[Michael Tyler]

I have to disagree with some comments here.

First is that the mirror slap of an SLR puts it at a shutter speed disadvantage against a rangefinder. I've successfully shot down to 1/2 second at an 80mm focal equivalent with no motion blur. It's difficult, but with good technique and the right subject, it's more than possible.

Second was the comment about the Canon Rebel XTi bettering the high-ISO performance of the M8. I shoot regularly with the XTi and the 20D, and it's my opinion that the M8 is dead even with those cameras, except that the quality of the noise is much better.

The D3 certainly has set a new precedent for low-light photography, and successive models from Canon and Nikon will continue the trend. But I heartily disagree that the M8 is at an image quality deficit to anything out there right now. The tonality, the color, the flexibility of the files in post, and the magical quality of the lenses, all of these have made my M8 a dream come true. I shoot with some of Canon's finest lenses, but the resulting images still lack a realism - they're too plasticky, too obviously digital. D3 files from reputable pros have done nothing to make me think Nikon has anything different to offer. Quite simply, I have never done better work and delivered better results to my clients than the last two months of owning an M8. Give me the little rowboat any day.