Leica M9 review

The 18MP digital camera with a full-frame sensor proves doubters wrong

Leica M9
This 18MP rangefinder is expensive but gives professional cameras a challenge

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Leica m9

Although the auto white balance system is prone to the odd error, usually it behaves itself and reproduces tones and colours faithfully.

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Leica m9

The metering system isn't faultless, though, as this slightly underexposed image shows

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Leica m9

Although darker subjects are good candidates for overexposure, the M9's metering system has done well to meter this scene accurately.

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Leica m9

Taken with the 24mm f/1.4 Summilux-M Asph, sharpness is well maintained right up to the corners of the frame but chromatic aberrations are noticeable.

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Leica m9

This image required the camera's sensitivity to be set to ISO 1600, which has introduced a fair helping of chroma noise, particularly in shadowy areas.

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Our Best Shot: Peppers and herbs

Leica m9 review

Colour: When the camera's auto white balance system gets things right, JPEGs shot on their standard settings show excellent colour

Exposure: The centre-weighted metering system has exposed perfectly for these peppers, as well as for the image as a whole

Lens: Taken with the Apo-Summicron-M 75mm f/2 ASPH lens, this image shows no distortion or chromatic aberration

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