I ordered the M8 - Was it a good decision?

does Peter need an M8?

does Peter need an M8?

Peter -

You gave me some good advice about a DMR and which lenses to get some time ago, so its good to return the favor.

Of course, if you don't care for rangefinders, or prefer the specialization available in each of the other cameras, then the M8 doesn't fit in. It won't help with the flowers as well as the DMR, and won't be as small as the Clux, etc.

I have been very happy with the DMR and the two zoom lenses I have (21/35 and 35/70). The color rendition is wonderous, and the flexibility with the zooms is great. Having said that, I tolerate its software peculiarities (every once in a while it goes on a German labor break!), and I don't care for the mass. Its wonderful. well balanced, but not that much lighter than the old Rollei 6000 system I adored. So we have good respect for each other, and I've even taken a good pic or two with it.

First handling of the M8 did not leave a good impression. It seemed like a revisit to old glories, sadly updated. Having shot for some 20 years with an M2 and one lens only, I was interested in the camera, but it seemed a bit big, and not as quiet.

I just came back from a NYC visit, and saw a couple of shops with M8's. After looking at it again, I came away this time greatly impressed. Perhaps it was looking at it with less people around, or just more thoughtfully - but I shot into some flourescent picture cases - and bam, great image on the screen. B&W, again, superb tones. Just amazing. Blew me away.

Forget all the internet noise - if you shoot B&W, there are no real problems once the sensors are fixed. If you shoot color, and want the filter, then so be it. As to portability - imagine a kit with a 28 prime (1st, major lens). Add a 21 or 15 (thanks Cosina). Maybe a 75 f. 2 for distance, or the 50.... and for travel - the 28/35/50 gives a lot. And it fits easily in a small case.

Be it the Epson or the M8, I think a digital rangefinuder will be good fun. It will be small, travel easy, and most important: give the opportunity to snag a great image and print it well. I have found that 35mm film (for me) no longer had that capability,a dn still have yet to see a good scan of a 35 mm film that prints larger than 8x10 and holds up.

But these Leica backs, both DMR and M8 do that - they give you quality images in traditional 35mm size. I just printed a 20" x 30" print from the DMR of the Golden Gate Bridge at Ritz Camera (nothing fancy, $30), with resolution that looked great. Couldn't get that from 35mm to save your life. So that's the treat and a reason enough to do these cameras. For me the smaller size of the M8 is compelling - while the DMR/R8 is more exact, more precise - but it just can't travel as well.

In a daily sense, for fun, do either of these hold up to more modern solutions like the Clux or Dlux - in terms of usability, economy and small size? No, they don't. They are unneccesary in that world, and in fact, if a carry-around camera is what you are looking for, stay in the good P/S cameras.

But if you are looking for portability, and the ability to handhold easily large quality shots - then the M8 makes a lot of sense. Its kind of sneaky that way - it professes to be traditional, but the real tradition is that it cheats, and via its mechanisms (RF) gives you big league quality in a small package. Its a very neat package in just that way.

Geoff
 
Last edited:
I would really love to see a raw image or a high resolution jpeg from the M8. The reports about the best resolving power, or the best quality is very exciting. I would like to print one of these images out and compare to the Canon 1ds Mark II. Could someone please point me in the direction of available high quality M8 images that are for download. I know that there are physical differences from Medium format and Canon DSLR system, but quality equal to or better in such a small package as the M8 is awsome.
 
>As I said, I am not sure that ordering the M8 was really a good decision. Do >others have the same sort of doubts?

Peter, Peter --

Search the M8 threads. Lots of people have doubts. Some owned an M8 (albeit briefly) and returned same. Some have called it all nature of unflattering names.

Others think that it is the best camera since sliced bread.

I won't rehash my opinion but...

But me say this about that -- if you have to ask the forum, anybody to confirm a buy or no-buy decision then I'd have to say that you already know buying the camera is not a good decision for you.
 
Aus, buddy-
I had some "gestation" problems when I first got mine however we "bonded" today and I can say its all that and a bag of chips- I flippen love my M8. I also love my R-D1s however its not in the same league as the M8- the resolution of the M8 is UN-B-FN-LEAVIABLE, no kidding. Soon I'll post a few shots (not from Target or perhaps so.)

The proof is in the pudding.
T
 
Sailor, my man --

We've had our long distance disagreements -- but if the M8 suits you then more power to you. You've probably read that honestly envy people that enjoy using it.

But I do remember someone writing here (on RFf) -- and it might have even been you -- that it's the photographer that takes pictures, not the camera.

So I wouldn't want you or anyone to give all the credit -- or the blame -- to the camera.

Nevertheless, enjoy your new camera.

Peace.
 
Aus I concur- "It's not the arrow its the Indian." I love my R-D1 with it's quite shutter, 35mm like images and ergonomics I don't have to learn to love. My M8 however gives me Hassablad (film) like images in a package that's small and light.

I can find use for both tools. After all sometime an Indian needs a good carbine.

Ted
 
Last edited:
first post here (and from a rangefinder newbie), so please bare with me..

my doubt about M8 is this ongoing megapixel race, its re-sale value compared to all the previous Ms'. yes I know megapixels arent the whole truth + Leica tries to distinct itself from mainstream saying its megapixels are somewhat special..

but what you think is price of used M8, say 10 years from now? I think not nearly as much as well kept M6 bought 1997 costs today in ebay.

:confused:
 
jarski

The price of the M8 in the future will depend on how many other digital M's have been released. Since Leica does not release a new camera every other week like most manufacturers do, I would guess it will retain its value a lot better than your mainstream dslr.
 
