THE LEICA M9 REAL WORLD REVIEW

PAGE 1 - THE FULL FRAME BEAUTY ARRIVES

PAGE 2 - The goods. What comes in the box and what’s new?

PAGE 3 - Is FULL FRAME really that much better?

PAGE 4 - High ISO low light photography, and the M9

PAGE 5 - Color - M9 packs a PUNCH!

PAGE 6 - Some M9 Black & White conversions

PAGE 7 - The 35 Summilux and the M9 - A match made in heaven or hell?

PAGE 8 - Full Frame = Vignetting? Not on the M9!

PAGE 9 - Untouched Full Size Sample Downloads

PAGE 10 - My favorite images form my time with the M9

PAGE 11 - More M9 from other Leica photographers

PAGE 12 - My final thoughts and conclusion

PAGE 13 - Why I prefer shooting with a rangefinder camera.

NEW! > - My Ongoing Leica M9 Daily Diary - Updated DAILY!

PAGE 1 - the full frame beauty arrives.     next---->

Leica M9 Review. Just like Uncle Sam in the picture to the left, as soon as I heard about the Leica M9, I said, “I WANT YOU!!” to that Leica M9! Man, I have been shooting the Leica M8 and M8.2 rangefinder cameras for 3 years and EVERYONE thought that a full frame sensor M9 would be a 2012 release. Even Leica themselves said it was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get a full frame sensor in to the M8 body. BUT, Leica took us all by surprise by not only announcing the M9, but also releasing them for purchase on 09/09/09! While not many were actually released on that day, a lucky few were able to snag one and put this camera through its paces.

Instead of re-hashing my love for rangefinder photography, you can read my M8 review here to see why an RF is my photographic weapon of choice.

Later in this review (PG 11) I will have samples from some early adopters of the M9 as they are some of the best images I have seen from the camera (to date) and they really show just what this camera can achieve. As you will soon see, the Leica M9 has invigorated me, and I feel this review is my best yet. I decided to lay out each page with a clear plan of action and with maximum user friendliness. Yes my friends, the Leica M9 has taken my inspiration to the next level, above and beyond what the M8 did to me three years ago!

So now...ONTO my big, BAD-ASS, real world Leica M9 review! Woo Hoo!

Seven months ago, I started this very website due to my love for the Leica M8 camera. For three years, I shot the M8 and to me, once I really learned its shortcomings and its quirks, I sort of mastered it. I pushed it to its max with its limited high ISO, but it always delivered for me. With that said, deep down I always dreamt of a FULL FRAME Leica M9. Man, what a beast that would be! Super creamy files, higher resolution, lower noise, and NO MORE IR ISSUES! Pretty much the PERFECT digital M. Well, after I heard about it, I knew I had to have one. So, 2 months before it was announced, I told my favorite Leica dealer, KEN HANSEN to put me on the future Leica M9 list. He did just that and I AM STILL WAITING for one. Ha ha... But, no worries! Leica to the rescue!

Leica shot me an e-mail with an offer I could not refuse! It went “something” like this:

Leica: “Hey Huffmeister! Do you want to shoot the M9 with some lenses for a few days?”

ME: HELL YES! Send ‘em my way!

Leica: They are on the way!

ME: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

So it arrived and my very first impression was, “HEY! THEY SENT ME AN M8.2!” - But nope, it was a legitimate Red Dot Leica M9 and it was the same size as the M8! Fantastic! EVERYTHING looks the same as the M8.2, besides a few things like the top LCD, the new ISO button, and the small design change on the top plate. Oh yea, and the red dot instead of the black. It’s the same weight, the same size, and has the same look and feel. On the outside, it pretty much is an M8.2. What is cool though is that they offer the M9 in Black Paint with the Vulcanite covering, which is one sexy color, as well as the new color STEEL GREY PAINT. I must admit, they sent me a black, but the STEEL GREY is one fine looking camera and would be my choice if both were in front of me. The new GREY is not like the ld CHROME M8. It is a GREY PAINT, meaning after years of use, your M9 will look like a well-worn classic. I do wish they kept the black dot on the black paint model like the M8.2. It just looked so sexy and stealthy, but hey, I also love the red dot so I can’t complain.

Before I get to shooting this black beauty, let me recap some of the more important specs of the M9. I am sure most of you know them, but some may not, so here we go, direct from the B&H PHOTO M9 description:

• Full-Frame 35mm Sensor

The proprietary CCD sensor in the LEICA M9 boasts 18 megapixel resolution and allows for full utilization of the 35mm format. Utilizing a newly developed cover glass to eliminate infrared light contamination, the sensor provides stellar performance with Leica M lenses. The use of external UV/IR filters is not required.

• Bright and Clear Viewfinder

Unlike SLR cameras, where light transmission to the eye is limited by the lens, Leica rangefinders provide fast and precise focusing through a constantly bright, oversized viewfinder - regardless of which lens is attached.

• Quiet Shutter

The shutter of the M9 is exceptionally quiet. In Discreet Mode, the shutter is recocked only after the photographer's finger is removed from the shutter release. When longer exposure times are required, Soft Release Mode limits vibration for all-around sharper photos. 2 FPS.

• Intuitive Controls

Concentrate on taking pictures, not the controls. Time exposure is easily selected from an analogue dial atop the body. Aperture is set on the lens. The M9's intuitive four-way controller and dial provide easy navigation of menus and custom functions. ISO, playback, and exposure information are all available at the touch of a button.

• Classic Rangefinder Design

Born from the great lineage of Leica M System cameras, the M9 maintains the classic form, control placement, and durability of its predecessors. Crafted from a high-strength magnesium alloy, with a brass top deck and bottom plate, the body provides excellent protection for its internal components.

• Advanced Software

The Leica M9 ships with a download license for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. This professional digital workflow solution is available for both Mac and Windows based systems.

So as we know, the big deal here is the FULL FRAME 18 MP sensor as well as the improved HIGH ISO performance, which oddly is not mentioned in the feature list at B&H. Well, it should be as it IS an improvement over the M8, and I will PROVE that later on in this review. Oh yes, trust me... I now have no fears of using ISO 2000 or 2500, EVEN IN DARK situations! Also not mentioned in that list is the new EV compensation menu selections. This is a very cool new feature that I will get into later on.

Also, as many of you may know, I am a HUGE, HUGE fan of the Leica M8, so the M9 will have to be damn good for me to claim the M9 as vastly superior. With the M8, I enjoyed robust RAW files, great dynamic range (others may differ on that but I thought it was fantastic), and a very, very good sensor with amazing detail retrieval from those beautiful M lenses. Many of you know how I gush over the M8 so I was happy to hear the sensor is basically the same, just a full frame version! Yea!

I must admit though, that was a big worry of mine...the new sensor. I am talking FILE quality here. Will the M9 files be as robust? Meaning, will they handle my abuse in processing? Will the color be as good as the M8? How about the detail of that M8 sensor? Will the Leica 35 Summilux lens still show a focus shift on the full frame camera? This is what I wanted to know and you are about to find out all of those answers and more, so keep reading! Also, keep in mind, I only had this camera for THREE DAYS! Every image and every test you see here was all shot in three days. This review took me a total of 58 hours to create, so I hope it is helpful to all who read it. It may not be the most in depth review around, but you can get more technical reviews at a number of other sites.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO PAGE TWO - “WHAT COMES IN THE BOX, AND WHATS NEW?”

“There is a vast difference between taking a picture and making a photograph.” – Robert Heinecken