This expands on my earlier post regarding my experience with the R9. I am responding to a request for additional information on brightness of the viewfinder, ease of focusing and handling.
The R9 is my second Leica SLR. I have also used Nikon film cameras and I still have an old Nikon FE. I am mainly a Leica M user that got into the R system because of what I had read about the quality of Leica R glass. I have five M cameras, including two M6TTLs that see the majority of my professional and personal use. My Noctilux is dedicated to my high mag M6, while my 35mm Summilux ASPH is glued to my 0.72 M6.
I initially bought an R6.2 for longer lenses, including the 100mmf2.8 Macro. This lens is outstanding and a reason by itself to use the R system. As I acquired more Leica R glass, I wanted a second body. Last October I attended a Leica workshop and was able to use both an R8 and R9.
Both the R8 and R9 are first class. The viewfinders are essentially the same and are the brightest and clearest I have seen. The R9 has the advantage of being lighter in weight and has a locking button for the mode dial. I elected to order an R9. I received it in November.
I have used the R9 quite a bit in the last several months. I added the motordrive immediately as it really allows one to use some of the additional features such as the auto-bracketing. Because I use it mainly use it with longer lens, I changed the focusing screen to ground glass vice the slit-image original equipment. I have found the ground glass very effective for longer lenses, but I have used it with a newly acquired 21-35 Vario with excellent results...even in low light.
The R9 is definitely lighter than the R8, although when one adds the motordrive and an 80-200 Vario the difference in weight (100g) is not material. Never-the-less, it is a great handling camera. I have used it at several sporting events and found the focusing very quick. If you follow the link, there are some recent photos from a wrestling event.
http://www.leica-gallery.net/hehl/folder-3928.html
I have used the R9 mainly in the aperture priority mode. I have used it in the program mode both available light and with TTL flash. I use it with a Metz 32Z2/3502 module. In the program mode using flash, it provides automatic fill flash. The results in all modes I have used have been excellent. In particular, the fill flash works great. It is hard to tell a flash was used unless the subject is to close to a wall or something else giving a tell tale shaddow. I generally use the Metz bounce diffuser which helps.
In summary, I bought the R9 as a backup for my R6.2, but since buying it the R6.2 has seen little use. I am very pleased with the camera.
