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An update to my saga!


KallumR

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Hello forum members! 

 

If you have been following me (i doubt it but some may remember), you would know i saved for 2 years to get my humble M8 and after getting it, it broke within 3 months and would have costed $4500AUD

to fix it, 2x the cost of the camera. Safe to say i was extremely upset with this and all hope seemed lost.

But!

Just now it seems a ray of light has shone through and I have managed to claim it on house/contents insurance, netting me $2700AUD to spend.

Looking around it seems  I can sell M8's for parts for around 500-800AUD putting my total around 3300-3600AUD and i was wondering:

 

What do i do now?

I have 2 fairly cheap lenses (a 50mm Jupiter and an LTM 90mm) so I am not too heavily invested, so I could change systems.

However I love Leica so much, I get such a joy from using it, so I'd love to stay.

Should I get another M8 or M8.2 (or even wait for a really cheap M9), maybe one really nice 35mm Leica or CV lens to go with the M8 or migrate to say, a Sony A7 or Leica Q? 

 

I am so happy right now and I'd love some ideas. Thanks a bunch guys, all seemed lost but now I'm over the moon!

 

KallumR  

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Kallum, I'm still a believer in the M8.  We talked originally, and I was so glad to hear you could recoup your losses.

 

You have to be patient buying an M8; nowadays with supply reducing, you need to be choosy.

 

They have their foibles, and I wouldn't blame you if you looked at another system.

 

All the best, be patient, cheers  Dave S

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M9 prices are slowly dropping especially if you are content to buy one which has signs of use. However .....

 

Any digital camera has a life span and how long this is is subject to debate here on the forum. In your position I would try to find as cheap a body as possible (M8 or M9) preferably from a dealer and with a warranty if at all possible OR buy one cheap and have it serviced by Leica (costly but then it should have a year's warranty) - avoid those with any issues. Then invest in decent Leica glass of which there is plenty available at reasonable costs if you are prepared to track it down and happy not to buy the latest version. Lastly, start saving for another used body as prices slowly drop so that, if your existing body finally has problems, you are in a position to replace it and can use the glass that you have bought on the replacement body.

 

FWIW I bought an M9 before Christmas with a 6 month warranty for almost half the price of a mint example (and not much more than a mint M8). It is dented but had been fully repaired by Leica and accordingly has a 12 month warranty from Leica too. It looks a bit rough but its a good working camera. 

 

I'm not sure that its possible to buy Leicas really cheaply (rarely anyway) but then don't need to be as costly as all that :) .

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Much depends on how attached you are to an optical rangefinder/viewfinder.  If, like me, it's your preferred method of framing and focusing, then your course is clear and Paul (above) gives excellent advice.

 

If, on the other hand, an optical viewfinder isn't a big deal, then you have choices aplenty.

 

I'm a Leica user (M9P) but I also have a Fuji X-T1 with an M adapter that can fill in those times when the M setup isn't as convenient to use.  As an aside, while generally you can't go wrong buying Leica/Leitz lenses, don't discount modern Voigtlander and Zeiss glass... particularly when you're on a budget (like me.)  Most of my glass, in fact, is Voigtlander and they're stunning performers. 

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Hello forum members! 

 

If you have been following me (i doubt it but some may remember), you would know i saved for 2 years to get my humble M8 and after getting it, it broke within 3 months and would have costed $4500AUD

to fix it, 2x the cost of the camera. Safe to say i was extremely upset with this and all hope seemed lost.

But!

Just now it seems a ray of light has shone through and I have managed to claim it on house/contents insurance, netting me $2700AUD to spend.

Looking around it seems  I can sell M8's for parts for around 500-800AUD putting my total around 3300-3600AUD and i was wondering:

 

What do i do now?

I have 2 fairly cheap lenses (a 50mm Jupiter and an LTM 90mm) so I am not too heavily invested, so I could change systems.

However I love Leica so much, I get such a joy from using it, so I'd love to stay.

 

Should I get another M8 or M8.2 (or even wait for a really cheap M9), maybe one really nice 35mm Leica or CV lens to go with the M8 or migrate to say, a Sony A7 or Leica Q? 

 

I am so happy right now and I'd love some ideas. Thanks a bunch guys, all seemed lost but now I'm over the moon!

