Eyal_bin
Established
As an R-D1 user for the last 3 years, I always wanted to advance into a Leica camera, especially when I heard about the M9. Well, today I had the opportunity to shoot with the Leica M9, and I must say that it is way over-glorified, and it has many faults and annoying features or lack of features. Including one annoying feature (which also exist in the R-D1, the bad auto white balance tool)
I was always 100% sure that I will buy the M9 soon, but now I think not.
Final conclusion:
My dear R-D1, you may have some annoying features, but you rock!
I was always 100% sure that I will buy the M9 soon, but now I think not.
Final conclusion:
My dear R-D1, you may have some annoying features, but you rock!
back alley
IMAGES
i love my rd1!
Eyal_bin
Established
Me too. she's my precious. 
huntjump
Well-known
What other annoying features? Curious to hear your thoughts, you rarely read negative reviews. I've never had the pleasure of using either.
Thanks
Thanks
I've used the M8 for 18 months and the M9 for 3 months. I've never had a problem with white balance with either one. I've used them both under a variety of lighting conditions.
Out to Lunch
Ventor
Agree wholeheartedly...and if and when worried about longevity...just keep in mind that you'll be able to buy 4 second-hand epsons for the price of one new m9.
Chinasaur
Well-known
This is most unprecedented. But more importantly..why are there not more RD-1's for sale? They are scarce as hens teeth
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Eyal_bin
Established
Since you asked, here is my detailed impression:
1. It is heavier, and less comfortable to hold. This may sound like not a big deal, but, for a street photographer like me that is used to be out on the street for 10 hours a day, with a camera in his hand all the time, this is very important, and a factor in considering whether to buy it or not.
2. When NOT using auto exposure, if you are set to the wrong shutter speed, you will see in the viewfinder arrows like > < that will indicate if you are above or below the correct speed until you hit the correct speed. just tell me the correct speed (like the Epson, which just shows the correct one blinking) , I need to shoot, fast.
3. As I said before, white balance is not that good, better then the Epson, but not good. Here I would like to say here that at least in the Leica, you can manually adjust the white balance. common Epson guys, make me a worthy R-D2.
4. ISO speed can only be set from the screen, and the screen cannot be hidden like in the R-D1. Again, this sounds petty, but one of the things I really like about my Epson is that I can set everything from the body without needing to use the screen, and that the screen is hidden. It keeps me focused on the street.
I always thought of the M9 as the ultimate camera, that is perfectly built. Well, it's not. As I said, from being 100% sure that I will be buying one, I totally changed my mind, if would go to the store, and see the M9 and the R-D1 next to each other, and test them, I would definitely go with the R-D1.
The M9 feels to me more like a cool expensive gadget than a camera for a hard working street/documentary photographer.
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Roger Hicks
Veteran
Perhaps a more telling point is that very few M8 or M9 owners, or indeed 'hard working street/documentary photographers' have switched to an out-of-production, crop-sensor, low-megapixel camera. No, I've never owned an RD-1. I've handled them, and they're very nice. But I didn't have much difficulty in preferring a current-production M9 or even M8 as a tool to help me earn a living. To me, the RD-1 feels like a much more nostalgic camera than digi-Ms.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
marcr1230
Well-known
What all these cameras need including the fuji x100 is an dedicated iso control like the shutter speed dial. Silly to be able to control 2/3 of exposure parameters so well and the last nod by pushing buttons and scrolling thru menus
I like the tachometer like dial on the rd-1 and welcome an rd-2
Competition is healthy
I like the tachometer like dial on the rd-1 and welcome an rd-2
Competition is healthy
Eyal_bin
Established
While you are right about the R-D1 production, and the ridiculously low mega-pixel problem, and some more annoying features and diseases the R-D1 has, the R-D1 is still, in my opinion, a tool that is aimed for working.
I think that most big named photographers choose the M9 because of the Leica name and reputation. Lets put aside the full frame and the mega-pixel for a second, I say that if we took the 2 cameras, hide the brand names so that users didn't know which is Leica and which is Epson, and let users use them, I am not so sure Leica would enjoy the super reputation it now has.
Don't get me wrong, It's a good camera, a very good camera, but it doesn't live up to the price tag, and it has some very annoying disadvantages, that I wouldn't live up with.
Krosya
Konicaze
I love my RD1S. Never tried M8 or M9. Would like to try them one day, but I cant see me buying either as long as Epson works fine. 6MP crop sensor never really was a limitation for me. Love the 1:1 VF. Would be nice to have a longer RF base, a bit more pixels, etc, but as good as RD1 is - for what I do, which is mosty hobby and not a pro level photography - it's perfect for me.
jmarcus
Well-known
I have complained of similar things in the M8/M9 forum. Personally I think you have to really use the Leica camera for a while (I haven't) to get used to its handling.
i love having a fold away screen because when someone inevitably asks to see the picture you just took you can show them the back of your camera.
I think the handling issue with the M8/M9 gets solved with a thumbsup and a little time.
I also hate that you can't see the shutter speed (I think you can on the M7) its not so much the game of >< its if I'm shooting at below 1/60th, I want to know, so I'm reminded that I better be really still.
The problem with comments like yours (I have made the same in a different thread), is we haven't had enough time with the new camera. The R-D1 fits perfectly in the hand and is further stabilized by the film wind. But I bet when you have your first great shot with an M9 it will be very exciting and some of these objection will seem less important. Or the first shot that leverages better sensor technology ie able to deal with overexposure in parts of the composition.
