porktaco
Well-known
yeah, i don't know why they changes the direction of the stupid shutter dial. stupid.
once again, the frickin high iso performance is pretty weak.
once again, the frickin high iso performance is pretty weak.
Lss
Well-known
I even like the M8. The M9 continues to sound pretty sweet.
x-ray
Veteran
Well I let go and did it yesterday. I placed an order for a new M9 which should be here in a couple of days.
There were too many plusses that I wanted and it seems as though many of the negatives are not that big a deal. All cameras have negative and plus points.
Thanks all for you input.
There were too many plusses that I wanted and it seems as though many of the negatives are not that big a deal. All cameras have negative and plus points.
Thanks all for you input.
Tom Niblick
Well-known
Great! You will love the camera.
Mine cost me a M4 with a 50 DR Summicron + a M8 + 3 Nikkor lenses + $2500 cash. It is worth it.
My only complaint is that my M9 cost me my M4 and my M8. They were both great cameras.
Mine cost me a M4 with a 50 DR Summicron + a M8 + 3 Nikkor lenses + $2500 cash. It is worth it.
My only complaint is that my M9 cost me my M4 and my M8. They were both great cameras.
Photokina is just a few weeks a way... Just wait that little bit longer and it will be cheaper...
x-ray
Veteran
I actually got a great price on a new one.
I thought about waiting to see if there is an M10 but every new generation of digital camera brings a new set of problems. It happens with both Nikon and Canon every time. I expect a new M10 to be loaded with new problems if one really comes out. It's the same as buying a new computer you just have to jump in at the point you think the camera / computer / etc. will fill your needs. This was the time to make it happen.
In the past couple of months I transitioned back to Nikon from Canon. I had used my canon 1DsII system since it came out and my lenses dated back to the 1D and 1Ds. There was absolutely nothing wrong with them but it was time to move up a generation or two. The 1DsII makes great images but is getting heavier the older I get. I wound up going back to Nikon and bought a D800 and four lenses. I bought a set of Zeiss primes and wound up sending them back. The Zeiss were no better if as good as my Nikon glass but mega expensive. I used the refund money to fund the M9.
In the past couple of years my favored camera when it fits the job is my Hasselblad digital system and the D800 matches the Hasselblad in look much closer than the Canon. I expect the Leica to come close too particularly that it has a CCD much like the Hasselblad. I've had several cameras with CCD's and there's a different look for sure. IMO they have much purer colors and much sharper plus dynamic range of the Hasselblad and Nikon are amazing.
I'm really looking forward to getting in in a couple of days and will report back with my impressions and some images.
I thought about waiting to see if there is an M10 but every new generation of digital camera brings a new set of problems. It happens with both Nikon and Canon every time. I expect a new M10 to be loaded with new problems if one really comes out. It's the same as buying a new computer you just have to jump in at the point you think the camera / computer / etc. will fill your needs. This was the time to make it happen.
In the past couple of months I transitioned back to Nikon from Canon. I had used my canon 1DsII system since it came out and my lenses dated back to the 1D and 1Ds. There was absolutely nothing wrong with them but it was time to move up a generation or two. The 1DsII makes great images but is getting heavier the older I get. I wound up going back to Nikon and bought a D800 and four lenses. I bought a set of Zeiss primes and wound up sending them back. The Zeiss were no better if as good as my Nikon glass but mega expensive. I used the refund money to fund the M9.
In the past couple of years my favored camera when it fits the job is my Hasselblad digital system and the D800 matches the Hasselblad in look much closer than the Canon. I expect the Leica to come close too particularly that it has a CCD much like the Hasselblad. I've had several cameras with CCD's and there's a different look for sure. IMO they have much purer colors and much sharper plus dynamic range of the Hasselblad and Nikon are amazing.
I'm really looking forward to getting in in a couple of days and will report back with my impressions and some images.
fotomeow
name under my name
My main beef is the effin retarded CLICK! WHIZZZZ! CLACK!! of the shutter.
Yeesh.
Yeesh.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Price. Thick body. Otherwise, I'm just grateful to be able to get a digital camera that pretty much looks, feels and behaves like a real camera.
Sure, I'd like it quieter, with better high ISO, etc. But that's not the same as 'disliking' anything.
Cheers,
R.
Sure, I'd like it quieter, with better high ISO, etc. But that's not the same as 'disliking' anything.
Cheers,
R.
Griffin
Grampa's cameras user
The fact that I don't have one...
tstermitz
Well-known
Negatives: Slow buffer, expense, expense, expense.
Yeah, I'd higher ISO, but I learned how to work with LR4 to remove a lot of noise, and I'm quite happy up to 1200.
The big plus? Ability to shoot leica lenses, and that makes my images pop. 'Course, they pop on film, quite nicely as well. 18Meg files are completely fine (and I don't have to upgrade my computer), although I'm pretty sure the lenses have the quality to resolve much higher resolution.
Yeah, I'd higher ISO, but I learned how to work with LR4 to remove a lot of noise, and I'm quite happy up to 1200.
