'5 reasons to buy a Leica M8/M9 in 2016'

<p>So, the M8 is ten years old and the M9 is almost two generations old. Do they make sense today? From what I have seen, they absolutely do. I care more about the annoying shutter motor than ISO limitations, but YMMV.</p>

<p>This photographer makes a good point, that while the Fuji X100T is usually nominated as the 'poor man's Leica' (better stated as the inexpensive alternative), the M8 is probably the better choice. And M lenses are no more expensive than any other system, thanks to the huge amount of choice you have.<br>

<br /><br />Thoughts?</p>

<p>http://leicarumors.com/2016/06/11/5-reasons-to-buy-a-leica-m8-and-5-reason-to-buy-a-leica-m9-in-2016.aspx/</p>

<p>The M9 is definitely still a great shooter today for several types of work. No worries about live view and movie modes being "old" since they're not there at all.</p>

<p>The LCD is certainly dated in terms of any kind of confirming of sharpness. It's more than adequate though for confirming exposure via the histogram at a quick glance after a shot.</p>

<p>If I were taking my Leica to Europe and planned on spending quite a bit of time in museums and cathedrals, I would want the better higher ISO capabilities of an M262. I've gotten along fine on such a trip with my Olympus OMD bodies, f1.4 to f2 primes and not shooting over ISO 800, but also had a lot of help from the great IS system at sometimes extremely low shutter speeds, something you would need to compensate more with the Leica by using higher ISO's. I had an opportunity to experience that briefly on a recent trip to New York City and a walk through St. Patrick's Cathedral, where several frames captured between ISO 2000-3200 with the M262 would not have looked as nice captured with the M9 at its top ISO 2500.</p>

<p>Today, I was downtown shooting architecture and used a M9 and M262 interchangeably to cut down on lens changes. Other than one or two operational differences, they handle very well together.</p>

<p>Who cares about "2016" written on the calendar? - "Fun to shoot" and "good enough" would feel more like eternally solid facts. <em>Amateur</em> photography depends on that fun factor. The entire thing is supposed to make you happy. So if you don't like the idea of taking a camera out, why should you do it? - Whatever works in that irrational light is a right purchase.<br>

The new thing I learned from the linked video is that there seem to be SD card taking smart phones permitting editing & publishing on the fly. - I am wondering who makes these, since I'd be reluctant to shoot on adapted micro SD cards for my Samsung. - 18MP pixelpeeping on elderly netbooks feels painfully slow BTW. </p>

The M8 did make stunning B&W, but seems like very few of them are out there for sale. Makes me

wonder how many of them have gone to Leica heaven.

<p>Did he work that black one over with sandpaper?</p>

<p>The recycle bin is waiting for old school electronics. </p>

<p>.......how many (M8) have gone to Leica heaven......<br>

Obviously some, but I think we would have seen lots more irate posts. I think a lot of folks pushed their finances & paid top dollar, thinking secretly they would last like an M3, with back up plan; no ability to pay that amount again 5 or 10 years later. I'm a bit like that with my M9.</p>

<p>One reason <em>not</em> to buy an M9 in 2016 is the Sony A7 series.</p>

<p>Unless you utilize Leica wide to really wide M lenses and what the best possible image quality.</p>

<p>People also do often choose Leica M for the rangefinder style of photography, which the Sony is....well....not the right choice.</p>

<p>Not even in the same area code.</p>

<p>Perhaps too much is made of the quality of Leitz/Leica optics. Even before the Japanese entered the fray, Zeiss and Schneider were widely held to be as good or better.<br>

It is true that Leica alone now offers split image focussing in a digital camera. However, "rangefinder style of working" can also refer to the physical size of the camera body. For me that was the important thing. I could not hold a digital SLR steady at speeds which I could manage with my M6 and which I manage with my A7. "Full frame" was essential for reasons of depth of field.<br>

Finally, cost is a consideration for many. I found an A7 with kit lens for just $100 more than what I had got for my M6: and there was no expense on lenses.</p>

<p>"The M8 did make stunning B&W, but seems like very few of them are out there for sale. Makes me wonder how many of them have gone to Leica heaven"'Ray.<br>

<br>

Eight M8's for sale on ebay UK, eight M9's, eleven M240's and twenty four A7's...lot of folk keen to sell their A7's. For a 10 year old camera selling at over 1000gbp it must have a lot going for it...seems plenty around and still being supported by Leica. <br>

<br>

"One reason <em>not</em> to buy an M9 in 2016 is the Sony A7 series".Makul.<br>

<br>

Yes, I read the same about the Fuji Pro1 (great cam) which can be picked up for 250gbp and dropping in price.<br>

<br>

Love these my cam is better than yours threads...cannot resist them;)<br>

</p>

<p>So far as I am concerned, this is about <em>Which camera is the best for me at this time?</em><br>

I am not<em> Makul</em> any more than you are<em> Alan.<br /></em></p>

<p><em>Perhaps too much is made of the quality of Leitz/Leica optics. Even before the Japanese entered the fray, Zeiss and Schneider were widely held to be as good or better.</em></p>

