Help with Leica Purchase

[mikeadams]

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I have come to the realiation that I may never be able to afford the M8 and the lenses I'll want to go with it. But I have been looking at the Panasonic version of the Digilux 3. I have an M7 and 35 f2 summicron ASPH, I have a Digilux 2, I have a Nikon D-200 and 40 years of lenses.

 

So here are my questions: Since I like the special quality of the images from the Digilux 2, will I like the images from the Panasonic as well or better? In your opinion, do you like the images from the Digilux 3/Pan DMC L1 better than the D-200? In what way? Finally, would I be better served spending the extra 500-1000 on the Leica version?

 

I appreciate your thoughts on this,

 

Mike

http://www.mikeadams.org

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[Guest sirvine]

Between the Nikon gear, the D2 and the money you'd spend on the D3, you ought to be able to scratch up enough to put an M8 behind your 'Cron.

[andit]

Hi Mike,

To answer your question is actually quite difficult. It depends on what type of photography you are going to be doing. If you're going to be doing wildlife/birds, action or serious macro then an M8 is not the right choice.

 

I was in a similar situation to you, having 20 years worth of Canon equipment floating around, and having to upgrade. I had the choice of going to a 5D or to a 1DsII. Somehow however, I just did not want to go on with the Canon system. So I also started looking at the Digilux 3. After trying to get everybit of information that I could, and reading all the threads that just mentioned the D3, I decided in the end to sell off the Canon stuff and take the plunge with the M8 (still waiting, it'll get here at the end of March).

 

The Digilux 3 is an awesome camera. Some of the images that have been posted here are incredible. Sadly though, I don't like saying this, but I do believe (IMO) that the D200 is a better camera in the long run.

 

There is no easy answer or solution to your question. The Digilux 3 as well as the D200 are fine cameras, capable of fantastic images. The M8 is however just that step ahead. If possible sell off the Nikon stuff and use that towards an M8.

 

My two cents worth.

Andreas

[4season]

Mike, when you get an M8, you won't care about the D2, D3, or M7 anymore, and probably not the D200 either, except when you need an SLR. So eBay 'em, and there's most of your M8 payment right there

[luigi bertolotti]

I have come to the realiation that I may never be able to afford the M8 and the lenses I'll want to go with it. But I have been looking at the Panasonic version of the Digilux 3. I have an M7 and 35 f2 summicron ASPH, I have a Digilux 2, I have a Nikon D-200 and 40 years of lenses.

 

So here are my questions: Since I like the special quality of the images from the Digilux 2, will I like the images from the Panasonic as well or better? In your opinion, do you like the images from the Digilux 3/Pan DMC L1 better than the D-200? In what way? Finally, would I be better served spending the extra 500-1000 on the Leica version?

 

I appreciate your thoughts on this,

 

Mike

Mike Adams at San Jose State University

 

"40 years of lenses" ? Nikon ? GOOD TO SELL ! Lot of Nikkor lovers, market is stable on this kind of gear... My advice... try some well balanced sale to reach de DIFFERENCE towards M8... You have a 35 Asph...

[fotografr]

Mike, when you get an M8, you won't care about the D2, D3, or M7 anymore, and probably not the D200 either, except when you need an SLR. So eBay 'em, and there's most of your M8 payment right there

 

Well, make sure you keep something around to shoot with in the REMOTE chance your M8 has to go back to Solms for repair or replacement.

[spylaw4]

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Whereas I would not disagree that unless you really want/need a DSLR, you might be better selling off your stuff and getting the M8. I would hang on to your D2 in the meantime, though, at least until the M8 arrives, as it does make some special images.

I"ve now just got an L1 and the images are certainly rendered differently IMO. Only you can say whether or not you prefer them - keep your eyes on the photo forum and also do some forum keyword searches.

[mikeadams]

Andreas, I do like the D-200 and I do use it daily, as I have always used Nikons since the FTN days (I still have that and FM, etc.), but my best photos have been with the D2. I guess I'm just trying to recapture that magic and I have a little bit of cash burning a hole in my pocket. It just that the step up to M8 and one more lens would be $4-5k.

