iomatic Posted February 23, 2007 Share #1 Â Posted February 23, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I shot with the M3 (DS) and a 50mm through college for street and documentary; sold it as I wasn't using it for years. Got a 5D recently for commercial work, and would like to sell the whole system and go M again. I'm off the pro photography track, and back in the design world. Â So, I'm pondering the M8 and a 28mm Elmarit combination (considering the 1.3x factor). I love the wide/normal end much more than I like the long, but I'm also considering picking up a 135 for travel (I know; the flak I'll get for this! ) Â Anyway, I leave it to you all to make some recommendations (used glass designation/serials to look for, etc.), and some of your expertise. Â Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted February 23, 2007 Share #2 Â Posted February 23, 2007 Jack, first of all welcome to the forum. Â Like yourself I moved from film Leica to a Canon 5D. I've had the M8 for just over a month and I'm loving every minute of it. It handles just like my M6. Â One thing to bear in mind is that you _will_ need to get IR cut filters for your lenses. The magenta problem that you've probably read about is painfully obvious if you have people in your shots wearing clothes. If they're not wearing clothes there's not much of a problem. Â If you so get a 135 the best one to get is probably the older f2.8 version with goggles as this is the only one where you'll see a frame line through the viewfinder. Â 28mm is a good place to start. So far the lens I've used most is my Voigtlander 28mm Ultron. Â Even if you want to stay in the Leica lens fold, you owe it to yourself to buy a Voigtlander 15mm lens with a 21mm viewfinder. Cracking value for money. Â As you can probably guess I'm pretty enthusiastic about the M8 :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted February 23, 2007 Share #3 Â Posted February 23, 2007 I would suggest the 35 Cron over the 28 Elmarit for your first lens. With the 1.33 crop the 35 turns into a 47mm lens. Which is close to what you liked and used before and it is 1 stop faster then the 28 Elmarit. Also depending on where you are and where you plan on buying the camera and lens the 28 Elmarit ASPH (new lens) is in short supply and I haven't seen many, if any, in the used market either. The new 35 ASPH is a great lens. You could also look at Zeiss Lenses. They make both a 35 f/2 and a 28 f/2.8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted February 23, 2007 Share #4 Â Posted February 23, 2007 Jack first great decision if you need one call Sean at Camera West in Monterey he has 6 black ones as of the other day. The 28mm is a excellent lens on the M8 and great framelines for it. Depending if you want a fast F2 or a 2.8 you really can't go wrong with the new 28 2.8 or the 28mm F2 of course there is about 1000 dollar difference but depends on your need. I agree if you like wide for 400 dollars the CV 15mm is a fun lens , guess at the focusing and your off to some wide angle fun. Also if your starting out new it maybe wise to think in terms of system total , how many lenses do you want total . Let's say it is 3 than there are some lens options that make for a good spread >example 21,35,75 or 24,50,90 or 15,28,75. The combination is endless but it helps make the decisions if you know what your total will be when your all done making your purchases.I have 7 but don't go by me, i'm a pig when it comes to glass. Also some things you will need SD cards(no SDHC cards) , extra battery, bags, IR filters you will get a voucher for 2 but may want more, Camera grip , 1.25 magnifer for the long lenses. The list obviously can go on. My suggestion bury yourself in this forum and go back and read all you can about it and stuff that you may want and such. There are many forum members here that are very helpful and knowledgable so do ask questions and also a warm welcome to the leica forums Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iomatic Posted February 23, 2007 Author Share #5 Â Posted February 23, 2007 Thanks for all the info folks; I hadn't even considered non-Leica (DE) lenses! Duh! That matte black is appealing though... Â That's a good thought; to budget out the remaining glass. I'll be traveling in mid-March, so I have to set this up now! Â Really, really great info; again I can't thank you all enough. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted February 23, 2007 Share #6  Posted February 23, 2007 Jack some great dealers to purchase from  Camera West Popflash Dale photo Labs Tamarkin Photo Village B&H Berger brothers   There are more also Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted February 23, 2007 Share #7 Â Posted February 23, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Jack, all I'd say is that when I bought my first M I had more fun in the following year than in the previous 5 using a Pentax auto everything SLR. The same feeling returned when I bought the M8! Â As Guy suggests buy at least one extra battery. I'm finding that I get at least 300 shots from a fully charged one, but it's useful to have an extra in the bag. Â When you are buying lenses remember that the widest frame lines that are shown in the viewfinder are 24mm. These are combined with 35mm. So the lenses you can use without having to resort to an external viewfinder are 24-90 plus the 135 f2.8. Â If you have any more questions feel free to ask, it's a pretty friendly place here and there's a lot of knowledge, not just of the digital side of things, but Leica in general. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted February 24, 2007 Share #8 Â Posted February 24, 2007 If you don't mind used equipment the Konica Hexanon KM lenses work well on the M8. If you find one it will be a fragment of the cost of a Leica lens. I have a 50mm Konica Hexanon lens, along with two Leica lenses. Here's a sample shot yesterday with the Hexanon. Â http://www.leica-camera-user.com/other/17224-grace-water.html?posted=1#post181394 Â I am very very happy with the camera. Good Luck, I think you will be very happy with the M8! Â Wilfredo Benitez-Rivera Photography Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
teehas53 Posted February 24, 2007 Share #9 Â Posted February 24, 2007 Let me throw one out here, for M8 fans of the 50mm look: the CV 40/1.4 Nokton is a true sleeper. Â Incredible performance, even closer to full-frame 50 perspective (though it's probably academic,) and just a touch less macro-contrast than the 35 ASPH. Many consider the latter trait an advantage when shooting digital. It also gives a nice, "old lens" feel to the images, without sacrificing sharpness. It's a bit hard to describe, but looks fantastic. Â It's very compact and discreet on the M8. Also quite well-made and smooth/precise in use. It's not quite as jewel-like as Leica glass, but then you're talking $450. vs. $3,400. Â Well worth a look! Â Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iomatic Posted February 24, 2007 Author Share #10 Â Posted February 24, 2007 Nice finds, all. Â What will one need by way of adapters and such for the different brands? Â Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted February 24, 2007 Share #11 Â Posted February 24, 2007 Hi Jack, thr Konica lenses are M mount, so need no adaptors. Most of the Voigtlander lenses are screw mount so you'll need a screw to M adaptor - Voigtlander also make those. If you look at Cameraquest - CameraQuest Home - you'll be able to see details of the Voitlander lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
teehas53 Posted February 24, 2007 Share #12 Â Posted February 24, 2007 True about most Voigtlander lenses needing an adaptor. The 40/1.4 however, is M-mount only. I believe this also holds true for the 35/1.2 (and possibly the 28/1.9.) Â Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted February 24, 2007 Share #13 Â Posted February 24, 2007 Tom, I think the other two are M mount, but the 28mm f1.9 Ultron isn't, so it needs an adaptor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iomatic Posted February 24, 2007 Author Share #14 Â Posted February 24, 2007 So what lenses do you all recommend getting for travel (keeping in mind the 1.3x factor) in Southeast Asia; I'm definitely going to get a 35mm? Â Thanks, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom0511 Posted February 24, 2007 Share #15  Posted February 24, 2007 So what lenses do you all recommend getting for travel (keeping in mind the 1.3x factor) in Southeast Asia; I'm definitely going to get a 35mm? Thanks,  for travel a Tri-Elmar 28-35-50 is a great lens. cheers,tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted February 24, 2007 Share #16 Â Posted February 24, 2007 I find the 2.8 Elmar M 50 becoming more and more used. Another one I would not go without is the 75 Summilux. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted February 24, 2007 Share #17 Â Posted February 24, 2007 24/35/50 or 75 would be pretty good :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iomatic Posted February 24, 2007 Author Share #18 Â Posted February 24, 2007 Any thoughts on the cheapie 25 f4 Snapshot-Skopar? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted February 24, 2007 Share #19 Â Posted February 24, 2007 It's sharp, contrasty and takes 39mm filters. Very, very good value for money, but I think the first new Leica lens I'm going to buy for my M8 is the Leica 24mm. Â If you just want to dip your toes into the waters the Voigtlander is a very good place to start - but it isn't rangefinder couples. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iomatic Posted February 24, 2007 Author Share #20 Â Posted February 24, 2007 Already jumped on a 35mm Summicron and a 486 filter -- I wasn't sure about the rebate thing, so I went ahead and got one... I only have a few weeks left to retrain myself with pre-focus and pre-exposure. I love those DoF guides Leica publishes on their site; I better get back to studying them again... Â I'm more of a camera-in-hand shooter (and I got really tired -- not physically, but generally) of doing that with my 5D. I'm looking forward to coming back to Leica. Â Besides the Luigi case, anyone have a nice simple pouch by LowePro or other manufacturers you could just shove it in and throw it in a daypack or shoulder bag? Also, wasn't there some really cool Japanese-made Leica-phile gear? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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