<p>However you want to frame it, Mukul. Indeed, there's nothing inexpensive about using Leica digital rangefinders.</p>

<p>If I wanted to use a Sony A7, it wouldn't be with Leica, Nikon, Canon, Zeiss or any other brand of rangefinder lenses. I'd have 2-3 of the best native zooms Sony makes for the camera. I don't mess around with adapting lenses on my Olympus OMD system either. If I'm going to use a camera that has an AF option and such a great full-frame sensor as the Sony, why in the world, other than just being cheap, would I not use AF lenses made for it?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>"One reason <em>not</em> to buy an M9 in 2016 is the Sony A7 series".Mukul.<br>

<br>

But for other folk their are many reasons NOT to buy a Sony A7 least of all they are being updated which seems like every month. Old tech comes to mind, which need lots of coins, to keep them updated to the latest tech. What would we do without the latest tech..<br>

<br>

"So far as I am concerned, this is about <em>Which camera is the best for me at this time?</em><br />I am not<em> Makul</em> any more than you are<em> Alan"</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

<em>I would agree.....but, no need to knock other folks preferences. I've always thought that the photographer takes the photo not the cam..</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

<em>Yes, you are Mukul and I'm Allen....I blame spell check;) My excuse Sir I will do better next time.</em></p>

<p><em>.</em></p>

<p>http://diglloyd.com/blog/2015/20150518_1648-Sony-reliability-and-service.html</p>

<p>I am biased towards Leica optics and Leica RF cameras. In comparison, other camera systems with digital cameras are not even faintly of interest to me. </p>

<p>Greg, I have five manual focus F mount Nikkors to go with my A7. Today they cost little, relatively, good they always were. My need was small lenses, and zooms are not small. I use only some of the automation the camera offers because I like to be in control. I get results good enough to satisfy me and have no objection to being called cheap by the ignorant. I wanted a digital substitute for my M6 and I got that.<br /><br />Allen, I say again, Leica is not the only option for someone who wants a digital camera smaller than an SLR. The only preferences of which I spoke were my own.<br /><br />Raid, I owned and used M and screw Leicas from 1985 to 2015, but my experience is that other cameras -- and other camera types -- can do what a Leica does, and just as well. If it had not become so difficult here to have film processed I would still have had the M6 I was forced to abandon. Thirty years of M Leicas did not cause me to develop blind faith.</p>

Which begs the question, why hang around a forum with a bunch of fools who use equipment you were the only smart

one to get rid of? There are Nikon and Sony forums, probably full of like-minded users who won't take posts completely

off track just to make the point they were the only smart one to no longer be using what everyone else here is.

<p>It's become routine to come and check what's going on. Besides, now and again I am able to help users who have less experience or none. Do please try to have me banned or ejected if you wish to do that.</p>

<p>These were obsolete when they first came out.</p>

<p>Hi Karim,<br>

I'm not sure what's driving you to get Leica M digital body. I hope you have some Leica mount lenses you would like to use. In my mind, if you are getting a Leica body, it'd better have a full frame sensor so you can utilize the capabilities of the native lenses to their full potential. I'd rather have M9. M8 never interested me, especially with its crop factor and effect on depth of field on Leica mount lenses. <br>

Now, Leica lenses can be used with adapters on Fuji, Sony, etc., but it's really not that easy to use them on other systems. If I had some extra money, I'd get a good M9 body and try to enjoy using those lenses rangefinder-style. After all, they were designed for rangefinder cameras (Sony's, Fujis and others work much better with their native rather than with manual focus Leica lenses).<br>

As far as these cameras go, yes they were behind the curve when they were introduced but if you are after a rangefinder, that's what they are, they take pictures and that's all you should care about. Right?<br>

Good luck!</p>

 

<p>Everybody is entitled to an opinion. Everybody has an opinion.</p>

 

<p>Try visiting SONY headquarters, and request to meet with the CEO and a couple of VPs while you are there.</p>

<p>A small group of Leica users went to Wetzlar on June 31, and we were given a VIP treatment for several hours there.<br>

Stefan Daniel spent one hour touring the history of Leica in the splendid new hall in the new Leica building. He addressed all questions put to him by us. This was a special treat. (Leica Director of Product Management)<br /><br /> Oliver Kaltner (CEO) gave us about 45 minutes of his busy time, and he was very nice to all of us. Herr Kaltner shared with us his vision for Leica, explaining to us how optical engineering was the foundation and also the future . A treat indeed.<br /><br /> Silke Benrhardt did first class organizing and hosting of the events. Her role was crucial. Thank you!<br /><br /><br /> Peter Karbe (Chief Optical Designer 2002 - current) gave us a detailed slide presentation of Tradition and Innovation at Leica. It was a 75 minute presentation. Again, a real treat.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>correction: visit was on May 31, 2016.</p>

<p>I sold my M9 and got a A7R2. Both are great cameras, but I can give you five (or twenty) reasons why I don't miss the M9 one bit.</p>