The new Leica M9-P will cost $7995.00 and will start shipping in July, 2011. Black (010-703) and chrome (010-716) versions will be available. The new features are:
- Display cover glass made of Sapphire
- Vulcanite leatherette with either a black paint top cover or a silver chrome top cover
- Pure Leica look without Leica logo and M9 lettering on the front side
- Classical “Leica” engraving on the top cover
There will be also a new silver chrome handgrip for M8.2, M9 and M9-P (catalog # 014-487) with a price tag of $300.
The new features of the Leica M9-P elevate the M9 further into the camera of choice as a professional tool. The new look of the Leica M9-P harks on Leica’s classic look of being unobtrusive in appearance without the Leica logo.
The display cover glass is made of Sapphire which is the second hardest material after diamond. As such the display cover is extremely scratch resistant and unbreakable. Leica is the only camera manufacturer that offers a sapphire glass as a camera display protection.
The vulcanite leatherette offers good resistivity and further provides a very good grip to the camera. The Leica M9-P is available with a silver chrome top cover or with a black paint top cover.
The Leic M9-P will include: camera, body cap, carrying strap, USB cable, battery, battery charger for 100-240 V with 2 power cords and charger adapter. Also included are the license code for download of Adboe Photoshop Lightroom, instructions German/English and warranty card (warranty period 2 years).
Full press release:
THE NEW LEICA M9-P: THE ESSENCE OF DISCRETION
Designed particularly for professional photographers, new ultra-discreet version of the Leica M9 added to Leica rangefinder portfolio
Solms, Germany (June 21, 2011) - Leica Camera AG is proud to present a new version of the world’s smallest, full-frame digital system camera: the Leica M9-P. This new model will sit alongside the Leica M9 in the company’s rangefinder portfolio. Providing an alternative, even more discreet and resilient design that further reinforces the classic nature of the M9, the M9-P specifically meets the needs of professional photographers. The new model is now available in a classic silver chrome or subtle black paint finish.
Featuring the compact size, full-frame, 18 megapixel 24 x 36mm sensor (35mm format), sophisticated image processing and robust construction of the highly successful Leica M9, the M9-P also incorporates features designed for professional users or photographers who prefer a pure, even more unobtrusive styling.
The Leica M9-P includes a scratch-resistant, sapphire crystal covering on the LCD screen. Produced using special diamond cutting tools, this screen is fashioned from one of the world’s hardest and most resilient materials. Extremely resistant to wear and almost unbreakable, the sapphire glass LCD cover offers many years of reliable use. Additionally, the anti-reflective coating on both sides of the cover improves the review of images on the display after capture, particularly in unfavorable lighting conditions.
Finished in vulcanite leatherette, the external covering of the body of the M9-P is particularly resistant to wear. This leathering features a more coarsely-textured finish that ensures a steadier grip when shooting, making the M9-P feel particularly safe and secure in the hand.
Fulfilling the needs of many professional photographers to capture the decisive moment as discretely as possible, the Leica M9-P’s minimalist styling highlights its most essential features. The Leica red dot logo and the M9 lettering on the front have been omitted and replaced with the Leica name in classic script form engraved on the top plate, making the M9-P the quintessential unobtrusive tool.
Since 1954, the Leica M-System has represented an unmistakable, individual kind of photography and a very conscious photographic style and allowed photographers to capture, document and interpret life’s fleeting moments in all fields of photography, from photojournalism, reportage and ‘available light’ to the capture of portraits and aesthetic, fine-art images. With a Leica M, the photographer becomes a ‘part of the action’ when capturing challenging, authentic and creative images. The frame lines frame precisely the shot the photographer envisages, while allowing a clear view of the scene outside the viewfinder frame.
The functions of the Leica M are consistently constructed for extreme durability and a long working life. The highest quality materials, intricate manufacturing processes and meticulous manual assembly at Leica Camera’s facility in Germany guarantee functional reliability for years to come.
