soap said:
Which is REALLY odd, as SDHC and SD are fully electronically compatible, the only difference is in host-side software. Sounds like an intentional cripple. Sandisk not spending the money to upgrade the E2x0 v1 MP3 players to SDHC is understandable, as they are a low-margin product, but the sky is falling if the M9 is anything but high-margin. (Not to mention the fact SDHC has been out for ages now and whatever driver code came with the interface they are using almost has to have HC capability.) (Ok, guess they could be using 2004 chips from the back room, lol)

NEVERMIND - Leica explicitly claims to support HC.

It also has an optional Polaroid instant printer

Pete

EDIT:
NEVERMIND - Leica explicitly claims to support HC and this PDN review is the ONLY one I see which seems confused about that.

EDIT 2: (for starters)
http://dfarkas.blogspot.com/2009/09/leica-m9-review-shooting-in-wetzlar.html
"I found that my battery life tracked my 16GB SDHC card almost perfectly on the info display."

http://www.stevehuffphotos.com/Steve_Huff_Photos/THE_LEICA_M9_REVIEW_2.html
"When I formatted my 8Gb Extreme II SD card in the M9..."

WTF?

No SDHC? My lowly D40 happily accepts SDHC.

Mega fail.

PDN has a "review" of the M9.

Pros: Much improved image quality over the M8, Light and stealthy.

Cons: "Flimsy" On/off switch easy to move accidentally, High ISO noise only use if
you convert to B&W, poor LCD, You can only use up to 2gb SD cards, Time
consuming to change memory cards (remove/replace base plate)

NikoDoby said:
adam the dpreview post Shutterdancer is referring to was in the Leica forum. A member took a picture of a barn on a hillside with an M9. He said he was in a moving car doing about 75mph/120kph and he just stuck his hand out the window without looking and took a "snap shot" of the barn. The photo he posted was "perfect" with no blurring and a perfectly "filtered" sky and foreground and a straight horizon.

TH stepped in and said there was no way that the photo was taken with an M9 at that speed without getting any blur, "filtered" sky, straight horizon, etc. The original poster later admitted that the photo was retouched (sky, colors) but was adamant he took it with an M9 while in a speeding car by just sticking his hand out the window.

The thread turned into a TH "hate" and extensive techno babble fest. After they calm down "attacking" TH posters started "attacking" the original poster saying how irresponsible he was for driving while taking pictures!

thanks niko, wish I were on that conversation. I have to agree with TH, impossible to have everything in perfect sharpens if You drive that fast. I guess some people will do everything they can, just to prove that their cameras are better than others.

Good idea Niko, but it's easier through the sun roof. Maybe I'll let my wife drive... no, I'll drive and take pictures too.

ted2001 said:
S-2 body and 4 lenses with copal shutters = $50,000. About the same as an E-350 Mercedes. Both German though... I think I can picture myself in the Mercedes first.

While your holding an M9 out the window as you drive while taking "snap shots"!

S-2 body and 4 lenses with copal shutters = $50,000. About the same as an E-350 Mercedes. Both German though... I think I can picture myself in the Mercedes first.

NikoDoby said:
adam the dpreview post Shutterdancer is referring to was in the Leica forum. A member took a picture of a barn on a hillside with an M9. He said he was in a moving car doing about 75mph/120kph and he just stuck his hand out the window without looking and took a "snap shot" of the barn. The photo he posted was "perfect" with no blurring and a perfectly "filtered" sky and foreground and a straight horizon.

TH stepped in and said there was no way that the photo was taken with an M9 at that speed without getting any blur, "filtered" sky, straight horizon, etc. The original poster later admitted that the photo was retouched (sky, colors) but was adamant he took it with an M9 while in a speeding car by just sticking his hand out the window.

The thread turned into a TH "hate" and extensive techno babble fest. After they calm down "attacking" TH posters started "attacking" the original poster saying how irresponsible he was for driving while taking pictures!

Wow, talk about insane. :D

In any case, I wouldn't get a Leica either. First, there's no way in hell I can afford one, even the X1 is for the price of some seriously good glass for my D40.

And don't even get my started with the Leica S2 mega super expensive medium format DSLR. The battery itself I think is $500.

