LEICA M8, 1st GOLDEN TICKET!!!

[AShearer]

I will guarantee that real M8 files read: "Leica Camera AG" as the manufacturer and "M8 digital camera" as the model. The camera makers can write in any character string they want, and EXIF just reads what they wrote.

No question, that I know. It is just a string of text that resides in the camera's chip. It just struck me as a strange way to identify.

 

[sreidvt]

I don't know whatever it is that Chrism says he got from Photokina, something about a pic of a girl with a neck strap that opens just fine. I can tell you,not only do I have LR beta 4 but I'm very good friends with George Jardin who heads the LR team so I also have later builds than what are publicly available. I can only assume that whatever you got was not a file from the M8 because I repeat...They do not open in either LR or Aperture. See ya guys.

The M8 DNG files open just fine in Lightroom Beta 4 and I say that having opened hundreds of them.

Sean

 

[rsh]

Charlie:

You are a very lucky man to have the M8 so soon. I hope you enjoy it for many, many moons.

Richard

 

[Ascender]

LR & M8 DNG's

LR & M8 DNG's

Sean,

I'm curious to know just exactly how you've "opened hundres of M8 DNG files" seeing as it was only yesterday that everyone was complaining that there weren't any to be found anywhere. Please enlighten me because I must obviously be doing something wrong.

-Charlie

 

[gdewitt]

Sean,

I'm curious to know just exactly how you've "opened hundres of M8 DNG files" seeing as it was only yesterday that everyone was complaining that there weren't any to be found anywhere. Please enlighten me because I must obviously be doing something wrong.

-Charlie

Sean is a well-known and respected reviewer. He probably even gets things before you!

Here's his Web site:
http://www.reidreviews.com

 

[Ascender]

Hi Todd

Hi Todd

Yes, JPG's open just fine in both apps. However the DNG's aren't opening for me in either. I haven't tried CS2 but I doubt whehter it will. I also have a beta of CS3 code named 'Red Pill' so I will try that too and let you know. I'm on a plane at the moment heading to Germany. Good old Lufhansa being the first to offer Wi-fi albeit painfully slow. Will shoot some DNG's when I land. I forgot to bring the 'Camera RAW' software provided by Leica or shall I say, I conveniently forgot it as I've no real interest in using yet another photo editor. One thing I must mention is that I tried, what was my favorite lens on my M7, the 50mm 1.4 Asph. for some reason I didn't think I was going to have much use for the 65mm FOVCF. Wow!! how wrong I was. What a beautful perspective it has become and how incredibly sharp it is. It's as though the 50mm is the consummate lens on the M8 as it was on the M's before it.

-Charlie

 

[Ascender]

Gdewitt

Gdewitt

Wow!!! Someone who's well known. Gee I am impressed. However my DNG's still won't open in 'LR' or 'Aperture'!!

-Charlie

 

[Ascender]

Hi Richard

Hi Richard

Yes indeed.

I consider myself REALLY lucky in all aspects of life. Even luck has it's price however.

-Charlie

 

[Ascender]

hi Wes

hi Wes

I look forward to posting some too. I just hope that my photos live up to expectation, you guys are a tough crowd. Whoever it was that met my wife was correct. She's the most amazing thing in my life (M8 included).

-Charlie

 

[RJames]

Wow!!! Someone who's well known. Gee I am impressed. However my DNG's still won't open in 'LR' or 'Aperture'!!

-Charlie

Sounds like operator technique (foiled again)...

 

[Ascender]

RJames

RJames

errr.....is that it?

-Charlie

 

[MP Guy]

Charlie,

Here are a few odd questions for you.

Please tell us what came packaged with the camera?
Is the battery life close to 500 shots?
Will you still shoot film ? 😀 I have a gorgeous MP that has been sitting there on my desk now because I am so anxiously awaiting my M8 🙁

Thanks,

JT

 

[MP Guy]

By the way, its great to see that RFF is high on your priority list as you travel 🙂 Thanks for staying logged on and posting. I love this place!

 

[Honus]

Charlie,

Thanks for such an entertaining thread. Your statement about using the 50 asph on the M8 really piqued my interest. Have you shot it much @ f1.4, and if so, does the lens signiture look as lovely on the M8 as it does in film?

