Thoughts on the Leica M9 ... So where to now for the old girl?

[f6andBthere]

With what's been happening in the digi world over the last few weeks regarding the upcoming D4 and of course the new Fuji X-Pro1 how is the M9 viewed by current owners and potentail owners? Is it last weeks news or is it still the answer to a lot of people's prayers in a relatively small, simple full frame manual focus digital camera with no frills but ceratinly a need for rather deep pockets.

With all this talk of the new Fuji I find myself longing for this camera and I'm not quite sure why. Aside form the steep entry fee the old girl is also lacking somewhat in high ISO performance and desperately needs a new sensor .......... but!

If the new Fuji is the sensation we all hope it's going to be will a few M9 owners be bailing out and making the shift to an AF compact that delivers similar image quality to their M9 at a third of the price in a package roughly the same size?

And like I said ... in spite of all this fervour for the new Fuji, I still view the M9 as my holy grail in a lot of ways.

 

[Turtle]

Had the Xpro-1 had manual focus lenses fo superb quality I think it would have been a real M9 killer. Because it has AF, which might not be that hot (we shall see) it is a different beast, but stil in the same rough area I suppose. Rather like comparing lemons and limes!

 

[Peter S]

Sensor technology will continue to develop and the next digital M's will still not be able to squeeze everything out of those fantastic Leica lenses. I would not step into a new system, but simply wait for the M10 or 11 or see what Leica announces at Photokina.

Handled a x100 in a camera shop this weekend and what a nice viewfinder, AF was also fast and spot on. Did not care for it's retro look, but other than that very enjoyable to use. The X-Pro 1 can only be nicer than that. If I would not already have a digital M and Leica lenses I definitely would be tempted, but to make the switch now, no.

 

[I Love Film]

There is no way M9 owners are going to "bail out" and use a Fuji.

1) They will not give up their status symbol.

2) Most enjoy using Leica and other high end lenses on their cameras.

These Fujis and others are just regular digicams tarted up to look like 1950's rangefinders.

If you put a replica fiberglass Porsche 911 body on a VW Beetle chassis, it is still a bug.

 

[Peter S]

I think that the majority of M9 owners do not think of their camera as a status symbol. All the people that I have met were down to earth guys. Some with quite a lot of money in the bank, but no one flaunting it. On top of that for something to be a status symbol it needs to be recognized as being expensive/rare/exclusive etc and most people will consider a big dlsr with all the bells and wistles more a sign of status than the funny little grand pa camera that you still have to focus by hand 🙂

 

[dave lackey]

Old? It is so funny to hear comments about "old" as related to cameras. I currently use a 50-year old Leica M3, a 30-year old R4 and waiting on a 60-year old III f. 😛

Then again, my wife's car has 225,000 miles on it since 1999 and will get another high mileage award badge for the grill within the next 36 months. And yet, the car is perfectly well suited for everyday use and the cameras still take the same photos as they did when new.

I reckon the M9 does as well...:angel:

I love it when new becomes old.🙂

 

[f6andBthere]

Old? It is so funny to hear comments about "old" as related to cameras. I currently use a 50-year old Leica M3, a 30-year old R4 and waiting on a 60-year old III f. 😛

Then again, my wife's car has 225,000 miles on it since 1999 and will get another high mileage award badge for the grill within the next 36 months. And yet, the car is perfectly well suited for everyday use and the cameras still take the same photos as they did when new.

I reckon the M9 does as well...:angel:

I love it when new becomes old.🙂

I agree ... the old girl is under siege from these new kids but still relevant!

 

[dave lackey]

I agree ... the old girl is under siege from these new kids but still relevant!

Ha, ha... the trickle-down is what I like as long as I don't have to wait 20 years for the price to finally become affordable.😛

Here are some links to those great photographers I admire using Leica rangefinders:

http://www.riccisvalladares.com/
http://www.ottoschulzephotographers.com/

There are many more...

 

[Reddot9]

I think that the majority of M9 owners do not think of their camera as a status symbol. All the people that I have met were down to earth guys. Some with quite a lot of money in the bank, but no one flaunting it. On top of that for something to be a status symbol it needs to be recognized as being expensive/rare/exclusive etc and most people will consider a big dlsr with all the bells and wistles more a sign of status than the funny little grand pa camera that you still have to focus by hand 🙂

Well said. I totally agree. You know, there are a few people who put a Leica around their neck and wear it as jewelry but most who have one realize its a nice piece of equipment that they are comfortable using. Its a good tool. Is it the very, very best, no, I don't think so, but its the one I like the best, the one that gives me the best response and the images I want, the way I want them.

If one enjoys cars as I do and reads a lot about them, they will recognize to the automotive press that it is always the next car that will beat a BMW. Yet it never quite happens that way and BMW continues year after year to be an excellent automobile, dependable and reliable. The rest are perceived as being BMW challengers. And that is great too.

If some point and shoot like the new fuji, some day can out perform a Leica, that is fine.

For the time being I will continue to use my old Leica bodies and lenses and my new ones as dependable trustworthy tools. That to me is all they are.

 

[Vics]

Had the Xpro-1 had manual focus lenses fo superb quality I think it would have been a real M9 killer. Because it has AF, which might not be that hot (we shall see) it is a different beast, but stil in the same rough area I suppose. Rather like comparing lemons and limes!

