Any reluctant digital users here (M8 indecision!)

[doolittle]

I have an M8 for about a year now. It's the nicest digital camera I have ever owned. However...I don't use it that much. I much prefer using my film M cameras. So much so that I am thinking about selling it already, especially as I perceive the price I will fetch for it will go down the longer I wait.

When I do use, I get some good shots. I like to take IR images sometimes with it too, which it does very well.
However if I am out and just bringing one camera, it will be film.

Anybody else in a similar situation. Should I make a conscious effort to use it more? I know it should be great for experimenting, taking more photos, learning from the feed back for little cost...

I originally though I would use the M8 for colour and shoot B&W film. However I find I also like using the different colour films available (Portia, Ektar) and I enjoy developing B&W, so really I am back to two film bodies...

 

[Speedfreak]

so really I am back to two film bodies...

Sell your M8 if you dont use it, buy a nice lens instead or whatever.

You can always purchase a digital camera whenever you need one. The M8 can only go down in price over the next few years.

 

[Archiver]

There's unlikely to be any news that will suddenly make the M8 more usable and desirable, like Leica spontaneously declaring bankruptcy or the announcement of all film sales ceasing worldwide. This being the case, it comes down to whether you would miss the M8 once it has gone, and if so, how much?

I am in the opposite position. I use my digital cameras far more than film, but I know that if I were to sell any of them, I would miss them terribly. I have some nice ones like the M7, Contax T3, and Fuji Natura Black. There is a wonderful feeling of security knowing that I have them when I want/need them.

 

[Paul Jenkin]

I don't own a digital rangefnder and I'm unlikely to do so until such point as a full-frame "M" mount camera gets within my budget - this would need to be around the same price as a Nikon D700 (which I do own and for which I share lenses with my F5).

Why? Well, I have an M6TTL and an M4-P which, when partnered with the lenses I have (24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 90mm) give me great results. Owning an M8 means the focal lengths change (no thanks, I like 'em just as they are) and the M9 is just way too expensive and is likely to depreciate heavily when the M10 arrives.

Don't get me wrong, I don't buy cameras with selling them in mind but parting with £5,500 ($8,000) is not something I do lightly - especially when I already own equipment that will do virtually the same job.

So, I'm not a "reluctant" digital user but I will wait (forever if needs be) until digital equipment is no more expensive to buy than the equivalent film body.

 

[mdarnton]

I do some technical stuff at work with my Nikon D300--otherwise I've gone back completely to film. One of the reasons is the constrained tonal range of digital, the choice of blown whites or empty blacks. Another is my lack of interest in color

 

[doolittle]

Thanks all for the feedback. Logically I know that if I am not using the camera, I would be better off selling it now, rather than hanging on to it and selling it later. However I am having a hard time deciding to sell it!

I guess it's a case of having too many cameras and too little time to use them. Just at the moment I am enjoying shooting film more.

I think if I put a month or two aside to solely shoot with the M8, I would bond with it more so to speak.

I have a Rolleiflex-T I only use infrequently, but that doesn't bother me as it wasn't expensive when I bought it and I don't plan on selling it any time soon. Plus it is unlikely to depreciate much.

The M8 is tying up a fair chunk of cash. My gut feeling is that I could sell it now for not much less than what I bought it for, but that if I wait a few months it will be a fair bit less. Now if I was getting use out of it, I would be prepared to pay that price. The silly thing is though is that my reasoning is itself taking away from the pleasure of using the camera!

 

[mdarnton]

I'm seriously considering a Nex-7 as my next body, if I can figure out how transparently it will use my Nikon lenses. It seems to offer a lot of the advantages of a RF camera with more capability, and the focus peaking thing interests me a lot. Maybe that would serve some of the functions your M8 does now, with the lenses you already have, for a lot less $$$$?

 

[donz]

Sometimes Im thinking to get the M8 or just stick with M6 TTL ? Just like the M8 to be more reasonable in price compare to M9, and both in digital ..easier to learn your shot

 

[clayne]

Donz: if your current "workflow" doesn't have any issues and you enjoy it don't waste your time changing. Don't buy into the hype.

 

[donz]

true, but i always asking people why buy scanner to scan the negative if you already decide to go with film? LOL

just out of my curiosity

 

[clayne]

Because the negative is an intermediary used for both archival and printing - not to mention it provides the silver for which light can affect it in it's own special way. People scan so they can share images online.

 

[Keith]

There's plenty of digital cameras out there that can more than match the M8's output!

I'd be selling it and getting an X100 or similar.

 

[donz]

Keith, maybe I can take the M8 from you...to try it out before i jump to M9 LOL 🙂