Leica M9 taking pre-orders for its body only
By Vlad Savov 
posted January 26th 2010 2:17AM
posted January 26th 2010 2:17AM
posted January 26th 2010 2:17AM
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I wish I was rich like Joshua Topolsky.
@TSIG If I was rich, I wouldn't drive a Honda Fit :)
Why would anyone spend so much for this camera. Wouldn't you rather invest in a flagship model from either Canon or Nikon and put a couple more thousand towards getting some expensive glass?
@Tweak589 Most people wouldn't like to carry around a camera as big or heavy as the C/N pro cameras. Let me know when they release a 35mm SLR the same size as a Leica.
I'm not a fan of Leica's budget models, I'm holding out for the S2-P.
Whore, you'd sell your body to to the highest bidder wouldn't you?
sadly my funds are low...
IF we forget the price for a second, the body itself is beautiful. Its vintage look is simply amazing.
Erg, price...I think ill just get a Holga
They just want me for my body.. *sobs*
The only people who buy things like this have more money than brains, like most Nieman Marcus customers. As tweak589 pointed out, you can get a lot nicer professional grade cameras with high end zeiss optics (and a few different glass attachments) for the same price or less. $9K for the body is just plain outrageous markup. Leica seems to have become rather greedy lately! I would take a high end cannon over this overpriced (senate prostitute class) hardware any day!
@cosmicinglewood Sure, if your only criteria is digital performance.
@cosmicinglewood A high-end cannon? Like a civil war cannon?
@cosmicinglewood Leica serves a real function in the camera world. Yes, they're ungodly expensive. But the body/lens combos are the best made in the business, and you won't get the same great size/performance ratio from any other brand.
Especially if you're shooting "street," where you need to get up close and personal, or situations where your presence with a camera could affect the scene, the Leicas are just a great option. For a few years I used the Zeiss Ikon, a Leica film clone that takes Leica lenses. You could scan those 35mm negs to whatever resolution you wanted (20mp on pro scanners) and get a good result. The sharpness was just ridiculous.
Also, one more thing with Leica gear. It's harder to sell because the market's smaller, but it holds its value seriously well. I had once nice Leica lens that I used on my Zeiss above - I purchased it used. When I sold it 3 years later, I actually sold it for slightly more than I had purchased it.
The camera has been available for order since the 9th of September 2009. Leica have not yet offered the camera in a package with any lenses so I have no idea what the point of this post was Vladislav Savov?
As for preference over a big bulky ugly canon or nikon it's a personal thing, usually people who bash Leica have never used a Leica.
I've had my M9 since before Xmas.
@DanKennedy
Exactly. The camera has been shipping for a while too.
And all the people saying this is overpriced crap. Please stop. Yes, it is extremely expensive. Yes, you can take nice pictures with much cheaper cameras. BUT it is a niche device.
I own a shitload of cameras (more than I can possibly realistically use) and the decision of going out with the nikon or the leica (mind you I still cannot afford a digital leica... but I will some day) is one that does not depend on money or quality. Rangefinders are not DSLRs, they feel different and you take different pictures with them.
So please stop being ignorant and let companies offer the customers a choice.
Now... if only contax could come back from the dead and release a digital contax IIIa, I would sell my car to buy that :)
@DanKennedy
You really own one of these? Will you marry me?
And just one more point, Leica don't allow customers to place direct orders, they have a dealer network so you should visit their site and find the nearest store to you if you were thinking of ordering one. Don't bother Leica with e-mails asking where the pre-order button is, I hear they're very busy trying to catch up with the huge demand for this camera.
What rock is Engadget living under with this? The M9 has been shipping since September '09.
Well, yes, of course it's body only - all the other lenses are available. Plus, anything more expensive than mid-level dSLR are usually sold body only.
I don't get it, my dad has the camera for about 4 months now. Also with a bunch of lenses etc. So it has been out for quite some time now.
No thanks; I'm still licking my wounds after buying the M8 and three Leica prime lenses. As for the company itself, please don’t get me started…
I'd like to see some photos side-by-side (with similar shots, with a Canon or Nikon) and get someone to show me where the extra $$$$ is worth it.
I wonder if they do an underwater housing for it.
Sorry but for that price, I'm going to wait for a RED Scarlet with three lenses...