The X-Pro1 video I saw the other day showed manual focus lenses.
EDIT: ...unless fly-by-wire technology doesn't count, and I can see where it wouldn't.

 

[kbg32]

To "I Love Film",

M9s will be around for years to come. I think those that sell them for the new Fuji, didn't feel comfortable with them to begin with, or want autofocus. I'm sure the Fuji will be a great camera. M9s or M8s are not "status" symbols, but viable working tools for many of us. "Us" meaning even "poor" folk. I am by no means rich. I worked and sweated hard for my Ms, both film and digital. Sold some ancient gear to help fund my M9 purchase and am lucky enough to own one.

Some people tote Nikons or Canons around like status symbols. I don't care. Horses for courses.

I remember the days when I had my old '66 MG Midget. When another MG passed me in the other direction, we blinked our head lights on and off. I have that same feeling when I see another Leica on the street, but I just smile to myself. Sometimes we stop and chat. There is a camaraderie you don't get from other equipment. It might not be the cutting edge, but the IQ, the lenses, and the feel are second to none. It produces images that touch me in a way no other camera can. I know they are not for everyone or every kind of situation. But, that is just me.

 

[dave lackey]

To "I Love Film",

M9s will be around for years to come. I think those that sell them for the new Fuji, didn't feel comfortable with them to begin with, or want autofocus. I'm sure the Fuji will be a great camera. M9s or M8s are not "status" symbols, but viable working tools for many of us. "Us" meaning even "poor" folk. I am by no means rich. I worked and sweated hard for my Ms, both film and digital. Sold some ancient gear to help fund my M9 purchase and am lucky enough to own one.

Some people tote Nikons or Canons around like status symbols. I don't care. Horses for courses.

I remember the days when I had my old '66 MG Midget. When another MG passed me in the other direction, we blinked our head lights on and off. I have that same feeling when I see another Leica on the street, but I just smile to myself. Sometimes we stop and chat. There is a camaraderie you don't get from other equipment. It might not be the cutting edge, but the IQ, the lenses, and the feel are second to none. It produces images that touch me in a way no other camera can. I know they are not for everyone or every kind of situation. But, that is just me.

+1...fellow MG enthusiast!!!😉

 

[Roger Hicks]

M9s will be around for years to come. I think those that sell them for the new Fuji, didn't feel comfortable with them to begin with, or want autofocus. I'm sure the Fuji will be a great camera. M9s or M8s are not "status" symbols, but viable working tools for many of us. "Us" meaning even "poor" folk. I am by no means rich. I worked and sweated hard for my Ms, both film and digital. Sold some ancient gear to help fund my M9 purchase and am lucky enough to own one.

Some people tote Nikons or Canons around like status symbols. I don't care. Horses for courses.ç.

Quite. I buy cameras (as rarely as possible) to take pics and earn money.

Success so far... Not a lot of money, but enough (in the last 30 years) that I own my own house free and clear, plus a couple of cars and a couple of motorcycles, and don't owe anyone a penny.

Cheers,

R.

 

[jippiejee]

I was out today on a walk with my M8, and loved it so much. That camera is still relevant. Just imagine what the M9 will be for years to come.

 

[Godfrey]

My circa 2003 Olympus E-1 still takes marvelous photographs, as does my even more elderly Leica M4-2.

I just ordered an M9. Obsolescence is only for those who prefer the bleeding edge. 🙂

 

[f16sunshine]

"Old Girl"..? "desperately needs a new sensor"..?

I don't get it?

 

[I Love Film]

Leicas not status symbols? Nonsense.

Or at least they are "lifestyle statements".

Nobody who uses Leica is ever going to go out in the street and be seen with a Kodak Easyshare around his neck. At the very least, they will sport some other high profile "aficionado" camera.

Same for most RFF members, but on varying degrees of scale.

 

[theno23]

If the X1 Pro was a lot smaller I would probably have one, as a camera to keep in my bag, but from what I can tell it's not really smaller than the M9, so I'm not really interested. High ISO performance will probably be better, but I have a Nikon SLR for that and macro/tele use.

I would get a m4/3 camera if someone made a small one with a builtin viewfinder. Some of the prime lenses for that mount are really quite nice.

 

[Reddot9]

Leicas not status symbols? Nonsense.

Or at least they are "lifestyle statements".

Nobody who uses Leica is ever going to go out in the street and be seen with a Kodak Easyshare around his neck. At the very least, they will sport some other high profile "aficionado" camera.

Same for most RFF members, but on varying degrees of scale.

Totally disagree with your generalizations. I don't know what an Easyshare is, but if it took a technically decent image. I'd use it just like my other "lesser" cameras.

I guess you'd say my "camera neighborhood" is integrated. I use them all. My Leicas live in the same drawer that my $250.00 point and shoot and a couple of real cheap old cameras live.

 

[bob338]

Leicas not status symbols? Nonsense.

Or at least they are "lifestyle statements".

Nobody who uses Leica is ever going to go out in the street and be seen with a Kodak Easyshare around his neck. At the very least, they will sport some other high profile "aficionado" camera.

Same for most RFF members, but on varying degrees of scale.

I call BS.
I was out with my kids today, and I used my M8 as often as I used my Iphone camera.
The Iphone is the antithesis of a Leica and I'm perfectly comfortable using them side by side.

Bob