Using Leica M9 Titanium?

I don't understand why anyone would buy a camera and never use it at all.

I'd be lying if I said that the design and aesthetics of my cameras were totally unimportant to me. I do like the 'look' of my M6 and my F6. Most of all I enjoy shooting them though - rain or shine; street or mountain. I'm not particularly enamoured of the look of my Mamiya 6 but I enjoy shooting it even more than any other camera because it is such an awesome photographic tool for me.

While undoubtedly the M9 is a phenomenal photographic tool, I find the design of the special M9 Titanium just vulgar. To me it looks like a Leica on steroids. It is 'brutal' in appearance and I wasn't surprised to learn that a car designer had had a hand in its creation.

What Mr DeSilva did to the M9 reminds me of what BMW did to Rolls Royce. The poise and elegance of the older Rolls is gone, replaced with a horrible, muscular, almost cartoonish characterisation of a classic.

I hate to say it but in my opinion, many of the wealthy purchasers of the M9 Titanium will have more money than taste.
 
I was just thinking because a friend of mine was thinking of getting one but he does not want to use them. Crazy buy not crazy?
 
I'd say this is for a very exclusive clientele, largely because the extra cost doesn't bring extra functionality. The Leica S2 is easier to justify at about the same price because of utility. I think the M9T can be viewed as sculpture overlaying the inner M9. So, with the exclusivity comes aesthetic appreciation and collectibility. The actual utility value is minimal in proportion.
 
Don't forget the original Luxus. (That's Luxus, not Lexus.) These things have been there since Barnack's day.

In the M6 era, the Sultan of Brunei ordered up a hundred or so gold-plated, snakeskin-covered, royal-crested M6's for his jubilee. That was probably the high point of tasteless Leica editions. No doubt they appeared on the pillows of the guests, like hotel mints. But perhaps he included a roll of film with them, so some may have been used to take pictures.

A good chunk of Leica revenue does come from collectors. As far as used cameras are concerned, the collectors do us no favor by keeping used prices up; but on new stuff, they do help pay for R&D, & may even be keeping our prices down!

And finally, don't forget that Leica used to belong to Hermes, & the latest special edition is going to Neiman Marcus. A substantial portion of Leica's customers have neither taste in cameras nor interest in photography they're just buying gifts of costume jewelry.

Kirk
 
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If I had the money for one, meaning I had that type of cushion, and I bought one I would use the heck out of it, just like my other cameras. We live and we die. What good is a camera going to do you on your shelf as you say your last words?
 
Thardy said:
There is a guy who wrote a report on Steve huff photo about the M9T (calls himself ~6).

He says that he is a collector, but then also said he will be using the camera a lot. He also bought another titanium camera set years ago. I'm not sure what to make of it, other than he just likes expensive Leicas.
Click to expand...

I believe ~6 is in fact, Seal.
 
Good point on 'cheap vs other luxury purchases'. I wasn't thinking about it that way.

I just assumed the buyers were either buying them as investments, art or both.

Edit: then again, I was hanging around with a few photographers in Pike Place. Just as we started passing a Barack around to people who hadn't handled one, an incredibly well dress, polished asian gentleman and his wife stepped out of a car. He was shooting with an M9. I could easily see him shooting with a M9ti. I have no idea how capable he is as a photographer though he seemed to have a decent eye, but it would have matched the rest of his look.
 
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Prosepective M9T owners

Prosepective M9T owners

thompsonks said:
Don't forget the original Luxus. (That's Luxus, not Lexus.) These things have been there since Barnack's day.

In the M6 era, the Sultan of Brunei ordered up a hundred or so gold-plated, snakeskin-covered, royal-crested M6's for his jubilee. That was probably the high point of tasteless Leica editions. No doubt they appeared on the pillows of the guests, like hotel mints. But perhaps he included a roll of film with them, so some may have been used to take pictures.

