Just bought a brand new R9 from Jacobs

After a lot of thought and research I exchanged my hard earned cash

for the R9, only used it a few times so far but can tell you this...

 

1) Contorols are perfectly placed

2) exposures where spot on using all 3 modes

3) mirror slap was a little heavy(see notes at bottom on this)

4) 50mm f2 summicron lense used was outstanding!

5) digital back due very soon!

6) the mirror pre release and exposure compensation beg to be used

due to placement and ease of use!

 

on notes (3) the mirror slap is heavy but only on the way back down

and does not add camera shake!

 

I found the camera a real joy to use and the only time i was

wanting to use my M7 was when I wanted to snap candid without

annoying/disturbing or even letting them know i was photographing

them. I thoroughly recomend this camera to anyone who is unsure and

will answer any questions asked honestly and un biased!<div></div>

Congratulations! Your camera really takes huge photographs!

Nice John. I agree, those who criticize the SLR's mirror slap is unfounded because most SLR's mirror noise is on the way down. Good scan too. What scanner are you using ?

Jesus - a <em>twelve</em> megapixel image upload. And people wonder why others

get shirty at "Artistes" who mindlessly bomb this forum with their non sequitur snaps.

Yes, congratulations, the camera is wonderful, and so are the lenses.

 

See if you can get a chance to try one of the 1.4-lenses, and you will love the camera even more. The 50/1.4 and the 80/1.4 simply make miracles. I haven't tried the 35/1.4 yet, but am sure that it is even better than my 35/2.0 which has taken many wonderful pictures over the many years I have had it.

 

Welcome in the exclusive club of the worlds best and most underestimated reflex camera.

Roland: Post Of The Day.

Andrew. Lets be fair, this pic was on a link and came with a warning about the size.

John,

 

Congratulations John you have made a wise choice, and I think you will continue to

enjoy this camera well into the future. And please continue to make real huge

photographs, the optical quality of Leica lenses allows you to do just that!

 

However, Michael, we must temper our enthusiasm for R9.

 

While I agree with your sentiments <exclusive club of the worlds best and most

underestimated reflex camera.> is a little over the top.

 

While not perfect, for a modern manual focus SLR, the R9 is hard to beat. There are

those here on forum, however, who know the Leicaflexes first hand and they are hard

cameras to live up to in the SLR realm. The R9 IMHO shares some of the �flex appeal�

and certainly handles better, that the R3-R7 cameras, particularly with larger lenses.

While the R9 maintains the traditional intuitive dial layout, and improves on this with

its uncluttered top deck, it is a totally battery dependant electronic monster.

 

One great advantage I find with the R9 is that it is a nice heavy camera (a virtue in

SLRs IMO) and its inertia allows you to hand-hold at quite slow shutter speeds and

still produce acceptable sharpness. BTW the mirror slap thing with SLRs and M

cameras lack of it one of those Leica MYTHS.

 

May I suggest you get a small sized Billingham aux. shoulder pad that clips of the

Leica strap. They make the camera much more comfortable to wear around your

neck.

 

Regardless of whether or not you have the R9 go out and enjoy your photography

 

Cheers and thanks for sharing your experiences with us, Craig

OK,

 

I agree with Z on roland's post of the day!! ROFL@Z! ok now joke over ;)

Henry scanner was nikon coolscan 4 ED (had it for 2 years or more now) Andrew my image was not posted as to make any statements of quality on the cameras behalf and the size was merely a mistake, your too quick to jump on the bandwagon ;) (keep it cool m8)

Michael thanx for the advice! does the 1.4 range of lenses actually take a better image in terms of quality? or are we talking baout the viewfinder and snappy focus bonuses of the 1.4 lenses? it's just i have never owned any of the 1.4 lenses and always went for the f2 summicrons instead. As for my next 2 lenses i was thinking a wide angle such as 24 or 28 elmarit 2.8's and for a reportage/portrait lense the NEW 90mm f2 summicron ASPH! I would welcome any advice! the 35mm f2 summicron m ASPH is amazing!!! Can anyone tell me if 35mm R is as good in comparision?<div></div>

John, I have had the 90, 50 and 35 mm summicron R's for many years and used them with SL2Mot, R3 and R4. They are good lenses, but the Summilux-R lenses in my opinion are much, much better. The extra F-stop is in itself nice not only because of the brighter viewfinder image, but also and particularly because you get better possibilities for using the DOF as an important element in your composition. Furthermore, the Summilux lenses give sharper, brighter and more contrasty pictures than their Summicron "little sisters". The pictures simply become better!

 

The Summicron-R 35 is not as good as the Summicron-M 35 ASPH, but more equal to the pre-asph 35. But it must be admitted that M 35/2.0 ASPH is one of the very best Leica lenses.

 

Good luck with your R9 and M7. Are you going to have the digital back - and do you consider to purchase the Digilux 2 also?

 

Michael

That photo is truly excellent.

Michael, I will have to rethink my lense choice now! I didn't realize the summilux lenses where better but merely thought they where faster! I will without doubt make sure my next lense is a 1.4 thanx m8. thanx for the comment on the photo Bob, I really like that image and hope it inspires people to take more pictures!<div></div>

BTW Michael yes I personaly can't wait for the digital back! as for digilux 2 I have little interest in buying one but highly rate it on merit of the pictures I have seen!

John,

 

While I find the R9 a tad too big, I agree it looks like a very nice tool. Starting to decade a little, I tend to prefer the R7 (Yeah, the Minolta thingie...).

 

Let me take this opportunity to place an advert for the Leica Reflex Forum on http://lists.topica.com . There you find a bunch of nice people among which one of the organiser of the Leica Gathering in Victoria BC, Canade next June.

 

FWIW!

UPDATE,

 

Now on my 14th film and no problems of any kind! eheh not that i'd expect any... Man I love this camera! How can you guys not like it? the weight, the feel, the handling, controls are perfectly placed, focus is a doddle! oh and those lenses are top notch! as for me well i'm more than pleased and highly recomend the R9's!!! nuff said.