Posted 09.09.2009 at 12:49 pm
5 Comments
If a Hummer died and came back as a camera, it would be a Leica -- for many reasons. First, they're built like tanks. Second, even the "small" ones are still huge. And, the most affordable ones are expensive. The just-announced M9 rangefinder and X1 compact are true to Leica form: they're both masterfully constructed cameras that are built to last. But at $7,000, the M9 should have a solid 24K gold shutter at the very least.
The M9 is the world's smallest full-frame system camera. But, as with all Leicas, its 100 percent metal (magnesium and brass) body doesn't make it the lightest; once you slap a lens on it morphs from "portable" to "brick." Its 18-megapixel sensor was specially designed by Kodak for the M9 and captures the full, 24 x 35mm frame. All 22 M-series lenses are, of course, compatible.
The M9 body comes in either an all-black or black-and-silver finishes and will be available for $7,000 this week. Wondering what else you can get for seven grand? That's one 65-inch HDTV, or an entire startup photo studio setup from B&H.
Leica also showed off the 12-megapixel X1 compact. The "beginner" camera in the lineup still allows for manual control of shutter speed, aperture, and focal distance, but adds an auto mode and a pop-up flash. The X1 will go on sale for $2,000 in December.
Oh, and we snapped a couple shots of the new(ish) S2 D-SLR, just for kicks. If you're curious about its price, let me put it this way: buy a car instead (it's $22,000).
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who would get use out of a 18 megapixel sensor? honestly, aside from military surveillance who needs that much detail?
@ meyaht
Apparently, you've never made a print larger than 8" X 10" -- nor have you ever tried to crop a photo to zoom in on a smaller area.
If you just want snapshots, you could probably just stick with your cell phone cam. If you want to shoot portraits, landscapes, or panoramas -- you need plenty of pixels.
Ordinary, high-quality 35 mm film is equivelant to about 15 megapixesl. Large format film is equivelant to over 50 megapixels.
Who needs that much detail? Any serious photographer.
As I see it, if the $7K camera does not take good picture the owner would not tell ANYONE.
Well the last comment disappeared into cyberspace so I'll try again - 18 megapixels it not so very much the Nikon D3x is 24 megapixels and Leica's new S2 SLR will have 37.5 megapixels for a cost of around $30,000 - so the M9 is not so expensive really ! - thedigitalcamerasite.blogspot.com/2009/02/leica-s2-slr-digital-camera.html
I love Leica's products. High quality indeed.