M8, First Impression!!! And Some Questions?

[Fotomiguel]

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I've had the satisfaction to use the M8 for some short time. I'm not used to RF cameras. It's very different. I have to use all my photographic knowledge, before taking the picture. Not too bad. I think at the beginning is going to be a bit hard, but then will be great!

I've ordered one. I'm aware of the issues and for the kind of photography that I like is going to be no problem.

I always use uv filter on my lenses. Which differences will I obtain, in terms of image quality, using a uv/ir filter instead?

I know that is not the right camera for macro photography, but I like to do it. Any advice with this? How is the performance with the Telephoto 90mm f/4 Macro-Elmar M Lens Kit with Macro Adapter M and the angle viewfinder? Any samples? Any conclusions? How is the performance working as a normal telephoto lens?

Dust on the sensor? How careful should I be changing lenses? Any special way to do it?

Is the M8 less problematic than DSLR cameras or is even more problematic? How often do you clean your sensor?

I'm going to buy the new 28mm f2.8 and 50mm F2. Do you thing, these two lenses are fine to start?

Thank you very much.

 

 

Thank you very much.

[adan]

IMHO:

 

The 90 macro has done surprisingly well the few times I've tried one, for macro. Good focus, framing as accurate as with any rangefinder lens, sharp. Can't really comment on the overall performance as a normal telephoto.

 

You might also be interested to know of the VISOFLEX - a rather whacky Leica accesory from the 1950's/60's that is in effect an SLR viewing system that mounts on the front of M cameras and then accepts lenses for macro and telephoto work, focusing via a groundglass like other SLRs. It is, however, cumbersome, heavy and slow to use compared to the little 90 macro.

 

Dust and changing lenses: I've heard it is best to turn off any digital camera when changing lenses (to remove any electrical activity that might draw dust), and also point the camera face down so that gravity tends to pull dust away from the shutter and sensor rather than towards it.

 

I've both heeded and ignored this advice with my trials using the M8, and have not yet seen a difference. Same goes for judging the dust problem relative to an SLR. In my longer experience with an Epson R-D1 rangefinder, at least once in the very dusty environment of a dirt auto race (and changing lenses often), I did not have much trouble with sensor dust.

 

Certainly the Canon 5D has gained something of a reputation as a dust hog - but I don't use one so can't confirm that. I think the net is that digital RFs do not show a practical difference compared to SLRs as regards dust - so far.

 

I think your lens choices are a nice starter set. I prefer even more extreme lenses myself - but the 50 becomes a very sharp normal-to-portrait lens on the M8, and the 28 f/2.8 is incredibly compact in the true Leica rangefinder tradition. Both should give you a solid sense of why RFs are so much preferred by some photographers.

[TimF]

also point the camera face down so that gravity tends to pull dust away from the shutter and sensor rather than towards it.

Anyone who has watched dust floating about in a beam of sunlight will know that it heads upwards just as easily as downwards. I rather think any residual static charge is more likely to impact on dust than gravity.

 

Turnng the camera off can't be a bad idea, but simply having the lens to be mounted prepared in advance (ie rear cap off, and presented close to the camera when removing the mounted lens) so the throat is exposed for as short a time as possible has to be the best way. Its always worth remembering though, that the lens throat will be exposed for far longer when one is cleaning the sensor that it ever would be when changing lens (and that's with the camera powered up).

[stunsworth]

As has been mentioned before turn the camera off before changing lenses. I also face away from any breeze.

 

The thing about dust is not wondering if you'll get any, but being able to deal with it when it occurs - as it almost certainly will. So far I've managed with a bulb type blower to remove dust from the sensor of my DSLRs. Don't used canned air, the propellant can cause problems, and never blow onto the sensor to clean it.

[adan]

"Anyone who has watched dust floating about in a beam of sunlight..."

 

True - but when you dust your furniture and knickknacks, is there more dust on the upper surfaces or the ones facing down? (If you don't dust furniture yourself, ask the person in the household who does). Its a probability thing.

 

I've never fully bought the electrostatic theory, either. Unless the shutter is open, any dust being drawn to an electromagnetic charge in the sensor is gonna hit the shutter blades. However, the charge may attract more dust to the vicinity of the shutter chamber (as a Playstation 3 will attract more gamers to the vicinity of a Best Buy), increasing the local dust density so that more is hanging around to glom onto the sensor when the shutter DOES open.

[Fotomiguel]

Adan

Thank you very much!

Has anybody ideas where can I find some samples from pictures taken with the 90mm F4 with the makro adapter?