M8 still worth buying?

[ChrisC]

Edward - Whilst being very wary of Steve Huff lens 'reviews', you might find this article which covers M8/M8.2 differences useful :

http://www.stevehuffphotos.com/Stev..._M8.2_REVIEW_&_FOLLOW_UP_ON_MY_M8_REVIEW.html

............... Chris

 

[Mrbessar4a]

No, get an NEX camera and spend your money on lenses. Used M8 prices have risen since the M9 came out, wait till they go back to normal.

Plus with both Fuji and Leica developing new system cams, now is a bad time to drop a huge chunk of change on the flawed but endearing M8.

If you're craving the red dot the X1 will do well, or the X100 is even better. But if you need a camera now I'd say NEX-5N is the best all-rounder. Oh and I forgot all about the GXR...

 

[Avotius]

I just sold mine last month and I miss it a lot. Unfortunately the wife says children are more important. I loved it, a great camera, and I would buy one again, if I had the money.

 

[segedi]

No, get an NEX camera and spend your money on lenses. Used M8 prices have risen since the M9 came out, wait till they go back to normal.

Plus with both Fuji and Leica developing new system cams, now is a bad time to drop a huge chunk of change on the flawed but endearing M8.

If you're craving the red dot the X1 will do well, or the X100 is even better. But if you need a camera now I'd say NEX-5N is the best all-rounder. Oh and I forgot all about the GXR...

At this point, Sony is getting my money for the NEX-7. For $2500, you could get a NEX-7, M- to E mount adapter and have enough left over for some lenses or a Ricoh GXR with M module and Viewfinder!

The IR filters, ISO range and age of the M8 keep me away from it. Does it take great photos? You betcha, but the price is a bit steep compared to the alternatives.

 

[EdwardKaraa]

Hmmmm, some interesting suggestions. I totally forgot that Leica is working on a new mirrorless system. The Nex 7 looks also interesting, too bad it has been delayed. Maybe I should take it easy for a couple of months...

 

[noimmunity]

Worth depends on value.

None of the other solutions mentioned here will provide the pleasure (or pain, for some) of the RF viewfinder and mechanical focus mechanism.

Whether or not the M8 is worth it will depend on how much you value the RF view/focus.

 

[EdwardKaraa]

Edward - Whilst being very wary of Steve Huff lens 'reviews', you might find this article which covers M8/M8.2 differences useful :

http://www.stevehuffphotos.com/Stev..._M8.2_REVIEW_&_FOLLOW_UP_ON_MY_M8_REVIEW.html

............... Chris

Wow, he certainly sounds very passionate about his Leicas 😉

 

[Kent]

Whether or not the M8 is worth it will depend on how much you value the RF view/focus.

Wisely spoken!
A Leica cannot be measured with logical calculations only. There is much more too it, it has always been.

If you could get an M8 for US$1500,- hesitation would be a crime.
But at US$ 2500,- it was a good choice to leave it alone.

Every single aspect analyzed rationally would tell you that the NEX-7 makes more sense than an M8. (And I have pre-ordered a Sony NEX-7 myself!)
But will the NEX-7 convey they same "feeling" as an M8? To be honest, I doubt that.

When I decided to buy another camera some weeks ago, the last ones on my short list were a used M8 and a new NEX-7. I decided to go for the NEX, but mainly because it offers greater adaptability for all my RF- and SLR-lenses - and because it is cheaper new than the M8 is used.

So perhaps the best compromise for you would be to get a Sony NEX-7 for the "brain" plus a nice M2 or M4 for the "soul". 😉

 

[EdwardKaraa]

Well, to be honest, what I really would like to buy is an M10 🙂

It seems that it will be announced at next photokina if the rumors are correct, and only God knows when it will be available 😀 I would sell my Sony stuff once I get the Leica, but in the meanwhile I think I will have to see if I can get an M8 at a reasonable price, or skip the whole thing, and wait for the M10, using the A900 for digital until then.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Does it still take good pictures? Yes.

Therefore, it is still worth buying. The only question is the price you are willing to pay. Only you can answer that -- though I'd far rather buy one with a guarantee, as I would with any expensive camera.

Dismiss all questions about being 'rational': the only cameras it is 'rational' to compare it with are other Leica digi-Ms, or possibly the RD-1 (unsupported, even smaller sensor, even fewer megapixels).

