Buyer beware of M8

[Gabriel M.A.]

Your cape and bat utility belt are on order and after testing will be forwarded to you.

Is it black or silver?

 

[furcafe]

LOL! Best M8 post ever.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

ya know what's a riot about just about every single solitary M8 thread?

There's always someone who's being a detractor or *ahem* "troll" and then there's always Ted and Jaap flying in like Batman and Robin to rescue the M8

Let's face the facts.. the M8 does NOT need anyone rescuing it. It's a capable rangefinder camera, and, when used properly, will produce incredibly awesome images.

I'm happy to have seen images produced with the M8 and I hope that I can get to fondle one soon during my trip to Vegas but I wonder if any of the detractors have ever held the camera or used it or are all the claims of "bad M8.. BAD DOG!!" just based on conjecture?

Gee whiz.. I'm starting to sound like I'm Bat Girl or something..

Frustratedly Reading Silly M8 Posts,
Dave

 

[dcsang]

Dave,
Your cape and bat utility belt are on order and after testing will be forwarded to you.

ST

Oh man.. i better get to the gym then.. I just recalled how tight Yvonne Craig's outfit was.. I'm going to have to shimmy into those tights before hopping on the my Bat Motorcycle!!

Sveltely,
Dave

 

[AusDLK]

>... then there's always Ted and Jaap flying in like Batman and Robin
>to rescue the M8

Yep. Just like clockwork.

This writer no longer feels compelled to express his opinion (and is even mellowing some). Wonder if the various Caped Crusader(s) will eventually tire out...?

 

[kbg32]

Those tights are killing me....

But oh how fabulous you look!

 

[back alley]

well, at least this m8 thread has some humour in it.

joe

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

whatchatakinabot, Joe? M8 threads are always a riot.

 

[spersky]

There is nothing silly about the post I made. I did mistake the numbers and and I have nothing to hide, I linked the actual article. The only thing I find silly is that I am attacked by Leica fanbois for just trying to bring forth a new discussion of potential unresolved issues with the Leica M8.

 

[kbg32]

Give me Julie Newmar as Catwoman anyday!

 

[dcsang]

Give me Julie Newmar as Catwoman anyday!

I think I must have been the ONLY guy that liked Lee Meriwether as Cat Woman..

Eartha Kitt was too cat like that it was scary !!


I think I saw Commissioner Gordon picking up the batphone!!!

Dave

 

[kbg32]

Spersky, there is nothing new. The only uhresolved issue is people trying to make unresolved issues. Get the M8. You will love it.

If yer ever in NYC, I'll buy ya a beer or two.

 

[dcsang]

Spersky, there is nothing new. The only uhresolved issue is people trying to make unresolved issues. Get the M8. You will love it.

If yer ever in NYC, I'll buy ya a beer or two.

Ahhh.. no truer words were ever spoken

Even the part about a beer or two.. specially if it's at The Gingerman


Dave

 

[oftheherd]

There is nothing silly about the post I made. I did mistake the numbers and and I have nothing to hide, I linked the actual article. The only thing I find silly is that I am attacked by Leica fanbois for just trying to bring forth a new discussion of potential unresolved issues with the Leica M8.

For sure nothing silly except for botched facts. Indeed you did post the link so others could check. Good job. But if you expected agreement with your thoughts on unresolved issues, surely you could have expected disagreement too. And no big deal that there was. We all have our likes and dislikes. If you posted even real issues with my Mamiya Super Press 23 I would probably have jumped to the defense and tried to minimize them. Maybe unsuccessfully.

 

[J. Borger]

...... Furthermore, LL is read by quite a few people and it would seem to be a PR nightmare for Leica..................

People starting opiniated threads with even more opiniated titles like this one are the real PR nightmare for Leica .......
You start this crap .... and than you suddenly feel sorry for Leica PR department...........

 

[Ken Tanaka]

SEVERAL cameras failed due to the fact it was COLD outside and WARM inside the ship. You can't very well leave your camera in a cold but dry location on a PUBLIC cruse ship due to THEFT so in they went with predictable results- so much for the Canon's weather sealing. The interesting point is that the OP grossly overstated the Leica failure and did not mention the Canon failures- in fact he intimated just the opposite. This of course is only interesting until you research the OP's past posting history. This post was put forth as typical flame bait and is resulting in the typical flame war.

