Thin Blue Line: Leica M9

Sunday 23 December 2012

Leica M9

For those who might have won the lottery this week, Leica has announced a new camera that just might be up your alley. The M9 (which replaces the M8) is the world’s smallest full-frame system camera. The sensor on this baby is huge, coming in at 24 x 36mm with 18 megapixels. To put it into perspective, the sensor on the excellent Nikon D90 I’m itching for measures a mere 15.8 x 23.6 with 12.3 megapixels. Full frame digital cameras don’t come cheap at the best of times. Henry’s Camera Store here in Toronto has the Nikon D3 priced at $5,549, while the Canon 5D Mark II costs $4,149.00. The older Leica M8.2 runs $6,699. from Vistek. Simply put, these are professional cameras for professionals. Leica, a German company, makes some remarkable equipment. They’re like the Ferrari of the camera world. So it’s not a surprise that the new M9 comes in at a whopping $8,000 US. That’s like a million dollars Canadian, although they will take two arms and a leg. Needless to say, I don’t have that kind of coin for a camera, nor am I willing to give up body parts.