cfd954 Posted November 26, 2007 Share #1 Posted November 26, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Right now I have a rather extensive Canon setup which consists of: Canon 40D Canon 580ex 2 Speedlite Canon 24-70 L USM f/2.8 Canon 70-200 L IS USM f/2.8 Canon 50mm USM f/1.4 I have been toying with the idea of trading in this investment and putting it towards the purchase of an M8 with a 50mm f/2.0 lens. For me I mainly do travel photography and family pictures and the M8 looks like it would be a lot easier on the back to travel with and much less obtrusive. I am just looking for some guidance towards the setup that I am looking at and if it would be suitable for my needs. I am also on a "limited" budget so would this perticular Leica be a sound investment for me? Thanks for the help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 26, 2007 Posted November 26, 2007 Hi cfd954, Take a look here Considering a M8 and need some guidance. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Shootist Posted November 26, 2007 Share #2 Posted November 26, 2007 Whether it would be suitable for you is up to you. It is for me. As far as a investment, I wouldn't consider any camera gear as a investment other then a investment in the joy of using it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stnami Posted November 26, 2007 Share #3 Posted November 26, 2007 Hi etc Try searching and looking beyond the first page, do you really think that you are the first to ask that question? http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/39187-buying-m8.html and there is heaps more ....don't be lazy search and research!!!!!!!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theodor Heinrichsohn Posted November 26, 2007 Share #4 Posted November 26, 2007 I have a Canon D5, the same lenses as you do + a 12-24 Sigma zoom. In addition, I have 2 Leica M8's and a variety of lenses. Having originally come from film Leicas ( IIIg, M3,M4, M5, M6 and M7 + lots of lenses and at the same time Nikon SLR's and many lenses, all using slide films like Kodachrome 25, 64, Velvia, Sensia, Provia etc., I want to stress that the equipment you use must first and foremost SUIT WHAT YOU WANT TO PHOTOGRAPH. SLR's and digital SLR's are superior for very long focal lenses, zoom lenses, macro work, etc. RF cameras are - for me at least - better for unobtrusive work, a lighter camera bag, street shooting and so on. It is therefore very difficult, if not impossible, to suggest the "best" equipment for anyone without knowing very exactly, what subjects are going to be the favourites etc. There is no all encompassing suggestion that I can think of. In order to make the right choices for your type of photography, it is a good idea to know what kind of pictures you mostly want to take and then make your decision. Teddy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted November 26, 2007 Share #5 Posted November 26, 2007 It's not a simple question to answer. I'd strongly recommend first finding out how well you like rangefinder cameras. The least expensive way to do that is to buy a simple used RF film camera (such as a Voigtlander Bessa) with one lens and work with it for a couple of weeks. I own Canon EOS cameras as well as my DRF (digital rangefinder) cameras and I prefer the M8 to everything else. But not everyone would feel the same way. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert4321 Posted November 26, 2007 Share #6 Posted November 26, 2007 M8 is good and so does Canon, depending on what your needs are. Horse for course as they always say here. I love my M8 but it will never replace my Canon or my future D3. I got my M8 back in Aug for weddings and travel. 1 body + 50/1.4 + 28/2 = $11,000, and my system is not nearly completed. To be honest, u may think twice if you are on a budget or not being able to make $ off the M8. If your finance allows, none of these will be matter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fefe Posted November 26, 2007 Share #7 Posted November 26, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I personally would find the 50 f/2 a little "long" for a single lens on the M8 (1.3x crop), the 35 f/2 did it for me. I do mostly travel photography and street/nightlife with the 35 and have recently added a 85 for portraits. If you were using your 70-200 above 100mm on the 40D on a regular basis, you won't have any reasonable option with the M8 available. My M8, 2 lenses, 2 wallets, hoods, additional batteries, passport and SDs all fit in a Billingham stowaway pola (Billingham | Stowaway Pola Bag (Black/Black) | 50070101 | B&H). The M8 is not especially light, nor are lenses but to reach the same weight than your kit you'll need quite a few lenses, and the volume is significantly smaller ($ density too). To figure if you like RF photography, the cheapest available is to buy an old Zorky 4K with a J8-50 f/2 or any other soviet RF cameras from the bay for 50$, and with luck it might actually be quite good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dseelig Posted November 26, 2007 Share #8 Posted November 26, 2007 They really are