Attention seeking! Should I buy an M8????

[Jodorowsky]

OR...... IF I BOUGHT AN M8 AND KEPT IT IN A HALF CASE, WOULD MY WIFE TELL THE DIFFERENCE?

Hi,

Just a bit of fun this one; nowt serious..... Or is it?

A couple of months ago, I bought a Leica IIIf (which I'm selling (not very well) on RFF at the moment everyone!!🙂). I bought this instead of a Contax G2. I knew even less then than I know about RF's now, but an inner voice told me that I *needed* a rangefinder. Anyhoo, after I bought the IIIF, I immediately wanted an M6. So I bought one. I love it. There's only been one other thing that's ever felt so good in my right hand and rooted me to the earth. (Sorry. The other thing's a pen). Given that we make all of our decisions based on unknowable chemical forces, and that we justify them a zillisecond afterwards by calling it a choice, I know that I'm leaning towards an M8 because I've found myself thinking about it a bit too often.

I'm losing my train of thought here. Prosecco. My love of photography, or the idea of photography is from the desire to save time and space before it vanishes forever; can an M8 do it 'better'. Do I know what I'm talking about? Or, as I suspect, am I suffering from a bad case of GAS, given that I've barely started on this route. I bought a iiif and wanted an M6. I've got an M6, and now want an M8. I'll not be satisfied until 'they' can implant the chip in your brain that allows you to take photo's using your eye as a lens, and the image is strong enough to empathically communicate how you felt at the time enough to alter the viewers consciousness etc, etc....

Anyway, as an M user, would you buy an M8 if you had the money, and if so, why, and if not why not?

 

[BillP]

As an M user for more than 15 years, no.

For the following reasons, in no particular order, all of which are entirely personal - YMMV.

1. The crop factor
2. The form factor
3. The need for cut filters
4. The value/price ratio

In other words, give me an M9 with the same body thickness as an M7, with a full-frame sensor and no need for additional filtration, and somewhere to put my thumb, for an appropriate price and then the answer to your question would be yes.

Regards,

Bill

 

[Highway 61]

In other words, give me an M9 with the same body thickness as an M7

Bill, I am not a M8 aficionado, but reading this very point again and again and again just puzzles me.

You can NOT have a digital-M camera with the same thickness as the M7, even with a 1.xx sensor. So, go figure what you'get on your FF M9 (BTW, define what "FF" means once you've gone digital, please).

Just because there is something THICK behind the sensor. That is, the sensor platine (with very complicated heat transfer devices, and all the electronic semi-conductors circuitries etc).

A sensor is NOT an electronic piece of film.

About the original question and the wives taking command over something being the husband's hobby, well, I have nothing to say, because this is just beyond me.

Just buy for $5000 of beer cans, maybe she'll prefer this. You never now.

:angel:

 

[BillP]

Bill, I am not a M8 aficionado, but reading this very point again and again and again just puzzles me.

You can NOT have a digital-M camera with the same thickness as the M7, even with a 1.xx sensor. So, go figure what you'get on your FF M9 (BTW, define what "FF" means once you've gone digital, please).
...

So.

Here's the thing.

1. *I* think the M8 is an unergonomic brick. I have large hands and I still think that.

2. "FF" *to me* equates to "no crop factor" - in other words, when switching between my M7 and my M8/9/whatever, I want no crop factor.

If it's "not possible", then I won't be buying an M9.

There. No need to be puzzled.

Regards,

Bill

 

[Silva Lining]

OR...... IF I BOUGHT AN M8 AND KEPT IT IN A HALF CASE, WOULD MY WIFE TELL THE DIFFERENCE?

Anyway, as an M user, would you buy an M8 if you had the money, and if so, why, and if not why not?

Yup, in a heartbeat......I'm already saving 🙂

 

[Anupam]

My personal opinion would be that you should wait - get to know your M6 better. Look at it this way - leaving minor details aside, the M8 will not do anything that the M6 does not - the experience would essentially be the same. IMO, it's too huge an investment to rush into. Enjoy the classic feel of the M6 - shoot lots of film. BW still has an edge in film that the M8 won't give you. Then if you still have cravings next year, take the plunge.

