The Leica M9 Review.

 

Introduction:

The Leica M9 has always generated discussion (most of it pretty opinionated) ever since its announcement as the replacement to the flawed, but interesting, Leica M8/8.2. So, here's my attempt at wading into that debate! It's not a technical or professional review; there are plenty of people out there far better at that sort of writing than I am, it's just my thoughts about the Leica M9, and why I made it my camera of choice.

The advent of digital photography has opened up newly found interest in photography across the globe, and that part at least, is a good thing. Digital cameras make photography easier, gone are the days of having to consider which film to use, what to meter from, where to focus. It's now all done for you and prizewinning work will just materialize on your memory card. And if it's not quite right in the shot, don't worry Photoshop is there to come to your rescue, right? Wrong! Don't believe a word of it, even for a minute. It's my belief that digital can very easily create lazy photographers, with the "spray and pray" approach to photography being the most accepted method of generating a good image, i.e. - if I take enough photographs there's bound to be a good one in there somewhere!

That, in part, is all you need to know about why I choose to photograph using a Leica M9. It's a camera that fuses the best of both worlds, a camera that embodies the best features of the digital revolution, but still retains everything that made photography using a film camera such a rewarding and satisfying process, and as such is, in a way, the anti-thesis of everything that digital photography is in danger of becoming.

 

Overview:

All I've ever wanted is a camera that was smaller, lighter, and less intrusive, but one that still delivered high end image quality. The Leica M9 has changed the way I make photographs in a positive way. I now consider every step of the process again, every time. Which lens? What filter (if any)? What's my subject? How's the framing? What aperture? What to meter from? Where to focus? So what's the result? A lot less images on the memory card at the end of a trip, but a heck of a lot more "keepers". That has got to be a good thing. The M9 dispenses with practically everything that an average DSLR offers, for example, there's no auto focus, there's only one metering option, and as far as shooting modes go it offers aperture priority or manual only. However, what the M9 retains is everything you need, and only what you need, to make a successful image every time you press shutter, as long as you get the basics right first. This camera isn't about specifications. This camera is about a preference in how an image is captured. It is a unique tool for capturing a moment. The Leica M9 is the best photographic tool I have ever owned. It's small, offers only what you need, and offers some of the best quality digital imagery I have ever seen. That said, this is my first rangefinder camera, I have no Leica history or bias but I do believe that the path Leica are taking is vital for the future of stills photography. DSLR's will continue to evolve and offer new and exciting features, however there will always be a corner of the market which may be very small, that just don't care about HD video or ISO 12,000+ performance.

 

Cost:

"It's a snob camera", or so I'm told. If you've met people who enjoy photography, I don't think I'm out of place in saying that the majority of us are not financially free. For most Leica photographers dropping £5,000on a camera body alone requires sacrificing in other areas of their life. Again, for me that's been a revelation. Your true "LeicaMan" only needs one lens anyway, he just makes do, and he certainly never misses a shot changing lenses. I'm not quite there yet. I travel with a Leica M9, a 35mm Summicron, a 90mm Tele-Elmarit, a spot meter, a polarizing filter, neutral density filters, graduated filters, a cablerelease and a tripod. It's all I have, and it's all I need. The whole lot tips the scales at just over 2 kilos, which means that weight is never an issue and I can shoot all day if necessary. If you're interested in action or wildlife photography this camera is not for you. It just won't cut it. But, I know people that carry single lenses that weigh more than my entire kit. It wasn't a difficult choice!

                                        

 

Form and Function:

Simplicity and size are two of the biggest selling points of the Leica M9. A small camera, with a full frame sensor offering exemplary image quality is a very easy tool to be interested in. Comfort-wise, it isn't the easiest camera in the world to hold, however if you spend a little extra on the 'Thumbs-Up' device marketed by Match Technical the handling is transformed. What the M9 lacks in handling it makes up for in ergonomics. The top plate of the camera is home to a shutter speed dial, a shooting mode switch, and a shutter release, that's it. You will not accidentally press anything. Your focus and aperture choice is controlled via the lens, and the only other control of interest on the camera body for shooting purposes is the ISO button on the back. However, given that my main interest is landscape photography, I am rarely back there messing about with buttons. Focusing wise, yes it is manual, and it does take practice, and I don't believe that anyone out there is as good at it as they would like to be. But auto focus is not required for a lot of photography, and it does mean that there are no auto focus points to mess around with, and it does take away the issue of the AF 'missing' in low light. The ability to be able to focus quickly for portrait or street work lies in being able to accurately judge the distance to your subject and pre-set the focus accordingly. It is a skill, but when it works I can't think of anything faster!

