New M8 user - some questions please!

[Lewis]

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Thanks guys. So can you set it to shoot b&w in camera? It's still away being sorted at the moment. I've been researching lenses in the meantime. Is the 28mm Elmarit a good shout then? What about the cheaper voigtlander lenses are any of those good? Specifically wide angle ones? Thanks.

[Loren]

Yes, you can set B&W in camera for JPEG, but DNG will always contain the color information.

 

You may be happy with the out of camera JPEGs, but DNG gives you the power to do much more. You can convert DNG to B&W and have complete control on how you do it in programs like Lightroom, etc.

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[jaapv]

Browse through the lens forum, there is a wealth of information there, the search function can help you there as well. I cannot think offhand of a bad rangefinder lens, anyway...

[david strachan]

Hi again Lewis

The B&W JPG's are delicious and fun to shoot. Change contrast in the menu. Work with different ISO's.

 

For lens...early collapsible Summicron 50mm f2...if you can find a good one (c. $500)

The Voigtlander 15mm f 4.5 aspherical Heliar...is a must (c. $350 for ltm mount; use adapter)

cheers Dave S

[Lewis]

Thanks fellas.

 

I missed an opportunity to buy a mint used 28mm elmarit but never mind. I'm thinking of maybe a cheaper voigtlander lens but they aren't as fast as the Leica equivalents

[goatsby]

Some of the older 28 Elmarits are worth a look and cheaper than the ASPH. Also, I love my V1 35mm Summicron for b&w, and is a nice FOV on the M8 if you liked 35.

[arno_nyhm]

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Cheap aftermarket batteries can be used with no problem at all but you'll have to discharge them totally into the body before recharging them to avoid false meter readings.

 

i had softwareproblems of all kind when using aftermarket batteries. sometimes the dng wouldn write properly, sometimes the camera would just hang up in the middle of a longtermexposure. sometimes buttons and menu wouldnt react as expected. and always the same cure: the camera wouldnt revive even by pulling out the aftermarket battery and putting it back in. even puttin in a fresh aftermarketbattery would not wake her up. but putting in a fresh leica battery would wake her up like nothing ever happened.

 

therefore i just have my aftermarketbatteries in the very bottom of my cameracase and try to avoid them. i use them only, when the originals (i got one fresh to have 2 of them) are exhausted an i wouldnt be able to shoot anymore. but i am aware, that the m8 on the aftermarketbatteries can hang up any minute. but - hey at least that is better than not beeing able to shoot anymore.

 

so here is my rcommendation: pay the extra$ on a genuine Leicabattery and be happy with it. it is not all that expensive compared to the trouble you avoid.

[lct]

Besides a couple of ones which finished in the bin, i've got zero problem with aftermarket batteries in 10+ years on Canon, Nikon, Epson, Leica, Fuji, Sony, Ricoh and Sigma digital cameras if i don't forget any. I refuse to be ripped off by camera, computer, smartphone and other product makers asking extravagant prices for batteries costing them a couple of dollars on the Asian market. The only camera maker who won this battle against me was Leica with its M240 for which i could not find a replacement battery. Shame on me but i will never give that up folks you can trust me!  (YMMV)

[Cyril Jayant]

Whatever it is ... M8 is a great camera. all

M digital have more downs and if you get to know better then it'll be a very special camera than the other present cameras. 

 

Horses for courses ...   so with this camera you can do certain things whereas the other camera more up-dated can do more things .

But it docent make you a better photographer. Every thing is in you...

[Lewis]

Ok, I got my M8 back from Leica in time just before my holiday so that was good. Took ages to get it back though about 3 months all in! Anyway no matter. I love using the camera and have gotten used to the rangefinder focusing now too. Also loving the zone focusing for street photography it's so useful. Who needs auto focus nonsense!

 

A few issues which have been annoying me though. Leica cleaned my sensor yet after five days of use I was seeing more spots. I had it cleaned again while travelling in the San Francisco Leica store for 50 bucks. By the end of the day I could spy a few small dots on the sky of my photos. It has also randomly started to not turn on on occasions, which is easily remedied by removing the battery and refitting, buts it's just annoying and not something I'd expect of something of this quality. I've had a few Leica's before although this is my first M. So while I love it I am slightly peeved at the same time. Any input or advice appreciated as per usual gents. Thanks.

[erl]

I think you will find the spots on your sensor may be from oil on the freshly lubricated shutter mechanism. The annoyance will dissapear with time as you use the camera. Meanwhile seriously consider buying the gear to clean the sensor yourself. It is very easy and certainly more convenient and cheaper than professinal cleaning.

 

Not so sure about the failure to turn on. If you have more than one battery, mark or number then and take careful not if it is only one battery letting you down. Is the battery in good condition, or is it getting old?

[farnz]

Lewis,

 

In case you're not aware, the M8 gets finicky about working with partially discharged batteries.  I used to have similar problems and others if I let the battery run down into the second or third bar but now I always change the battery out for a freshly-charged one after the first bar has gone and the problems are gone too.

 

Pete.

[Lewis]

I think you will find the spots on your sensor may be from oil on the freshly lubricated shutter mechanism. The annoyance will dissapear with time as you use the camera. Meanwhile seriously consider buying the gear to clean the sensor yourself. It is very easy and certainly more convenient and cheaper than professinal cleaning.

 

Not so sure about the failure to turn on. If you have more than one battery, mark or number then and take careful not if it is only one battery letting you down. Is the battery in good condition, or is it getting old?

Oh right I see. I think they are more like dust spots than liquid though if you see what I mean? I hope you are correct though. Is the M8 prone to frequent sensor dust issues then?

 

Battery is as old as the camera so could be that I guess. It's been fine otherwise!

 

Lewis,

 

In case you're not aware, the M8 gets finicky about working with partially discharged batteries. I used to have similar problems and others if I let the battery run down into the second or third bar but now I always change the battery out for a freshly-charged one after the first bar has gone and the problems are gone too.

 

Pete.

Ah so as I said above its probably the battery then rather than the camera. I was using it in LA which was scorching hot but camera always felt cool as I keep it in a 'camera cooler' bag which is insulated.

[erl]

Oh right I see. I think they are more like dust spots than liquid though if you see what I mean? I hope you are correct though. Is the M8 prone to frequent sensor dust issues then?

 

Battery is as old as the camera so could be that I guess. It's been fine otherwise!

 

 

Ah so as I said above its probably the battery then rather than the camera. I was using it in LA which was scorching hot but camera always felt cool as I keep it in a 'camera cooler' bag which is insulated.

The M8 is no more prone to dust spots than any other interchangeable lens camera. It depends mainly on how often you change lenses and in what environment. I believe oil on the sensor will look like dust and if that is it, it will reduce with use. I only need to clean my sensors once or twice a year. So infrequent that I don't measure it.

[Lewis]

Ok thanks. Well when I first got it (a few months ago) I noticed some specs on my photos. Then it went to Leica to have the banding issue sorted. Then it came back with a clean sensor but was then dusty again a few days use in holiday. I hadn't changed the lens or removed it since. Then got it cleaned in SF as mentioned above. Then literally before the end of the day I'd noticed more specs in the sky of my photos when zooming in! I can remove them in LR but it adds further time to an already time consuming process.

[erl]

My suspicion is that it is definitely oil, not dust, on your sensor. It will, I believe, look the same. The oil will diminish and dissapear with time but you may be wise to call your nearest Leica service dept and ask the question for confirmation.