50 4 April 2020 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
You can’t buy iconic new. The Leica M9 earned
its status as a true icon. Find your icon at MPB.
Testbench USED CAMERAS
What the owners think
Three Leica M9 users give their verdicts
The Leica M9 is simple and intuitive to
use. I can quickly make adjustments
without having to look at the camera. It’s
quite tricky to explain, but the camera
almost becomes an extension of my hand.
This has affected my shooting style,
resulting in my photographs becoming
much more fl uid and loose. Coupled with
Leica lenses, the M9 produces remarkably
high-quality images and I fi nd the sensor
outputs fi les with an almost ‘Kodachrome
fi lm’ look to them. Over the years I’ve
found the M9’s images convert beautifully
to black & white; even the noise at high
ISOs resembles fi lm grain more so than
CMOS sensor noise. However, like most
cameras with CCD sensors, the M9 does
not perform well at high ISOs. I try not to
shoot above ISO 640 unless I know I am
going to convert to black & white. Also,
the buffer is quite slow and the battery life
is fairly short. A few faults aside, the Leica
M9 is my favourite digital camera system,
and still to this day it’s my daily shooter.For and against
+ Reliable and predictable
+ Lightweight, discreet and unobtrusive- Increased image noise above ISO 640
- Rear screen is too small
Jason Paul Roberts
An evening tour guide walks in front of the Ohel Jakob synagogue in Munich, Germany
Leica M9, Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH, 1/8sec at f/4, ISO 1600
©JASON PAUL ROBERTS
For and against
- Compact and robust
- Battery life
Steve Fleming
The introduction of the M9
was an invitation for me to
rejoin the Leica ranks. I really
wanted a camera capable of
accompanying me on my
travels that was compact and
robust. The M9 system fi tted
the bill with small, fast, sharp
lenses. Transitioning from fi lm
to digital was a smooth
process; the rangefi nder,
bright viewfi nder and focusing
square were all familiar. I soon
learnt, just as with fi lm, it was a
camera that rewarded the
photographer who could get it
right at the time in camera.
The sensor was replaced
under the Leica scheme and
effectively it felt like a new
camera on return. It’s a true
classic and is still capable of
great results in the right hands.
Great Wall of China at
Jinshanling Leica M9, Leica
16-18-21mm f/4 Tri-Elmar-M,
1/180sec at f/5.7, ISO 160© STEVE FLEMING / WWW.STEVEFLEMINGPHOTO.COM
© JASON PAUL ROBERTS