M8 Concerns

[Guest malland]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Like many people I think that the M8 looks like a great camera, although I'll want to see what the image quality is before putting money down -- although I expect that the image quality will be very good. Perhaps this information is available from Sean Reid's review.

My other concern is the 0.68x magnification of the viewfinder because on my two M6s I have 0.85 maginification to get a sufficently large image in the 50mm frame lines. But I suppose that, with the 1.33 factor, the 0.68 VF magnificaiton is equivalent to 0.90x (1.33x0.68). Is that correct?

 

The final concern is about the lack of environmental sealing, which, it would seem to me, is much more important on a digital camera than on a film one. Or is my concerns misplaced?

 

On thing that I'm not concerned about at all is the 1.33 extension factor. Originally I thought that I would be interested only in a full-frame Leica digital-M. But after I bought the 8MP Ricoh GR Digital about two months ago and started shooting with it extensively I realized that the full-frame obsession was merely a prejudice, since, even with the tiny sensor of this camera I've been able to make good 40x52 inch (100x133cm) prints.

 

Look at my GR-D pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/1268776@N00/

 

--Mitch/Brussels

[Advertisement]

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

[mat_mcdermott]

The viewfinder magnification is uneffected by sensor size. If you're used to .85 then .68 is going to be a good bit wider. I think it's a great compromise, personally. The viewfinder magnifier will work with the M8, although I realize it's cold comfort to have to pay extra to get the magnification that you're used to.

[lct]

...The viewfinder magnifier will work with the M8, although I realize it's cold comfort to have to pay extra to get the magnification that you're used to.

And quite uncomfortable, if not dangerous, to get that piece of glass protruding against the eye.

Other VF mags will be available some day hopefully.

[waterlenz]

snip

My other concern is the 0.68x magnification of the viewfinder because on my two M6s I have 0.85 maginification to get a sufficently large image in the 50mm frame lines. But I suppose that, with the 1.33 factor, the 0.68 VF magnificaiton is equivalent to 0.90x (1.33x0.68). Is that correct?

snip

 

--Mitch/Brussels

 

The 1.33 factor is intrinsic to the framelines for the focal lengths shown in the M8 finder vs those in the film M's. For example, the FOVs of the M8 framelines for the 24 & 35 lens pair are equivalent to 32 and 47 mm lenses in the 24 x 36mm format. I.e., they would be the same as framelines for these focal lengths for 24 x 36mm if they existed for the M. Similarly, the 28 & 90mm framelines in the M8 are equivalent to 37 and 120mm in the 24 x 36mm format; the 50 & 75 framelines in the M8 are equivalent to 67 & 100mm in the 24 x 36mm format.

 

I gather the M8 has slightly less mag than the standard aka classic M4 type finder because the M8 FOVs are a bit more, e.g. 32 (on M8) vs 35 (on 24x36) mm at the wide end and 120 (on M8) vs. 135 (on 24x36)mm at the long end.

 

Tom

[JHAG]

I never found the 1,25 eyepiece especially "dangerous".

It even allows me to hang my M7 on my breast pocket

;-)