M8 lens thoughts and experience

[tom0511]

Good Morning,

I am interested in thoughts from people who allready have used M8s for some time and their experience regarding lenses.
I do own most of the Leica primes (21,24,28,35,50,75,90,135) and the CV15mm.
I have to mention that I did not get all these for the M8 but have owned most over the last years.
I might sell one or two lenses but first want to use them on the M8 and see which work best for me. I also usually never carry more than 3 lenses with me.

As someone who also used the M8 for Landscapes (I am a ot in the mountains where low weight is important) I was wondering if I should get the 28-35-50 Tri-Elmar for Travel and outdoor photography.

Originally I was planning to evtl. sell the 21 and get the 16-18-21.
But the 15 does a pretty good job and I find myself not using the ultra-wides as much as I thought. Much more 24-28-35 and also 75/90 images I am taking.

So here my question:
How much practical calue do you see in the 16-18-21 compared to just the 15mm CV?

How much practical value do you see in the 28-35-50Tri-Elmar as addtion to fast primes?

Thanks for any ideas/ experience.

[Donald]

Hi Thomas,

An important difference between the M8 and the previous M's is the risk of dustspots. Therefore the Tri-elmar 28-35-50 should be high on your list as it reduces the number of lenschanges. Unfortunally you might still want to carry the 21 or 15 with you for wide angle usage untill Leica comes with a 21-28-35 Tri-Elmar?

Donald

[lightpainter]

regardless of my other lenses, I will get the new Tri Elmar because it will work well as a 21 on my M8 and an ultra-wide lens on my M6

[marknorton]

I've ordered the WATE with my 30% discount but probably wouldn't without it because I have the 21mm so really the WATE amounts to 16mm f4 for me, a fraction of a stop faster than the CV 15 and 8-10 times the price. Factor in the apparent inconveniences of using it (filter, lens hood, not clear how it will work with the M8 cyan correction) and it begins to look a bit like a white elephant.

I like the normal T-E (NOTE - thanks for the suggestion H-C) , great for travelling and added advantages for the M8 is reduced lens changing (to keep the dust out) and a slight shift in emphasis from normal, wide, wider, to long-ish, normal, wide. Pair with a 75 or 90 and you're in good shape.

I have a second 30% available and I'm thinking of buying the second generation NOTE simply because the IR cut filter/hood combination is neater than on the first generation lens for which there's a ready market on ebay. Either that or a 75mm Summilux.

[khun_k]

Originally Posted by marknorton

I've ordered the WATE with my 30% discount but probably wouldn't without it because I have the 21mm so really the WATE amounts to 16mm f4 for me, a fraction of a stop faster than the CV 15 and 8-10 times the price. Factor in the apparent inconveniences of using it (filter, lens hood, not clear how it will work with the M8 cyan correction) and it begins to look a bit like a white elephant.

I like the normal T-E (NOTE - thanks for the suggestion H-C) , great for travelling and added advantages for the M8 is reduced lens changing (to keep the dust out) and a slight shift in emphasis from normal, wide, wider, to long-ish, normal, wide. Pair with a 75 or 90 and you're in good shape.

I have a second 30% available and I'm thinking of buying the second generation NOTE simply because the IR cut filter/hood combination is neater than on the first generation lens for which there's a ready market on ebay. Either that or a 75mm Summilux.

I am using M8 for some time now and the Zeiss Hologon 16mm modified to mount on M continue to be my most favorite. Combine with M8, it gave me new perspective of taking close up pictures and of course the usual scenic and photojournalism shooting. I got a small on-line gallery just dedicate to M8 and Hologon for your reference. http://www.flickr.com/photos/khunk/s...7594424599203/

[tom0511]

Originally Posted by marknorton

I've ordered the WATE with my 30% discount but probably wouldn't without it because I have the 21mm so really the WATE amounts to 16mm f4 for me, a fraction of a stop faster than the CV 15 and 8-10 times the price. Factor in the apparent inconveniences of using it (filter, lens hood, not clear how it will work with the M8 cyan correction) and it begins to look a bit like a white elephant.

