Leica M9 Titanium

[PeterA]

I don't understand why everyone is getting their knickers in a knot. :talk028:

MF digital gear has depreciated by MORE than the cost of this M9 - over the last two years. A lot of cars depreciate by more than this p.a.

wot are you all competing for the best slag off of Leica in here?:wtf:

as for development - check out the range if luxes released over the last year. NO OTHER company can compete with the rapid fire release of revolutionary lenses for 35mm that Leica has put out over the last 12 months.

you all should go and have a nice cup of tea and a nice lie down.

 

[tom in mpls]

I don't understand why everyone is getting their knickers in a knot.

I won't speak for others, but as I sit here untangling my knickers I am disappointed not to see some sort of advance in focusing (focus confirmation at least) and LCD upgrade. And (cough)high ISO(cough).

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Guy. I don't think you need to get too worked up about this...

Remember that Leica does have a small number of extremely rich customers who have very poor taste...

Think Sultan of Brunei - the oil-rich billionaire - who has already bought literally hundreds(!) of gold or platinum-plated Leicas with special engravings (usually the 'Pingi pingi' - the Brunei coat of arms). Which he dishes out as presents to favoured friends and acquaintances. The titanium M9 is just the sort of thing that would appeal to him and middle-eastern sheikhs with a similar mind set.

Why shouldn't Leica supply this market? It's a nice little earner, to put it personalmildly.

I understand but working on the S2 and fully getting the system fully to market is been way to slow a process. Bring the M9 to speed with the LED itself in a form of a M9.2 would have been a good idea plus other things as well. All this takes people and resources and if your even putting 20 people on the Ti than that is 20 less people working on real product customer needs. Also lets face it the price is embarrassing as a company. But again like any other OEM I care about the industry of people that actually work and enjoy shooting. The collector thing to ME is a completely side issue when nothing else is going on and what company needs are. At least that is how I would run a company. But my knickers are certainly not twisted but thought Leica actually learned some lessons along the way . I also completely agree with building brand loyalty and some exclusivity as well but this company has real needs also that are not being addressed in a timely fashion. And I will just leave it at that with no further comment.

 

[stephengilbert]

I hate to disagree with the outrage, but I think this whole ruckus misconstrues what Leica's done. They've built many of these collector cameras, often ugly ones (remember the white M8?), but I don't see how their doing so impacts the real cameras they make. It was designed by some guy from VW, and likely required little work by Leica engineers. The return for that work certainly justifies the expense, as the cameras will sell out to the sort of collectors who covet such things.

It would be nice if Leica's real products were as fully realized as their collector cams, but maybe they don't have to worry about function in the collector models, as they don't get used. If you don't want to pay a red dot premium for a rebadged Panny, buy the Panny.

 

[Vivek]

I hate to disagree with the outrage, but I think this whole ruckus misconstrues what Leica's done. They've built many of these collector cameras, often ugly ones (remember the white M8?), but I don't see how their doing so impacts the real cameras they make. It was designed by some guy from VW, and likely required little work by Leica engineers. The return for that work certainly justifies the expense, as the cameras will sell out to the sort of collectors who covet such things.

+1

to repeat- Leica was brilliant!:thumbs:

 

[bradhusick]

I just hope they are able to do these "money generator" cosmetic products in parallel with real R&D that benefits photographers.

 

[Woody Campbell]

Nothing new here - Leica has been doing fancy limited issues for a long time - more than thirty years - actually since 1930:

Gold R4

Gold M3

Gold R3

More gold Leicas

So let's not get fussed about this.

 

[D&A]

>>>> "only that kind of opulent people who drink champagne with their hamburgers just because it´s expensive"<<<<

I was actually just sitting here drinking champagne and having my hamdburger and noticed that the plain jane M9 didn't quite look the part

Well at least this should solve one problem...no more of the "Gray Color" M9 finishes getting scratched so easily. Thats one way to solve the issue!

I truly hope that it was a more of a design exercise (and a PR move too) so that whatever most find useful in this M9T, eventually finds its way into regular production cameras.

Oh, need to know quickly before placing an order...will it be available in "black" Ti finish too??

Dave (D&A)

 

[Per Ofverbeck]

Re: I like the bandolier...

I like the bandolier...

Let's hope Luigi makes a copy for the rest of us!! It would be easy to remove the camera from it with a simple grip or grip case on it.

Well, any local upholsterer or the like should be able to make one. Then, combine it with ´the Sling´ and go out shooting (I did use the Sling for years with my Digilux 2; don´t have the nerve to try it with the M9).

