I have been playing the waiting game for some time now and made a down payment on the M9. I even got a good deal on it. (With good I mean I only got slightly above average ripped... )
But, the store has no news and only two M9's have trickled down to Finland and Sweden through that supplier in the past few weeks. Two.
I am not overly anxious but I am starting to think I might bail out on the purchase considering I have no idea of when the M9 would arrive - this side of the New Year's or next - and since I have hopes of finishing up work for this year and heading abroad in the next couple of weeks I would not even get enough time to try and put the camera through it's paces. And I don't feel like traveling with an untested camera.
I am thinking either I stick with the A900 for now and get to know it better - and might even get a Pana GF1 as a sidekick or I wait until the very last week before I go before canceling the order.
I bought a new 28/2 Summicron, a used ZM50/2 and a used Voigtländer 75/2.5 but I guess they would sell off in a couple of weeks if I decided to scrap the M9 idea.
I dunno. I am not taking that many photos on my own turf nowadays, at least not as many as to allow for two expensive systems. The A900 and lenses are all paid and ready to go and I am thinking I might stick with it and put the money into more traveling instead.
Feet are getting cold standing in the drizzle, playing the waiting game - and it ain't raining M9's.
Does anybody have ANY news on the M9 shipping status? Should I sober up or stay intoxicated by the Leica fume?
I've heard a shipment should arrive at many shops around 11/20, but, who knows. Hansen told me December is probably a better date, at least for where I'm on his list.
GF looks nice, but, I don't see one in my future--I'm still drinking the Leica Cool Aide.
M9's are shipping all the time. I'd say we here about it less than the other more "techonological" brands with a large amount of measurebators (whereas Leica's equivalent like to fondle their cameras while sipping cognac and wearing their smokers jacket) online. For this reason it seems that a surprisingly small number have shipped.
Australia has received 17 units thus far, 'unofficial' numbers out of portugal guestimated the shipped number at 1300 about 3 weeks ago. A lot are going to asia where their largest market it, and obviously is a less english speaking market.
Don't sober up, I certainly haven't, but I preordered on the 10th (9th in USA) and expect a camera soon.
I just check with B&H (a very large camera outlet in NY) and they are now taking orders, which means they are finally getting the M9 in stock. So, I've ordered and paid for the camera tonight.
My pre order was Oct 16th, and at the time I was told it was two weeks off. Now they have no idea of when it will surface and I am not on top of the list.
I have a day off so I am going to see the shop manager and slap him around a bit (with the check book).
That really doesn't look like it's because of the lens, but rather the left side of the sensor. Perhaps because of it heating up? There are plenty of other pics on his site that don't show the slightest trace of the problem, with the same lens.
Edit: The problem with "cyan corners" on M8 is probably something different, depending on the UV/IR filter in front of the lens, that gives a cast in the corners when using wideangle lenses. You can actually see this when looking through the filter and tilting it. I've experienced this myself, but I don't consider it a problem since I only use a 28 mm lens, which isn't very wide (on M8).
Anyone has a WATE lens profile to share on the M8? I wanted to create my own, but don't have ready access to a grey card.... Please PM me if you have one to share.
Ken Rockwell likes his M9 but reports that non Leica lenses have the "cyan corners" problem due to the FF sensor design. So your M9 should/must? sport Leica glass. The price for a M9 system is high with non-alt glass!
This is, certainly, the best FF digital VF camera but will be a shock for DSLR intimates (much less that state of the art hi ISO noise, practically-3fps or less, primitive LCD/software). Also the traditional VF problems: longest lens=90/135mm teles, no macro etc.
That image is taken with a Zeiss lens. Is it supported? Of course there will be issues arising from poor correction profiles, not using any profile, or using the wrong profile.
Leica has been clear from the start that there would be some correction necessary to combat fall-off towards the edges. Judging from other M9 images I have seen, this is not an issue with supported lenses. See http://www.dpreview.com/previews/leicam9/page9.asp for example.
I have used the M9 with the wate, 35lux and 75cron. All coded. I have not had any of the color shift issues. I don't have a DAP subscription but it sounds like this has been an issue with non-Leica glass.
It occurs with Leica lenses too. I think the 28 Summicron is an offender, as is the 18mm.
I'm also pretty sure if you turn off the vignetting correction, it goes away. Then you have a vignette, but I think I might rather have that than an image with red on one side.
So finally the hardware solution did not work, and they had to resort to software solutions. Very interesting to know especially with all the talk about new mirrorless cameras with a shorter register distance. I wonder if they will have the same problems.
Some of those cameras do exhibit smearing of detail at the edges of the chip when used with RF lenses, despite the smaller size of the chip. So I guess they are grappling with related issues.
What I'd like to know is how worse the vignetting on the M9 is without correction turned on compared to those same lenses on film. For example, I definitely see some pretty serious vignetting with the 28/2 on film. It's usually more evident on slide film, but it pops up on negative film from time to time. The CV 15/4.5 vignettes a fair amount too, as is shown in the last picture. Check out the color shifts in the corners too.
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