And even if Nikon made an interchangeable lens rangefinder, I probably wouldn't buy it because I'd need to invest in even more lenses.

A high end fast lens compact- maybe. But it better not be more than $300, because when you get close to $500, that also could be a lens purchase for me.

admin said:
Well, I haven't "sinned" yet.

My Spidey senses seem to be telling me otherwise ;^)

NikoDoby said:
Blasphemy admin! This is the only forum I read because I'm such a loyal Nikon user ;^)

Well, I haven't "sinned" yet.

Blasphemy admin! This is the only forum I read because I'm such a loyal Nikon user ;^)

adam the dpreview post Shutterdancer is referring to was in the Leica forum. A member took a picture of a barn on a hillside with an M9. He said he was in a moving car doing about 75mph/120kph and he just stuck his hand out the window without looking and took a "snap shot" of the barn. The photo he posted was "perfect" with no blurring and a perfectly "filtered" sky and foreground and a straight horizon.

TH stepped in and said there was no way that the photo was taken with an M9 at that speed without getting any blur, "filtered" sky, straight horizon, etc. The original poster later admitted that the photo was retouched (sky, colors) but was adamant he took it with an M9 while in a speeding car by just sticking his hand out the window.

The thread turned into a TH "hate" and extensive techno babble fest. After they calm down "attacking" TH posters started "attacking" the original poster saying how irresponsible he was for driving while taking pictures!

ok, I will confess - I have sold some Nikon equipment to buy a Leica M9. I am not there yet (money wise).

I'd really like to know some hard figures on how much resolving power is lost doing software AA vs hardware AA. I totally dig where Leica has gone by not incorporating a hardware AA filter, but am curious as to the downside.

can You guys bring up some more details, I don't follow dpreview

I know the thread your talking about Shutterdancer. I was surprised how everyone turned on Thom Hogan for that one.

I unfortunately am skeptical about Leica's foray into digital ever since the M8 disaster. The M9 is going in the right direction but image quality wise (sensor) I'm not 100% convinced yet. I'll know more when it actually starts shipping out to all the beta tester, I mean people, who pre-ordered one. I'd much rather put my money in a Nikon "M9" with a D3S sensor! :^)

"Kinda like making a camera with a built-in projector!"

Was someone actually using the new coolpix with the projector? I wonder, how good it is?

as for APS-C rangefinder, well $1.5k should be a reasonable price, if they manage to get the IQ from d3 :)

Also,I won't offend them by saying that they can't do a 1000 mile an hour drive by landscape shot out of their car window with everything remaining in perfect focus......JOKE...JOKE JK. See Dpreview for details.

"Kinda like making a camera with a built-in projector! " LOL,..talking about getting your priorities strait.

I wish that we could have some die hard Leica users weigh in on this one. Like I said when I started this post....I have absoutely nothing against Leica...I just really want to know what warrants the extremely high price tag!!

Kinda like making a camera with a built-in projector!

I hear ya Niko....just let Nikon release one, and the chips can fall where they fall.If your afraid to take chances...you never know what might happen....kinda like photography ;>)

You are right Soap, most of those I know buying M-9s are already deeply involved with Leica. The return to the long forgotten lens mount of my choice is the Contax G. The Zeiss (yes, made by Cosina, except for the Hologon) lenses were terrific. Small, not too expensive and optically superior to almost anything but Leica and Nikon's best. They are rangefinder designs made for autofocus and automation.

The M-9 territory is not Nikon's. Their best chance would be to split the competition and go against the Canon G-11/EP1 with an APS-C sensor, more limited zoom range and charge $750.

I disagree. Leica and Nikon were competitors for many years and no one thought of Nikon's rangefinders as cheap versions or wannabe Leicas. In fact, regardless of it being "cheaper", a digital Nikon SP would be Viagra for a lot of us old film dudes :^)

And thanks for your comments Shutterdancer. Laughter heals the soul.

soap...I can get on board with you on that one....It would probably be stupid for Nikon to try and compete with Leica on a rangefinder....if they priced above Leica, they would be arrogant...and if they priced below....they would be cheap.

And priced at $7000.00 same ol' same ol'