The big plus? Ability to shoot leica lenses, and that makes my images pop. 'Course, they pop on film, quite nicely as well. 18Meg files are completely fine (and I don't have to upgrade my computer), although I'm pretty sure the lenses have the quality to resolve much higher resolution.
dannynono
Survey sez....
X-ray,
I look forward to reading about your experience with the M-9, especially given your pragmatic approach wrt buy or not to buy. Best of luck when it arrives.
I look forward to reading about your experience with the M-9, especially given your pragmatic approach wrt buy or not to buy. Best of luck when it arrives.
Hosermage
Well-known
Care to share? I'm still learning my ways... and I haven't dared to go pass 800. If I knew how to fix it in post, then it opens up a lot for me! Is it mostly tweaking the luminance slider?
Thanks in advance.
Nick
Established
I don't own one, but I've tried it out and was a hair-breadth away from buying a used M9.
My gripes were:
I could probably live with the high ISO performance, but the shutter noise is ridiculous. Even my 5D3 is quieter. That's my main hope with the M10 is that the audible noise is reduced/fixed.
My gripes were:
- Audible shutter noise - completely ruins the 'stealth' shooting rangefinders are known for
- High ISO performance - my X100 and 5D3 blows it out of the water
I could probably live with the high ISO performance, but the shutter noise is ridiculous. Even my 5D3 is quieter. That's my main hope with the M10 is that the audible noise is reduced/fixed.
Borge H
Established
It has not the same build quality as M6, M4 or M2.
For instance, the shutter release button has not the same mechnical softness.
But I like my M9, the picture quality is difficult to meet with film and a scanner.
Things which can be better is the LCD screen, it is very prone to scratches. The exposure measurements is too wide with wide angel lenses. If you use 21 mm lenses they almost all times get underexposed as the sky influences the measurements.
The camera is very expensive, but if you have the money, why wait?
The Leica company has a very friendly customer policy. If the sensor or some thing else breaks, they will replace it (if it not caused by dropping etc.). You can also upgrade the M9 to a M9P, with additional warranty.
Many people think that a new Leica (M10) will appear in october. It will probably not be cheaper!
For instance, the shutter release button has not the same mechnical softness.
But I like my M9, the picture quality is difficult to meet with film and a scanner.
Things which can be better is the LCD screen, it is very prone to scratches. The exposure measurements is too wide with wide angel lenses. If you use 21 mm lenses they almost all times get underexposed as the sky influences the measurements.
The camera is very expensive, but if you have the money, why wait?
The Leica company has a very friendly customer policy. If the sensor or some thing else breaks, they will replace it (if it not caused by dropping etc.). You can also upgrade the M9 to a M9P, with additional warranty.
Many people think that a new Leica (M10) will appear in october. It will probably not be cheaper!
russelljtdyer
Writer
Sounds from the Past
Sounds from the Past
I agree that it's distracting and painful to hear: I want to oil it or help it along in some way. I wish there was an optional manual crank.
The sound it makes reminds me of a Polaroid SX-70 camera with the motor turning and pushing the photo out of the camera after taking a picture. Since the Leica M9 has a motor turning inside to push (or pull) the shutter into position for the next shot, it makes sense that they might sound similar. Being a noise from a camera, it makes more sense that it reminds me of a Polaroid.
Sounds from the Past
I agree that it's distracting and painful to hear: I want to oil it or help it along in some way. I wish there was an optional manual crank.
The sound it makes reminds me of a Polaroid SX-70 camera with the motor turning and pushing the photo out of the camera after taking a picture. Since the Leica M9 has a motor turning inside to push (or pull) the shutter into position for the next shot, it makes sense that they might sound similar. Being a noise from a camera, it makes more sense that it reminds me of a Polaroid.
tstermitz
Well-known
See the Luminous Landscape LR4 Tutorials, which are really excellent as they show best practices for many things. The Noise Reduction is worth the whole thing.
There is a trade off between sharpening and noise reduction, so you have to go back and forth a little. With noisy images, you don't want to sharpen the noise, so use a larger radius setting. Although it sounds counter-intuitive, you should add back in a touch of small-sized grain.
Color noise looks really artificial so I want to do a good job reducing it, but my big insight was that I can tolerate some amount of luminance noise. Accepting that I can't eliminate luminance noise at 100% pixels, my normal-sized, on-screen or printed images looks great.
kanzlr
Hexaneur
I never had the M9, but I hated the M8 ergonomics. Hard to hold, etc. coming from an SLR...If it only had the body of the Hexar RF...a bit more rounded, slight grip, much grippier texture...
x-ray
Veteran
My M9 arrived today and unfortunately have only had a chance to shoot around 90 frames. It has been raining off and on since the postman delivered it.
First impressions are very good. We all know the complaints but at this point other than the pathetic LCD I'm really liking the camera.
The skies have been heavy overcast but the color is superb and what I would call vibrant. (RAW / LR4.1) The color is true to form for a CCD camera and much like what I get from my Hasselblad digital. CCD's just have a different color than CMOS and CCD's are much more to my liking. Focus is dead on with my 35 Biogon and 50 Planar as well as my 21 Elmarit. I've shot all three lenses wide open and down two stops and am very impressed with the performance of both Zeiss lenses. First impressions are the 21 Elmarit will improve with stopping down. I haven't had a chance to shoot the 75 Summilux or 90 Apo Asph yet but there's tomorrow.
