M9 purchase advice

[anthony_semone]

Any of ya'll been a Nikon owner and sold your D700, stable of lenses, MF as well as AF, to gather the bucks to purchase an M9? I have been seduced by my Contax G2 with a 45/2 as a cityscape and street camera, not only because I enjoy film, but mostly because the doggone thing is so light. I'm consistently passing up my D700 and 50/1.4D, not wanting to heft it around, and not liking how much I stick out in the crowd, as it were. I can sell my D700 and all my lenses and have enough to purchase a new M9, though it'll take me a bit to save up for a lens worthy of the M9. M9 attracts me because it gives me a digital alternative to my G2. When I get back from Paris in a couple of weeks, I'm gonna rent an M9 from lens rentals dot com, and that'll give me a first hand experience with it. I'd appreciate any of you all's advice on whether or not to make the switch.

thanks in advance,

tony

 

[parasko]

I had one for a year...waste of money. If you like film, buy an M7, a 35mm summicron and a fridge full of provia 100.

 

[Keith]

Very good idea to rent one initially IMO. More prospective buyers of high dollar items should do this when there's any doubt.

 

[anthony_semone]

I had one for a year...waste of money. If you like film, buy an M7, a 35mm summicron and a fridge full of provia 100.

what about the m9 made it that way for you?

 

[jamato8]

Haven't had Nikon equipment for years but I have plenty of Canon stuff and I shoot professionally. I use the M9 and love it, for what it is and use it for what it can do and not for what it can't. Like any tool, learn how to use it and it will suit you well. Don't learn or maybe it just doesn't fit your needs and know from that if it will work for you. I don't think even renting it will help you get into the groove but I could be wrong. Anyway, it has a place just like the 8X10 and 4X5 I used to shoot, they just don't have a place in what I do now.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I love my M9, great camera.

Had to think of "lens worthy of an M9"...

My 1935 Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F1.5, uncoated, does quite well.

At ~F2:



Wide-open at F1.5,



You need to look at lens characteristics such as contrast, chromatic aberration, color rendition more than absolute sharpness. Once you hit 36LP/mm, aliassing kicks in. At 72LP/mm, the sensor resolution cannot keep up with the lens.

Qualities such as contrast are more important to prevent blown highlights and lost shadow detail. Older, uncoated and single-coated lenses do quite well with modern digital cameras.

 

[dan1005]

i did exactly that. I have been shooting with Nikon for over 20 years, started with an FM2, F90x, D70, D200 and D700 last few years.

For the stuff I photograph the M9 works really well, its by no means the perfect camera, but I like the simplicity and the size. It rewards good technique and it will take me some time to learn to use it properly.

I sold my D700 a couple of months after getting the M9 and so far haven't missed it. Check out my learning curve on my album.

Cheers,
Dan

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Anthony, you're in Philly? I live in west Philly a block from 48th and Baltimore Ave. Send me a PM and I'll give you my phone number. when you get back in town you can borrow mine at least for a day. If you're a Marine, we'll come up with some longer term loan plan. (I was a Seabee and served in Iraq alongside 1/8 Marines in Fallujah.)
As for purchase of the M9, it's the greatest digital camera ever made but it has reliability issues, at least mine has.
Anyway, send a PM and we'll get together. I have a few lenses you can use during your trial run.

Phil Forrest

 

[anthony_semone]

Anthony, you're in Philly? I live in west Philly a block from 48th and Baltimore Ave. Send me a PM and I'll give you my phone number. when you get back in town you can borrow mine at least for a day. If you're a Marine, we'll come up with some longer term loan plan. (I was a Seabee and served in Iraq alongside 1/8 Marines in Fallujah.)
As for purchase of the M9, it's the greatest digital camera ever made but it has reliability issues, at least mine has.
Anyway, send a PM and we'll get together. I have a few lenses you can use during your trial run.

Phil Forrest

Hi Phil,

PM on its way

 

[Moriturii]

The question is if you should buy an M9 at all, I think it's age is reaaally showing and it's getting to be a more and more of a novelty as each month passes by with cameras like the Ricoh with the M mount and NEX-7 camera showing up, you'd be mad I think to buy an M9 unless you have cash spilling out of your pocket and it's for novelty or a little toy. Food for thought.

 

[anthony_semone]

Thanks so much for your input. I expect part of my enthusiasm for the M9 is that I've become also "addicted" to full-frame and so, while the NEX-7, X100, E-P3, e.g, are indeed ergonomically suited for me, they are of course not full frame. I wish I had cash spilling out of my pocket 😀 However, I do have sufficient Nikon gear to make an M9 purchase feasible. Anyway, we'll see what Paris brings with my G2 and D700. Thanks again,

 

[jsrockit]

The question is if you should buy an M9 at all, I think it's age is reaaally showing and it's getting to be a more and more of a novelty as each month passes by with cameras like the Ricoh with the M mount and NEX-7 camera showing up.

I think you have the novelty cameras reversed in the scenario above... I guess you mean high ISO = showing age?

 

[thegman]

I'd try to get a go of one first, it's a lot of money to spend without trying it out beforehand.

Also, I'd budget for insurance too, one drop and your $7k could be history.