Best,
-A

PS: I would dearly have loved to take the IIIf set off your hands as I am looking for a CLA'd LTM body. Sorry it didn't work out.

 

[Austerby]

Why not? It's Saturday night and the Prosecco's flowing. You're full of enthusiasm and excitement about the new purchase - how many times in life can one get such a tingle for so little cost? It's less than that new Ducati, much less than the yacht, far less than that lovely little property in that gorgeous Tuscan hill town. Go for it.

 

[yanidel]

I read a lot that the crop factor of the M8 seems to be an issue. Yet, more and more users (like myself) never owned film M bodies like myself so don't have the reference from the past. It becomes only an issue of speed on the wide angles that is offset by the advantage of longer teles.
So I am not sure Leica main focus is on developping a full frame M8-9.

 

[JWW]

Get the M8. I've been using film Ms for years but since getting the M8 I believe I learned a lot more about taking photos. The ability to take more photos (no extra cost of processing) and the instant feedback really helps. The ability to easily manipulate DOF with fast lenses in daylight with the fast 1/8000 makes it a pleasure to use these lenses. For the cost of the camera factor in thousands of images and what film+processing would cost.

Jan

 

[Keith]

I agree with the comment about maybe getting to know your M6 a little better before taking the plunge ... from memory though other people's advice means little once your sights are set on something as emotional as the M8. 😛

The crop factor is relevant for some users and not for others ... personally I find it a disadvantage. If you like shooting in very low light and want to use a genuine focal length wider than 45mm you are slightly hindered by the lack of fast glass available and the camera's average performance above 640 ISO.

Aside from that ... they're an amazing tool that can connect you to digital rangefinder photography like nothing else can ... currently! You only live once so if you can afford it comfortably ... go for it!

 

[former member]

It would make shimming lenses easier. But I would still use the film cameras for my photography.

I would go with the advice of using and learning with the film camera, unless someone is paying you to do Digital. Otherwise, skip the M8, keep the IIIf, and use the M6.

 

[tbarker13]

I'm a lifelong M user (at various points have used M3, M4-P, M6) and I jumped at the chance to buy an M8. Despite the glitches - including my own recent problem with sudden camera death -- I have not regretted this decision once.
And I'm not someone who has thousands of dollars to be tossing around at cameras. I sold off a bunch of other gear and, in all seriousness, got very lucky on a slot machine in Las Vegas the summer before the M8 launched.

I envy the people who are able to make time to do their own developing and darkroom work (until 18 months ago, I still had my own darkroom), but I would just never be able to keep up with the pace of my shooting. So this little digital rangefinder lets me do what I want to do - take pictures.

Personally - and this is just a personal opinion -- I don't think the crop factor is a big deal. If I were using 50mm lenses before as my primary lens, today I'm using 35s.
However, if you love shooting fast wide angles, then certainly the crop factor is something to think about.

 

[totifoto]

I would stick with the M6.
When the m8 came out I went crazy, I really wanted one. I have been shooting Canon DSLR for 5 years and shoot about 5000 frames a year. So I started to calculate.

M6+lens for about 3000$ or M8+lens for about 7000$?

Buying the M6+lens gives me about 598 rolls of Tri-x + Xtol to develope them all. That is 21528 frames, on the digital camera it would take me about 4-5 years to shoot those frames. When shooting film though I give my image more thinking and try not to waste frames, so shooting the M6 and 598 rolls would last me at least 6-7 years.
My Canon DSLR have been outdated too fast and drop in price day by day and I have never own one for more than 2 years. I doubt that the M8 will drop so fast in price though but I think it would drop more in price in 4-5 years than an M6 would.
I also like film better 🙄

But if you are in a hurry to see you´re photos and want to go digital why not just get an dslr and keep you´re M6 😉