tools for different purposes. I work for a newspaper, a football card company, and an arena i.e. concerts and rodeo ect. for the most part I shoot canon but if I amshooting fpr myself weather street scenes or landscapes I shoot leica . You do miss zooms but the feel and the discreet nature are wonderful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnwolf Posted November 26, 2007 Share #9 Posted November 26, 2007 Edolyne, I'm not sure selling all that Canon gear will even cover the cost of an M8 body. And are you sure you wouldn't miss those zooms? And AF? If you really only need a 50, what's wrong with the 40D and your current 1.4? For a travel kit, it's no heavier than the M8 and Leica lens, and it's not THAT much smaller. Have you considered a high-end point&shoot for travel and the family? Just my thoughts. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfd954 Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share #10 Posted November 26, 2007 Thanks for all of the replies and input so far. First of all I should say that I have been very interested in getting a Leica for quite some time and after hearing rave reviews from people who own them and seeing the pictures they produce all I can say is wow. As far as my style of photography goes I normally take pictures of landscapes, architecture and a few occasional portraits. With this said I do not rely heavily on my long zoom and have noticed over time that I mainly use my 24 - 70 the most which would mean that I would not really be loosing all that much by moving to a leica. As far as budgetary needs go I am currently taking some photography classes so I would qualify for the student discount and I am mainly looking to get a M8 and a good all purpose lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted November 26, 2007 Share #11 Posted November 26, 2007 and seeing the pictures they produce all I can say is wow. Well there is usually a person behind the camera........... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfd954 Posted November 26, 2007 Author Share #12 Posted November 26, 2007 Well there is usually a person behind the camera........... Very true I generalized too much on that comment especially as you need a good photographer behind the camera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert4321 Posted November 26, 2007 Share #13 Posted November 26, 2007 Well there is usually a person behind the camera........... Best post ever! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
delander † Posted November 26, 2007 Share #14 Posted November 26, 2007 Hi, You have 2 massive Canon zooms there so if weight and size is a problem, the M8 with its small lenses will be a great relief. An M8 will not be able to replace your 40D/70-200. So if you are able to give that up then OK. It is a difficult decision, you have a versatile but heavy Canon set up. An M8 is a different world which many have tried to explain better than I can. I have kept my Canon stuff but use it for flash work, telephoto and macro. The rest is M8. Hope this helps, PS I prefer the images from the M8 to my 5D. I find the colour and sharpness to be better, just a subjective opinion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_tanaka Posted November 26, 2007 Share #15 Posted November 26, 2007 Edolyne, I'm not sure selling all that Canon gear will even cover the cost of an M8 body. And are you sure you wouldn't miss those zooms? And AF? If you really only need a 50, what's wrong with the 40D and your current 1.4? For a travel kit, it's no heavier than the M8 and Leica lens, and it's not THAT much smaller. Have you considered a high-end point&shoot for travel and the family? Just my thoughts. John I share John's thoughts. Frankly, for what seems to amount to family and casual snap-shooting I would consider a Canon G9. Keep the 580 flash (it's not worth much for resale anyway) and get an ST-E2 transmitter to enable you to do both on-cam and off-cam flash lighting. Sell the big glass and 40D if you need to do so. But for less than 10% the cost of an M8 you'll have a camera that surely beats the M8 for flexibility and small size, and will rival it for image quality under many circumstances (casual snapping being one such circumstance). I most often carry my G9 for such casual photography and truly love it. Of course many amateur photographers enjoy photography mostly by buying and fondling. (I make this remark as a matter-of-fact observation, not as a dig.) If your real objective is finding strangers to encourage you to change your wardrobe, rather than improve your photography, then you've come to the right place for Leica M8 encouragement. If you're still dead-set on that M8 but have never used a rangefinder I second Sean's suggestion to try a rangefinder before buying one. It is not nearly as versatile as that 40D you already have and is not everyone's cup of tea. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted November 26, 2007 Share #16 Posted November 26, 2007 Thank you Albert Edolyne, having read through this again, my advice FWIW would be to keep your Canon for now. You mention that you are taking photography classes so you are still learning presumably (well we are all still learning of course). Your Canon is more than capable for almost any general application. If you rarely use the other lenses just leave them at home, take the body and 24-70. Don't take the flash unless you know you are going to need it. I would also suggest the idea of buying a film RF to try out. A Zorki, or a Voigtlander or - even better - an LTM leica, like a lllc or lllf. Try it with a 5cm Elmar or a 25mm Snapshot Skopar (and viewfinder). You'll either love or hate using the RF compared to your SLR at first, but most people myself included use both types of camera for different applications. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fielden Posted November 26, 2007 Share #17 Posted November 26, 2007 Edolyne, I have just done exactly what you are proposing. I traded in my 20d with all the canon gear that went with for an M8 and 2 used lenses. Do I regret it? - Not for one minute! I can't comment on the 'L' glass because I didn't have any, but with the 20d, I was fed up with blown highlights and unsharp images and the amount of work required in photoshop. I want to take photographs with the absolute minimum of computer work and the M8 enables this. The switch to the M8 means a steep learning curve, but its worth it and I now feel like I am improving my photography and not my photoshop skills. This was my main reason for making the switch but as others have said, The M8 is not perfect for all types of photography but if it fits your bill - Go for it! Real photography can be digital. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted November 27, 2007 Share #18 Posted November 27, 2007 Edolyne - Welcome. Imants' suggestion to use the search function is a sound idea, there will be information in the files that I'm sure will help you. I would recommend you subscribe to Sean Reid's site and absorb some of his lens reviews for the 'M' system; superb reading and liable to save you some money. You give little information on your photography experience. Us older gits started photography with fixed focal length lenses and are not phased by the fixed focal length discipline aspect of 'M' shooting. If you have only known zoom photography, it would be good practice to work with a single focal length for a while, and 'zoom' with your feet. I also would not consider a 50mm as a first lens as it is a little 'long' on the M8. A 28mm lens is a standard lens for many M8 photographers here; rangefinders are great for getting in close and personal - it's one of their strengths. Also, do you really need f2? I know that I don't; I've done a lot of long exposure work, but for those I always used a tripod. A less fast lens could save you a lot of weight, space, and money for another lens. Oh yes; an M8 [or any digital purchase] is not an investment, it's an expenditure. Good luck. ................. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_x2004 Posted November 27, 2007 Share #19 Posted November 27, 2007 I think you should hire or borrow a rangefinder. Film one would be fine. Also get out your calculator and work out what it is really going to cost if you are going to be on a budget. Someone your way hired an m8 for a packet for a week. US$350 or something? Rangefinder isnt going to duplicate your canon kit, and it is going to be a learning curve. Doing the "Im opening my wallet buying the range of lenses and learning" probably isnt possible with teh canon, even less so with a rangefinder. For what it is worth I reckon the starter kit with the 28 on digital, or 35 on film, might be the way to go. Hit the search function. Oh, yea, and welcome to the forum and all that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard.no Posted November 27, 2007 Share #20 Posted November 27, 2007 I have a quite extensive Nikon setup myself, but the joy of photography is replaced by some back ache. So I got the M8 (just a few days ago). It's wonderful, and I can't wait to take it to travels. I've been lugging around heavy lenses and cameras, but I think this little gem is going to yield some fantastic/better results (for my type of photography). Good luck with your decicion. If your game isn't action/sports, I think M8 is a nice, romantic (all relationships are a bit troubled, are they not? ) camera! Right now I have a rather extensive Canon setup which consists of: Canon 40D Canon 580ex 2 Speedlite Canon 24-70 L USM f/2.8 Canon 70-200 L IS USM f/2.8 Canon 50mm USM f/1.4 I have been toying with the idea of trading in this investment and putting it towards the purchase of an M8 with a 50mm f/2.0 lens. For me I mainly do travel photography and family pictures and the M8 looks like it would be a lot easier on the back to travel with and much less obtrusive. I am just looking for some guidance towards the setup that I am looking at and if it would be suitable for my needs. I am also on a "limited" budget so would this perticular Leica be a sound investment for me? Thanks for the help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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