Jump to content

Anyone think of buying M8 again?


Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...
Guys, it's really nice to read how some of you are already nostalgically transfiguring the M8.

That makes me hope to sell my M8.2 - my first and only digital camera at all -, which got excellent service by Leica occasionally, still as a respectable stock for an M10(-P?).

Link to post
Share on other sites

Only serious Leica (except X or film) i can buy - and i have it. But i cant buy leica optics,have to use CZ and Voightlander lenses,sad about it :(

 

Nothing inferior about ZM lenses  :)

Plenty of people here prefer some CV lenses over Leica or ZM lenses.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Despite having a M-P (240), I still have two M8.2 (silver and gorgeous safari).

I think I use the M8.2 as much as the M-P.

I really like the look of the pictures and the size and weight of the camera.

The crop factor is also fun and I really like using a Summicron 40 on the M8.2. It is my best combo for travels if I don't need high isos.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Owned the 8, 9, and now 10. The 8 was a cool camera. Shot some amazing pics with that beast. Anybody ever consider buying another?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Same here but I won't, would be and M8.2 again btw. But the filters and the cropfactor are too much of a hustle

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

only, if i run across an M8 with coffeestain or broken display or heavy signs of use for the price of a tankfull of gazoline, i'd buy it. and then i would hand it to my tenyearold son so he could use a leica too without always having to give him mine.

 

but i sure will not pay the price i was paid for mine just a few weeks ago. i wasnt happy with its lowlightperformance and the lack of 30% of wideangle made me go nuts with my lenses. and then those UV/IR-filters... i'm not keen on going back.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I will actually consider getting an M8, but only in the silver chrome. I'm seriously thinking of swapping its top plate for that of the M9. 

 

The M9's top deck should physically fit the M8 because both are 139 x 37 mm but you'd need to swap the M8's shutter speed dial over to keep 1/8000th and I don't know whether there might be parts inside the top deck that might cause a problem.  The frame lines would be wrong because the M8's frame lines compensate for the reduced angle of view from the M8's 1.33 crop factor so you'd need to swap the M8's viewfinder and frame line masks into the M9's too.

 

You'd end up with "M9" written on an M8 and I'm struggling to understand the advantage or desire for doing it unless it was just to get the "Leica" etc engraving but for that you'd need an M9-P top deck anyway, which is likely to cost considerably more than an M8 unless you could find a broken and unfixable M9-P for spare parts.  It seems simpler to send the M8 to Wetzlar and ask Leica to engrave it if that's what you're after.

 

Pete.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The M9's top deck should physically fit the M8 because both are 139 x 37 mm but you'd need to swap the M8's shutter speed dial over to keep 1/8000th and I don't know whether there might be parts inside the top deck that might cause a problem.  The frame lines would be wrong because the M8's frame lines compensate for the reduced angle of view from the M8's 1.33 crop factor so you'd need to swap the M8's viewfinder and frame line masks into the M9's too.

 

You'd end up with "M9" written on an M8 and I'm struggling to understand the advantage or desire for doing it unless it was just to get the "Leica" etc engraving but for that you'd need an M9-P top deck anyway, which is likely to cost considerably more than an M8 unless you could find a broken and unfixable M9-P for spare parts.  It seems simpler to send the M8 to Wetzlar and ask Leica to engrave it if that's what you're after.

 

Pete.

 

Ah I must have expressed it in the wrong way. I actually meant that I wanted to harvest the silver chrome top plate of a broken M8 and use it on an M9. The reason is that the M9 doesn't come in silver chrome unless in M9P or limited editions. I also don't like the stepping corner of the M9's top plate that much.

 

But you've made a good point about the frameline masks, though I do think the M8's top plate (with the M9's viewfinder window and eye piece with its embedded glass installed) put onto an M9 body should work quite alright? 

 

Anyway, it is not that I'm in a great hurry to go though all this. A broken M8 in silver chrome is quite hard to come by these days it seems, and I've had my M9's top plate chrome plated already anyway  :p

 

I'll look more into it. 

Edited by Rus
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Are you sure it would fit?

I'm quite sure it will fit. 

 

Basically one will need to transplant the circuit board inside the M9's top plate together with the shutter release button and shutter speed dial together onto the M8's top plate. The hotshoe will also need to be desoldered and re-soldered, as it bears the SN of the M9. The small LCD unit on the M8's top plate will of course be removed, and that little window rendered quite useless. 

Edited by Rus
Link to post
Share on other sites

only, if i run across an M8 with coffeestain or broken display or heavy signs of use for the price of a tankfull of gazoline, i'd buy it. and then i would hand it to my tenyearold son so he could use a leica too without always having to give him mine.

 

So let me understand this better. 

The only reason you would re-buy one is if you were to run across one for 100$ ? ( tankfull of gazoline if one lives in US and drives a tank ) 

I do not think it is very likely :)

Edited by sixteen pads
Link to post
Share on other sites

I bought her three times and sold her this year...

One should be zen about one's good fate = living with a relaxed smile. One fine day your next Leica will come your way - and you will accept "fate" ;)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

My M9-P went back for a new sensor a couple of months ago and I've been using my M8.2 ever since. I still love it.

 

Sure; it's not perfect as we all know but the 8 has been on holiday with me for the past 2 1/2 weeks and has managed to produce some wonderful (IMO) images.

 

I've been using my Voigt 28mm and 40mm in place of my 35mm and 50mm Leitz (although those have been used too) but in real terms (and, of course, there can be no side-by-side comparisons) any differences in lens performance/final resolution will be minor and, in any case, are totally academic.

 

Pip.

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...