Leica M9-P Review

First things first: this is not going to be a technical review because other sites do it much better than I can; it’s going to be subjective because there are things I do in my processing workflow that might not necessarily be reflective of everybody else’s, but I am consistent in how I treat my cameras, which means that results from different cameras are comparable to one another.

Specifically, I shoot in raw format with the white balance set to auto, set the exposure to be a little on the warm side, use Adobe Camera Raw to change the direction and the white balance, then use Photoshop to handle any final sharpening, curves, or color tweaks.

This review, as well as any future equipment evaluations that may come after it, will provide an opinionated but hopefully helpful look into how a piece of gear operates in professional use situations, as well as whether or not there are any significant limits to the way I shoot (and my subjects). Let’s proceed now that we’ve gotten that out of the way.

When you consider that the M9 was released in September 2009 and is now 2.5 years old, considered old-fashioned in the digital age, I think it may be a little too late in the product’s life cycle to be reviewed.

But let me clarify. To begin, I believe it is still a device that has a place in the market today, possibly even more so now, considering the recentcellent revival of tiny ILCs and rangefinder-t times.

The Leica M is still the product that all other products are compared to and measured against, and its lens system is still the one that everyone produces mount adaptors to suit. (It’s worth noting that Fuji has introduced an in-house M-mount converter alongside the X-Pro1) There are many other explanations for this.

This is shocking behavior for a digital camera of any sort, let alone one that will be six years old this year and one that has its fair share of flaws (don’t get me started; I owned two and shot with five examples in total; they all required UVIR filters for accurate color, and had buffer overflow/firmware issues). The original M8 is still in circulation on the secondary market, where prices have stayed constant around the US$2,200-2,500 mark since the launch of the M9;.

You can bet that the value of a D2x will not be the same in three years as it was in the previous year. This is the case because they represent a relatively accessible entry point for rangefinder photography. Buying used Zeiss and Voigtlander lenses is possible, and the overall cost of the system will not be significantly higher than if you had purchased a DSLR in the midrange price range.

You might not have the same performance at high ISO or frame rates, but on the other hand, you won’t have to deal with the added weight. This pricing may change when the Fuji X-Pro becomes widely available, but I don’t anticipate it because they are different monsters. The X-Pro has more in common with mirrorless ILCs than digital rangefinders.

Similarly, the M9 will remain an essential product once it has passed its life cycle. Even though Leica’s partner Kodak just handed off its sensor section, anyone can guess where the sensor is likely to come from. However, all reports point to a replacement coming sooner rather than later.

What would make the most sense is a Sony sensor, possibly a full frame version of the 16 or 24 MP APS-C versions, but with a unique microlens array to cope with RF optics. This would be the optimal solution. However, would I need so many megapixels on my camera? No, but we’re digressing. More on the sensor problem will be discussed later.

The last reason it took me until 2.5 years after the camera was released to write a review is pretty simple: I hadn’t had the opportunity to shoot with one extensively until November of last year after I became an official partner of Leica.

Although you can accomplish RF photography on a budget with a secondhand M8, purchasing a brand new M9 package with top-tier lenses would put you back a significant amount of money — the type that might also be used to buy a high-end vehicle. I have experience with the M9-P with the 50/0.95 lens. Noctilux-M ASPH, 35/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH FLE, 50/2.5 Summarit-M, 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH, 28/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH with Zeiss ZM 2.8/28 Biogon and ZM 2/50 Planar.

A brief history: From 2009 until early 2010, I used nearly solely Leica equipment, including a set of M8s, the Leica 35/2 ASPH, the Leica 21/1.4 ASPH (primary lens), and the Leica 50/1.4 ASPH. In addition, I put the Voigtlander 15/4.5 and 50/1.1, as well as the Zeiss ZM 21/2.8, through their paces. I have about 70,000 frames under my belt, so it’s safe to say that I’m not a rookie in the RF realm. Additionally, I owned an M6TTL.

Things are, therefore, significantly improved in most respects. The menu system is still straightforward and quick to respond, but there is a propensity for some Sandisk cards to behave strangely, most notably lockups while viewing or safeguarding files in long series. I have not observed this behavior with any other manufacturers of memory cards.

Other than that, what else has changed? A relatively low amount. If it isn’t broken, there’s no reason to fix it. If Leica could find a way to acquire the sensor and internal components of the D3s, then they would have a formidable piece of equipment.

I wouldn’t even have to bother shooting anything else if it came to that. Oh yeah, there are some minor changes to the exterior appearance of the camera. The corner of the M8 that contained the small round LCD has been removed, and the finishes for the regular M9 are now black paint or grey chrome. The M9-P, which lacks the Leica dot in favor of top plate engraving and a sapphire LCD cover, is the same camera as the regular M9. I was handed a silver M9-P, which happens to be the color I find most visually pleasing.

Leica M9-P Specs

Body type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Max resolution	5212 x 3472
Other resolutions	3840 x 2592, 2592 x 1728, 1728 x 1152, 1280 x 846
Image ratio w:h	3:2
Effective pixels	18 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors	19 megapixels
Sensor size	Full frame (36 x 24 mm)
Sensor type	CCD
ISO	Auto, Pull 80, 160, 200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600, 2000, 2500
Boosted ISO (minimum)	80
Subject/scene modes	6
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	No
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Fine, Standard
Digital zoom	No
Manual focus	Yes
Lens mount	Leica M
Focal length multiplier	1×
Articulated LCD	Fixed
Screen size	2.5″
Screen dots	230,000
Touch screen	No
Screen type	TFT color LCD
Live view	No
Viewfinder type	Optical (rangefinder)
Viewfinder magnification	0.68×
Minimum shutter speed	4 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/4000 sec
Aperture priority	Yes
Shutter priority	No
Manual exposure mode	Yes
Subject / scene modes	No
Built-in flash	No
External flash	Yes (Hot-shoe)
Flash modes	Front Curtain, Rear Curtain, Slow sync
Continuous drive	2.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Metering modes	Center-weighted
Exposure compensation	±3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	No
Microphone	None
Storage types	SD/SDHC card
Storage included	None
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI	No
Remote control	No
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery & charger
Weight (inc. batteries)	600 g (1.32 lb / 21.16 oz)
Dimensions	139 x 80 x 37 mm (5.47 x 3.15 x 1.46″)
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	No
GPS	None

Price

Leica M9-P FAQs