Am I crazy for considering this?

[dogberryjr]

Long story short: I'm considering selling my M9 and buying a D800 and a Fuji X Pro 1 with the 35mm 1.4. This would leave Leica as film only, and give me a small carry-around camera as well as a DSLR with MF-like quality.

Besides adding the lens to the Fuji, there are no other glass requirements.

Am I nuts?

(Yes, I know that "only you (I) can decide this . . ." I'm just looking for thoughts from an informed crowd.)

 

[Vickko]

Not crazy. I'm thinking the same. My M9 just passed its warranty expiry date. It is in perfect condition. I just looked at ebay sale prices and they hover at $5K.

With that $5K, I can:
- buy another Hasselblad SWC, which I deeply regret selling.
- pay for summer tuition or a trip
- revert to film-only, not at all an issue because there are many fun alternatives to use
- I still have my GF1 with M adapter, if I really want non-native digital
- I can stop worrying about starting and going down the "digital camera devaluation curve" with the M9

One of my recent realizations is that it your possessions cause you worry, then ditch the possession. They are supposed to be fun. Worrying isn't fun.

And guess what, if you really regret selling the M9, you will be able to buy back in, at a cheaper price.

Vick

 

[Austerby]

Sell the M9, buy either the D800 or XPro1 first, use it then decide if you want the other camera.

Spend the money saved on taking the film Leicas on a nice holiday.

 

[gavinlg]

Consider that the x-pro1 isn't an m9. It's more like a contax G.

 

[Vickko]

The trick is, do you buy the other camera first (my fatal flaw) or sell the M9 first?

Buying the other camera first, has lead to keeping both cameras.

".... Hello, my name is Vick. I have an addiction and am powerless to resolve it on my own....."

 

[dogberryjr]

Consider that the x-pro1 isn't an m9. It's more like a contax G.

Which I am given to understand is no slouch itself.

 

[dogberryjr]

The trick is, do you buy the other camera first (my fatal flaw) or sell the M9 first?

Buying the other camera first, has lead to keeping both cameras.

".... Hello, my name is Vick. I have an addiction and am powerless to resolve it on my own....."

I know what you mean. I have an FM, an FE2 (and a slew of Canon FD bodies) that I bought for the lenses they came with, fully expecting to resell the bodies. I suppose there are worse things to hoard.

 

[BobYIL]

The D800 (especially the "E") is a short cut into the territory of MF + incomparable hi-ISO capability; no discussion about it especially if you already have some lenses available. It's a breakthrough camera for $3K, God knows how many hundreds of thousands have already lined up for it.

The issue is whether you'll miss the M9 if you replace it with an XP1 or something else. Depends on how much you'd be concentrating on the Nikon, how much it would cover your photographic needs and activities that you were doing with the M9 while you'd still have the film Leica.

BTW, the XP1 is a fine camera; probably the best camera with OOC results and better than any digital Leica for low-light photography; you only know your own priorities 🙂

 

[mdarnton]

You might seriously consider what you'll use each camera for, and try to maximize that. For instance, I do a lot of close-up product photos and duping with my digital SLR, and wouldn't have any use for the M9, but for film I don't need the close-up ability at all, so anything works on the film side of things.

 

[The Meaness]

If you decide to sell, sell first - then buy. It is cathartic and helps you focus on what you really want.

I think you already decided to sell the M9 for good reasons, so do it!

 

[taemo]

not nuts at all.
I myself moved to a 2 body system, one digital and one film.
5D plus couple of L lens for portraits/landscape
my Leica M6 for everything else.

before going Leica, I tried m4/3 and Nex7 and wasn't feeling it all.

 

[tstermitz]

Maybe the x100 instead of the Xpro1. Fits in a pocket.

 

[Shade]

No you're not, I actually sold my m9 and bought myself an m8, and then a Fuji xpro1. And besides, I have always liked the result from the m8 somehow..

 

[tightsqueez]

I think it's a smart move. Value wise, I think now is the time to jump off the M9 ship. But… you actually use your cameras so that really shouldn't have too much weight in regards to deciding. The Fuji could replace the M9, same can be said of the X100 depending on how you shoot as well. And if you get along with a DSLR then the D800 is a no-brainer! I'm on the list for the "E" version but will ultimately pass.

Personally, I kicked both M9's out of my house and haven't been happier since. Ha ha.

 

[jsrockit]

Long story short: I'm considering selling my M9 and buying a D800 and a Fuji X Pro 1 with the 35mm 1.4. This would leave Leica as film only, and give me a small carry-around camera as well as a DSLR with MF-like quality.

Besides adding the lens to the Fuji, there are no other glass requirements.

Am I nuts?

(Yes, I know that "only you (I) can decide this . . ." I'm just looking for thoughts from an informed crowd.)

Not nuts at all. You're not the only one feeling that you don't have a future with Leica digital Ms. Leica is getting to be outrageously priced (as opposed to just expensive) and other comapnies are doing interesting things withn their products. Just make sure you like the DSLR form factor or you may regret it. I can say that the Fuji X-Pro1 is the first camera that has made me feel that I don't need a M9 to be happy.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Not crazy at all. I think about selling my M9 every week. Even advertised it a while back. The problem is that the M9 price has dropped so much that I'd be selling it at a significant loss (<$5000) so I figure there's no sense in me selling and investing in another digital system. It's this May 10 and Photokina hype that's killing the resale price right now.

Phil Forrest

 

[dogberryjr]

It's this May 10 and Photokina hype that's killing the resale price right now.

Phil Forrest

Yeah, I do have an uncanny sense of timing.

 

[gdmcclintock]

Keep the M9. You've already spent the money. Unless you're a pro. Then dump it for the 5D MkII as it works better with a flash and has better higher ISO.

In Rome recently I photographed with a M9, a M6 (Tri-X), a Bessa III (Ektachrome), a Rolleiflex 2.8E (Tri-X) and an iPhone with a fisheye lens. I carried two cameras and the iPhone. Don't know yet if I have any worthwhile photographs but it was fun to have the choice!

 

[dbarnes]

I'd say, give your plan a go! M9s aren't common, but neither are they rare. Given how much they cost (especially new), I suspect nearly all of them live very sheltered lives. So unless you have a sentimental attachment to your particular M9, selling it now shouldn't prevent you from finding another nice one later, should your D800/Xpro-1 scenario not work out.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Given how much they cost (especially new), I suspect nearly all of them live very sheltered lives.

I know quite a few M9s that get used day in and day out, mine included. There are near mint M9 bodies now selling for ~$5000 USD and mine would have to sell well under that because of the use it's seen in the last year and a half. Ouch. I was going to sell then get a Nikon D2x for working but now that the floor has fallen it makes no financial sense for me to sell the M9 at such a loss when replacing it will net me a used DSLR with an older sensor and a bigger expense in lens investment. Sometime before October I need to send the camera in for a CLA and warranty extension.

Phil Forrest