Stan Raucher Posted May 7, 2007 Share #1 Posted May 7, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I will be in Paris for several weeks and I want to travel light. An M8 with 15mm, 21mm, 28mm and 35mm lenses (and maybe a 50mm lens) seems to fill the bill. Also going along for the ride are three 4GB SD cards, three batteries, the massive Leica battery charger and an 80GB digital storage unit. My dilemma is whether or not I should bring a backup camera. I don't want to use a point and shot, so that means I would bring my Nikon D200 with a few prime lenses (20mm, 28mm and 35mm), three batteries and the svelte Nikon battery charger - a significant chunk of extra gear. How many of you would trust an M8 as you only camera for this trip? My M8 has so far has performed nicely with no lock-ups or flaky behavior. Thanks for your opinions. Stan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 7, 2007 Posted May 7, 2007 Hi Stan Raucher, Take a look here Backup camera for M8 on extended trip?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Skippy Sanchez Posted May 7, 2007 Share #2 Posted May 7, 2007 I'd say if your camera has performed well for you for several months, don't bother carrying all the Nikon backup stuff. If it craps out on you, buy a French point & shoot that uses SD cards and chalk it up as a good reason to have two M8s. I take it you don't have a film M camera, right? That'd be your best bet 'cause you'd have the lenses and would only need to buy film if the M8 goes south. I'm taking two M8s and an MP to Honduras for a project in two weeks, which might be considered overkill, except that 1; I usually work with two cameras anyway, and 2; it'll be the rainy season so -- if conditions warrent -- I can carry one M8 with the MP while the other M8 sits in a Pelican case with dessicant, & I'll switch out cameras every other day. I doubt weather conditions in Paris are going to be harsh enough to cause camera meltdown, so, again, if it has been working flawlessly, just take it & have fun. And don't spend too much time swapping all those lenses & missing shots. Also, don't forget the European prong for you charger, or you will be in deep doo-doo once you've exhausted your batteries. bon voyage- -skippy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted May 7, 2007 Share #3 Posted May 7, 2007 How many of you would trust an M8 as you only camera for this trip? My M8 has so far has performed nicely with no lock-ups or flaky behavior. I did exactly this a couple of months ago when I spent some time travelling in the States. I had planned on taking an M7 as a back-up (my thinking was that the M7 - having the same basic interface as the M8 and using the same lenses - was the best back-up short of taking another M8). However, on the morning of my flight from the UK I decided that I simply didn't want to carry anything that was likely to be a deadweight (I had no plans to shoot film so, unless the M8 failed, I would not be using the M7). I decided to take the risk and went with just the M8 and a tiny handful of lenses (two Leica lenses and a little CV 15mm). I reasoned that if the M8 went tits-up I would simply buy a cheap Canon or Nikon DSLR and a 28mm prime to see me through the remainder of the trip. The M8 turned out fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted May 7, 2007 Share #4 Posted May 7, 2007 A film M body, or you can still buy single use film cameras at the street news vendors. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
howard_cummer Posted May 7, 2007 Share #5 Posted May 7, 2007 I have used my M8 in Bali and Tokyo with no back up and with no problems. Since your unit seems trouble free I would risk it, Cheers Howard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted May 7, 2007 Share #6 Posted May 7, 2007 A good backup for the M8 (for those photographers who no longer use film) is the Epson R-D1. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted May 7, 2007 Share #7 Posted May 7, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Oh trust Sean to come up with the sensible answer! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Sievers Posted May 7, 2007 Share #8 Posted May 7, 2007 Film M or Ricoh GRD Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted May 7, 2007 Share #9 Posted May 7, 2007 Given the travel restrictions on cabin baggage, taking the Nikon along for the ride will be a major hassle. I'd trust your M8. Worst case, it's a flight to Frankfurt and a rental car to Solms... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
