Am I Making A Mistake?

[andit]

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Hi All,

 

Happy new year to everyone, may 2007 be great for all (as I was told this morning its the James Bond Year 007). Well now to my question...

 

I'm just about to purchase a Digilux-3, with "kit" lens and an Oly 50-200 f/2.8 lens to go with it. Having read so many reviews and opinions here, I'm just a little scared to invest so much in a system that possibly has a very limited future (4/3). One can say that this is not the case and that Leica would not invest in such a system, however, one just needs to look back at the past to some spectacular failures in the photo industry (110 Film SLR by Pentax, the Kodak Disk Film, to a certain degree APS which has been replaced by digital and not to mention 136 Film (that was that quick load cartridge that never really made it to anything)).

 

Should one invest in the D system, which has really gotten into my heart, or just wait and save for the M8.

 

Look forward to hearing both sides of the argument here.

 

Andreas.

 

PS: I'm writing from South Africa and a M8 body plus one lens will set you back rouchly ZAR 80,000-00. That is more money than what 80% of the population here earns in one year. Are the prices in your part of the world also so extreme?

[Peter41951]

Hello Andreas

 

R80 000 is about £5 800. Here, the M8 is £2 990 and a 35mm Summicron is £1 310 (special offer), making a total of £4 300. Does SA still have stinging import duty?

 

Gelukkige nuwe jaar.

[jlancasterd]

Andreas

 

I don't think you will be making a serious mistake in buying into a 4/3 system *PROVIDED* that the quality of the images comes up to what you require. Even if the 4/3 system proves a dead end, you will still be able to use your camera until it wears out because it uses the same digital media as other cameras which aren't 4/3. This is a completely different situation from that of anyone who bought a cameras using some of the film types you mention or even some that were regarded as normal not all that many years ago (try finding 127 film for a baby Rolleiflex, for instance)

 

Concerning the price of an M8+lens in RSA. 80,000 Rand does seem expensive - it equates to about £5,850 or $11,400. In UK an M8 body is listed at £2,990 (about 40,900 Rand). You don't say which lens you are talking about so I can't give a comparison. However, I suspect that the high price is due to the import duties and taxes imposed by the South African government on a 'luxury' item.

[Riley]

hoi lol

M8 is A$8k here

we are supposed to be around 0.76c per US$

 

i happen to have 2 Pentax 110 SLR's here

it was really a very novel camera

 

if you get the D3, you can sell the lens and recover some cash

and get some decent pro quality glass

make sure you check out the Olympus 7-11mm zoom

[hth]

Get what you like and plan to use. Do not count on any camera system today as being "forever". The track record of 120 and 135 film will not be repeated.

 

/Håkan

[ptomsu]

the 4/3 system is a wonderful system, although you must be aware, that any APS size or VF system will always have more advantages than diadvantages compared to 4/3. It only depends on what you are looking for. If you look for more compact lenses, then in general 4/3 is not the solution (other than their marketing likes to male you understand), because all Oly and other lenses are not really smaller than good APS siz lenses.

 

I would realy go for either a Nikon or Canon instead, what you get is much better choice in bodies and glass, for mostly better price. If you are hooked to Digilux3, then go for 4/3, but be aware of the potential shortcomings of this system, although these might be no shortcomings for your needs.

 

Finally you have to decide yourself. If you feel it is the right thing to go for then just do it, but stop comparing after that.

 

Peter - who sold the 4/3 system 2 years ago and is happy now with Nikon (D2X) and Leica (DMR).

[earleygallery]

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or, if you're thinking of an M8 look at the Epson RD1 as an alternative, to use with Leica lenses.

[graham_mitchell]

Andreas, if you pay half my flight, I will bring an M8 to you in SA

 

You should get it even cheaper than the prices quoted because you will be exporting it and won't be liable for sales tax.

 

(No, I'm not kidding. I have friends to visit in Cape Town!)

[Bo_Lorentzen]

No you are not making a mistake.