I love my R-D1s but its the second time its been in the shop, this time is taking longer then I expected, the camera is getting old.
i love having a fold away screen because when someone inevitably asks to see the picture you just took you can show them the back of your camera.
I think the handling issue with the M8/M9 gets solved with a thumbsup and a little time.
I also hate that you can't see the shutter speed (I think you can on the M7) its not so much the game of >< its if I'm shooting at below 1/60th, I want to know, so I'm reminded that I better be really still.
The problem with comments like yours (I have made the same in a different thread), is we haven't had enough time with the new camera. The R-D1 fits perfectly in the hand and is further stabilized by the film wind. But I bet when you have your first great shot with an M9 it will be very exciting and some of these objection will seem less important. Or the first shot that leverages better sensor technology ie able to deal with overexposure in parts of the composition.
I love my R-D1s but its the second time its been in the shop, this time is taking longer then I expected, the camera is getting old.
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
The R-D1 is a great camera, and your technical complaints about the M9 are valid, but there is no need to personally denigrate people who disagree with you. I'm neither rich nor nostalgic, and I work hard on my photography. I think you oughta step off of that crap.
Eyal_bin
Established
Oh man, common, you didn't really take it THAT bad... I didn't denigrate no one and can't understand how you call this denigration. Anyway, I truly apologize if you find yourself offended by my post.
Eyal.
Many serious photographers at RFF use the Leica for what is was intended: Photography. Many of us use a lot of different cameras. Several have traded their RD-1's in for M8's and M9's. Several are using the Epsons.
If you like your camera, that's great. People do not like being labeled as "rich or nostalgic" because they use a Leica.
If you like your camera, that's great. People do not like being labeled as "rich or nostalgic" because they use a Leica.
N.delaRua
Well-known
I could never own a M9 because I am a broke grad student, but I feel like you niggles are pretty minor and could apply to almost any digital camera.
The camera may be heavy, but from what I understand it is considerably lighter than anything in its range with equivalent image quality.
Secondly, M's like the M6 and on all have meters that read >o<... whats so bad about that? Many manual cameras have had the classic +o-.... Its a pretty tried and true method. The guessing game is before you put the camera to your eye. You should have an idea about exposure.
AWB usually sucks. Its always a compromise. Shoot raw and bring a grey card or shoot a white t-shirt in the light you are shooting. No need to worry about WB if you have a grey card. It weighs nothing.
ISO? Its digital. At least you can change ISO when ever you want. How hard is it REALLY to change ISO? 3 button pushes?
Of course saying you can't hide the screen is petty. You do not have to look at it. put some black tape on it.
Your photography is great, but I never would have thought that those things would be such a deal breaker for a photographer.
The camera may be heavy, but from what I understand it is considerably lighter than anything in its range with equivalent image quality.
Secondly, M's like the M6 and on all have meters that read >o<... whats so bad about that? Many manual cameras have had the classic +o-.... Its a pretty tried and true method. The guessing game is before you put the camera to your eye. You should have an idea about exposure.
AWB usually sucks. Its always a compromise. Shoot raw and bring a grey card or shoot a white t-shirt in the light you are shooting. No need to worry about WB if you have a grey card. It weighs nothing.
ISO? Its digital. At least you can change ISO when ever you want. How hard is it REALLY to change ISO? 3 button pushes?
Of course saying you can't hide the screen is petty. You do not have to look at it. put some black tape on it.
Your photography is great, but I never would have thought that those things would be such a deal breaker for a photographer.
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Pickett Wilson
Veteran
"I think that most big named photographers choose the M9 because of the Leica name and reputation."
No. They choose the M9 because it simply blows the RD-1 away. I think the M9 is a silly expensive camera for what it is, but..."big name photographers" aren't buying M9's over ancient RD-1's because they want to impress the girls. They are buying them because they are better tools.
No. They choose the M9 because it simply blows the RD-1 away. I think the M9 is a silly expensive camera for what it is, but..."big name photographers" aren't buying M9's over ancient RD-1's because they want to impress the girls. They are buying them because they are better tools.
Eyal_bin
Established
You might have suffered from a misaligned VF, I suffered from that in my R-D1 and had to manually fix it, by opening my camera and playing with the VF. It was scary. And I agree that this is enough for many photographers to not use such camera. But I never said the R-D1 doesn't have it's own drawbacks.
All those things you said are minor, are actually very important for me.
The weight, for example, as I said, when you are outside all day long with the camera. literally, in your hands, it makes a difference.
And also, very important thing about the ISO. In the R-D1, I can set my ISO by 1 action, not 3. But more importantly, I don't have to shift my eyes
from what going on around me, since it is on the body. In the Leica, I have to use the screen and lose track of my surrounding for one or two seconds, which is a lot of time, for me, anyway.
These, in my eyes, are not minor setbacks, these are major factors that concern me when I choose camera.
Once again, as I said before, the M9 is not a bad camera, far from it. But it is also not much better then the R-D1s, and it has some drawbacks that I personally think that the R-D1 doesn't (and yes, this works the other way around)
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Eyal_bin
Established
Only by sensor size and resolution, as I said here before, on all other factors, I don't think that the M9 is better.