How many just leave the DSLR at Home Now

[AlanJW]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I mostly use the M8 but have not completely abandoned my 5D. IMHO, it is still superior for situations where you need flash, for action (e.g. moving babies and dogs) for long lenses (nothing beats the 70-300 at the zoo or an animal park, and for closeups. Different tools for different tasks. And I don't have any regrets about using both. The Canon does feel awfully heavy though.

[gtownby]

Guy --

 

When I cancelled my M8 order in November, I bought into the Nikon D200 system to replace my aging Oly E-1. The Nikon is great, with very fine lenses, but it is not something to carry around ALL the time.

 

With the good early reports on on this site regarding FW 1.102, I bought the M8 on Saturday with the 50 mm cron. The shop just happened to have the local Leica rep there that day, so my body was already updated to the latest FW.

 

I bought the M8 because I plan for it to be my constant companion. My only future lens will be a 28 mm. These two lenses should cover me for candids, street scenes, and available-light portraits. For other purpose, I'll likely use my Nikon zooms and macros.

 

--Gordon

http://www.gordonownby.net

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[ken_tanaka]

Since getting my M8 in February I have certainly given it plenty of exercise. This has been partly due to a certain constipated desire to shoot more rangefinder frames but not wanting to use film. Mainly, however, my overarching goal has been to sharpen my rangefinder skills while discovering the operational characteristics and quirks of the M8 and my lenses.

 

Have I abandoned my other photographic equipment? Certainly not. I bought the M8 as a tool for a particular range of photographic styles and subjects. Although the M8 turns out to be a somewhat idiosyncratic camera it looks as if it will fulfill my ambitions for its applications.

 

Nevertheless, I pursue a variety of photographic projects and have invested a great deal of money assembling an inventory of equipment (including my M kit) that can most effectively accommodate nearly any such project. I have also invested a great deal of time learning to use everything to its greatest advantage. Even if the M8 produced images consistently on par with my other cameras (not quite yet) a rangefinder is far too limited a camera for me to consider as my sole camera platform.

 

Still, if someone's photography range is such that a rangefinder's wingspan can encompass it fully I encourage them to devote themselves solely to the M8, at least for a while. Less is nearly always more when it comes to fine photography. Technical mastery is the first step towards being able to effectively use a camera as a communication medium. But mastery is made exponentially more difficult when you have more equipment to master.

 

My only caution would be to make sure that you haven't become the boy with a new hammer who suddenly sees a world peppered with protruding nails.

[trs]

I don't seem to sell anything at all. My dSLR still has use at home. Between I and my wife, we have two (different brands). My wife uses mine for taking pictures of products. Her dSLR seldom gets used. She gets her GRD and I get my M8 and we leave both of our dSLRs behind, but don't think we will ever sell them. Both of our 35mm film camera still in cabinets. It's just like I stopped using my 35mm SLRs after I got my dSLR.

 

-tanka

[Hans Roggen]

The M8 has certainly gained its place in my workflow, but it hasn't replaced my Canons and I don't think it ever will. I use it when ther's not too much pressure or when i need to be in stealth mode or when i just don't want to carry around tons of stuff all day. But I shoot too much sports or action that requires long lenses or fast autofocus. And in mixed lighting conditions I know my Canons won't give me any color headaches.

 

Oh...and dear people at Leica: I really, really need my filters...I don't want to spend 300 euro's on filters when i know they will come in the mail for free sooner or later.

 

Hans

[Jaka Skorjanc]

Dear Guy,

 

This si my first posting in this forum, your threat and answers from different photographers is exactly the one I wanted to read in the moment of time. I am also new user to a Leica forum and do not own a Leica equipment yet.

 

Started with Pentax MEF, shifted to Nikon, F3, F5 and I am very happy with results getting out of my D2Xs (have wide spectrum of lenses).

Since I started with photography the name Leica is attracting me, but I never had enough resources to have one in the analog, film time. When I switched to Digital, Leica had no digital body.

 

Recently I was in Germany and had a chance to hold M8 in Sauter photo shop. Unbelievable, what a feeling and attraction to hold a Leica. I decided to buy one, but still have a doubt which has to go out of my head before the purchase.

 

1. Is the image quality (ex. ISO 200) comparable with image coming out of D2Xs using the same settings. I know that D2Xs should have better results with high ISO but almost never use the settings above ISO 640.

 

2. What lenses would you recommend for the beginning ? I am travellng a lot, like landscape and portrait photography and wanted to purchase Lux's 35 and 75 1.4.

 

Hope to get some comments and post some M8 kept images soon.

