frogfish Posted May 25, 2014 Share #1 Posted May 25, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi everyone, just want to share a personal insight. I work as a professional wedding photog, mostly reportage style and love to play with extreme light. Anyway, I used to shoot quite a bit with the M9 and the M at weddings but felt restricted and shot more and more with the fast Nikons with primes, or later with the Sony A7. I eventually sold my M240 and kept the M9 because it would sell not well because of all the scratches. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I went to Mexico for holiday and just took my old, beaten M9. And then it happened: I felt free, light, inspired. I grow together with my beloved tool, again. When my next wedding came, I took my M9 with me and it was so much fun. Next year, I think, I will get a 240 again. You know, it´s like in the Brat Pitt movie Mexican, "when it´s love, when does the moment come where you think, enough is enough - never!" here are some images from Mexico, if you care: Fotografie in Mexico - eine persönliche Auswahl... - Mann & Frau Schmidt - die etwas anderen Hochzeitsfotografen So far, happy shooting everyone. And remember, ease of use and image quality is not everything, fun and inspiration is not unimportant either. heiko Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 25, 2014 Posted May 25, 2014 Hi frogfish, Take a look here there, and back again - M9 for pro work... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
250swb Posted May 25, 2014 Share #2 Posted May 25, 2014 Some great photographs, it's nice to see somebody using extreme lighting creatively rather than thinking lens flare or a very dark shadow is a fault! Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey999999 Posted May 25, 2014 Share #3 Posted May 25, 2014 yes, unusually creative work - and a great camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynp Posted May 25, 2014 Share #4 Posted May 25, 2014 Wonderful photos!!! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinnfell Posted May 26, 2014 Share #5 Posted May 26, 2014 I felt free, light, inspired. whatever makes you feel like this is worth hanging on to. And with most people nowadays used to filtered instagram pictures, there is no reason why a well composed and sharp M9 image will not blow everyone away. Personally I traded my M9 for a MM, and dont shoot weddings anymore, but there is no way I would do that with my 5D3 today. Most weddings dont move fast enough to warrant the need for a machine-gun Dslr. BEsides there is a lot to be said for being discrete, especially if the customer wants "Photojournalism style". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted May 26, 2014 Share #6 Posted May 26, 2014 Some nice pictures. Have you thought about film? That sort of light is best suited to negative and from what you are saying you may just find film even more enjoyable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nameBrandon Posted May 26, 2014 Share #7 Posted May 26, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Great images.. and because you know someone had to ask.. so I'll be "that guy". Which lenses were you using with the M9? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogfish Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted May 26, 2014 Great images.. and because you know someone had to ask.. so I'll be "that guy". Which lenses were you using with the M9? thanks for all the kind comments. mainly Voigtländer 35 Nokton, flares like hell, as you can see. Sold my beloved 35 Summilux FLE with the 240. If I´ll go back to this it will be a huge investment again. Shot positive film in the beginning of my photographic adventure. Would love to shoot with a M3, but would need clients to pay for that (as film is expensive) heiko Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 26, 2014 Share #9 Posted May 26, 2014 Don’t underrate the modest Summicron 35 asph - it is a wonderful low light lens in its rendering - I prefer it to the Summilux. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogfish Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted May 26, 2014 Don’t underrate the modest Summicron 35 asph - it is a wonderful low light lens in its rendering - I prefer it to the Summilux. I believe you, I often shoot at 2.0 anyway. But sometime I love the shallow DOF of 1.4. For me, a 35 at 1.4 has a very special feeling, no other lens can give. The combination of wide-angle and this kind of DOF just amazes me. No 28 or 50 can reach that feeling (just my opinion of course). heiko Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a911s Posted May 27, 2014 Share #11 Posted May 27, 2014 If you don't need telephotos, autofocus, or fast cycling times - then the M9 can work for pro work, especially journalism. The only disadvantage to the M9 is the review monitor, which does not allow 100% confirmation that the shot is sharp. The M240 fixed that and also improved the cycling time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogfish Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share #12 Posted May 27, 2014 If you don't need telephotos, autofocus, or fast cycling times - then the M9 can work for pro work, especially journalism. The only disadvantage to the M9 is the review monitor, which does not allow 100% confirmation that the shot is sharp. The M240 fixed that and also improved the cycling time. you are right about the monitor, which is no problem in real life though. there are many other disadvantages of a rangefinder, and the M9 especially, which you miss. Each his own opinion, though. heiko Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
