How Do I Get on that M8 Highway?

[ttriolo]

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OK. I've checked the bookstore and the title "Leica M8 for Dummies" has not been released yet so I'm relying on one charitable person to help me out. So, after reading many threads here on the merits (plus a few demerits) of the M8, my index finger is now poised ever so gingerly over the B&H send order button. I'm sure it's only going to take one or two more shots of Dewar's to push me over the edge. However, before I join the elite brotherhood of M8 owners, I need an understanding of what comes next (besides bankruptcy).

 

So here are a few questions I'm sure have been answered before but I'm not sure where exactly to look. Maybe others are curious as well. Gez.... film is so much simpler.

 

1. Does Leica provide the IR filters or do I have to purchase those?

2. Do I need one for each lens? I have the 24 Elmarit, 35 Cron, 50 Cron and 90 Elmarit.

3. Is Leica the only source for these filters?

4. Do all lenses need the coding (see #2)? Didn't Leica initially offer to convert two lenses for free? Has this offer expired?

5. Who beside Leica would you recommend do this coding? How expensive is it?

 

Please bear in mind that I live approx. 4 hours from the closest Leica dealer.

 

So, thanks in advance to anyone who can answer these questions for me and allow me to cancel my order at the bookstore. Bottoms up!!

[Shootist]

1) Leica give you 2 free filter of whatever size you choose with the purchase of a new M8. All other you have to buy yourself.

2) Yes if you don't want to keep taking the filter off one lens and puting it on another. Yes you need one for each lens. Leica does not make lenses with built in IR filters.

3) No, B&W make them and ?holopain? (SP). Since your at the B&H website do a search for IR filters.

4) Only if you want the lens mm to show in the EXIF data. But since the newer firmwares work better with coded lenses it is a good idea to have all lenses coded.

5) There is NO other option for coding. Leica is the only one that can do it. They have a patent. You can hand code them.

 

Try doing a search on this forum. All the questions you have asked has been covered many times, and once more in this thread.

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[grduprey]

1) Leica give you 2 free filter of whatever size you choose with the purchase of a new M8. All other you have to buy yourself.

2) Yes if you don't want to keep taking the filter off one lens and puting it on another. Yes you need one for each lens. Leica does not make lenses with built in IR filters.

3) No, B&W make them and ?holopain? (SP). Since your at the B&H website do a search for IR filters.

4) Only if you want the lens mm to show in the EXIF data. But since the newer firmwares work better with coded lenses it is a good idea to have all lenses coded.

5) There is NO other option for coding. Leica is the only one that can do it. They have a patent. You can hand code them.

 

Try doing a search on this forum. All the questions you have asked has been covered many times, and once more in this thread.

 

Filters - Heliopan also has them and they work just fine. From your list of lenses you will nee 2 different sizes, one for the 24, and one for the 35 'cron, 50 'cron and the 90 qall take the 39mm filters. Not sure what the 24 needs.

 

As for the coding only the WA's wider than the 35 need it, although some think the 35 also needs it, but I use a 35 'lux, which cannot be coded,and I see no need to get it coded. I have only one lens coded and I bought it new with the coding - the new 28/2.8 asph. A great lens by the way. Buy the M8 and a couple of Helio pane filters until the Leica one arrive. You will love the camera.

 

Gene

[lars_bergquist]

The 24 takes 55mm filters (and so does the 21, and 90mm Smmicron lenses).

 

Schneider (B+W) do not manufacture the Leica-branded IR/UV filters. But the difference is very slight – the B+W 486 filters are just a wee bit stronger.

 

When you try out an M8 you will find it very intuitive and egonomic. The only thing you will have to work on is the rangefinder. Leica RF focusing is wonderfully quick and precise, but it is an entirely different game than that of even a manually focused SLR. Still, the manual in the box does tell you all you need to know. The rest is up to you – train, train, and train, especially in low light. Check up on your focusing occasionally, it doesn't cost you anything (just remember that at maximum magnification, everything in the monitor looks fuzzy – check att three steps up).

 

Take the plunge, even if you have to subsist on pasta for a few months. And if you would turn out to hate it, then the used value is high ...

 

The old man from the Age of Film

[grober]

INVESTING in the M8 is one thing ... (yes, I believe you'll want one UV/IR filter for each lens) ... but then there's all the ADDITIONAL computer software, hardware and new training that you'll also want. More hard disk obviously, but there's also some sort of back-up plan and the gear to implement your that plan. Probably more software that you don't even know about yet and a training class or two. (I'm taking a Photoshop color workflow class this next weekend.)

 

None of this additional stuff was in my original budget last year and perhaps there is still more to come. I'll probably upgrade my second-generation Canon printer to an HP pro version by the end of the year. It is still a struggle to make as good a print now with the M8 as I used to do routinely with my M6 or M7 + Fuji film and a Nikon film scanner.

 

So plan accordingly and figure it'll be a year before you get everything digested and have your confidence level restored. The book entitled, "Stephen Johnson On Digital Photography" has been a great resource.

 

-g

[jaapv]

A printer is not really necessary - there are quite a number of really good online printing services, that do at least as good a job of printing as you would yourself, at less cost per print too. Software is not that big a dent in the budget either. Leica supplies C1LE which is an excellent RAW developer, and M8 files tend to be so good that a relatively simple program like Photoshop Elements 5 (Excellent B&W conversions and nice el cheapo to free plugins available) or one I like quite a lot as well:, Picture Window Pro (full 16-bit!) and several others at prices under 150$ are more than sufficient for high-quality work. CS3 is an enormous amount of overkill and really only indicated for full pros in my opinion. I sincerely believe that less is more- but get it right at capture and RAW conversion that is the secret for the best files. So a decent PC ( Yes, a 350 Gig HD), monitor calibrating equipment (250$) and 150$ of software will set you up nicely - until digital GAS strikes, of course....

[luigi bertolotti]

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OK. I've checked the bookstore and the title "Leica M8 for Dummies" has not been released yet so I'm relying on one charitable person to help me out. So, after reading many threads here on the merits (plus a few demerits) of the M8, my index finger is now poised ever so gingerly over the B&H send order button. I'm sure it's only going to take one or two more shots of Dewar's to push me over the edge. However, before I join the elite brotherhood of M8 owners, I need an understanding of what comes next (besides bankruptcy).

 

So here are a few questions I'm sure have been answered before but I'm not sure where exactly to look. Maybe others are curious as well. Gez.... film is so much simpler.

 

1. Does Leica provide the IR filters or do I have to purchase those?

2. Do I need one for each lens? I have the 24 Elmarit, 35 Cron, 50 Cron and 90 Elmarit.

3. Is Leica the only source for these filters?

4. Do all lenses need the coding (see #2)? Didn't Leica initially offer to convert two lenses for free? Has this offer expired?

5. Who beside Leica would you recommend do this coding? How expensive is it?

 

Please bear in mind that I live approx. 4 hours from the closest Leica dealer.

 

So, thanks in advance to anyone who can answer these questions for me and allow me to cancel my order at the bookstore. Bottoms up!!

 

1) Leica provides (until now, hope for you they continue) TWO free filters after you have bought and registered your M8; they send them from factory to you: you have to choose the diameter.

2) Yes, after all better ALWAYS on the lens, even if the problems they correct cannot be of interest in some pictures: but they never damage the picture (...there is a strange Leica's statement on fluorescent lights... inconsistent for me and others).

3) UV/IR (aka "486") filters are available elsewhere : B+W is the more obvious name: price (in Italy) abou half than Leica... I suppose same effect... but someone in the forum has had different experiences...

4) The coding is never mandatory, and is useful only for lenses < 28 or even 24 mm... Leica DOES NOT code lenses for free, now... I had my 21 Asph coded "for free" but only for it was in my dealer's stock... he included the coding in the net price we discussed.and finalized.

5) Officially, only Leica-made coding is "RIGHT" : number of handmade solution have been illustrated in this forum.

 

Cheers

Luigi

[stunsworth]

If you do get a B+W 486 filter for the 24mm Elmarit, make sure you get the standard one, not the slim version. The lens hood will not fit over the filter with a slim 55mm in place.

[jaapv]

If you do get a B+W 486 filter for the 24mm Elmarit, make sure you get the standard one, not the slim version. The lens hood will not fit over the filter with a slim 55mm in place.

And not easily over the standard one either. One has to remove the lugs from the inside of the hood.For 24 mm I would strongly recommend using a Leica filter in any case.

[stunsworth]

Jaap, I didn't have to remove the lugs on mine. It was a tight fit, but I managed to get the hood to fit on the second or third attempt. It seems to help if you loosen the filter slightly before fitting the hood.

[jaapv]

Jaap, I didn't have to remove the lugs on mine. It was a tight fit, but I managed to get the hood to fit on the second or third attempt. It seems to help if you loosen the filter slightly before fitting the hood.

 

Yes, leaving it loose helps. I had a silver mount on mine, they seem a bit more lumpy than the black ones.

[Shootist]

And not easily over the standard one either. One has to remove the lugs from the inside of the hood.For 24 mm I would strongly recommend using a Leica filter in any case.

 

I used a round file to file pathways on the outside ring of the filter for the lugs on the hood. I would NEVER remove the lugs on the hood as that could/would make the hood almost useless, IE it will spin.

I now have a Leica filter for it and use the B+W on a 135 f/2.8

[ttriolo]

With respect to coding, how does one make sure which version of a lens he has? I see where there are two Summicron-M 50's. There one code for the version III and another for the IV & V. How to be sure of painting the right codes? Same goes for the 90 Elmarit and 90 Tele-Elmarit II. Is it by serial numbers?

[adan]

A. As to lens types, serial numbers will work for distinguishing them, if you have a chart or list detailing which SNs were used for which lenses. The versions also often look distinctly different (e.g. 90 Elmarit (current) and 90 Tele-Elmarit look very different from each other)

 

B. The Leica IR filters are slightly less strong than Heliopan "digital" IR filters (since Leica knows the M8 already has SOME internal IR filtering). For lenses 35mm and longer, this makes no difference. Heliopans work fine.

 

But for 28mm and wider, the stronger Heliopan filters create more cyan in the corners, and Leica's software correction (based on their own filters) is insufficient to remove it completely. I use Leica filters on my 15, 21, and 28mm lenses, and Heliopans on my 50, 90, and 135 lenses.

 

Leica will add coding to TWO lenses for free IF you bought one NEW Leica-M lens before June 30, 2007 (as a means of selling off the remaining stock of uncoded lenses already in dealers' hands). Simply buying an M8 per se does not get you any lens coding discount.

[holgerf]

With respect to coding, how does one make sure which version of a lens he has? I see where there are two Summicron-M 50's. There one code for the version III and another for the IV & V. How to be sure of painting the right codes? Same goes for the 90 Elmarit and 90 Tele-Elmarit II. Is it by serial numbers?

 

Go to this site:

 

Leica M Lens Users Guide

 

Scroll down to the headline "Lenses for your Leica M" to find all the versions pretty described.

 

Have fun

Holger