Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/12/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]It's the simple things that give the most pleasure: like firing the shutter with the lens cap on. What a relief to finally find a camera that will just do what it's told rather than constantly talk back or interrupt things to snidely drop "helpful" hints. The M8 will blink warning lights and what not, but, push the button, and, ready or not, the missile launches. Thank goodness. I am seemingly somewhat out of sync with the "general populous" as I almost never find myself wanting to send a text message while shooting HD video of my latest geo-caching exploits. I am also alone in finding that AI has a bit of a nasty side? Just one example of digital intransigence is my Fuji X100. Supposedly, somewhere in it's myriad of poorly apportioned menu options, I can set it to display the focus distance on a neat little linear scale that also indicates DOF. Cool or what? Well, I could never get it to actually work unless I was in manual focus. Yesterday, as I was unhooking it's leather strap to transfer to the M8, I turned it on, one last time, and brought it to my eye and, Sweet Mother of Pearl, there it was! Boy do I hate Digital-Almosts. Make no mistake,the M8 is not a perfect camera by any means. The shutter sound is vaguely reminiscent of a 50 pound sledge hammer hitting five foot thick oak beam just a few millimetres from your ear. Really! I couldn't believe it at first. Even in discrete -- more aptly named low-rent-hooker-screaming-for-her-dough (please forgive my political incorrectness) -- the sound echoes in my largely empty head for quite some time. However, after years of Digital-Almosts, I just don't care anymore. I'll wear ear plugs if that's what it takes to get a camera that actually does what it's told. John