http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
How many cameras does this universe need? "OH I NEED ONE FOR THIS TRIP AND ONE FOR IN THE SHOWER AND THE OTHER FOR FOOD"]]>Sep 9th 2009 9:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
Check "Rangefinder advantages / disadvantages (for the uninitiated)" at http://www.dpreview.com/previews/leicam9/

Having fought many times with AF, I personally more and more intrigued by manual focus and whatever makes it more accessible. Like e.g. "Live View" in my Oly 520 which has an "zoom" option to allow focus while actually looking at the subject through the lens.

Modern DSLRs are used most of the time like point-and-shoot, expecting auto-focus to do the job for you. And we all know how often AF misfires.

The Leica actually allows *you* to shoot - what *you* want to shoot. Nothing stands between you and the subject. That is such type of camera. Complex at handling, but rewarding.

Unfortunately the particular rangefinder is also terribly expensive. Otherwise I'd be very interested in the kit with 50mm lens.]]>Sep 9th 2009 10:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
But every DSLR lets you shoot in a full manual mode where you can shoot exactly what you want to shoot.]]>Sep 9th 2009 11:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
Don't make the mistake of blaming the camera instead of the photographer. Any DSLR has plenty of manual features, including manual focus. It's up to the photographer to decide how manual they want to go.]]>Sep 9th 2009 11:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/]]>Sep 9th 2009 12:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
AF is absolutely crucial in this day and age of high-megapixels and detail where being slightly out-of-focus can make your entire image soft. The whole beauty of the rangefinder has always been to be able to take the candid photograph at the spur of the moment. But in those types of photography, where seconds count, proper AF/AE is crucial.

Also, let's be clear, all dSLRs, micro-43rds cameras, and any camera of not does also have MF and AF. A dSLR also allows "*you* to shoot - what *you* want to shoot." You don't have to spend $7,000 to get full manual control.

The bigger issue with Leica is NOT about AF, everyone buying an M9 will knows its a manual only camera, won't be able to take HD movies, or all the other fancy things that dSLR owners are now demanding. The problem is that their sensor technology is still CCD maxing out at ISO2500 (DPreview samples show noise at ISO400), they are still using a pathetic low-res 230,000 dot LCD (dSLRs a fraction of the price uses 900K dot LCDs).

Leica has become more a fashion accessory rather then an actual camera for camera lovers. They charge thousands of dollars extra for different paint schemes (White Editions, and Safar Editions). They rather spend the money putting a saffire glass on their LCD lens protector (like the Leica M8.2) then actually spend the money to use a modern sensor and improve actual image quality.]]>Sep 9th 2009 12:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 1:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 1:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
A dSLR's optical viewfinder is vastly superior to a rangefinder. The foremost reason being that you actually see what is coming through the lens, you can preview the DOF, you see exactly what image you are going to take. The stereoscopic optical instruments to focus in a rangefinder is a poor substitute for a proper viewfinder in an SLR.

All OVF aren't created equal, if you have a cheaper camera you may in fact have a pentamirror rather then a pentaprism, which makes the viewfinder darker, a larger chunk of glass (pentaprism) you have in your dSLR the brighter and larger the view becomes.]]>Sep 9th 2009 5:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
The focusing screens in modern DSLRs are terrible when you compare them to classic manual focus film SLR.s They're optimized for the in-camera autofocus systems. They lack a split-prism for focus confirmation -- it's much easier for me to focus a lens on a 30+ year old Pentax KX body than it is to focus a D700.

Once mastered, a rangefinder focusing patch is much faster and more accurate to focus when compared to a traditional SLR split-prism screen. Compared to a modern DSLR's focusing screen, it's night and day.]]>Sep 10th 2009 9:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 9:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 9:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 1:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 9:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 9:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
*see their logo*]]>Sep 9th 2009 9:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 11:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 1:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 9:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
I'm sorry I'm not a big camera nerd/show-off as you are... ]]>Sep 9th 2009 11:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 9:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 9:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 12:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 9:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/I wiil, own a M9 someday. For now, I'll stick to my Voigtlander Bessa R3A and Olympus E-P1 (using Leica M lens).
']]>Sep 9th 2009 10:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
"24mm" refers to length before or after crop factor?]]>Sep 9th 2009 10:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 12:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/


]]>Sep 9th 2009 10:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 10:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 11:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
It's just a lot smaller.]]>Sep 9th 2009 11:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
It's different, with advantages and disadvantages over a FF dSLR.]]>Sep 9th 2009 11:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 12:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 1:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Dave]]>Sep 9th 2009 10:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 11:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/
Mos camera makers know this and filter out or reduce sensitivity for IR light so that spectrum of light doesn't ruin your picture. When you see an apple you think of it red, however, without proper filtration and if the sensor isn't properly tuned to reduce the effects of IR then your apple doesn't look red, more purplish. If you took a photo of a person with a blackshirt then it turned out more magenta. This is a HUGE problem because when you take a photo the colors are going to be entirely off.

This was a big problem with the Leica M8, which shouldn't have been a problem to begin with. Leica's "FIX" was to send you an screw-on lens filter (a horribly half-assed solution). To actually get a real fix you had to pay thousands and thousands of dollars to upgrade your M8 to an M8.2.]]>Sep 9th 2009 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 11:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/leica-gets-official-with-m9-and-x1-cameras-hands-on-ensue/Sep 9th 2009 11:24AM