Nothing electronic holds its value over time. Nothing. Can the M8 be an exception? If the M8 is a failure and Leica tanks, then it will have a certain collector's cachet which may help it maintain some price. But to be successful as a digitlal camera manufacturer, Leica will have to march to the drumb beat of Moore's Law. That means there will be lots more, lots better Mxs than there ever were mechanical Ms. Given that, I would be hard pressed to see how the M8 will hold value over a significant period of time.

I know, I know, it takes great pictures. And color TVs of just 5 years ago had great pcitures, too. What's the market price they fetch now?

/Ira
 
@Jorge

@Jorge

spersky said:
I would really love to see a raw image or a high resolution jpeg from the M8. The reports about the best resolving power, or the best quality is very exciting. I would like to print one of these images out and compare to the Canon 1ds Mark II. Could someone please point me in the direction of available high quality M8 images that are for download. I know that there are physical differences from Medium format and Canon DSLR system, but quality equal to or better in such a small package as the M8 is awsome.
Click to expand...

Jorge, would it be possible to allow M8 owners to post a few DNG files each on this forum?
 
jarski said:
first post here (and from a rangefinder newbie), so please bare with me..

my doubt about M8 is this ongoing megapixel race, its re-sale value compared to all the previous Ms'. yes I know megapixels arent the whole truth + Leica tries to distinct itself from mainstream saying its megapixels are somewhat special..

but what you think is price of used M8, say 10 years from now? I think not nearly as much as well kept M6 bought 1997 costs today in ebay.

:confused:
Click to expand...

Welcome on the forum :):), but:

If you want to spend money to invest, stay with stocks and bonds. With camera's it is different. If one is a professional, it is a tool to write off against income generated. If it delivers and boosts sales- fine, it is a economic decision - well, not quite, in this business artistic considerations come into the equation, but still.
If you are an amateur the tradeoff is the costs versus the fun - a decision everybody can only make for himself. Basically the camera is written off the day it was bought.
But in both cases the perceived resale value is not much of an issue, a factor in the equation at most.
And this in a society that finds it normal that a perfectly good car drops over 50 % in five years - just because it is five years old. I lost 5000 Euro in the first kilometre I drove in my new car two years ago-nobody gives that a thought.
And what if, as the prophets of doom will have it, film folds completely in the next few years and becomes an expensive niche product? You probably could not give your M6 away then. But it does not do to speculate like this. The purpose is to take photographs. And if you manage to take the shot of your life, I don't think the resale value of the camera you took it with will ever enter your mind....
 
Last edited:
jarski said:
first post here (and from a rangefinder newbie), so please bare with me..

my doubt about M8 is this ongoing megapixel race, its re-sale value compared to all the previous Ms'. yes I know megapixels arent the whole truth + Leica tries to distinct itself from mainstream saying its megapixels are somewhat special..

but what you think is price of used M8, say 10 years from now? I think not nearly as much as well kept M6 bought 1997 costs today in ebay.

:confused:
Click to expand...

A film camera is just that, a camera plus film. A digital camera is just that, a camera with digital film. For me photography is the ability to go out and take pictures. If I shoot film then I pay for processing. If I shoot digital I pay very little for processing.

Funny you should mention 1997 but that was the year I purchased my first Leica, an M6- a camera I could sell for no more then $700 today (I’m a shooter and this camera has been to war.) Now to the main story. A few months ago I was assessing the "expense" of going digital and calculated that my M6 cost me $2000 for the camera plus at least $4000 in processing and film so $6000 over a five year period ending in 2002. With today’s processing and pro lab fees that $4000 would be closer to $7000 and that M6 is now an M7 and costs at least $3500 so $10500 to shoot film over the next five years. Let's say I keep my M8 for three years and then sell it for $2000, so that’s $2800 out of pocket to shoot digital for three years. With film? that's $4200 in processing alone. The M7 (today’s equivalent of the M6) will sell for? but I'll guess $1500 less then new so $2000. This means it costs you $5700 dollars to shoot a film M for three years and $2800 to shoot the M8. Frankly if I could only sell my M8 in five years for as many dollars it matters not. After going digital, and after seeing what my m8 can do, I'm getting better pictures, for less money, and I'm progressing as a photographer at a much faster pace then I ever did with film.

Just a different take,
Ted

PS. With film I would shoot at least $1400 in film and processing per year so my figures were conservative. Add a half dozen gallery quality enlargements and add another grand. Of course I am not counting the cost of computers but then I'd have them with or with out the M8 so that's a mute point for me.
 
Last edited:
Topdog1 said:
Nothing electronic holds its value over time. Nothing. Can the M8 be an exception? If the M8 is a failure and Leica tanks, then it will have a certain collector's cachet which may help it maintain some price. But to be successful as a digitlal camera manufacturer, Leica will have to march to the drumb beat of Moore's Law. That means there will be lots more, lots better Mxs than there ever were mechanical Ms. Given that, I would be hard pressed to see how the M8 will hold value over a significant period of time.

I know, I know, it takes great pictures. And color TVs of just 5 years ago had great pcitures, too. What's the market price they fetch now?

/Ira
Click to expand...

Do you have any old "electronic" Macintosh tube gear lying around? I'll take it off your hands after all nothing "electronic" holds it's value- nothing. How about a Linn LP12 got one of those?
 
jarski, welcome to the forum.
Resale value of buying new cameras and selling them, especially to a dealer will be a real disappointment.
I believe a camera like the M8 should be bought after a lot of serious thought and research through these forums.
A camera should be bought and used, the money will then be well spent.
Robert
 
thanks for welcomes Jaap & Robert and everyone who replied for their insighful opinions!

as an amateur.. I recon best start for me is to try get good second hand M6 or similar, and continue with my DSLR set (Canon) as my main tool. and continue reading furiously..

:bang: :eek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom