steve777 Posted December 29, 2012 Share #1 Posted December 29, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi there, im currently in the market for a new camera i already own a canon 5D iii and a fujifilm x100 im thinking of selling the x100 to purchase a used M8 with a 35mm f2 summicron. is there anything in particular i need to look out for when buying a used one? and has anyone else used both a x100 and m8? any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 29, 2012 Posted December 29, 2012 Hi steve777, Take a look here Looking to buy a M8. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
lct Posted December 29, 2012 Share #2 Posted December 29, 2012 ...i already own a canon 5D iii and a fujifilm x100 im thinking of selling the x100 to purchase a used M8 with a 35mm f2 summicron. is there anything in particular i need to look out for when buying a used one? and has anyone else used both a x100 and m8?... Welcome to the forum. No experience with the X100 sorry but the latter has a 23mm lens for a 35mm FoV if i'm not wrong so you would need a 24 or a 28mm lens to retrieve a similar FoV on the M8. Aside from this, there would have many things to say about the M8. I will choose three of them for a starter. 1/ You will need an IR-cut filter if you shoot in color; 2/ Better choose an M8.2 or an M8u if you don't shoot mainly closeups as their framelines are more accurate at medium to long distance; 3/ Better choose a late sample of the M8 if you can in order to get an M9 (possibly an M-E) for a good price in case of faulty LCD. See Serviceability M8 & M8.2 displays - Leica User Forum. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
designed Posted December 30, 2012 Share #3 Posted December 30, 2012 Welcome aboard steve777! We have both an M8 and a Fuji X100 in the house. The M8 is sort of "my camera" while the X100 is sort of "her camera", but I've taken some shots with the X100 as well. We also usually shoot the cameras side by side. The cameras are quite similar in many ways: about the same size, oldschool looks, useless batteries and stupid chargers (the newer M-charger isn't that bad, but I have the old one). Both are best enjoyed with a grip and/or Thumbs Up. Of course you know most of this already, but the X100 does many things the M8 does not: it does video, sweep panoramas, autofocus, high(er) ISO etc. Also the leaf shutter is virtually silent compared to the M8's distinctive slice of light. The M8 does instead focus on the basics: aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus. The usable ISOs run up to 640 in my opinnion, others will probably say otherwise. The fact that the M8 doesn't have autofocus is outweighed by the brilliant manual focus: compared to the X100's quirky AF, the rangefinder is more consistent and usually faster as well. The M8 has no features, so there's no stupid menus or macro modes and EVF/OVF-switches to deal with. On the other hand: there is no EVF should you need one, and no macro mode since the minimum focus distance is 70cm on most lenses. I find the 35mm attached to an M8 much more to my liking than the 23mm on the Fuji, but that's mostly a personal prefer of focal lengths and field of views. The X100 isn't quite as sharp at f/2 than a Summicron (or Zeiss Biogon in my case). Both deliver excellent images when they get it right. In my opinnion the X100 tries to get out of the way of the photographer but ends up demanding much attention. It's easier to bond with Leica, it becomes an extension of your photographic mind since it's just the basics. Hope this helps and please do not hesitate to ask any questions! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iedei Posted December 30, 2012 Share #4 Posted December 30, 2012 get it! you'll love it. the M8 is brilliant. as for buying one.....i just made sure to buy one off somebody who cared about his equipment....and his photography......so i knew i'd get one that worked. oh and get an M8.1 or M8.2 if you can....as the upgrades are good! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted December 30, 2012 Share #5 Posted December 30, 2012 I prefer buying from a reputable Leica dealer that will provide warranty in the event you have any issues. The M8.2 is also my choice, but a clean M8 will suffice if you're on a budget. Take time to shop around, though, since prices and condition vary. This FAQ may prove useful (most apply to the M8 or M9). Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve777 Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share #6 Posted December 30, 2012 Thanks everyone for your input and advice i really appreciate it. im going to take a trip to london next week and have a look at getting a M8 from a dealer, maybe M8.2 if the price is right. part of me is thinking i should save that little extra and get a used m9 and something like a zeiss lens though. does anyone know what sort of price offers leica offer M8 owners on an "upgrade" to the m9 through the LCD fault? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted December 30, 2012 Share #7 Posted December 30, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) does anyone know what sort of price offers leica offer M8 owners on an "upgrade" to the m9 through the LCD fault? Thanks It depends on the problem (coffee stain/failure/damage) and overall condition of the camera. Offers reported so far vary widely, and when all the M9's have gone who knows what they will offer instead? Buy a good condition M8 from a dealer with as long a warranty as you can find. The LCD is generally a very reliable part. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted December 30, 2012 Share #8 Posted December 30, 2012 ...does anyone know what sort of price offers leica offer M8 owners on an "upgrade" to the m9 through the LCD fault?... Yes according to Jip: Within 2 years (warranty period): free of charge Within 3 years: 1500 EUR (M9) or 1920 EUR (M9-P) Within 4 years: 2000 EUR (M9) or 2420 EUR (M9-P) Within 5 years: 2500 EUR (M9) or 2920 EUR (M9-P) Within 6 years: 3000 EUR (M9) or 3420 EUR (M9-P) ... Plus your dealer's VAT. