Leica M9

The Leica M9, released in 2009, is a mirrorless camera built around a full-frame CCD sensor in a body measuring 139 x 80 x 37 mm and weighing 585 g. That makes for a portable full-frame package.

Framing happens through an optical rangefinder and focusing is entirely manual. The Leica M mount accepts M-mount lenses, which is central to this camera's appeal. It suits photographers who enjoy working at a considered pace.

Owning one involves some planning. Video is absent, flash requires an external unit, and the battery is rated at 350 shots, so a spare belongs in the bag for longer outings.

Imaging comes from an 18-megapixel full-frame CCD sensor. Sensitivity runs from ISO 160 to 2500, which covers daylight and reasonable indoor light but leaves little margin in genuinely dark scenes. With no in-body stabilisation, camera shake must be managed with shutter speed, technique or solid support.

Focus is entirely manual through the rangefinder patch. This rewards careful focusing and suits static subjects and zone focusing, but it makes fast-moving action difficult. The maximum burst rate of 2 fps reinforces the camera's deliberate character.

The 1/4000s maximum shutter speed can be a constraint with wide-aperture lenses in bright conditions, since sensitivity goes no lower than the base ISO of 160.

The Optics score of 42 out of 100 is modest, and the M9 sits in the bottom 9% of cameras in our database for Optics. The slow burst rate, limited ISO range and absent stabilisation weigh against it, while the full-frame format remains a real strength.

The Leica M9 does not record video in any form. It is a stills camera in the strictest sense, and motion capture plays no part in what it offers.

There is no built-in timelapse mode either. Because the camera cannot record video at all, interval sequences cannot be assembled into a movie in camera.

Features that usually support video work are absent here as well. There is no live view for framing from the screen, and the fixed display neither tilts nor responds to touch.

For photographers who work entirely in stills, these omissions cost nothing. Anyone who needs motion capture alongside their photographs will have to plan on a second device for that job.

Handling centres on the rangefinder: you frame through the optical viewfinder and use the 2.5-inch TFT screen mainly for reviewing shots. With 230,000 dots and no live view, the screen is basic, and it neither tilts nor responds to touch.

The Features score of 17 out of 100 is limited: live view, touch input, Bluetooth and GPS are all missing, and the screen contributes only a little. There is no built-in flash, though external flash units can be used.

Wi-Fi is absent too, so getting images off the camera means removing the memory card. Weather sealing is also missing, which calls for care in damp or dusty conditions.

Storage runs through a single slot that accepts SD and SDHC cards. There is no second slot for backup or overflow, so cards must be swapped out as they fill.

The BP-SCL1 battery is rated at 350 shots. Treat that as a figure to plan around rather than a promise of real-world endurance, and carry a spare for longer outings.

The M9 cannot charge over USB, so its battery cannot be topped up from a computer or power bank. The Storage & Battery score of 21 out of 100 is limited, reflecting the single slot, the modest endurance and the absence of USB charging.