due163 Posted March 17, 2011 Share #21 Posted March 17, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Im glad I read this thread , I have been saving for a while to get an M8 and was having second thoughts, not anymore My shrink says I need to be more Zen, so zen photography here I come Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 17, 2011 Posted March 17, 2011 Hi due163, Take a look here M8 - Reassurance Required. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Wolfgang Esslinger Posted March 17, 2011 Share #22 Posted March 17, 2011 It can be a lot of fun to use an M8 but it might be a more expensive pleasure than Panasonic: My M8 + lenses had to be corrected for backfocus the second time in just over a year although I didn't use either extensively. Also, I am still not adapted to the crop factor. Time and again I think the lens should be right for the shoot only to look through the finder and see that a bit is missing. So for me the M8 is just the affordable tool but I really look forward to a second hand M9. Hopefully an M10 appears shortly with so many improvements that all M9 will be forced to switch (ok, a bit egoistic, but only just ). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Black Posted March 17, 2011 Share #23 Posted March 17, 2011 buy it, use it, enjoy it... it is a camera, an instrument, do not think to much, photograph... i had the same before, so i understand, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted March 17, 2011 Share #24 Posted March 17, 2011 I think the M8 is perfect - just rethink focal lengths, 28=35, 50=70 etc. Using a M2 with a 35 mm summaron lens and the M8 with a 28 summicron is pretty much identical from a composition point of view. OK, OK the summicron is optically better but not by a very wide margin. In fact IMHO the summaron is as good as I need if not more and it is about 50 years old. This stuff is made to last, including the M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted March 17, 2011 Share #25 Posted March 17, 2011 I think the M8 is perfect - just rethink focal lengths, 28=35, 50=70 etc. Using a M2 with a 35 mm summaron lens and the M8 with a 28 summicron is pretty much identical from a composition point of view. One of the reasons I'm reluctant to go from my M8.2 to an M9 is that I've grown to prefer the rendering of my 28 Summicron asph to my 35 Summicron asph. And, likewise my 50 Summilux asph compared to my 75 Summicron asph (never liked those 75 frame lines). Enjoying the crop. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Fool Posted March 18, 2011 Share #26 Posted March 18, 2011 So have you been reassured? I've bought 2 M8's secondhand, I bring my Mac with me and check this stuff before I buy. LCD Screen - check for the 'coffee stain' effect High ISO image - check for lines/banding Shutter count - check it hasn't got 100,000 on the clock Body condition - has it been treated like a 'lady' Most M8's I've seen have been in pristine condition, only come across one that had been well used and it'll probably keep shooting just fine for years still. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caterman Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share #27 Posted March 18, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) So have you been reassured? I've bought 2 M8's secondhand, I bring my Mac with me and check this stuff before I buy. LCD Screen - check for the 'coffee stain' effect High ISO image - check for lines/banding Shutter count - check it hasn't got 100,000 on the clock Body condition - has it been treated like a 'lady' Most M8's I've seen have been in pristine condition, only come across one that had been well used and it'll probably keep shooting just fine for years still. Well yes I have been reassured. I'm grateful for the time everyone puts into these forums, what a community. I love my M7 and I'm sure I'll love my M8 - when I find the right one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkkchris Posted March 18, 2011 Share #28 Posted March 18, 2011 I was in a similar situation to you. Ended up picking up a very nice used M8 and so far I am really enjoying it. I have a Canon 7D which I very rarely use due to the size/weight and I just don't feel any connection with it - that said it is a fantastic camera and loaded with all sorts of "features". As I am coming from mostly an APS-C world, the M8 is great with its lower crop factor. Sure I would have loved a M9, but at the current used prices for a M8, I think they are well worth a look. Maybe in 2-3 years I will get rid of the 8 for a 9, but till then I think I will be very happy. I picked up a new 28 Elmarit ASPH so to have a roughly 35mm view, and think it will suit me well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanara Posted March 18, 2011 Share #29 Posted March 18, 2011 Hi.... many of you on this thread talk about buying your "8" therefore I assume most of you are talking about the 8 rather than the 8.2. Can anyone tell me.... If I was to buy an 8 and have the 8.2 firmware upgrade what is actually done/changed. Clearly the glass is not done nor the shutter and I presume the silent release??? Can you help me? Regards Stuart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted March 18, 2011 Share #30 Posted March 18, 2011 Hi.... many of you on this thread talk about buying your "8" therefore I assume most of you are talking about the 8 rather than the 8.2. Can anyone tell me.... If I was to buy an 8 and have the 8.2 firmware upgrade what is actually done/changed. Clearly the glass is not done nor the shutter and I presume the silent release??? Can you help me? Regards Stuart Are you talking about a firmware "UPDATE" (M8 & 8.2 use the same firmware version) or the "UPGRADES" for the M8 to bring it NEAR M8.2 function? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted March 18, 2011 Share #31 Posted March 18, 2011 The upgrade that takes an M8 beyond an M8 doesn't get it to an M8.2. It gets it to an upgraded M8. There are some improvements still in an M8.2 over an upgraded M8. Have a look on Leica's website and see what you get for your money. Any M8 can have the firmware updated to the latest version, but the upgrades are hardware related and need to be done in the factory. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted March 18, 2011 Share #32 Posted March 18, 2011 If I was to buy an 8 and have the 8.2 firmware upgrade what is actually done/changed I didn't realise there was an 8.2 firmware upgrade. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted March 18, 2011 Share #33 Posted March 18, 2011 There isn't. It's a slight confusion between upgrade and update Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanara Posted March 18, 2011 Share #34 Posted March 18, 2011 Sorry guys If I have confused you. I do not mean any of the mechanical upgrades offered by Leica I am aware of these and how expensive they are... very expensive. So my question remains... someone on ebay was offering an 8 with quotes... 8.2 firmware. And I wondered what this offered over the std 8?? if anything. To confuse things further I often see M8U's advertised and I must admit I felt that this meant that they were originally 8's and had been back to leica for the upgrade program to make it an 8.2.. One of the above posts has just said that the 8U is the 8 with a firmware upgrade... now I am confused. Help? Cheers Stuart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted March 18, 2011 Share #35 Posted March 18, 2011 You can install the latest firmware on your M8. It is identical on both cameras. The confusion is coming from the eBay seller. There is no "M8.2 firmware". An "M8.u" has had at least one of the hardware upgrades done at the factory. So, one has to be very careful when thinking about buying an "M8.u" as it might not have the upgrades you were expecting. "M8.u" is not an official designation by the way, it's just a user shorthand - and highly confusing. An M8.u might have had one, several or all of the upgrades listed here: http://en.leica-camera.com/service/service_m_system/m8upgrade/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanara Posted March 18, 2011 Share #36 Posted March 18, 2011 Cheers Andy. Stuart. PS..... I suppose if you were wanting all the upgrade features, it would be far better to buy the 8.2 as the second hand difference seems to be about a £1000.... to buy the 8 and then spend all that money on all upgrades would take you well over the £2500 average asking price at the moment?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted March 18, 2011 Share #37 Posted March 18, 2011 There is an M8 There is an M8.2 Both of those are as shipped by Leica. Leica offered an upgrade service that allowed M8 users to have some of the M8.2 features added to a standard M8. Those were, the quartz glass fitted to the rear screen; the quieter shutter (with the loss of 1/8000th); framelines optimised for a farther distance. Any, or all, of these were available. So an upgraded M8 could have one of them, two of them, or all three. The person selling the upgraded M8 will be able to tell you which have been fitted. The same firmware runs on all cameras. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted March 18, 2011 Share #38 Posted March 18, 2011 Sorry guys If I have confused you. I do not mean any of the mechanical upgrades offered by Leica I am aware of these and how expensive they are... very expensive. So my question remains... someone on ebay was offering an 8 with quotes... 8.2 firmware. And I wondered what this offered over the std 8?? if anything. To confuse things further I often see M8U's advertised and I must admit I felt that this meant that they were originally 8's and had been back to leica for the upgrade program to make it an 8.2.. One of the above posts has just said that the 8U is the 8 with a firmware upgrade... now I am confused. Help? Cheers Stuart It is the same firmware. What the newer firmwares offer on the M8 is the discreet shutter and that is about it. IIRC. eBay Caveat Emptor. I sell and buy stuff on eBay but I don't lie and can tell one when I see/read one. The seller either is flat out lying or really has no idea what he is talking about. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 18, 2011 Share #39 Posted March 18, 2011 Even an upgrade M8 is not an M8.2, certain features were not included in the upgrade. The firmware has nothing to do with it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandokan Posted March 19, 2011 Share #40 Posted March 19, 2011 My heart yearns for a second hand M8My head is worried about all the problems I read regarding reliability and the need for constant fettling by Solms, which sounds costly. eg sensor redline, circuit board swaps and frequent CLA's The M8 would be a replacement for a GF1 (possibly keep GF1:rolleyes:) and to complement M7 and D700 Should I go with my heart or my head? Dave There are two truisms that I live by:- 1) Buy cheap - buy twice. 2) If you go with the Head - the Heart will continue to nag you until eventually you end up buying with the Heart anyway. So miss out the middleman and buy with your Heart to begin with. And now my problem is solved:- There is a R 350 Telyt for sale here AND a ZM Planar 50. My Head says buy the Telyt, my heart says spend the next months salary and get both. So I may be a few kg lighter soon and homeless. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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