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luigi bertolotti · 07/07/07, 12:32 PM

Bert, the key to your decision is, in my opinion, in your first statement: you are A PHOTO HOBBYIST : let's go a little deep on this :

a) You do not take any professional - money risk if you make some mistake
b) You do not have to base your equipment decisions on the kind of assignments you are taking or hope to take; don't need to decide on a sort of "return on investment" analisys that, even if approximate and "sentiment driven" too, is the foundation of any kind of business one has to live on.
c) But you are not a person that simply wants to take some picture when it worths for some reason, no matters the gear provided that it works.
d) You WANT to do your best to have good pictures, and to have an equipment that satisfies you not only for the results, but also for the pleasure to use it: in any hobby, the medium is important as the goal.

You do not say what are your preferred kinds of shots, but I can suppose that, as for myself, you are not so dedicated to a specific subject. Well, thinking of M8, you have to keep well clear on your mind that there are kinds of pictures, nice for a hobbyist, you are almost forbidden to do with a M8 in respect to a DSLR, or, at least, unless you adapt yourself to manage complicated gear, that can appear foolish versus what you can achieve with rather common DSLR gear; I made my first macro session with my M8 2 weeks ago... I took my Visoflex and bellows (? it's 30 years or so it's no more produced), unscrewed the lens unit of my 135, put together some strange adapter ring... then tripod and ok as usual... with a DSLR I simply would have mounted a lens... but I like to do so... and one of these days I'll take on my 560mm... other kind of complications...but like it.
So, as my conclusion, go to M8 if you really like to use this kind of camera: you have to learn many things about RF focusing, no zoom and so... but also this can be a pleasure for a hobbyist; someday, you'll obtain excellent pictures... and

different from me... at least you already are in touch with the digital process... I used RF Leicas for 25 years or so... handling and shooting the M8 was vey easy for me... managing the files is my "learning phase" nowadays...

07/07/07, 12:32 PM	#12 (permalink)
luigi bertolotti Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: 01/24/07 Location: Brescia Posts: 2,972	Re: Stepping over from a DSLR to an M8 Bert, the key to your decision is, in my opinion, in your first statement: you are A PHOTO HOBBYIST : let's go a little deep on this : a) You do not take any professional - money risk if you make some mistake b) You do not have to base your equipment decisions on the kind of assignments you are taking or hope to take; don't need to decide on a sort of "return on investment" analisys that, even if approximate and "sentiment driven" too, is the foundation of any kind of business one has to live on. c) But you are not a person that simply wants to take some picture when it worths for some reason, no matters the gear provided that it works. d) You WANT to do your best to have good pictures, and to have an equipment that satisfies you not only for the results, but also for the pleasure to use it: in any hobby, the medium is important as the goal. You do not say what are your preferred kinds of shots, but I can suppose that, as for myself, you are not so dedicated to a specific subject. Well, thinking of M8, you have to keep well clear on your mind that there are kinds of pictures, nice for a hobbyist, you are almost forbidden to do with a M8 in respect to a DSLR, or, at least, unless you adapt yourself to manage complicated gear, that can appear foolish versus what you can achieve with rather common DSLR gear; I made my first macro session with my M8 2 weeks ago... I took my Visoflex and bellows (? it's 30 years or so it's no more produced), unscrewed the lens unit of my 135, put together some strange adapter ring... then tripod and ok as usual... with a DSLR I simply would have mounted a lens... but I like to do so... and one of these days I'll take on my 560mm... other kind of complications...but like it. So, as my conclusion, go to M8 if you really like to use this kind of camera: you have to learn many things about RF focusing, no zoom and so... but also this can be a pleasure for a hobbyist; someday, you'll obtain excellent pictures... and different from me... at least you already are in touch with the digital process... I used RF Leicas for 25 years or so... handling and shooting the M8 was vey easy for me... managing the files is my "learning phase" nowadays...