THE LEICA M9 REAL WORLD REVIEW

PAGE 1 - THE FULL FRAME BEAUTY ARRIVES

PAGE 2 - The goods. What comes in the box and what’s new?

PAGE 3 - Is FULL FRAME really that much better?

PAGE 4 - High ISO low light photography, and the M9

PAGE 5 - Color - M9 packs a PUNCH!

PAGE 6 - Some M9 Black & White conversions

PAGE 7 - The 35 Summilux and the M9 - A match made in heaven or hell?

PAGE 8 - Full Frame = Vignetting? Not on the M9!

PAGE 9 - Untouched Full Size Sample Downloads

PAGE 10 - My favorite images form my time with the M9

PAGE 11 - More M9 from other Leica photographers

PAGE 12 - My final thoughts and conclusion

PAGE 13 - Why I prefer shooting with a rangefinder camera.

NEW! > - My Ongoing Leica M9 Daily Diary - Updated DAILY!

PAGE 11 - More M9 from other Leica photographers.    next---->

When I started planning this review, I went through several rough drafts. My first idea was to make this a more technical review, but then I came to my senses. NO!!!! This website is for photographers with a passion for photography! Those who shoot for the moment. Those who care more about the images than the techno babble bullshit. Also, the poll on my main page shows that you guys like real world reviews!

Then I realized, hey! Why not make this review a freaking AWESOME homage to the M9 by having a page with some amazing photographers who were able to either test the M9 before its release OR were able to secure it on 09/09/09? I mean, the more samples the better, right?

This would allow you, the reader, to see what others are doing with this fabulous camera. So, without further ado, here are some fellow photographers who are putting the M9 to good use every day, and yea, for pro use as well!

Here are a couple of M9 images from Riccis Valladares, an extremely talented photographer who has some of the most beautiful wedding work I have ever seen. His specialty is with shooting film, but he wasted no time in getting an M9! His photos always seem to capture that special moment in time and they always are full of emotion. I love his work and you can check out more of it HERE.

Next up is Chris Weeks. A superb shooter out of Los Angeles. He is a freelancer and a pro who shoots Leica. He sure loves the M9 and man it shows! I always enjoy his BLOG and his work. So be sure to check him out. Also, these videos of his are a MUST see!

Thorsten Overrgard. I have been reading his blogs and website for YEARS and he is an amazing Leica shooter. His work is ALWAYS superb and to top it off, he is a GREAT guy as well. Be sure to check out his Leica website. Great stuff and more Leica reviews. Even some cool Leica history and a VERY awesome M9 review.

Thorsten’s comment on the image below: The 21mm Super-Angulon-M f/3.4 lens is a favorite of many from the Leica M4 days. And though it's not one of the lenses supported by the 6-bit system nor the manual lens list in the Leica M9, it can be mounted and used on the Leica M9. It's somewhat a rotten test picture to throw in, but it adds some aesthetic qualities to an image. A mix of a luxus Lomo and some real Leica optical qualities as liveliness and details in 3D. It's a real life assignment picture made to the client, so I've kept some of the warmth in the picture, but adjusting towards real life colors. As focus is very much on colors (and skin colors), the key is her hands in this one, which are the real color. Her face is in fact as well real color, though it looks as if she has applied some powder (which she had not, because I asked her).

Jonathan Slack (Jono) - For years I have been seeing his images on the DPreview forums. Whether it was with a Kodak 14n, An Olympus E1, or the Leica M8, he always produces beautiful images and amazing landscapes. The drama in some of his work is astounding. Check out his M9 report here.

As you can see, the M9, when in capable hands, absolutely produces amazing, breathtaking, medium format quality images. I wanted to showcase these brilliant photographers as they are truly passionate about their photography AND their results speak for themselves. If anyone says the M9 cannot put out “PRO” results, just have them take a look at this page. Enough said! I want to thank all of these guys for allowing me to post their work here. Very inspirational! Thanks guys!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO PAGE 12  - MY FINAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSION

The most important lens you have is your legs. - Ernst Haas