A good chunk of Leica revenue does come from collectors. As far as used cameras are concerned, the collectors do us no favor by keeping used prices up; but on new stuff, they do help pay for R&D, & may even be keeping our prices down!

And finally, don't forget that Leica used to belong to Hermes, & the latest special edition is going to Neiman Marcus. A substantial portion of Leica's customers have neither taste in cameras nor interest in photography they're just buying gifts of costume jewelry.

Kirk
Click to expand...

My uncle went to Sandhurst with the current 'Sultan of Brunei' (Hassanal Bolkiah) and describes him as a 'car and weapons freak'. Does not sound like a photographer to me. - But I could be wrong.

Another prominent guy who I am almost sure has a M9T on his shelf is this guy: The ex. president of Indonesia; Jusuf Habbibie. He has a large Leica collection and is an eager amateur photographer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacharuddin_Jusuf_Habibie

Not to mention the third president of the Russian Federation; Dmitrij Medvedev: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitry_Medvedev He has both an 'ordinary' M9 and flashes around with a 50 mm 0,95 Noctilux whenever he is in the mood.

Another well off Leica enthusiast is Eric Clapton: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Clapton Who has been seen with a M8, at least.

I am sure many here can name more famous & well off potential M9T customers. Like many Hollywood film stars. They tend to like photography and with that comes a liking for Leica.
 
thompsonks said:
Hi Olsen,

Have your uncle check it out:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/garyong/5075315744/

Kirk
Click to expand...

Kirk,

Sure, the 'Golden Brunei Leica' is for real.

But it was not made on the initiative of 'the Sultan of Brunei', but on Leica's initiative, or by somebody elses. Similar Jubilee Leicas have been made to celebrate the king of Thailand, the Danish Royal Wedding etc. Most often a local dealer has been the initiator to these jubilee cameras.

Like this one: http://www.cameraquest.com/m6thgold.htm
 
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Well, certainly a moot point in my case, as they were sold out almost he minute they went on the market. And anyway, much as I love Leica, I was NOT about to spend $22K on a camera....and certainly not on one as gaudy at that. I prefer a camera that attracts little or no notice (preference: basic black).

The M9 Titan might get used by some owners, but frankly, I think most of them were bought, and will be kept, solely for bragging rights. To repeat, it's a bit flashy to be a good working camera, and at $22K one might be a little shy about using it for street shooting, for example.

I just hope some of the R&D in this camera shows up in a working M10 (preference: basic black🙂): the titanium body for one, and the LED framelines, of another (even if it means only TWO windows in front [gasp]).

(On another note: I wish Leica would go back to the discreet old top plate script on the M10, rather than sticking the bright red "Leica dot" on the front. Like I said, I don't like being noticed when I shoot....and I don't like having something that screams "I have a really expensive camera!" I'd prefer to leave the status displays to the M9 Titan owners...)
 
"...(On another note: I wish Leica would go back to the discreet old top plate script on the M10, rather than sticking the bright red "Leica dot" on the front. Like I said, I don't like being noticed when I shoot....and I don't like having something that screams "I have a really expensive camera!" I'd prefer to leave the status displays to the M9 Titan owners...)..."

I still have the red dot and no one particularly pays any attention to me when I go shooting. I think the "stealth" issue is largely manufactured by Leica users who are
more self conscious than they need to be. To the public at large, it is just a camera,
and I am happy to keep it that way.
 
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Jim Evidon said:
"...(On another note: I wish Leica would go back to the discreet old top plate script on the M10, rather than sticking the bright red "Leica dot" on the front. Like I said, I don't like being noticed when I shoot....and I don't like having something that screams "I have a really expensive camera!" I'd prefer to leave the status displays to the M9 Titan owners...)..."

I still have the red dot and no one particularly pays any attention to me when I go shooting. I think the "stealth" issue is largely manufactured by Leica users who are
more self conscious than they need to be. To the public at large, it is just a camera,
and I am happy to keep it that way.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Nor would a intelligent thief like to spend his time as a beta tester for Leica...
 
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