buy used m8u or m8+biogon28mm

[jasperamsterdam]

I'm in a dillema. I sold my 5dmkII+24-105(!) and am about to buy a used M8. I live in Netherlands and at the moment i have the option to either buy a fully upgraded M8 (shutter, framelines, vulcanite, saphire) for 2500 euro or a M8 plus biogon 28/2.8 for 2250. They both look like new.

I like the look of the vulcanite, but i think it should go with the black paint instead of blackchrome, and the m8.2 is not on offer @€2500. Plus the more silent and vibrating shutter and framelines are real nice. But i would still have to buy a decent first lens wich would cost me around a 1000 (28 elmarit, 35summi or 35summarit) coming to a total of 3500.
and with the biogon i already have a decent lens and a total of 2250!

Is the upgrade worth it in your opion?

Greetings

Jasper

 

[Uwe_Nds]

Jasper,
I don't think so.
With the latest firmware, you have the "silent"-mode on the M8 as well and actually, I would not want to give up the 1/8000 for the more silent shutter.

Cheers,
Uwe

 

[Ben Z]

The vulcanite is cosmetic, and the sapphire LCD is nice but a "Best Skins Ever" protector is virtually scratchproof and does not peel off (I have them on all my digitals and my touchscreen cellphone and no peeling or scratches). The main advantage of the upgraded shutter IMO is the potential for more reliability. Sound-wise I don't find it all that much different (but maybe my original was quieter than the norm, I don't know). The framelines are very nice. The originals were miscalibrated, and tighter even than an M6. And an upgraded M8 has been gone over by the factory before they issue the one-year extended warranty.

You could pick up a Voitlander 28/1.9 for $300, an excellent lens. The 28/3.5 is even cheaper and also excellent if you don't mind the slowness. From a functional standpoint I would say the M8u is better. The difference in price you could end up spending on repairs to the original if the shutter self destructs. Then again, I'm not up on the market and that M8u might be overpriced.

 

[jasperamsterdam]

thanks

thanks

Thanks for the advice, I did not think about the fact they checked the whole camera during the upgrade for the one year extra waranty.
I think combined with the supposedly more durable shutter it will make the camera a safer bet for the coming years. I will go for the M8u. And see if i can lower the price a bit.

 

[jasperamsterdam]

Here in Europe there not that many Voigtlanders available.
Buying from the US (even used from private owner) sometimes results in a 25% importfee/VAT

 

[double-m-7]

Jasper,

Try to get a M8.2 or M8u to test before you decide if you need the upgrades. My M8 is at Solms right now for the upgrade but after using a M8.2 for a couple of days I decided to cancel the upgrade. Although the new shutter gives a little less vibration, the sound difference is only marginal and using the M8.2 I noticed I'm so used to the M8 wider frames that I actually correct for it automatically. I changed the (not so good) covering of my M8 with griptac from cameraleather, huge improvement, 35 USD investment.


In your case I would invest in a nice lens and get a regular M8 with warranty from a dealer.

Fotokonijnenberg have a used M8 woth 6 months warranty. I've seen a 2009 M8 on marktplaats or fotoapparatuur.nl, can't remember, that is still under factory warranty.

 

[Peter S]

jasper,

Good points have been raised. When testing a M9 in the shop I found the shutter noise acceptable, I then "borrowed" a M8 for a week and found the shutter really loud. So loud that in situations where I would go unnoticed with my M6 I suddenly became the middle point of attention after firing the M8, not allowing me to explore a situation with several shots. I liked the 1/8000 ( you can shoot fast lenses wide open more often), but think that I would trade it for the quieter shutter of in my case the M9 (I understand it is very similar in sound to that of the M8.2).

 

[double-m-7]

The shutter noise difference is obviously very personal. For me even the M9 doesn't come close to the M6 or M7 in terms of noise. But M8.2/8u side by side with M8, the difference isn't worth 500 euro.

Really, you should try to compare them in the shop or better yet take them out on a shoot.

 

[jasperamsterdam]

I asked the seller if would agree on selling the m8.2 for the price of the other sellers m8 (wich includes the biogon 28mm)
Asside from the shutter, cosmetics and framelines, the fact the m8u went to Germany and was checked and guaranteed fairly recently is worth the biogon imho.
I hope he agrees, then i wlll be the proud owner of a m8 and not 5dmkII.
I'll probably buy a 500d for the video and slr stuff.

The m6 i bought for a trip to NYC summer of 08 did it for me and planted the seed..