 

Jaka Skorjanc, Moscow

[ericperlberg]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have a 1Ds II and a full set of L lenses. I'm working on an art project that has me shooting daily on the streets of London (UK). Only had my M8 for 3 weeks but I haven't used the Canon since getting it and I shoot everyday for hours. I don't yet plan on selling the Canon but at the moment I have no desire to use it. The M8 has surpassed all of my expectations. I'm having lots of fun!

[andit]

Hi Guy

Well, I still have my Olympus gear, the 330 is great for macro, and the E1 . . . well, it's the E1 - you can just about take pictures underwater with it, it's so well made (I love it!). The Nikon gear all went to ebay to fund a second M8 body, and I haven't missed it for a second.

 

What is interesting about the E1 is that the actual pixels are 6,8 microns in size. That is the exact same pixel size as the M8 and DMR uses. So while the E1 has less total pixels than the M8 (the E1 has 5mp if I remember correctly), due to the pixel size it can resolve similarly to the M8.

 

Just as a comparison, the Nikon D200 has 6,1 micron pixels, the Canon 30D has 6,4 microns and a Canon 400D/Rebel Xti 5,7 microns. The largest pixels are used by Canon in their full frame sensors on the 5D and 1DIIn at 8.2 microns.

 

This is quite possibly the reason why so many users were extremely impressed with the results that they got from their E1's (just out of interest the E330/L1/D3 have 5.6 micron pixels).

 

Andreas

[DaveEP]

I too take the M8 instead of the DSLR everywhere except specific cases where I need DSLR capabilities. I don't yet have the macro kit for the M8, so the Canon stuff still gets used there. There are times when I need longer focal lengths, so again the Canon gets used. I still use the TSE-90 from time to time for product shots, but, for normal shooting, I always pick up the M8 and leave the Canon at home. Sad but true.

[j. borger]

I already dumped my Canon (1Ds) DSLR system after i adopted the R-D1 and the M8 was officially anounced........ never looked back!

[tom0511]

Since I have the M8 I have not used the DMR anymore.

However on a recebt trip to Portugal I brought a D200+18-200 and M8 with various lenses as well as an OlySW770.

I often carried both, M8 and d200 but for the last days I just carried the d200 + 18-200.

We are paragliders, so we were a lot of time outdoors, at the beach, on small hikes, etc. etc.

In the bright light I found the SLR-finder to be more convenient compared to the M8 finder.

For landscape wide angle framing (cv15mm and Leica21mm) I experienced that its quit difficult to get a leveled horicont with the M8, easier with the SLR.

The exposure metering of the d200 is more reliable as is the auto white balance.

I have neverliked superzooms but admit that I had alot of fun with the 18-200 lens, and there were quit some situations where I loved to have a tele lens.

The weather proof design of the d200 also made me feel safe to use this camera wherever I went.

I am just processing the images and the d200 its much easier to get the WB and color I want.

 

I might sell my DMR, I will not sell the d200 and I do really hope that with the new firmware and hopefully with a propper profile for c1 it will be easier to get consistent color with the M8 in the future.

 

I really re-experienced the D200.

 

If you get everything right,some of the M8-images look a little deeper and clearer.

But IMO right now much harder to get there compared with the D200.

 

The best IQ IMO delievers the DMR, but its just so bulky. After haveing used the M8 for some time (and I still do like it a lot) I think color-wise its not on the same level as the DMR (yet).

[Guest stnami]

This time last year the DMR was the best camera around, it would sit alongside the m8!!!!!!. Now it is being pensioned and sold off as a unwanted piece of junk........................sure makes one wonder about recogmendations from some people

 

Seriously everyone knows that there are situations that a DSLR does a better job. A thread of this nature is the same as the film/digital tiresome stuff............

[jaapv]

My Canon 10D has been demoted -its companion sold-all lenses except the 90 Macro and the 1.8/50 sold - very very sad:( It sits in a corner of my practice and it is only allowed to photograph teeth now....

 

[Eoin]

With the pending release of the M8 I sold all my dSLR equipment, I had (and still have) such faith in a digital M based on many years using them in my early to late teens. I have no regrets, but do miss the my EF 85L. I just loved this lens and I'm eager to get my hand on the Nocti to see if it can draw close or better than the 85L.

 

I've yet to come across a situation where the dSLR would have suited me better at the time, but I'm also constantly finding it easier to carry the M8 with me. As for personal enjoyment or gratification, the M8 delivers in bucket loads.

[macusque]

In the bright light I found the SLR-finder to be more convenient compared to the M8 finder.

