Jump to content

M8 body


agrefrath

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I am wondering, if I should replace my M8-body by a SONY alpha 7II-body with adapter to M-lenses.

 

Any opinion/ advice appreciated. For me, the M8 is a bit behind what the M-lenses can accomplish with a full format chip.

 

On the other hand, I am unfamiliar, how much Leica M8 beats the Sony alpha7 II apart from the pixel/chipsize comparison.

 

What do you think? Thanks, A.

Edited by agrefrath
Link to post
Share on other sites

The Sony is inexpensive compared with the M9 and M240. The M8 has the crop factor. If you shoot primarily with Wide-Angle lenses on the Sony, you are trading sensor crop against sensor smear.

 

What lenses do you plan on shooting with? Corner performance with the Sony will suffer with wide-angle lenses. There is a company that will modify the Sony to have a thinner filter stack.

 

Do you like shooting with the Optical Viewfinder, being able to compose outside of the frame? You will lose that with a mirrorless camera. I typically use 35mm and 50mm lenses on the M8, and lenses where the crop factor is a benefit.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you. I realize, you know, what you are talking about. But I could not follow. :-)

 

I shoot 50mm mostly. What do you mean with "sensor smear" and why would the Sony benefit from a thinner filter stack?

Why would the Sony have a poorer corner performance?

Link to post
Share on other sites

The Sony camera has a 2mm thick IR absorbing filter on it, the M8 has a 0.5mm IR absorbing filter. The M8 sensor has an "Offset Microlens Array" which helps focus light from wide-angle lenses, which have glass very close to the sensor. For a 50mm lens- you will not see much difference. Use a 28mm lens, you will see the corners of the image have a color shift. 

 

One company will modify the Sony to use a thinner stack. For you- no need. 

 

I prefer my M8 over the M9 for many of my 50mm lenses. You get the sweet spot, the sharpest portion of the glass. Most 50mm lenses are sharpest across the center 2/3rds of the image. The M8 is perfect for that. I would suggest trying out the Sony, a friend of mine has one for his Sonnars- it's a fun camera. I cannot give up the optical viewfinder, tried electronic viewfinders- just not the same.

 

Here is a comparison between the A7 and M240:

 

http://www.leicaplace.com/threads/435/

 

shows examples of the corner smearing.

 

This thread talks about the IR filter modification for the Sony.

 

http://www.getdpi.com/forum/sony/53215-sensor-stack-conversion-a7-a7r-help-rf-wa.html

Edited by Lenshacker
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I am wondering, if I should replace my M8-body by a SONY alpha 7II-body with adapter to M-lenses.

 

Depends greatly on the type of user experience you are after. What type of focusing and framing works for you? What sort of convenience and speed do you need going between these two functions?

 

I would likely be buying the 7II if the sensor stack modification were available for it (and preferably in Europe). If Sony came out with the complete product themselves, I would go that way. But I'm looking to accompany the M8 rather than replace. I currently use the Sony RX1R quite a bit, and the new Sony would be a partial replacement for that camera.

 

The expected new Monochrom is the camera I'm most interested at the moment, but its pricing will be a problem for me.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I wouldn't trade my M8 for a Sony, totally different experience and I totally agree with the answers you already had to your dilemma. And I add : Despite the "poor" M8 sensor (and the IR blues it has) there are 60 years of history behind this chassis that you shouldn't overlook; Sony makes better television sets!

Edited by Symeon
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Leicas are here to stay. The Sony? Meh. It'll be replaced soon and that replacement will be replaced. Okay, so that's what's happened with the M8 but it's still a solid performer. And it's a Leica M. No substitute.

I would have said the same last week as well, but I bought the A7 at the weekend and am very impressed with the simplicity and results the camera offers. Very customizable and the focusing delivers sharp results every time. Maybe not as easy to focus in strong light, but I'll get used to that.

Link to post
Share on other sites

To me it is a complete nonsense a Sony needs to be replaced while a digital M somehow can be kept in use forever.

 

Even the advertising made by Leica can not promise eternal use for their digital cameras.

Digital Leicas operate and become obsolete as well as other digital cameras, but at a much higher price.
And the lack inventory of necessary spare parts can be already now much to be desired.
Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, but the 2004 Digilux2 and 2006 M8 are still going strong for many owners. What Sony model would have the same track record?

 

 

Lack of inventory? The only two cases I can remember are the DMR (which is  a special, convoluted case) and the LCD screen of one batch of M8.2 cameras. For the rest?

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, but the 2004 Digilux2 and 2006 M8 are still going strong for many owners. What Sony model would have the same track record?

 

 

Lack of inventory? The only two cases I can remember are the DMR (which is  a special, convoluted case) and the LCD screen of one batch of M8.2 cameras. For the rest?

 

'Coffee stain' could infest each M8, not just some M8.2.

Leica has not limited the number of potentially affected M8 and M8.2, which would relax the second-hand market.
And for faulty sensors of the M9, M9-P. ME and MM Leica can only offer up to now an exchange for the same type of sensor as long as available without having solved the problem fundamentally.
I doubt that for these "old" digital cameras a long term functioning new sensor will be designed.
If they ran out of the last ones "new old stock" they might offer only an upgrade to a then current produced digital camera to their conditions.
Link to post
Share on other sites

But coffee stain is no reason to retire a camera....And it was really just one batch of screens.

As for the sensor problems, as far as we know, Leica is looking for a permanent solution.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, but the 2004 Digilux2 and 2006 M8 are still going strong for many owners. What Sony model would have the same track record?

So what point are you trying to make by this?

That the quality of Sony's output has been lacking from the beginning so that people upgrade whenever a new model is being released?

Does the output of a Sony camera get worse every day to a point it comes unacceptable?

Are the components in a Sony camera of inferior quality so it won't live as long as a Leica?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, but the 2004 Digilux2 and 2006 M8 are still going strong for many owners. What Sony model would have the same track record?

 

 

Lack of inventory? The only two cases I can remember are the DMR (which is  a special, convoluted case) and the LCD screen of one batch of M8.2 cameras. For the rest?

 

I have a couple of Sonys from that era that are still working..... :p

Link to post
Share on other sites

How often do you use them?

 

Why would I use them when I have much better cameras at my disposal? :D

 

But the point is that with electronics even heavy use won't cause failure in the same way that heavy use of a mechanical item would. As long as the exterior of the camera is treated well and not dropped or banged, there is no reason that it shouldn't last for a very long time - look at the length of service on your TV, microwave, radio etc..... As far as Leica are concerned I don't think they have any advantage over any other electronics manufacturer in that respect.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...