The idea of using a filter OR the hood on a ultra wide (16-18-21) is something which makes me thinking too.
The relating multi-finder for the WATE looks ugly to me.
The 15 I can just use my 21mm Leica finder which is great.
MMMmmhhh.

I wish the Tri-Elmar was 24-35-50. I wouldnt hesistate a minute.

I might use the 30% rebate for the 28-35-50.
Besides the weight advantage for outdoor/travel I agree on the "dust-avoiding"-issue.
Just realized that I have 3 or 4 dust spots on many of my M8-images from the last vacation.

[tom0511]

Originally Posted by khun_k

I am using M8 for some time now and the Zeiss Hologon 16mm modified to mount on M continue to be my most favorite. Combine with M8, it gave me new perspective of taking close up pictures and of course the usual scenic and photojournalism shooting. I got a small on-line gallery just dedicate to M8 and Hologon for your reference. Hologon Fascination - a photoset on Flickr

I have looked at your galleries before and I dolike your images a lot. I have a lot of respect how close you get to people with your camera.
I am afraid I am too shy often, specially if I do not know the people. I feel that I enter their private sphere and I dont know if it is my right to do so.
Great images, kind of makes me re.think if the WATE would motivate to get closer to the "action".
thanks, Tom

[khun_k]

Originally Posted by tom0511

I have looked at your galleries before and I dolike your images a lot. I have a lot of respect how close you get to people with your camera.
I am afraid I am too shy often, specially if I do not know the people. I feel that I enter their private sphere and I dont know if it is my right to do so.
Great images, kind of makes me re.think if the WATE would motivate to get closer to the "action".
thanks, Tom

I think M8 is the right communication tool, if not the best, to get close to people. With a camera the size of M8, it only cover part of face so it does not give certain pressure to whom you want to take picture for, it looked friendly. And all along, you can continue to look into your subject while maintain verbal communication with the subject and can still keep one eye on the subject and there you get what you want. The Hologon shot was in fact a lot closer than what it looked like because it is a 16mm and the sensor on M8 made it appeared as a 21mm lens. Many pictures I took is just breath away ( less than 30cm ) from the subject and M8 made it possible.

[marknorton]

Originally Posted by khun_k

I am using M8 for some time now and the Zeiss Hologon 16mm modified to mount on M continue to be my most favorite. Combine with M8, it gave me new perspective of taking close up pictures and of course the usual scenic and photojournalism shooting. I got a small on-line gallery just dedicate to M8 and Hologon for your reference. Hologon Fascination - a photoset on Flickr

I saw them before and loved the canal series. Wdie-angles can be great if you're happy going in close to get the emphasis of the main subject. It's all to easy to fall into the trap of using a wide angle and getting just huge skies and never-ending foreground.

I do come back to the Zeiss Distagon, it's the lens I hope Leica would have produced.

[marknorton]

Originally Posted by tom0511

The idea of using a filter OR the hood on a ultra wide (16-18-21) is something which makes me thinking too.
The relating multi-finder for the WATE looks ugly to me.
The 15 I can just use my 21mm Leica finder which is great.
MMMmmhhh.

I wish the Tri-Elmar was 24-35-50. I wouldnt hesistate a minute.

I might use the 30% rebate for the 28-35-50.
Besides the weight advantage for outdoor/travel I agree on the "dust-avoiding"-issue.
Just realized that I have 3 or 4 dust spots on many of my M8-images from the last vacation.

Doesn't just look ugly Thomas, it IS ugly!

[bnelson]

Originally Posted by khun_k

I am using M8 for some time now and the Zeiss Hologon 16mm modified to mount on M continue to be my most favorite. Combine with M8, it gave me new perspective of taking close up pictures and of course the usual scenic and photojournalism shooting. I got a small on-line gallery just dedicate to M8 and Hologon for your reference. Hologon Fascination - a photoset on Flickr

what were the modifications required for the Zeiss Hologon 16mm to fit work with the M8?

Great photos!

Bill

[pelikan1931]

"who says I am ugly?"

[jrc]

I haven't had my M8 for so long I can barely remember it, but the 28-35-50 Tri was one of my favorite lenses for walking around during the day; but it's an f4, so it's not so good for late afternoon in the city, especially in older cities with deep narrow streets, where the light goes quickly. Erwin Puts rates it highly compared to the primes; I don't think you lose anything, really, but a bit of speed. And it's quite compact for what you get.

JC

[sean_reid]

Originally Posted by Donald

Hi Thomas,

An important difference between the M8 and the previous M's is the risk of dustspots. Therefore the Tri-elmar 28-35-50 should be high on your list as it reduces the number of lenschanges. Unfortunally you might still want to carry the 21 or 15 with you for wide angle usage untill Leica comes with a 21-28-35 Tri-Elmar?

Donald

The M8 is no more prone to collecting dust on the sensor than most DSLRs. I spent many years dusting negatives and spotting prints and that was far more work than periodic sensor cleanings.

Cheers,

Sean

[tom0511]

Originally Posted by sean_reid

The M8 is no more prone to collecting dust on the sensor than most DSLRs. I spent many years dusting negatives and spotting prints and that was far more work than periodic sensor cleanings.

Cheers,

Sean

yeah, not just a problem with the M8.

I kind of like the Nikon-reference-image idea.

The question is-how often check the sensor for dust and how often to clean it?

I am lazy. I have not had much problems with dust. The problem I see is that you realize too late if you have dust on the sensor.

[marknorton]

Originally Posted by pelikan1931

"who says I am ugly?"

I think it grows everytime I see it. Designed by a woman apparently...

[jaapv]

Originally Posted by pelikan1931

"who says I am ugly?"

Maybe if you stopped feeding it?

[grober]

Don't forget the announced but not-yet-available Zeiss Distagon 18/4.0 ZM lens! I waiting to handle that lens before I buy a CV 15mm Heliar. My widest lens for my M8 is currently the Leica 21mm Elmarit (non-ASPH.)

I have also used but no longer own the second version 28-35-50 TE. I think Leica's mechanical solution in all the TE lenses is sound and had no difficulties with my TE. I only sold my TE because of it's slow (for me) speed.

If you are going for a compact M8 solution to shoot mountain landscapes, the WATE and one other (faster) lens might be the ticket. Perhaps your second lens could be a 28 or 35 Summicron.

A lightweight third lens possibility would then be a CV 75mm or Leica 90mm Tele-Elmarit for tele work. Don't forget to add a small but sturdy tripod.

-g

[Peter Branch]

Originally Posted by grober

Don't forget the announced but not-yet-available Zeiss Distagon 18/4.0 ZM lens!

The other advantage of an 18mm, (a lens Leica should have made available years ago; they were certainly asked to do so many times and not just by me!), would be that I could use my, (apparently discontinued), 24mm viewfinder. It is not perfect but it is a whole lot more convenient than that "Packing case" thing which would be unavoidable if I were to use my 30% to get a WATE. Based on using the M8 for a while now I'm going for a 28mm Summicron-M ASPH, (a focal length I never found particularly useful with film), and then look for an 18mm to give me back the 24mm equivalent focal length which I really like and which is the widest I have ever really needed.

[tom0511]

Originally Posted by Peter Branch

The other advantage of an 18mm, (a lens Leica should have made available years ago; they were certainly asked to do so many times and not just by me!), would be that I could use my, (apparently discontinued), 24mm viewfinder. It is not perfect but it is a whole lot more convenient than that "Packing case" thing which would be unavoidable if I were to use my 30% to get a WATE. Based on using the M8 for a while now I'm going for a 28mm Summicron-M ASPH, (a focal length I never found particularly useful with film), and then look for an 18mm to give me back the 24mm equivalent focal length which I really like and which is the widest I have ever really needed.

ja ja the Zeis 18mm ..one more option.