Leica M9

The first detailed review is here.

Very attractive camera ... but not at that price !!

I don't think it is for me. Might not match up to DSLRs of similar price. The size is a great plus, though. I guess it will have its niche.

Regards...

quote:

Originally posted by shoot6x7:
Very attractive camera ... but not at that price !!

Leica are killing off the M8 and M8.2, so the price will plummet for those models as retailers try to shift their stock - could be a cheap way into the world of the Red Dot.

quote:

Originally posted by shoot6x7:
Very attractive camera ... but not at that price !!

How much?

ATB from George

quote:

Originally posted by GFFJ:

quote:

Originally posted by shoot6x7:
Very attractive camera ... but not at that price !!

How much?

ATB from George

About £4,850 (body only) George, so it ain't cheap!

Lovely looking piece of kit though - more here

I could buy a superb car for that money - second hand Skoda Oktavia TD for 4995 GBP at the end of my road.

Immaculate!

But it is a nice looking camera, I do agree.

ATB from George

George

This is the Leica X1, which will be in the shops early next year - at about £1,300 including an Elmarit 24mm f2.8 aspherical lens (fixed), it's a more feasible purchase.

As you can see from the photos here it's an awesomely good-looking camera. It's also tiny, but has a DSLR-sized sensor.

More pics (drool) and info here...

Yep, that is even sweeter, perhaps, and probably more aimed at the photographic amateur like myself!

I suspect that if I could afford it there might be some things to come first, but it looks a very nice and amazingly compact camera.

ATB from George

For those who can afford it, the M9 will now pose an interesting dilemma to Leica film camera users who have avoided digital for reasons including the different perspective offered by the M8 sensor.

One less excuse for not going digital...

Peter

Not enough of a step-up for M8 users unless you really want/need full-frame but those who held off the M8 for that reason and stuck with film will now clamour for the M9 I suspect.

An economy decision was taken to remove the battery and exposure indicator from the top plate on the M9 too.....And some are already grumbling about oversmoothed less sharp images in the newer model.....That's progress for you!

Graeme

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin-W:
George

This is the Leica X1, which will be in the shops early next year - at about £1,300 including an Elmarit 24mm f2.8 aspherical lens (fixed), it's a more feasible purchase.

As you can see from the photos here it's an awesomely good-looking camera. It's also tiny, but has a DSLR-sized sensor.

More pics (drool) and info here...

I'd be interested, if its image quality is any better than my Nikon D80. I don't mind lugging it around but am tired of people saying "ohh, nice camera" and such when out and about. The Leica X1 would be more discreet.

Mark

quote:

The Leica X1 would be more discreet.

Right up until someone spots the red spot...

I'm a dedicated M user. At first glance, I thought that the M9 would be the camera to introduce me to the digital world. I have been eagerly awaiting this full frame M9 for some time now.

In addition to Graeme's comments above I still have to contemplate the M9 a little more. A few minor comments might be:

- I mostly have Silver Chrome Lenses so I'm not exactly happy about a Steel Grey Paint Body only. The M8.2 was offered in Silver Chrome.
- I like the rougher vulcanite body covering (on the M9 Black paint body or M8.2); I like the feel / grip better than the smoother leatherette covering which makes me think it will be harder to hold on to.
- The removal of the sapphire glass (offered on the M8.2) seems to be a step back (considering the asking price).

Maybe these three features will be offered in an M9.2 ?


I'll wait to comment on the image quality and how the camera performs until more reviews come out. The full frame is what I was waiting for before going to a digital M. Not having to code the lenses is another plus for me as well as not have to buy a slew of I/R filters.

So I'm 95% there. I think I'll wait until next year this time to see if they offer some other options and work out any bugs (if their happen to be any). In the mean time I still have a freezer full of Agfa to use up.

Now if funds were unlimited, the S2 is really an unbelievable dream system. 30 x 45mm sensor / over 37 Megapixials / Autofocus lenses. It is really in a different league altogether but the price is also in a different league.

Best Regards,
Doug

Apparently, according to Amateur Photographer, dealers can't get enough M9s. RG Lewis, the famous Leica shop in London sold its allocation of eight in just 14 minutes! There are no more M9s left it London, it is said.

Apparently a lot of people have been trading in their bulky DSLRs for the dinky M9. Given that Leica is allegedly in all sorts of trouble financially, this can only be good news.

The M9 is way out of my league but I'm looking forward to the X1 in January.

There's an initial review here - sounds like an extremely impressive piece of kit.

Remarkably, in a piece of Naim-esque backwards compatibility, the M9 will work with ANY M-series lens - going back to 1954. Using a simple adaptor, even a Leica lens from the 1920s will work!