Eyes On The Prize

I was talking to a photographer friend of mine a few days ago and mentioned to him my "grand plan" of acquiring a Leica M9-P with a 50mm Summicron lens and how I intend to pinch every penny (figuratively speaking, in Norway we have the "øre") to get it. He was surprised and not at all convinced that this would be the right decision. The Leica M9-P, after all, is an extremely expensive piece of stripped of all the bells and whistles found in today's DSLRs. He wasn't really sure if the price could justify the camera not having auto focus, extensive shooting modes, image stabilization, and the like. Could it be that one is going to shell out NOK 80.000 just for the name alone?

He also mentioned the Fujifilm X100, one of the most talked about cameras of 2011. Truly this camera has been designed with the Leica M9-P in mind. The exterior looks suspiciously similar. Unlike the Leica M9-P though, this camera is all modern, if you ignore the fixed 23mm (35mm equivalent) lens attached (ergo, not an interchangeable lens camera). It has a smaller APS-C sized sensor, a smaller 12.3 megapixel resolution, and boasts a hybrid viewfinder which is both optical and electronic. It has also been reported to have better ISO performance, with ISO values going all the way to 6400, while the Leica is "only" capable of 2500.

Curious as I am, I checked the different photography websites about this little camera, and surely enough there are hundreds, if not thousands, of articles and debates about the X100 versus the Leica M9-P, and none emerges as the clear winner.  I have not tested these cameras. I have only seen them in stores, and the Leica M9-P is so expensive that it can only be admired through a plate of theft-proof glass. You can really see the resemblance from these photographs in this page, the Fujifilm X100 and the steel grey Leica M9-P looking like twins (I am planning to get the black version but the chrome/black Leica is also very nice, so I might have to reconsider). But of course the Leica M9-P is bigger and heavier (though still loads lighter and smaller than a DSLR). It is pictured here with the 50mm f0.95(!) Noctilux lens. This lens weighs heavier than the camera itself and costs much more. I don't plan on getting this lens. I heard there is a one year waiting period when you order it as the glass that is used in this lens takes 12 months to cool!

So how do I know that this is the camera for me? I've always been a person who follows his heart and here I cannot be more sure. I want the best, and it's the Leica which is the camera I want to have for my photography. I do have my "valid" set of arguments. I still want an interchangeable lens camera (although buying another Leica lens will involve another, although not so extensive, savings project). The Leica is perfect for my style of photography, which is landscape, street, and photojournalism. I rarely do sports and wildlife photography anymore so I am sure it will not be missed so much. The Leica M9-P's sensor, coupled with the best lenses ever made on the planet, will ensure that I get the highest quality photographs, provided of course I do my part and use the photographic skills that I have acquired the past years!

I've always been a man of the moment, always wanting things to happen then and there, and never really being patient enough to get the best. This has resulted in a lot of bad financial decisions, among them,  changing camera brands 5 times in a span of two years. Now I am all grown up and I know now what I want. I want the Leica M9-P. And I'm prepared to wait and save up to get it.

So I'll keep my eyes on the prize!


(Photos courtesy of the manufacturers)