On this day ten years ago, the M9 was launched

I'm posting this a little early, but by the time many of your read this, it will be 9:09am, east coast USA time. ;-)

 

Link: Leica Camera AG - Photography - M9

 

Link - four months with the M9: My first four months with the Leica M9. Words, images & tips! | Steve Huff Photo

 

Link - the beginning of the world's longest camera review: Thorsten von Overgaard's Leica Pages - Leica M9 Digital Rangefinder Camera

 

Link - video with Leica CEO and Seal:

(5:03)

 

Link - video by DigitalRev:

(12:10)

 

These days you can buy one for around US$2,500. It has held its value very well, at least in percentage terms. It's still in use today, and probably will be for a few years more. IMHO it's now clearly superseded by the M10. Now that we understand the M240 a bit better, you could argue that even that camera is a true upgrade. That just depends on your preferences and POV. YMMV!

I had a love-hate relationship with the M9 having come directly off of the M8, which was more "hate" (cropped sensor, IR-Cut filters, crappy in-camera JPG files, and small 10mp sensor). Although still not the perfect digital M camera, the M-P 240 renewed my love for the Leica M system. Still, IMHO the M9 produced much better daylight colors (the one thing I believe it did well), which is probably why I convert most of my M-P 240 images to black & white.