M9?

[mdwsta4]

While I loved the M9, I recently sold mine as it wasn't getting much use these days. For any of my trips, I pack the x100s and an M2. That gives me flexibility of digital (especially at night) and the joy of using film. Both bodies are extremely compact and since I typically keep the 50 'cron on the M2, I have two focal lengths to choose from which is perfect for how I shoot.

In the end, the choice is up to you.

 

[kena]

Leica ME may not be available in the US for another year according to Ken Hansen.

I have not heard this...I've already been waiting about a month on my backordered M-E, hope its not true!

 

[LeicaMSeattle]

It really sounds like your decision has already been made to haul and shoot film. When I shot film, the burden of having to haul the exposed film around and protected it from environmental effects and worse, theft before it's processed was even greater. The beauty of digital is that the images can be downloaded, burned onto a CD and sent home or saved on cloud storage immune from loss. I find it hard to believe that photographers now feel carrying around a digital rangefinder kit is a burden, many obviously haven't had to haul SLR/DSLRs and lenses with them. Let's see, a single bag compared to a rolling case or two.

 

[willie_901]

I would read this thread on the LUF in it's entirety before buying a M9.

 

[swoop]

I would read this thread on the LUF in it's entirety before buying a M9.

More internet fear mongering. If some guy or even a dozen guys is/are having a problem with their M9 that's hardly indicative of an epidemic. I've had an M9 for over 3 years and it has worked fine. Even still the posts indicate that if you're paranoid enough to complain Leica will fix it for free. So it's even less of an issue.

 

[rivercityrocker]

More internet fear mongering. If some guy or even a dozen guys is/are having a problem with their M9 that's hardly indicative of an epidemic. I've had an M9 for over 3 years and it has worked fine. Even still the posts indicate that if you're paranoid enough to complain Leica will fix it for free. So it's even less of an issue.

People seem to think that 2 or 3 people complaining on a forum is substantial proof of a defect. It gets people looking for problem where there are none and they will look until they find it.

I bet that 50% of the Nikon D600's that went in for the "dirty sensor" issue probably just had regular old dust. And the people that claim that they had to try 4 or 5 Sigma lenses to get a "good" one whereas I've owned over a dozen of them and had no problems. Luck? Nope, just not paranoid.

A couple of posts about a faulty sensor on the M9 didn't stop me from buying one. Obviously there are thousands of them out there working just fine.

 

[ktmrider]

M9 Sensor Problems

M9 Sensor Problems

Well, having heard from various dealers that the ME is backordered for about 14 months and reading the sensor problem thread on luf, I am thinking the M9 goes to the bottom of my option list. If digital, the Sony A7 is looking better and better with film looking like the best Leica option. Guess my 1958 M2 will be going around the world.

I would really be torqued if I spent $4000 for a used body and this happened. Can you imagine spending $7000-$8000 and the camera was in the shop for a year? A couple fairly famous Leica film repair people I have talked to have stated Leica quality is not anywhere near the classic M's which built Leitz's reputation for quality.

Now, I am sure we will hear about how it is the sensor supplier's fault and not Leica's. They put the sensors in the camera (when they could get them).

 

[Pioneer]

My M9 continues to work just fine and I strongly suspect it will continue to work for many, many more years. I have to say that it is the first digital camera I have ever used where I actually feel like I do when I aml working with film.

A great camera which will probably take me more years than I have left on this earth to master it.

 

[35mmdelux]

M9 18mp full-frame camera with the ability to change out lenses is my suggestion. Lenses 21/35 covers my interests. Good luck choosing-

 

[YYV_146]

The M9's issues really are notorious. This may be a small sample, but I know about 25 people in China, Hong Kong and the U.S that own either an M9 or M9-P, and over half of those bodies had to go to Solmes at least once for sensor-related issues. So if you buy a used M9 now, my guess is that the chance it'll last another 3 years without issues is less than 50%.

At this point the M-E waitlist is a year, so that's also not an option. On the other hand, with an A7 and extended warranty you'll get guaranteed service for the next 3 years, and it'll only set you back $2000 or so. I had to replace the entire shutter on my warranty-expired NEX-7 last year...I paid $150, Sony sent my camera back in less than 2 weeks. Not saying that's the norm, though.

 

[Scheelings]

The M9's issues really are notorious. This may be a small sample, but I know about 25 people in China, Hong Kong and the U.S that own either an M9 or M9-P, and over half of those bodies had to go to Solmes at least once for sensor-related issues. So if you buy a used M9 now, my guess is that the chance it'll last another 3 years without issues is less than 50%.

It's been rumored that the A7 performance with M lenses has been less that satisfactory and not consistent across the M lens range.

What are the chances do you think that Sony will update firmware for greater compatibility? Probably not going to happen.

An A7 with M lenses sounds to me like a total compromise. It may be half the price - but if you cannot get the best out of M lenses then you may as well sell them and go pure Sony. Otherwise fork out the cash and get the M9. I myself am waiting for them to come down a bit more in price. $3K and I'll probably pounce, but I may have to wait another year for that...

 

[YYV_146]

It's been r that the rumored that the A7 performance with M lenses has been less that satisfactory and not consistent across the M lens range.

What are the chances do you think that Sony will update firmware for greater compatibility?

An A7 with M lenses sounds to me like a total compromise. It may be half the price - but if you cannot get the best out of M lenses then you may as well sell them and go pure Sony. Otherwise fork out the cash and get the M9.

