Alnitak
Established
I think LUF has managed to attract a bit more of a critical mass on the digital M side, both M8 and M9. To be honest, I don't really like a certain segment of the LUF crowd, but because its more active I spend more time there. I have been shooting with an M9 since November, and its almost all I ever shoot. If you want to see lots of images taken with an M9, just head over to my stream on Flickr; unless its a macro shot, odds are I took it with my M9: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhapeman. Right now I'm working in London, so lots of shots from London, and on Friday I head out for ten days in Paris and the Swiss Alps, so lots of interesting stuff coming. 
If you look at Flickr, you can see the M9 growing in popularity steadily since release:
http://www.flickr.com/cameras/leica/
It's just a matter of limited production slowly releasing new M9's to the market. Meanwhile, a lot of new Leica users are snatching up the used M8's of those who are upgrading, expanding the Leica user base.
Jeff
If you look at Flickr, you can see the M9 growing in popularity steadily since release:
http://www.flickr.com/cameras/leica/
It's just a matter of limited production slowly releasing new M9's to the market. Meanwhile, a lot of new Leica users are snatching up the used M8's of those who are upgrading, expanding the Leica user base.
Jeff
That's my impression too, and the M8 did have a lot of anticipation and excitement... remember Seal giving us tantalizing pre-release hints? The M8 was quite a revolutionary thing for Leica, while the M9 seems more evolutionary. Much of the M8 discussion is equally applicable to the M9 and vice versa.
I think some potential M8 buyers held back because of the crop sensor and other issues, and these folks are serious now about getting an M9... maybe a reason for the current backlog.
dreamsandart
Well-known
Define a serious photographer!
Equipment wise… The M9 is my first 'serious' digital camera
Not just that it costs 'serious' money , but the RD-1 I had and the D-LUX 4 I have are fine/good/great digital cameras, but not in that 'serious' category to me :angel:(I have too much fun with my photography to consider it 'serious' these days and I don't use it for work anymore, even 'serious-fun' seems a contradiction to me, and love to be non-serious then I hear that word
)I'm still on a learning curve with digital and getting my work flow established. Having fun with that, but I just don't feel the need to post, show or publish at this time till I am reasonably comfortable with the whole process (new software, new computer, new storage HDs… ) and up to speed with my new M9.
As for the 'serious' photographer (just because I have an M9 its not how I would describe myself)… I've been using M-serious since I was 16, and going on 4 decades, for work, art, and pleasure. It was an expensive system to get into back then, and not any more or less now. I got the M9 because it works naturally for me, the easiest transition to digital I felt in how I work with my camera and lenses. When my mother once asked why I used such a ['seriously'] expensive cameras back when I was in my 20s, my father just said in my defense its "what I use". Meaning, its the system that I feel most comfortable with, its a 'bonding thing' to me. With the FF M9 its the first camera I felt I could take a next step with. The usual perception is that the more expensive equipment you have the more 'serious' you are. But its not a matter the cost, you can be 'serious' about your art with a Kodak Brownie as was once suggested to me. And age sometimes comes into play, but my 6 year old looks pretty serious (always with a grin on his face) when he gets a camera in his hands too
As for why rangefinderforum doesn't get much discussion about the M9… myself I look over at LUF more often for actual use-ful M9 info because it just seems there is more (not all of course) helpful information there. Why RRF doesn't get more M9 users is a bit puzzling. Maybe the cost/buying-power has something to do with it. More than a few RFF members sometimes seem to look down on high cost 'new' Leica equipment users (and 'collector's) in subtle and not so subtle ways, and they gravitate elsewhere. (Although I considered an M8 at the time I bought an M9, I don't need to hear for the umpth-tenth time the M8 is just as good or better ["for the money"] than an M9, or that "I could have taken that shot better with my M2 and…". The LUF has a dedicated M9 forum and you don't get so much cross-over talk).
