Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/01/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Richard Man offered Subject: Re: [Leica] Problem with new to me M8 >>>> And as good a M9 is, its appeal is mainly to people who are either rangefinder fan, which is a small minority in the scheme of things, or rich people who want to return to the simpler times, but not quite as simple as shooting film :-) So while Leica will sell as many M9 as it can make, but it may not mean much since it is still a small number.<<< Hi Richard, As of last week, Leica have a 6 month backlog of orders for the M9! So the demand is increasing daily and will probably surprise the M digital nay sayers as more and more become in use. And yes I agree they are too expensive! The one thing you have not taken into account, it's far more important to use the right tools when doing your assignments. I'm sure Doug Herr would do some amazing things with an M9. However he wouldn't use that as a tool of choice when doing his long lens requirements! >>>Taking over the pro photog market? I doubt it. If only a few pro stayed with Leica in the 50s and 60s, why would they drop their IDs and D3x now?<<< Any pros I know using M's from the '50s and '60s as myself, we just continued using them and still do at the moment with M8's awaiting the M9's shortly or they are using M9's already. We also used R cameras along side the M's so we didn't leave until Leica failed to come up with a "real digital SLR camera" instead of an add on digi-box for the R8 and R9. But we did continue to use our Leica glass even though a different box!! The use of any gear by professionals is far more determined by the assignment requirements than any heart beat about gear. Obviously trying to shoot the Olympics with just an M9 would be quite stupid! However I'd certainly have one near by..... just in case! Nor would I attempt to shoot a formal black tie event with one of those honking great SLR's no matter who made them. Certainly when the photographer is supposed to be discreet and almost invisible! I don't usually make comments about gear as I'm not a gear head, I'm a professional user and that's all that matters! And the M8 so far has served me very well, "when the little red light comes on I push the little "click" button and it works!" .... As simple as that. :-) cheers, ted