Film body value, post-M8?

[tkluck]

Way too late in the game for the M8 to have an real effect on the price of film cameras. People now buy and use Leica film cameras because that is what they want to use. Period. A very few pros who see their RF cameras as "only a tool" may thin out their M body inventory for sound fiscal reasons. A few others might do the same simply to put the M8 in reach of their budget. A few of us might get lucky.... but I ain't holding my breath.

Minox addicts generaly agree that the mithical "digital Minox the same size as an EC" would only make them want one too (as in "also") and not instead of. Some relevence, after all Leica did buy Minox. Credit card digitals skimmed the cream off the Minox market years ago, and yet you can still plunk down $1,295.00 for a brand new TLX.

Leica M series I believe may have a somewhat stronger fan base than Mino 8x11...

 

[ywenz]

You mean the small processor and limited software in the camera would do a better job than a (hopefully) powerful PC? Because that is how digital camera's reduce noise and produce their so-called clean images, except for Canon, who add a piece of matte glass in front of the sensor as well.

It is one thing to produce clean images which look obviously that it has gone thru an in-camera noise reduction. I don't want that either. However, you can't rip on Canon's clean images because it is significantly cleaner than anything out there and whatever noise reduction it applies, it does not destroy the image details. I want the M8 to perform like the Canon rather than the DMR on noise reduction.

 

[Les Lammers]

I think the M8 will pique the interest in the Digilux2. A 28 - 90 f2 zoom at less price than just a decent lens - the M8 is the defibrilator the Digilux needs.

I have the DMC LX-1. It is my digi M. Lotsa camera for the $$$ IMHO. I'll keep it till it dies.

 

[Ben Z]

You've just made clear you've never used a Digilux 2, Ben

Actually I bought one from KEH and returned it at the end of the 14-day grace period. The images weren't bad, just not better than any other 5MP digital I could borrow. The EVF was exasperating and totally unusable for manually focusing. As I recall it had some kind of magnification function but that was slow and also not very reliable. There was also the issue of the increased DOF over the same effective focal range on even a 1.6x digital slr, which I didn't mention before. Great sometimes but not when I wanted the subject to pop from the background. So yes I did use one, what I've made clear, hopefully, is how unpleasant the experience was, and hopefully none of those shortcomings will be present with the M8.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

MP's will go for $10 each, M7's will be 3/$20.

"Excelsior, you fathead!"
-Chris-

 

[x-ray]

Most of us using film today are using it because we love the look of film. Ohave a car load of canon 1DsII eqiopment and L lenses that I use in my business so it's not like I cna't have film and digital. I use film because it has the look I like and I love the process of making images with film. My guess is that there will be little effect on film and camera prices. I just purchased two new a la carte MP's because i think Leica will sooner than later discontinue the M film bodies and then the price will climb through the roof. Look at the price of prints from any famous photographer when they die. My Ansel Adams primts jumped by a factor of more than 100X when he died.

http://www.photo.net/photos/X-Ray

 

[jaapv]

Actually I bought one from KEH and returned it at the end of the 14-day grace period. The images weren't bad, just not better than any other 5MP digital I could borrow. The EVF was exasperating and totally unusable for manually focusing. As I recall it had some kind of magnification function but that was slow and also not very reliable. There was also the issue of the increased DOF over the same effective focal range on even a 1.6x digital slr, which I didn't mention before. Great sometimes but not when I wanted the subject to pop from the background. So yes I did use one, what I've made clear, hopefully, is how unpleasant the experience was, and hopefully none of those shortcomings will be present with the M8.

Your experience totaly is opposed to a number of reports on this forum and the user reports on DPreview, and indeed my own experience. It just goes to show, I guess, that all human beings are not equal, nor all camera's and that you and this camera were not made for one another. I 'd say an early divorce was indeed the right solution in your case.

 

[ampguy]

interesting

interesting

I have the much lesser FZ3 non slr lumix relative, and find it quite usable, i prefer film, but the tiff images and highest level .jpg files get good reviews for a digital camera.

I think the challenge with the m8 will be that it will always be lagging in the leading edge price/performance/revisions that canon, nikon, sony and others are very good at. I seriously have doubts that they (or anyone) can pull this off without the help of a Panasonic, etc. type of company to partner with.

Actually I bought one from KEH and returned it at the end of the 14-day grace period. The images weren't bad, just not better than any other 5MP digital I could borrow. The EVF was exasperating and totally unusable for manually focusing. As I recall it had some kind of magnification function but that was slow and also not very reliable. There was also the issue of the increased DOF over the same effective focal range on even a 1.6x digital slr, which I didn't mention before. Great sometimes but not when I wanted the subject to pop from the background. So yes I did use one, what I've made clear, hopefully, is how unpleasant the experience was, and hopefully none of those shortcomings will be present with the M8.

 

[Ben Z]

Your experience totaly is opposed to a number of reports on this forum and the user reports on DPreview, and indeed my own experience.

Kind of makes me wonwder why then did Panasonic discontinue it rather than just pop a higher-mp chip in it and give it a new nomenclature? I'm thinking maybe give it another try, but after all 5MP in a sub-APS-C chip is only capable of so much, even with a Leica lens and a red dot on the front helping out.

 

[jaapv]

As far as I know they tooled up for a limited run and when it was finished it was finished.