BTW: I always look forward to hearing (for example) what Roger and jaap have to say about the M9 because they enjoy their M9s and have reasonable things to say about it. Maybe if there were more folks like them to start and contribute to M9 discussions it would generate more 'chatter'.
larryk34
Larry Kincaid
Not enough problems to talk about. Or still testing to find some and failing. I finally received my M9 two weeks ago. After fighing the urge, I finally had to admit that it's pretty much perfect. Meaning, the kind of digital M7 or so that everyone really wanted. The image quality is still amazing to me and as perfect implies, everything on the camera is working perfectly. I tried to find focus shift, but so far I've failed. All my lenses, 28, 35, 50, 75 focus quite well. Color and B&W are both great. So, what's to say or chat about? When I first bought a M6 6 years ago or so, there was a lot of chatter about the technical aspects of the camera, what lenses to use, the best film, etc. It seems like most of this learning curve has been passed already by the time I reached the M9, so there are not too many interesting questions. These forums are great for new Leica M users, but everyone here seems to be old hands. Hence, less chatter. (Okay, I do have one technical question: I cannot find the product number in the menu for coding my 1960s 50mm rigid summicron lens. Can anyone tell me which 50mm lens to designate in the menu for this (or the DR) lens?)
bottley1
only to feel
Is the M9 for taking pictures? I just fondle mine in a darkened room - lovely!
Richard Marks
Rexel
Its for taking pictures with when eventually the fondlers move onto something new (The M10 complete with special tactile black paint) and we have a chance at a second hand M9 in "mint fondled condition"
. That appears to be what has happened with the M8.Richard
jamato8
Corroding tank M9 35 ASPH
I carry mine everywhere. I also use it to take images. It is nice to be back with Leica.
dll927
Well-known
I think I'll side with the ones who figure that most of us don't have that many shekels sitting around gathering dust. Leica has pretty well priced itself out of most peoples' sense of reality.
I have an M4-2 bought new in 1983. It still takes pictures, which is no surprise to anyone with a Leica. Yes, it cost a good bit back then, but I didn't have to take out a second mortgage.
I have an M4-2 bought new in 1983. It still takes pictures, which is no surprise to anyone with a Leica. Yes, it cost a good bit back then, but I didn't have to take out a second mortgage.
downstairs
downstairs
I tried posting a little there, when I got my 1st Leica. But, to me, the general attitude is quite stuffy (being polite
Back to the topic
I have seen some great images and discussions here and there. I wander if even after, what, 5 years or so of a DRF Leica, there are is still more interest in Film Leica and such?
Some LUFfers complain when you post an image in a normal thread even when it is relevant to the argument- it gums up their smart-phones - they prefer you to post in purgatory (a sub-sub Photo Forum).
RFFers seem un-stuffy about posting pictures. However there is something to be said for posting a thumbnail with a link to the simple big picture; more immediate than the sign-in-to-see forum images.
There is a nice example of a clean thumbnail link by jdavidr here It is a glacier.
I can't do this with Picasa. Is this an exclusive feature of SmugMug?
Just to gum you up, here is an M9+50mm Summicron shot developed in 'Raw Photo Processor'.
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Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
It's clearly Leica's fault.
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
Define a serious photographer!
Not me. I crack myself up all the time.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
After giving it a lot of thought I have a theory about why the M9 has not exactly taken the forum by storm and created the associated hum of chatter.
The M8 was a slightly flawed but ground breaking move into an M digital on Leica's part. It had it's detractors and it had it's fans both of whom suspected that the next effort from Solms would be better ... and it was!
The M9 has turned out to be the camera that everyone really wanted first time around and from most reports it does little wrong ... so what's to discuss?
The M8 was a slightly flawed but ground breaking move into an M digital on Leica's part. It had it's detractors and it had it's fans both of whom suspected that the next effort from Solms would be better ... and it was!
The M9 has turned out to be the camera that everyone really wanted first time around and from most reports it does little wrong ... so what's to discuss?