Manicouagan1 Posted March 4, 2008 Share #81 Posted March 4, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) I bought the M8 as as a relatively small and light system for hiking photos, travel photography including candid pictures in native markets, exterior architecture and interior shots at low light levels, and family portraits. I only use the UV-IR blocking filters for family portraits to avoid the purple pants syndrome. The size limitations are such that alternative might be a point and shoot digital camera shooting raw format or the Canon 5D with the 24-105 f4 lens. There are no point and shoot cameras that I find acceptable, an amazing fact given the dozens and dozens of different models with new cameras coming out almost weekly. The Canon 5D with the L zoom is to my mind too conspicuous, but it probably is functionally the nearest for the applications I have in mind for the M8. My other system is a Canon 1D Mark IIn for available light interior court sports (volleyball and basketball). For that I break out Canon's big (huge might be a better term when the lens hoods are attached) f 2.8 zooms, and shot rapid fire bursts a f 2.8 and 1600 ISO using every trick I know to optimize the autofocus. There are and never have been universal cameras. Even during the rangefinder camera's peak in the hands of the Magnum founders, Ansel Adams was lugging around his 8x10 view cameras and the Speed Graphic seems to have been the choice for most photojournalists. The M8 is a niche camera but so it a Canon 1D or Nikon D2/D3. If you want a camera for that niche it has no competition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 4, 2008 Posted March 4, 2008 Hi Manicouagan1, Take a look here Leica M8 - Would you buy it now?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
graeme_hutton Posted March 4, 2008 Share #82 Posted March 4, 2008 Yes, Yes and yes again. Nothing to do with the technical specification though - It's about its crative potential. I 'grew up' with a Ricoh 500G bought for me in the late 70's so I guess the rangefinder is in my blood. Simply (and IHMO) I've never taken as good a shot with an SLR - I just don't see the world the same way through a myopic viewfinder I guess. Graeme Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffry Abt Posted March 5, 2008 Share #83 Posted March 5, 2008 I am keeping only 2 cameras. The first is the M8, and the second is my Nikon D3. DBK This is my case as well. I wish I had the cash for a second M8...... a second D3 for that matter. Buy a M8, you'll love it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
asmith Posted March 5, 2008 Share #84 Posted March 5, 2008 I've just bought a second. After a very happy year with my first I felt a second would reduce the frequency of lens changes. Alwyn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
patashnik Posted March 5, 2008 Author Share #85 Posted March 5, 2008 To answer my own question: After a couple of days, walking around in circles, checking the bank account - I just ordered one. I found one, fresh out of the factory for $4500. Two years warranty, latest firmware, free filters, and all. I have come to realize that I don't have that many alternatives: I've tried the dSLR route, and it didn't work, the Epson R-D1 is also expensive, and discontinued long ago. Hopefully it will show up at my doorstep in a couple of days, and I'll be set for a while. Wow. I just spent $4500 on a camera... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
graeme_hutton Posted March 5, 2008 Share #86 Posted March 5, 2008 You just need some lenses now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
patashnik Posted March 5, 2008 Author Share #87 Posted March 5, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) You just need some lenses now! Well, my Voigtlander 15mm, Planar 50mm and Summicron ASPH 35mm will have to do for, well - the next 8-10 years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gIzzE Posted March 5, 2008 Share #88 Posted March 5, 2008 I just ordered one too, I had a credit note of £700 with Ffordes and my D300 went kerputt last night so I got a refund on that and went for an M8. I would have like to have used the new Red Dot store, on Old Street, but I will have to buy some lenses from there instead, £1900 worth of credit at Ffordes was too much to ignore. I paid the old price with a Voigtlander 40mm thrown in to get me up and running, lenses will have to start properly next month, so I guess if I go for an M9 next year I will still probably get £1800 or so back on this, so not bad really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
delander † Posted March 5, 2008 Share #89 Posted March 5, 2008 Congratulations to those who have just bought their M8s. I am sure you will love the camera. I have two so I wont be buying another right now. And what's this? - A camera breaking down (Nikon D300) and it is not an M8, surely it cant be. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gIzzE Posted March 5, 2008 Share #90 Posted March 5, 2008 And what's this? - A camera breaking down (Nikon D300) and it is not an M8, surely it cant be. Jeff Haha! There seem to be loads of reports of this happening too with the D300, some are on their 3rd body. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 5, 2008 Share #91 Posted March 5, 2008 Seriously on the D300 like to see a link to this. I am selling my 5d, 200 2.8 and 100 macro and was going to switch the DSLR side of the house to Nikon and I really just bought the 5d a couple months ago and am ready to get the D300. I just need to list my Canon stuff somewhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rweisz Posted March 5, 2008 Share #92 Posted March 5, 2008 I am selling my 5d, 200 2.8 and 100 macro and was going to switch the DSLR side of the house to Nikon and I really just bought the 5d a couple months ago and am ready to get the D300. I just need to list my Canon stuff somewhere. Not to maline the D300 which is a great camera in it's class, but why sell a 5D and go down to a 1.5x-cropped body? I'd rather buy adaptors and kludge Nikon lenses on a 5D if I had a thing for Nikkors (some are fantastic, others are just so-so). Now the D3, that's a horse of another ballgame. I was a little disappointed it wasn't at least 16-18 megs though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gIzzE Posted March 5, 2008 Share #93 Posted March 5, 2008 I agree, don't sell the 5D to go over to the D300, both the guys in the store this morning were D300 owners, they also swapped camps when the D300 came out, and both said they regretted the move and still think the 5D is the better camera. Unless you really need the extra fps and shoot alot of sports stuff then the 5D produces far better images. Hand on heart, I was seriously disappointed with the D300, image quality is well below the 5D imho, high iso's soften things too much and the lack of fast primes compared with Canons range was a real kick in the nuts, I presumed I would get the 28mm F/1.4 and it wasn't till I got the camera that I realised it was discontinued, and then saw that they never come up for sale and when they do they tend to fetch $2500 a pop!! There are loads of posts on 'D300 problems' on the dpreview forum, some start with focusing issues and incorrect lens data, but they all tend to end up with the camera shutting down, they seem to think it is a problem with the lens mount sensor. I will get a 5D to replace the D300 when funds permit, if I went Nikon it would have to be a D3. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Olof Posted March 5, 2008 Share #94 Posted March 5, 2008 I suggest the best it wait untill 2010 then there may be come the new M9 ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 5, 2008 Share #95 Posted March 5, 2008 Thanks guys , i am just sick of canon gear for one. I really am to be honest. The 5D is nice but I use the M8 as primary but runway, product and shift stuff. See i want the new 24 shift and 85 shift, the 180 2.8 and a Zeiss 85 for the Nikon. And no i will not bolt adapters on the 5D , remember i was the one that started that stuff many moons ago when I had canon 1ds. Not going in reverse. LOL The D3 is not great enough in quality from the M8 so that makes no sense. The D300 was sort of the throw away until a D3X may appear. i know i am losing quality on the 5D down to the D300. maybe i should wait until the 6D comes out if ever. Okay we went off topic , sorry. See a area under much mental debate, there just not one out there i really am wanting that bad. R10 I will NOT be the first one this time, I have done this 4 times now and i am not going to be the guinea pig again, unless Leica gives it to me to beta test first. Which i did ask to do since i do beta test for them, but no word and not expecting one either. I am sure the guys in Germany will do that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted March 5, 2008 Share #96 Posted March 5, 2008 Well, I'm not Guy on this one: saying my M8 competes with a 5d is really high praise. I think Canon knocked it out of the park with that camera, and I've owned 1ds /1d2/ 1ds2s and am just now editing a wedding shot with an M8, a 5d, a 1d3 and a 1d2. Now, it may be the not-so-hot profiles in C1 v4 for the 1d3, but so far I'm liking the look of the 5d a *lot* better (and the m8, too, of course!) than the 1d3 even. Guy--there will be a "5d2" or "6d" someday soon. Canon's problem, I think, might be how they're going to cannibalize sales for 1 series stuff this time round, if the new one is as good as the 5d (still) is... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted March 5, 2008 Share #97 Posted March 5, 2008 Thanks guys , i am just sick of canon gear for one. I really am to be honest. The 5D is nice but I use the M8 as primary but runway, product and shift stuff. See i want the new 24 shift and 85 shift, the 180 2.8 and a Zeiss 85 for the Nikon. And no i will not bolt adapters on the 5D , remember i was the one that started that stuff many moons ago when I had canon 1ds. Not going in reverse. LOL The D3 is not great enough in quality from the M8 so that makes no sense. The D300 was sort of the throw away until a D3X may appear. i know i am losing quality on the 5D down to the D300. maybe i should wait until the 6D comes out if ever. Okay we went off topic , sorry. See a area under much mental debate, there just not one out there i really am wanting that bad. R10 I will NOT be the first one this time, I have done this 4 times now and i am not going to be the guinea pig again, unless Leica gives it to me to beta test first. Which i did ask to do since i do beta test for them, but no word and not expecting one either. I am sure the guys in Germany will do that. Guy, I shoot with the D200 as well and have been happy with it. No, the quality isn't quite up there with the M8 (don't know about the 5D though 5D def beats it in high iso's). Ultimately unless one is doing fine art the client won't know esp once it gets inked. To me the Nikon has always had a bit more of a film-like quality (in same way as Leica). One of my most used lenses on the D200 is an old 50mm f1.8 AIS that I picked up for $49. The quality rocks imo. I will probably pick up a D300 or D3 at some point though I'd kinda like a second M8 as well. Yeah, the manual focus on Canon lenses suck even compared to the newer AF Nikons. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rweisz Posted March 5, 2008 Share #98 Posted March 5, 2008 Really, different strokes here Guy (and anyone else who swaps out his gear that often, I don't mean to single you out). My rate's on the high end and I'm busy and make a good buck but I can't imagine switching my gear as much as you do. If not for the money, which I'll admit I'd rather spend on other lifestyle luxuries, then because it takes me a while until I learn the ins and outs of new lenses and bodies that shooting becomes second-nature, meantime my work suffers more than whatever small advantage I would get from the new piece of equiptment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 5, 2008 Share #99 Posted March 5, 2008 Well that is what I have been noticing in the D300 files is it does look smoother and more film like. Reason i have been thinking about this. The 5D as well as it is first is a pain to process and second looks to plastic. I am getting nice stuff don't get me wrong but it's freaking boring as hell. the M8 in my book on the lower ISO kicks it's butt, the high ISO the 5d wins hands down. Honestly I am just bored to tears with canon stuff and i know that may hurt some feelings but no question right now Nikon is kicking its butt with there new glass that just came out. I am looking at that too down the road , if a 23mpx Nikon hits the streets all bets are off on everything if it can produce. Trying to think ahead here a little. I love my M8's and will keep them but if something really high end comes out than i have to look at everything and make a call. That goes for the R10 or what comes out at Photokina. You guys just don't realize how fast i will flip on a dime if there is something better. i am a nut case and will do almost anything to get better and better images. But my heart is on the M8 because i love working with it and i love this small stuff. I have to work tonight and all day tomorrow and just got done shooting 3 days in a row and my back is in freaking heaven. I can't tell you what it means to me to have a small small Domke bag filled with gear and not a roller bag. i have gotten old and lazy when it comes to lugging stuff anymore. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 5, 2008 Share #100 Posted March 5, 2008 Really, different strokes here Guy (and anyone else who swaps out his gear that often, I don't mean to single you out). My rate's on the high end and I'm busy and make a good buck but I can't imagine switching my gear as much as you do. If not for the money, which I'll admit I'd rather spend on other lifestyle luxuries, then because it takes me a while until I learn the ins and outs of new lenses and bodies that shooting becomes second-nature, meantime my work suffers more than whatever small advantage I would get from the new piece of equiptment. Yes and my biggest and dumbest mistake was selling my DMR stuff. The canon to DMR was a great move but DMR to only M8 was not my brightest moment. Not image quality just the versatility of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.