Leica this week announced their new Leica M9 Digital Rangefinder – a camera that many will lust after but few will afford. Priced at around $7000 USD this is not a camera that most will be realistically be putting on their Christmas wishlist but it’s certainly a camera worth us taking a moment to profile.
Leica are promoting it as the world’s first full frame digital rangefinder camera – of course there’s not a lot of competition, not many manufacturers are making rangefinders these days. It’s also the smallest full frame camera currently available.
The Leica M9 takes most Leica M lenses, has a shutter speed of 1/4000 to 32 seconds, 2.5 inch LCD, ISO of up to 2500 and has an 18 megapixel CCD sensor (developed by Kodak).
Expect this camera to be impeccably crafted – I’ve had an opportunity to ‘play’ with it’s predecessor (the M8) and it was simply beautiful. Leica does = Luxury, Craftsmanship and Refinement, but you pay for it.
Keep in mind that this is a Rangefinder not a DSLR – when lining up the shot you’re not looking through the lens itself but a separate focusing screen. The system does have some advantages (smaller and quieter – less moving parts etc) but it does taken a certain skill to use one as there’s no auto-focus, there are fewer options with telephoto lenses etc.
Rangefinders are one of those types of cameras that you either love or hate – but then most of us will simply have to admire the M9 from afar.
If you have a spare $6995 – Pre-Order the Leica M9 at Amazon.
We hope to post a review of the Leica M9 when they become available.
Update: see our review of the Leica M9-P
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