M8 Vs Xpro/NEX/X100/OMD etc....

[jsrockit]

What ever man, there is no better body for the leica M lens then a Leica M. The other systems have their own good lenses better suited to their strengths.

I agree completely... but you said all other are a waste of time... which isn't completely true. There are some great cameras being made right now that aren't Leica that can use M lenses.

 

[thegman]

What ever man, there is no better body for the leica M lens then a Leica M. The other systems have their own good lenses better suited to their strengths.

Not really buying into that, first of all with film Leicas, it makes no difference. Second of all, with digital you make the assumption that only Leica truly knows how to make a good M camera, but the fact that they required to use IR filters where Epson did not shows that technical skill is technical skill regardless of the name of company you work for.

Assuming that one thing is better than another simply because it's made by a certain company reminds me of the Mac/PC wars, or the AMD/Intel wars, or the ATI/NVidia wars which still persist in the computer scene. IMHO it's allowing companies to set your thoughts for you, rather than form them yourself. Not talking about you in particular, but the general message your post sends.

 

[Archiver]

I find the Ricoh GXR and M-module to be a wonderful complementary camera for M-lenses. The image quality is, dare I say it, very close to the M8 and perhaps better, even at low ISO's. The focus peaking system works pretty well, although better with shorter focal lengths and wider apertures. The GXR is in my bag just as much as the M9 these days.

 

[kanzlr]

hm. I prefer the Hexar RF to the M7 and the Ricoh GXR to the M8 🙂
both dedicated M mount cameras, of course.

and the GXR even works nicely with my MD and Leica-R lenses (and almost every manual SLR lens ever made)

 

[Ben Z]

hm. I prefer the Hexar RF to the M7 and the Ricoh GXR to the M8 🙂

The Hexar vs M7 I agree with you (loaded & rewound much faster, 2 stops faster shutter speeds for using fast lenses wide open outdoors, built-in motorized advance). It's a pity they're basically unrepairable nowadays (though that's probably why they're so inexpensive), vs the M7 which is fully supported and also mine is worth more now used than I paid for it new. But about the GXR, it's a 1.5-crop (DOF issues in re selective focus for subject isolation) and it has an EVF, which may be a good one but it still (to my feeling) lacks the directness/immediacy of the Leica. I could use a brightline finder, but only practical with ultrawide lenses, or with others if stopped-down and zone focused. I realize this is a very personal objection. Most people I know have no issue with EVF's.

 

[kanzlr]

sure, but the GXR has very nice ergonomics. It is easy to hold and the customizable controls are easy to use. image quality is superb. and the focusing aids are nice. I dislike EVFs quite a lot, but with the nice focusing aid it is as easy to work than SLRs are. Not that I like SLRs that much 😉

 

[donz]

GXR looks and feel promising..but the M8 have its own strength ..but the technology of M8 is pretty down the road...maybe wait another few months to get the M10 (maybe)

 

[viramati]

the only camera apart from the leica Ms with a sensor specifically made for RF lenses is the GXR. So if you want to shoot wider than a 35mm lens IMHO the only possible option is the GXR....