enboe Posted May 7, 2007 Share #10 Posted May 7, 2007 First off, I would just trust the M8. I took mine to Walt Disney World, and of the 12 GB of images I shot, only 1 corrupt file occured. Great performance. I also just took 3 batteries with my six 2GB cards and had over half a battery to spare at the end of the week. I did not pack the charger. That being said, here are 3 more ideas for backup: I do not know the Leica dealers in Paris, but another option would be to rent a film M if the M8 dies. Another idea would be to pack your backup and leave it with a trusted person back home. Have them FedEx the package to you if you need. This might cost $100 or so, but you only spend the money if you have a failure, and you only lose one day of shooting. Lastly, maybe a forum member in Paris could make a loan of a body. Enjoy shooting! I am envious. Eric Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGeoJO Posted May 7, 2007 Share #11 Posted May 7, 2007 I bought an R-D1 before I bought an M8 and I was planning of using the R-D1 as a backup body. Due to the initial M8 problems, I got discouraged and sold the R-D1 although I kept the M8. Now after the dust has settled, I started enjoying the M8 more and more. In 10 days I will be going to China (Silk Road) for 3 weeks and my main camera will be my M8 but I will take my Canon DSLR with two zoom lenses as a backup, just in case. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott kirkpatrick Posted May 7, 2007 Share #12 Posted May 7, 2007 GR-D and some plastic bags in case you get caught out in a shower. Neither is proven water-tight yet. If you don't have a second M-body, the GR-D is one that you will use (wide angle and you can see what you are shooting) as well as a backup. And it takes no space at all. scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stnami Posted May 7, 2007 Share #13 Posted May 7, 2007 a m8 is a good backup for..............................................................a memory Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted May 7, 2007 Share #14 Posted May 7, 2007 12Gb of images of Walt Disney World? The mind boggles... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted May 7, 2007 Share #15 Posted May 7, 2007 Leica have opened a new shop in Paris, at Boulevard Beaumarchais 52, 75001 Paris. The old man from the Age of Letters and Figures (who reads the LFI ...) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 7, 2007 Share #16 Posted May 7, 2007 Given that your camera is fine, it is unlikely that it will break down. Should that happen, you are in Paris, which is emphatically not the middle of nowhere, so there is nothing stopping you walking into the nearest photo store and buying a Panaleica point and shoot of your choice, or as another poster suggested some DSLR. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Olof Posted May 7, 2007 Share #17 Posted May 7, 2007 If you really want a backup, buy a used M6...its "cheap" and it will work together with all you other Leica stuff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlancasterd Posted May 7, 2007 Share #18 Posted May 7, 2007 I'll be going to South Germany and Austria by train for 10 days during June. I've only had my M8 about three weeks and, whilst I have experienced no major problems, I'll probably take my Bessa R3A body as backup to the M8, with 15, 21, 28 and 50mm lenses - Unless, of course, I decide it would be better to take my R8+DMR, 28-90 and 70-210 zooms instead of the R3A - just in case I need the long lenses... Funny I never had any problem deciding when all I had was an M2 and a 50mm lens... :) One man's fish is another man's poisson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted May 7, 2007 Share #19 Posted May 7, 2007 The leica shop Lars mentioned is a revamped Maison du Leica - LEICA-sommaire - Blvd Beaumarchais has lots of camera shops, but Parisian prices are high so don't expect any bargains. I'd be trempted to just take the M8 and buy something if there are any problems - not that I'm expecting there to be. As well as Blvd Beaumarchais, where you'd be able to buy used, you'd be able to pick up a camera in one of the large FNAC stores. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 7, 2007 Share #20 Posted May 7, 2007 I'll be going to South Germany and Austria by train for 10 days during June. I've only had my M8 about three weeks and, whilst I have experienced no major problems, I'll probably take my Bessa R3A body as backup to the M8, with 15, 21, 28 and 50mm lenses - Unless, of course, I decide it would be better to take my R8+DMR, 28-90 and 70-210 zooms instead of the R3A - just in case I need the long lenses... Funny I never had any problem deciding when all I had was an M2 and a 50mm lens... :) One man's fish is another man's poisson Just as long as you remember that renting camels is quite expensive in Southern Germany. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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