Should I take the M9 jump!

[SteveSFO]

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Dustoff06. Exactly the same feeling I got. The Nikon D3S is a great tool but shooting with the Leica M is just a whole different experience that I find a lot of other shooters are discovering as well. One thing, if that new Fuji X100 is as good as it appears, Leica is going to get a run for it's money.

[jaapv]

I'll probably buy one for my wife, it looks nice, but it is not a rangefinder. It might be competition for the X1, but not for the M series.

[ThorkilB]

Quite arty; hanging Ferraris. In white? On white? It's not about balance.

Red...it just must be red...even though this red below is not the right red

thorkil

(no...its not me in the red t-shirt)

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[Nicoleica]

Red...it just must be red...even though this red below is not the right red

thorkil

(no...its not me in the red t-shirt)

 

It may not be the correct red, but it must be a real Ferrari, as it has a mechanic trying to make it work. ;)

[ThorkilB]

It may not be the correct red, but it must be a real Ferrari, as it has a mechanic trying to make it work.

no, no, he's just checking his tyres, because he just gave a Mercedes SLS (which was wobling along in the corners) backwhel, those times with a mechanic in the trunk is by far gone...

[vinster]

Im on the fence wether to buy or not to buy, my main reason is the manual focus lenses. My eye sight is not fantastic and have to use glasses for reading .

How do others cope with the focusing, coming from a Digilux 2 with auto focusing im wondering if i can make the jump.

Im going to a Leica open day tomorrow so will get a hands on experience to learn the ins and outs of this holy grail of cameras.

Any opinions from others who have had this reservation would be welcome.

 

ps as my my one and only lenee also think along the lines of the 35mm or 50mm cant afford another for a long while.

[h00ligan]

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I did the academy day, I wear glasses. My eyesight is not awful, maybe 20/40 and 20/60, and I'm nearsighted..

 

That said it is off enough that I need diopter adjustment or specs to get proper focus. I didn't think it was bad to use the rangefinder, until I went to 28mm where it was a bit tough to see frame lines when wearing my glasses.

 

I'm not sure for the most part if it would be a problem if you are farsighted, hopefully someone can answer that for you.

[phancj]

I'm shortsighted 800 and farsighted 200 (belong to the very first gen of video gamers who spend hours in front of CRT monitors haha)....focusing on the RF for the M9 is absolutely no problem...except certain situations where there are not many features to "compare" so we can get the 2 images to coincide. As far as eyesight is concerned I reckon mine is pretty bad and I do not see it a challenge to use the M9.

 

I fact, I got the hang of it in a couple of minutes...

[dickgrafixstop]

With both feet - that way your wallet will follow. Good news is you can't make a bad

decision. Buy the M9 and a lens - who cares which one - and use it. If you can't

focus easily, if it's too heavy, if you don't like low light performance, whatever - sell

the damn thing and move on. Since Leica can't make enough of the m9's, there's

still a panting secondary market and you probably won't lose any and may make some

extra money.

WARNING LABEL: reasonable people who use Leica cameras will become obsessive

over image quality and develop an insatiable desire to acquire another lens. There is

no known cure and may require a continuous negative cash flow!

[ThorkilB]

With both feet - that way your wallet will follow. Good news is you can't make a bad

decision. Buy the M9 and a lens - who cares which one - and use it. If you can't

focus easily, if it's too heavy, if you don't like low light performance, whatever - sell

the damn thing and move on. Since Leica can't make enough of the m9's, there's

still a panting secondary market and you probably won't lose any and may make some

extra money.

WARNING LABEL: reasonable people who use Leica cameras will become obsessive

over image quality and develop an insatiable desire to acquire another lens. There is

no known cure and may require a continuous negative cash flow!

to your information: Richard has left the building, we are some left who still consider, or have done, or are sitting still and counting cents, but the amount will not grow sufficient and quick enought...meanwhile we just.......(cant explain, but there are some pages behind you that can)

[rob_w]

Thread number 620. Only 380 to go (sigh ) and then we can get back to normal discussions.