It will be substantially cheaper than the Ti....:angel:

 

[paulmoore]

well I like the knickers riding all bunched up, so I will continue onto the S..
I am happy that the m9 has saved the day for leica but it is time to put some more manpower in getting the S2 up to speed on the lens front.. it was photokina 08 that the S2 was announced with those black and lucite cylinders displayed before our eyes.. 2 years and not one cs lens, not even the 70.. I have been a supporter of their effort for, let me repeat, 2 years, but still no 120mm.. yes I know, there exists one in germany for testing..

 

[jonoslack]

Re: Jono....Re: Leica M9 Titanium

If you think about it, so far... Leica really has brought nothing to the table at Photokina. No real products. The products they did bring were re-badged Panasonic cameras with the appropriate boost in price for the addition of the red dot and an outrageous (and ugly) version of the M9. My guess is there is no Titanium in the camera at all.. just the name of the color

Hi Jim
Well. We always disagree on this one. I don't believe that Leica have the resources to produce a 'sensibly priced' CL in sufficient quantities to make a profit, and anyway, the M9 and rhe new expensive lenses) seems to have put them into profit for the first time in many years, whereas nobody much bought the excellent and 'sensibly priced' Summarits.
As for Photokina; what did you expect? Two new system cameras in two years, plus the X1 seems like a big deal for a small company.
Added to which, having coughed up for a new M9 less than a year ago I'd be less than overjoyed if it was already replaced.
The commonly held argument that this kind of bling product holds up R&D seems to me to be patently ludicrous.
So:
Significant: NO
But I still fail to see why it's something to complain about.
Back to the Retsina!

 

[David K]

It's really the perfect camera to take photos of your gold bullion bars or your new Lamborghini Gallardo (or Bugatti Veyron).

 

[jonoslack]

It's really the perfect camera to take photos of your gold bullion bars or your new Lamborghini Gallardo (or Bugatti Veyron).

Lol I couldn't agree more. Doesn't mean it's a bad idea though.

 

[doug]

If I were an R-System user I'd be pissed...

+1

+2

 

[Bob]

Re: Jono....Re: Leica M9 Titanium

Hi Jim
-- snip -
Back to the Retsina!

+1,
on second thought one is never enough
-bob

 

[monza]

Heh heh

"Leica got a little lazy trying to engrave all the numbers in the solid titanium barrel. The depth-of-field scale stops at f/11, even though the lens goes to f/16, and the focus scale is only engraved in meters, not also in feet."

http://kenrockwell.com/leica/m9/titanium.htm

 

[Lloyd]

Heh heh

"Leica got a little lazy trying to engrave all the numbers in the solid titanium barrel. The depth-of-field scale stops at f/11, even though the lens goes to f/16, and the focus scale is only engraved in meters, not also in feet."

http://kenrockwell.com/leica/m9/titanium.htm

Typical Ken Rockwell, I guess he missed the LED part, eh? Rush to be the first to publish I guess.

 

[KurtKamka]

All of this wailing and gnashing of teeth reminds me of the scene in Young Frankenstein of the local mob trying to run the monster out of town with their pitchforks and torches. M-, R-, S-, 4/3rds, EVIL, and D-Lux shooters all waiting to extract their pound of flesh. Push aside all other projects to get what's best for me.

The upside is that the volume of those even considering Leica has certainly increased over the last year.

 

[tokengirl]

I hate to disagree with the outrage, but I think this whole ruckus misconstrues what Leica's done. They've built many of these collector cameras, often ugly ones (remember the white M8?), but I don't see how their doing so impacts the real cameras they make. It was designed by some guy from VW, and likely required little work by Leica engineers. The return for that work certainly justifies the expense, as the cameras will sell out to the sort of collectors who covet such things.

+2.

I feel pretty confident that this special edition M9 did not slow down the development of new S lenses or better autofocus for the X1 one single bit. Those things will take forever and a day even if they don't put out one single collectors edition anything, because that's just the way it is with Leica.

 

[biglouis]

Guy. I don't think you need to get too worked up about this...

Remember that Leica does have a small number of extremely rich customers who have very poor taste...

Think Sultan of Brunei - the oil-rich billionaire - who has already bought literally hundreds(!) of gold or platinum-plated Leicas with special engravings (usually the 'Pingi pingi' - the Brunei coat of arms). Which he dishes out as presents to favoured friends and acquaintances. The titanium M9 is just the sort of thing that would appeal to him and middle-eastern sheikhs with a similar mind set.

Why shouldn't Leica supply this market? It's a nice little earner, to put it mildly.

I agree but on the other hand don't announce it at Photokina like it is the kind of big deal that your bread and butter customers are going to thank you for.

Dumb marketing.

LouisB