Gavlister Posted July 2, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 2, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi everyone Just thought would like to get opinions and/or recommendations on a second body as back up/compliment for an M9 I realise there is a thread already (and maybe several more I haven't seen) for back ups but this is a little more specific. My background...I have an M9 with summarit 35/90 and summicron 50. I am backpacking mostly thru Asia but also possibly South America and other places for 6 months to a year. Need to keep it light. My two contenders....M6 and X100 M6 pros: It is a Leica , I have the lenses, I can go extended periods without having a recharging point and of course it is film. M6 cons: It is film Yep contradictory I know. Basically I haven't shot with film in a long time and although I love the look of film and the whole idea but am not sure if it best serves my purposes...sorta thinking I will probably just double up my shots . Am still taken with the idea tho X100 pros: Low light (a biggie), cheaper means I wouldn't be scared to take it out at night in dodgy areas X100 cons: Another system and battery charger to carry to do the same job. I miss out on having a film camera. So basically for me it comes down to film and redundancy vs low light and a more sacrificial camera Would love to hear thoughts and passions on this Cheers Gavin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 2, 2011 Posted July 2, 2011 Hi Gavlister, Take a look here Second Body for Travel. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
viramati Posted July 2, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 2, 2011 A difficult one. I do have the X100 but no M6 (konica hexar RF is my film body). This being a leica form I wouldn't be surprised if you don't get a lot of support for the X100 and people start saying get the X1. Anyway that aside the X100 as you have already said is a great camera in low light and has the advantage of the hybrid viewfinder which I have to say is fantastic. There is a big but though and that is the battery life. If you are backpacking and away from a powers supply I would say the battery life of the X100 is worse than the M9 and it takes a whopping 3.5 hour to charge so you will need 2 or 3 batteries and maybe an extra charger. These can be found cheaply on the net and work well. I would say the extra charger and battery would really take up no more space than 4-5 roles of film that you would have to carry with the M6. As a camera it takes a bit of getting used to but the new firmware has made a big difference to usability. I find work with the hybrid finder really interesting and am finding the fact that I can instantly switch to the EVF for closer work with precise framing really useful. it does have problems with focus sometimes and in bright light it has a strange shutter lag problem due to the aperture opening and closing down each time you take a shot. On the whole it is the nearest thing you can get to a rangefinder style of shooting in this sort of camera and if you do a lot of low light work the files are amazing Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsjxyz Posted July 2, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 2, 2011 My back up is always my faithful Ricoh GRD II with wide lens extention (28 - 21mm) with my M9 with 35 and 75. So they cover 21, 28, 35, 75 cheers JSJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted July 2, 2011 Share #4 Posted July 2, 2011 X1 or X100 for a backup. Leave the M6 at home. I've been all over the most remote parts of China, and nowhere was I out of touch from UPS. If your M9 shoots craps (unlikely) just send it express back to Leica and keep shooting with either the X1 or X100 (your choice). Both will serve you well, and you will be back up and running with the M9 in no time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
menos I M6 Posted July 2, 2011 Share #5 Posted July 2, 2011 For this time frame, I would indeed prefer a digital backup. As you are talking backpacking, I indeed would even think small PS, rather than full backup body for the M9. The Ricoh GRD is a great suggestion, if you can live with the major differences between the files of the M9 and the GRD (I have a GRDII and III and hardly use them anymore, as files are just not up to the M8/ M9/ pushed BW film). There are fantastic small PS cameras these days, which deliver better image quality and are even more variable (Canon S95, Olympus XZ-1). You might be lucky, to find a third party universal battery charger, that takes Leica and the PS camera's batteries (just an idea, but not investigated yet). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
viramati Posted July 2, 2011 Share #6 Posted July 2, 2011 X1 or X100 for a backup. Leave the M6 at home. I've been all over the most remote parts of China, and nowhere was I out of touch from UPS. If your M9 shoots craps (unlikely) just send it express back to Leica and keep shooting with either the X1 or X100 (your choice). Both will serve you well, and you will be back up and running with the M9 in no time. Well the leica service time at Solms is at least 20 working days so including shipping etc you could be at least 5-6 weeks without it so I would't rely on that. that being said the fuji X100 repair turn around in the Uk is 4 days from when you send it to when you get back!!! impressive. If you want high iso performance I think the X100 or X1 will give you much better performance than the GRD Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_g_wolf ✝ Posted July 2, 2011 Share #7 Posted July 2, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Kept my DIGILUX-2 as a backup for the M9, so far it could have a well deserved rest. Best GEORG Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted July 2, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 2, 2011 that being said the fuji X100 repair turn around in the Uk is 4 days from when you send it to when you get back!!! impressive. Have you had to send your X100 back to Fuji already, David? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjames9142 Posted July 2, 2011 Share #9 Posted July 2, 2011 What are you going to do with these images ? Do you live off the sale of prints, or is it just for your own satisfaction ? If it's for you own pleasure, there's a whole host of p+S cameras that would do the trick.A friend who shoots in Afghanistan use the Canon G11 as backup for his 5DMk II. I use an X-1as backup to the M9 when travelling, and it will do at a pinch. But I am not sure what your real needs are. The best backup is a second body. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
viramati Posted July 2, 2011 Share #10 Posted July 2, 2011 Have you had to send your X100 back to Fuji already, David? Hi Andy yes and twice. first time was just to get the viewfinder adjusted for the early problem with the OVF being slightly out of alignment. 2nd time was because the shutter that closes the viewfinder to EVF stopped working. Both times I sent it off on a monday and had it back by Thursday which is pretty amazing service. I think some of the early cameras (like mine) may have not got the faulty quality control because of the tsunami in Japan. whether it is any more robust than an X1 I have no idea. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted July 2, 2011 Share #11 Posted July 2, 2011 Sounds about as reliable as my MP... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted July 2, 2011 Share #12 Posted July 2, 2011 Why not spend an extra $800 or so over the Fuji and get a used M8? Takes same batteries, lenses, etc and all of your images will remain consistent and resale will remain what you paid for it as long as you don't abuse it. Put it in a small pelican case (they make one just big enough for an M body) for safekeeping until you need to use it. Anything else for such a long and once in a lifetime trip seems like a compromise. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtoleica Posted July 2, 2011 Share #13 Posted July 2, 2011 M8, I would second this. Same lenses, same batteries, same handling. Keep it safe and then sell it on when you have finished with hardly any loss. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted July 2, 2011 Share #14 Posted July 2, 2011 My second body is, of course, the mistress and she can carry a bag of two Leicas with no problem. The best backup for an M9 is another M9. And so it be. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted July 2, 2011 Share #15 Posted July 2, 2011 Why not spend an extra $800 or so over the Fuji and get a used M8? Takes same batteries, lenses, etc and all of your images will remain consistent and resale will remain what you paid for it as long as you don't abuse it. Put it in a small pelican case (they make one just big enough for an M body) for safekeeping until you need to use it. Anything else for such a long and once in a lifetime trip seems like a compromise. um... Wouldn't you also need to get UV/IR filters for all your lenses? The M6 is smaller, lighter, more robust, doesn't need filters, etc... Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted July 2, 2011 Share #16 Posted July 2, 2011 I would imagine having to swap out the IR filters every time you change bodies would be a PITA. Unless of course, the M9 doesn't worry whether there is a cut filter on the front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
satureyes Posted July 2, 2011 Share #17 Posted July 2, 2011 X100 is a stunning camera. I had a loan camera and took it with me on a recent trip with my M9 and 3 lenses. I shot a lot of images on the X100 more than I thought I would. It's superb. The RAW output is brilliant and also the macro is something that you gain on the X100. Also it's a great camera for taking with you in the evenings or when you want to feature in the images when you hand the camera to someone else. I would get the X100 in a heartbeat. It's fabulous. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted July 2, 2011 Share #18 Posted July 2, 2011 um... Wouldn't you also need to get UV/IR filters for all your lenses? The M6 is smaller, lighter, more robust, doesn't need filters, etc... Regards, Bill Umm, wouldn't you have to get film for the M6? Definitely not cheaper or lighter than a couple of filters and the extra 2mm of an M8. And can now be quite hard to find (decent) film in many places outside of US and Europe. Anyway, the idea is that the M8 only comes out in the case of emergency, so filter swapping would be a one time deal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted July 2, 2011 Share #19 Posted July 2, 2011 Let me just make sure I understand you... UV/IR filters are cheaper than film...? Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted July 2, 2011 Share #20 Posted July 2, 2011 Let me just make sure I understand you... UV/IR filters are cheaper than film...? Regards, Bill Umm, yes. Lets's say you shoot on a trip on average 75 rolls of film per month (low end for me), at $25 average each for the film, process, scan then that's $1875. Then parlay that across a six month trip and it's $11,250 (this is of course based on worst case scenario that your M9 gives it up at the beginning and you are left with only an M6 for the rest of the trip). Makes a couple of B&W (or even Leica) UV/IR filters look cheap and UV/IR filters are pretty easy to get on used market these days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.