[Leica] Improved M8?

[chris at tarsier.freeserve.co.uk (Chris Birchenhall)]

Gene

Many thanks for your input. I often go to my Leica dealer but he always has
very tempting lenses and film bodies at good prices. I am still enjoying
film and have relatively few problems in obtaining film and getting it
processed. I also have 2 Nikon Digital SLRs (D200 and D80) and a Fuji S5.
All three put together cost less than a M8. The D200's only problem is its
dynamic range (as with almost all digital cameras). The nice thing about the
D80 is that I have to revert to traditional exposure control methods as it
tends to over expose. I can note I recently bought a new spot meter to use
with my M cameras (and D80?) and it works when I have the time to
contemplate exposure. The Fuji has better dynamic range and a Velvia
emulation built in! The D200 and Fuji give me few problems with exposure.
Furthermore, they both allow me to use my old Nikon AIS lenses. Ok I can't
use my Leica R lenses and I agree that is a pity because I am yet to find a
Leica R camera with which I am totally satisfied - though I love the SL2
with all its limitations. 

Sometimes good to go digital and come home with multi-gigabits of shots, but
also nice to take one's time and get 30 prints from the local film lab. In
both cases go home and choose which to process up to larger prints and
archive. 

I am still thinking of a M8! But heck I am in no desperate need of yet
another camera!! Glass remains my priority which raises another problem. My
M lenses are geared to film cameras. I am all too aware I will need to
rebuild my kit to reproduce the equivalent mix on a M8 and that is likely to
involve new Leica lenses at full cost - I tend to buy second hand at the
moment. Am I wrong on that front?

Chris

P.S. I fear the suggestion (by another LUGer) to rush out and get a R8/9 and
DMR fails to note that Leica have no more DMRs and second hand DMRs are rare
and holding a premium; I suspect they will become collectors items. Rumours
of a R10 abound on other groups. 

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Improved M8?
To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
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Chris,

Almost every m8 being shipped now has the firmware 1.102 in it.  This has
fixed just about all the complaints, except the AWB problem.  You should be
shooting DNG for max image quality, and if so it is a non issue, just tweek
it if needed.  My experience is it is almost dead on 90+% of the time
anyway.  The UV/IR filters are being shipped, with a few exceptions, which
have not yet made it out of production cycle.  Even then you can get the
heliopan or other brands redily f rom photo suppliers.  The filter thing is
no different than using a UV filter, end of comment, just use them if you
shoot color, if you only shoot B&W, then forget the filter issue all
together.  Yes there are some other issues which still plague the camera,
but they are just teething problems which all new cameras have.  Mine has
been flawless, bought in mid February.  My greatest problem with the m8 has
been getting used to the metering patten, which is quite different from my
m6ttl and Leica r cameras, !
 but i h
ave just about got this licked.

I have far fewer problems with the m8 than i do with the Nikon D200 i have.
The biggest is it does not take Leica R lenses and there is no adapter.
Nyone know of a camera repair that can modify the D200 with a Leica R mount,
and does not cost a fortune?


Chris, my advice is to go to your Leica dealer and buy the m8 and start
enjoying it.  And do as i do, by using Ted's advice and KISS.

Gene