Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/08/25

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Subject: [Leica] M8.. Kurland
From: afirkin at afirkin.com (Alastair Firkin)
Date: Mon Aug 25 22:48:32 2008

Hi Mark,
well said. Well summaried. To be honest, the full frame bit is the least of 
your issues. If Barnark had made the film size a bit smaller you might be 
demanding that, but you are correct on the other fronts. The camera is more 
like a Barnark than the M6. In those days, there were all sorts of fiddles 
and things that the photographer had to remember. I recall setting ASA: what 
an annoyance, and the data read out on the film was lousy. You had 2 windows 
to use, one to focus one to compose, you needed multiple viewfinders, close 
up attachments, 2 dials for shutter speeds, reset the film counters, even 
load your own film!!!!

The M8 is a compromise. I don't think anyone would have built a digital 
rangefinder from scratch like it, but that is the issue, its a 21st C camera 
trying to use 1950's technology. I still thank Leica for being brave enough 
to release it. I suspect there must have been many doomsdayers who saw this 
noisy heavy fat M on steroids to be the death of the company, but it is the 
only real way to use the M glass and digital together. 

Lets hope it evolves like the original cameras into something more useful: 
In reality, Leica should have abandoned its old mount and re-invented the 
system like most other companies, but I'm glad they didn't. The bugs are 
"fun" for an amateur, but I'm sure they are hell on earth for pros.

Cheers

--- mark@rabinergroup.com wrote:

From: Mark Rabiner <mark@rabinergroup.com>
To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
Subject: Re: [Leica] M8.. Kurland
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:28:25 -0400

That post that's out now says it all.
Its out from Alistair Firkin.
"[Leica] I have come to this conclusion"

He says use this lens with that use that lens with this.
Turn that one setting off with this lens but with the other lens use the
other thing but take the thing off the front.

I'm not buying the camera.

Not for 4 grand not for 3. And not for 2 either.
I'll spend real money on a camera which works.
Very little on one which doesn't.

I'd buy a preferably full frame Leica M9 for 4 or 5 grand as I have a
complete set of Leica glass.
I'm not using special cut off filters or a camera which requires them.
I'm not going into menus and turn off settings for one lens and not the
other.

And I want a camera with auto ISO.
And preferably full frame or darned close to it.
I said that already. Almost.



mark@rabinergroup.com
Mark William Rabiner



> From: Frank Filippone <red735i@earthlink.net>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
> Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:20:20 -0700
> To: 'Leica Users Group' <lug@leica-users.org>
> Subject: [Leica] M8.. Kurland
> 
> Kurland has an M8 advertised at that auction place...... $3995
> 
> If someone is looking at a second ( or third, or.... this gets really
> scary.....) body, it is a factory demo.
> 
> Frank Filippone
> red735i@earthlink.net
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



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See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



Replies: Reply from henningw at archiphoto.com (Henning Wulff) ([Leica] M8.. Kurland)
Reply from imagist3 at mac.com (Lottermoser George) ([Leica] M8.. Kurland)
Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] M8.. Kurland)
Reply from images at comporium.net (Tina Manley) ([Leica] M8.. Kurland)