Here is a nice collection of images of the just announced Leica M9 Titanium edition:
Related posts:
- Leica M9 Titanium Limited Edition concepts
- Leica M9 Titanium limited edition now shipping
- Leica D-Lux 4 Titanium Limited Edition price and availability revealed
- Leica M9 Titanium limited edition is currently being unveiled at the “Leica Design Preview” (*updated*)
- Leica M9 Titanium limited edition camera video #3
23 Comments
So the mystery drawings from the invitation card was M9 titanium after all, not an evil system…
It might not be an evil system…. but its still evil…. driving fear into the hearts of M users worldwide.
from the 3rd and the 4th pic……. those cameras are the new M9? i spotted 4 versions….the titanium in the box…and from the right…. new black m9 , new chrome m9 and chrome with black top(panda?) m9…..but….how come there’s no hot shoes on those cameras? and i suppost only the titanium uses the LED viewfinder….correct?
One can see the VW influence here. Looks like a top end Golf, complete with rubber mats! I must say again, not sure about this move. Would have preferred to see more M9 going out the factory door. That said, maybe they are gearing up funding for the M10? Personally, my M7 just got more valuable.
I really don’t like that design and I’m very disapointed that Leica didn’t show an EVIL system.
This just looks like some final year student project; the kind of ‘re-imagining’ that might earn the student a charitable B grade for effort. To me, this just proves that car designers can’t do cameras. Nice lens though.
That shoulder strap looks painful and does the one hand strap come as default?
There’s no shoulder strap lugs on the titanium
Agree with every comment above, I’m really disappointed, seem like they don’t understand what consumer really want
bb,
Those are prototypes based on the original sketches. Apparently they got cold feet because the final product looks nothing like them.
It’s ok to play around with it, and I would use the prototypes to test users of differen ages, nationalities and trades to see what is interesting to whom. There’s a whole world of people below 40 who doesnt buy Leica (but spend 3-4,000 on an Apple MacBook)
Some of the stuff I like, some I feel would degrade the brand.
Leica still need a Mini-M and a R solution. One could hope some of these design studies might lead to more economical production methods. After all, that is one of the things the car industry is about, serial production of a la carte cars with individual colors, leather, AC, right or left steering wheel, automatic or manusl gear. In that regard the camera industry are in the age of Ford T (and I didn’t sat the 1dsMark IV lookd like a Ford T)
Come on guys, don’t you remember all of those editorials and blog posts SCREAMING for a titanium-skinned M9 with kung-fu grip?
No, me neither. But I have read quite a number asking for more practical and affordable solutions from Leica, something to throw our M-mount lenses on. The now famous Open Letter to Leica by Luminous Landscapes and the awesome user designed M9P concept by Benjy are two that come to mind.
Look, I’m really glad the fashionistas like Seal and Johnny Depp and Ann Curry were around to float Leica during the hard times, but I think there were hard times probably because Leica was pandering to the fashionistas — not photographers per se. To my PA: “Get me a camera. A small one. The best one. I don’t care how much it costs.” My PA: “Why do you want this?” Me: “To go with my titanium Audi.”
Let’s get it over — make an M9 from a billet of gold or some other unobtainium for the uberriche — it doesn’t even need to take pictures because it is a collector item destine for the shelf. Then, in secret, make real cameras for the rest of us. Ones that work, that don’t have green streaks and purple pants, and I don’t have to sell my other kidney for but still take those lovely, lovely lenses.
Fuji with their new X100 might have a clue at what’s practical and ultimately desirable to the photographer (if it only sported an M-mount instead of the fixed 35mm). I feel like Leica has lost its way by producing cameras for an unsustainable, volatile market: this one, the Hermes, the “White” M8. Who cares?! Impractical and ultimately unused.
What’s really frustrating is that it seems everyone but Leica seems privy to the potential out there for a high quality, reasonably priced, and practical range finder in terms of market demand and what it could mean for this old establishment barely able to keep its doors open. However, this frustration is my fault. I admit it. I thought a company that designs, engineers and manufacturers camera bodies and lenses would be doing it for photographers. In actuality, they are collectors are its target consumer. But I bet Barnack and Leitz are rolling in their graves.
photographic snobbery
if i had the cash lying around, i would buy it in a heartbeat and use it for what it’s worth.
come on – it’s a fresh, sexy design…it looks comfortable to hold, the leather trim looks like it’s got a nice grip to it and it’s practically scratch-resistant being built in titanium and with the sapphire screen.
even the new shutter-button looks more comfy.
the only downside is that it’s digital, so it will be outdated technologically.
So the extremely expensive and ugly looking Audi M9 (sorry) Leica M9 Titanium is Leicas show-off-product for the Photokina 2010. Tell me it’s a joke, … right? Mr Kaufmann and mr Daniel what were you thinking? Who cares about an ugly looking Audi M-something with a stupid grip with a 1 000 000 000 000 euro price tag.
There were a lot of opportunities for Leica at Photokina 2010 – Evil – R-solution – X-zoom – X-tri-elmar – M9.2 – M-light – and you came up with the Audi M9. No further comments.
I personally think the M9 Titanium is quite attractive (personal opinion) and I enjoy looking (just at the photos) of certain special editions of Leica; is it worth the premium? No. Should it be the focus for Leica at Photokina? No. I am not really all that excited about an Evil camera from Leica (why do you need it, when you have the M system?), the R solution may be nice since I have a couple of those lenses, but again, the M lenses are so superior in terms of the glass, size, and weight, I would never use my R lenses.
I agree with you. I saw this morning the video about this camera on the Leica web site (http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/special_editions/m9_titan), and the M9 looks really nice to my eyes (Maybe I lost my sight… or I’am discovering that I have bad taste). Whatever, I don’t have nor the money nor the style to go out there with a titanium M9 in that fancy strap. But I’m quite sur that will looks perfect on Scarlett Johansson (or even Victoria Beckham
.
(http://leicarumors.com/2009/04/06/celebrities-and-their-leicas.aspx/)
at 330g, it is the lightest M camera ever made, I believe. Wow that is light.
Oh wait I just noticed an error on the M9 Titanium technical specification brochure. The English version says the camer weighs 335g (including battery), but the German and Japanese versions say the camera weighs 565g (including battery); I am guessing the English version is incorrect. The kit lens weighs 335g (in all languages).
The Audi M9 is nothing compared to the Audi R8 hatchback, I have seen two of those driving through the city of london during my lunch break…
Imagine it this happens with the Audi M9:
http://www.diariomotor.com/2007/09/03/audi-r8-arde-casi-completamente-por-un-fallo-hidraulico/
Ouch!!
I meant, coupe…