M8 Arrived Thursday - Thanks - Thoughts

[wstotler]

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I can't recall who in particular pointed out earlier this week that silver chrome M8s were available at B&H--but thanks. I snapped one up before it went out of stock--along with a Summicron-M 1:2/35mm ASPH (roughly 50mm equivalent) chrome lens.

 

It wasn't what I expected. Coming from the Digilux 2, the M8 was smaller, but more solid feeling. The lens was freaking *tiny* and also solid-feeling. I was amazed. (I've never seen an M8 or Leica lenses in the flesh--just photos online.) As this is my very first rangefinder camera, I'd like to say that it's foreign to me. But following this forum twice-daily since early December I can say that I've read so many tips and general experience items that I felt at home and understood what to expect from the hardware. And how to use it, roughly. And a variety of philosophies for use.

 

So, in general, thanks everyone for posting your opinions and shots. Just monitoring the general forum "chatter" has been illuminating about what to expect.

 

I'd like to thank a few people from some threads directly.

 

 

-- M8/M lens use "simulation" with Digilux 2 - adan, chrism, carstenw, edisaacs, and ho_co

 

Your advice in here helped me plug 4,000 shots through my Digilux 2 with an M8 purchase in mind since December. Your comments helped me dial in settings and get accustomed to foot zoom, lens focus twiddle, aperture spinning, and speed setting. Yeah, I'd been doing all of that before, but I really started to pay attention to it and really experiment to get what I wanted. The value of your help ensured I had good advice not only about how to *better* handle the Digilux 2 but also to determine which lens I should choose first as a starter, based on the kinds of photos I take. Let me say, I am not disappointed. I think some people here would think my first lens choice is kind of "blah" but it's been perfect for the shots I take. (So far, I've only had three instances where a 21mm would have been idea for getting a roughly 28mm wide angle--and I just couldn't back up enough to get everything in the frame. No biggie.) Also, the depth of field I've been able to just "get" with the Cron 1:2/35 mm has been fantastic. I was always working the Digilux 2 to get good depth of field and was not successful on a regular basis. (Although other people *have* demonstrated good DOF from that camera.)

 

 

-- Non-Intrusive Shooting - ChrisC, Cyrshot, earleygallery, khanosu, guywalder, nkag, Skippy Sanchez, sean_reid, stnami, Tim Delbeck, and umb

 

The debate in here and differing points of view put me into a place where I had to decide if I wanted to "commit" to an M8 for photography apart from personal snappies? E.g., would I ever be comfortable enough to shoot people in public? The answer is "yes"--although the M8 has been noticed and then ignored by strangers moreso than the Digilux 2, for sure!

 

 

Anyway, thanks to everyone for their ongoing tips, tricks, product tests/observations, etc. It's been (and continues to be) most helpful.

 

And, a special nod to Sean Read, who originally reviewed the Digilux 2 and is directly responsible for getting me interested in the Leicas in the first place. Mr. Read, this whole thing is your fault. Accordingly, my wife will be contacting *you* shortly.

 

The good news is that the M8 really suits me and gives me room to grow.

 

Thanks, all. Some snaps attached.

[cam2000]

Glad your enjoying your new M8 and I like your picture story of this future airman......

[carstenw]

Congratulations on your M8 and the 35 Cron Asph. I also have this lens, and I am very fond of it. It is so compact and the M8 fits in my jacket pocket with this mounted. I also find that people don't pay much attention to me, even when they notice me. I guess now you have to decide in which direction you are going, wide or tele I can highly recommend the Voigtländer 15mm lens, which acts as a 20mm focal length on the M8. Very effective indoors, and for buildings inside and out. It is also very affordable and really tiny.

[Peter41951]

Congratulations on your new M8! I particularly like the photograph in the series above, with the plane caught in the pane.

[arthury]

I like the Shuttle show a lot. Where was this? Boeing Flight Musuem or NASA at Houston?

[sean_reid]

Enjoy it Will!

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[wstotler]

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I like the Shuttle show a lot. Where was this? Boeing Flight Musuem or NASA at Houston?

 

Sorry--these photos were taken at the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center outside Washington D.C. . . . The Smithsonian keeps a Concorde, SR-71 Blackbird, the Enola Gay, the Enterprise shuttle, and more in an enormous hangar/display there as it doesn't have room downtown to show larger planes from its collection. The photo of the plane taken through the upper window segment was from the 7th floor observatory, which looks out over Dulles International airport. The photos I posted don't really give the full story of the collection or the property.

 

More details here: National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

 

BTW, thanks everyone for the comments on the photos. I wasn't expecting any. Just wanted to say "thank you" to everyone that posts in the forums as the banter and chatter prepared me to purchase the M8 and an appropriate lens.