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve777 Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share #9 Posted December 30, 2012 im going to check out a M8 and 35mm f2 summicron next week, other than the LCD is there anything in particular i should look out for with either the camera or the lens? thanks for being patient with me guys, im a newcomer to rangefinder photography so dont want to make a bad purchase! Thanks Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hepcat Posted December 30, 2012 Share #10 Posted December 30, 2012 Hi Steve! I'll add my bit here. I've been a Leica shooter off and on since 1974 and a rangefinder camera user since 1971. The last (and most recent) body/kit I owned was an M4 and I sold it seven or eight years ago. I recently returned, buying an M8 myself, and rebuilding my "kit." I've been able to play with it a little over the past few weeks. I have a full DSLR setup and I recently bought... and sold an X-Pro1 outfit You'll find the M series Leicas to be much like BMW airhead motorcycles. If you understand their eccentricities, they perform brilliantly. As you get used to them, you begin to work so that their eccentricities fit your style. So... what to look out for? Not much really. I was fortunate in that I got an '08 vintage M8, some of the last, apparently, before they switched to the M8.2. In my research it appears that about 10,000 M8s were produced. About 1,000 of them got an LCD that was defective and gets the "coffee stain." I don't know if there's any way, by serial number, to determine which ones are "bad." I think you just have to see the LCD to know for sure, but if it's only one in ten, the odds of you not getting one of those is pretty good. You need a UV/IR cut filter.for each lens. There is a 1.3 crop factor... multiply the actual focal length of the lens by 1.3 for the effective focal length with the M8 sensor size. Past that, they're a very straightforward camera. I'm not one of those folks who appreciates automation and I found with the X-Pro1 exactly what you found with the X100, that the wonderful automated features get in the way of using the camera the way I wanted to. The autofocus is fiddly on the X-Pro1. If I blow the focus on a shot, I want it to be because I did it, not because the program couldn't cope when I expected it to be able to. There's a very different set of expectations that the M series cameras carry than just about anything else out there, and that is that you direct the entire show, start to finish. The camera is compliant and will do what you tell it to... it does little on it's own. If you're a person who believes in mastering the craft of photography, and you're willing to do that, then you'll love the M series (either film or digital.) If you're of a "frame and push the botton" style shooter, then you'll be very frustrated. The M cameras are a tool that you use to create images, not a computer that creates them for you. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted December 30, 2012 Share #11 Posted December 30, 2012 Steve, welcome! Do buy from a good Leica dealer and get the reassurance of his warranty. The M8 is the essence of simplicity in operation which leaves you lots of time to practice framing and focusing and learning about getting the best from the exposure meter. Stick with one good lens for some time. Get to know it thoroughly. Use the frame selector lever to evaluate how other focal lengths would help you in the future. Let us know how you get on with your M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve777 Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share #12 Posted December 31, 2012 Hi all, thanks again for answering my questions about the M8, went out and picked one up today, got M8 in absolute mint condition, really is like new with 7000 actuations and a 35mm f2 summicron IV also in pretty much mint condition, it came with 1 extra leica battery, 1 3rd party battery, and leica black leather half case. got everything for £1950 really happy with it and cant wait to get out and take some shots with it in the next day or so. still need to get an IF/UV cut filter. could anyone recommend a certain one? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted December 31, 2012 Share #13 Posted December 31, 2012 I mainly use IR-cut (aka UV/IR) filters from Leica or B+W but before buying one i would suggest that you register your camera on the Leica site. With a bit of luck, the previous owners have not claimed their filters to Leica which could allow you to get one or two of them for free. The Leica codes for the E39 filter you'd need are 13410 (black) or 13416 (silver). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve777 Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share #14 Posted December 31, 2012 I mainly use IR-cut (aka UV/IR) filters from Leica or B+W but before buying one i would suggest that you register your camera on the Leica site. With a bit of luck, the previous owners have not claimed their filters to Leica which could allow you to get one or two of them for free. The Leica codes for the E39 filter you'd need are 13410 (black) or 13416 (silver). thank you so much for that, i was aware of that offer but i assumed they would of been claimed, but they hadnt!! 2 should be on there way to me soon! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 1, 2013 Share #15 Posted January 1, 2013 Funny that this can still happen six years after the launch of the M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted January 1, 2013 Share #16 Posted January 1, 2013 Too bad there aren't a bunch of unclaimed LCD screens, too, six years later. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted January 1, 2013 Share #17 Posted January 1, 2013 im going to check out a M8 and 35mm f2 summicron next week, other than the LCD is there anything in particular i should look out for with either the camera or the lens? thanks for being patient with me guys, im a newcomer to rangefinder photography so dont want to make a bad purchase! Thanks Steve Using one of your SD card in the camera make a shot or two next check in your computer in the exif the number of the last image shot you need to use a scientific calculator and hexadecimal digits. IMHO more than 10000 shots can be a little too much to trust in ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
designed Posted January 1, 2013 Share #18 Posted January 1, 2013 IMHO more than 10000 shots can be a little too much to trust in ... Care to elaborate why such a low number? I have taken more than 10000 on my M8 myself, and the previous owner was a decent shooter as well, so this of course interests me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve777 Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share #19 Posted January 1, 2013 Using one of your SD card in the camera make a shot or two next check in your computer in the exif the number of the last image shot you need to use a scientific calculator and hexadecimal digits. IMHO more than 10000 shots can be a little too much to trust in ... it was just under 7000 when i got it home. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted January 1, 2013 Share #20 Posted January 1, 2013 Actuation numbers can be checked easyly through the M8 firmware info. See http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/237841-m8-shutter-actuation-count.html#post2069480 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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