Do you get better pictures from your M9 than you did from your M8?

[menos I M6]

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When the M9 surfaced, I didn't dare, to think about a DRF.

I was still shooting a still pretty fresh M6 with some nice fast Leica glass and was happy.

 

The GAS about digital cameras, I have already solved and learned many lessons with Nikon DSLR bodies and many lenses.

 

At some point, I tried DRF with an R-D1, loved it and somewhen, getting a nice deal, I picked a M8.2, which I love.

I eyed the M9 many times, long and with as much "want to like it" as possible, there is nothing convincing for me so far, to spend the ridiculous price of "upgrading" my perfectly fine M8.2 - NOTHING.

 

I shoot mainly in lowlight or during the night, as my day job commends me to do so. My other strong interest in photography is motor sports - something, where maximum reach and pixel quality for crops dictate!

 

When I was convinced, that the purchase of a D3 additional to a D300 was a good decision (and boy, it was!), there were so many technical advances to shooting the D3 instead of a gripped D300, that shelling out 3.000,- EUR made it a bargain!

I still love the D3 for any weather, you can throw at it, for the superior low light capabilities, and for a very well fitting ergonomic and functionality, dealing with issues, my Leicas can't solve.

 

I am facing the same situation with Leica - upgrade or add for getting a M9 over the M8.2?

There really is only one marginal plus in the M9, that actually might be of benefit to me:

the said slightly better high ISO capabilities. THAT'S IT - seriously - that's it!

 

The M9 won't even help with it's higher pixel count, as for cropping, it's of no use, as everything "more" is outside the M8.2's frame anyway. For shots, I don't crop, it clogs up my harddrives, as I have no use for the more MP count (usually printing A5 for photo books, A4 for "big" personal give aways and A3+ for hanging).

 

The M9 is just a too small improvement for me over the M8.2, to really shell out the asking price.

I surely would not see "better pictures" from it - no contest from anyone, who argues about that!

 

I don't know, if my demands are so special, they just fit perfectly with the M8.2 - it seems to me like that, that I even dream about Leica bringing an "MP looking a la carte M9", to make me weak.

It looks that with ongoing demand on the standard M9 this will be a long way to go.

 

Maybe, I am over it with digital GAS, as I don't feel the slightest bit of need, to upgrade my "old Nikon D3" either? The glass GAS is still in full effect, not stopping, to buy the lenses, I want, when I want.

Leica - bring on that feature driven M9, to sell me on it - now I am really keen, to have an integrated diopter correction, as with my D3 - or how about a weather sealing, I would feel confident, to bring the digital M into the rain?

 

These are features, worth to spend money on - not engravings, leatherettes or in camera lens selections!

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[proenca]

Well posting a reply on this topic...

 

I too came from a heavily dSLR world ( Canon 1Ds'es, etc ) and swap the whole shebang for a Leica outfit 8 years ago ( M7 and assorted Leica lens , all brand new ).

 

Happy camper and then M8 was announced.

 

Actually bought it on the first day on Singapore, with a massive discount ( happened to be on holidays there and wife made be buy it ).

 

Happy camper and then the M9 came along.

 

No use for me, thats for sure, I though. The M8 travelled to me and took over 50k clicks, all over the world, litterally. Had no fear of using on slashing beaches, torrental winds, whatever nature throws at me.

 

Its flaws quickly became... personality traits

 

I was a veyr happy M8 user in the M9 early days and I was about to send my M8 for viewfinder and shutter upgrade ( yes, I'm nuts ) when my local dealer said "want to pop by the store? got a surprise for you".

 

This was in February.

 

There she was a pristine black M9.

 

Have a go at it, he said.

 

Bastard.

 

24 hours I was swiping and burning the VISA.

 

Now, fast fowarding a few months.

 

Better camera ? For sure.

 

Ergonomics they are exactly the same, as anyone apart from Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles can easily spot.

 

Things that are plus :

 

- no IR filters

 

- better ISO. I also still have a dSLR for high ISO shooting, but its nice to be able to dial ISO 1000 without any fear of noise and know that ISO 2500 is usuable. its just REALLY nice to have.

 

- no crop. its good to have lens that work as their should. if you want 1.4 at 35mm, you buy a 35 1.4, you dont have to buy a 24 1.4 and then swap it to a film body and things are different.

 

- dedicated ISO button. oh man, so good. easy . thanks Leica

 

- shutter ( vs "normal M8" ) - really quiet, really nice.

 

- megapixels. can't avoid the megapixels. files are huge with HUGE detail. its really breaktaking. I usually make books out of my holiday snaps ( via Blurb ) and print up to A3+. the difference is there.

 

the bad points :

 

- top LCD - I miss it. its ok to press info but I really dont understand why the heck they removed the thing

 

- rear glass - after 3 years of M8, which the last 2 was treated with the same care I treat a PS, had a couple of light scratches. absolutly normal. the M8 toured the world and came back, several times. shared the backpack with my Leica MP several times and nothing happened. My M9 shared 15 days of backpack with the MP and got HEAVILY scratched. And has been babied. Sort of .)

 

the "hummm" :

 

 

- rendition and colour - funny thing, I was actually unhappy when I received my M9 and start processing the files. the DNG's are very different from the M8 to the M9 in terms of processing - I used to tweak quite a lot the M8 files ( not a problem ) to get out I wanted and the M8 always gave the results I wanted. with the M9, things change - I find that the colour and wb is more accurate and that only MINOR , REALLY minor tweaks are required to get very good results.

 

Examples :

 

apart from adding a touch of vignetting, corrected the WB, +10 of vibrance and 0.02 stops of exposure. that's it.

 

corrected WB. that's it. vignetting at 1.0 with noctilux.

 

even black and white is easier. converted to BW. adjusted couple of sliders, add 5% vigneting, adjusted 0.4 exposure, adjusted black levels. done.

 

honestly, I find myself flying over the M9 files. they are much more neutral. perhaps a personal opinion, but I do prefer them.

 

now, is the M9 a better camera ? without a doubt, yes.

 

is it worth the extra cash ? only YOU can decide that, since its you who is paying. no review, thread on forums going to answer that. if you have the money, go for it. it is a REAL upgrade in many, many areas.

 

am I taking better pictures ? not yet , to be honest. but then again, only had 1 REAL outing since I bought it and I'm learning the camera again. I know the M8 limits and limitations inside out, both physical and DNG wise.

 

lets talk next year !

[menos I M6]

Forget it Goncalo - that medicine doesn't work on me!

love my M8.2…love my M8.2…love my M8.2…love my M8.2…love my M8.2…love my M8.2…

 

Wonderful shot in the temple!

[proenca]

Forget it Goncalo - that medicine doesn't work on me!

love my M8.2…love my M8.2…love my M8.2…love my M8.2…love my M8.2…love my M8.2…

 

Wonderful shot in the temple!

 

lol.... hey if you are happy, continue with it.

 

very verry very very unfortunatly, I do not receive M9 comission sales, so I do not gain a cent from you buying a M9 or staying with the M8.2.

 

thanks for the compliment on the image