Leica M9

jqp · « **on:** 9 Sep 2009, 03:07 pm »

"The LEICA M9 is the most important digital camera ever created for the creative travel, nature and landscape photographer."

http://kenrockwell.com/leica/m9.htm

How can you use manual focus with a rangefinder? I guess there has to be a very large depth of field? What about parallax error?

I guess this would mean no close ups!

I see no pricing, but I'll bet its very expensive for anything but tripod "big picture" shots, where the "superior" optics would make it worth the expense. He says that it has better optics than any Nikon or Canon options DSLR options.

Not sure I could take this as my only camera on any trip.

JohnR · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 03:21 pm »

Manual focus would be the same as any other rangefinder, i guess, with a focus patch that you have to align.

It is a little pricy ($6,995 at the top of the linked page).

BradJudy · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 03:23 pm »

When the rangefinder format was invented (and for decades later) all rangefinders were manual focus. All of my film rangefinders are manual focus and they can have some pretty shallow depth of field (with up to f1.7 lenses). The viewfinders have focus guiding systems with parallax correction. I don't know what the M9 has, but Lecia has decades of experience in rangefinders, so I expect they have it down quite well. They weren't designed for macro work, but I can do down to ~4ft focusing distance. You can always focus without any visual assistance either - on some of my older cameras, you just have to trust the marked distances and DoF.

The price is listed in big numbers at the top of the page: $7k. It's Lecia and it's a full frame camera (a full frame Nikon/Canon will run you more than $2k), so I'm not surprised. It would be a cool camera to have, but I'll never shell out that money for it. I'll have to stick with something like the E-P1 or GF1.

nathanm · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 03:28 pm »

The $7000 gets you an on-board computer voice which tells you, "The lens cap is still on, dummy!"

SET Man · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 03:41 pm »

Quote from: jqp on 9 Sep 2009, 03:07 pm

"The LEICA M9 is the most important digital camera ever created for the creative travel, nature and landscape photographer."

http://kenrockwell.com/leica/m9.htm

How can you use manual focus with a rangefinder? I guess there has to be a very large depth of field? What about parallax error?
...

Hey!

Yes, you focus manually like other rangefinder cam. The parallax in the M series cams are corrected automatically.

Anyway, yes look like finally the M now a full-frame cam of which I think it is very significant in its long history of the M series system.

Since those beautiful M lenses will be now use in it true focal length as in the 35mm film.

I don't own Leica M cam... well almost but didn't

But have seen and used before on loan from a friend (MP)... well film not digital. I've always admire the M series, it feel, quality and it long history in the photography world.

If you have a friend that kind enough to loan you a M cam... film or digital to use for a few day you will know why the Leica M series rangfinder system still around today after so many years.

Of course no simple push button like your DSLR here

Take care,
Buddy

low.pfile · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 03:50 pm »

rangefinders are very cool. paying $7000 for one is not.

jqp · « **Reply #6 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 03:51 pm »

Yeah I missed the price at the top, I looked at all the camera retailers and they didn't have it in their systems yet.

I arrived too late to the scene to use a rangefinder, unless you consider an instamatic a rangefinder. I had some pretty good shots with that camera, though. I had a K1000 SLR years ago, and my Dad had a Kodak SLR.

I am intrigued by the "better optics", but I am not sure I would want to spend my time with a rangefinder when an SLR was an option. I have to be able to do shots at less than 4 ft., and also macro.

Still for shots further out than 4 ft. there is at least an LCD that allows you to see something of what you captured. I guess if I was a professional I might carry this as well as a DSLR. Then again, I guess with 18MP, you could do some cropping.

Pez · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 03:53 pm »

Quote from: nathanm on 9 Sep 2009, 03:28 pm

The $7000 gets you an on-board computer voice which tells you, "The lens cap is still on, dummy!"

Don't you get it? Adding a computerized voice is the antithesis of full manual!

Leica is a well built peice of equipment. Unfortunately they tend to be squarly locked to the "you can't afford it if you have to ask" category. And their low grade Panasonic crap is just pathetic AND overpriced.

low.pfile · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 03:59 pm »

the standard double image type of focusing is shown here in M9 review
http://www.dpreview.com/previews/leicam9/page3.asp

low.pfile · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 04:17 pm »

Funny!! ...check out DPReview's logo today 9/9/09...
http://www.dpreview.com/

familiar?

jqp · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 04:27 pm »

Quote from: low.pfile on 9 Sep 2009, 03:59 pm

the standard double image type of focusing is shown here in M9 review
http://www.dpreview.com/previews/leicam9/page3.asp

OK now I see that it is much easier to use that I had thought. I~~n fact my Dad's Kodak may have been a rangefinder!?~~ My Dad's camera was the Retina Reflex III

WerTicus · « **Reply #11 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 04:56 pm »

2500 iso? ccd sensor?

BradJudy · « **Reply #12 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 05:13 pm »

DPReview also posted a Lecia factory tour, which gives an indication of where a chunk of that money goes (lots of build and testing time by German workers - figure at least 10x the hourly rate in China, plus more time per camera)

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/leicafactory2009/

jqp · « **Reply #13 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 07:29 pm »

Quote from: BradJudy on 9 Sep 2009, 05:13 pm

DPReview also posted a Lecia factory tour, which gives an indication of where a chunk of that money goes (lots of build and testing time by German workers - figure at least 10x the hourly rate in China, plus more time per camera)

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/leicafactory2009/

The pictures of the internals remind me of the new macbooks. Looks solid and precise. German engineering has never been cheap!

My father's old Kodak Retina Reflex III was made in Germany (was reading up on it) and in today's dollars it would run about $1800. The back portion of the lens was intergated into the body (3 elements) and the front was the interchangeable part. Apparently only 3 different lenses available.

JohnR · « **Reply #14 on:** 9 Sep 2009, 11:44 pm »

Hey do you have that Retina Reflex? You should use it! I have one of the rangefinder Retinas (II, I think), it takes nice pictures, I really should use it more. Cost about 1/50th the price of the new Leica though (just to make this not totally off topic

)

Pez · « **Reply #15 on:** 10 Sep 2009, 12:21 am »

Not to mention that the Retina looks like a serious piece of equipment that only surgeons and snipers need.

jqp · « **Reply #16 on:** 10 Sep 2009, 02:53 am »

Quote from: JohnR on 9 Sep 2009, 11:44 pm

Hey do you have that Retina Reflex? You should use it! I have one of the rangefinder Retinas (II, I think), it takes nice pictures, I really should use it more. Cost about 1/50th the price of the new Leica though (just to make this not totally off topic )

I am not sure if the family has it or where it is - definitely want to check on that since I learned this info about it! Last I remember the focus ring was sticking - it needed to be cleaned badly. Not sure what happened to it after that.

Pez · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Sep 2009, 03:03 am »

That sounds like a worthwhile renovation project! I'd love to see that.

BikeWNC · « **Reply #18 on:** 12 Sep 2009, 01:20 pm »

I can't imagine buying into the Leica system from the start, but if you already own a Mx camera and Leica glass then the pain to the wallet would be more tolerable. Leica isn't trying to compete with Canon or Nikon. It has unique products and a loyal customer base. I think their gear is great but out of my league when it comes to cost.

Pez · « **Reply #19 on:** 12 Sep 2009, 04:03 pm »

A loyal customer base with deep pockets apparently. It may be better, but To me it seems a lot like the rampant rapeage that goes on in the audio industry. It may be the difference between 5% better than a Nikon priced $4000 cheaper, but that hardly justifies the price difference AND there's probably something out there thats just as good for much cheaper.