New M8 Arrives Tomorrow: What Precautions To Take

[jaapv]

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Warming up by long shoots is normal. I believe it is mentioned in the manual. I like the term GAS (Gear Aquisition Syndrome) The only cure is to buy everything Leica offers in their catalog.

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[dpattinson]

I bought some screen protectors from Duratec, they are custom cut to fit the M8 and will protect your screen from damage by metal zippers, helpful people who move your camera onto it's back, etc.

 

Apart from that, apparently switching the camera off between lens changes helps to reduce sensor dust, and I found the camera difficult to handle without the grip. (but I use a grip on my M7 - so if you're accustomed to film M's you will already either like or hate grips).

[jscolman]

Beware, this is a bad bad bad camera. Without opening the package, place a label with this address, Jim Scolman

17739 150th st se

Monroe, WA 98272 USA

 

and send it Fedex Next Day, COD.

If you do this very quickly you will be safe.

Thanks, Jim.

 

.....or maybe you could just go take some pictures!

[jonoslack]

Beware, this is a bad bad bad camera. Without opening the package, place a label with this address, Jim Scolman

17739 150th st se

Monroe, WA 98272 USA

 

and send it Fedex Next Day, COD.

If you do this very quickly you will be safe.

Thanks, Jim.

 

.....or maybe you could just go take some pictures!

 

Nah - send it to me, I could do with a third body

Relax and enjoy is what I say.

[gwelland]

It works a lot better if you make sure you don't drop it. Or the lenses.

[Peter Branch]

Welcome to the M8 community. On a slightly serious note I suggest you take extra care with almost everything compared with M film cameras. Focus carefully, frame carefully and get the exposure right - all these things are more important in the digital world. You will find yourself looking at huge images on your computer screen and avoidable image defects become very frustrating. My M8 has a tendency to slight over exposure which can be very difficult, if not impossible, to adjust later.

 

Also be aware of the "IR" problem and its many manifestations. You don't need to use the filters in many situations and you may be better off not doing so - but - do you know when and where the the IR demon will strike? Conversly if you fit the filters there are circumstances where you will get flare spots and stripes, just use common sense and, if possible, do a few test shots in circumstances where problems are likely. I fit the IR filters, (those that I have been able to get), all the time on the grounds that I'm fairly sure I know when I need to take them off but I find that I'm too frequently caught out trying to guess when I need them.

 

Don't forget to use the ability to change sensitivity - this is counter intuitive to those used to film but it is a major benefit of the camera.