Speaking for myself, I have a large M lenses collection that I use on both film bodies and Sony bodies (A7 and NEX-7). And yes, I recognize that performance for some M mount wides can be an issue. Well, I just don't buy those wides. Modern designs such as the WATE and the wide Summilux's generally produce adequate results. The extreme M wides are also mostly Distagon designs - meaning that they'll work better than symmetric lenses on any digital body. Designs that do the worst on the Sony bodies also under-perform on the M9 (certain Biogons, older Super-Angulons), and are best left for film.

But that is only with WAs...any lens above 35mm should work perfectly on the A7. Considering the amount of in-camera correction Leica uses for its M9 and M240 WA profiles, I don't think Sony is doing much worse in this regard. You will need to have the basic know-how to do your own correction in post-processing, though.

Also, consider the amount of compromises Leica makes with regard to the M-E and M240. With the M-E I have no way to accurately frame or shoot lenses wider than 28mm fluently. The two viewfinder composition practice is unfit for shooting most thing that move around. With longer lenses I must invest in magnifiers and even with a 1.4x, focusing with the 75mm Summilux or Nocts is hit-or-miss. The RF patch becomes invisible when the environment is too bright and often too dim when I shoot musical performances with theater lighting. The M240 is better in these regards, but the Leica EVF is much worse that what Sony offered back in 2011. The single magnification point is also rather inconvenient. These are issues that don't exist with a Sony body.

So a M body may be the best way to get some extra corner sharpness or OOC output with certain RF wides, but I can get the best out the other pool of M lenses with a more versatile body. The good shot not taken is worse than the bad shot in my camera 😀

 

[rivercityrocker]

It's been r that the rumored that the A7 performance with M lenses has been less that satisfactory and not consistent across the M lens range.

What are the chances do you think that Sony will update firmware for greater compatibility?

An A7 with M lenses sounds to me like a total compromise. It may be half the price - but if you cannot get the best out of M lenses then you may as well sell them and go pure Sony. Otherwise fork out the cash and get the M9.

I've also been hearing now that people are actually picking up the A7 they aren't as pleased with it as they were when it was just a picture on the interwebs.

Lots of complaints about it feeling cheap, unergonomic, front heavy, etc...

 

[Scheelings]

Speaking for myself, I have a large M lenses collection that I use on both film bodies and Sony bodies (A7 and NEX-7). And yes, I recognize that performance for some M mount wides can be an issue. Well, I just don't buy those wides. Modern designs such as the WATE and the wide Summilux's generally produce adequate results. The extreme M wides are also mostly Distagon designs - meaning that they'll work better than symmetric lenses on any digital body.

But that is only with WAs...any lens above 35mm should work perfectly on the A7. Considering the amount of in-camera correction Leica uses for its M9 and M240 WA profiles, I don't think Sony is doing much worse in this regard. You will need to have the basic know-how to do your own correction in post-processing, though.

But how do the M lenses perform compared to the Sony lenses? I can't understand why anyone would use their M lenses even if they under perform compared to the (most often) cheaper lenses designed specifically for that body - just because they can.

 

[YYV_146]

But how do the M lenses perform compared to the Sony lenses? I can't understand why anyone would use their M lenses even if they under perform compared to the (most often) cheaper lenses designed specifically for that body - just because they can.

First of all there are very few lenses that would under-perform to such a degree...Native lenses may benefit from in-camera correction, but they also carry extra issues - look no more than the over-corrected NEX-7 in camera profile for the 16-50 OSS. I will say that all of my lenses above 24mm FOV produces breathtaking results on the A7, especially those above 75mm.

Here are my reasons for choosing Leica lenses for the A7, excluding performance:

1. Some focal length/aperture combinations are not available for any system other than Leica, and the "look" is unusal enough to make a difference (50mm f0.95, 21mm f1.4). Zeiss has the superb 15mm f2.8 ZM, which IMO is in a league of its own when it comes to superwides.

2. M lenses are usually physically much smaller than the Sony counterparts and have a smaller front filter size. Extra weight savings when traveling.

3. M lenses have the physical aperture ring which is a great thing to have. The only alternative would be the Fuji XF system, and only for some lenses. I for one enjoy the thought process of separating aperture and shutter settings to lens and body.

4. M lenses have superb build and focus feel, some thing which the Fuji XF lenses do not offer. The well-built Leica focus mechanism is so much more comfortable to use than plastic manual rings or fly-by-wire

5. AF lenses are no less consumer objects than digital bodies, but M lenses have no such concern. I can be certain that a decade from now all of my M lenses will work properly if maintenanced. The same cannot be said for even the best-built AF lens.

6. I can adapt M lenses to more systems than one, and unify a digital/film kit. With Sony lenses I am stuck with Sony, but with M lenses I can carry one lens system and use, for example, the NEX-7 and my R3M side-by-side. I can also buy into smaller format bodies for the extra reach (EM-5) or change to another mirrorless system with minimum penalty. Should Fuji release a FF X-pro2, I can buy one and use it alongside the A7.

I actually wrote an article titled "Justifying the adapter" a while back when I began working with the NEX-7. The article is in Chinese, but I think my reasoning is quite nicely summed up here 😀

 

[Scheelings]

A great summary - thanks for that.

 

[uhoh7]

I'm having alot of fun with the A7 and I will keep it, but tonite I bit the bullet and bought an M9, which just had it's sensor replaced by Leica.

Knock on wood 🙂

After looking at many many images, the M9 seems to be unbeatable 28 and wider, by anything.

 

[raid]

Congrats on tne M9.

 

[kxl]

I'm having alot of fun with the A7 and I will keep it, but tonite I bit the bullet and bought an M9, which just had it's sensor replaced by Leica.

Knock on wood 🙂

After looking at many many images, the M9 seems to be unbeatable 28 and wider, by anything.

Congrats on the M9!

 

[Pioneer]

Congrats on the M9 uhoh7. You will enjoy it.