Like I mentioned the LCD is nothing more than a guide to see if you have the shot and a way to view the histogram. For my part they could have left it off for all the good it does. The noise doesn't bother me at all. It sounds a lot like my old v1 M winder and a lot quieter than my old SL MOT. I've tried with and without the lens profiles and can not see any difference with any of the three lenses. The 21 hasn't had much of a test yet so tomorrow we'll see.
Sometime down the road I'll compare it side by side to my D800 and Hasselblad digital.
First impressions are very good. We all know the complaints but at this point other than the pathetic LCD I'm really liking the camera.
The skies have been heavy overcast but the color is superb and what I would call vibrant. (RAW / LR4.1) The color is true to form for a CCD camera and much like what I get from my Hasselblad digital. CCD's just have a different color than CMOS and CCD's are much more to my liking. Focus is dead on with my 35 Biogon and 50 Planar as well as my 21 Elmarit. I've shot all three lenses wide open and down two stops and am very impressed with the performance of both Zeiss lenses. First impressions are the 21 Elmarit will improve with stopping down. I haven't had a chance to shoot the 75 Summilux or 90 Apo Asph yet but there's tomorrow.
Like I mentioned the LCD is nothing more than a guide to see if you have the shot and a way to view the histogram. For my part they could have left it off for all the good it does. The noise doesn't bother me at all. It sounds a lot like my old v1 M winder and a lot quieter than my old SL MOT. I've tried with and without the lens profiles and can not see any difference with any of the three lenses. The 21 hasn't had much of a test yet so tomorrow we'll see.
Sometime down the road I'll compare it side by side to my D800 and Hasselblad digital.
Ben Z
Veteran
It's not as bad as you suggest. I was able to use the LCD fully-zoomed to fine-tune my rangefinder. I confirmed this by then viewing at 100% on the computer. But I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've used any LCD on any camera (aside from those without a viewfinder of course) for anything except accessing menus. I have often thought about making a thin plastic or aluminum plate upholstered in matching vulcanite vinyl to use as a cover/protector for the LCD, but I can't figure an elegant way of making it easily removable. I wish Leica had made such a cover and provided tabs around the LCD for it to clip. I really liked the look of the Epson R-D1 with the LCD turned inward, but it did cause added thickness to the body which would not be welcomed on the M9.
LeicaTom
Watch that step!
Hmm well after reading all this and seeing that statement saying that the 50mm frame lines are lousy (do they flare out?) or are very hard to work with and the camera's images have less of
a "film like" look than he M8 was, sounds like the M9 isn't the camera for my needs of a PinUp/Retro photographer?
I mostly shoot 50mm's in all my work, I rarely need wide angles, so the 50mm frame lines are very important to me, plus it would stink if you would have to add a SBOOI or a Canon 50MM finder all the time in the hot shoe just to compensate for a bad factory frame job. ~ Please Note: I like my digital work to resemble film, I try to shoot stuff *in-camera* that looks old with lighting and makeup and styling and the M8 has pretty much fallen into place, even considering all the IR/Cut filters I have to drag around on various lenses to keep the Black Lingerie looking Black......
What's the REAL FACTS on the 50mm frame lines in the M9/M9P?
Also the M9/M9P cracking/busted sensors thing is something I wouldn't want to worry about........I have read some horror stories and something like that unwarranted would give someone a heart attack after seeing the bill!
Maybe I need to find a *unregistered-unwarranted registered* M8.2 and save that for my "back up" digital and just keep on using my M8 which only has a little bit less than 18,000 clicks.
I really haven't been impressed with any shots I've seen from the M9/M9P, despite the use of "vintage" lenses, the M8 seems to be/or have to have been a more *creative* Digital Leica than all the newest ones?
Tom
a "film like" look than he M8 was, sounds like the M9 isn't the camera for my needs of a PinUp/Retro photographer?
I mostly shoot 50mm's in all my work, I rarely need wide angles, so the 50mm frame lines are very important to me, plus it would stink if you would have to add a SBOOI or a Canon 50MM finder all the time in the hot shoe just to compensate for a bad factory frame job. ~ Please Note: I like my digital work to resemble film, I try to shoot stuff *in-camera* that looks old with lighting and makeup and styling and the M8 has pretty much fallen into place, even considering all the IR/Cut filters I have to drag around on various lenses to keep the Black Lingerie looking Black......
What's the REAL FACTS on the 50mm frame lines in the M9/M9P?
Also the M9/M9P cracking/busted sensors thing is something I wouldn't want to worry about........I have read some horror stories and something like that unwarranted would give someone a heart attack after seeing the bill!
Maybe I need to find a *unregistered-unwarranted registered* M8.2 and save that for my "back up" digital and just keep on using my M8 which only has a little bit less than 18,000 clicks.
I really haven't been impressed with any shots I've seen from the M9/M9P, despite the use of "vintage" lenses, the M8 seems to be/or have to have been a more *creative* Digital Leica than all the newest ones?
Tom