A couple of issues that popped up

[tbarker13]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I just returned from a couple weeks in Scotland. Spent a lot of time fly fishing and taking photos - I think I came back with just under 5,000 images. With any luck 5 to 10 of them might be worth keeping.

 

But two things happened that I wonder about.

1. On three occasions, the camera used the same file names for images. Like 20-30 images on one SD card were given the exact same names as 20-30 images on another SD card.

I have the camera set for continuous numbering.

 

2. On two occasions, the camera just stopped working. It was powered up, but it wouldn't take photos, display the menu or even turn off. In both instances, I resolved it by taking the battery out and popping it right back in. Not a major deal, but I wondered if this is at all related to the sudden camera death syndrome others have seen.

 

Mine is one of the M8s that came out in the first batch last November.

[charlesphoto99]

I had mine freeze up on me at a wedding over the weekend (I was just a guest). I re-inserted the battery and was good to go. I think (I'm hoping) it's just a brain freeze, esp as this a replacement M8 from Leica service and I don't want to go through that process again.

 

I have a paid wedding coming up (not something I do often), and it will be my M7 that gets the job. Will have the M8 along to shoot some secondary but for anything that I really need to trust getting (and is timeless) it's still film for me (plus the lab can then do all the post-processing!).

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[jaapv]

I just returned from a couple weeks in Scotland. Spent a lot of time fly fishing and taking photos - I think I came back with just under 5,000 images. With any luck 5 to 10 of them might be worth keeping.

 

But two things happened that I wonder about.

1. On three occasions, the camera used the same file names for images. Like 20-30 images on one SD card were given the exact same names as 20-30 images on another SD card.

I have the camera set for continuous numbering.

 

 

I have that as well, and having two bodies mixes it up even more. I use Imageingester, which assigns individual numbers and the date to any images uploaded anyway, which has solved the problem for me.

[sisoje]

Will have the M8 along to shoot some secondary but for anything that I really need to trust getting (and is timeless) it's still film for me .

 

 

Huh!?

$4000+ for a "secondary" camera??? :confused:

[marknorton]

5000 images in two weeks? Gosh.

[tbarker13]

I'm just thankful they're digital and not film. I can't imagine paying that processing bill or finding the time to do the developing of some 140 rolls of film.

I studied photojournalism in college, where it was sort of drilled into my head that it is far better to take too many photos than not enough.The move to digital has simply amplified that way of thinking for me.

[jelderfield]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

WOW - that's about equivalent to 138 rolls in two weeks!

[charlesphoto99]

Huh!?

$4000+ for a "secondary" camera??? :confused:

 

I know! But I'm still a film guy - I just can't get used to shooting those moments that will never happen again and entrust them to pixels and hard drives.

 

And lately I've been shooting more medium format than anything else (mostly for a book project). Digital is great for some commercial work and parties and walking around. Doesn't do it for me otherwise. If I take a once in a lifetime trip it's film for me. And that's just me. I'm actually almost at the point thinking that I would have been better off not getting swept up by the M8 craze and put that money into a 5D or some equivalent and just kept shooting film with M7. Fortunately I also own an Imacon 646.

 

Don't get me wrong though - the M8 does produce superb files. But all the twiddling with rangefinders and filters and lens adjusting and coding has really been a pain in the ....

[tbarker13]

I guess I've never really thought a lot about it. I went to Italy three years ago for a couple weeks. I was using an M6 and M4 at the time. I think I shot at least 100 rolls of films, divided between B&W and color slide.

 

I would have to mention that my wife is incredibly understanding and encouraging in this regard. We'll pick a particular spot and just sort of hang out there for a couple hours. I'll walk around shooting, while she breaks out her sketch book and does her own thing.

It works well for her because she knows she'll be able to use my photos for reference later if she wants to paint what she is sketching.

[ken_tanaka]

... Don't get me wrong though - the M8 does produce superb files. But all the twiddling with rangefinders and filters and lens adjusting and coding has really been a pain in the ....

 

Yours are similar to my feelings on this, Charles.

 

Yes, the camera has some very nice characteristics. In aggregate, though, I've grown generally disappointed with it. I have not had any major failure with my M8, such as TIm's freeze-up of the myriad of other issues that have been reported by others. But the bevy of smaller, but chronic, issues seem to become increasingly distracting for me. (And I've yet to see a single damn "free" filter from Leica, despite a February 2nd registration.) The most recent firmware update implemented exactly zero improvements that I've been able to observe.

 

So I've set my entire M8 kit aside for the time being. I'll probably pick it back up (much) later this year and decide then if I want to keep it. Meanwhile I've enjoyed returning to photography.

[Guest Walt]

To echo Charles and Ken, I've found the M8 both useful and a huge distraction. I haven't spent this much time "techo twiddling" in my last 40 years of photography all put together. Combined, the cameras I've owned in those 40 years have produced fewer problems, had fewer failures and required less attention than two M8 bodies in six months. It's exhausting, distracting and boring and it has nothing to do with photography. I'm still on the fench about it, but It's going to have to get better and more reliable pretty soon for me to stay with it.

 

Walt

 

P.S. Yeah, I've had Tim's problem too.

[charlesphoto99]

Yours are similar to my feelings on this, Charles.

 

Yes, the camera has some very nice characteristics. In aggregate, though, I've grown generally disappointed with it. I have not had any major failure with my M8, such as TIm's freeze-up of the myriad of other issues that have been reported by others. But the bevy of smaller, but chronic, issues seem to become increasingly distracting for me. (And I've yet to see a single damn "free" filter from Leica, despite a February 2nd registration.) The most recent firmware update implemented exactly zero improvements that I've been able to observe.

 

So I've set my entire M8 kit aside for the time being. I'll probably pick it back up (much) later this year and decide then if I want to keep it. Meanwhile I've enjoyed returning to photography.

 

My feelings pretty much in a nutshell Ken. No filters in sight for myself either, even after sending email and hearing back that I'd see them in a week or so (that was about a month back).

 

Also, the M7 is so silky smooth, fits much better in the hand, quieter, and all around better build. My SF-20 is TTL, and my 24 is a 24.

 

Of course the M8 is nice for things such as the wedding I was at last weekend as a guest. Of course, once I was there there was slight pressure to come up with the goods, but I really tried to ignore that and shot for fun. Shot with one lens only (28mm cron) and can now put together a nice little website for the couple without any $ out of my pocket (not counting the M8 itself of course!). If they had hired me I would have shot film and budgeted for processing/prints and/or scanning instead.

 

And I really see my future as an artist relying more and more on my medium format cameras - Mamiya 7 and 6, Hass SWC and Rollei TLR (at this time). I'm currently shooting a book on breakdancers, and at the events I'm going to there are digital slr shooters all around me. My way of working is much much more cumbersome and expensive, but when I nail it on MF it blows everything else out of the park. Not at all what you expect to see for the subject. And one of the reasons I have a book deal and the others don't.

[Skippy Sanchez]

I know! But I'm still a film guy - I just can't get used to shooting those moments that will never happen again and entrust them to pixels and hard drives ....

 

After having shot film as newspaper staffer for 20+ years and shooting digital for the past eight, it seems to me there are greater and more numerous risks in loosing images on film than with digital, especially when travelling.

 

And i sure don't mean to turn this into another film vs. digital debate.

 

Having done an extensive amount of traveling using both mediums, i believe the potential loss of images on film is much greater; processing errors alone are myriad, whether i have it done commercially over there, here, or do it myself when i return. i can back up digital images the day they were shot on a variety of mediums & pack them in a variety of suit cases for the trip home. Plus, I can tell right away if there's a problem. It's discouraging to shoot a dozen rolls of film only to discover later, after the film is processed, there was a problem with the camera. Thankfully, it didn't happen often, but it has happened.

 

Interestingly, I brought an MP as a backup to two M8s while in Honduras a few months ago, and wouldn't you know, the MP/Leicavit locked up on the second roll (shooting 3200 film) and the M8s performed flawlessly. At least I knew immediatly the MP was an expensive paperweight for the remainder of the trip.

 

I love film and will continue to shoot film, but not because i trust it more than digital.

[charlesphoto99]

After having shot film as newspaper staffer for 20+ years and shooting digital for the past eight, it seems to me there are greater and more numerous risks in loosing images on film than with digital, especially when travelling.

 

And i sure don't mean to turn this into another film vs. digital debate.

 

Having done an extensive amount of traveling using both mediums, i believe the potential loss of images on film is much greater; processing errors alone are myriad, whether i have it done commercially over there, here, or do it myself when i return. i can back up digital images the day they were shot on a variety of mediums & pack them in a variety of suit cases for the trip home. Plus, I can tell right away if there's a problem. It's discouraging to shoot a dozen rolls of film only to discover later, after the film is processed, there was a problem with the camera. Thankfully, it didn't happen often, but it has happened.

 

Interestingly, I brought an MP as a backup to two M8s while in Honduras a few months ago, and wouldn't you know, the MP/Leicavit locked up on the second roll (shooting 3200 film) and the M8s performed flawlessly. At least I knew immediatly the MP was an expensive paperweight for the remainder of the trip.

 

I love film and will continue to shoot film, but not because i trust it more than digital.

 

Hi Skippy,

 

It's not a camera reliability issue with me, but rather an image issue. I've had M6's and other cameras go south on me in remote and not so remote places as well. But rather, do I want to commit all of my child's pictures to only digital? Maybe fifty years from now it will be great to have some nice creamy textured Rolleiflex shots as well.

 

Anyway, it's all good and everybody's different. What works for some doesn't for others.

 

As for me, I find the instant preview with digital to be both a godsend and an incredible distraction depending on the situation. There's nothing like going on a month long trip and just shooting film and just getting into the zone. Yeah, some images might be under/over exposed, out of focus etc. but film can give you so much latitude (neg that is) that I rarely worry. Whereas once you screw the shot up with digital that's it (very few of my photos are the kind where one gets a second chance). And I have time to shoot more, relax, read a book, hang with locals, instead of slaving over a computer. Of course, if my bag with all of the film gets stolen, drowned, etc then that's it. And if I run out of film....well I also like how one needs to pace oneself, esp with medium format.

 

But digital is here to stay, though if you look around there's still a lot of film being shot, esp in the higher ends of the art and p.j. world.

[ken_tanaka]

As if to taunt me, my filters (finally) arrived approximately one hour after I posted my note above. <g>

[KM-25]

And I really see my future as an artist relying more and more on my medium format cameras - Mamiya 7 and 6, Hass SWC and Rollei TLR (at this time). I'm currently shooting a book on breakdancers, and at the events I'm going to there are digital slr shooters all around me. My way of working is much much more cumbersome and expensive, but when I nail it on MF it blows everything else out of the park. Not at all what you expect to see for the subject. And one of the reasons I have a book deal and the others don't.

 

 

.....Shhhhh....

 

You'll give the hungry masses of nuevo-digi-O-photo-nerds too many ideas. I use digital. I use 5D's, the M8, but I use a lot more film, medium format as well. Because about ten years ago, I saw what was coming and I don't have to say a word to you as to what that is because clearly: You have a clue too..:-).

 

Good stuff!

 

But really....shhhhhh......

[Guest sirvine]

If nothing else, digital photography has made MF more affordable.

[ho_co]

Interestingly, I brought an MP as a backup to two M8s while in Honduras a few months ago, and wouldn't you know, the MP/Leicavit locked up on the second roll (shooting 3200 film) and the M8s performed flawlessly.

 

Skippy--Hadn't you seen the threads on all the problems with the MP when used with high-ISO film?

 

--HC

[Skippy Sanchez]

Skippy--Hadn't you seen the threads on all the problems with the MP when used with high-ISO film?

 

--HC

 

huh? i must have missed that one.

 

perhaps the xtra-thick emulsion was more than the 'vit could handle because the honduras humidity was about 110%. it was like advancing a roll of sponge.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Jamie Roberts]

As if to taunt me, my filters (finally) arrived approximately one hour after I posted my note above. <g>

 

 

Ken--aw crap!!

 

I'm waiting for you to decide to sell, Ken; I need a second body Not kidding--just let me know when you decide!

 

You know, it's funny, because I still shoot some film at weddings too (yes, and I now have two M film bodies as well as the m8), and I carry 3 digital cameras around with me, from time to time during weddings.

 

But the M8 gets the "5k files shot" in 3 weddings. Meaning every 3 weeks to a month . And mine (touch wood) has just been fabulous this season. I've lost way fewer shots on digital, so far, than I did to lab mistakes, for whatever that's worth And digital technology is just getting better and better seemingly every month.

 

I mean, I just picked up a 1TB RAID at Costco for $350 CAD. That's what I'm trusting my child's pictures to, to be frank (since I'm going through my Dad's 50 years of slide film, believe me, I think my son would rather have something digital in 50 years!).

 

I don't think I've had the M8 renumber using the same numbers, but since I'm not cataloging by file number (I'm re-naming similar to what Jaap does but I use Breeze Browser because it reads EXIF and can incorporate that into the file name) it doesn't matter to me.

 

The M8 has been a real workhorse, I have to say; at a wedding the film cameras and workflow is the hothouse orchid here at a wedding, though that's not the same for me in the studio.

 

BTW--at an event I turn the chimp off the M8 when I'm shooting. I do check the first (incident) exposure then I just shoot, and shoot. It's not significantly different than the M6 or M3 I have along, actually (except if really need to check a critical shot, I can do that right away).