Purchasing M9 as second camera

[Schittra]

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I plan to get Leica M9 as my second camera to backup the M10. The shop has a used grey M9 costs around slightly above 1/3 price of used M10.

What so you guys think? Or I should save money more and get a used M10? Or any other alternative?

I had typ240 for a month and personally don’t like the color rendering of 240.

Thank you very much. 

[TomB_tx]

I kept my M9 and use it as a second camera to my M10. Sometimes I prefer the images of either over the other, as there are differences. However, if your budget allows I’d say a second M10 would be preferable. I do like the high ISO ability of the M10.

[Ko.Fe.]

Have you read this thread about purchasing of M9 while owning M10?

If you need backup and don’t mind of using it as low ISO backup, then it OK.

Just make sure it has non corrosive sensor installed and use camera, batteries periodically. Don’t let it just stay unused.

All three digital M seems to render different. Even m8 is slightly different from M9, IMO. I’m not big fan of M9 colours, but it is noise free at low iso. Hard to find another camera with this clarity and sharpness. IMO.

[Archiver]

I'm a huge fan of M9 colours and rendering, and have yet to see a M240 or even M10 image which has that kind of 'pop'. It's hard to describe. The M9 is purportedly a lot less refined in operation than the M10, so be mindful of how it is slower to write to the card, slower to recover between shots, has a much louder shutter and recock motor, etc. As I've said before, I think of the M9 as being a film M with auto winder, and variable speed colour negative film from 160 to 1250. Anything above that goes into black and white territory due to chroma noise.

[AceVentura1986]

3 hours ago, Archiver said:

I'm a huge fan of M9 colours and rendering, and have yet to see a M240 or even M10 image which has that kind of 'pop'. It's hard to describe. The M9 is purportedly a lot less refined in operation than the M10, so be mindful of how it is slower to write to the card, slower to recover between shots, has a much louder shutter and recock motor, etc. As I've said before, I think of the M9 as being a film M with auto winder, and variable speed colour negative film from 160 to 1250. Anything above that goes into black and white territory due to chroma noise.

The M9 platform is extremely basic compared to the M10, some would even say primitive. Slow responses, limited buffer, laughably poor LCD, etc.  Still, I have two and intend to keep them as they serve my purposes and are both based on the same platform. 

Having cameras from the same platform is always preferable to cameras of different platforms, imho. One thing that will cause me to defer upgrading to the M10M is that both my ME and my M9M are based on the same platform. This means they function in a nearly identical fashion and also that the batteries and chargers are identical. 

[Archiver]

8 minutes ago, AceVentura1986 said:

The M9 platform is extremely basic compared to the M10, some would even say primitive. Slow responses, limited buffer, laughably poor LCD, etc.  Still, I have two and intend to keep them as they serve my purposes and are both based on the same platform. 

Having cameras from the same platform is always preferable to cameras of different platforms, imho. One thing that will cause me to defer upgrading to the M10M is that both my ME and my M9M are based on the same platform. This means they function in a nearly identical fashion and also that the batteries and chargers are identical. 

For this reason, I'm giving a lot of consideration to buying a secondhand M9 Monochrom with replaced sensor instead of the later versions. Same batteries, same operation, can even use the same leather half cases! If my M9 gets to a point where it is no longer reparable (heaven forbid) I would get a secondhand M9-P.

[ianman]

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4 hours ago, Archiver said:

recock motor

This can be really annoying at times, but don't forget they added a feature to allow delaying the shutter recocking. It doesn't get rid of the noise but you can put the camera under a coat or jumper to dampen the noise if necessary.

 

[pippy]

34 minutes ago, ianman said:

This can be really annoying at times, but don't forget they added a feature to allow delaying the shutter recocking. It doesn't get rid of the noise but you can put the camera under a coat or jumper to dampen the noise if necessary...

This 'Discreet Advance' feature was one of the primary reasons I bought an M8.2 (and, later, an M9-P) instead of an M8 and its absence is the only thing which I miss on the M-D 262 - although, in all fairness, the shutter-release re-cock volume of the M-D is MUCH quieter than that of the older cameras. With the Mk 1 Monochrom I keep the shutter set to 'Discreet' and 'Soft'; in this manner camera vibration is reduced by a surprising extent allowing for slower hand-held shutter-speeds to be used than might otherwise have been thought possible.