Finally, if you can afford to wait, consider that the M9 may be due for an update soon(ish), it's been around a while (for a digital camera), so maybe Leica has something in the works.

 

[Nikon Bob]

I don't have cash spilling out of my pockets so I would not sell my D700 and Nikkor lenses to finance an M9 and a single lens for it. If I did have cash spilling out of my pockets I would buy an M9 to supplement my DSLR kit, not replace it. There is nothing special about FF sensors unless you have a lot of legacy lenses that you would like to use at their original angle of view. Personally I am waiting to see if the Sony NEX-7 will be suitable to me for a light walk around rig. Renting an M9 is a very good idea especially if you have not used a manual focus RF before.

Bob

 

[ramosa]

I had it figured out so I could get an M9 in late January. But with rumors of an M10 expected for the fall, I will, instead, continue using my M8 to see how things shake out. Waiting eight months makes good sense for me.

 

[PaulN]

I'd try to get a go of one first, it's a lot of money to spend without trying it out beforehand.

Also, I'd budget for insurance too, one drop and your $7k could be history.

Finally, if you can afford to wait, consider that the M9 may be due for an update soon(ish), it's been around a while (for a digital camera), so maybe Leica has something in the works.

I'm on the fence about buying an M9. I've been using my R-D1 faithfully since it was released in 2004 in addition to my MP. I love shooting film, but the hassle of development has minimized the number of rolls I shoot these days. Once the kids are older, I'll get back into it, but for now, I'm longing or a full frame digital.

I have no doubt that something is coming at Photokina next year, maybe an M10, but I'd not want to be an early adopter. The M8 was plagued with issues early on, and initial M9s, while not as bad, seems to be suffering some long term issues. Cracked sensors?

With the M9-P out, I believe Leica is in a place where the components are reliable now. The pics I see posted in this, and other forums, show just how good the leica glass is.

It also comes down to the glass. I have a 50mm ASPH summilux that is looking for more use and the M9 sensor will make it shine. The R-D1 does a great job, but oddly my wife prefers the VC 28mm/1.9. If I didn't have the glass, I'd most likely invest in my DSLR.

Anyhow, if one is happy with the online pics and ISO performance, no need to wait for an upgrade next year. Buy now, and upgrade (if so desired) once the M10 has been fully baked...

Just my $0.02,

-Paul

 

[Roger Hicks]

The question is if you should buy an M9 at all, I think it's age is reaaally showing and it's getting to be a more and more of a novelty as each month passes by with cameras like the Ricoh with the M mount and NEX-7 camera showing up, you'd be mad I think to buy an M9 unless you have cash spilling out of your pocket and it's for novelty or a little toy. Food for thought.

Well, there are those who'd regard small-sensor cameras with indifferent viewfinders as novelty toys to be bought only by those with money spilling out of their pockets...

Cheers,

R.

 

[Moriturii]

Well, there are those who'd regard small-sensor cameras with indifferent viewfinders as novelty toys to be bought only by those with money spilling out of their pockets...

Cheers,

R.

I don't know about you but I'd rather have that then spend $7000 dollars on a show-off vanity badge item, and (obviously havent tested) the Nex-7 for example probably has a lot better sensor then the full frame Leica could dream of. But hey, if you feel like a viewfinder is more important then sensor, then go ahead, makes sense. I'll more then happily live with the smaller sensor, pocket the thousands and thousands of dollars and buy lenses that never depreciate in value (generally speaking) but that's just me.

 

[bwcolor]

Perhaps, I have disqualified myself from posting in that I don't have the M9, but my reason behind not purchasing upon launch was the lack of value based upon my needs. I will review this once again when the M10 and the mid-level Leica mirrorless cameras come out. That decision made, I spent three times the cost of the M-9 on other equipment, so saving money wasn't at the top of my list. Only you can answer the value question. I want higher ISO performance, faster processing and rock solid reliability before I lay down that kind of money...

 

[Roger Hicks]

I don't know about you but I'd rather have that then spend $7000 dollars on a show-off vanity badge item, and (obviously havent tested) the Nex-7 for example probably has a lot better sensor then the full frame Leica could dream of. But hey, if you feel like a viewfinder is more important then sensor, then go ahead, makes sense. I'll more then happily live with the smaller sensor, pocket the thousands and thousands of dollars and buy lenses that never depreciate in value (generally speaking) but that's just me.

There are those who don't regard it as a 'show-off vanity badge'; who have been using film Leicas for decades; who already have a lot of lenses (in my case, seven Leica, seven Voigtländer, two ZI and one other); and who accept, however unwillingly, that the M9 is the only real choice for continuing to use those lenses on a digital camera with full functionality including quick, convenient focusing. If you're not worried about fast lenses or wide-angles, sure, buy a piece of consumer electronics. Otherwise, buy an M9.

You are letting emotion carry you away here, not just with 'show-off vanity badge' (to whom are M9 users supposed to be showing off?) but also with 'far better sensor'. If you want full frame, that's a completely meaningless statement, and even if you don't, it's a substantially meaningless statement. 'Better' in what way? Higher ISO? A fairly limited criterion...

EDIT: But then again, who am I to judge? All I do with my Leicas is use them as part of earning a living.

Cheers,

R.