The Leica M9-P will be available from Leica dealers in two different finishes, black paint or traditional silver chrome, beginning July 2011.
Leica M9-P specs:
| Camera type | Compact digital view and rangefinder system camera |
| Lens mount | Leica M bayonet with additional sensor for 6-bit coding |
| Lens system | Leica M lenses from 16 to135 mm |
| Image format / image sensor | 5270 × 3516 pixels (18.5 megapixels) CCD sensor, active area approx. 23.9 × 35.8mm / 5212 x 3472 pixels (18 megapixels) (corresponds to the effective image format of Leica M film cameras) |
| Image file formats | Adjustable, DNG™: 5212 × 3472 (18 MP) JPEG: 5212 × 3472 (18 MP), 3840 × 2592 (10 MP), 2592 ×1728 (4.5 MP), 1728 ×1152 (2 MP), 1280 x 846 pixels (1 MP) DNG™ (RAW data), choice of uncompressed or slightly compressed (by non-linear reduction of color depth), 2 JPEG compression levels |
| File sizes | DNG™: 18 MB (compressed) 36 MB (uncompressed) JPEG: approx. 2 to10 MB (depending on image content) |
| Colour spaces | Adobe® RGB, sRGB |
| White balance | Automatic, manual, 7 presets, direct color temperature selection |
| Storage media | SD cards up to 2 GB / SDHC cards up to 32 GB |
| Menu languages | German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Russian |
| Compatibility | Windows® 7, Windows® XP/Vista®; Mac® OS X (10.6) |
| Exposure metering | Through-the-lens (TTL) metering, centre-weighted at working aperture. Center-weighted TTL metering for flash exposure with system-compatible SCA-3000/2 standard flash units |
| Metering principle | Measured by light reflected by bright shutter blades on the first shutter curtain |
| Metering range (at ISO 160/23°) | At room temperature and normal humidity, equivalent to EV 0 to 20 or f/1.0 and 1.2s to f/32 and 1/1000 s. Flashing left triangular LED in viewfinder indicates values below metering capability |
| Metering cell for available light | (continuous light measurement) Silicon photo diode with condensing lens, positioned in the bottom centre of camera base |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 160 /19° to ISO 2500/35°, adjustable in 1/3 ISO increments, with aperture priority A and manual exposure setting, choice of automatic control or manual setting, automatic control in snapshot profile |
| Exposure modes | Choice of automatic shutter speed control with manual aperture selection – aperture priority A – with corresponding digital display, or manual setting of shutter speed and aperture and adjustment using LED light balance with indication of correct exposure, or risk of over-exposure / camera shake (with snapshot profile only) |
| Flash unit connection | Via accessory shoe with centre and control contacts |
| Synchronization | Optional synchronization, on first or second shutter curtain |
| Flash synchronization speed | 1/180 s; longer shutter speeds possible |
| Flash exposure metering | (With SCA-3501/3502 adapter or SCA-3000-standard flash unit, e.g. Leica SF 24D / Leica SF 58) Flash exposure control with centre-weighted TTL pre-flash metering |
| Flash metering cell | 2 silicon photo diodes with condensing lens in camera base |
| Flash exposure compensation | ±3 1/3 EV in 1/3 EV steps, adjustable on SCA-3501/3502 adapter On Leica SF 24D, ±3 EV in 1/3 EV steps with computer control or from 0 to -3 EV in 1 EV steps On Leica SF 58, adjustable in all modes ±3 EV in 1/3 EV steps |
| Displays in flash mode | Flash ready: flash symbol LED in the viewfinder constant Correct flash exposure: LED constant or flashes rapidly after exposure Under-exposure: LED extinguished after exposure |
| Viewfinder principle | Large, bright-line frame viewfinder with automatic parallax compensation |
| Eyepiece | Adjusted to -0.5 diopter Correction lenses for –3 to +3 diopter available |
| Image framing | By activating two bright-line frames: for 35 and 135mm, or for 28 and 90mm, or for 50 and 75mm. Automatic activation when lens is attached. Any pair of bright-line frames can be activated by using the image field selector |
| Parallax compensation | The horizontal and vertical difference between the viewfinder and the lens is automatically compensated in accordance with the relevant distance setting, i.e. the viewfinder bright-line automatically aligns with the subject detail recorded by the lens |
