shootinglulu Posted July 25, 2009 Share #1 Posted July 25, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have the M8 and 35 summarit and feel that my M8 is much more 'nice' light reliant than my slr camera. In 'boring' light, my slr really outperforms the M8. In 'nice' light my M8 really outperforms my slr. My mind too's and fro's between keeping and selling the M8 because of this situation. I know that if i take my M8 to Bath with me today i will probably get some shots because this camera is so discreet but they will be flat and boring. Later this evening i may be able to catch some 'Leica' moments, but only if the light is right. My technique aside (i use DNG and try really hard!), could this relance on 'nice' light be due to the lens? Frustrated ''photographer'' on a sunny day! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 25, 2009 Posted July 25, 2009 Hi shootinglulu, Take a look here The M8 and 'nice' light. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
giordano Posted July 25, 2009 Share #2 Posted July 25, 2009 I have the M8 and 35 summarit and feel that my M8 is much more 'nice' light reliant than my slr camera.In 'boring' light, my slr really outperforms the M8. In 'nice' light my M8 really outperforms my slr. My mind too's and fro's between keeping and selling the M8 because of this situation. I know that if i take my M8 to Bath with me today i will probably get some shots because this camera is so discreet but they will be flat and boring. Later this evening i may be able to catch some 'Leica' moments, but only if the light is right. My technique aside (i use DNG and try really hard!), could this relance on 'nice' light be due to the lens? Frustrated ''photographer'' on a sunny day! Since I don't know whether my idea of "nice light" is the same as yours, there's not much to be said. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakey Posted July 25, 2009 Share #3 Posted July 25, 2009 I run D3 and D700 with an M8 and 35 and 75mm Summarit's. I agree that the DSLR is totally more flexible and had greater range, but that is something we are becoming used to as technology progresses all cameras will turn out stuff similar. Here is where the Leica differs and optics do play a part. I have resigned myself to the fact that Leica has a look. Shoot DNG that is your negative and then process accordingly. This is my style now with a Leica M8, much like the film days. You used different film types depending upon what you were shooting and hoped some images were good, some excellent the rest cR4P. Give the M8 a chance, I love carrying that camera and the unique angles and field of view it gives me having to zoom with my feet. the 75mm is perfect for me , I am toying with a 18/21mm but try the camera as a film camera always processing to be had afterwards and the images you get look so different. Tack sharp, film like, grain like and the thing people forget to do is print the thing !!!! That really shows you what the images are like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest malland Posted July 25, 2009 Share #4 Posted July 25, 2009 shootinglulu, I don't know whether you're shooting in color or B&W but in either you can make very good pictures in "boring light", which I take means a dull, grey day with flat light. In fact, I prefer that type of light to "nice" sunny days, in which one can produce nice and boring picture postcard-type shots. Using a DSLR vs an M8 has noting to do with it: it's in the post processing. Here are two shots made in boring light (BTW, I'm not particularly fond of the second picture — it's here just to show color in boring light): Paris | Leica M8.2 | ISO640 | Summilux-50 (pre-ASPH) Paris | Leica M8.2 | ISO640 | Summilux-50 (pre-ASPH) —Mitch/Potomac, MD Scratching the Surface© Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted July 25, 2009 Share #5 Posted July 25, 2009 The light is your most creative tool. The camera (whichever one!) is secondary. Spend more time'seeing' the light that prevails and think how it can work for you. The camera is not a magic wand, only a capture device that you can control. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbarker13 Posted July 25, 2009 Share #6 Posted July 25, 2009 Personally, I can't think of any light more boring than that found on a bright, sunny day. That's when I put my cameras away and find other things to occupy my time. But as to the intent of the OP, I can't tell any difference in how either of my cameras (M8 and Nikon D200) renders images based on the type of light I run into. Perhaps you have some examples of what you are running into - some images of the same scene shot with both your M8 and your DSLR. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noah_addis Posted July 25, 2009 Share #7 Posted July 25, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have a feeling your findings are based on flawed post processing. But you'll need to provide some examples or at least define what 'boring' and 'nice' light are in your opinion. I use the M8 in all kinds of light and it works fine for me... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WPalank Posted July 25, 2009 Share #8 Posted July 25, 2009 From one of Lulu's previous posts, she started a thread asking how one can tell the number of actuations in a M8: Thankyou.I think the Leica forums (the two!) are wonderful. I have had so much help from all you kind people and learnt so much. Unfortunately i have realised that however lovely this camera is, i will always miss my zoom lens and the instant gratification it gives me. The world is not perfect and i cannot have everything. I have learnt quite a lot about myself though and thought a lot about the kind of photographer i am. I always felt so self concioous with my large Pentax, but now, after exhausting all the alternatives i will not appologise for the size of my camera again. I have to take photographs. I have to use an slr for the type of work i do, i so wish i could do it all with an M8 but i cannot, so will have to heave around a hulking slr and maybe now that i realise i have no alternative, i can start enjoying the pentax and start behaving like the discreet photographer i felt like with the M8. Lucy My feeling is that she is trying to justify getting rid of the M8. My M8 takes wonderful images in all sorts of lighting conditions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaryink Posted July 25, 2009 Share #9 Posted July 25, 2009 I have found that the M8 really does take time to get the best out of it, just like the film M's. With my eos 1ds I (and anyone else) can get a shot from the first click. With the M8 it takes a few hundred shots to even begin understanding its potential. After a few thousand shots your knowledge will increase. It takes time to shoot well, something that is unacceptable for a large portion of the population. Personally I love shooting the M8 and my zeiss 50 1.5 in urban twilight with mixed lighting conditions. There is something about this combination that can create some magical images. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
delander † Posted July 25, 2009 Share #10 Posted July 25, 2009 Are you using a lens hood on your 35 summarit? But in anycase perhaps the M8 does not really suit your style of photography. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noah_addis Posted July 25, 2009 Share #11 Posted July 25, 2009 I have found that the M8 really does take time to get the best out of it, just like the film M's. I suppose this can be true but I worked it in to my daily assignments from day one and felt instantly at home with the M8. Same goes for my M6 cameras. Back in 2001 I bought two M6 ttls and a few lenses and headed off to Cuba to shoot a project never having used them before. Even though I had never used RF cameras before, it took no time at all and I was more than happy with the results (Those images are still on my website). I guess there can be a learning curve, but also some people might just prefer other cameras, which is fine. I often noticed when I shot my M8 next to a 5d at work that, at least comparing jpeg files, the 5d photographs had a more pleasing warm tone while the M8 files were more cool or neutral. Problem is, the M8 version was usually more accurate (and of course could be warmed up in post if desired). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbarker13 Posted July 25, 2009 Share #12 Posted July 25, 2009 When I'm doing documentary work, I usually pair my M8 with the D200. I use the M8 for most the the work, but prefer to have the Nikon at the ready either for telephoto or extreme wide shots. (I'll have it mounted with an 85/1.4 or 12-24/4 lens) I always feel more natural with the rangefinder. I suspect that's the case for a lot of people on this forum. But I'm sure there are a lot of others who feel better with an SLR. Go with the one that creates the best photos in your hands. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanhulsenbeek Posted July 25, 2009 Share #13 Posted July 25, 2009 I have the M8 and 35 summarit and feel that my M8 is much more 'nice' light reliant than my slr camera.In 'boring' light, my slr really outperforms the M8. In 'nice' light my M8 really outperforms my slr........................ Frustrated ''photographer'' on a sunny day! Apart from the fact that you, and only yourself, can provide justification to get rid of your M8, I am miffed by this query. Boring light: the M8 provides really boring pictures. Nice light: the M8 provides really nice pictures. What is wrong with that? Is there more truth to obtained in life than that? There are enough programs around I can nicen-up my pictures with. I do not want to have that done in camera Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografr Posted July 25, 2009 Share #14 Posted July 25, 2009 One of the advantages of digital imaging over film, whether with the M8 or another camera is that with a bit of post processing one can turn boring flat light into something far more appealing. I think you just need to play around a bit more with Photoshop and perhaps some plug-ins like Topaz Adjust or some Nik softwares. Get rid of the M8, and I can almost guarantee you will regret it in short order. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo_Lorentzen Posted July 26, 2009 Share #15 Posted July 26, 2009 shootinglulu, Its not like one can really read and figure out what it boring to you.... Im thinking forest gump said something like boring is who boring does. That is not meant as a insult, but seriously, if it feels boring to you.. that it a pretty valid statement, only you can tell if a cameras works for you.. I tend to think this is about you as a artist rather than anything else. whatever camera works for you, and make your light happen to your taste.. that is what does the trick. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Roberts Posted July 26, 2009 Share #16 Posted July 26, 2009 What's really perplexing is I find just the opposite. In good light, both a dSLR and the M8 are capable of wonderful things (after all, if the light is good, then there are so many fewer ways to mess up!) In adverse light (backlight, mixed light, intense light, light-from-a-video-guy-at-a-wedding-who-has-just-killed-the-bride's-paid-for-ambience-with-a-freaking-5000-watt-klieglight-pointed-directly-at everyone-so-he-can-iris-down-and-get-a-cool-effect--in short, terrible light), that's actually when I reach for, and count on, the M8. It never disappoints! None of my Nikon or Canon lenses handle backlight or flare the way the Leicas do--even the ones prone to flare! The Nikkors are good in very low light, but then so is a 35 Lux or Nocti Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootinglulu Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share #17 Posted July 26, 2009 Hallo. Thankyou all for your replies, as usual the help is really constructive and positive for me. I'm sorry i wasn't clear about what 'nice' and 'boring' light means to me. Boring is usually when the sun is high bright and a bit brash it seems to flatten things and my feelings were that my Leica performed less well than my slr in these conditions.'Nice' light is anything interesting, early and late light and i remember best of all with my old film camera, overcast grey winter days. I would push the Ilford to 3200 and take some wonderful contrasty grainy shots of the chidren on long walks. The point about treating the camera as if it were film is good, i think i composed more thoughtfully with film, and enjoyed the successes while being more accepting of the failures. There are people, very close to me who would be appalled if they knew the value of the M8 and i have been more negative about my failures than i would have been with the old film cam! With the Leica and my hurdles, i always want to be proven wrong. Rather than looking for excuses to get rid of the M8 it's quite the reverse. There is something so wonderful at times about this camera and i feel rather inept when i look at other M8 work and doubt my abilities. But anyway, since i wrote yesterday i have made the firm decision to keep the M8 and freeing up a lot.. I didn't take any camera to Bath yesterday and only missed the M8. I take the point about pp and the hood which i don't have. I only use LR and praps other pp tools would be good with that. Thanks very much Lucy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest malland Posted July 26, 2009 Share #18 Posted July 26, 2009 Lucy, I think you've made the right decision. For B&W my feeling is that Silver Efex Pro is the easiest and best software to use. It's available as a plugin for Aperture, which I use, and Photoshop; and you might want to check whether it's no available for Lightroom. Silver Efex has presets named after different types of films, which are a good starting point; and it uses Control Points, which are excellent for dodging and burning. —Mitch/Potomac, MD Bangkok Hysteria©: Book Project - a set on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicoleica Posted July 26, 2009 Share #19 Posted July 26, 2009 I'm so glad to hear that you are keeping your M8 Lucy. There is a learning curve to getting the best from it, but the results are well worth the effort. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted July 26, 2009 Share #20 Posted July 26, 2009 +1 - just hang in there. Sooner or later you will get bitten by the Leica bug and will be depressed that you didn't make the change earlier, at least that is my experience. But it is somewhat of a uphill path with plenty of detours along the way. Concerning the cost - I was pretty anxious initially but it does wear off to some extent. Basically no-one knows the value of this stuff. Moreover it does not lose its value very quickly unlike other brands (esp. with the lenses), in fact often the contrary. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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