Robert

 

[RJames]

Flying High

Flying High

Good old Lufhansa being the first to offer Wi-fi albeit painfully slow.
-Charlie

Send us an image of your flight attendant...
What flight number are you on... Jim (aka Jim)

 

[sreidvt]

Sean,

I'm curious to know just exactly how you've "opened hundres of M8 DNG files" seeing as it was only yesterday that everyone was complaining that there weren't any to be found anywhere. Please enlighten me because I must obviously be doing something wrong.

-Charlie

My involvement with the M8 goes back to when Leica USA first asked for my suggestions during the design process. I've since worked with two pre-production examples and published what was (to my knowledge) the first extensive review of the camera in English (minutes before Phil Askey <G>). The second installment in my M8 review series will be ready soon. I also have been a beta tester for Adobe Camera RAW and have beta tested and advised various RAW processing software companies. I have professional relationships with many people in various areas of this industry, including Leica and the design teams at Adobe. So there are some of my credentials.

One opens the M8 DNG files in Lightroom the same way he or she would open any other camera's files in that program.

I'm going to keep my peace about most of this thread but when I spot factual errors I will try to correct at least some of them.

Sean Reid

 

[sreidvt]

Does beg the question why they have left doing the colour calibration so late. Sure some fine tuning as time goes by but I would have thought that if they have done any meaningful testing in the field that gross errors would have been sorted out long ago.

Hi Mark,

They didn't leave it to the last minute but they're perfectionists which is one of the things so many of us love about them.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Ascender]

M8 & Film

M8 & Film

Hi Jorge and Honus.

The M8 came with a charger which had additional interchangeable plugs for both the UK and Europe, a car charger cable, all the documentation ie manual, warranty etc, two software Cd’s (one of them being Camera RAW le). That’s about it I think. Will I still shoot film? Hmm….. well I did say that I was going to bring my M7 with me however I didn’t. I decided that I wanted to really concentrate on the M8 and also I do have a day job remember, so I will have limited time to honour Steffen’s request which is to shoot something for the Leica magazine (you’ve no idea how nervous that makes me feel just even writing those words. I wish he would’ve asked me to just sing a song or something). I have this amazing setup with a lab called ‘The Icon’ here in LA. They have this service where they pick up your film from you house or you can bring it in, then they make medium res tiff’s the same day and post them on a browser based photo viewer called ‘the Icon box’. You can then make your selections, even download the whole roll of film to your local photo editor, make your adjustments then they will do hi-res drum scans and print them however you want.

So the answer is yes! In theory I will still shoot film, when and where is another story. Bringing my M7 along on this trip just seemed a little ‘coitus interruptions’ if you know what I mean. However I love my M7’s ( I also have one of the 50th anniversary Titanium sets) and I cannot imagine not ever shooting with them again. My feeling is that film will all but disappear a lot sooner than most of us think so who knows? I may not have the luxury of choice.


I don’t know about the battery life though Jorge. I seldom run that kind of test anyway because for some unknown reason I tend to be pretty anal about charging. My guess though judging from the battery indicator the first day that I shot the 200 or so images, is that it will be pretty close if not spot on.

Honus.
I did shoot the 50 at 1.4 but I’m afraid I was sitting in my airplane seat with nothing but the aircraft windows in front of me for subject matter so I couldn’t really give you anything worthwhile on that subject. I will say that it was Extremely sharp wide open though but then it would have to be I would expect seeing as this is the whole point of this camera. I’m not quite sure what the technical term ‘Lens signature’ means though so I won’t pretend and give you some pretentious answer. If you elaborate I will do my best to answer.

-Charlie

 

[MP Guy]

Gee, this is getting ridiculous! Some people have little faith. Even when I posted my M8 pictures weeks before the announcement, people were being sarcastic and then had nothing to say when they saw the images were real.

I sense some doubting Ascenders travel venture. Lets just say that Charlie is definetly on a good ole American made aircraft using ******.connexionbyboeing.com

If Charlie decides not to post anything else I would not blame him!

 

[sreidvt]

"

Hi Jorge and Honus.

The M8 came with a charger which had additional interchangeable plugs for both the UK and Europe, a car charger cable, all the documentation ie manual, warranty etc, two software Cd’s (one of them being Camera RAW le). "

There has never been a Camera RAW LE program in production or in beta. The software bundled with the M8 will be Capture One LE by Phase One.