Redridge Posted March 22, 2011 Share #1 Posted March 22, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have an M8.2 and an M9.... I use the m8.2 as a backup and take it along holidays as a second body for walk arounds. Its nice to have another M with a diff lense mounted (changing lense can be a drag)..... Ive been in the film section lately and was contemplating on the m9 and the mp combo. So.... I ask, having two bodies, anyone prefer two digitals or a digital and film combo for vacations only. Im kinda missing my film days or will this craving pass... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 Hi Redridge, Take a look here Sell the m8.2 and get an MP?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
colonel Posted March 22, 2011 Share #2 Posted March 22, 2011 It will pass Listen, I get this every few years, almost bought a M6. To dull my cravings I bought a second hand canon a1, 50mm and 135mm lenses (a classic camera - all dslrs today are still fundamentaly based on the innovations of the A1) - mint quality! The a1 was £99 and the 135 was only £40. After 6 rolls, albeit great fun, I am cured for another few years. As: 1. Sorry film aficiendos, the quality is below digital ! 2. Its hassle getting them developed and - have to wait 5 days (for boots near where I work) 3. Its very expensive 4. You have to wait for the end of the roll to see your pictures * 5. The pictures build up in boxes (which I don't have storage for), so the only practical way to see them, or show them off, is to scan them and store them on a computer. 6. Its all very smelly * I think about each shot. Not seeing the results immediately is a real pain. Also I may only take a few pictures in a session. I don't want to wait until I want to take more pictures, and finish the roll. I recommend you get a cheap film camera and play around before you splash on an mp. My 2 cents Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted March 22, 2011 Share #3 Posted March 22, 2011 After 6 rolls, albeit great fun, I am cured for another few years. As: 1. Sorry film aficiendos, the quality is below digital ! 2. Its hassle getting them developed and - have to wait 5 days (for boots near where I work) 3. Its very expensive 4. You have to wait for the end of the roll to see your pictures * 5. The pictures build up in boxes (which I don't have storage for), so the only practical way to see them, or show them off, is to scan them and store them on a computer. 6. Its all very smelly Hmm... So let me get this straight. You are relying on Boots the Chemist and you are then saying that film quality is below digital, you have to wait 5 days and it's very expensive... You then go on to say that there is no practical way of storing and displaying them??? Finally, having outsourced the entire production process to a spotty youth in the High Street, which bit is smelly?? Redridge, fill your boots. The only part of Colonel's posting that I agree with is that you shouldn't jump straight to an MP. Get something much cheaper first - an old M2 is a good buy - and run it alongside your digital stuff. If it doesn't work for you, you can typically sell it on without any loss. For goodness' sake, get your films developed somewhere sensible. If you want to go to the high street try Snappy Snaps, otherwise send away. A five day turnaround is nonsense. Snappy Snaps will develop and cut to disc (decent-sized scans) in an hour for less than six quid. You can then decide what you want to scan larger or wet print. Don't be put off - give it a try. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonel Posted March 22, 2011 Share #4 Posted March 22, 2011 Hmm... So let me get this straight. You are relying on Boots the Chemist ... having outsourced the entire production process to a spotty youth in the High Street, which bit is smelly?? I was being a bit toungue in cheek, sorry I didn't make that clear. Boots no longer process in house, so its all sent away and quite nicely done. There are of course alot of better developers, but the turn around time is still a hassle. I also maintain that the final result is disappointing compared to digital - but that could be personal taste. Certainly I used to shoot film "in the old days" - not revealing my age here , and I have fond memories which perhaps have advanced beyond the reality. Snappy snaps (and others) also seem to be disappearing where I work, even though its the centre of London .... Just re-making the main point, which I think you also made, that you should try first from a low cost base, before splashing out on an MP, or M7, both very fine cameras. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted March 22, 2011 Share #5 Posted March 22, 2011 It all depends upon what you mean when say that "Im kinda missing my film days" : me too have some nostalgy about film... but, though having some film M body, truth is that I use them no more : I LIKE digital, it HAS advantages and don't like the idea to manage mixed workflow/processes/timings etc : so,for me film is simply a strictly mechanical backup because electronics, in general, CAN go down: my tiny and fine Rollei 35 is more than sufficient for this purpose. On the contrary, if you miss something about the film in itself as a process, look of prints etc... (there are many in this situation - and many are surely better photogs than me, so I respect their opinion) , Bill's advice I think is the best... a good M2, with your lenses' set, can take exactly the same pics as a brand new MP... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted March 22, 2011 Share #6 Posted March 22, 2011 I have just sold eight prints to my office for use in the boardroom. My MD went through my website and said "I'll have one of that one, one of this one" etc. Of the eight, five were shot digitally with the D700/Leica combination or the DMR and three were shot on film. The final result on the wall is not disappointing for the film ones when compared to the digital ones, to my eye, or anyone else who has seen them (and let me know what they thought). Now, to Redridge, I also say "buy an M2" and save yourself £3,000. If you enjoy the experience, by all means buy an MP or an M7. If you don't, and even if you give the M2 away, you will have lost less than the initial depreciation on a new MP. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ming Rider Posted March 22, 2011 Share #7 Posted March 22, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I to get nostalgic about film. To quench my 'occasional' craving, I use a Yashica Electro 35 GTN Range Finder. It has a 45mm f1.7 lens. It costs around £35 - £50 and the high quality of the lens is widely known. To be honest, it sits in a seperate bag and seems to be coming out less and less (along with the Yashica TLR). I just love the M8 Digital work flow too much, for all the reasons mentioned above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted March 22, 2011 Share #8 Posted March 22, 2011 I second the suggestion, to get an affordable film body additionally to your M8 and M9. It is actually quite interesting, to shot the film body together with digital. It gives you a look, the digital can't do (find your taste with certain films) and can give you some technical advantages, the digitals do not quite get to (ever saw, how beautiful film treats highlights, even heavily pushed). If you find, that you like the way, film handles (it is a different workflow after all) and how shooting film influences your photography (you start, to see light differently, start, to select your subject, light, composition and exposures more consciously, …) … THEN, then should you think about settling with a film body, you WANT. I started up with a M6, went to digital and a few more bodies and finally found the deal on a nice MP, I always wanted. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Fool Posted March 22, 2011 Share #9 Posted March 22, 2011 The OP has an M9 and an M.8.2, I'm sure he knows the price points of the MP, M2, Yashica GSN's etc. Let me guess here but I'd say the desire for the MP is just as much about owning a piece of classic industrial design as it is about shooting the odd bit of film, and why not? I love shooting film for certain projects but I find I use medium format more than 35mm these days. But I love my M6 - as much for it's form and beauty as I do for it's function. As for the "Sorry film aficiendos, the quality is below digital !" bit above, FFS! I'll take content over quality any day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailronin Posted March 22, 2011 Share #10 Posted March 22, 2011 [Q As for the "Sorry film aficiendos, the quality is below digital !" bit above, FFS! I'll take content over quality any day. Ah, but with the same photographer the content should be quite similar so quality wins out. Dave By the way, I seem to be regressing and going more to film in spite of myself, Xpan's don't come in digital! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticman Posted March 22, 2011 Share #11 Posted March 22, 2011 I had no 'nostalgia' whatsoever regarding film, having mostly used digital cameras for the greater part of my adult life - but when I saw what was possible from a well-developed negative, scanned on a high-standard film-scanner, I realized that film can give you a beautiful look that's far different (and in my opinion, far more beautiful) than digital ever can.* If you're serious about the aesthetics of your photography, then the quest for this beauty is not just an idle "craving" that passes. If that happens, then it was simply a case of needing some new gear to play with, and isn't anything about the final image or about a love for photography. I like what digital does, and I truly enjoy all of its immediacy and convenience. But film looks and feels totally different, and I love the whole process with a passion that's quantitatively different to digital. * Just for the record, I work with digital media, including stills and motion graphics. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted March 22, 2011 Share #12 Posted March 22, 2011 Let me guess here but I'd say the desire for the MP is just as much about owning a piece of classic industrial design as it is about shooting the odd bit of film, and why not? That really is part of "it", I'm sure. My M7 takes perfectly good photographs when I point it in the right direction, but I ordered a black paint MP on Saturday, almost "just because". (Actually, it was just because it's a significant birthday in the summer, but that's just another reason). It will be interesting to see whether the different camera affects my approach to shooting with an M. The M7 certainly did when I added that to the M2 that I own, but I'm not sure about the MP. We will see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted March 22, 2011 Share #13 Posted March 22, 2011 I have an M8.2 and an M9.... I use the m8.2 as a backup and take it along holidays as a second body for walk arounds. Its nice to have another M with a diff lense mounted (changing lense can be a drag)..... Ive been in the film section lately and was contemplating on the m9 and the mp combo. So.... I ask, having two bodies, anyone prefer two digitals or a digital and film combo for vacations only. Im kinda missing my film days or will this craving pass... I have two M8s and one M6. I started with one M8 and picked up an M6 as a "cheap" vacation backup. After acquiring the second M8, the M6 is gathering dust. For me, shooting film will be on a lark. I have a good lead on cheap and reliable B&W film processing and scanning to disk, locally, which may mean that I shoot more in the near future. If, however, acquiring the MP will increase your shooting because you want to shoot the physical thing--e.g., the gear acquisition encourages you to shoot more and improve skills--and you can afford it, knock yourself out. It's a valid reason to acquire the gear. Thanks, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikael Siirilä Posted March 22, 2011 Share #14 Posted March 22, 2011 After I got the M6 my M8.2 has become a "second" camera. I would not have imagined how exciting film shooting would be after a decade of going digital. Its not about better/worse quality. Its about a totally different KIND of quality. You cannot beat the artistic grain of Tri-X and the way detail and grain work together. Or the natural and organic feel of the images. I am developing and scanning films by myself now, so cost is not such a big issue. Its great to have both the M film and the M digital bodies. They use the same lens so the investment is reasonable. I can carry both bodies and two lenses in a small billingham. I keep b/w Tri-X 400 always loaded in the M6 and when I want color shots or shots that I need to share with others (within days) I use digital. The M6 has a great build so I don't see the need to go for an MP unless you have heaps of extra cash. Or a thing for that nice top-plate engraving. Near mint quality M6s are available here and there for 500-1000 euros. Some Tri-x goodness here: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/146907-sell-the-m82-and-get-an-mp/?do=findComment&comment=1622286'>More sharing options...
