Deja vu all over again. Despite my recent Sony Envy article, now I'm starting to get Leica envy emails, as in "isn't the M9 really the perfect landscape camera?"
Since several of you have asked for my comments on the Leica M9 (18mp full frame rangefinder), I'll make a couple. First, note that I haven't yet used an M9--the places from which I get gear don't have one available yet. So my comments are dependent upon using an M8 and projecting that experience forward onto what I know about the new camera.
- Rangefinder is not DSLR. The M9 is a manual focus camera that is focused via rangefinder (or guess). In my experience, the rangefinder system is quite good between 24-70mm. Outside that, you tend to rely more on hyperfocal or DOF when you go wider, and you're more hit or miss if you go longer. So one question you have to answer is what focal lengths do you use. If it's outside the 24-70mm range, I strongly suggest that you spend a lot of time trying the M9 before you decide that it's going to do what you need it to.
- 18mp without AA filter is a big plus but comes with minuses. There's no doubt that 18mp without AA filter puts the resolving ability of the Leica M9 in the big leagues (certainly up with the 5DII/1DsIII, possibly with the D3x). That's a 17" print at 300dpi, and if you use my rule of thumb, that means you should be able to get 36" prints out of the camera that are quite impressive. Unfortunately, it's going to be rare that you actually use all 18 megapixels. That's because you're not composing through the lens, so you need to frame a little loose to make sure you get what you want (especially true if you've got a hood on a wide lens). Moreover, the lack of the AA filter means that you have to worry a bit about moire. Ironically, it's in people pictures I'd worry about it most (due to tight fabric patterns), and the classic use of a Leica is...yes, people pictures.
- You probably drive a BMW. Okay, this one's a little tongue-in-cheek, but there's truth here. Just as a BMW is a high-priced performance line, that's what Leica is producing, too. You pay for the engineering. You enjoy the direct control. An all-Leica single lens solution is going to set you back almost US$10,000. It's very easy to double that by adding a full set of good Leica lenses. And you're driving a manual transmission, so you'll never be able to sit back and "let the camera do it."
Don't get me wrong. Based upon everything I've read about the Leica M9 and what I've heard so far from other photographers I trust that have tested it, I expect the M9 to produce excellent images. Indeed, since I still have a few Leica lenses in my collection, I look forward to trying an M9 myself and getting back a functional M system (the M8 sensor crop simply didn't work for me and the lens set I have).
But in many of the comments I've received there just seems to be a bit too much envy (small 18mp camera!) and not enough clarity in thinking about the M9 (how do you precisely frame a 20mm landscape photo?). I believe that you should choose the tool to the task at hand. For some tasks, I have no doubt that the M9 will be the tool of choice. For other tasks, I have no doubt that the M9 will be an inferior choice. I'm pretty sure, though, that the M9 is not the perfect all-in-one camera. The camera that comes closest to that is still the D700, in my opinion: more than competent at everything, incompetent at nothing.