Personally I'd also dismiss any comparison with dinky little small-sensor cameras that look and handle like cigarette packets on the one hand, or DSLR tubs of lard on the other.

EDIT, on seeing your last post. If you wait for an M10, why not wait for an M11? But equally, an M9 is a lot nicer camera than an M8 (I have both).

Cheers,

R.

 

[jl-lb.ms]

Definitely worth buying, if that's the shooting experience that you're seeking. It was not for me. I sold my M8 a while back, and later acquired the Ricoh GXR to mount the M lenses that I had retained. I do not regret selling it at all, and I love the GXR.

It's really about what it's worth to YOU.

john

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Yes if...

Yes if...

you can afford repair.
Things can and do go wrong so just think of how much money might go into an out of warranty M8 (of which I think 100% are.) I recently had my rangefinder aligned for infinity focus and Leica tacked on a whole bunch of other charges which amounted to over $500USD.
After that, the camera came back with a 90 day warranty and I promptly sold it for just under $2000. Had I waited and had another repair come along, I would have been in for at least as much as the previous work. At that point I could have paid for an X100 or a D2x with a lens or two for the cost of M8 repair.
Leica cameras are great and the M8 s a fantastic tool. Sometimes I think it's better than the M9, and I still have my M9, but considering the cost of repair out of warranty it's just too much for someone who doesn't handle the camera with kid gloves.
In a year, when my M9 comes out of warranty, it'll probably have to get sold as well because I don't want to be sitting on a pretty black paint paperweight.
Mind you, my case may be an extraordinary one but I don't think so. Both of my digital Leica M bodies have had to go back to the factory for service twice in a year. I know three people personally who have went through a total of five Leica M bodies and a combined 21 months of factory service time between them since 2008.

Phil Forrest

 

[Lss]

Things can and do go wrong so just think of how much money might go into an out of warranty M8 (of which I think 100% are.) -- -- considering the cost of repair out of warranty it's just too much for someone who doesn't handle the camera with kid gloves.

The cost of repairs is a thing to consider. Absolutely. And buying an expensive camera with warranty is often a much better choice than buying one without. I however do not see any benefit in viewing it as a binary decision, which seems to be what many suggest (not just in this thread and certainly not pointing finger at Phil who I happen to quote here).

Why I quoted Phil on this is the fact that I do not treat my cameras nicely. I try to keep them reasonably clean and dry (which is not always possible when traveling light and making photos), and protect the optics and sensor. But the cameras I carry surely get some abuse.

My M8 (which I bought out of warranty) has already seen more than my 2002-vintage EOS 1D, which has been shot a lot more. It has been to wetter and dirtier places, it has received more bumps and knocks, and it has worked flawlessly through it all. Many a professional will give their cameras much more abuse in the same time, but my point is that an amateur photographer (who I assume most of those who are now considering the M8 are) can certainly rely on these things. My camera could die tomorrow, but there is still no reason to take all the horror stories at face value. Just factor in some sort of reasonable (well, Leica) repair cost estimate to see what warranty really is worth to you.

If I did not own an M8 already, I would buy the one I am currently using knowing its history and how it has performed for €1400-1500 with no fear. One with some limited store warranty is "locally" available at €1800.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I try to keep them reasonably clean and dry (which is not always possible when traveling light and making photos), and protect the optics and sensor. But the cameras I carry surely get some abuse.

At that point, it's more like fair wear and tear than abuse. I treat my cameras the same, and they all have the marks to show it. I wouldn't use a camera I was frightened of breaking.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Lss]

You are right, Roger. My point is that an M8 can be used even fairly roughly, and it will keep on giving great images. There is no need to baby these things, although the Internet wisdom is that the M8 is unreliable.

 

[Roger Hicks]

You are right, Roger. My point is that an M8 can be used even fairly roughly, and it will keep on giving great images. There is no need to baby these things, although the Internet wisdom is that the M8 is unreliable.

We are in complete agreement, except perhaps over the juxtaposition of 'internet' and 'wisdom'. Seriously, you're quite right: the internet is a wonderful mechanism for blowing all kings of things to enormous dimensions, when a rational person might say of the same things, "These things happen sometimes, and nothing made by man is perfect."

Cheers,

R.