M8(.2) Wow (and which 35mm?)

[suvomitra]

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My digital M experience was limited to M10 and M10-r until I visited Wetzlar last week and picked up a pristine M8 that's been overhauled and converted to the 8.2 shutter, etc. I've taken some test photos with it and I'm just amazed by the colour and tones from this camera (DNGs worked lightly in C1 and printed with my Epson P900 on baryta paper). I have both negative and slide film experience, and I shot a lot with CCD Nikons around the time of this M8 (D80, D40/x, D200). I even shot and printed albums of entire family weddings with the also 10mp D40x and D200, so I don't know if it's my fading memory of CCD output generally or something specific to this Kodak sensor. Anyhow, I'm glad to join all who still have and enjoy this old thing.

I do have a question. I plan to use a 28mm and a 35mm with this camera. I have tried my current-model Voigtlander 28/1.5 and it works very well, I think. I also have a Leica 35mm summicron V4. I don't feel the need for any other (faster) 35mm on my M10R, but one might be helpful on the M8.2. It would be great to hear about your 35mm lens choices for an M8 (or any other focal lengths), whether you had one in the past or are still shooting with it 20 years on.

[jdlaing]

Any Summicron 35 will be fine. 

[farnz]

I've had my Leica 35/2 Summicron Mk4 for about 20 years and will continue to enjoy using it with my M8.

Before the Mk4 I had the 35/2 Summicron asph v1, which was very good but my taste changed away from the very crisp rendering of aspherical lenses so I 'released it back into the wild' and haven't missed it.

I also had the Voigtlander 35/1.2 Nokton v1 (LTM), which produced sublime colours with the M8 and very pleasant out-of-focus rendering wide open.  I would still have it except I lent it to a friend who passed away and it became part of his estate.  I miss it from time to time.  I haven't tried the v2 or v3 but the pictures I've seen lack the vivid colours that my v1 would produce.  Who knows, others' tastes and post-processing methods perhaps?

Pete.

[tommonego@gmail.com]

I have a 35 Summilux V2 (1972) and a Zeiss Biogon-C 35 f2.8. They are both good on my M8, I feel the Zeiss is a great match with the M8.