nryn Posted September 10, 2009 Share #1 Posted September 10, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) We've got quite a number of good reviews online a day after the M9 was released. Here's the most recent: Leica M9 Review: Shooting in Wetzlar, Germany. For my mind, this review caters towards using the M9 as opposed to people interested in specs and minutae. I'm not judging either camp, mind you, just that David really approaches almost all of his report from a "usage" point of view, which is ideal for me (in the end, I'm in this to take good photos and enjoy doing it). Thanks, David! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 10, 2009 Posted September 10, 2009 Hi nryn, Take a look here David Farkas' review up. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
cbretteville Posted September 10, 2009 Share #2 Posted September 10, 2009 Indeed, thanks David. - Carl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevelap Posted September 10, 2009 Share #3 Posted September 10, 2009 Yes thanks David, an enjoyable read as always. Picked up my M9 today and looking forward to getting to grips with it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
markowich Posted September 10, 2009 Share #4 Posted September 10, 2009 Yes thanks David, an enjoyable read as always. Picked up my M9 today and looking forward to getting to grips with it. very enjoyable trivialities, carrying the same amount of information (almost zero unless you enjoy pics of leica staff) as reichmann's essay, with somewhat more salesman's pitch. reid's review is much more interesting. anyway, cyberspace is large and hard drives are cheap. keep up the good work---))) peter Peter A. Markowich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leica007 Posted September 10, 2009 Share #5 Posted September 10, 2009 great job David. photos are amazing. Three quick questions: 1. do M9 files have any latitude, so that it's possible to pull back the highlight details or to recover 'clippings' ? 2. How is the Dynamic Range? I know you mention it's good , but some of your flower shots have clipped part/ blown out highlights, when the background is shaddy. 3. how is M9's response to RED colour? some of the flowers have a bit peculiar rendering of red / pink - bit smudged [along with clipped highlights], like in : L1001324.jpg (image) L1001088.jpg (image) L1001017.jpg (image) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfarkas Posted September 10, 2009 Share #6 Posted September 10, 2009 great job David. photos are amazing. Three quick questions: 1. do M9 files have any latitude, so that it's possible to pull back the highlight details or to recover 'clippings' ? 2. How is the Dynamic Range? I know you mention it's good , but some of your flower shots have clipped part/ blown out highlights, when the background is shaddy. 3. how is M9's response to RED colour? some of the flowers have a bit peculiar rendering of red / pink - bit smudged [along with clipped highlights], like in : L1001324.jpg (image) L1001088.jpg (image) L1001017.jpg (image) Those photos look pretty awful in my web browser also. Try saving them to your computer in bringing them into a color-managed application like LR or CS4. They should look a lot better. Also, you need a pretty decent monitor to see really saturated reds like that and get any differentiation. I processed them on an AdobeRGB gamut screen. To answer your questions: 1) Yes, the files are pretty adjustable. 14-bit RAW data helps a lot here. Some of the shots posted were adjusted considerably. The shot of Christian was misexposed (my fault) and I pulled up the exposure by 1.43 stops in LR. Even at 100% I can't see any ill effects. 2) The DR is excellent. As I mentioned in the review, I fell it is one stop better, particularly in the highlights. The reason the background is dark is that I like contrast in my picures. I often make the shadows and dark tones darker for added contrast and subject emphasis. I also raise my black point until I feel I have a nice rich image. This is just my personal preferrence. If you look at the boring shot of the alley, I left things mostly alone to show the DR. 3) The reds are better than the M8s due to the new red filter in the Bayer matrix. Again, I suggest looking at these files in a color-managed application. Thanks, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleskin Posted September 10, 2009 Share #7 Posted September 10, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I thank you too David! This M9 looks like a real winner to me, and although I cannot afford one right now, and currently have the first M8, I am looking forward to buying one sometime next year. Your review has confirmed to me that this new camera is a MUST BUY for me, and I am thrilled Leica has a winner here. Leica reminds me of the "Little Train That Could" when compared to Canon and Nikon. I will go to the Photo Plus Expo in NY, and I will love to see the site of mobs of people swamping the Leica booth while seeing depressed faces at Canon and Nikon! Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLV Posted September 10, 2009 Share #8 Posted September 10, 2009 Indeed, Thanks david, very good review. All the best, Jean-Luc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yanidel Posted September 10, 2009 Share #9 Posted September 10, 2009 The best and most detailed review so far. You covered well the essential additions, a pleasure to read. thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfarkas Posted September 10, 2009 Share #10 Posted September 10, 2009 I thank you too David! This M9 looks like a real winner to me, and although I cannot afford one right now, and currently have the first M8, I am looking forward to buying one sometime next year. Your review has confirmed to me that this new camera is a MUST BUY for me, and I am thrilled Leica has a winner here. Leica reminds me of the "Little Train That Could" when compared to Canon and Nikon. I will go to the Photo Plus Expo in NY, and I will love to see the site of mobs of people swamping the Leica booth while seeing depressed faces at Canon and Nikon! Ed Ed, I'll be attending Photo Plus as well. Be happy to meet up at the Leica booth. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leica007 Posted September 10, 2009 Share #11 Posted September 10, 2009 Those photos look pretty awful in my web browser also. Try saving them to your computer in bringing them into a color-managed application like LR or CS4. They should look a lot better. Also, you need a pretty decent monitor to see really saturated reds like that and get any differentiation. I processed them on an AdobeRGB gamut screen. To answer your questions: 1) Yes, the files are pretty adjustable. 14-bit RAW data helps a lot here. Some of the shots posted were adjusted considerably. The shot of Christian was misexposed (my fault) and I pulled up the exposure by 1.43 stops in LR. Even at 100% I can't see any ill effects. 2) The DR is excellent. As I mentioned in the review, I fell it is one stop better, particularly in the highlights. The reason the background is dark is that I like contrast in my picures. I often make the shadows and dark tones darker for added contrast and subject emphasis. I also raise my black point until I feel I have a nice rich image. This is just my personal preferrence. If you look at the boring shot of the alley, I left things mostly alone to show the DR. 3) The reds are better than the M8s due to the new red filter in the Bayer matrix. Again, I suggest looking at these files in a color-managed application. Thanks, David Thanks for the prompt and detailed reply. Any idea what improvements/changes can one expect in the future firmware updates? [i should be in the market for M9 around Jan/Feb next year. ] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfarkas Posted September 10, 2009 Share #12 Posted September 10, 2009 Thanks for the prompt and detailed reply. Any idea what improvements/changes can one expect in the future firmware updates? [i should be in the market for M9 around Jan/Feb next year. ] The only one I know about for sure is the zero second self-timer setting (unless it's already there). I'll try to find out tomorrow what is planned. Were you able to view the files in CS4 or similiar? David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthury Posted September 10, 2009 Share #13 Posted September 10, 2009 Thanks for the samples, David. I am more impressed by the night images than the day time ones. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eudemian Posted September 10, 2009 Share #14 Posted September 10, 2009 David, a great little essay, I could feel the camera and the technique shine through and I want one, but perhaps that was the point:D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tashley Posted September 10, 2009 Share #15 Posted September 10, 2009 Thanks David, Lots of useful observations here and some very clear explanations of how to use things such as the soft release and bracketing. Much appreciated! Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
c6gowin Posted September 10, 2009 Share #16 Posted September 10, 2009 Thank you David. I really enjoyed the review plus it brought back fond memories of our trip to Wetzlar in 2007. Good stuff. Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoppyman Posted September 10, 2009 Share #17 Posted September 10, 2009 great job David. photos are amazing. Three quick questions: 1. do M9 files have any latitude, so that it's possible to pull back the highlight details or to recover 'clippings' ? 2. How is the Dynamic Range? I know you mention it's good , but some of your flower shots have clipped part/ blown out highlights, when the background is shaddy. 3. how is M9's response to RED colour? some of the flowers have a bit peculiar rendering of red / pink - bit smudged [along with clipped highlights], like in : L1001324.jpg (image) L1001088.jpg (image) L1001017.jpg (image) I would like to add my thanks for David 's excellent contribution on the new M. I think people should be very cautious about making any judgements on M9 performance based on looking at web size jpg conversions in browsers that don't respect colour spaces at all anyway. David's photos illustrate his article very well and I enjoyed and appreciated them all. Once there are specific profiles in Raw the renderings may be quite different. In any event the current visible examples reflect David's conversions and decisions, as well as the colour space conversions for the web shots , exposure decisions, etc etc. To take the example of the M8, a proper calibration renders dramatically different colours, especially in areas like saturated reds and blues. I can only speak regarding ACR and LR, but the default renditions are quite conservative and meant to be starting points rather than gospel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockyIII Posted September 10, 2009 Share #18 Posted September 10, 2009 Thanks for the review and sample photos. That trip must have been awesome. I bet you've been chomping at the bit to talk about what you saw, and now you finally can. Rocky Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted September 10, 2009 Share #19 Posted September 10, 2009 Loads of information and background and atmosphere from the development in there (for those of us who read more than the first four lines ;-) Thanks again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted September 10, 2009 Share #20 Posted September 10, 2009 David, thanks for taking the time to write the review, I enjoyed reading it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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