Leica X1 and M9 rumors (and leaks?) in the forums

Thed pointed out in the GF1 post that there is big excitement at the L-Camera forums over a couple of pictures on flickr showing a Leica M9 and Leica X1 digital cameras.

Here they are:
+ see the pictures in this user's flickr stream

+ L-Camera forum discussion

+ Gizmodo has saved the original flickr leak with the specs - just click on their image for a larger size

+ More discussions at the Rangefinder forum

+ Unrelated (?) to the above - Panasonic Germany calls the just-announced 45mm f2.8 macro lens a Leica DG Macro-Elmarit (this is a fact, not a rumor)

The leak alleges that the M9 will use a 35mm full frame sensor with 18-megapixels and bundled with Adobe Lightroom (they did have a divorce with P1).

The leak also alleges that the Leica X1 will be made in Germany, with a 24mm f2.8 lens and a 12mp APS-C CEMOS (???) sensor, will have traditional Tv/Av dials, built-in flash and autofocus. Does the camera shown in the Leica promotional video below look like (or could be) the X1 pictures above? Or is it a smooth-operator M9?

As you can see in the Leica promotional video for 9.9.09 (see earlier post) they seem to hint at a Leica-style Big Bang of sorts, with multiple products for multiple experience levels. The video is included below for an extra round of analysis and clue-looking:

Live Webcast on 9/9/2009 - The next Generation of Leica Cameras from leica camera on Vimeo.

Key phrases in the Vimeo video above
+ "ground-breaking collection of new products" at 1 minute and 9 second mark
+ "novice and professional alike"
+ "next generation of Leica cameras" - at 1 minute 15 second mark

But the real clue as to how many new cameras they will reveal? We have to go to an Alan-Greenspan-style indicator: the number of teeth the Leica Guy shows when smiling in the video is the number of new Leica products revealed ;-)

If you are going to be in NYC on 9.9.09, B&H Photo is hosting an event to showcase "new products". More via Get DPI.