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Low light - Long exposure- Low ISO


millfield

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First time posting, hope it has not been covered before? 

 

I am considering an M8, I have a Fuji Xpro and M film bodies and cameras. Using the M lenses on the Fuji I have had brilliant images from it, I am using it for interiors using 100 ISO f8/11v and long exposures. Will the M8 get anywhere near the Fuji in similar usage? i am aware of the noisy files at high ISO but what of low?

 

Any guidance from your experiences

 

tony tree

 

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The M8 is an excellent tripod camera, allowing easy battery or card replacement whilst the baseplate is still on the tripod. At base iso 160, you'll get very low noise files. 

Like you Fuji is my other camera (XE-1) allowing excellent compatibility with the whole Leica system and other lenses.

 

Sometimes auto colour balance may be questionable, so use an appropriate colour card (x Rite Color Checker).  But I also use a white handkerchief in an emergency; works well.

 

There is no live view of course, and the frame lines are pretty hopeless.  But cropping and any key stoning can easily be corrected in post.

You can use after market batteries, but they will have to be completely exhausted in camera before recharging, or they don't show the correct level in the top window.

Long exposures are fine, but make sure you expose adequately  as banding can be a problem, like all digital, in the shadows.

 

More to the point the M8 is a "fun" camera to use.  Very easy menus, but it is for the thinking photographer; not much automation.

 

They come in black chrome or silver chrome.  The latter is much more easily scuffed.

 

Get one for the enjoyment of using the M8.  There are some good ones out there with low useage, and very good prices.

 

cheers  David S :)

Edited by david strachan
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Thank you David for your experience. I have been using the Fuji only for specific tasks, ie interiors using live view and it has been brilliant. I am not at all taken with using it off tripod I keep getting my fingers in the way of the controls. Leica simplicity is what I want. I have good M8 with 5000 actuations to see so I may well go for it before it is too late!

 

tony

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If 10 MP is enough and cropped sensor is sufficient and you are willing to use the UV/IR filters for color,  it is a decent camera.  

 

Canon and Nikon crops have narrow viewfinders as they are simply cropped full size.   This makes the nikon about half life size,  full frame is only .7+.   The M8 is full .72 with enlarged frame lines so the image is as large with a 35 as a full frame is with a 50.  

 

It is my back up to M9.  Sometimes my primary.    

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  • 3 years later...

Hello David - and L forum users

A long time since I posted - I have now purchased an M8.2 and can see what others have praised the camera for. I have shot a few tests on it without IR/UV and the files are magnificent Just what I had hoped for. After using Fuji and Olympus for various projects and selling them when completed I have found what I should have invested in. Brilliant though they are for commercial and editorial work not my user camera  The M8 is true to the M form and no excess of little buttons and wheels to accidentally switch on or off  - as I was always doing. The dng files are excellent and very easy to process ( in Capture, LR or Adobe Bridge )

Low light - ISO - gives very good  files, not quite as much shadow detail as the more modern digital sensors but a more natural look , dare I say like film.

 

I have read so many posts on this forum and gleaned so much from others experience, thank you so much.

I attach a couple of files taken yesterday which impressed me so much

 

Tony 

 

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