My Leica experience

[Barney]

Well, I managed to grab enough time to head to Mayfair and visit the new Leica shop today so I thought I'd let you know how I got on. I've no doubt that it would be like an Aladdin’s cave for aficionados but a heathen like me I was only interested in the digital models.

It's tucked away in a very quiet street with very little through traffic or footfall so they must be relying on word of mouth and those in the know visiting. As such I was the only person in the shop, although a young student type came in briefly before exiting sharpish.

I was disappointed to find out that they don't have a pre-production X1 in at the moment, but they are expecting one in next week so I might pop back.

All the kit is laid out in glass cases and in cabinets, but the assistant was happy to get an M9 out and fix a 35mm f:1.4 on to it and let me wander out into the street to try it out. It was first experience of using a rangefinder and after over 20 years SLR use it felt a little strange to me. No doubt I'd soon pick it up (even if it killed me at £5k+ for a body! ) but it didn't feel natural as many devotees have said it did for them.

In use, the shutter was lovely and quiet, but obviously I can't really comment on the images as I could only judge them on the screen. The screen felt small compared to the 3" screens on my Nikons, and the files took a wee while rendering. One thing which I was surprised by was the apparent evidence of severe chromatic aberrations on one of the shots I'd taken, but without examining the shot at full size I'm not sure if this was just a failing of the LCD screen or not.

The M9 is a solid lump, heavier than my D300 which I took out to compare. Size wise the M9 has a much slimmer profile looking down on to it, although the 1.4 lens meant that it wasn't any shorter than the D300 + 20mm f:2.8 and I suspect that the 35mm f:2 would be a preferred street shooting option. Overall impressions were that it would take some getting used to but it did seem a damn site more subtle than a DSLR.

[parisian]

Tim (good morrow by the way) how good are you at fishing?
It appears that the bait is being nibbled but we need to get the hook in. Do we play slowly or go for the quick snatch here?
I have the net and the gaff ready (along with the usual cake and champers for the party afterwards)

Overall impressions were that it would take some getting used to but it did seem a damn site more subtle than a DSLR.

That Barney, is the comment made by virtually everyone when they first pick up an 'M'.
They are surprisingly heavy but you very quickly realise that it is pure engineering class that you are holding and it soon becomes forgotten as you begin using it.
Well done on going back and trying the thing out.

[TimF]

I'm a wee bit jealous that Barney got to use an M9 before me.

The screen is small compared to current DSLRs, but to increase it to 3" would surely mean making the camera body somewhat larger. That goes against the ethos of Leica M photography for most users I think (see the fate of the excellent M5 for proof). You'll just have to learn to chimp less.

The company are aware that the rendering is slow, and it's a source of frustration to Stefan Daniel (watch the 70 minute "interview" with him on LL to hear him say as much!).

As for the 35mm/1.4 this is a great lens (I owned one many years back), but on the M8 some have reported focusing problems; whether this is down to a focus shift inherent in the design which wasn't a problem with film, but is now due to the more demanding nature of getting things right on a sensor I don't know. Can't say I ever noticed chromatic aberrations during the time I had with mine though.

[Barney]

Tim (good morrow by the way) how good are you at fishing?
It appears that the bait is being nibbled but we need to get the hook in. Do we play slowly or go for the quick snatch here?
I have the net and the gaff ready (along with the usual cake and champers for the party afterwards)

I'm afraid that you shouldn't get your hopes up Peter. I could afford an M9, but I'd have to sell all my Nikon kit to fund it and I wouldn't be able to shoot so many of the subjects and genres that I like to. So, other than a lottery win or being remembered in the will of some rich stranger I'd shown a randon act of kindness to, the M9 is out of my reach.

The X1 appears to be 3 months and £400 too far off for me as well, so unless it is absoutely stunning enough for me to trade in whatever MFT camera I plump for, the closest I'll come to being a Leica owner will be getting the Leica 45mm lens for the Panasonic GF1

[Barney]

I'm a wee bit jealous that Barney got to use an M9 before me.

The screen is small compared to current DSLRs, but to increase it to 3" would surely mean making the camera body somewhat larger. That goes against the ethos of Leica M photography for most users I think (see the fate of the excellent M5 for proof). You'll just have to learn to chimp less.

Actually i do try not to chimp too much, but I do use the screen to show SWMBO shots I've taken or subjects and I have been spoilt by the Nikon screens.

The company are aware that the rendering is slow, and it's a source of frustration to Stefan Daniel (watch the 70 minute "interview" with him on LL to hear him say as much!).

I see that it's more of a nuisance than a serious failing, but I'd expect more for the cost.

As for the 35mm/1.4 this is a great lens (I owned one many years back), but on the M8 some have reported focusing problems; whether this is down to a focus shift inherent in the design which wasn't a problem with film, but is now due to the more demanding nature of getting things right on a sensor I don't know. Can't say I ever noticed chromatic aberrations during the time I had with mine though.

As I was only reviewing on the screen, it might have been the screen at fault rather than the lens and you'd have to review the RAW file to see for sure.

[TimF]

You might like these Barney.

[Barney]

You might like these Barney.

Not bad, but I bet he couldn't put a Rowntree Fruit Pastille in his mouth without chewing.

Quality's not the issue though, I've no doubt that it will exceed my hack skills, but it's a question of how much extra quality you get per pound you spend. The extra size of the sensor on the MFT cameras compared to compacts comes at a reasonable price. The jump to full frame is probably a similar step up in quality, but the hike in price for what I'd use it for would only be justifiable if I abandoned all my other photographic genres and stuck with street and natural light portraiture. Mind, that wouldn't be too much of a hardship to bear!

[TimF]

The jump to full frame is probably a similar step up in quality, but the hike in price for what I'd use it for would only be justifiable if I abandoned all my other photographic genres and stuck with street and natural light portraiture. Mind, that wouldn't be too much of a hardship to bear!

Gaff's in Peter. Get the cosh ready!

[parisian]

Ready and poised Tim
I'll just check the bunting for the 'street' party afterwards

[Barney]

Why do I feel like I'm being 'groomed' by a couple of older men?

[mike_j]

Gaff's in Peter. Get the cosh ready!

We don't call it a cosh in flyfishing - too crude. It's a priest (to administer the last rites )

[TimF]

Gaff's in Peter. Get the cosh ready!

We don't call it a cosh in flyfishing - too crude. It's a priest (to administer the last rites )

It's still a cosh though, ain't it?

[Barney]

Gaff's in Peter. Get the cosh ready!

We don't call it a cosh in flyfishing - too crude. It's a priest (to administer the last rites )

Any priest comes near this athiest and I'll 'ave 'im f'r breakfast! Best make it a cosh.

[El_Sid]

So, other than a lottery win or being remembered in the will of some rich stranger I'd shown a randon act of kindness to, the M9 is out of my reach.

Even though the assistant "let me wander out into the street to try it out."? Not tempted to see if you could've beaten Mr Bolt's recent feats of running?.................

[Barney]

So, other than a lottery win or being remembered in the will of some rich stranger I'd shown a randon act of kindness to, the M9 is out of my reach.

Even though the assistant "let me wander out into the street to try it out."? Not tempted to see if you could've beaten Mr Bolt's recent feats of running?.................

Given that I'd left my bag in the shop (which contained my work pass) I was never going to get very far. Even if I hadn't left incriminating evidence, it wouldn't have taken long before Mr Cheeseman posted a CCTV still in the News thread and one of the select few on this board what have met me would have fingered me to the rozzas.