Recently the folks at DxO released their assessment of the Kodak CCD sensor in the Leica M9, M9-P and ME.  They called it the worst full frame sensor in the world.  Thus Leica fans developed apoplexy and Leica haters took to the internets for group slamming. I own and M9.  It's a freaking awesome camera.  The camera is more than the sensor.  It's the size, the feel, the glass, and the images.  It's not terrific at high ISO, it has no video (YAY!) and it's a CCD.  That and something on the order of a ten spot will buy you some frappy drink at Starbucks.

Why is the DxO review irrelevant?  Because there was no lens involved in the test.  Right.  The tests are mathematical, not image oriented.  How one can offer a qualified report on a camera sensor without using it as a camera, sounds about as likely as oh say, political integrity.  The review also doesn't take into account that the sensor was developed specifically by Kodak to capture the light from a small lens on a large sensor.  As Steve Huff points out, no Kodak sensor, no digital Leicas.

Be that as it may, my Leica is wonderful.  There are things it doesn't do well, and there are things it does better than anything else.  Let's focus on the photography and not the engineering reviews, what do you say?