Convince me (1)...

HuubL

HuubL

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After selling some of my (SLR) lenses I got some money burning in my pocket.
I've been intrigued by the raving reviews the OM 5D gets and seriously considering a body as a new back cap for my micro 4/3 glass (20/1.7, 14-140, 7-14) to replace the GF1. OTOH,.... I could also buy a nice 2nd hand M8....

Please convince me why I should buy the Oly and stay far from the M8.
 
As Maxwell Smart used to say when the expected answer came: "That's what I was afraid of." People do love their M8s.
 
Get the Oly and have some fun!

I thought the M8 was over priced and over rated and it's high ISO performance is tragic!
 
Check out the M8 photos a couple of threads below this one...it's a great camera, as long as you can get some good glass on it.
 
It's a love/hate relationship with my M8.

I love the images that come from it, they are crazy good.
I hate that it can be really difficult to use at night time with ISO performance being incredibly sh*t. It really makes badly lit shooting worse.

It's been on the selling bench for me on and off. I go to sell it, then i get a cracking set of images and i change my mind
 
depends on what you want to shoot and how you wanna do it, really.

I have a Fuji X100 and an M8... and despite it's better low light capabilities, it's ability to auto focus (and a rather fast autofocus after those firmware updates), it's cleaner images... I never pick it up if my M8 is available.

I don't know why, but it's just the way it is. There's something about a purely optical viewfinder and manual focusing that draws me to the M8.

I don't think the M8 is a horrible camera at all. It's overpriced for what it offers, but it's not horrible. The files that come out of it are very nice, especially if you're using nice glass with it :) Best of all, it's a rangefinder camera... there's just no substitute for a rangefinder.
 
Agree with Patrick. The M8, (I have the M8.2), is all about the viewfinder and manual focusing experience. If you just get into the M8 (or 8.2/9), and forget about all the new cameras that keep coming, you'll likely have a better time and make better photos. But this forum makes everyone crazy with comparisons. I think of my M8.2 as a classic camera that doesn't require film.
 
Huub, if I were in your shoes (and like you I already have some m4/3d lenses), I would buy the Oly in a heartbeat. The improved sensor, fast autofocus, compact size, and weather sealed body are great, and the images I've seen from this camera seal the deal. No rap on the M8, but in terms of IQ and a warranty I think the OMD is a great deal, and perhaps the perfect match for the superb Pany 20/1.7 lens.
 
My brother is a longtime Oly (and Leica) user and bought the new one. On the phone the other day he said he tried a 1-1/2 second exposure hand-held, and the anti-vibration totally dealt with it. He was blown away.

It's not really that much money compared with an M8. Buy one and try it, and if you don't like it buy the Leica. Think how much money you'll lose if you do it the other way around--buying the M8 and ditching it for the OM-D.
 
Mr. 2.8 is right that people nowadays love to compare specs and performance. :) I'd like to think that sometimes, it's not really about specs and performance... if you're chasing specs, you'll never be able to keep up.

:) Correct me if I'm wrong, but by your asking us to convince you to "stay very far away from an M8"... what you really want is an M8, or a digital rangefinder. If that's the case, there's no replacement, no matter how spec'd up the other camera is.
 
HuubL said:
I've been intrigued by the raving reviews the OM 5D gets and seriously considering a body as a new back cap for my micro 4/3 glass (20/1.7, 14-140, 7-14) to replace the GF1. OTOH,.... I could also buy a nice 2nd hand M8....
Click to expand...
If this is the whole story, get the Olympus. If you also have M lenses and/or prefer rangefinders, it gets trickier.
 
With respect, you're comparing apples and oranges here. You're not alone BTW, look at all those threads where Sonys, Fujis or whatever are compared to M8 or M9 as if they were the same kind of commodity. The question to ask to yourself, first of all, is to know if you want a digital rangefinder. If so, there is no alternative but M8, M9 or R-D1. If not, better stay away from the latters obviously.
 
My initial thought would be the the OM-D due to its sensor quality, features and the fact that you already have some m4/3 lenses. However, the OM-D is pretty small for the size of your hands. Specifically, as you hold the camera to shoot, the left size is not very wide. I found it too small (at least without the addition of the grip,) though I just handled Gene's briefly.

I could probably get used to it, but YMMV. And I was really impressed by the sound of the shutter.
 
If you had a bagful of Leica mount lenses then I would get the M8 for sure. With no Leica lenses you can go any way you like. IMHO if you go M8 then that's just the start of your Leica entry fee and you had best be sure it's for you.
 
LCT said:
With respect, you're comparing apples and oranges here. You're not alone BTW, look at all those threads where Sonys, Fujis or whatever are compared to M8 or M9 as if they were the same kind of commodity. The question to ask to yourself, first of all, is to know if you want a digital rangefinder. If so, there is no alternative but M8, M9 or R-D1. If not, better stay away from the latters obviously.
Click to expand...

I have to agree completely.
 
agreed. it depends on what type of photographic experience do you want. obviously, not dslr. micro 4/3 or drf? they are quite different, and deciding between the two is quite personal. for me, now question: digital RF. the drf process is simple, slow, and thoughtful. whenever a camera has more bells and whistles, i think it makes the photographic process less so.
 
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