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David,
An incredibly through interview.
You touched on some items that I had not gleaned from other reviews.
Glad you asked about the eventual mono.
Thank you.

Very nice interview, with lots of information. I hope this answers many people's questions about EVF, touch screen, video etc. I'm glad that although they are listening to their customers, they are trying to keep the M close to the original philosophy as much as possible.

Fred,

For many M users, the M10 is the penultimate digital M, the one they've been waiting and dreaming of since the M8. Leica took user feedback into account when designing the M10. The top request was for a thinner body, with the same dimensions as a film M, and they delivered. Second most requested was an improvement in low light capability. The M10 shoots cleanly at ISO 10,000 with great color, where the M240 topped out at ISO 3200. For most users, lower noise, better color and increased dynamic range trump pure pixel count.

The M10 also has a significantly improved optical viewfinder, a direct ISO dial, reduction in UI clutter, improved LV functionality, faster processing speed and frame rate. All around, the M10 is a natural evolution from the M240. It has a slightly smaller battery, but also more power efficient processing. On the M240, I carried two extra batteries for a full day of heavy shooting. I do the same with the M10.

The omission of video wasn't due to heat. If this was the case, Live View would have been eliminated, as reading out for LV puts the same demands on the sensor and heat dissipation mechanisms. Video was taken out because the vast majority of M users didn't want it there. They complained vehemently of video ruining the pure M experience on the M240, and such an incredibly small percentage of M users ever used it. The concept of the M10 was to get back to basics, the essentials. Not marketing schpiel, but rather a company-wide mantra. Every product manager strives to this standard.

I'm not saying that some users didn't appreciate video, or tethering via the multifunction grip, but Leica responded to the 90%+ of users who flat-out rejected these features as un-M-like. For those who want to tether or shoot pro level 4K video, and have the option to use M lenses, Leica offers the exceptional SL. This is the idea. M10 for the purists. SL for those requiring a professional feature set.

I'd recommend checking out my full review on the M10 here. It's a fantastic camera to shoot with and the image quality is phenomenal. And, yes, I'm ok with 24MP, both on the M10 and SL. A 6um pixel size allows for stopping down to f/11 before hitting diffraction, and I have a stack of 24×36 inch prints that look incredible from nose-in-print distance. If the need arises, you can certainly print bigger and maintain gallery quality output, but again, most M shooters don't want or need to print this large. Will Leica ever increase the pixel count? Maybe, but only if there they can do so with no sacrifice in image quality, DR, low light ability or edge-to-edge performance.

Go out and shoot with the M10 and you'll see that the M is far from dead. Quite the contrary, actually.

wonderful event and superbly reported… as usual!
Albert

Good work Josh,
My review of all the reviews suggests this iteration of the M is getting universal acclaim.
My favorite part is that it is available now, not in 12 months. I like the ISO dial. All these little changes appear to really add to the appeal.
Jack

Thanks Josh, well written and succinct. Always exciting to hear of a new M.