atufte Posted May 28, 2014 Share #13 Posted May 28, 2014 Why buy a M240 again...? Just keep shooting your M9, it produces great looking images and will keep doing so for years to come... (i would add an Monochrom instead, which is a wonderful tool side by side with the M9) Alex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogfish Posted May 28, 2014 Author Share #14 Posted May 28, 2014 Why buy a M240 again...? Just keep shooting your M9, it produces great looking images and will keep doing so for years to come... (i would add an Monochrom instead, which is a wonderful tool side by side with the M9) Alex for me as a wedding photographer, the M9 has two huge flaws: 1: ISO above 800 is very poor. I need at least 1600, better 3200 to be save and be able to make images of moving subjects everywhere and every time without a flash/videolight. 2: as I love to shoot in extreme light, the M9´s CCD has a problem that drives me nuts. When the contrast is too high for the sensor, it "overflows". When you shoot into the sun you get more often than not burnt pixels which exceed the actual light source (sun or flash). It can ruin an image. oh, here comes a third: it´s not weather sealed. Not cool for a few thousand bucks camera. As a wedding photographer I cannot choose to not shoot, even when it rains (0: heiko Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
a911s Posted May 28, 2014 Share #15 Posted May 28, 2014 you are right about the monitor, which is no problem in real life though. there are many other disadvantages of a rangefinder, and the M9 especially, which you miss. Each his own opinion, though. heiko Not defending the M9 actually. Yet, I love Leicas. Been using Ms since 1979 when I was a hobbyist. But there are no second chances when you photograph for a living (been a full-time pro for over 20 years). Currently I use a pair of Canon 5D Mk IIIs for my clients. I tried my M9 for one job but now use it for personal work and vacations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwilliamsphotography Posted May 29, 2014 Share #16 Posted May 29, 2014 for me as a wedding photographer, the M9 has two huge flaws: 1: ISO above 800 is very poor. I need at least 1600, better 3200 to be save and be able to make images of moving subjects everywhere and every time without a flash/videolight. 2: as I love to shoot in extreme light, the M9´s CCD has a problem that drives me nuts. When the contrast is too high for the sensor, it "overflows". When you shoot into the sun you get more often than not burnt pixels which exceed the actual light source (sun or flash). It can ruin an image. oh, here comes a third: it´s not weather sealed. Not cool for a few thousand bucks camera. As a wedding photographer I cannot choose to not shoot, even when it rains (0: heiko I think this POV is based on exclusively using a M9 (or M8, or M240) for weddings. The M cameras are terrific for certain types of wedding photography, but IMO to use one for everything is really pushing the type of tool it is to its limits or beyond. Or better put, why use it for everything? I've used a M for wedding work for 20 years, first film (ISO 400), then digital Ms. They have always been a partner with a DSLR that does what the M can't. However, what the M does well, it does very well … the primary being that it provides the rangefinder way of seeing and capturing the world around us … even at a wedding. Horses for courses. - marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted May 29, 2014 Share #17 Posted May 29, 2014 2: as I love to shoot in extreme light, the M9´s CCD has a problem that drives me nuts. When the contrast is too high for the sensor, it "overflows". When you shoot into the sun you get more often than not burnt pixels which exceed the actual light source (sun or flash). It can ruin an image. This is what I was alluding to with my suggestion for shooting film, but I totally understand client budgets. All digital cameras act in this way, though the M9 does have a propensity to posterisation of extreme highlights. Although the new M does have a little more Dynamic range, it's not enough to eliminate the problem in extreme conditions like the ones displayed. There are of corse work arounds but i know they are less than ideal. It's one of main faults/cons of Digital. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogfish Posted May 29, 2014 Author Share #18 Posted May 29, 2014 This is what I was alluding to with my suggestion for shooting film, but I totally understand client budgets. All digital cameras act in this way, though the M9 does have a propensity to posterisation of extreme highlights. Although the new M does have a little more Dynamic range, it's not enough to eliminate the problem in extreme conditions like the ones displayed. There are of corse work arounds but i know they are less than ideal. It's one of main faults/cons of Digital. My M 240 behave absolutely gorgeous in extreme light. I have this issue only with the M9. It is not the dynamic range we talk about here. The M9 shows a vertical band of overflowed pixels. If you like, I can post an example, thought this problem is well known here. heiko Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted May 29, 2014 Share #19 Posted May 29, 2014 All digital cameras act in this way, though the M9 does have a propensity to posterisation of extreme highlights. As I said I'm aware of the posterization. Even if you take away the posterization you are still left with the dynamic range of digital and the way it handles highlights. It's like positive transparency films, there is a ceiling and the cut off is abrupt. The best results for that sort of extreme lighting is negative film. I have loads of these sort of frames with the M9. But I can also show you frames like this from my Canons. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/227636-there-and-back-again-m9-for-pro-work/?do=findComment&comment=2600080'>More sharing options...
frogfish Posted May 30, 2014 Author Share #20 Posted May 30, 2014 I was thinking about something like this. This brings the word artefact to a new level... (0: heiko Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/227636-there-and-back-again-m9-for-pro-work/?do=findComment&comment=2600630'>More sharing options...
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