[h00ligan]

It's the thread seeking auto mouse.

[ixania]

I also use a 5D II and agree with most of the points made. I have the 5DII, M9, E-P2, and a P&S, but 90% of the time I grab the M9. It produces high quality images that are very pleasing to me and the camera is of a size that is convenient to bring along.

.... My money goes to lenses, and therein lays the fun of my photography...

Get the M9 and a good 35mm or 50mm Leica lens! You'll love the picture quality!

 

don't fool yourself: your pictures won't become better with a M9 in any way.

 

1. there are magnum photographers working with pentax or olympus slrs, and only a few times world press photo contest winners shot with m. so don't fool yourself: on any level a m is not required for impressive pics.

 

2. moreover: goto leica-m-forums and consider the quality of displayed images: mostly trees from the yard, cats and street-signs. no idea of the history of m-philosophy anywhere.

 

so?

 

your pictures won't become better with a M9 in any way.

 

it's YOU.

 

if you are able to see nonrecurring things delivered in thrilling geometry, you'll be able to capture it, either with a leica, canon or sony.

 

if you´re not able to do so, a m 9 wont help. leica-m-forums are proof.

 

my suggestion: panasonic g1 with pancake, mucho faster than x1. or canon 550d with 2,8/28. if you can make it there, you can make it everywhere.

[ThorkilB]

look at his website: it's everywhere. ardent worshipper.

Yes it is...too bad..but he makes some good pictures though

thorkil

[RichardM8]

your pictures won't become better with a M9 in any way.

 

it's YOU.

 

This is absolutely true from a 'gear doesn't make your images artistically better' point of view. A Canon 1Dx doesn't make your pictures artistically better than with a 550/Rebel or something. But there are some important differences with a Leica M that can, and for most owners do, make a difference.

 

The manual focus, manual aperture setting - and shutter speed if you want - and the viewfinder window make you more aware of the subject and composition you shoot. You also see differently. An M demands a different way of shooting by design. If this suits you or not is personal. My pictures definitely got better - at least I think so - since I got the M8 for these reasons.

 

Shooting with an M is very different from any SLR, regardless if it's on manual or not. And P&S type cameras, Pens, GFs and the X1, are yet in another galaxy.

[h00ligan]

This is absolutely true from a 'gear doesn't make your images artistically better' point of view. A Canon 1Dx doesn't make your pictures artistically better than with a 550/Rebel or something. But there are some important differences with a Leica M that can, and for most owners do, make a difference.

 

The manual focus, manual aperture setting - and shutter speed if you want - and the viewfinder window make you more aware of the subject and composition you shoot. You also see differently. An M demands a different way of shooting by design. If this suits you or not is personal. My pictures definitely got better - at least I think so - since I got the M8 for these reasons.

 

Shooting with an M is very different from any SLR, regardless if it's on manual or not. And P&S type cameras, Pens, GFs and the X1, are yet in another galaxy.

 

What really struck me at the academy event was shooting with both eyes open. Very very different feel for both myself and the subjects I think. I'd like to try that with the x1 and ovf, but not sure it will be the same.

[RichardM8]

What really struck me at the academy event was shooting with both eyes open. Very very different feel for both myself and the subjects I think.

 

I've tried that too a few times but it ties my brain in a knot...

[Nicoleica]

I've tried that too a few times but it ties my brain in a knot...

 

Being left-eyed, keeping both eyes open doesn't do much at all for me.

[MikeD700]

Fortunately for you, history provides you with a cure for your problems

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Clive Murray-White]

ThorkilB: I went fishing yesterday and took my:

 

1. cafélife (or a coffedesk at the local gasstation)

2. street (hip-shot) (for clive it was perhaps a gasstation)

3. inner-city (just the nearest) (for clive something that destillated hes surroundings, to prevent 2 hours drive)

and used the trip as a good excuse to take my pictures, I can't say I got the hang of zone focused hip-shots too well - but I think that's really because I never found myself in a situation where I could just put the camera up to my face.

 

I'll post them soon - Clive