Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/05/22

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Subject: [Leica] a quick hello, now M 8.2
From: benedenia at gmail.com (Marty Deveney)
Date: Sat, 23 May 2009 12:02:23 +0930

>anyone now using an M8.2 who has used an M8?   Care to tell us about it?  
>Its pro's and con's  ??

Five minutes with Brian Reid's M8.2 made me realise that many of the
things that bug me about the M8 are the things that Leica upgraded in
the 8.2.  I think Hoppy tended to agree - got an 8.2 yet Geoff?  It is
vastly quieter and the framelines are more accurate in most working
situations.

I was out shooting with LuGger Mike Durling a month or so ago and he
commented that my subjects for the most part probably don't even
realise I have a camera.  If I tried to use a dSLR that would change -
but not because of the camera, because of me.  The M is the right
size, it fits my hands well and I'm used to it.  I don't want to
change.  Totally shifting camera would bug me a lot more than trading
a 35 mm for my normal 50 mm lens.  So you can put me firmly in Tina's
camp on this one, though I hesitate to mention myself in such company,
because realism tells me that Tina is vastly better and more serious
at what she does with a camera than what I do with a camera.

The main cons for the 8.2 are the ones that remain from the M8,
although if you use flash or work in daylight with fast lenses wide
open the slower synch and top shutter speeds might be a loss (I think
Dante Stella feels this is an issue).  I still think the filters are a
kludgy solution to the IR contamination issue.  I've found problems
with IR contamination in a lot more scenarios than just tungsten light
and synthetic fabric.  The viewfinder's magnification is still too low
(give us a choice - the VF magnifier is a poor substitute for a 0.85
VF).  The camera's low light capabilities still basically suck, which
is why I always have a film M with fast B&W film handy.  And, of
course, though it only bothers me conceptually, the sensor is still a
1.3 crop.

What I'd really, really, really love is that native B&W sensor M
camera that Leica were mooting a few years ago.  In fact a native
monochrome digital camera of ANY sort might be the only thing that
would lure me away from Ms right now.  Pentax seems to be the only
company wacky enough to do something like that right now, but with
those DA star and DA limited lenses they have, that would be allright
by me.  But I'd prefer a Leica.

Oh and as for people who run from cameras like Doug's sister, Delores
Durling does that too.  It makes for a good fitness regime when I'm
around.

Marty


Replies: Reply from hopsternew at gmail.com (Geoff Hopkinson) ([Leica] a quick hello, now M 8.2)