| Matching of viewfinder and actual picture | The size of the bright-line frame corresponds exactly to the sensor size of approx. 23.9 x 35.8mm at a setting distance of 1 meter. At infinity setting, depending on the focal length, approx. 7.3% (28mm) to 18% (135mm) more is recorded by the sensor than indicated by the corresponding bright-line frame and slightly less for distances shorter than 1 meter |
| Viewfinder magnification (for all lenses): | 0.68× |
| Large base rangefinder | Split or super-imposed image rangefinder shown as bright field in the centre of the viewfinder image |
| Effective rangefinder base | 47.1 mm (actual rangefinder base 69.25 mm × viewfinder enlargement 0.68×) |
| Viewfinder display | (Lower edge) LED symbol for flash status. Four-digit, seven-segment digital display with dots above and below, display brightness adjusted for ambient light, for: Warning of exposure compensation, display for automatically generated shutter speeds in aperture priority mode, indication of use metering memory lock, warning that the metering or setting ranges are over- or under-exposed using aperture priority and counting down exposures longer than 2s
LED light balance with two triangular and one central, circular LED for manual exposure setting. The triangular LEDs give the direction of rotation of the aperture ring and shutter speed setting dial to adjust the exposure. Also as warning for over- or under-exposure |
| Displays on rear panel | 2.5" monitor (color TFT-LCD) with 230,000 pixels. M9-P LCD with sapphire crystal |
| Shutter | Microprocessor-controlled, exceptionally low-noise, metal blade shutter with vertical movement |
| Shutter speeds | For aperture priority (A) continuously adjustable from 32s to 1/4000s. For manual setting 8s to 1/4000s in half steps, B for long exposures of any duration (in conjunction with self-timer function, i.e. 1st release = shutter opens, 2nd release = shutter closes, (1/180s) fastest shutter speed for flash synchronization |
| Shutter cocking | Using low-noise integral motor, optionally after releasing the shutter release button |
| Series exposures | Approx. 2 frames/s, ≥ 8 frames in series |
| Shutter release | Three levels: Exposure metering on – Metering memory lock (in aperture priority mode) – Shutter release Integrated standard cable release thread |
| Self-timer | Delay optionally 2 (aperture priority and manual exposure setting) or 12s (menu setting), indicated by flashing LED on front of the camera and corresponding display on the monitor |
| Camera power on / power off | Using the main switch on the camera’s top panel, selectable automatic power-off for camera electronics after approx. 2/5/10 minutes, reactivation by pressing the shutter release button |
| Power supply | 1 Lithium-ion battery, nominal voltage 3.7 V, capacity 1900 mAh Capacity display in monitor, when shutter held open (for sensor cleaning) additional acoustic warning when capacity is low |
| Battery charger | Inputs: 100–240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, automatic switching, or 12/24 V DC Output: 4.2 V DC, 800 mA |
| Camera body material | All-metal die-cast magnesium body, KTL dip painted finish and synthetic leather covering. Top plate and base plate in brass. M9: black or steel-grey paint finish M9-P: black paint finish or silver chrome version, LCD with sapphire crystal |
| Image field selector | Allows the bright-line pairs to be manually displayed at any time (e.g. for framing comparisons) |
| Tripod thread | A 1/4 (1/4 “) DIN, stainless steel, integrated in base plate |
| Operating conditions | 0 to +40°C |
| Interface | 5-pin Mini-USB 2.0 high-speed socket for fast data transfer |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | Approx. 139 × 37 × 80 mm (Approx. 5.47 x 1.45 x 3.15 in) |
| Weight | M9: 585g (Approx. 20.64 oz) (including battery) M9-P: 600g (Approx: 21.16 oz) (including battery) |
| Accessories included | Battery charger 100–240 V with two mains cables (EU, USA, may differ for other markets), car charger, Lithium-ion battery, USB cable, carrying strap, body cap, instruction manual. Software: Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3 (downloadable - license code included) |
More details at Leica-camera.com.
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26 Comments
…500 Euro more to cover the M9′ display bug. I think this is a bad marketing action from Leica: it was better to cover the M9′ weaknesses (at the same price list) and put out a really new model!
Utterly, shamelessly beautiful.
… The New Features …
Since when are extra costs a feature?
Saphire glass… The future of photography according to Leica!
What a milestone…
I’m sorry to say that I kind of laughed when reading through the press release :/
Downloaded the technical data sheet and it was tough to spot any differences:
“2.5 in. monitor (color TFT LCD) with 230,000 pixels, M9-P with sapphire glass LCD monitor cover.”
and the weight:
“M9 585 g (20.6 oz), M9-P 600 g (21.2 oz)”
I guess the glass weighs 15g more?
How can this Leica justify a $1000 over its more down to earth (but still expensive as hell) twin? Let’s see: top engraving instead of a red dot, a piece of sapphire glass, and… that’s it?
A whole new dimension of phtography… that of delusion.
Ye, a whole new dimension my ass lol. I like the company, don’t get me wrong, but the marketing on the official website this time almost makes me wanna cringe. And, really, that was it!?
If you want a retro design and a few engravings, save your cash and buy a Fuji x100. If you’re a pro, then buy a d700 and a 24-70 with the change
PS: Apart from Leica’s feature photographers, which other pro’s use digital leica’s in this day and age?
:S
I’m not a Leica feature photographer (but I would be if they asked) and I am a pro and I DO use the Leica M9 in my professional life. It’s a great camera if you work within its limitations — just like any other camera. Nothing is perfect, and yes, a D700 and 24-70 is a good combination, sometimes but not always.
However, I do agree, slapping a grand on the price and putting a nifty Leica swirl logo on the top, a piece of glass on the back and calling it “P” is a load of bull. At the very least they could have found a spot for a PC connection. Sigh.
Lots of fools will buy this camera because of the new features. Leica could at least put a better sensor on it.
Leica is now jewlery brand, not a revolutionary camera manufacture! When Voigtlander realease a Digital Bessa R leica will need a different market approach. If I was a leica user would buy a 1k nokton 1.1 instead of a 10k Noctlux 0.95, come on 10K???? Can Leica justify this price? I guess they don’t.
Joaquim, I own both lenses. There is actually a very noticeable difference in what they do and how they do it.
Pretty sure there is a difference but in the bottom line would Noctlux worth 10k?
It depends. the nokton has some internal reflection issues when shooting bright lights. It also creates blotchy halo objects around some lights; sometimes. It can mean that in some situations (mainly at night) it is not really as wonderful as one would want it to be. Or it becomes more of an experimental lens somehow:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/witold/5708984569/in/set-72157626088203967/lightbox/
Price is a thing that is determined by more factors than just optical quality, of course. But that’s just a potentially boring story and not really related to the topic here.
Guess that kind of depends on your budget, don’t it.?
Come on guys, that extra $1000 dollars you spend on this camera will more than pay for itself in what you would have spent on black tape to cover up all the logos.
Another non-event called an event from Leica.
I can’t help but feel that something is wrong at Leica if this is what Andreas Kaufmann consistently calls an event that is worth 1000 invitations and a ‘collaboration’ with Magnum. I’ll say that it’s NOT important. It’s a PR event that holds the ‘market’ Leica has around it’s M9 a little longer. The last ‘non-event’ was at Photokina – the M9 Titanium – and that got them some more PR and today was the next non-event. I hope they have something else up their sleeves.
