[rwchisholm]

The M8 system, using some Leica and some 3rd party lenses, is not (quite) as expensive as some might think.

On this site, sites like getdpi.com and fredmiranda.com, used M8s sell for $2400-2500. Not too bad, as most people who are "into" Leica cameras also take very good care of the cams. I've purchased 3 used M8's and have yet to run into a problem.

The 2nd type Summicron 50 sells for about $400 on ebay. I recently picked up a "beaten up" version of this lens for $200 -- slightly bent filter threads, finish all worn -- yet is works flawlessly and renders beautiful images, sharp wide open. Can't argue with that!

Voigtlander makes a few lenses that are really cool -- like the huge 35 1.2, with beautiful bokeh and huge, 1.2, light gathering power! $800 is a good bit, but still a nice price for any 1.2 lens. The new 15 -- rangefinder coupled, and really sharp -- is a sweet buy at $560 and an awesome city and landscape lens.

Obviously most of us still desire the quality of a well made Leica lens. Even my old beat up summicron looks spectacular on the camera and feels so good to use. But the initial buy-in to the Leica system, when purchasing on a budget, is not so much worse than buying my Nikon D700 system. And, while the D700 images look great, even at amazingly high ISO values, ON MY MONITOR, when I make prints, the photos I take with the M8 look so much like film, have so much character, and just look plain spectacular - even at ISO 1250 printed - on paper. --Rob