LEICA M9

Review and Photo example of the LEICA M9.

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Gallery

The lenses used to take the sample photos were Leica ELMAR M 50mm, APO SUMMICRON M 75mm, SUMMAR L 50mm, and Voigtlander Nokton 50mm F1.1.

Review

The Leica M9 is the first M-type digital camera to feature a 35mm full-frame sensor, making it a groundbreaking M-mount digital camera.

The body size and controls are the same as the Leica M8, and the only difference between the body and camera is the omission of the shot counter on the shoulder. This shot counter was double digits and could only display up to 99, but since the M9 supports high-capacity SDHC memory cards, it is believed that the counter was deemed unnecessary as it was possible to take more than 1,000 shots.

The image sensor, the heart of the camera, is equipped with a KODAK 18-megapixel CCD sensor.

The sensor pitch is the same as the Leica M8, but the sensor area has been enlarged, increasing the number of pixels to 18 million.

I bought a second-hand black model shortly after its release. After using it for a few years, I experienced the glass in front of the sensor peeling off. Luckily it was still under warranty, so I sent it in for repair without hesitation, but I remember that the repair took quite a long time. At that time, I borrowed an M8 as a replacement.
I never thought it would develop into a problem that would lead to a recall, and thought I was unlucky, but it seems that repairs would require a considerable budget, and since the peeling problem was recognized, free support was only available for those within the warranty period, and paid support ended in August 2020 due to a shortage of parts.

Currently, the market is in a chaotic state with both unfixed and fixed products being sold together.
There seems to be some way to tell them apart, but there is no absolute method, so I feel that it is a dangerous camera to handle.
There are also kits for replacing broken or peeled glass, but it is unclear whether an amateur can do the work. There is also a rangefinder linkage mechanism near the sensor, so if you take it apart incorrectly, it seems like there will be no recovery.

It seems that the later M9-P and LEICA M-E were also sold without the fix, and I feel that the peeling problem of KODAK-CCD is quite a troublesome problem, including LEICA S2 / S Typ006 / S-E.
As for the LEICA S series, I bought two second-hand cameras, but both had sensor peeling. Details are on another page.

The shutter mechanism of the LEICA M9 series seems to follow the same mechanism as the M8.2 with a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000, and although the sensor size is larger, I remember that the shutter sound quality was almost the same.

Since the M9 supports SDHC cards, memory cards are easier to obtain. The M9’s Raw (DNG file) data is about 18 megabytes when compressed, so a 32 GB SDHC card can take about 1600 shots if you only shoot Raw. Using a small capacity SD card and keeping an eye on the number of remaining shots is like a film camera, and it has a unique sense of tension and is fun.

The 18 megapixels are sufficient and produce a tasteful image, so I understand why it is still popular, but it is difficult to actively choose this camera due to the rising price due to the camera shortage and the sensor problem mentioned earlier. It was great that the batteries, grips, and other options were the same as the M8, so there was continuity in the system.

The M9 was sold in several limited edition versions, including a titanium set limited to 500 units, which had a titanium exterior and came with a special Summilux 35mm F1.4.

Specification・Model History

Model name	R-D1 R-D1s R-D1x	M8	M8.2	M9	M9-P
Sensor efective pixels	6.1-Megapixels	10.3-Megapixels	←	18.0-Megapixels	←
Sensor	Unknown (Probably made by Sony)	Kodak KAF10500	←	KAF-18500	←
Sensor size	APS-C 23.7 x 15.6mm	APS-H Size 27 x 18mm	←	35mm Fullsize 35.8 × 23.9 mm	←
Back LCD	2.0	2.5 normal glass	2.5 sapphire glass	2.5 normal glass	2.5 sapphire glass
Finder magnification	1	0.68	←	0.68	←
Max shutter speed	1/2000	1/8000	1/4000	1/4000	←
Battery	EPALB1	Leica 14464	←	←	←
Recorded media	R-D1:SD R-D1s:SD R-D1x:SD/SDHC	SD / SDHC	←	←	←
Release date	2004.7.30	2006.11	2008.9	2009.9	2011.6.30
Size(WxHxD)	142.0 x 88.5 ｘ 39.5	139 x 80 x 37	←	←	←
Weight	570g (Only body)	545	←	585	←
Body color	Black	Black/Silver/White	Black/Silver/Safari	Black/Grey/Titan	Black/Silver