Who's getting the New M?

[Bill58]

The Monochrom(e) images I've seen are stunning, but I'll never be able to afford one.

 

[jaapv]

Because limitations produce results.

😕 I think the photographer does that. The tools should be good enough to get out of the way. Limitations produce limited results - by your line of reasoning the only way to get great photographs is to use a pinhole on a shoebox.
I don't buy into the starving-artist-only-able-to-afford-a-housepainter's-brush-producing-a-rival-to-the-Nightwatch myth.
I see more in the HCBs and Ansel Adams' of this world being able to afford any gear they might need for their art.

 

[Lss]

So why are people paying so much for Leicas again, if not for durability?

The lack of direct competition is one good reason.

(And my experience with the durability is not as bad as yours.)

 

[Thardy]

I was fortunate enough to ring around and score a M9 in April of 2010, from the second batch that reached Australia, brought in as stock and not spoken for. When the M was announced I figured I would use the same tactics and wait until the first users found all the bugs, so I would be aware of any potential pitfalls, then start doing the rounds later in the year.

The first user reports are coming in and I'm beginning to regret not making a preorder! But then, I'm less cash-solvent than I was at that time, and putting $8000 into a new camera body is something I have to consider even more carefully than before. At this time, I'm sticking with my original plan to wait for the first users to iron out the bugs, and to find out whether the video output is good enough to use alongside the 5D Mark II/III.

Where can I find early reviews?

 

[Archiver]

Early user reports can be found on the L-Camera-Forum, which is the official Leica forum.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/international-user-forum/

 

[jpfisher]

I preordered one in black from B&H the weekend after Photokina. I am (im)patiently waiting for a shipping notice.

 

[dcsang]

The recent ISO3200 shots posted on Facebook look ok.

I am keenly interested but, I too am awaiting some reviews from, hopefully, unbiased parties.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[leafster]

I like my M9P. If I will to get another leica body, I look for Monochrom first.

 

[thompsonks]

IMO it's too early to decide. For me it's an issue of image quality alone. Same or better IQ as M9 with higher ISOs would be fine with me, and I'll take delivery when my dealer works his way down the list. But if CMOS sensor offers any loss of subtlety in tones/color, then I wouldn't want one and would just keep M9. Would probbly buy a 2d M9, used, because I miss having two bodies.

Having been raised on TriX, higher ISOs are moderately attractive but not absolutely necessary – and certainly not if there's any compromise involved.

I'm waiting especially for further installments of Sen Reid's review. Or a chance to shoot with the same lens on M9 and 240.

Let's wait and see.

Kirk

 

[dcsang]

Buying a second M9 (I too prefer to have two bodies) is not in the cards for me as 1) I can't buy "new" anymore and 2) I don't have that type of cash just laying around.

For me, I am awaiting reviews and have since called my local to drop a refundable deposit to "hold my place in line" - I don't expect to have one in my hands till at least August or September the way things are with Leica (and maybe even later if there are issues with the camera itself) - until then, I can save my sheckles, garner some gelt, mobilize my moolah, and delete any debt I may have in order to afford the body alone.

This also allots me some time to hear/see further reviews and user experiences and, hopefully, will allow Leica and the Keebler..err.. Leica Elves to sprinkle magic pixi dust on any of the problems that will inevitably occur with the camera when it's released. If there are no problems what so ever I would be aghast.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[theno23]

IMO it's too early to decide. For me it's an issue of image quality alone. Same or better IQ as M9 with higher ISOs would be fine with me, and I'll take delivery when my dealer works his way down the list. But if CMOS sensor offers any loss of subtlety in tones/color, then I wouldn't want one and would just keep M9. Would probbly buy a 2d M9, used, because I miss having two bodies.

Having been raised on TriX, higher ISOs are moderately attractive but not absolutely necessary – and certainly not if there's any compromise involved.

I'm waiting especially for further installments of Sen Reid's review. Or a chance to shoot with the same lens on M9 and 240.

I've not detected any loss of subtlety of tone - the opposite if anything, but I'm no Sean Reid OCD tester 🙂

Independent reviews are key. I guess we'll start to see more over the next few weeks.

- Steve

 

[theno23]

This also allots me some time to hear/see further reviews and user experiences and, hopefully, will allow Leica and the Keebler..err.. Leica Elves to sprinkle magic pixi dust on any of the problems that will inevitably occur with the camera when it's released. If there are no problems what so ever I would be aghast.

Yes, I'm keeping my M9 as a backup body.

There are definitely some bugs, but they're pretty minor compared to the ones the M9 had at launch, and even some that it's still got!

At launch it felt more like a well developed body from a big manufacturer, which is impressive for a small company.

I've encountered one odd glitch, when zooming in on an image I'd just taken, the white balance changed at some point on the zoom (and switched back when I zoomed out), but then when I tried it again the next day I couldn't make it happen. I think that's literally all I've seen though.

I got my M9 about 6 months after launch, and at that point it was still pretty buggy, though it's mostly good now.

- Steve