Sean Reid's M8 Part 3 Review

[sean_reid]

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Blimey Sean, you have done it again.

 

First your reviews were instrumental in my purchasing an R-D1...which I thought I would be so happy with for years to come but now, after reading all 3 parts I want an M8 very badly...must resist (at least until nlater next year).

 

But, in seriousness, i'm not clear on the flak that Sean has been receibing. All I know is that Sean has provided me with many a pleasurable and insightful read, thanks Sean.

 

I know what you mean. I'm keeping one R-D1 though. Right now I'm editing a shoot with lots of R-D1 files and they still look great.

 

Thanks,

 

Sean

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[sean_reid]

and the shots Sean sets out comparing the gray scale images with coding turned on/off is the first real test that shows that those b/w bits are making a difference -- at least with the 28 ASPH.

 

 

...and the 21. The correction does work and it does make a small difference.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[wparsonsgisnet]

I know what you mean. I'm keeping one R-D1 though. Right now I'm editing a shoot with lots of R-D1 files and they still look great.

 

Thanks,

 

Sean

 

Sean, you don't really have a choice not to keep one since you have to continue doing these in-depth comparisons. You'll need that body for our reading pleasure.

[sean_reid]

Interesting to note that Sean has now been banned from fredmiranda.com and all his posts deleted.

 

I asked Fred why he had made a certain decision and he didn't care for that. Rather than explain or consider, he deleted my thread and banned me. So he's made a clear statement as to what will happen to those who question his decisions.

 

But let's not get into that stuff. *please* The M8's much more interesting and television is already too full of the other kind of real-life soap operas. I want to talk about cameras, lenses and photography. There will always be some soap opera on the web. I just keep rolling.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[sean_reid]

Sean, you don't really have a choice not to keep one since you have to continue doing these in-depth comparisons. You'll need that body for our reading pleasure.

 

Yes, although the phrase seems more appropriate for someone like Liv Tyler, perhaps. <G>

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[nemeng]

I asked Fred why he had made a certain decision and he didn't care for that. Rather than explain or consider, he deleted my thread and banned me. So he's made a clear statement as to what will happen to those who question his decisions.

 

I think it's simply because site "A" doesn't wish to act as an unpaid marketing tool for commercial site "B".

 

Please don't read any criticism or abuse into this. If your subscription model works, more power to you. FWIW there are many of us who wish we could get it to work on our websites :?)

[sean_reid]

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I think it's simply because site "A" doesn't wish to act as an unpaid marketing tool for commercial site "B".

 

Please don't read any criticism or abuse into this. If your subscription model works, more power to you. FWIW there are many of us who wish we could get it to work on our websites :?)

 

Actually, I've linked to Fred's forums (guy's thread specifically) in my reviews so it went both ways. The issue wasn't that however. It was that his policy about this was very inconsistent, as several people pointed out. I questioned that inconsistency and he didn't like that. But, again, Andrew, I don't really want to discuss politics, etc here. If you're curious about the FM thing, PM me.

 

The subscription model has worked for magazines for a very long time. It's nothing new.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[gtmerideth]

Yes, the subscription model has lots of history. Just have to keep those readers

interested and that's where I think you excell. Truthfully, I'm probably never going

to buy a Ricoh camera. But the review was interesting, informative and a pleasure

to read. Your presence in our photographic efforts has become so important. Not

just in the assistance as to what one might purchase but the dialoge produced about

photographic technique is invaluable. Thank you Sean.

g.

[sean_reid]

Yes, the subscription model has lots of history. Just have to keep those readers

interested and that's where I think you excell. Truthfully, I'm probably never going

to buy a Ricoh camera. But the review was interesting, informative and a pleasure

to read. Your presence in our photographic efforts has become so important. Not

just in the assistance as to what one might purchase but the dialoge produced about

photographic technique is invaluable. Thank you Sean.

g.

 

Thanks a lot Gary.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[Guest stevenrk]

...and the 21. The correction does work and it does make a small difference.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

Sean, As usual, there is so much thoughful information set out that it takes a couple of reads to catch most of it. Very informative, not only in terms of the 21 (which I missed entirely on the first read through) but also on your comparison of the way the Epson and the M8 sensors differ with respect to vigneting. Really gives you a sense of the work that's gone in to the M8 sensor and the results of that effort in the final mage.

