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Leica M9 Digital Rangefinder

Leica this week announced their new Leica M9 Digital Rangefinder – a camera that many will lust after but few will afford. Priced at around $7000 USD this is not a camera that most will be realistically be putting on their Christmas wishlist but it’s certainly a camera worth us taking a moment to profile.

Leica-M9.JPG

Leica are promoting it as the world’s first full frame digital rangefinder camera – of course there’s not a lot of competition, not many manufacturers are making rangefinders these days. It’s also the smallest full frame camera currently available.

The Leica M9 takes most Leica M lenses, has a shutter speed of 1/4000 to 32 seconds, 2.5 inch LCD, ISO of up to 2500 and has an 18 megapixel CCD sensor (developed by Kodak).

Expect this camera to be impeccably crafted – I’ve had an opportunity to ‘play’ with it’s predecessor (the M8) and it was simply beautiful. Leica does = Luxury, Craftsmanship and Refinement, but you pay for it.

Keep in mind that this is a Rangefinder not a DSLR – when lining up the shot you’re not looking through the lens itself but a separate focusing screen. The system does have some advantages (smaller and quieter – less moving parts etc) but it does taken a certain skill to use one as there’s no auto-focus, there are fewer options with telephoto lenses etc.

Rangefinders are one of those types of cameras that you either love or hate – but then most of us will simply have to admire the M9 from afar.

If you have a spare $6995 – Pre-Order the Leica M9 at Amazon.

We hope to post a review of the Leica M9 when they become available.

Update: see our review of the Leica M9-P

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Darren Rowse
Darren Rowse

is the editor and founder of Digital Photography School and SnapnDeals.

He lives in Melbourne Australia and is also the editor of the ProBlogger Blog Tips. Follow him on Instagram, on Twitter at @digitalPS or on Google+.

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