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Tempted by M-E ?


Etruscello

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I added a M9P to the M8, so no. Had I not done that, the ME would be considered.

 

I would have to see one in person as perhaps the color is ugly. I use the USB port to download and it is missing. Sliding the card in/out causes card wear and wear to the camera contacts. I can always buy a new battery or card, I can not repair the camera contacts.

 

I would take the ME over a used M9 unless I knew the person who owned it.

 

Frame preview would be missed occasionally, but is not a deal killer.

 

All said and done, I love my M9P chrome.

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Just curious -- are we M8/M8.2 users tempted to try the new M-E? Why or why not? Tom

 

YES, i am. but the M-E is very UNpopular at this time.....as most people seem to not like the finish/colour/lack of levers/etc.....so i'm going to strategically wait things out. Expect the M-E to get massively discounted in the next year. That's going to be the time when i jump on one!!

 

personally....i loove weird Leicas...which is why i have an M5 and M8. lol.

Edited by iedei
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I use the USB port to download and it is missing. Sliding the card in/out causes card wear and wear to the camera contacts. I can always buy a new battery or card, I can not repair the camera contacts.

 

All said and done, I love my M9P chrome.

 

Never heard of contacts wearing out, I have a well used Canon 20d and that's still fine. Best to use different cards too to avoid problems with card failures. USB sockets are much more likely to get damaged through use.

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Take the plunge, I got myself an ME and love it (Still have M8.2). Don't be scared of the 'Leica Puritans' because of color or missing frame line preview. If the internet existed back when the Leica CL came out we would have pretty much the same arguments. Still got my CL and working perfectly with my 90mm f4 Minolta Rockor :rolleyes:

Go for it

Gerry

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Never heard of contacts wearing out, I have a well used Canon 20d and that's still fine. Best to use different cards too to avoid problems with card failures. USB sockets are much more likely to get damaged through use.

 

I find it hard to believe too that the contacts wear out.... first time i actually hear it

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YES, i am. but the M-E is very UNpopular at this time.....as most people seem to not like the finish/colour/lack of levers/etc.....so i'm going to strategically wait things out. Expect the M-E to get massively discounted in the next year. That's going to be the time when i jump on one!!

 

be careful of making glib statements

it is not unpopular at all, its just not selling as fast as the M9 did as there is a limited market for Leica products and many people are waiting for the M.

 

of course many people here already own M9/M9Ps so there is a bit of investment protection going on ...

 

I swapped a M9 for a M-E because I like the colour much better. So does my wife and a number of colleagues I have shown it to.

To be honest the best thing about it is a lack of that dumb frame selector which virtually no one uses and is another thing to break.

I think it looks much neater without it.

Edited by colonel
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The frame selector has been known to just fall off anyway.:eek:;)

 

In truth, I'd probably prefer my M cameras without the selector lever – I never use it and it creates a kind of tactile interruption in an area where you might to place a finger or two – but I don't dislike it enough to change cameras because of it.;) The great Ralph Gibson is also apparently not a fan of the frameline selector – he chose to leave it off for the special edition MP that bears his name (and which he apparently 'designed').

Edited by wattsy
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be careful of making glib statements

it is not unpopular at all, its just not selling as fast as the M9 did as there is a limited market for Leica products and many people are waiting for the M.

 

of course many people here already own M9/M9Ps so there is a bit of investment protection going on ...

 

I swapped a M9 for a M-E because I like the colour much better. So does my wife and a number of colleagues I have shown it to.

To be honest the best thing about it is a lack of that dumb frame selector which virtually no one uses and is another thing to break.

I think it looks much neater without it.

 

the M-E is a love/hate camera as witness from comments here and on RFF. I have already found M-Es selling for up to $600 off the MSRP. it's not a "glib" statement....it's reality.

 

I personally love the idea and the look of it (I never use USB or frame selection) and I think the finish is beautiful....but it is currently not the most popular camera around, if we are going by sales and stock levels.

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the M-E is a love/hate camera as witness from comments here and on RFF. I have already found M-Es selling for up to $600 off the MSRP. it's not a "glib" statement....it's reality.

 

I personally love the idea and the look of it (I never use USB or frame selection) and I think the finish is beautiful....but it is currently not the most popular camera around, if we are going by sales and stock levels.