 

I don't want to sell my M7 but I would sell my D-100 and F-100 and one good D zoom.

 

Mike

[newyorkone]

For the longest time I only had a 35 cron ASPH to use on my M6 TTL. But damn, was that one amazing lens. The prints that I got from that combo made my Nikon gear look like garbage.

 

I say get the M8.

 

My current lens arsenal which is STILL awaiting a black M8:

 

35 cron

50 noct

90 cron APO

 

I'm selling my 21 ASPH and will get the 15 CV. I have also seen some amazing shots from the new 28 but it is so close to 35 that I'm wondering if that will be redundant.

 

I used to think that the Leica lens thing was hype. That was until I saw the proof with my own eyes!

[mikeadams]

Steve, I too had an M6 and just the 35 cron, and I sold the body and got the M7 alacarte because as an eyeglass wearer I could not see the whole .85 vf in the M6, so I got the .58. And yes, there is a special "look" to the 35 ASPH. But I also see the same look with the D2 lens, the cron 28-90 ASPH. I was hoping to get "it" with the Elmarit with the Panasonic.

 

I'm still thinking about it . . .

 

Mike

http://www.mikeadams.org

[dugby]

Mike, My situation was not too disimilar to yours.

 

I've written much in this forum, about the L1 and D2, both of which I own and use. The D2 is magic and I would not have ventured into the D3/L1 if it wasn't for a failed D2 sensor just prior to a special family holiday across the world.....so the L1 was bought for this occasion.

 

Originally my plan was to buy an M8 plus 2 lenses, and keep my D2 as a backup. However as I live in an extremely remote part of Australia, the only satisfying Leica Service has come from Solms (for me).....so after the recent events of the M8, I've deferred my M8 purchase until either the M8.2 or M9

 

So how does the L1 compare....to a D2:

a) The RAW images are much better in the L1.

The out-of-camera (on PC) produced jpegs/tiffs from the L1 RAW are better than those from D2. But I must say those from the D2 are still very very good.

The in-camera D2 produced jpegs look better than the L1 in-camera produced jpegs. The D3/L1 has many many in-camera jpeg tuning options that takes a long time to work through.....this is the basis for "so called Leica Retailer's quote"...."Leica has tuned the D3 to process images differently to the L1." The RAW from both the D3 and L1 will be identical.

 

So be mindful when comparing the jpegs from either D3/L1 and D2 that are displayed on the internet, as to how they were generated.

 

Knowing this, I still maintain that the D2 is worthy to keep and use.

 

I've said this before.... the L1/D3 is an all-day every-day camera, and the D2 is a part-of-the-day every-day camera

[mikeadams]

Dugby, I really appreciate your comments. I hope I'm not the only one who cannot afford an M8, and while I will still save for it and maybe get a used one in a few years, I am interested in the Panasonic because I can afford it. I took my Digilux 2 to China twice last year and the results are on my Web:

 

http://www.mikeadams.org/Current.html

http://www.mikeadams.org/photos13.html

 

I'm going back in the Fall to teach a still photo class at a university in Shanghai and I'll probably take the D2 again, but I'll also take the D-200 and the new whatever. I like variety, I carry and shoot everyday, I enjoy CS3 and LR.

 

I just don't have an extra 5k.

 

Mike

[dugby]

 

Current Portfolio

Miao

 

 

Mike

 

Mike, I took a quick look at Barbara, Miao and Monica, and immediately thought

Barbra was not shot with a D2,....likely a Nikon, and then with Miao, I thought hmm, maybe a Canon or D2, and Monica.....definately a D2.

 

I often challenge myself to ID image sources, before reading the associated notes.

Then I went back and looked at your notes.....I was not surprised.

 

I've used a Nikon F1 and Nikkor lenses in a previous life and more recently with a friend's D80 and have always found the blue-ish cast over the images relative to what I see in Leica glass.

 

A few things I will repeat about the L1:

 

a) it's mirror slap is a "clunk-wizz" sound and is surprisingly not that significantly different to that of a M6 shutter sound. If there was no "wizz" sound, most people would be hard-pressed to notice the difference between the two. But the D2 wins hands-down as the ultra-quiet shutter king.

 

the L1 is a much better streetable camera over the D2, even though the L1 is 20% larger and 50% heavier. I am now capturing nearly every street shot, that I wasn't able to with my D2. I am enjoying anonymity with the black stealthy L1, particularly as I have taped over all the LOGOs. Nearly everyone ignores me....except for 1 keen eye in Monte Mart(Paris) who followed me for a few minutes until he literally stuck his face up to within 2 feet of the edge of my lens and when he read the Leica word...... he said...."very nice"...

 

I will keep my D2 for those ultra quiet shoots where noise is unwelcomed. I do some indoor work in concerts that requires this D2 silence.

 

To me a D2 requires skill, time and patience to get a nice shot.....and this is something I enjoy doing. The L1 will do this and more, but I feel a bit bombastic in doing so.

 

I still believe the D2 EVF concept was a better path for Leicaphiles than the mirror slap SLR path of the D3.....but too many people complained about the D2 EVF......

 

I wonder what would have happened to the M8....if Leica were able to get Panasonic to adapt the D2 into a Vario/rangefinder with 7.5MP and good ISO200/400 capabilities....The Japanese could have done this, if they could identify a sufficient ROI.

[mikeadams]

Dugby, I really appreciate your detailed thoughts on the L1. As you know, you get used to the delay with the D2, you keep the button down half way all the time, but you do miss a few. And the quietness of it is excellent. Even though it's (the Digilux 2) my favorite in many ways, there are too many compromises - noise, only one useable iso, delay, the viewfinder, etc. I wish I could buy that lens and use it on my D-200!!

 

As to the first picture of Barbara, it is a Canon rangefinder, 1978, Kodacolor, scanned. Monica I shot in one 2 hour period, Miao over 2 weeks, both Digilux 2. I use my students as camera "models" and the archive:

 

http://www.tvradiofilmtheatre.com/morgue.html

 

My camera collection. Anyway, I'll probably get the L1 and trade off with my D-200 as a daily camera.

 

Mike

[egibaud]

Hi,

 

Keep your favorite digital camera (D2) as backup one and your Leica lens. Sell the rest and get an M8 :-)

 

Eric

[dist]

Am I the only one who thinks it sort of ridiculous for the M8 high priests to advise the purchase of an M8 when the OP states quite clearly that M8 gear is not within his budget limits? Sorry, but I see this pattern repeating all over the place - forget all your other options and get an M8.

We all know you guys made a great and sane investment (then again, some of you, considering the many flaws and bugs reported, maybe have not ). But hey there's people out there who don't want to, or are unable to, shell out that kind of dough. I, for one, decided against an M8 although I have M glass sitting on the shelf (21, 35, 50, 90). I went for a D3 instead and to this day haven't regretted it. For a potential buyer without existing M glass assets, getting a halfway complete M8 gear is going to set them back, what, 10 k $? Conservative estimate maybe.

[craig60]

I am also in the market for Leica D-LUX 3 Digital Camera. I have been reading expert reviews and that has been useful to me. It may be help you too. I had been using PCWorld.com, cnet.com to find reviews. Yesterday I used PriceGrabber’s expert review tab (Expert Reviews - D-LUX 3 Black Digital Camera (Leica-18303)) and found a site (SmartRatings - Directory of Expert Product Reviews & Product Ratings) that aggregates expert reviews. It only covers a few categories but it is pretty neat. Just my $.02.

[Photoskeptic]

Steve, I sold my D200 to justify the purchase of an M8. I've always prefered rangefinders to SLR's anyway - lighter kit, great lenses, etc. But I have to admit I'll miss the D200, but not the weight w/70-200 VR or the bulk. Unfortunately I can't afford to keep both around - well I suppose I could but the wife would start to complain...if you know what I mean.

Bottom line - get the M8.

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Hallo,

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