As far as the question posed in the OP is concerned; recently I traded in a couple of 9's when they were replaced by the cameras mentioned in the above paragraph but I've subsequently had a bit of a hankering to call the dealership back to see if they still have my old 9-P as I was particularly attached to the camera and I still love the quality of the images it could produce.

I'd have another M9-P in a heartbeat.

Philip.

Edited March 4, 2020 by pippy

[JimmyCheng]

Just make sure you don't end up selling your m10 : p

Well I sold my m10 and I am happier than ever with my mint condition m9p with replaced sensor. I will never buy another cmos digital leica m is all I can say.

[JimmyCheng]

On 3/5/2020 at 1:20 AM, pippy said:

This 'Discreet Advance' feature was one of the primary reasons I bought an M8.2 (and, later, an M9-P) instead of an M8 and its absence is the only thing which I miss on the M-D 262 - although, in all fairness, the shutter-release re-cock volume of the M-D is MUCH quieter than that of the older cameras. With the Mk 1 Monochrom I keep the shutter set to 'Discreet' and 'Soft'; in this manner camera vibration is reduced by a surprising extent allowing for slower hand-held shutter-speeds to be used than might otherwise have been thought possible.

As far as the question posed in the OP is concerned; recently I traded in a couple of 9's when they were replaced by the cameras mentioned in the above paragraph but I've subsequently had a bit of a hankering to call the dealership back to see if they still have my old 9-P as I was particularly attached to the camera and I still love the quality of the images it could produce.

I'd have another M9-P in a heartbeat.

Philip.

I know exactly how that feels, I've sold and purchase m9/m-e/m9-p multiple times, and now I am settled.

[Topsy]

I've got an M9 as a first, second and third camera. Love them, all with certified replaced new variant sensor. The're not the only cameras I own/use but they are certainly amongst my favorites. For film I have MP and M2 which again rank amongst my favorites. I've no desire for M Typ 240 or M10 (any variant) my M9s do all I want them to.

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I've added a 28mm and 50mm since this shot.

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by Topsy

[Beena22]

Out of curiosity - why do you have three?

[Topsy]

13 hours ago, Beena22 said:

Out of curiosity - why do you have three?

When out and about I use them with the different lenses on so as not to need to keep swapping lenses. Normally as shown 21mm on one, 35mm on second and 75mm on third. This covers most shots I want to get whilst on a photowalk or at an event etc. If I am restricted to carrying capacity I drop one body.

[Beena22]

5 hours ago, Topsy said:

When out and about I use them with the different lenses on so as not to need to keep swapping lenses. Normally as shown 21mm on one, 35mm on second and 75mm on third. This covers most shots I want to get whilst on a photowalk or at an event etc. If I am restricted to carrying capacity I drop one body.

I thought that might be the reason.  Must be a heavy load to carry around.  Personally I like the fact that M lenses are small enough to fit in my pocket so I'm travelling light.  Different use cases I guess.

 

Plus I'm poor 😂

[Topsy]

46 minutes ago, Beena22 said:

I thought that might be the reason.  Must be a heavy load to carry around.  Personally I like the fact that M lenses are small enough to fit in my pocket so I'm travelling light.  Different use cases I guess.

 

Plus I'm poor 😂

The weight is worth it for me to have the flexibility and tbh when I got out to shoot I normally have a camera on each shoulder and one around my neck so the weight is spread and goes unnoticed. 

[Schittra]

7 hours ago, Topsy said:

When out and about I use them with the different lenses on so as not to need to keep swapping lenses. Normally as shown 21mm on one, 35mm on second and 75mm on third. This covers most shots I want to get whilst on a photowalk or at an event etc. If I am restricted to carrying capacity I drop one body.

What camera bag do you use to carry all 3 bodies with lenses?

[Topsy]

It varies depending where I am but mostly I carry them in a LowePro Photosport 200AW  or Billingham Hadlley Pro or Hadley original.

Edited March 28, 2020 by Topsy

[Schittra]

1 hour ago, Topsy said:

It varies depending where I am but mostly I carry them in a LowePro Photosport 200AW  or Billingham Hadlley Pro or Hadley original.

Hadley original to hold 3 cameras? If you have time, may you please share how you fit ? Thank you.

[Topsy]

Got nothing but time these days, this is an old shot from the days when I used Fuji X-Pro1s they are almost the same size as M9s except the lenses are bigger than Leica lenses.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Topsy]

Here's what was in it then.

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