 

Lens Choice:

As I mentioned previously one of the main reasons I went for Leica is simplicity. I shoot almost everything with my 35mm F2 Summicron. I adore the compactness of Leica lenses and 35mm is a focal length that is perfect for almost everything. With landscape work it does sometimes mean that I have to carefully consider what's important in an image to get the composition right, but I view that as a good way of refining skills, and it definitely beats slapping on a super wide "just to get it all in" wide angle lens. The other lens I carry is a 90mm F2.8 Tele-Elmarit for portraits and for isolating certain parts of a particular landscape. I carry this lens partly because of its size and weight; partly because it takes the same size filters as the 35mm, but mainly because it still offers stellar performance at a reasonable price. Leica lenses cost a small fortune, but Leica have never made a dud, so that fact that the M9 is compatible with almost every lens that Leica have ever made means that if you're careful on the secondhand market, excellent quality glass can be found at bearable prices.

 

A landscape solution:

For landscape work the Leica M9 could be the perfect solution. The custom made Kodak sensor is good enough not to need an anti-aliasing filter which ensures that images are sharper from the outset. Couple that with Leica's superb lenses that offer edge to edge sharpness even wide open and negligible distortion and you have a winning combination. Using polarizing or graduated filters is tricky because you're not actually looking through the lens when using the viewfinder, but with practice anything is possible. Given the weight of the camera it is possible to get away with a smaller, lighter tripod, and my camera bag is so small that I'm not weighed down, which ultimately makes covering rough terrain an easier job.

 

Image Quality:

Stunning. That pretty much sums it up. I could stop there, but for those looking for a little more detail here are a few more words. Sharp, sharp, sharp! The M9 produces some of the sharpest images I've ever seen, I suspect produced by a combination of the superb Leica lenses and lack of anti aliasing filter. Most people don't know that they care about sharpness in an image, but in my experience sharpness is what gives an image that wow factor, and drama that means that people feel compelled to explore every inch of the photograph. The colour reproduction of the M9 is superb, and the dynamic range of the sensor is excellent, even in fairly tough scenes it is capable of retaining significant levels of detail. Yes, for those that have read other reviews, the high ISO performance is not great, but as a photographer with a primary interest in landscapes that doesn't bother me too much, and besides I'd sacrifice ISO performance for sharpness any day of the week. In an M9 you are buying one of the best image sensors in the world, and I suspect that's where the bulk of the cost lies.

 

Negatives:

If you've got this far, you've probably already gathered that I love my M9, and if you like something that much negatives are either hard to find or tend to get overlooked! Nevertheless I suppose I need to point out the downsides as I perceive them. Battery life is terrible (keep a spare). Write speeds are pedestrian. The low resolution LCD is pretty poor, it doesn't bother me, but it needs to be mentioned. Start up time is slow. Finally, cost. Everything is expensive, you know it from the outset, and you know you are buying quality, but it still leaves an uneasy feeling. There are no negatives in use; the results you get are limited by skill alone, certainly not by the equipment.

 

Conclusion:

The M9 is a tool capable of refining and refocusing (sorry) your photography. Once you get used to it, and understand it, it's no longer there, it just becomes an extension of you. I know it sounds corny, but it is true. There is not a single thing I would change about the M9's photograph making abilities, I can honestly say the camera is perfect the way it is. Yes, the negatives I've already listed could be improved upon, and as a landscaper a live view facility would be hugely useful, but the camera itself is great.

Some of you may pick it up and wonder what all the fuss is about. The M9 takes a lot of stick for what it isn't, but to do that is to forget exactly what it is, and what it's capable of doing. I know there are people out there that are looking for this camera and just don't know that rangefinder photography is for them, or they do know it but the cost of ownership is the limiting factor. That's why more companies need to pay attention to this camera and maybe even make one. Competition is always a good thing.

 

Professional Landscape Photographer - Corporate & Commercial Photography - UK Commercial Photographer - Fine Art Prints - Landscape Photography Workshop - Greetings Cards - www.finchphotography.co.uk