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M8 plus TE


DavidStone

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I'm intermittently hanging around here while waiting for my M8 to arrive (and waiting, and waiting ... ). But there's something that intrigues me. In all the messages I've read, in all the different sections, I've not seen one mention of the 'standard' 28-35-50 Tri-Elmar. I've been using mine for quite some time on M6 and M2, and a very nice lens it is. Although its equivalent angles of view are a bit unconventional on the M8, I see no reason not to keep using it - although I'll also be using my little CV21, which promises to make a useful, compact combination with the M8.

 

I get the impression that it's not one of the commonly-used lenses of the current range. Most people seem to want the much faster prime lenses. But as a general-purpose outdoor lens I've found it ideal. Is nobody else using one? I'd be quite interested, until my M8 arrives, to know of any experience that others have had with the M8-TE.

 

David

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I have one and am quite pleased with it. I generally keep it on as my walkabout. at f4 it has some challenges but i find iso 320 fine and 640 quite useable.

 

i think many folks feel they need the speed, but for the most part it is fast enough and wide open is excellent.

 

some have commented it is not quite up to the crons but i did side by sides and in print i was happy enough.

 

i sold my leica 35 cron and 28 and 50 elmarit/elmar and replaced them with the cv 28, 35, and 50 for when i need the speed. i'm quite happy with them. the 28 and 50 are superb but i think the 35 is definitely a bit behind the 35 asph cron.

 

you'll like the 21 skopar, sold mine when i got a swell deal on a leica asph, but it is quite large and heavy and having a bad back, i may get another skopar for easy walkabout when not doing serious work

 

bill

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Hi David and welcome to the forum.

 

It is true it's the WATE which causes the most interest, mainly because it's new but also because it gives back what the 1.33 crop factor of the M8 has taken away - the wide angles. The normal Tri-Elmar, called the NOTE by HC, is used by a number of us and is well regarded. It's f4 only of course but I have a little Crumpler bag into which I can put an M8, the WATE, the NOTE and either the 75/2 or 90/4 and it's a great travelling set.

 

As for the range of focal lengths, if anything, I think the NOTE is more useful on the M8. Instead of normal, slightly wide, very wide you now have slightly long, normal and slightly wide which, in a single lens, is useful.

 

Jono has both Tri-Elmars and if you look at some of his pictures, there's nothing wrong with those!

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David,

 

I have a Tri and sold my M6, receiving my new M8 next week. I am a strong believer of the Tri as it reduces the number of times to change lenses and therefore getting dust on the sensor. If you go back a month or so in the threads you will find one comparing "primes" with the Tri.

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David,

 

I have a Tri and sold my M6, receiving my new M8 next week. I am a strong believer of the Tri as it reduces the number of times to change lenses and therefore getting dust on the sensor. If you go back a month or so in the threads you will find one comparing "primes" with the Tri.

Yes, I also traded in my M6, but kept my old M2 and the black Leica III that I've had since I was 19 (a long time ago). My standard lens has always been the 35, so on the M8 I'll be getting a 'normal' lens plus two longer ones - I'll see how it goes.

Thanks for the info on the earlier threads - I'll look back and see what others have had to say.

Although new to this forum, I'm an old 'wet' photographer (ex-professional) and teacher of many years, but I'm finding that digital imaging is another world of which I know little (but I'm learning fast) so I'm pleased to pick up knowledge from others. And it's also good to know that I'm not alone in being a fan of the Tri-Elmar.

 

David

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Nice to see an "old hand" embracing new technology David :)

 

I have found that there is more than enough room in my life for both film and digital.

I see that you have managed, in a very compact message, to get in two topics that are each worthy of major discussion - old dogs and new tricks, and using old and new technology in parallel.

I'm in the process of discovering just how much of my hard-won experience I can transfer to the digital world (at least I know what a good print looks like). I expect to continue making big BW prints, so I'm looking at printers, pigment inks, and software.

And I don't want to give up film, which means that my favourite cameras will still get used. So I'm looking at scanners too.

All this was triggered by the impossibility of keeping a darkroom, but I find that the prospect of owning an M8 (when I eventually get to the front of the queue) is a bit like being a student again - I'm getting quite excited by the idea and I'm sure that it will give me a new boost.

 

David

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