Leica Day in Monterey & M9

[kdemas]

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Yesterday I packed up the car and drove the 100 or so miles to my favorite dealer, Camera West in Monterey (California) for the big Leica Day festivities. As usual, I was not disappointed.

 

On hand was the Leica rep for the area, Tom (great guy), who was available to answer any and all questions about the M9 and other new products. The team at Camera West was, as always, helpful and they happily added my name to the waiting lists for the M9 and X1. They even had a nice spread and refreshments available to make the day really something special.

 

So what about the M9??

 

Tom was nice enough to have an M9 along and I had the pleasure of handling it for a bit. As an M8 owner I was immediately at home, yet the camera felt a bit different. I don't know if it's the missing upper display or the slightly revised dimensions but the camera "felt" much more like an M6, like a film camera (not a bad thing mind you!). I can't quite put my finger on why I had that impression, but others mentioned it as well while I was there.

 

The finish on the camera is very nicely done, I had a look at a black paint version. The slick M8 body covering was gone, replaced with almost a "grip-tec" like surface that was very secure in hand. It was interesting but even the rotary selection wheel was a fair amount smoother and had less play than with my M8, though the same design. It might just be that a newer run of parts had some of the kinks worked out.

 

The viewfinder was excellent, even with my glasses on. No problem seeing the 35mm framelines for the lens that happened to be mounted.

 

The ISO button on the back is a welcome change and the menus certainly had a great deal more flexibility than with the M8. More choices, more capabilities (bracketing for instance) yet still simple and straightforward to operate.

 

I didn't have a card with me so sorry, no pictures. I was, however, impressed by what I saw and felt and I'm looking forward to being able to shoot with this new tool one day.

 

The long and short, a terrific day that was made even better by the fine folks at Camera West. If you get a chance to see/handle a new M9 I recommend jumping at the chance, I think you'll be pleased.

 

Kent

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[mborkowski14]

Hey Kent,

 

I'm from Monterey, but now living in Brooklyn, so it's always nice to hear about home! I currently shoot using a Canon Rebel XSi and also have an all-purpose Powershot S5 IS that I use. I used to shoot with an M5 in high school, which sadly was the school's property and not mine. Either way, I'm trying to get rid of my Powershot, simply because it is too bulky. I was considering a D-Lux 4, but it simply wasn't enough camera for me. What impressions, if any, did you get from the X1? The M9 sounds incredible, but unfortunately, as a student, I can't afford the price tag. Let me know what you think.

 

Matt