Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/01/27

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Subject: [Leica] First M8 experience
From: jplaurel at spectare.com (Jim Laurel)
Date: Sat Jan 27 18:38:14 2007
References: <1270AE4C-2F0B-4798-ACC7-D813C25D1890@spectare.com> <0AED6ED3-3133-4980-ABF2-A19353B9FCA5@comcast.net>

So here's a dumb test shot, taken this morning right outside my front  
door.

Here's the shot from the Canon EOS1DS.  Natural color, as I have come  
to expect from this camera.  No problems here.
http://www.twango.com/media/jim.public/jim.12553?sort=5

Here's the shot from the leica.  Wow!  Disneyland!  Notice how many  
of the plants in the foreground have gone magenta.  And if you click  
through to the larger image, notice all the color fringing in the  
high contrast areas:
http://www.twango.com/media/jim.public/jim.12552?sort=5

Some people are emailing me and saying that they have not had any  
trouble like this in several weeks of using the camera, even with no  
IR filters.  Have I got a bad one?  Because it is completely unusable  
as it is.

--Jim



On Jan 27, 2007, at 11:43 AM, Leonard Taupier wrote:

> Jim,
>
> You need the IR filter, big time. Every condition you mention is  
> the absolute worst case for IR interference. I don't believe lens  
> coding corrects anything and will continue to believe so until  
> someone can prove different. I was lucky. I already had a hot  
> mirror IR filter and a couple step up rings before I bought my M8.  
> The without filter results are as you describe. I would suggest  
> getting one filter from somewhere and redo the test before you give  
> up the ship. Don't wait for Leica to send you one but buy one  
> filter (if you can find your size in stock) and run the same test.  
> If after you do that and you're still not happy then the M8 isn't  
> for you.  (BTW, none of my posted M8 pictures used a filter).
>
> Good luck with whatever you decide.
> Len
>
> On Jan 27, 2007, at 1:43 PM, Jim Laurel wrote:
>
>> Well, despite my better judgement and the sage advice of some  
>> here, B.D. not least, I decided to purchase an M8.
>>
>> My experience so far has not been encouraging.  I seem to be  
>> experiencing every M8 foible in the book in tests with my  
>> Summicron 28 ASPH mounted.  Shooting last night under tungsten  
>> light, people with navy blue shirts came out MAGENTA.  Color  
>> balance is unpredictable, rendering the jpg mode essentially  
>> useless.  Test shots outdoors in high contrast scenes exhibit the  
>> most unbelievable chromatic fringing.
>>
>> Perhaps I should reserve my opinion until I get my lenses coded  
>> and the IR filters in place (I don't have either yet), but side by  
>> side comparisons with my Canon 1Ds are no comparison.  The M8  
>> photos are indeed show better resolution, but who cares when high  
>> contrast areas have such overwhelming purple fringing?  The 1Ds  
>> photos aren't as crisp, but you can sharpen them up and at least  
>> the colors look natural and your photo doesn't look like someone  
>> drew all over it with a red marker.
>>
>> For those of you who are using the IR filters and have your lenses  
>> coded, please tell me that this camera is actually usable with  
>> those things in place.  Otherwise, it looks like eBay time...
>>
>> Cheers - Jim Laurel
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


Replies: Reply from len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier) ([Leica] First M8 experience)
Reply from luisripoll at telefonica.net (Luis Ripoll) ([Leica] First M8 experience)
Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] First M8 experience)
Reply from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] First M8 experience)
Reply from vick.ko at sympatico.ca (Vick Ko) ([Leica] First M8 experience)
In reply to: Message from jplaurel at spectare.com (Jim Laurel) ([Leica] First M8 experience)
Message from len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier) ([Leica] First M8 experience)