What to buy, M8 or M8.2?

[Strangeluv]

Hello folks,

Fairly new to RF, and recently decided to get rid of all my Canon gear and take the leap to get me a used M8. But, then comes the question. Should I go for an M8 or should use the extra cash for the M8.2?

I can get the M8 for aprox 2850 USD, and the M8.2 for aprox 3900 USD.
Is it really worh splashing the extra 1000+ to get the upgraded version?
I would love for all you to say YES! Because then I wont feel as bad for using the extra cash........but it is a lot of money. Or, atleast for me 🙂

Any thoughts appreciated!

Rgds,

Chris

 

[Roger Hicks]

Yes.

I have both and the quieter M8.2 is a much nicer camera.

Cheers,

R.

 

[JPSuisse]

OK, well here's the contra-opinion.

- I do actually use 1/8000 once in a while to take wide open shots, so I like that feature on the M8 and the M8.2 doesn't have this.

- I didn't like the noise of the M8's shutter. But, since the newest firmware, you can also shoot the M8 in discreet mode. By separating the two shutter actions in discreet mode, I find that the M8 is now sufficiently quite.

I'll stick with my M8 now.

JP

 

[Strangeluv]

Thanks both! The M8 for sale is upgraded with the latest firmware where you can use the discreet mode. I guess spending a 1000 grand on upgraded framelines and sapphire glass is a bit to much.......but, I do love that black dot tho 😀

 

[Keith]

After battling the M8's rubbish frameline accuracy since getting mine I could justify the extra grand on that improvement alone ... if I had the extra grand that is! 😛

 

[Paddy C]

May I hijack this thread a little? I'm mulling over the same decision and haven't been able to find definitive answers in reviews (maybe there aren't any).

What exactly is the difference in the frame lines? I understand the 8.2 is more accurate, but how?

And how do those who used to shoot (or still shoot) with film RFs adapt to the 1.33 crop? To get a 35mm "equivalent" I have to shoot a 25mm. But then you have a 25mm "look" and field of view. Not always what you want. Do you just live with this and enjoy it for what it is? Or, at the end of the day, does it not even matter?

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

I don't think the difference in price has to be that much if you are looking a little longer, I paid the price of quite a new M8 for a used M8.2. ....and was thinking, do I miss the 1/8000 shutterspeed?: now I think that is not the casu because I don't have those superfast lenses (f 2.8 Biogon and f 2 Summicrons), and the M8 and M8.2 (and M9) are not that good at high iso's.
Further, I think I would also have been happy as much with an M8 with upgraded shutter, so if you like to spend less, just buy the M8 and be happy.

 

[kipkeston]

The frame lines are fine, just learn your camera. That said, I'd still prefer the .2 for its quiet shutter.

 

[Keith]

The frame lines are fine, just learn your camera. That said, I'd still prefer the .2 for its quiet shutter.

The frame lines aren't fine IMO and were representative of the hash Leica made of the M8 in their haste to get it into the market ... but as said you can learn to cope when you become familiar with their parameters.

 

[swoop]

I don't remember the exact numbers on the framelines. And regardless of which ones you have they will never be completely accurate. It's just the way rangefinders work. It will constantly vary depending on lens model and focusing distance. The framelines will include more or less of what's in the frame. It's not precise. But it works for those that work quickly. Where the content of the shot is louder than its composition.

The M8 framelines are accurate at the minimum focusing distance of most lenses. So when you focus, everything that is in the framelines will be in your shot. Always. At infinity there will be some extra outside the framelines included in your final shot.

The M8.2 framelines are more accurate at the average working distance of about 8 feet. When you focus at infinity it'll be more accurate of what's in your frame. Some say the M8 gave too much extra and that was the problem. The trade off is at minimum focus distance, It'll actually exclude a little.

 

[Keith]

I always have to wonder why Leica chose to do this. As you say having the framelines set for their best accuracy at around eight feet makes sense considering the way an RF camera tends to get used.

But minimum distance ... what were they thinking? 😛

On the up side ... the shutter noise doesn't bother me and in three years of ownership the camera has given me no problems at all aside from the ocasional freeze and the last time it did that was over a year ago!

 

[ampguy]

Really depends on your preferences on the framelines. If you shoot up close a lot, the M8 regular are more accurate.

The M8.2's are out there beyond even a film M's. More suited for touristy type photography.

BTW, the M9 went back to about 2M frameline accuracy, about what the film M's are at.

If you need 1/8000, you can only get that on the original M8.

 

[jaapv]

The M9 is at one meter....

 

[jaapv]

The frame lines aren't fine IMO and were representative of the hash Leica made of the M8 in their haste to get it into the market ... but as said you can learn to cope when you become familiar with their parameters.

Actually they are a result of the hash they made when they brought the M3 to the market - Rangefinder framelines can only be accurate at one focussing distance - always.Traditionally that was one meter minus one mm at each side, to allow for slide frames and enlarger masks. With the M8 the shortest distance was chosen, i.e 0.7 meter, to avoid complaints about parts of the image being cut off at close focus. With the M8.2 in response to protests by users who didn't understand the principle a compromise distance of 2 meters was chosen, with the drawbacks every compromise has. With the M9 Leica reverted to 1m, which strangely enough seems to please even the more vocal forum members...

 

[Keith]

That's interesting ... I hadn't realised the M9 had reverted back to close to what the original M8 had!

 

[ampguy]

It makes a lot of sense

It makes a lot of sense

M9 is back to full frame, so why not revert to what was used for 50+ years.

Only user/reviewer I have heard who preferred the way out touristy and way innacurate close-up M8.2 framelines was Sean Reid, but he's probably gotten used to the M9 lines by now.

That's interesting ... I hadn't realised the M9 had reverted back to close to what the original M8 had!

 

[menos]

I'd blindly get a M8 for the faster shutter and flash sync.
The glass doesn't bother me, I use protection stickers on my PS cameras for possible resale value. They don't bother me and I can be more careless than any artificial sapphire can hold (look at your cheap "sapphire glass watches", how scratched they are after a while).

Last I looked, I get a used Leica lens for the price difference - no brainer.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Ah: 'touristy' is the new insult, eh?

Well, here's another reviewer who prefers the M8.2 frames, though I have to say that I use the M8 and M8.2 side by side and adjust without thinking for both sets of framelines. As someone else said, just get used to your camera(s). Of course this means taking pictures, so it may not suit everyone (NOT a personal dig at ampguy).

Cheers,

R.

 

[MCTuomey]

Chris, I have an M8, never used an 8.2. I can only comment that I got used to the framelines very quickly. With the discrete mode the shutter is fine with me. I will change the covering at some point because it is too slick for me, probably griptac rather than the pricey new age vulcanite. I choose to spend a bit more on glass rather than on an upgrade.

Roger has and uses both bodies. I would weight his opinion accordingly. I'm pretty sure that if I had an M8.2 I'd prefer it 🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

Chris, I have an M8, never used an 8.2. I can only comment that I got used to the framelines very quickly. With the discrete mode the shutter is fine with me. I will change the covering at some point because it is too slick for me, probably griptac rather than the pricey new age vulcanite. I choose to spend a bit more on glass rather than on an upgrade.

Roger has and uses both bodies. I would weight his opinion accordingly. I'm pretty sure that if I had an M8.2 I'd prefer it 🙂

Dear Mike,

Exactly. The M8.2 quite a lot nicer, for the quieter shutter, but it's a long way from a completely different camera. Whether it's worth the money or not is a totally personal decision, depending on where you use it and how much money you've got. If I didn't have an M8.2 I'd still be very happy with the M8.

Cheers,

R.