The M8 is wonderful thread

[Nick De Marco]

A little change from the normal 'my M8 is broken, died, is rubbish' type stuff

Just to say how happy I am to have my M8. I'm off to Cuba early tomorrow morning and as with all travelling taking photos will be my main activity. For once I don't have to pack a big bag with my heavy (and nice) 5D and lenses and then an m6 or something and separate lenses.

Just the M8, a RF film camera and 4 lenses to interchange between both cameras (Elmarit 21 and 28, Nocton 35 1.2 and 50 'cron) and I can already feel it will be so much more fun walking the streets of Cuba with my M8 than it would be witha great hunk of DSPR hanging round my neck.

Here's hoping I don't come back with a 'my M8 died in Cuba' thread

Ciao

Nick

[jaapv]

Have a good journey and post some shots afterwards!

[Riccis]

Ahh, the old country... Have a great trip and definitely look forward to seeing your images.

Cheers,

[jimmy pro]

Originally Posted by Nick De Marco

A little change from the normal 'my M8 is broken, died, is rubbish' type stuff....
Here's hoping I don't come back with a 'my M8 died in Cuba' thread

Hmmm....

[charlesphoto99]

Nick,

Good idea to have a film body and a bag of film along just in case (as well as for a different look/feel). Don't forget spare batteries! I'm off to Europe for a month in a week and will be shooting with the M8 and have my M7 in a pelican case just in case. I will be in big cities so won't bother bringing film but Cuba it might be a bit harder to find what you want. I'm sure your camera will do fine. Just don't panic if it freezes up on you - calmly reset the battery and it should be fine (mine does this occasionally).

Debating on taking my Rolleiflex TLR or a Mamiya 6 as well. It's ostensibly my honeymoon so just kind of want to relax mostly.

Good luck! I'm jealous - it's always someplace I've wanted to go. Will be interesting if you can get around the usual cliches of old American cars and crumbling buildings. Are you going to the countryside?

[fotografr]

The M8 should really shine with all the color you'll find there. People on the streets are generally very open to being photographed there as well. Have a great time!

[vanhulsenbeek]

Originally Posted by Nick De Marco

...... and I can already feel it will be so much more fun walking the streets of Cuba with my M8 than it would be with a great hunk of DSPR hanging round my neck. Here's hoping I don't come back with a 'my M8 died in Cuba' thread

Can't suppress that little green twang of envy:

Great place: you will love it. Don't miss out on Trinidad ( sure you won't) and on that collonaded street running east from the old centre of Camaguey!

[firststream]

It's great that you are going - I expect to be in Old Havana sometime in November. I'll want a full report from you.
It is advisable you pack plenty of pantyhose, skin lotion etc. for the Havana citizens. Small gifts go a long way towards opening photographic opportunities. Buy them at your local dollar store.

Bon voyage!

[farnz]

Originally Posted by charlesphoto99

... It's ostensibly my honeymoon so just kind of want to relax mostly...

"Ostensibly" your honeymoon, Charles?? Crikey, I wouldn't let She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed hear you say that! (Or did you in fact manage to find a way to marry your M8? )

Pete.

[offshore]

Have a great trip, I'm also jealous and want to see some pics when you return. If it's any comfort My M8 is a year and three months old, is approaching 10,000 actuations and has never had any of the problems one reads about. It has gone over on a tripod (I had to close my eyes for a few seconds on that one) and came up without a scratch and keeps on working. I'm close to the day when I will travel with it without a back up (I take an Olympus Stylus with me) and I guess that will be the indication that I'm fully comfortable with it. Have fun!

[Nick De Marco]

Just got back from Cuba and my M8 is alive and well. I was delighted to have it with me, at all times, and will spend the next few weeks editing the hundreds of photos I took. Cuba must be one of the best places in the world to visit for photography, and apart from a couple of minor battery issues, and that thing that happens if you try and take too many photos with the M8 too fast, the M8 served me very well and I definitely think I preferred having it there than lugging around my Canon 5D and lenses.

Many photos of Cuba to come soon, but here are a couple taken on the first day there for now...

Nick

[firststream]

Nick - these shots are a wonderful tease for what shall be posted later! I can't wait for my November trip to old Havana.
Did you miss having the 5D while there? Were you well-equipped for low-light opportunities?
I'm considering taking the M8 & 28, 35 cron, 50 lux, as well as 5D and 14L, 24L. What are your thoughts?

Jeff

[Nick De Marco]

Hi Jeff

Old Habana must be one of the most photogenic cities on earth.

I had a coupld of twangs missing my 5D. My friend, Ripon, travelling with me, had a Nikon DSLR. Once or twice he got a shot I missed because he had either a zoom lens on or used autofocus when things were fast moving. And he took some fine photos too. I also missed it and cursed my M8 on the first night when the battery died and I realised (i) I had not unpacked my spare battery and (ii) I only had the last few exposures of one film left in my rangefinder film back up. But that was my fault.

But generally I did not miss it. I still find that I am slightly more thoughtful when using an M8 than when usingh a DSLR, and after a couple of days settling in, when you no longer feel the need to shoot everything quickly, the benefits of the M8 outweigh those of the 5D (although of course not when it comes to very hight isos).

What I can say is that if I was going to Cuba again, I would not take my 5D. I would take the M8 again and either an M film back up or a mamiya 7 for a few special shots. The M8 worked perfectly for 90% of what I wanted to use it for in Cuba, mainly street shots, portraits and architectural stuff. If I was doing landscapes in Italy I think I would take my 5D as well as the M8.

As to lenses, I think you have a good se;ection there. I found I used the 28 (Elamarit) and 35 (Nockton 1.2) the most. What surprised me is how often I used, and had good results from, my CV 12mm. I only took this as an afterthought, thinking the far more expensive 21mm Elmarit would suffice for 80% of wie angle. In fact I rarely used the 21mm. I usually wnet from 28mm (standard) up to 35 or very occassionaly 50mm or down to 12. If you do take the 5D then as you have a 14L that will more than suffice.

[firststream]

Thanks Nick - I understand what you say about the 5D being desired for 10% of your needs. I suppose if there is a site calling for DSLR usage, one call always return to it another day, properly armed. To prevent neck strain, if nothing more!

Thanks also for the re-assurance wrt Old Havana's photographic qualities. Old architecture, interesting people and lifestyles, and warm weather seems like a sure thing to me.