Steve Ash Posted March 22, 2011 Share #15 Posted March 22, 2011 Go for it. Each digital M should be accompanied with a film M. Although I added an M7 to my M8.2 I somehow lust for an MP. Regards Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharyngula Posted March 22, 2011 Share #16 Posted March 22, 2011 I traded in my M8.2 for an MP for many of the reasons that have been discussed in this thread. I have not regretted the decision now several months in. I have not picked up an M9 yet but part of the "decision" process in letting the M8.2 go was knowing I will eventually obtain a FF digital RF. I fully intend on using both the MP and an M9 at some point. I also now shoot a Nikon FM2n with 50/1.2 on occasion (dug it out of the closet before getting the MP). I just like film and having been away from it for years I wanted to get back to it. The experience has not disappointed - perhaps because I haven't been running lots of rolls through. I work at the pace I enjoy and I grant you, this is far less frenetic than it would be if I had a digital body in hand. I don't care about all the practical and objective reasons that drive others to sing the praises of digital relative to film. One doesn't replace the other in my experience. I continue to shoot digital with my X1 (and D700) and will do so until I pick up an M9 or whatever FF Leica may have when I'm ready (the D700 will probably go when my kids get a little older). But the digital workflow from camera to print somehow seems more like work and less like fun than it use to; shooting film has had that effect on me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redridge Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share #17 Posted March 22, 2011 Thanks for the feedback guys.... I can prob sell the M8.2, get a used MP (It is the model that I want) and prob end up being a wash.... Thing is, the M8/M9 offer similar experiences and wonder how the MP will change the way I shoot.... Will I regret not having 2 digital M's in the future? To the people who says to keep the m8.2 and get an M4.... (I want the light meter) If cheaper film is the way way to go, the M6 would suit me better. which is about half the price of a used MP..... so now we are talking 3 M's (gonna have to sleep on these options.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted March 23, 2011 Share #18 Posted March 23, 2011 Thanks for the feedback guys.... I can prob sell the M8.2, get a used MP (It is the model that I want) and prob end up being a wash.... Thing is, the M8/M9 offer similar experiences and wonder how the MP will change the way I shoot.... Will I regret not having 2 digital M's in the future? To the people who says to keep the m8.2 and get an M4.... (I want the light meter) If cheaper film is the way way to go, the M6 would suit me better. which is about half the price of a used MP..... so now we are talking 3 M's (gonna have to sleep on these options.... I use mainly a M8.2. I have also a M6, a M7 0.85 and now a MP. I do not miss a second digital M. I always use two cameras with two different lenses together (sometimes three). The MP created a much, much bigger "want" for me, than the M9 does, which I follow closely in availability and pricing. Each of the three film bodies does a different task for me, now with some overlapping between the M6 and MP (both 0.72 finders), while the chrome M6 has some sentimental value, which makes me think about upgrading it's finder and keeping it. For me, the mix of digital and film is absolutely ideal. I shoot both for BW and do very, very little color. I use film for the look and feel, for dynamic range, digital just can't match, for the higher speed (I shoot TriX @3200 and regularly push more in dev) and for the thing, some people here call "zen". Film takes pressure away - you shoot free with film. People don't quiz you for prints the day after or interupt the flow in constantly asking to see that darn LCD! I use the "it's a film camera" a lot, even when shooting the M8.2 for this very reason. The Leica film bodies are the most quintessential cameras there are - functional wise - no distractions, just the stuff, you really need. If the M8.2 is "second camera", and if you are committed to the MP, it is the best camera, you will buy. It is an expensive film body (even used), so take your time, finding the right one, and you will be very, very happy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJDrew Posted March 23, 2011 Share #19 Posted March 23, 2011 Do it! The interchangible sensors on the M6 are pretty amazing, replace noise with a beautiful organic grain, and provide a wonderful, hands-on, manual workflow that leaves you with something physical and something to be proud of. If you can appreciate using a Leica, I am sure you can appreciate a little analogue photography from time to time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootinglulu Posted March 23, 2011 Share #20 Posted March 23, 2011 I absolutely would. I have the M9 and in the future hope to have the MP too, seems like a dream team.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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