Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/11/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Tina, About the battery lasting................how many DNG files from the M8 can you get on one battery(taking into consideration you are chimping sometimes)? Does the 5D battery really last a week? On how many images? My D2h/D2x batteries last long but only about 2 days with continuous shooting(about 20 hrs, around 1600 images) with some chimping. I have 10 M lenses + more LTM's so to me the M8 is a no brainer for work. I wanted to get the DMR at first, but for me I need TTL flash and I have enough SLR's. Chris ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tina Manley" <images@InfoAve.Net> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2006 8:05 PM Subject: [Leica] M8 Impressions, Pro and Con > LUG: > > I've had my M8 for four days now and I used Leica's for 3 days, so > after one week with the M8 here are my initial impressions. I'm > comparing it to the Canon 5D, the camera I was carrying around for > everyday use. > > M8 Pro: > It's a rangefinder. > It's small, light, easy to carry and operates intuitively. > All of my M lenses will fit and work well with it. > It's quiet and unobtrusive. Nobody notices when I'm taking photos. > High ISOs are better than I expected. > I can post photos for discussion on the LUG without feeling guilty > that they're not from a Leica :-D > > M8 Con: > The battery lasts less than one day of use and spare batteries are > over $100 each. > The battery takes three hours to recharge. > The buffer fills up quickly. After taking 4 or 5 photos in rapid > succession, you have to let the camera catch up. > The camera is not instantly "on". It take several seconds after you > turn it on before you can start to take photos or set the menus. > As a left-eyed shooter, my nose smudges the LCD monitor with every > shot. I'm going to have to learn to shoot right-eyed. > Either the viewfinder is dimmer than my M7's or my eyes are getting > worse (a possibility!) It's harder to get the focus right than with the M7. > It's not as indestructible as the M7's. I'm sure if I dropped it in > a river it would be dead. > It's not full-frame. > > Canon 5D Pro: > It's automatic focus (my eyes are getting old) > The L lenses are very nice. > The battery lasts forever - over a week - spare batteries can be > bought for $29. > The battery charges in 30 minutes. > You can take many rapid photos in succession and the camera never has to stop. > The camera is instantly on. > It takes my R lenses with an adapter. > It's full-frame. > It's 12.8 megapixels. > High ISOs are very, very good. > > Canon 5D Con: > It's an SLR. > It's big and heavy. (Not as big and heavy as my 1DMII, but much > bigger than the M8) > It's not as waterproof or weather-sealed as my 1DMII. (But maybe > better than the Leica?) > It's fairly loud and noticeable. Everybody comments on the big camera. > > You may notice that I didn't mention the magenta cast or streaking as > cons for the M8. I'm not worried about that. Leica will come up > with a solution and in the meantime, it can be fixed in photoshop. > > Your mileage may vary since everybody uses cameras differently, but > for my purposes, these are the pros and cons of both cameras. I > don't regret buying the M8 at all. It will be the camera that I > carry with me everywhere. I'll still carry the 5D and/or the 1DMII, > depending on what I'm planning to photograph and how far I have to > walk to do it. I'm still working on comparing similar photos from > the two and also some film photos that I shot with my M7 in > Rockport. I'll get those posted as soon as I can scan them. > > I hope this helps those of you sitting on the fence about whether to > get the M8. Those who aren't interested have already deleted the > message anyway ;-) If you have any questions, I'd be glad to try to > answer them. > > Leically (again!!) > > Tina > > > > > > Tina Manley, ASMP, NPPA > http://www.tinamanley.com > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information