Product ReviewsLeica M M9 18.0MP Digital Camera - Steel Gray (Body Only)

Good value for a digital Leica.

I chose it because it's smaller than M240 and less expensive. I'll use another camera for video.
Very nice to handle for street photography but display on back is only good for checking exposure, not focus. Beautiful colors and B&W photos from Kodak CCD sensor.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: robertscamera

Leica M9

I purchase Leica M9 from e-bay. It is in a near mint condition thank to the careful use of the previous owner.
Using Leica is fun and easy. But you need to understand the philosoher of using a Leica camera which is totally different than DSLR.

Do not look at the specification. It is all bad in specification. In reality, Leica focus is on simplification that make you focus of the true soul of photography which is light, composition, catching the emotion, and decisive moment. Leica camera is made to be good at shooting life that pass around you, shooting people that matter, shooting story. So, you gain many things and lost many things. It is very difficult to shoot sport, macro, quick moving fashion. But you can buy a great lens and use M9 with one len to explore the world. In my case I use Leica summicron 50mm f2 or Zeiss Biogon 35mm f2.

There are a few things that I like about M9.

First, Leica M9 steel gray that I buy is a beautiful camera. It a piece of excellence craftmanship. The feeling and weight when hold it is wonderful. The weight is heavier than normal mirrorless at the same size but it make the camera very stable at slow shutter speed with out any image stabilization. Shutter sound nice, The default is too lound to me so I change to more discreet sound in the menu. It feel great to have a beautiful camera with you.

Second, it is easy to setup very simple menu. I set mine to use A mode and auto ISO and it is ready to go after battery is fully charged. It save you time on learning very complicated menu system, setting mode...

Thrid, image quality with Leica len when you get it right is amazing. I also use Sony A7II which is a good camera but the image quality of leica M9, the color and richness, in my opinion, is better. (of course, it comes with a very high price tag).It look very alive. I do not know how to explain this since Sony A7II is a much better camera in term of specification. You have to see it ot beleive it.

Fourth, Leica slow you down and make you think more since you have no help and see nothing. This very simple camera demands a lot from photographers. So, I see some improvement in the way I take photo and thinking about the photo taking after start using Leica M9. I start to see where there will be a Bokae , start to see the light ,
speed that it should be. This help me even when I use my Sony A7II.

In summary, I love this camera but will not recommned it for everyone. To use it you must be a very committed photographer. everything about leica is expensive. (great quality, though) It is easy to start shooting but quite difficult to get it right. I still can not but master it well and make a lot of bad photo. But the one that I get it right is amazingly beautiful. Leica is limited for some people and some style of photography. I still keep my Sony A7II system and their lens for many of my favourite photographic style. They do a much better job. But Leica is something really special and bring a lot of good feeling and great photo when using it.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: bachaspati1

ther perfect camera for my needs

hi, the m9 has become my only camera -while not for everyone it is 100% for me. i have retires my full frame Digital camers and lenses.