Denton
Established
Thought I'd elaborate on why I've added an M9 to my gear since since the question comes up now and then.
I shoot mostly family portraiture. In the past I've used the 5DMII with 5D as backup camera in both studio lighting and on location. My style has been changing doing less studio and more location. I've also been thinking more in terms of available light and reflector work to get the look i want. I also have a habit of liking to often use manual lenses on my 5D, including the 40mm ultron and older Nikkor 105 f2.5 (from my older F2 gear). My studio work tends to be set the focus, f8 and light it up. I almost always use an incident meter to set exposure. My focal lengths for portraiture and even small groups is about 35mm to 85mm.
All that sounds a lot like rangefinder territory. So I bought the M9 to check it out against the 5D. I sold the 5DMII and several canon L zooms to fund the purhase. My kit now is 5D using 24-105 or 85mm for portraits and the M9 with CV 75mm classic. I love the 75mm classic, but can't say it's better than the Canon 85mm (f1.8 version).
So if anyone is wondering whether to cash in and buy an M9 I'd say it depends on what you shoot. The quality of the M9 files is equivalent to the 5DMII, although high ISO is no match. I keep the 5D for when I have to shoot on a really gray day and want to use speedlights with a 1/4 tungsten gel to warm things up.
Hope that helps make sens.e I certainly don't need an M9, but I wanted a lighter camera that could simplify my lens choices and force me to be creative instead of bludgeoning the subject with a 70-200! I find children and adults less self-conscious with an M9.
Besides, the M9 (and M6, Bessa) just make me smile when I pick them up and that shouldn't be discounted!
Cheers,
Denton Hoyer
I shoot mostly family portraiture. In the past I've used the 5DMII with 5D as backup camera in both studio lighting and on location. My style has been changing doing less studio and more location. I've also been thinking more in terms of available light and reflector work to get the look i want. I also have a habit of liking to often use manual lenses on my 5D, including the 40mm ultron and older Nikkor 105 f2.5 (from my older F2 gear). My studio work tends to be set the focus, f8 and light it up. I almost always use an incident meter to set exposure. My focal lengths for portraiture and even small groups is about 35mm to 85mm.
All that sounds a lot like rangefinder territory. So I bought the M9 to check it out against the 5D. I sold the 5DMII and several canon L zooms to fund the purhase. My kit now is 5D using 24-105 or 85mm for portraits and the M9 with CV 75mm classic. I love the 75mm classic, but can't say it's better than the Canon 85mm (f1.8 version).
So if anyone is wondering whether to cash in and buy an M9 I'd say it depends on what you shoot. The quality of the M9 files is equivalent to the 5DMII, although high ISO is no match. I keep the 5D for when I have to shoot on a really gray day and want to use speedlights with a 1/4 tungsten gel to warm things up.
Hope that helps make sens.e I certainly don't need an M9, but I wanted a lighter camera that could simplify my lens choices and force me to be creative instead of bludgeoning the subject with a 70-200! I find children and adults less self-conscious with an M9.
Besides, the M9 (and M6, Bessa) just make me smile when I pick them up and that shouldn't be discounted!
Cheers,
Denton Hoyer
huntjump
Well-known
Well put Denton. Thanks for sharing
MCTuomey
Veteran
Denton, a nicely balanced "portrait" of M9 ownership. The absence of grinding axes, vitriol, and internet hyperbole is delightful.
nlubis
Well-known
Thanks for sharing. Sounds sensible and practical.
N
Nikon Bob
Guest
Sounds reasonable to me too.
Bob
Bob
Harry S.
Well-known
If money wasnt an issue, id trade my 5D2 and good lenses for an m9 too. I find freedom and comfort with the gear youre using is more important than image quality and all the technical details.
Im currently travelling China, have been here for a month now, and am getting sick of carrying the 5D around. That makes me less excited about making photos.
Im currently travelling China, have been here for a month now, and am getting sick of carrying the 5D around. That makes me less excited about making photos.
AncientCityPhoto
Established
Use your speedlights with the M9! I use pocket wizard TT5s for Canon to trigger speedlights from my M8! Works fine.