Because they did this themselves – just what would have a FFDSLR done for them to have alongside the M instead of an S2? A more ‘modern’ field-relevant camera that you could SEE through that great glass that would supplement the M – something like the R WAS. For me, this is what boggles the mind. I’ve owned both systems at the same time; it was awesome. After today, it appears that they may have missed an opportunity – again.
Leica is really in their comfort zone now.
China is their biggest market now but China will not be forever like this. Selling to people who have money and don’t understand anything about a camera is nice, but it will slowly saturating and the making money in China will not be as easy as decades before.
I agree with most users that developing market for S2 is important to Company’s sustainability.
People buy M because people think the lens mount will stay forever and the “digital” camera as well. It’s an investment for many. It’s like having an expensive point and shoot camera you can sell later with value.
Of course this is totally absurd. Rangefinder diminished from the market by SLR not without a strong cause. The usability is very low compared with an SLR. M’s place is rather on the shelves for showing off friends.
like and dislike.
like the discrete look, but it’s all cosmetic.
if there were more concrete and substantial improvements over the M9 to give it a new designation M9-P, it would be more appropriate.
perhaps waiting for an M10…
I wonder how long it will take for this model to actually reach shelves & people’s hands. If they’ve really sold 1500 already, it makes me wonder how long the waiting list will be. Leica seems notorious for its backlog. This is an unattractive aspect of the company.
the m9-p is more for people who want a certain kind ol look on their m9 and I’m sure those people don’t bother about the extra money and the few extra “features” they’ll get.
I’ll just hopoe that there are enough of those people so that this evolutionary “development” of an minimal refurbished m9 pays of for Leica and that they find the resources to come up with something more groundbreaking again.
by the time the m9 was released, it was quite spectacular. Though the camera has it’s weak points (i.e. display!) but having a fullframe sensor in a compact m-housing using the m-lenses is sureley fun to use.
Btw: Leica never was and will be a brand you can afford when you are on a budget. Leica delivers a insane high (handmade!) quality, which is pricey. You want good image quality for less money? Buy a Nikon or that Fuji X100 and stop moaning that one can’t afford Leica…
People here sound like they are kind of new to the Leica brand with all these responses.
This is nothing new, folks. Leica has been doing this sort of thing for decades now. Yeah, and when the MP (film version) came out, the same things were being said (and I don’t mean the very first 1956 MP based on the M3 which could be fitted with a Leicavit. I mean the 2003 to current MP.)
“Leica is now jewelry brand.” Hey come on, it’s been like that for a long time now. Why the surprise?
Nonetheless, they are still great tools for what they were meant to be (and no, they weren’t meant to be the same as a SLR or DSLR , so stop comparing them to a Nikon DSLR.) Apples and oranges.
Nice Camera! If you have the money, buy it (maybe only for your glass cabinet). Otherwise … forget it.
All the whiny, bitchy comments on here are unbearable… no one is forcing you to buy this camera. I don’t think Leica could ever bring anything out that would impress you
I think what you call bitchy, whiny, are not about not liking the equipment. But from the passion it brings. Leica (especially lately) has stepped on more than a few toes with the dead R promises, and the obvious belief that they have to make their money on over-priced Special-Editions and then come out with another PR event that promotes an m9 ‘update’ that doesn’t match the hype.
As has been stated above, they have been doing things this way for years and years mostly because of the small manufacturing capacity the company had to rely on in it’s many ‘down-years’. It’s a different age for Leica now, product turn-over is the norm, and Leica has to find a way of living in that world, while the new market waits.
Seems like a lovely M9 in fresh new (retro) delightful color schemes…. got not problems with that, but find the wording “new dimension of photography” maybe possible a smidgen exaggerated.?