After weeks of speculation the details of full-frame 18-megapixel Leica M9 has leaked, prior to the launch on the 09 September. A
pdf of the M9 brochure leaked onto the net detailing the complete specification. The M9 uses a 23.9x 35.8mm CCD with an image size of 5270 x 3516 pixels; 18-megapixels in total. The LCD remains the same at 2.5-inches (230k pixel resolution), as does sensitivity, ranging from ISO80-2500, but it's now selectable in 0.3 ISO increments.
Interestingly, apart from the sensor and steel-grey paint option very little has changed between the M8.2 and the new model. Viewfinder magnification is also the same as the previous model at just 0.68x, however a Leica spokesperson told me to expect the M9 to be correspondingly more expensive (if this is for real, that is). For confirmation of the price and availability, we'll have to wait for the official announcement on
Wednesday.
Amended: I've slept on this overnight, and I think it's real enough, but what have the designers done to the right of the camera body (from camera front)? There appears to be a ridge, from the top (to the right of the viewfinder) to the bottom plate! All it needed was a slant on the top-plate, where the film rewind knob would have sat if it were analogue, and a modest Leica script on the top-plate. Oh, and what happened to the frame counter?