Denton
Established
speedlights and M9
speedlights and M9
I've wondered about speedlights and the M9. Thought perhaps the Metz 58 would suffice. Attaching my 580EXII's to the M9 works if I set the speedlight to custom function 5-3 which puts it into old-fashioned thyristor feedback auto mode. I like a swivel flash because I bounce off of surfaces to the side for betting modeling light and never use direct flash.
Having TTL would be a bit simpler as I can't take the flash off the shoe as the auto sensor needs to face forward.
So are you saying the Leica TTL communicates appropriately with the pocketwizard hot shoe attachment, then translates that to Canon-ese? for true off-flash TTL?
Would be interesting to try.
speedlights and M9
I've wondered about speedlights and the M9. Thought perhaps the Metz 58 would suffice. Attaching my 580EXII's to the M9 works if I set the speedlight to custom function 5-3 which puts it into old-fashioned thyristor feedback auto mode. I like a swivel flash because I bounce off of surfaces to the side for betting modeling light and never use direct flash.
Having TTL would be a bit simpler as I can't take the flash off the shoe as the auto sensor needs to face forward.
So are you saying the Leica TTL communicates appropriately with the pocketwizard hot shoe attachment, then translates that to Canon-ese? for true off-flash TTL?
Would be interesting to try.
Benjamin Marks
Veteran
Do you all have any concerns frying the M9's circuitry with your set-up? How do you guard against this, if at all?
Ben
Ben
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Not a chance of frying - The M9 has high-voltage circuitry in the flash electronics
robert blu
quiet photographer
Interesting simple comment Denton, thank you, maybe one day I'll....m9 !
robert
robert
jamato8
Corroding tank M9 35 ASPH
I agree. Good comments Denton. I have the M9, 5DII, 5D and some others. I use the heck out of the 5DII and also the 7D. They do the work they need to but for some things, the M9 takes over. I work with people that don't always like cameras. The M9 seems to intrude little and they don't take much notice of me. I have the quality I need and so it goes. I use flash at times and when I have to but not with the M9.
Rip Tragle
Member
Thanks jappv
Thanks jappv
You just answered a question I asked you elsewhere.
Thanks jappv
You just answered a question I asked you elsewhere.
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
No problem, I would say
__________________
MCTuomey
Veteran
See below:
http://www.pocketwizard.com/products/transmitter_receiver/flextt5-canon/
No connection to PW, just trying to help. My basic PW II units only work in manual mode on my M bodies. The new PW TT5 units support OEM auto-ttl flash exposure modes.
kshapero
South Florida Man
nice rant.
Denton
Established
580EXII speedlights and M9 Question
580EXII speedlights and M9 Question
Since we've veered into speedlight territory....
My 580EXII's are triggered by the M9 hot shoe, despite the fact that the two rear contact pins on the 580's are sticking out the back of the speedlight foot and don't make contact. Not too surprising. However, it appears the reason they don't make contact is that the M9 hotshoe has a black slotted pin at the front of the shoe that prevents the 580 from fully seating.
Question: Since one person claims the TT5 commander will communicate the M9 TTL to a remote 580II speedlight, does this mean that if I remove the black pin that I will have full Canon iTTL functionality on the M9, because the full shoe is engaged?
Obviously, I don't want to screw this pin out without good reason.
A test might be to slot my canon off-camera shoe cord to accomodate the M9 pin..
580EXII speedlights and M9 Question
Since we've veered into speedlight territory....
My 580EXII's are triggered by the M9 hot shoe, despite the fact that the two rear contact pins on the 580's are sticking out the back of the speedlight foot and don't make contact. Not too surprising. However, it appears the reason they don't make contact is that the M9 hotshoe has a black slotted pin at the front of the shoe that prevents the 580 from fully seating.
Question: Since one person claims the TT5 commander will communicate the M9 TTL to a remote 580II speedlight, does this mean that if I remove the black pin that I will have full Canon iTTL functionality on the M9, because the full shoe is engaged?
Obviously, I don't want to screw this pin out without good reason.
A test might be to slot my canon off-camera shoe cord to accomodate the M9 pin..
Last edited:
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
There is one cut-off corner blocking the shoe as well. A case for the old nailfile.