Who is happy with M8 and M9 and who is waiting for M10?

[eleskin]

I am waiting until June/July 2010. Why?

1. Most importantly the production run will have been going for some months, ensuring that if there were any issues with the M9, there will have been corrections and refinements, and there will be no waiting lists. Inventory will be higher with increased production.

2. I will have the latest firmware.

3. There is a possibility of a faster processor and a REAL CHROME finish.

4. Affordability: I have to pay my TAXES in APRIL and I cannot buy anything in this price range until I know how much money I will have!!!!!

 

[downstairs]

Less is more. Waiting to swap my M9 for an M9P.

 

[jaapv]

.

3. There is a possibility of a faster processor and a REAL CHROME finish.

Highly, very highly unlikely. Especially another processor.

 

[Ben Z]

I'm waiting for the M10, so that I can pick a used (and probably babied) M9 for less

That's probably what I will do, if I ever get an M9. Since we stopped globe trotting, I seem to reach for the Canon 20D or 5D any time I want to take pictures. Haven't used the M8 since I had the upgrade done, except to try it out to make sure they put it back together right. But if at some point I can pick up a warrantied demo M9 for not more than 60% of the current cost, I might get one and then sell my M8 if it's still worth at least a grand.

 

[ferider]

I'm not waiting for anything digital. I'm currently excited that developing B+W at home is working so well ....

For 7+ grand, I'd rather take my wife and film gear on a nice vacation.

Roland.

 

[bottley1]

You Guys.....The M8 is a fine camera capable of stunning results, the M9 is an improvement and refinement on the M8 design. Why the constant looking over the horizon for the "next big thing" ? Sociologists looking into evidence of the rampent acquisitive nature of human beings need look no further.....

 

[sevres_babylone]

Time to revive the Nikon DRF rumours. Mike Johnston says there could be a surprise from Nikon in February. My guess is a mirrorless FF. A GF1 on steroids (though only for health reasons, not to boost performance.) The cognoscenti here have said there will be no DRF from Nikon so this will have to do. Money aside, my hesitation about the M9 is that I would have liked to have seen better high ISO. So short of waiting for an M10, salvation will have to come from somewhere besides Leica.
Online Photographer link: http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/blog_index.html

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I'm waiting for Godot.

 

[Tracnac]

I'm waiting a M9 with a D700 soul...

Yvan.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I'm waiting for a D700 with a Leica M3 soul...

 

[raid]

I am waiting for a M9 with a M8 price tag ... soul or no soul.

 

[jbf]

I will not buy a digital leica until it matches or exceeds the high ISO capabilities of my Canon 5D. So far it does not compete.


No thanks.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I will not buy a digital leica until it matches or exceeds the high ISO capabilities of my Canon 5D. So far it does not compete.

When shooting RAW, the M8 and the 5D are matched at ISO 1250 and higher. People just need to learn the processing needed, and not blame the camera.

Granted, the 5D has a lot of emm..."foolproof"...modes. They have more experience with nonprofessional shooters in the film and digital realm, when we talk about numbers.

 

[Richard Marks]

Still Unconvinced and no prosepct of a demo trial model showing up. I am sure the playback screen resolution is going to get upgraded at some stage (or at least i hope so).
Just bought an M7 instead. Unlikely to need much after sales. The shutter is simply superb. Why can we not have this noise and vibration supression on a digital M?? I dont understand.
Sticking with my D700 system for digital.


Richard

 

[Ben Z]

When shooting RAW, the M8 and the 5D are matched at ISO 1250 and higher. People just need to learn the processing needed, and not blame the camera.

Could you PM me with "the processing needed" for both cameras? Would that include using Noise Ninja or the like on M8 files? I've got an M8 and a 5D (Mark-1) and I only shoot RAW and nothing I or anybody else I've communicated with can "match" them at anything above ISO 640. In fact my 20D at ISO 1600 is less noisy than my M8 at ISO 640. I would love to know how to process M8 files so they look as clean as the Canons at 1250 and higher. That's not to say I'm upset with what I've been getting from the M8 at 1250, just that there's obvious more noise than the Canons. And the Canon files do not "look digital", "plasticky" or any other disparaging adjective. There I agree with you 100% it's wrong to slam a camera without recognizing that each one needs specific processing to get the best from it.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I'm very happy with my M8 that came in at an F4 price.

As far as ISO- I've never pushed TRI-X, used to shoot Panatomic-X developed 1:1 in Microdol. Annoyed that Kodacolor-100 is harder to get than Kodacolor-400. Having the ISO 160 setting and high shutter speeds should allow testing Shimmed lenses at F1.5 in daylight. And I can use the F1.2 Canon for low-light and ISO 640 if necessary. Kodacolor-800, now that is noisy. Shadow Detail is worse than the Nikon D1x cranked up.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I'm waiting for the M12. It will have auto-focus, auto-cropping, iTunes and it will release its own shutter with two modes: Amazon Recommendation or Vulkan Mind-meld.

 

[Dante_Stella]

Maybe a Nikon upgrade year?

Maybe a Nikon upgrade year?

Roger:

You're right - life is for living. But that premise could lead to an opposite conclusion for a lot of M8 owners: take the $4,500 upgrade cost and instead take your existing equipment on a nice foreign vacation (Roger, knowing your preferred mode of travel, that could be several months of road trips). Or keep your M8 (which still takes pictures); buy a D700 (now very cheap) to get full frame, responsive shooting, AF, flash capability, and stunning low-light quality; and still have a couple of grand left over for a low-budget trip somewhere.

After all, even a Pentax K1000 in Provence is better than an M9 sitting on a shelf most of the time and taking pictures of cats the rest.

Then revisit the M series in a couple of years when (a) Leica has a DSP and sensor that are, pixel-for-pixel, better than those of an M8 or (b) Leica is out of business. There is almost a 100% certainty that in the upgrade-or-die world of digital cameras, one of those two will be the outcome.

Best,
Dante

I'm waiting for the M72.

Seriously, you can wait forever. Life is for living, and the M9 is a great camera to live it with. Why wouldn't you wait for the M11 when the M10 comes out... then the M12... then...

Cheers,

R.

 

[noimmunity]

The problem (for me) with high ISO on the M8 isn't noise, but the banding. Although my M8 doesn't have any of the dreaded red lines, it does exhibit that video-like banding at high ISO.

I haven't seen any discussion of the M9 in this regard. (I'm also under the impression that any digital camera is prone to banding at very high ISO for that camera).

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Dante,

The problem is, we have different definitions of 'upgrade'. Personally I'd not see a DSLR -- ANY DSLR except perhaps an S2 -- as an upgrade from my M2. I never use on-camera flash and dislike autofocus, and I hate big cameras with small formats.

On the other hand, digital is useful; I already have the M-fit lenses I want (which are a lot more use on the M9 than on the M8.2, for which I'd need a 24 Summilux -- 'nuff said); so it's a question of sticking with the M8.2 or going for an M9. Not a hard choice, in my book.

Remember, too, that both the camera and the travel are part of my job...

Cheers,

R.