Buy Leica M9 Now - June 2013 ?

[stan_blevins]

<p>The Leica M9 appeals to me. Full frame, simple interface, few if any frills, similar to my Leica M4 and M6. It is now in a price range I could afford. The new M (240) has features I don't need and cost more than I wish to pay. The M8 and M8.2 are not full frame, and I want that. I shoot only JPEGs at the moment, and while I could learn to use RAW, I'm not sure I will. So here's my question: Should I purchase a Leica M9 now, since it is (or will be) discontinued, has a CCD sensor (the M (240) is CMOS), and a poor viewing screen? Some also say it is not good for JPEGs. I value the opinion of this forum. Thanks very much!</p>

[steve_harris10]

<p>The JPEGs are really bad, you'd be missing out on the image quality the camera can produce if you don't use DNG files.</p>

<p>If you use a tool like Lightroom is really no harder (actually a bit easier) to use raw files instead of JPEGs. There's no great mystery to it.</p>

<p>I'm not sure on the prices, but I'd probably have an ME (new or used) over an M9, even simpler, and less likely to have some of the manufacturing faults that affected some M9(p)s, such as cracking sensors. Leica have been good about repairs, but I would think it's annoying.</p>

[rgerraty]

<p>Great camera. I am thinking of getting a second one. The black and white jpegs are sometimes wonderful, occasionally surpassing anything I can dial up in Lightroom from the raw file. I remember importing raw files into Lightroom for the first time. Pictures! Colour pictures! I was half expecting sdk101110011001111100001etc. The raw is no hassle at all and has advantages. Most of the time my files need no adjustment much at all. As to the screen on the back of the camera, I honestly now cannot see what it is that so irritated me when I first got it. I really have no complaint about the LCD screen now. My only remaining disappointment with the camera is the current firmware mucking up the discrete mode function.</p>

[aplumpton]

<p>I have no qualifications or experience to judge this point personally, but some say the CCD sensor is inherently better than a CMOS, although the firmware developments for CMOS systems seem to have made the game a bit more equal. I like my M9 very much, but must start using RAW to get more from its potential, rather than jpeg fine alone. As you get Lightroom with the M9 (and presumably also with an M-E), I would agree that using RAW is the way to go. You can always use both, or use jpeg for less important images.</p>

<p>Richard, interesting point about the new fiirmware. Apart from the problem you mention, does the recent firmware add anything important compared to the earlier version?</p>

[bms]

<p>Great camera, love mine (though will probably sell mine, for various reasons, soon). Maybe the M240 is better, but hey, I bet a BMW gets you as fast from A to B as a Ferrari unless you are on a race track.... :)</p>

[rgerraty]

<p>Arthur, the current firmware for the M9 supposedly has better battery management. Some suspect, me included, that it just records a lower per cent value for remaining power than the previous firmware, and shuts your camera down sooner than the previous version. Unfortunately the 'experts' at the official Leica repair place in Melbourne upgraded my firmware from 1.176 to 1.196 when the camera was in for sensor cleaning. Apparently you can't swap back with an M9-P, and I actually have not tried. Discrete mode still works, most of the time. I don't understand why in 9 months Lecica have not upgraded the firmware again. The ME is a current Leica product.</p>

[carbon_dragon]

I've thought about this a lot. I waited till the M8 was below $3K and bought one and I'm glad I did. I'm certain the M9 is a

great camera and the ergonomics can't be beat. But they're still $4000+ and that is a lot of money.

 

Now I'm getting older and I have a lot of neat older lenses including my Leicas. So far I've bought a Sony Nex-7 with a

series of adapters including a very good Leica M adapter. The nex isn't an M9. It doesn't have the build quality or the nice

streamlined menu system (I'm really talking about the M8 here). but it has focus peaking and an electronic viewfinder and

viewfinder magnification and for my old eyes, it's pretty compelling, and it's new at 25% of the price. And you can use

your old Contax rangefinder lenses too with the right adapter(s).

 

I'd still like an M9 but I'm just not sure I can make myself spend $4000+.

[aplumpton]

<p>Richard, thank you for the heads-up on the Leica firmware update.</p>

<p>While I have a sensor cleaner (Arctic Butterfly swab size made for the M8 which I haven't yet complemented by one for FF) I use an air bulb to clean lens mount and sensor when changing optics in a normal low air contamination area. I haven't looked closely at a sky shot for some months to verify cleanliness, but this simple procedure seems to prevent sensor contamination.</p>

[Karim Ghantous]

<blockquote>

<p>and while I could learn to use RAW, I'm not sure I will</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Steve is right. You won't even know you're using RAW. It's that easy. :-)</p>

<p>JPEGs from the M8 are terrible. But the M9? I don't have one, but I do know that Thorsten Overgaard loves the b&w JPEGs from his M9. If you haven't read his epic review of the M9, I recommend it:</p>

<p>http://www.overgaard.dk/leica-M9-digital-rangefinder-camera.html</p>

[ramosa_rammea]

<p>I purchased an M9 a few months back--instead of the new M. (I had been using an M8 for about five years.) Why the M9 instead of the new M? The new M just doesn't sit well with M. First, it's larger and heavier. (Ouch. I'd prefer Leica tried to get its form back to that of the M6.) Second, I would never, ever use the new offerings of the M (e.g., video, live view). So, for me, it was a simple decision. It's a good time--price wise--to get an M9. I picked one up new--for $2K less than the new M. (There aren't many new ones floating around anymore.)</p>

[cyril_jayant1]

<p>I have m8.2Up and it is a great camera. I never shoot any thing other than DNG which the best. When I compare the Photos of other uses of M9 /ME/M240/M M i think my photos are greater than theirs and I feel lot of thing like PP and shooting with other files Than Raw makes it a big afferent . I like to own a M9 as they have more advanced features and gives more advantages like high file sizes and and the quality i am not sure.</p>

[bill_dewberry]

<p>Perhaps a moot point, The M 240 is unavailable now, and will be for a long time.</p>

[erik_nyberg_skilnand]

<p>I bought a used M9 while I waited for my backordered M. Now I´m not going to buy the M at all. The M9 does everyting I need from a Digital fullframe! A one camera, one lens setup have lifted my photointerest and creativity to new levels.<br>

I really recommend buying a M9 used if you find it for the right price:)</p>