Erwin Putts M8 test report

Jim Watts said:
Hi Sean,
I do change ISO often especially when in low to moderate low light so the fact that this is menu driven is more of a problem for me than exposure compensation, but its not a deal breaker. I think that we (rightly if the possiblity is there) are expecting much more from digital than film in this respect. When I was shooting more film I had to change the roll to change the ISO :bang: or use two bodies with a different film in each.

I have just brought a Ricoh GRD, which I know you have used, the 'adjust wheel' means of changing ISO in the menu here seems pretty quick. If in the M8 ISO (can be made to) appear(s) on the first screen and changed with a quick couple of button presses it should be OK. An implementation like on the new Pentax DSLR would have been nice though. Set up and lower limits for ISO, set the exposure combination and let the camera vary the ISO between those limits.

Of course if I keep my RD-1 (which I will) and buy the M8 (which I am seriously considering) I could use two digital bodies. I note from one of your other posts that you intend to keep 1 RD-1 and add 1 M8. It seems to me from what I have heard of the M8 so far this would make a great combination as they compliment rather than duplicate one & other. Have you done any shoots using both? Can you share the experience?

The cost of the M8 in the UK although better than I expected is still high for me. I will probably end up selling my (fairly rare) black chrome M4 to fund an M8 purchase, but it will be reluctant to part with it as I have had it from new for over 30 years. Realistically though it has seen much less use since getting the RD-1 (mainly to cover the wide angle end) and an M8 with its frames and crop to give a wider field of view would satisfy me here.
Click to expand...

Hi Jim,

If it's not too much trouble, would you mind quoting this into a new thread and we'll start there. I'm not so keen on contributing to keeping the Erwin Puts thread alive. I'm dissapointed enough in Erwin's article as is.

In fact, let's just move the discussion (with respect to questions for me) into the thread about my review rather than Erwin's. Erwin should be answering questions in this thread, rather than myself.

Cheers,

Sean
 
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Sorry I misunderstood your post. You want to be in A mode with a fixed minimum shutter speed after which the ISO increases to maintain the aperture.

On the Pentax you could set say 1/30 at f2.8 and the ISO would vary (within the limits set) to maintain this but it would limit you to this combination unless you changed it. There are quite a few situations where I would find this useful. As to whether the Pentax K10D does what you want and the Nikons do (which of course could also be useful) I'm still not sure from the info available.
 
Jim Watts : Exactly, you can do the same in M mode on nikon, just set 1/30 and apeture to f/2.8 the iso would vary, or A mode with shutter and iso to vary together :)
 
Curiously, Erwin makes no mention of the lack of a film advance lever on the M8. I had to chuckle about this :D as I recalled some of his past reviews that promoted the experience of advancing the film to almost a fetish-like level. Despite the fact that SLR users had learned to abandon the film advance level 20 years ago with the introduction of autofocus cameras, Erwin would talk about it in his reviews as integral to the act of photography. The Konica Hexar RF took quite a beating from him for its lack of said lever:

"When you close your eyes and pick up the Leica and the Hexar several times, the difference in feeling and haptics emerges.

"When you hold the Leica, your thumb slides behind the film advance lever, and your finger lays on the shutter release button, which is sharp as a trigger.
This simple and intuitive act signifies to the brain a state of alert attention and you fall into the mood of a hunter or an active sportsperson anticipating the moves of the other players.

When holding the Hexar, both hands hold the body and when your finger touches the release button, there is no trigger effect. the finger just rests there and you do not get any feedback from the body. So you switch almost automatically into a more passive state of mind and allow the camera to work for you. This is easy to do as the automatic functions of the camera (exposure, film transport, motor winder) are so well executed that you start to rely on them and even transfer control to them."

Or this from his review of the Zeiss Ikon:

"The lever-wind in a mechanical precision camera has a special role and standing. It is the direct interface between the photographer and the camera when making a picture, but the throw of the lever-wind translates into the mechanical force that transports the film, cocks the shutter, and during the process moves every wheel and cog and spring that is involved in the mechanical working of the camera. . .

"The lever-wind cycle is without any resistance (on the ZI) and here Zeiss may have gone astray a bit. . . . The impression of mechanical excellence of the Leica CRF is primarily based on the smooth and silky movement of the advance lever when the gears mesh without slack but with sufficient resistance to notice that the film is transported and the camera is ready for the next exposure. . .

"I have dwelled some time on this topic as it is one of the more important aspects to deal with when analysing a mechanical camera. The mental act of preparing for the next photograph is set between the moment that the shutter is pressed and the film is wound on to the next exposure. The CRF is famous for its propensity to synchronise the compositional state of the scene and the mental state of the photographer. The mechanical movements of the camera should not distract from this tate of synchronisation. The 'emptiness' of the transport movement (in the ZI) does interfere in the stream of consciousness approach of the CRF."

Pure poetry! :D

I don't know how he could have offered a positive review of the M8 with devestating effect on "feeling and haptics" that must emerge due to the automation and lack of a film advance lever. ;) How can any photographer achieve the required mental state for high quality photography?

I love old Erwin. He does give me a good laugh from thim to time. :) :cool:
 
Now let's be nice to our friend Puts, Huck :D:D Of course he cannot say anything about film advance levers any more. His new buddies haven't had advance levers on their EOS-ses for decades. They would not be pleased if our attention were drawn to the lack of this essential haptic part.. :p
 
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