PS. One M8 (perhaps two) were brand-new and this camera does suffer from EFR (early failure rate). Had these cameras been pre-tested for an initial 1000 exposures I am certain they would have shown their issues, been replaced by Leica, and then all the M8's would have performed as well as the M8 that was shot in all types of weather with no ill effect, as has been my experience with my M8.

Speaking of "having facts straight" you're severely bending them to fit your defense of the M8.

The facts are:

- According to Michael's report, 50% of the M8 cameras suffered failures. This is more statistically comparable to the five Nikon cameras (which experienced no problems) than it is to the approximately 42 Canon cameras.

- The circumstances of these M8 failures were suggested not to be directly related to weather but rather to manufacturing or design defects.

- Apparently the other 50% of the M8s operated without serious incident.

- Reportedly 11 of the approximately 42 Canon cameras (26%) experienced problems relating to rain. Six of these reportedly recovered leaving a terminal failure rate for Canons of approximately 12%.

Also, this was not a "public cruise ship" but rather a fully chartered expedition boat. All passengers were part of the photo trip. No mention was made of dragging cameras in and out of extreme cold. Even so, in fact, the temperatures throughout the northern latitudes of the U.S. were probably much colder during this period than the average daily temperatures on this trip.

Everyone here knows of your current emotional affinity for your M8; you defend its honor like a deluded dad with a promiscuous daughter. I enjoy mine, too. But I see its current strengths and weaknesses rationally. Mine has performed, mechanically and electronically, reasonably well in its first several weeks although it has experienced a power problem. But the M8 has a long way to go, far beyond what firmware will remedy, to become the reliable and consistent tool that my Canons have been.

 

[einolu]

Well I guess we have all learned something here, when going to the South Pole it's much better to take your MP and a backpack full of Velvia.

 

[ywenz]

There is nothing silly about the post I made. I did mistake the numbers and and I have nothing to hide, I linked the actual article. The only thing I find silly is that I am attacked by Leica fanbois for just trying to bring forth a new discussion of potential unresolved issues with the Leica M8.

perky, you intention was understood, but your execution was flawed at best. Why start a thread with such a biased subject title? You could have just pointed out the M8's failures from the trip and linked the article. The facts from the article speak for themselves. Instead, you've baited all the M8 protectors into jumping into the thread and voice their defenses in the same intensity as you've wrote the original post.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Well I guess we have all learned something here, when going to the South Pole it's much better to take your MP and a backpack full of Velvia.

You'd think that...

The PNut exodus has made more...individuals...spread all over the Net.

 

[Sailor Ted]

ken,
The M8 is flawed- that is to say it is not perfect. My point is that if you take any devise, digital camera or otherwise, to a cold climate and then take it inside where it is warm you will have condensation and in the case of electronics this will present obvious problems. That the most robust of all digital cameras suffered (the big pro Canon) is the point. Also as I stated the M8 seems to suffer from EFR (early failure rate) so it is wise to shoot a brand new M8 for at least 1000 exposures as soon as possible to flush out if you have an M8 that will fail before embarking on a difficult or important photo trip. It is also wise as rsl pointed out to have an air tight container to prevent condensation in climates where warm and cold will be encountered. As to the nature of the cruse ship and the trustworthiness of it's passengers and crew, I would not feel comfortable leaving mine in a unheated cabin away from my sight to allow it to stay at the same temperature as the outside- this is just common sense and hence the need for a proper storage case. Were I on that trip I would have a pelican case for my camera and lenses and I do have such a case when I am in expedition conditions that I shoot in when sailing in the middle of the Pacific on a small sailboat. I also have backup film camera bodies that I can use my M glass with. I am not concerned about the reliability of my M8 as it now has nearly 4000 exposures without issue but I still take common sense precautions. That I put forth this information in the face of an inflammatory post is what should be expected from a satisfied M8 user seeking a balanced representation.

If my points in this post or my other posts in this thread are flawed please point out how without attacking the messenger.

 

[Kim Coxon]

Going back to the original article, if I were going on such a trip, I would not consider taking an M8. It has nothing to do with any reported problems, reliability concerns or suchlike. I simply would not consider taking an RF. There is not a large opportunity for "street photography" on such a trip. You could use one for the odd lanscape but the real purpose of such a venture is wildlife photography.

BTW, although I didn't make it to the Antartic, I have spent several months in the Falklands which included several photo trips.

http://pentax-manuals.com/gallery/gallery.htm

Kim