 

Don't compare the Digilux3 to a pentax 110 - which really was a very cool little camera, particularly if film technology would have improved. But the 4:3 system is not a ONE model from one manufacture, it is so far sold by 3 brands, and apearently manufactured by two, a load of different models have been manufactured and Leica have commited to dublicate several of the lenses already in the system with their designs in the future. Leica had no reason to start creating a series of D lenses unless they strongly expect to sell them both now and in the future. It is my guess that as we are discussing this,.Leica is working with Panasonic on brewing up the next Digilux camera,

 

What a shock, I was just in South Africa in the fall and found prices to on most tech products rather close to California prices, wonder why the Leica M8 is so expensive there.?

 

In my opinion Leica is comitted to more lenses and probably more cameras. Photography is art, and art is about what makes your heart and soul tick, if you feel that the Leica is what makes you smile chances are that it will also make you photograph, how can that possible be a mistake.?

 

BTW. I have the 50-200 2.8 which you mention, its a great lens, works wonderfully on the D3, highly recomended. I almost forgot to say, its true as somebody mentioned - everyday lenses for the 4:3 system IS about the size of their counterparts in other systems. however in the telephoto department a 300mm lens deliver the "reach" of a 600mm lens in the 35mm system. at about 1/3 the weight and half the lenght. backpacking this is a huge difference.! See picture of my nikkor 300mm on my D3 on my website, its a very small package for 600mm reach.

 

 

Bo

 

My Leica D3 scratch page - random thoughts , pictures such.

[dwcolvin]

If you look for more compact lenses, then in general 4/3 is not the solution (other than their marketing likes to male you understand), because all Oly and other lenses are not really smaller than good APS siz lenses.(sic)

 

Except, of course, any time you're talking telephoto. Compare the Oly 150mm f/2 lens with a 35mm FF 300mm f/2 lens (oops, sorry, does one exist?). The much-criticized increase in DOF is an advantage here, too.

 

Now, the need for an SLR mirror box certainly makes 'normal' and wider lenses retrofocus designs, and huge in comparison to rangefinder lenses.

 

The Digilux 3 is big, but a good aesthetic match to the kit 14-50 OIS lens.

[andit]

>>>Graham

Thank you for the offer. Will come back to you once I decide which way to go.

 

>>>Bo

Thanks for your thoughts. Leica has a very small market here in SA, so for them to keep going they add quite a mark-up. I had a look at the photo's on your Panorama page - they are great. I live about 60mi from the Blyde River Canyon, and have done a lot of work in the Sabi Sands game reserve (not in photography, sadly, I built a few of the lodges there).

 

Andreas

[ptomsu]

Except, of course, any time you're talking telephoto. Compare the Oly 150mm f/2 lens with a 35mm FF 300mm f/2 lens (oops, sorry, does one exist?). The much-criticized increase in DOF is an advantage here, too.

 

Now, the need for an SLR mirror box certainly makes 'normal' and wider lenses retrofocus designs, and huge in comparison to rangefinder lenses.

 

The Digilux 3 is big, but a good aesthetic match to the kit 14-50 OIS lens.

 

Well - to find the Digilux3 aesthetic is very subjective - I do not like this kind of shape with too much edges, almost looking like a square of cheese - sorry, but this aspect is realy very individual,

 

Peter

[dwcolvin]

Well - to find the Digilux3 aesthetic is very subjective - I do not like this kind of shape with too much edges, almost looking like a square of cheese - sorry, but this aspect is realy very individual,

 

There's no question that there are some who think an SLR without a pentaprism hump is ugly. I'm not one of them.

[ptomsu]

There's no question that there are some who think an SLR without a pentaprism hump is ugly. I'm not one of them.

 

:-))

[Riley]

Well - to find the Digilux3 aesthetic is very subjective - I do not like this kind of shape with too much edges, almost looking like a square of cheese - sorry, but this aspect is realy very individual,

 

Peter

 

as opposed to a plastic toaster with a lens on it