 

Look forward to seeing what you've found on DR and reading how you interpret its impact on the quality of the image produced by the M.

 

Best, Steven

[rosuna]

Max aperture does not show up in EXIF.

 

Leica said the blue dot was an external light sensor and the real aperture could be estimated from the two readings (internal and external light meters). That was not true, isn't? What is the blue dot just in the step (front side of the camera)?

[rosuna]

There will always be some soap opera on the web.

 

There is too much.

 

Ayway, the third part of the M8 review is very, very interesting.

 

The three parts are the first and best review of the camera, to date.

 

Best.

[mgrayson]

Not to simply echo the general sentiment, but I value Sean's posting enough, and am angry enough at Fred's attitude, that I'm voting with my mouse. I'll miss the M8 bible.

 

Sean's subscription is almost certainly the best value received for the money I've found on the net.

 

Cheers,

 

Matt

[Heidi S]

Sean,

I love your reviews! Thanks for taking the time to write them and post them. Subscribing to you site is the best money spent.

 

Now, any advice on how to get an M8 quicker?

Heidi

[sean_reid]

Steven, Ruben, Matt, Heidi.....Thanks!

 

I've been getting trolled all over the place so this is a welcome contrast. All these reviews and I still don't know anything about that little sensor. I'll try to remember to ask Leica.

 

Heidi,

 

I wish I knew how to get an M8 to you quicker but hopefully it won't be long.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[sean_reid]

There is too much.

 

The three parts are the first and best review of the camera, to date.

 

Best.

 

Hi Ruben,

 

Thanks, that's exactly what I've been shooting for.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[scott kirkpatrick]

Sean:

 

When you are shooting an ISO series, I assume you shoot a fixed subject with 1/3 stop bracketing, and decide which is "best." But with cameras with the dynamic range of the M8 and the 5D, working in RAW, just what determines "best?" Or do you match up their histograms? You could do that with the M8 and RD-1, but the lens differences between 5D and M8 would seem to rule out that approach.

 

If you've explained that already in an earlier article, my apologies, but I don't remember seeing it spelled out.

 

regards,

 

scott

[sean_reid]

Hi Scott,

 

Of course, the first step is to get an ISO baseline. So for this article, we know:

 

M8@160 = 5D@160 = R-D1@200

 

and so on (we'll get to the 2500/3200 thing below)

 

At each ISO level, then, I use the same manual exposure for each camera (same shutter speed, same aperture). As ISO goes up, the aperture stays fixed by the shutter speeds get higher.

 

Now for the 5D and M8 at highest ISO, the 5D has no ISO 2500 setting so it's exposed at ISO 3200 with 1/3 stop faster shutter speed to correct for it's 1/3 stop higher sensitivity.

 

How do I meter to get the base exposure level? I do the same thing I usually do for my own work which is to get an exposure that gives a histogram graph that almost kisses the right side of the graph edge. ie: I hold the highlights. Again, that's how I test because that's how I really work.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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[canlogic]

Hi Sean

 

Great review! Can't wait for more on flash use and different lenses on the M8.

[palaeoboy]

"I've been getting trolled all over the place so this is a welcome contrast."

 

I think unfortunatey whenever a discussion on a free site is about a review on a paid site that those left out of discussion do feel a bit diassociated. The same thing I remember happening on a paid news service someone linked too once. So regretably some of that agitation you will have to (and do) take that on the chin. I know one member mentioning that he wont join purely because they wont deal in US currency at the moment as a personal protest against current world events and totally unrealated to you personally. So I wouldnt take it too personally. But you cope better than I could in that situation. I personally dont join because Im unsure being only a film rangefinder user how your lens reviews on cameras with crop factors would ulimately relate to results I would get myself. Maybe they do, just the unknown of it and the troube to deal in a foreign currency prevents me from choosing to subscribe. Im sure prospective M8 users benefit from them emensly. Just my take on things from an unsubscriber anyways. Best wishes with your endeavours though, many appear to enjoy their subscriptions.