 

KallumR  

 

Also consider the Leica T.  With the M to T adapter, you could accumulate some Leica glass and maybe eventually move to an M.  The Q is great but it's fixed at 28mm and very expensive.  I have the M, Q, and T.  They all have their fortes.  

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All things considered, I would at least look at a system change. I recently purchased a used Sony A7II to allow for use of a wide variety of lens I own. Some Leica, some Nikon, Olympus and others. Great versatility!

For the price of a M8, you would have a camera that is very capable of producing some excellent files. Not ccd, but never the less, not too bad.

 

My first concern was not having a true rangefinder optical viewfinder, as there is really is nothing like it. What was refreshing to me though is the articulating screen, allowing for waist-level shooting, which for me in the street, is a very good thing. Not as fast as a Leica rangefinder, but more than adequate for the type of shooting I do.

 

I recently sold a Leica M9, that I was concerned about failure, even though Leica has made a huge commitment on the sensor issue. I just didn't want to get caught in a significant $$$$ outlay,should it arise.

That said, I have hung onto my Leica M8. For what they cost these days, I wanted to have a B/W option, which I believe, still produces a great file for that purpose.

 

I would at least go to a store and look at the Sony and see if you can live with the evf, menu layout and other features of the camera.

You can pick up a 1 owner, very low shutter count Sony A7II for around $1000-$1200.

 

Just a thought

 

Not sellin the M8 - Yet!

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[...] Should I get another M8 or M8.2 (or even wait for a really cheap M9), maybe one really nice 35mm Leica or CV lens to go with the M8 or migrate to say, a Sony A7 or Leica Q? [...]

 

I have no experience with the Leica Q sorry, only M240, M8.2 and Kolari mod Sony A7s among cameras you quoted.

If you want a rangefinder, there is no question, go for an M9 or a M8.2 but if you don't, the best advice i can give you is to order a Kolari mod A7r or A7s if you envision using M lenses.

There are things i cannot tell on a Leica forum but ask the same question on Andreas' Sony forum (http://www.sonyalphaforum.com/) if you wish and i will be glad to elaborate on that.

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Right now there are some exceptional prices on Fuji X-Pro1 cameras. With the M adapter you can shoot both M and LTM mount lenses. While the camera is not a true rangefinder, in use, it feels very similar. In my personal experience it is possible to manual focus accurately with the X-Pro1; and the images are very attractive. It would give you an inexpensive way to determine if the rangefinder format is really for you, while you save for and M8 or M9. Given the low prices, it is likely you would be able to recover most of what you pay for the X-pro1, when you obtain your new Leica and sell the Fuji.

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I am having a blast in my current trip to Japan with my M8. Love everything about it. I also brought my A7 and has been kept in the luggage the whole time.

 

Sometimes I dream of an M9-P or an M240 but the truth is I don't really need it, I think I will get in the future a Zeiss 28mm to have a wider FoV and that's it. I will keep my M8 forever or as long as it works. If it dies I will try to apply for a Leica trade-in or somethinf, who knows.

 

You will get better results with an M8 with good glass (I have the Zeiss 35mm F2 Biogon) than an M9 with russian glass. So if you go for the M9 prepare to spend at least 3500-4000 usd.

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Alright guys, I've been agonizing forever (its the fun part) and I've boiled down to 2 possible conclusions:

 

1: I get an M8.2 and either a cheap 28mm Elmarit (Canadian), a 35mm Summarit 2.5 or a 35mm NOKTON from Voightlander

 

2: I get a Sony A7II and a Good 50mm Summicron F2 w/ and adapter to fit.

 

What do you guys reckon, I love the M experience and already have 2 lenses for it (cheap ones though) and a Benser Leica case that I love, but is the Sony still a good choice. Thanks Guys.   

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Different beasts, RF vs TTL camera. Only you can know which system you prefer. If you go for the Sony, a Summicron 50 will fit but you'll have problems with wider than 35mm M lenses unless you get a Kolari mod. If you choose the M8.2, only you can know if you prefer 28 (equiv 35) or 35 (equiv 50) focal lengths. If you hesitate between CV 35/1.4 and Summarit 35/2.5 better choose the latter as the CV (at least my SC version) has a lot of focus shift. FWIW.

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If you choose the A7II, you should have a look at the attached link. Many of the photographs were taken with an A7 camera and show:

 

1. There is no end to the lenses that can be used with A7 cameras

2. Pretty dramatically, when using an A7 camera, any lens can be used to render a technically superb image.

 

It is almost as if the A7 cameras are capable of removing, to a considerable extent, lens quality from the photography equation.

