Shopping CartLeica M9 18MP Digital Range Finder Camera (Steel Gray, Body Only)
date : August 3rd, 2011Digital DSLR
Review : 3 Reviews
view :
List Price : $ 6,994.00
Price Now : $ 6,994.00
You saving : $
Tags : 18MP, Body, Camera, Digital, Finder, Gray, Leica, Only, Range, Steel
- Smallest full frame digital camera in the world; first Rangefinder camera with a 24 x 36mm format sensor
- 18-megapixel sensor allows the full 35mm format; custom-designed CCD sensor for optimal performance
- Newly-developed cover glass to eliminate infrared light contamination, i.e. no IR filters needed
- Simple Menus and easy handling
- Body only, lenses sold separately; compatible with SD cards up to 2 GB, SDHC cards up to 32 GB (not included)
The world’s smallest full frame digital camera. This 18 megapixels camera continues the legacy of the Leica M rangefinder with the most modern digital technology.
List Price: $ 6,994.00
Price:
Back to photography,
From the first time I went out with my new Leica M9 I could not believe how much I missed the days of manual photography. Granted that the Leica M9 has plenty of automated features (like Aperture priority shooting), but the need to construct your shot with this camera took me back to the golden days of manual photography. Point-and-shoot is definitely not what this camera is all about. With the M9 I found myself back in the world of photography as art. Composition, aperture, f-stop, distance, white balance, etc., were again something I had to think about, and this gave me the feeling that photography was once more all about the photographer than about the camera. You, the photographer, are back in charge, but with an extremely modern work of art at your disposal. The experience is so great that you tend to put up with some of the challenges presented by these rangefinders: people with glasses find it hard to see the whole finder coverage, you sometimes forget you have the lens cap on, some lenses partially cover the rangefinder view, and the viewer doesn’t have all the info goodies we have grown used to with late model DSLR’s. The thing is that after taking this camera for a ride, you really won’t care much about what’s not there. You’ll be plenty distracted with the art of making photographs. That’s right, the Leica M9 is not one of those cameras that allow you to “get lucky.” Leica photographs are the product of some photographic reflection, composition, and manipulation of the simple functions of photography. You will have to put some time on taking a photo, but the rewards brought about by impeccable optics and a machine reminiscent of a high-end Mercedes Benz will make every minute worth it. Never thought that photography on the slow lane would be that much fun.
Was this review helpful to you?
|Nothing on earth like it,
I have wanted a Leica Rangefinder for a very long time. I am an experienced amateur photographer with an extensive portfolio in sports, landscape, portrait and travel photography. I have an immense collection of Canon digital and film bodies and nearly every lens Canon has produced in the past 20 years. I have been more than satisfied, more like enthralled, with the photography this equipment makes possible. Then I took the plunge and bought that Leica M9 I had been eyeing for the past year. After the sticker shot passed though I very nearly experienced buyer’s remorse. Although I usually shoot all manual settings on my Canons, still the M9 looked painfully plain and unadorned without all the knobs, buttons, menus and gizmos to which I have become accustomed (alright addicted). I mean did I really intend to pony up $7000 for the body and another 3K for a lens so that I could step back twenty years? Then I took the camera on a winter photography trip to Venice along with my two adult sons who were both carrying Canon 7D’s and 100 pounds of lenses. I couldn’t believe how much fun photography became again and how this straightforward and exquisitely built camera freed the operator to become a photographer again. The learning curve is a little steep but fast and the immediate results are impressive. I knew that I was on to something in Venice but was blown away when we returned stateside and I have had several weeks to review all the images from the trip carefully. The Leica is a pleasure to carry, elegant to use and produces the sharpest photographs I have ever taken. This was apparent across the board, in all lighting conditions and when used for long exposure or for HDR work. I could not be happier with this camera and take it with me everywhere now. This camera can only be described with superlatives. If you can afford it, buy it.
Was this review helpful to you?
|a camera that endeavours,
First, if you have only looked at this version of this camera, there are a lot more reviews under the Black Body version on Amazon to read so you might want to check those out. It is the same camera.
I totally agree with the other two reviews I see here to date. Leica did a superb job transitioning from classic film version to the full frame digital. I am so thrilled with this camera! I had a Leica M6 for years and given up using it when film essentially died for all practical purposes. There still are a lot of people out there shooting film, but you have to wonder how much longer that will last?
Note, if you don’t have any lenses, these may be hard to find. I luckily held onto my older non Aspherical lenses. For some reason, Leica is now making mostly Aspherical lenses these days, although they still make a few non Aspherical in slower lenses. To me, the Aspherical lenses are a totally different animal and I am still loving my old lenses. So, if you have your old lenses, hang onto them because you might like them better.
Was this review helpful to you?
|