’s ironic that most of the Leica M10 versions do not have the red dot logo on them but have the look of the M10-P that has a screw design. If you want to look how the individual cameras stack up against each other, here’s more in depth look at them:
Which Leica M10 should you get?
If you are still wondering which one of the Leica M10 versions you should get…Let’s make it simple:
- Get the Leica M10R (upgraded sensor)
- If not get the original M10 (cheaper, still wonderful)
- If you wand film experience M10-D (no screen)
- If you want black and white M10 Monochrom
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this article about the Leica M10 versions. The good news is, whichever you chose, there is no wrong choice as any M10 is an amazing camera. But if you just want the one with all of the updates and is all around the top camera, that is the M10R.