The Kodak Swan Song
When Leica launched the M9 in 2009, it wasn’t just a camera – it was a paean to analog purity in a digital world. The first full-frame digital rangefinder, armed with Kodak’s custom-made CCD sensor, promised the spontaneity of Henri Cartier-Bresson in pixels. Fast forward to 2024: CCDs are extinct, CMOS reigns supreme, and the M9 has become a cult relic. But like vinyl records and manual typewriters, its flaws now read like poetry.
Analog Soul, Digital Skin
1. The Classicist’s Last Stand
- Optical viewfinder: Physical frame lines illuminated by sunlight, just like M3/M6. The minimalist front of the later M240/M10? Heresy.
- No “modern” nonsense: No Live View, no video, just raw photography. Menu? Three pages deep, max.
2. The Red Dot Rebellion
The M9 wasn’t Leica’s first digital (see: M8), but it was the first to feel like a Leica. Brass top plate, sapphire screens – luxury for the pre-Instagram era.
The CCD Chronicles
1. Kodak’s Alchemy
The 18MP CCD served colors like a sommelier:
- Blues so deep they’d drown Picasso’s Period
- Reds with lacquered glow, greens that whispered “film”
- Occasional magenta shifts (call it “artistic temperament”)
2. The Sensor’s Original Sin
Leica’s gamble to remove the AA filter backfired. The CCD’s anti-reflective coating deteriorated over time, causing “corrosion” – digital acne. By 2015, forums were aflame with “Is my M9 next?” Panic subsided when Leica offered replacements (free for OG owners, $1,200 for others).
3. CCD vs. CMOS: A Teenage Rivalry
- CCD: Low-ISO brilliance, high-ISO chaos, no video
- CMOS: Jack of all trades, master of none
- In 2012, Leica chose survival over romance and switched to CMOS. Purists lamented, realists shrugged.
Now, imagine adding a yellow filter to your M9. It’s like adding a dash of hot sauce to your favorite dish—it brings out the hidden flavors and adds that extra kick!
The Quirks We Learned to Love
1. Screen of Shame
The 230k-dot LCD looks like a Game Boy screen. The pros? You’ll actually wait to edit on a real monitor.
2. Speed? What Speed?
- Write times: 4 seconds/RAW (use Sandisk Extreme Pro or weep)
- Buffer: 8 shots before naptime
3. Battery Vampire
Two shots per percentage? Think of it as forced mindfulness.
M9 vs. The Digital Dynasty
| Feature | M9 (2009) | M10 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | Kodak CCD | CMOS ISOCLEAN |
| ISO Range | 80-2500 | 100-50000 |
| Weight | 585g | 660g |
| Classic DNA | 100% | 70% (RIP framelines) |
| Price (2024) | 2,500−2,500−3,500 | 6,000−6,000−8,000 |
Who Should Buy This in 2025?
✔️ CCD Zealots: Chasing the Kodachrome magic.
✔️ Leica Curious: Get into the M-mount for the price of an M240.
✔️ Contrarians: Hate perfect skin tones? Embrace magenta!
Avoid If: You need ISO 800+, video, or sanity.
The verdict: Flawed, forever young
The M9 is Leica’s Catcher in the Rye – awkward, idealistic, forever stuck between analog nostalgia and digital ambition. Its CCD corrodes, its battery dies quickly, and its screen insults the modern eye. But when the light hits the sensor just right, you’ll swear it’s 2009 all over again: no Instagram, no influencers, just you and the pursuit of fleeting beauty.
In the Labyrinth of Light and Shadow