ruslan
Established
Not for 1DII camera but 5D
sunsworth
Well-known
And not for all lenses on the 5D.
gdi
Veteran
I surprised myself - even with the niggling problems, I voted "fully satisfied." I think it has to do with the fact that mine is away for service (fix the brown stain on the LCD) and I really have missed it more than I expected. I hope to have it back next week.
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
Will M8 Owners need to verify their ownership?
Olsen
Well-known
gdi
Veteran
So you are laughing at my misfortune, Olsen? I probably can't expect to be invited over for a beer in your back yard yet, eh?
bunkawen14
A Glimpse of the World
I got terrific use out of my M8 for the first couple of years of ownership, but time marches on. I'm in China this summer, completing a book project about Shanghai, and I brought my old Konica Hexar RF to use with Leica-mount glass, and my Rolleiflex. The M8 stayed home. When I shoot digital here, I'm using a Canon 5D Mk II, with vintage glass from other manufacturers and adapters. The files are incredible, and the form factor, given that they are manual focus, fixed length lenses, is not at all obtrusive.
We all know the M8's quirks. What kept it on the shelf for me among numerous other issues are the noise above 640, the frame line problems.
We all know the M8's quirks. What kept it on the shelf for me among numerous other issues are the noise above 640, the frame line problems.
Olsen
Well-known
So you are laughing at my misfortune, Olsen? I probably can't expect to be invited over for a beer in your back yard yet, eh?
No, no, I am not laughing at your M8-misfortunes, but how you had formulated it. Sure, you are wellcome for a beer at my back yard just any time. Everybody who have had misfortunes with their M8s are wellcome at my house for a beer. - But only one tourist bus per day, please. The beer truck need some space to turn on.
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
For me it was a rough start. But once I accepted IR/CUT filters and had all of my lenses coded, I was completely turned (haven’t used film since).
Overall I have been completely satisfied.
I have to say my satisfaction has more to do with the first class service I get from Tony at Popflash than with Leica.
Overall I have been completely satisfied.
I have to say my satisfaction has more to do with the first class service I get from Tony at Popflash than with Leica.
Richard Marks
Rexel
Well overall I have had a great 3 years with my M8 but a few little things are anoying. Mine had 3 trips to Germany. On each occasion no explanation was given of repairs carried out (was the sensor replaced? for example). I have taken some great images and will almost certainly invest in an M9 if it is any good but I will not be jumping in feet first. I got a good price for my M8 and have got a D700 for a change. (I kept all my manual focus nikon glass just waiting for them to produce a full frame DSLR that can be focused manually and now they have.). I still have my M6 and will see what happens regarding future digital M's. The M8 issues which irritated me are the filters thing (every time I shoot slide film the filters have to come off and then back on again for digital). It is a bit wearing. The TTL flash is very primative. Finally the sesnsor is beginning to show its age in terms of noise (it was not bad for 3 years ago) in comparisson to other options albeit not on rangefinders. The body covering was awful and wore away in a most un leica like fashion. plain cheep. It should have been replaced for free as defective workmanship but cost £225.
Lets hope the M9 is better
Richard
Lets hope the M9 is better
Richard
tmfabian
I met a man once...
perhaps i'm a minority around these parts, but in 3 years and now 75k actuations later, my m8 is working just as good (a wee bit better since the shutter got broken in and quieted down) as the day i pulled it out of the box. I voted, obviously, completely satisified.
The TSA guy who hurled my bag onto the ground at Boston Logan Airport with my m7 and m8 in the bag on the other hand, i'm not too thrilled with.
The TSA guy who hurled my bag onto the ground at Boston Logan Airport with my m7 and m8 in the bag on the other hand, i'm not too thrilled with.
Last edited:
noimmunity
scratch my niche
yowza!
The TSA guy who hurled my bag onto the ground at Boston Logan Airport with my m7 and m8 in the bag on the other hand, i'm not too thrilled with.
seems this only happens at certain airports. we ought to have a sticky here about cameras and security experiences at airports around the globe.
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Why don't you stick on some Cameraleather stuff, Richard?
Richard Marks
Rexel
Jaap I could have done that. Its just that Leica are always on about 'perfection' and I know that covering would nevr have gone onto a film M. It was shoddy workmanship and they should have made good. They did not even reply to my letter on the subject. You should see the covering on a D700 for 1/2 the price.
See you again in the land of M9's hopefully
Richard
Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
No offence, but you might want to check your facts. The body covering on the M8 is precisely the same covering Leica uses on the MP (which is, last time I checked, a film M camera).
_goodtimez
Well-known
My feedback is given as a personal point of view but reflects what I feel:
-Digital sucks in the way that images are quickly lost and not often printed. The M8 makes no exception unfortunatly.
-Dust on the Sensor is a major issue since I often travel to very dusty areas.
-I feel that the M8 misses some kind of metal protector for the display. I'd like to see that thing covered with a flip off aluminum hood. Although it is said that the M8-2 display is scratch resistant, I don't like that the display has no cover at all.
-The S mode on the -2 is really like a joke.
-Dynamic range seems narrower than with film, even slides.
At the end I have a lot more pleasure using the film Leicas, since photography is for me just a hobby.
-Digital sucks in the way that images are quickly lost and not often printed. The M8 makes no exception unfortunatly.
-Dust on the Sensor is a major issue since I often travel to very dusty areas.
-I feel that the M8 misses some kind of metal protector for the display. I'd like to see that thing covered with a flip off aluminum hood. Although it is said that the M8-2 display is scratch resistant, I don't like that the display has no cover at all.
-The S mode on the -2 is really like a joke.
-Dynamic range seems narrower than with film, even slides.
At the end I have a lot more pleasure using the film Leicas, since photography is for me just a hobby.
Last edited:
tmfabian
I met a man once...
yeah, it was strange, in Ft. Myers, FL the TSA lady that grabbed my bag actually knew what a leica was and was exceedingly respectful of how she handled my gear.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
Perhaps with jpg, but with RAW the range is impossible to beat- better than C-41 by a long shot and gives a 2 stop pull with B&W a good run for the money. The contrast control is the only reason I shoot the M8 over film in many situations.
JNewell
Leica M Recidivist
Agree. What originally got me started with digital was going to a Kelby workshop and seeing what could be pulled out of the shadows with a decent raw file. I was amazed.
urban_alchemist
Well-known
Is it a good camera? Yes.
Is it perfect? No
What would I change? The only REAL biggie is to make it FF - so I can use my lenses as they were intended (I am heavily skewed towards 50mm)
If it broke/was stolen would I replace it? Yes.
Am I waiting for an M9? Yes, again.
EDITED to say: the above relates to my M8u with the upgraded shutter/framelines/glass. The original M8 was a complete pig that I hated using - it's amazing how three such small things can make such a massive difference: i now actively enjoy using my M8, though still nowhere near as much as my film Ms...
Is it perfect? No
What would I change? The only REAL biggie is to make it FF - so I can use my lenses as they were intended (I am heavily skewed towards 50mm)
If it broke/was stolen would I replace it? Yes.
Am I waiting for an M9? Yes, again.
EDITED to say: the above relates to my M8u with the upgraded shutter/framelines/glass. The original M8 was a complete pig that I hated using - it's amazing how three such small things can make such a massive difference: i now actively enjoy using my M8, though still nowhere near as much as my film Ms...
Last edited: