Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 5, 2008 Share #101 Posted March 5, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) Let me add something here since i should get this back on topic. I just got done shooting over 2k in images and not even a burp from the M8's . Now i know there are many issues and folks whining that these are fragile and not holding up . Here is were I disagree besides my initial SDS issues in the beginning. If folks remember i had the same body has 2 SDS occurrences and a few battery issues along the way. i have never failed to get images or should I say the camera always came through. Now having 2 bodies does help but since they had there hardware fix and SDS issues repaired these 2 bodies have been going strong for over a year or more. Now i shoot a ton and i know i have about 30 k in total on these bodies. There wearing and those body marks are all over the place and i think i may even be getting some cool aging and i have slightly scratched LCD and such these camera's really are tough as nails. i know that sounds strange but there tanks in reality if they don't have a failure which let's face it is pretty rare. i know i go against the grain of this forum sometimes when i say this and the repairs are as long as waiting for grass to grow in the winter but overall I get the job done and they hold up under some pretty harsh working enviroments. For a Pro to say this is even harder to swallow but i really am pretty amazed at how well there doing. Beleive me I had issues with everything I have owned over the years, my Hassy's were in the shop all the time and Nikon and canon along with them. If you knew the first real digital camera i had a Kodak 420 that cost 23 k in the day than you realize the wars and battles I have been through with digital. Folks we are really doing pretty well and I understand the issues but it ain't that bad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 5, 2008 Posted March 5, 2008 Hi Guest guy_mancuso, Take a look here Leica M8 - Would you buy it now?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted March 5, 2008 Share #102 Posted March 5, 2008 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. Just buy one then, Guy, They are not exceedingly expensive now... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 5, 2008 Share #103 Posted March 5, 2008 Been tempted but entry price is just to high for old tech. If the R10 is what i think it is , look out i will kick you all out of line. ROTFLMAO but only if it works out of the gate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 5, 2008 Share #104 Posted March 5, 2008 Maybe, Guy, but it is the only game in town right now if you want to pair a DSLR with the M8. The R10 may well be the cats whiskers, in fact I'm sure it will be, but I'm equally sure it will be out of my price range. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
patashnik Posted March 12, 2008 Author Share #105 Posted March 12, 2008 The M8 arrived today, and it is everything I was hoping for. It is such an incredible joy to be able to put my "film" lenses on a camera body and get instant gratification. The only thing is that now I understand the thing about the shutter upgrade Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfalo Posted March 12, 2008 Share #106 Posted March 12, 2008 The M8 arrived today, and it is everything I was hoping for. It is such an incredible joy to be able to put my "film" lenses on a camera body and get instant gratification. The only thing is that now I understand the thing about the shutter upgrade Have fun with your new toy! (I bet you will) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drolfe Posted March 12, 2008 Share #107 Posted March 12, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) I am a working press photographer, and relied on Ms as my daily shooters during the days of film. I loved the M4 and M6, and always felt that electronics were the Achilles Heel of any camera. When my newspaper went digital, I sadly put my Leicas on the shelf and shot Nikon D2s, waiting for the day when Leica went digital. For the last few years I have put the Nikon down to return to Leica --- PanaLeica, actually, shooting a Digilux 2 and V-lux daily. Those 2 bodies, with a reach from 28mm to 420mm, are welcome replacements to a heavy bag full of gear. I love the Digilux 2, and am sorry Leica seems to have veered away from that configuration. The combination of size, silence, analog controls, handy popflash, fine lens with no dust make the Digilux 2 my favorite camera. It does not look like a "real" camera, and people are not threatened by it, so I can work unobtrusively. I did have to send it back for a new sensor, but Leica returned the camera better than before, with new covering and an extra battery. Although I was very happy with the Digilux 2 and V-lux combo, I itched for an M8 to be able to return to the old M series and my reliable old lenses. So I took the plunge about 6 months ago. I do like the M8, but it has not been able to work its way into my working kit. Although I have had no real problems with the M8, I find that I leave it at home because the Digi and V are more convenient working tools for me. I use the M8 for fun. But I would not rely on it for work. Its eccentricities mean it will not always fire when I raise it to shoot, because it has to wake up. The required IR filters do the job, but introduce flare in some circumstances. The frame lines are are mystery, causing multiple tries to get the right framing. Leaving off the IR filters is risky not just for black cloth, but other surprises as well. My green Christmas tree at home looked like a purple aluminum artificial tree, the colored lights rendered as white. Changing lenses on the run has become cumbersome, and I admit I've been spoiled by the high quality zooms on my Panaleicas. No issues with sensor dust, either. The RAW write time is a pain on the Digilux, but no worse than having to pull film holders on a Speed Graphic and pop a new flashbulb. Sharpens my timing. I wish I could say my M8 has become the workhorse my old M4 was, but it just isn't. David R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
razerx Posted March 13, 2008 Share #108 Posted March 13, 2008 When my first M8 was defective out of the box (Leica said the CCD was not at the right position!) I was a bit annoyed but accepted my bad luck. When the fix took 3 months my reaction was that Leica didn't value me as a customer. Else they had many defective bodies on backlog. Neither scenario gave me any comfort. [One suggestion for Mr. Kaufmann: Take your M8 and other electronic repairs out of Germany so your turn around time can be cut down to two weeks. Choose one of your repair facilities in Asia, logically Hong Kong due to its tax status, triple its repair staff and do everything there. But leave "traditional" lens and mechanical work in Solms.) Anyway I was ready to ditch the M8 but I had already spent mega bucks on filters and coding for all my lenses. And since I am an RF shooter I need to give it another chance. The M8 I got back worked fine with superb images. After SDS (and I am convinced there is a battery issue) I decided to get another M8 as back up. How much more can you expect a customer to do to support your company? I have had back ups before but this is the first time I actually had to use one. I think if anything really negative happens I will likely go back to the M6 which thankfully I kept one. In the end I think the M8 is a marvel not without its problems but worth hanging on to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cancan Posted March 27, 2008 Share #109 Posted March 27, 2008 i was a canon man for years, bought my M8 a few months ago as i could'nt stand the weight anymore, what can i say i just fell in love with the M8, dont mind shootin with the IR filter at all, the coding is a nice gimic but you can still use the non coded lenses. you have to get used to the M8, but once you do it is bye bye canon i dont know if you should bye it-i did-no regret Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/46691-leica-m8-would-you-buy-it-now/?do=findComment&comment=521528'>More sharing options...