 

it is glib in the way it was said. he said its most unpopular which is not true.

M9s also had discounts offered when they were stocking resellers shelves

It might shock folk to know that I have never paid full price for a Leica body - gasp!

 

In terms of the colour. You are absolutely right, its taste, but its certainly not as stark as love it/hate it, as evidenced on forums where people are asking advice on which to get

 

Like I say, most of the negative comments are M9/M9P users (i) protecting their investment, (ii) used to their colours

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it is glib in the way it was said. he said its most unpopular which is not true.

M9s also had discounts offered when they were stocking resellers shelves

It might shock folk to know that I have never paid full price for a Leica body - gasp!

 

In terms of the colour. You are absolutely right, its taste, but its certainly not as stark as love it/hate it, as evidenced on forums where people are asking advice on which to get

 

Like I say, most of the negative comments are M9/M9P users (i) protecting their investment, (ii) used to their colours

 

agree with your last sentence. in terms of a new Leica camera or model which generally generates a lot of interest usually----it is pretty unpopular for sure. I never said 'most unpopular'. either way....I think it is a great version of the M9P and deserves more credit as such....

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be careful of making glib statements....

To be honest the best thing about it is a lack of that dumb frame selector which virtually no one uses and is another thing to break.....

This statement does make me wonder why Leica persisted with the frame selector lever for sixty years if 'no-one' used it. My M3 had one and I used it. My M6 had one and I used it. My M8 has one and I use it and my M9 has one and I use it. I really cannot think that I am the only M-owner to use this simple but useful feature. Oh, and not one lever fell off my camera in all that time!

 

There are plenty of good reasons to buy an M-E. If I was about to move into digital photography from Leica film cameras, the M-E would make a lot of sense. I am sorry, but I cannot possibly justify trading my M9 for this model. The M? Well that is a different story and I guess several contributors to this thread will soon be arguing the case for the new M. :)

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My M3 had one and I used it. My M6 had one and I used it. My M8 has one and I use it and my M9 has one and I use it. I really cannot think that I am the only M-owner to use this simple but useful feature. Oh, and not one lever fell off my camera in all that time!

 

interesting

I am interested in what you use the frame lever for

is it for seeing the perspective if you changed lens, for example ?

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i can see a use for the lever if you're not used to a rangefinder and the frame lines. I've been using it exclusively for 4 months now and I know the 50 frame lines without even holding the camera. and I'm close to achieving the same thing with 28 and 90.

 

I can barely see a use for it if you've been shooting with a rangefinder for some time. i cannot imagine you use it before you take a shot to determine the perfect focal length...:eek:

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interesting

I am interested in what you use the frame lever for

is it for seeing the perspective if you changed lens, for example ?

Perspective doesn't change when you alter the lens angle of view. It only changes when you alter your viewpoint.

 

No, my main use is for examining potential cropping and looking selectively at alternative angles of view. This is particularly the case when working with 35 or 50mm lenses and I wish to see what the effect would be if I change to a 75, 90 or 135mm lens, more usually the medium telephotos. I also take into account possible changes of viewpoint. The two variables can be worked together. It avoids changing lenses until I am sure of what I will include. You will deduce this is less appropriate for 'press' work, but an entirely workable procedure when time and thought is being applied to shooting a subject. For me, it would be a retrograde step not to have a pre-selection lever. I hope this explanation helps.

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i can see a use for the lever if you're not used to a rangefinder and the frame lines. I've been using it exclusively for 4 months now and I know the 50 frame lines without even holding the camera. and I'm close to achieving the same thing with 28 and 90.

 

I can barely see a use for it if you've been shooting with a rangefinder for some time. i cannot imagine you use it before you take a shot to determine the perfect focal length...:eek:

Marc, you are quite right; it is possible to visualize the fields of view for popular focal lengths. But see my reply above for my technique for exploring tighter crops. There is something quite satisfying floating a frame over sub-sets of a scene. Sure you could guess, but why guess when within a few seconds you can evaluate precisely the benefits of changing a lens.

 

I should add that in some situations when I am working with one lens, I use the lever to assess the potential for a return visit on another occasion, or under different lighting conditions, with a different lens. For travel I always have two or three lenses with me.

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