 

http://manuellfokus.no/

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An M9 should be possible for that amount of money, and I would severely recommend that because it seems longer lasting than an M8 to me. You say you are very attached to Leica so don't change that winning team

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I've handled the A7, and just find the camera too small.  And too many controls.

 

It's important to handle the cameras one buys.  The Fuji form in my XE-1 is a very nice size camera, and takes just about any lens made.

 

Full frame doesn't come into my thinking much...I find the APS-C (and APS-H) sized sensor adequate, and have never felt I'm missing anything.

 

As Ricardo notes...he is having so much fun with his M8 and leaving the A7 in his luggage.

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Good to hear, that you've found a way to limit your loose.

 

The easiest way without any risk would be to go with a new Fuji X-Something, they are decent cameras with a considerable good price. But no matter how nice their pictures are, they are different compared to M8/M9. Since you can not afford new Ms, buying a used M8/M9 comes with some risk. If I should choose, I would take some time and money finding an M8.2 with very few actuations (<5000) at a dealer. I would go with the crop because my humble feeling is that you can find cheaper Leica lenses for those (e.g. Elmarit-M 28mm, Summicron-C 40mm), which seems to be good considering your budget. If you are not satisfied after all you can still sell that gear and buy that Fuji/Sony thing.

 

However, most of it depend on what pictures you want to take. Low light? B/W? IR? Focal lengths?

 

Just, my two cents.

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Yeah I am looking at a Fuji X-Pro 2, seems awesome with that Hybrid Viewfinder but I don't want to get caught by bells and whistles. 

On the topic of what I shoot: Portraits, Street (seems everyone does nowadays hahaha) and I own lenses from 35-90, B+W every now and again and while I'm no major low-light photographer it's nice to have.

 

I am one to understand how risky buying a used Leica is, but I do have an M8.2 with 6211 on the shutter lined up from Germany, seems to be in excellent condition. Should I get it, Ill send it straight for a CLA to get that Warranty that comes with it. Have sort of ditched the idea of a Sony A7 due to the necessity of the Kolari Mod. 

The question now is A Fuji X-Pro2 or an M8.2? 

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A way to answer your question would be to check how thick the sensor stack of the X-Pro2 can be. I have no idea but that of my X-E2 is pretty thick so that i cannot avoid smeared corners on wider than 24mm (35mm equiv.) lenses and pictures need more sharpening in PP than both my M8.2 and Kolari mod A7s. Not a big deal since i shoot raw and i've got very good resuts with the Leica "mate" (28-35-50/4) on the Fuji.

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All things considered, I would at least look at a system change. I recently purchased a used Sony A7II to allow for use of a wide variety of lens I own. Some Leica, some Nikon, Olympus and others. Great versatility!

For the price of a M8, you would have a camera that is very capable of producing some excellent files. Not ccd, but never the less, not too bad.

 

My first concern was not having a true rangefinder optical viewfinder, as there is really is nothing like it. What was refreshing to me though is the articulating screen, allowing for waist-level shooting, which for me in the street, is a very good thing. Not as fast as a Leica rangefinder, but more than adequate for the type of shooting I do.

 

I'm currently enjoying the same combination as you codecee - Sony A7II and an M8.2, and am very happy.

 

I really appreciate both cameras.  The M8.2 gives me that unique rangefinder fix, and the A7II gives me all of the contempory bells and whistles (and image quality).  I can understand that the UI for many people is unsatisfactory.  I hate having to use the menu's as much as I do (esp. compared to the Leica), but this is balanced enormously by the articulating screen for the reason that is mentioned above.  I use that feature nearly every time I shoot, and I now wouldn't consider a mirrorless camera without one.

 

2: I get a Sony A7II and a Good 50mm Summicron F2 w/ and adapter to fit.

 

That is a really good idea.  I am using a Rigid Summicron on my A7II (with a Voigtlander close focus adapter) and the results are very impressive.  Plus I get all the sensory pleasure of using such a beautifully crafted lens on a modern body.  I think any flavour of M mount 50mm Summicron would be fantastic or alternatively (and a bit cheaper) the Voigtlander VM 50mm f/1.5, which will give a Summilux a run for it's money.

 

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