Another M8 as backup, or an M6TTL?

[kuzano]

Nuclear Blast = EMP

Nuclear Blast = EMP

Well, in the event of an atmospheric Nuclear blast, the EMP would take out both digital cameras. So, I believe I would want a mechanical camera with film as a backup. Also, in the event someone drops the big one near you, you are definitely going to want one working camera.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

I pondered the same thing, but when the Nikon D60 became available, I opted for that (with the 18-55 kit lens, which had outstanding reviews) as a back-up. It does things the M8 will not and it saved me over $4,000 when compared to purchasing another M8.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Roger, better buy 2x MP instead so you can share your 3x MP with your wife for a while 🙂.

This would be awfully tempting IF we could afford it and IF we didn't write for the photo press. For the latter you have to use digital nowadays -- very few editors are interested in people who shoot film only -- and the M8 is the only half-affordable digital camera that I actually enjoy using. It's a bargain next to a 39 megapixel Hasselblad (or even a Hasselblad digital back for V-series), let alone a Betterlight back for the Lnhof.

Cheers,

R.

 

[tomasis]

roger, yeah right! if anybody wants buy M8, he must look at Hasselblad prices at first then the world becomes very pleasant now 😀 it is funny that price of two used M8 is about same as two new MP. Thats why I think M8 is quite bargain.

 

[Mr. Big]

Wouldn't you have to take off the IR cut filter every time you switched from digital to film? Seems to me that it'll be a PIA to do so. I own an M8, M6 TTL and M4 and never go out with a digital/film combo.

 

[Richard Marks]

Wouldn't you have to take off the IR cut filter every time you switched from digital to film? Seems to me that it'll be a PIA to do so. I own an M8, M6 TTL and M4 and never go out with a digital/film combo.

Its only an issue if shooting colour film. I really only shoot black and white film on my M6 and colour on the M8. The IR filter does not seem to affect black and white print film. At least I can not tell a difference.

Richard

 

[Roger Hicks]

Wouldn't you have to take off the IR cut filter every time you switched from digital to film? Seems to me that it'll be a PIA to do so. I own an M8, M6 TTL and M4 and never go out with a digital/film combo.

Why would you need to remove the UV/IR filter for film? Can't say I've noticed a difference.

And why don't you ever go out with digi and film? If I'm working, I sometimes feel I have no choice. Even for fun, I'm happy with both.

Cheers,

R.

 

[tmfabian]

Why would you need to remove the UV/IR filter for film? Can't say I've noticed a difference.

And why don't you ever go out with digi and film? If I'm working, I sometimes feel I have no choice. Even for fun, I'm happy with both.

Cheers,

R.

The only time to ever remove the filter is for extremely wide angle lenses on color film. But back to topic, I enjoy using both film and digital side by side, and opposite of what everyone else seems to think, I like the crop factor...when shooting film and digital side by side I get 4 lenses out of 2. Also, having a film backup for me is very preferable since the batteries last much longer and even if they die the camera still works. However, I do feel that another m8 would be quite useful as well. So what I'm saying is 2 m8's and a film m would be a dandy bag with a wonderful ability to shoot under any circumstance for any period of time.

 

[aniMal]

Well, the combinations are endless...

I think I´ll wait a while, keep the R2A as a backup when I travel. That is the only occasions where I carry just M gear. Except for being in the studio where I often carry just the M8, worst case scenario is having to hurry back home to get the D300/200...

But, it is really tempting to sell all Nikon-stuff and get another M8! I might be able to get to that point during the summer... The reason why I chose Nikon was to be able to use some old, manual lenses - but now I have that option with the M8 of course!

There is something with film that is just right... Printed some shots from the weekend with the DXO filmpack, which emulates tonality, colour and grain from film. When I saw the results from the Tmax 3200 filter, it made me long back to the darkroom for the first time ever...

In a way I think it is more natural for me to use all techniques available now than before. Years ago I was working towards my own expression and style as a photographer, but now I just want to produce a lot. Sometimes the best will be film, sometimes digital. Sometimes photoshopped, sometimes straight out of the camera. Medium format, scanned or printed in a lab will come in as well, so there is a wide range of possibilities...

 

[Roger Hicks]

The only time to ever remove the filter is for extremely wide angle lenses on color film. . . .

Dear Tim,

Ah; fair enough. I don't have a UV/IR for my 21/2,8 Kobalux, and my 15mm Voigtländer won't take filters -- though I have to say that I've seen no significant problems with (borrowed) WATE and 18/4 Distagon on the M8 without filters.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Tom Diaz]

Wouldn't you have to take off the IR cut filter every time you switched from digital to film? Seems to me that it'll be a PIA to do so. I own an M8, M6 TTL and M4 and never go out with a digital/film combo.

Exactly. I have been thinking about a second M8, despite the shockingly high price, because currently I have an M8, an M6TTL, and a ZI. When I go out with the M8 I am second-body-less because it'd be so ridiculous dealing with the filters. (I shoot color film in my film cameras, so it matters.)

I will wait to see what happens at Photokina, probably. But I also foresee I'll have more and more trouble getting the particular E6 films I like, and meanwhile I am completely happy with the quality of M8 images and with pretty much everything else about it. The filters are a hassle, but the results are still great, and the filters would not seem like such a kludge if they had been up front about it all when the camera was introduced.

Anyway, the filters are, for me, what forces me to say "film is film and digital is digital."