Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/07/24

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Subject: [Leica] How To Get An M8 for $3200
From: neilschneider2 at yahoo.es (Neil Schneider)
Date: Thu Jul 24 16:09:10 2008

Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:30:40 +0200
From: Nathan Wajsman <photo@frozenlight.eu>
Subject: Re: [Leica] How to get an M8 for $3200...
To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
Message-ID: <1518E7D8-A6DC-4277-926B-D28C96E437E9@frozenlight.eu>
Content-Type: text/plain;    charset=US-ASCII;    format=flowed;    delsp=yes

But that was not my point, Geoff. Sure, there are no other digital  
rangefinders at the moment. But we could be having the same discussion  
in the context of the DMR, which also delivers superb results for  
those who have it. My point was rather that I have the suspicion that  
the quality of the Leica digital images has nothing to do with  the  
sensor or software, but rather with the lenses. The same superb lenses  
delivered excellent quality on film and they continue to deliver  
excellent quality on sensors--indeed, even on Canon or Olympus sensors!

I guess what I am trying to say is that with digital, as well as with  
film before, the quality of the lens matters a great deal, IMO more  
than the sensor or the software.

Nathan

Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu

Nathan & All
In my 30 plus years as a photojournalist I have learned a long time ago
that its not the camera that produces the quality of the image, its the lens.
When I bought my first M3 (used), in 1968 it wasn't for the Leica body so 
much,
as for the lenses it used which are still working perfectly today.. In those 
days
the Leica optics were far above any of the other rangefinder lenses of the 
day.
Nikon was learning and started producing some fine quality optics but still 
lagged
behind Leica.. Nikon also had the fortitude of clear thinking of the future 
and also 
produced a mount still in use today, and many other PJ's I know including 
myself, are 
still using those same manual lenses on the most modern DSLR's of today..
Nikon has taken to producing some of the poorest quality optics today based 
on build
using lots of plastic in their lenses where Leica has continued on with 
their fine quality
not only in optics but also in build..
The world of photojournalism today has been rocked on its axis and those 
using big
professional cameras of Nikon and Canon in other than sports venues are 
feeling the 
sting of standing out and being targeted by police and others when trying to 
do their
jobs after Sept 11.. it is why many have opted to go to smaller and smaller 
cameras as 
the M8, and others, using in certain situations some of the better prosumer 
P&S models
that offer good quality images for publication.. as for myself, I long ago 
sold off my 
Nikon D1 and opted for the smaller less conspicuous Nikon D70 which did 
everything
the D1 did because i was able to use the same lenses, and that's where the 
quality of
the images was made...it wasn't the body that captured those images..
Before Leica came out with the M8, I discovered the Panasonic Lumix series 
of cameras 
that use the Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens with optics from 36-420mm at a 
constant f2.8
I started using this camera because it was small and compact an 
inconspicuous as my M3
and enabled me to work on the streets virtually without notice and got the 
job done.. 
The Leica lens is superb and I've never had any issues with quality except 
for some noticable 
noise at ISO400 but since I shoot in the B/W mode at 50 and 100 there is no 
issue with it.... 
again its the lens and not the camera box, and in this instance, this 
Panasonic body, has a Leica lens..

Neil

neilschneider2@yahoo.es
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/People-And-Places_0/


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