I am about to buy an M8!

JohnTF said:
the M8 is an IR camera.
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It sure is a very convenient camera for IR. This photo is ISO 160 at 1/180.

U39086I1342618101.SEQ.0.jpg
 
The color IR look is not that strong here. I am used to true IR images which look like this one (taken with Kodak color IR slide film):

U3565I1159385729.SEQ.0.jpg
 
One other disadvantage of the M8 over the X-Pro1 that I forgot to mention in my previous post:
You have to clean the M8 sensor manually and it is a magnet for dust. The X-Pro1 has a sensor cleaner built in.
Nevertheless, both are great cameras.
 
raid said:
The color IR look is not that strong here. I am used to true IR images which look like this one (taken with Kodak color IR slide film)
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Raid, the colours in the one I posted have been processed. The original image looks very different, but obviously nothing like your slide film colours.
 
Raid,

The most recent IR image you posted shows how not using an IR filter for any color work is a bad idea. It's not just high IR reflectors such as synthetic fabrics, foliage, or seeing blood flow just below the skin... all the photo counts are contaminated to some degree by IR energy photons.

No amount of post processing manipulation can estimate the real, but unknown, IR content of each sensor site. This is precisely why Leica issued free IR filters rather than free software shortly after the M8 was released.

As mentioned above, the good news is B&W images often benefit from the same issues that make color work problematic.
 
IR images for different purpose

IR images for different purpose

It was an art and science to figure out which colored filters would give which look on a given day and time of day at a given location with IR being emitted around you.

I recall my joy to get back 32 well exposed slides from the first roll of IR film. I did not use any bracketing. I recall using red, green yellow, and IR filters.




willie_901 said:
Raid,

The most recent IR image you posted shows how not using an IR filter for any color work is a bad idea. It's not just high IR reflectors such as synthetic fabrics, foliage, or seeing blood flow just below the skin... all the photo counts are contaminated to some degree by IR energy photons.

No amount of post processing manipulation can estimate the real, but unknown, IR content of each sensor site. This is precisely why Leica issued free IR filters rather than free software shortly after the M8 was released.

As mentioned above, the good news is B&W images often benefit from the same issues that make color work problematic.
Click to expand...
 
Raid,
congrats on your M8!
I believe you have a pre asph 35 summilux . If so, depending on your model, you might have to remove the protective rear bakelite (or black plastic) ring for the lens to mount correctly into the M8 body . And a 49mm B&W filter facing the lens will fit into a 12504 hood .

Cheers
Jean-Marc.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/talegal/
 
I just opened the parcel that arrived today, and it contains a beautiful M8!
I will be meeting next week with Brian, so he will hopefully get me started on using the M8. The camera is still sealed by Leica from its last maintenance visit.
 
raid said:
I just opened the parcel that arrived today, and it contains a beautiful M8!
I will be meeting next week with Brian, so he will hopefully get me started on using the M8. The camera is still sealed by Leica from its last maintenance visit.
Click to expand...

Fun times ahead! Please say hi to Brian for me.
 
Will do, Chris.
He favors the M8 over the M8.2, so he may tell me that I did not buy the right camera. I just don't need the 1/8000 sec speed.
 
Eric T said:
One other disadvantage of the M8 over the X-Pro1 that I forgot to mention in my previous post:
You have to clean the M8 sensor manually and it is a magnet for dust. The X-Pro1 has a sensor cleaner built in.
Nevertheless, both are great cameras.
Click to expand...

I still have the Arctic Butterfly.

When I got my M8, it arrived with grease or something, plus dust on the sensor. Had it cleaned at my local shop.

Got some more dust, even though I blew every one of my lenses off, and was as careful as practical when swapping them.

Bought the Arctic Butterfly, and have had to use it only a few times.

At some time, I did send the camera in to Leica, I thought it was giving too much blue in many shots with shadow areas, and I had them clean the sensor again.

Perhaps the program upgrades helped. No note from Leica -- though I sent them files, subjects were taken outside, no fabric on the trees. ;-)

It was easily corrected in PS, but I thought a camera out of the box should be clean and ready to go.

Subsequently, have switched to the M9.

John
 
raid said:
I just opened the parcel that arrived today, and it contains a beautiful M8!
I will be meeting next week with Brian, so he will hopefully get me started on using the M8. The camera is still sealed by Leica from its last maintenance visit.
Click to expand...

Perfect purchase,
bought mine on eBay sealed by Leica as well, cannot be any safer for a second hand camera.
Check w/ Brian your LTM lenses' calibration, a digital camera is less tolerant than film bodies.
 
jmanivelle said:
Perfect purchase,
bought mine on eBay sealed by Leica as well, cannot be any safer for a second hand camera.
Check w/ Brian your LTM lenses' calibration, a digital camera is less tolerant than film bodies.
Click to expand...

Forgot about that. Absolutely digital is more finicky with lens calibration. I had a 50 pre-asph matched to one of my bodies for this reason.
 
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