Guest rweisz Posted March 27, 2008 Share #110 Posted March 27, 2008 I am a working press photographer, and relied on Ms as my daily shooters during the days of film. I loved the M4 and M6 Although I have had no real problems with the M8, I find that I leave it at home because the Digi and V are more convenient working tools for me. This I don't understand at all. I was a working press photographer for years and years. The Digilux and V-Lux have lenses that are too slow, either only AF or else very awkward manual focus (EVF is awful), and the tiny sensor+short focal lens means almost no ability to make a subject pop from the background. Unless by press photographer you mean something completely different than I was doing, which was features and breaking news. I use the M8 for fun. But I would not rely on it for work. Its eccentricities mean it will not always fire when I raise it to shoot, because it has to wake up. Um, have you tried disabling sleep mode? It doesn't eat that much power and so you carry a couple spare batteries, so what? The required IR filters do the job, but introduce flare in some circumstances. That's so overblown. I used UV filters all the years I shot in the field, as did everyone else I knew who owned his own gear, and flare was just never a problem. The frame lines are are mystery, causing multiple tries to get the right framing. What mystery? The framelines don't change size with the weather. What's stopping you from figuring them out? The frame lines are slightly different from the M6, but then the M6 frame lines are slightly different from the M4 yet you claim to have used and loved both. The RAW write time is a pain on the Digilux, but no worse than having to pull film holders on a Speed Graphic and pop a new flashbulb. Speed Graphic?! Nobody was useing SG's already when I started as a gopher at my first paper in '69. What are you, 75? 80? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 27, 2008 Share #111 Posted March 27, 2008 Careful some of us used Speed Graphics. I used to shoot aerials from a helicopter with it over the Hassy's. It was fun but glad there long gone. LOL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rweisz Posted March 27, 2008 Share #112 Posted March 27, 2008 you have to get used to the M8, but once you do it is bye bye canon Oh brother. If I'd said bye bye Canon it would've been bye bye career. First theres a lot of things a rangefinder just can't handle like an SLR (thanks but a Visoflex in pro action just won't cut the mustard). And now that my M8's in Solms for ?months because the shutter didn't last 20K shots, I'm glad I have reliable gear to keep shooting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rweisz Posted March 27, 2008 Share #113 Posted March 27, 2008 Careful some of us used Speed Graphics. I used to shoot aerials from a helicopter with it over the Hassy's. It was fun but glad there long gone. LOL LOL, I don't ordinarily tend to think of cameras like Speed Graphics and Leica M3's as being that old, until I see someone who shot with them when they were in their youth . A few years ago I was doing a shoot in NY and there were a bunch of people hanging around this old, gray-haired senior-citizen type asking for his autograph. Turns out it was Jack Larson, who played Jimmy Olson on the old Superman TV show. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Ortego Posted March 27, 2008 Share #114 Posted March 27, 2008 Heck, I’ve already gone this far so why not? I mean; anything that has the slightest chance of a smoother shutter release is good news in my book. Regards, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSL Posted March 27, 2008 Share #115 Posted March 27, 2008 LOL, I don't ordinarily tend to think of cameras like Speed Graphics and Leica M3's as being that old, until I see someone who shot with them when they were in their youth . A few years ago I was doing a shoot in NY and there were a bunch of people hanging around this old, gray-haired senior-citizen type asking for his autograph. Turns out it was Jack Larson, who played Jimmy Olson on the old Superman TV show. That's the thing. You can learn something from us old, gray-haired senior-citizens. Some of us are Super! In fact, you pretty much have to be Super to do good street work with a Speed Graphic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted March 27, 2008 Share #116 Posted March 27, 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. Isn't this the second (or third) Canon you've bought and sold (not to mention the DMR) in the last couple of years. If I were you I'd step back, take a deep breath, and consider what you really need - rather than feel the urge to always buy the latest 'new thing'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 27, 2008 Share #117 Posted March 27, 2008 Thanks Steve . But advice on my purchase is certainly not needed or desired. I go by my business needs and whatever the heck I want to buy. Please i am 51 years old , I do have a clue on what I am doing at this point in my life . I earned my grey hair. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted March 27, 2008 Share #118 Posted March 27, 2008 Fair enough Guy it's your money and you can spend it how you like. By the way, I'm 52 and don't have grey hair. Maybe because I take a measured approach to my purchases. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guy_mancuso Posted March 27, 2008 Share #119 Posted March 27, 2008 Steve your in my face and your being insulting. I do know what I am doing. I don't need the snide remarks on top of it. Fair enough Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted March 27, 2008 Share #120 Posted March 27, 2008 Fair enough Guy. Let's see what you are using in 6 months time. I'm sure you see the D300 as something to use until a better camera comes along. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.