Get the Leica M9 look in your photos

The pop of colours made by the Leica M9 with its unique CCD sensor. Nothing compares.

I watched a leftover candy floss sales cycle thing in Oslo the other day. And it just made my day how the pink and blue tones mixed and are repeated. The Summilux 50mm f/1.4 ASPH is the ideal combination with this camera.

Can you replicate these colours in other cameras. Yes, and no. The natural pop of colours and tones are difficult to recreate in other cameras even when tweaked in Lightroom. A description below, you can try out and play with and se how close you can get.

The Leica M9 CCD Sensor Look: Why It’s Unique

The Leica M9 uses a Kodak KAF-18500 CCD sensor, which is fundamentally different from the CMOS sensors found in most modern digital cameras. Here’s what makes its colour rendering so distinctive:

1. CCD vs. CMOS Colour Response

• CCD sensors tend to produce more natural, film-like colours, especially in the red and blue channels.
• The M9’s CCD sensor has a stronger microcontrast and a more organic tonal roll-off, especially in highlights.
• Colours often appear richer and more saturated, but not artificially so. There’s a subtle vibrancy—especially in cool blues and warm pinks/reds—that feels painterly.

2. No AA Filter

• The M9 lacks an anti-aliasing (AA) filter, which contributes to sharper detail and crisper colour transitions, enhancing the perception of colour depth.

3. Leica’s Colour Science

• Leica’s internal processing emphasizes skin tones, shadow detail, and highlight retention. Combined with the Summilux 50mm f/1.4 ASPH, the rendering becomes even more three-dimensional.

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How to Emulate Leica M9 Colours in Post-Processing

While you can’t fully replicate the CCD “feel,” you can get closer with careful editing. Here’s a general workflow using Lightroom or similar tools:

1. Start with the RAW file

• Use RAW files from a camera with a neutral colour profile (e.g., Fujifilm with Provia, Sony with Neutral, Canon with Faithful).
• Avoid overly processed in-camera profiles.

2. Colour Grading Tips

• Blues: Slightly desaturate and shift toward cyan. Add a touch of luminance to lift them.
• Reds/Pinks: Increase saturation slightly, but shift hue toward magenta for that candy-floss warmth.
• Greens: Desaturate slightly and shift toward olive to avoid digital-looking greens.
• Skin Tones: Keep warm, but reduce orange saturation to avoid oversaturation.

3. Tone Curve

• Use a gentle S-curve to boost contrast without crushing shadows.
• Lift the black point slightly for a softer, filmic base.

4. Split Toning / Color Grading

• Highlights: Add a warm tone (e.g., soft peach or golden yellow).
• Shadows: Add a cool tone (e.g., teal or blue).
• Keep the balance subtle—this mimics the CCD’s natural colour separation.

5. Clarity and Texture

• Reduce clarity slightly to soften digital harshness.
• Increase texture to retain detail without over-sharpening.

6. Grain

• Add a fine, soft grain to emulate the organic feel of CCD files.
• Here is your custom Lightroom preset that emulates the Leica M9 CCD look, focusing on:
  • Cooler blues and warmer pinks
  • Subtle contrast and tonal depth
  • Film-like grain and colour separation