For landscape wide angle framing (cv15mm and Leica21mm) I experienced that its quit difficult to get a leveled horicont with the M8, easier with the SLR.

The exposure metering of the d200 is more reliable as is the auto white balance.

I have neverliked superzooms but admit that I had alot of fun with the 18-200 lens, and there were quit some situations where I loved to have a tele lens.

The weather proof design of the d200 also made me feel safe to use this camera wherever I went.

I am just processing the images and the d200 its much easier to get the WB and color I want.

 

I might sell my DMR, I will not sell the d200 and I do really hope that with the new firmware and hopefully with a propper profile for c1 it will be easier to get consistent color with the M8 in the future.

 

I really re-experienced the D200.

 

If you get everything right,some of the M8-images look a little deeper and clearer.

But IMO right now much harder to get there compared with the D200.

 

The best IQ IMO delievers the DMR, but its just so bulky. After haveing used the M8 for some time (and I still do like it a lot) I think color-wise its not on the same level as the DMR (yet).

 

Completely agree with all Thomas said.

As much as I like my M8 and M-lenses, I simply prefer SLR vision and giving I also like long focal lenghts and macro photography, I can't think of getting rid of DSLRs.

 

I'm selling my Leica-R stuff, DMR included, because I found that with a proper Raw developping my cheap little Nikon D200 does a wonderful job.

 

M8 files are somewhat crisper with better texture, but colors are better on the Nikon.

 

I found that the M8 (like any rangefinder) is a really unique tool with great pluses, but honestly if I had to keep only one camera system, it would be the Nikon.

[Iron Flatline]

I find that I want auto-focus from my Canon 5D when shooting my kids, their birthday parties, all that kind of personal memory stuff. My creative work is primarily focused around my M8, but I have recently added a D-Lux 3 that I am quite pleased with. I travel a LOT (flights almost daily) and I have a particular subsequent fondness for airports, train stations, etc. Sometimes the best shots are right in front of me, but hand-luggage makes it hard to stop, focus the M8, etc. The dSLR is too big, so the D-Lux with it's Aperture or Shutter Priority Modes and RAW files has been a great solution.

[eudemian]

I think I will join the fray.

 

I sold my D2x and some lenses to finance the M8, then decided I would need to keep my 200 macro nikkor so invested in a D200 as well as the M8. Well so far I only use the M8 and do not miss the D2x, I only hope I will be able to forsake the M8 long enough to shoot the D200. What a quandry.

 

Tom

[canlogic]

Still keeping the IDMKII and 5D, mostly for wildlife and macro but they don't get used nearly as much.

[Guest guy_mancuso]

Just to catch up seems like many are using them less. Sold some parts of them but a lot of cases still have one to use. Noticed 5d and D200 are among the most popular. When i decided to go just with the M8 and sell what very little i had left of the DMR. One thought i did have and still do is i have a a certain job that i do twice a year and that is runway and i thought about the Fuji S5. Here are my thoughts on this choice , i really do like the D200 a lot had it for a short time but it handled very nicely and liked the size but what i never really liked was the sensor and it's color. So naturely i thought the Fuji S5 would be a good fit one becuase it is exactly the D200 with a different sensor that has a lot of DR, also i could use the new Zeiss lenes like the 85 1.4 and thought about a 180mm Nikkor and that would cover this certain client. i still may get it before July when i need it but i also am forcing myself and technique to work harder with the M8 since this is what I have now. I guess when your forced you can do it. Also I'm not in a real hurry to buy a DSLR again and really want to get into a MF system but i always have 2 rental houses in town that i can get a Canon 1dsMKII or 5d, 30d in about 20 minutes. Now i know i was asked about the M8 here and I have to admit overall I like Leica better than anything i have used in Canon and Nikon and a lot of that comes down to glass but i do like a CCD sensor and No AA filter and maybe that is just me but i think image wise they do better than CMOS.

 

Anyway let's continue this is very interesting to hear folks thoughts. I know sports shooter have no options here and have to use the DSLR's and the long stuff so there answers are very normal to hear. But I have noticed in this thread a lot of shifting to the M8

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Jack MacDonough]

Still have the 1dS and will upgrade it to the III when it comes out. But I will not use it for people or travel, only paid architecture and landscape. Unless I am paid I will not carry 10 Lbs.

 

So yes I still use the DSLR and did for a six weeks as a back up for the M8 as it was in Germany. Now off to Japan with just the updated M8 and two extra lenses. Where are the filters?

 

Sold the two M6's as film is now gone.

 

Net M8 90% of the frames.