Has the M9 killed the Leica film camera?

I too play with the idea of getting a M9 some time.
The price now is very steep for the body, you get a full Leica film outfit including a good scanner and some stock in chemicals or outside processing for this kind of money.

I just started, to shoot a M6 classic with 50 lux and regularly shoot at ISO 3200 AND push the scans in Adobe Lightroom.

I don't see remotely a technical valid way, to do that with the M9.
Technically, the M6 and fast film is the better solution for me.

I wish Leica a prosper development with their digital venture and truly think, film will be around for some time with Leica building some of the best there is 35mm film cameras. Please hold on for the next 50 years of film Leicas and I am good.
 
sreidvt said:
But, long-term, there will still be a market for the MP, M7
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Does this refer to the used market, or the new market. I can certainly see the used market sticking around as long as 35mm film is available. But I would be curious as to how many new M7/MP have been sold in the past year or two, since the prices have practically doubled from what they were a few years ago. Somehow I suspect those sales numbers are very low, too low for Leica to sustain ongoing production. Maybe they have some warehoused, or have parts stockpiled and would build one to order if and when they ever get an order from a dealer.
 
How many of us still use an enlarger? My M6 sits there reproachfully because nowadays I can only manage kitchen sink development and LF contact printing.
If there was a Leica branded, dedicated 35mm film scanner along the lines of the Flextight, I would would be back into film like a shot. And I would buy an MP.
 
downstairs said:
If there was a Leica branded, dedicated 35mm film scanner along the lines of the Flextight, I would would be back into film like a shot. And I would buy an MP.
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Excellent 35mm film scanners exist. For half the price of a new MP, they will scan whole rolls of film and give you 25 megapixel, 42-bit TIFFs. If you want to get back into film so much, why does it have to be Leica-branded?
 
downstairs said:
For reasons of marketing. The brand would garantee quality at Leica level.
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What Leica level, the M3 level, or the WA-Focotar 40 level?

This is not how marketing works. It's just a brand name, one that happens to be associated with a certain quality of (Leica-built) products, but not one that makes other products somehow better just if Leica buys them and sticks their brand name on them. There have been enough underwhelming Leica products.

You are free to believe in the power of the brand, but I think you're overrating it.

downstairs said:
I have a Flextight and a file from 35mm does not reach the level of my M8.
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Well then if the name Hasselblad is not good enough for you...

You can always hope that having a red dot on it would make it better, but I guess you're out of luck and won't be getting back into film anytime soon.
 
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According to Leica, BTW, sales of the MP and M7 are quite steady - especially in Asia where there continues to be strong interest in film RF cameras.

Cheers,
 
"Selling steadily" has a different meaning where Leica is concerned. I guess Leica can continue to build only a relatively few units a month.

Asia has been good to Leica for many years. New and used Leicas have seemed to be an obsession for many years. I remember camera shows in the 1980's especially where at every show there would be Japanese guys in suits with brief cases full of cash buying up every decent Leica camera and lens in the place at top dollar.

I've always wondered how many Leicas were locked away in vaults in Japan, never to be seen again.
 
I was thinking more along the line of killing sales, emraphoto, not cameras! ;)

The thought of the streets of New York littered with the rusting bodies of dead Leicas is sad indeed.
 
rxmd said:
.... You can always hope that having a red dot on it would make it better, but I guess you're out of luck and won't be getting back into film anytime soon.
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My post was about saving film Leicas by offering a dedicated Leitz scanner. Didn't you have a Leitz enlarger? I had one - and an Omega for larger formats. The Omega was no match for 35mm.
My Flextight predates Hasselblad. And I shoot a lot of film - but not 35mm film for reasons stated.
 
i reckon the second hand market has probably done a number on leica's film cameras sales already?

i would hazard a guess that the m8 and m9 will certainly be one more nail each in the NEW film camera sales.
 
sreidvt said:
According to Leica, BTW, sales of the MP and M7 are quite steady - especially in Asia where there continues to be strong interest in film RF cameras.

Cheers,
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I know Leica-loving people who travel often to China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and yes, Japan, and drop in on Leica dealers there just to chat, and the consensus is that sales of new MP's have been few and far between in the last 3-4 years, and sales of new M7's almost none. So there appears to be a bit of disagreement between the people who sell them and the people who make them, and one has to ask oneself what the dealers would have to gain by underplaying the demand. Then again "steady" is marketing-speak and could accurately describe a slowly-dripping faucet while implying a running tap.
 
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