Is the Leica M9 the best digital in the world?

[Mr Lensbaby]

Just a little interested in the quality that the Leica M9 is known and called the best digital camera in the world .


Can this statement be substantiated ??

[DAdeGroot]

Just a little interested in the quality that the Leica M9 has that it is known and called as the best digital camera in the world .


Can this statement be substantiated ??

I highly doubt it. Yes, it's a very nice (and very expensive) camera, but there are medium format digital backs out there that would trounce all over it quality wise.

[ricktas]

Nice yes, but agree the medium format digital backs will beat it hands down

[JM Tran]

hahahaha no:)

best topic of the day so far!

[I @ M]

I reckon the 2MP Fuji we bought about 6 or 7 years ago (and still producing good pics) would give it a run for it's money.

[richardb]

Leica is not The Leica from 10-20 yrs ago.
An investor owns it now and does the best effort. (mostly in japan and less in Wetzlar, Germany )
To capture an image, related to the pixel nr and size, a sensor CCD or CMOS critical dimension at the most today is 0,45microns. The 0,22microns sensor is the next generation. (a company in the netherlands is currently working hard on that lytho-machine)
But if u like astronomy shots, why not get a cam from SBIG.com. The STL-11000CM with Nikon mount. Not hobby stuff tough.
What u want the best cam in the world for ?
Regards, Richard

[Kym]

I'd put the Nikon D3s and others ahead of the M9.
Any of the medium formats as well.
Value for money... :plogo: 645D ! (http://www.dpreview.com/news/1003/10031002pentax645d.asphttp://www.dpreview.com/news/1003/10031002pentax645d.asp) (of course)

[kiwi]

best in what way though ?

[JM Tran]

best in what way though ?

for the #### factor, in prancing around a Leica around one's neck of course!

and take black and white shots of ppl sideways in the street, preferably with an empty wall behind them, or weirdly or badly composed photos and portraits, and try to call it art or be the next Henri Cartier Besson.:confused013

ahhh how I miss seeing the works of the Leica Camera Club members in Adelaide when they used to come into the store.......:lol:

[pollen]

Pretty funny thread title :)

[chrisprendergast]

yeh id say the H4D-60 hasselblad would flog it

[TOM]

for certain types of photography, yes the M9 would be preferrable to many other diggicams. But image quality has little to do with it. As far as I'm concerned, for *most* photograhy, little progress has been made in the way of IQ (for any given format), that is actually relevant in the final print. An M9 would exhibit similar advantages to its big brothers (currently the M7 and MP) in the right situations, but it's not the best choice for every situation. that goes for every type of camera thought. certainly the 1/2 frame medium formats like the Leica S2 and the Pentax 645D can acheive better image quality if the conditions are right, but may perform worse than the M9 or D200 or 5D in other situations. get up to the 3/4 frame medium formats, like the 'blad Hd4, and you've got slower lenses and less dof to deal with, so what you pick up on the hurdy gurdy, you lose on the merry go round.

[arthurking83]

..... certainly the 1/2 frame medium formats like the Leica S2 and the Pentax 645D can acheive better image quality if the conditions are right, but may perform worse than the M9 or D200 or 5D in other situations. get up to the 3/4 frame medium formats, like the 'blad Hd4, ....

:confused:

Are you saying that the 44x33(mm) sized 40Mp sensor in the Pentax and S2 are not the same Kodak designed and manufactured sensor as is the 44x33(mm) sized 40Mp HD-4?

why are the Pentax and Leica considered to be 1/2 frame MF, and the Hasselblads considered to be 3/4 sized MF, when they technically have the same sensor?.. well not for every model.. blads also come in 40, 50 and 60Mp versions.. Pentax and Leica's come in 40Mp models.. same sensor from Kodak as the Mamyia ZD series too.

some strange physics this MF world! :umm:

[hoffy]

I wonder if this has to do with the physical size of the sensor and not the MP?

I am about half way between J M and TOM when it comes to Leica. Yes, there is a lot of #### factor with them, especially now. But having a play with a nice film one not that long ago (I wish I could have taken that little puppy home), I could see as far as rangefinders go and the type of photography that they were used for, there really is no compromise (coupled with the fact that the glass is as good as it gets).

Hmmph, I know most of you know I am quickly turning my back on digital technologies, but it has to be said, that if I were to buy a Leica I would be burning silver, not electrons

[Kym]

Kodak sensors... http://www.kodak.com/global/en/business/ISS/Products/Fullframe/index.jhtml?pq-path=14425

The 645D is this one (I think) http://www.kodak.com/global/plugins/acrobat/en/business/ISS/productsummary/FullFrame/KAF-40000ProductSummary.pdf

[TOM]

AK, didn't know the size of the Phase One and Hassy sensors, but i assumed they were bigger than the Leica and Pentax, just knew they weren't full sized. If they are the same, then I am surprised indeed.

[Kym]

Looks like 'blad cary the size of their sensors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasselblad#H3DII

As do http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_One

The 39/40mp are all about the same

[arthurking83]

OK.. I have to tell..I've never read up anything about the 60Mp Hassy's and or the 60Mp Kodak sensor.
I'm assuming that they are the same sized sensor simply with more pixels than the 40 and 50Mp versions.

I know that Phase do make different sized sensors for different brands, but I thought that the 40Mp sensors on the HD Hassys are Kodak.. same as Mamiya's hard wired ZD range and Pentax's new 645.

Phase One make 'bolt on' sensor replacements for film based medium format systems.

you know how it is.. news articles that you're not really interested in(due to impossibly unachievable price targets! :p) but you quickly skim through the details anyhow.

I'm sure in the news release that at least for the 40Mp model they used the then newly introduced Kodak sensor.. OR I may have mistaken that news as both the new Kodak sensor and the new Hassy's were announced at very similar times! :confused:

back to the M9 though. I think they don't have an anti aliasing filter, so coupled with extremely sharp lenses, they could be considered to be impressively detailed camera systems.
problems arise with not having AA filters tho.

detail may be impressive, but when moire sets in... :action:

as for being 'the best'... well they may be the best digital Leica camera ever made, but as kiwi said..

best in what way?

Give me a D700s over an M9 any day! ... in fact I may even prefer the extra performance of the D3s over a D700s(when they break cover), and just put up with the added size and weight as a benefit of not requiring a grip as well!

[RaoulIsidro]

Just a little interested in the quality that the Leica M9 is known and called the best digital camera in the world .


Can this statement be substantiated ??

The "quality" of established DSLR brands today are quite frankly, leaps and bounds value for money, heaps great compared to the film era generaton SLRs when Leica was supposed to be, ummm... king?
The specifications of the top 5 DSLR brands are so good, what would Leica offer up, over and above them?
Who bestows the title, "Best Digital Camera In The World"?
People vote with their wallets.
The title should be: "Best Selling Digital Camera In The World.":):):)

[TOM]

The specifications of the top 5 DSLR brands are so good, what would Leica offer up, over and above them?

Leica offers discreetness, compactness, quitness, great lenses in a small package, a more accurate way of manual focusing. None of this of course has anything to do with image quality (which is all but irrelevant with modern digitals), but all can be important for getting the right image. As I mentioned above, these are features of the Leica that could be considered essential for some photogs, and completely irrelevant for others.

[zollo]

the CCD sensor the M9 uses was outdated when they started first making them. Nowhere near the top of the pile.

[TOM]

again, the sensor has very little to do with it, but if you've only ever shot with a sfdslr, then i guess that might not be as apparent.