Michael Reichmann M8 review

[mfunnell]

...is very favourable, and up at The Luminous Landscape:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/leica-m8.shtml

...Mike

 

[jameshays]

Wow, first Reid, now this. Any more great reviews and even my wife will want me to get one...

 

[truando]

Wow, first Reid, now this. Any more great reviews and even my wife will want me to get one...

I left my wife so I could order one 😀

 

[ywenz]

Michael's review is very good for the M8. Reid really should look to post process his images better. The samples from his review doesn't really sell the camera at all IMO.

 

[Nachkebia]

None of images from M8 are helping M8 to sell 😀 😀 😀

 

[jaapv]

Now that we have the one-and-a-half predictable knee-jerk reactions behind us, thank you, gentlemen😉 😛 we can conclude that 2 1/2 reviews by reputable photographers and reviewers are more than favorable. I think this camera will be good enough for a humble cat-shooter like me....

 

[Ben Z]

Yes but if he'd post processed them then people would complain the comparisons weren't "fair" because he'd "tweaked" the files. I'm not so sure that's right. We compare beautiful movie stars fully made up, after all, because none of us is likely to ever see them first thing in the morning when they wake up 😀 😀 😀

 

[ywenz]

I dunno why Reid only provided small aperature examples. Leica lenses are meant to be used opened up! Stopped down it looks like shots from my GRD... 😉

 

[jaapv]

Yes but if he'd post processed them then people would complain the comparisons weren't "fair" because he'd "tweaked" the files. I'm not so sure that's right. We compare beautiful movie stars fully made up, after all, because none of us is likely to ever see them first thing in the morning when they wake up 😀 😀 😀

I dunno why Reid only provided small aperature examples. Leica lenses are meant to be used opened up! Stopped down it looks like shots from my GRD... 😉

Both true, but you can see d@mn-all on a computer screen anyway, so it does not make a lot of difference.

 

[Nachkebia]

ywenz said it once, you can see anything on comupter screen, I don`t really get computer screen back-up 😀 computer screen what? when you print things will get blured or what? mad truly mad 😀

 

[MP Guy]

Overall, I thought it was an excellent review. I likeed the details when it came to the capabilities of of the camera. I like the final comments as well. Regardless, I still wait for one 🙁

 

[lxlim]

I think Sean's pictures showed me what I need to know about the M8's quality, too much post processing would have fudge the issues. Besides, I'm easily convinced by the fruits 😛

PS. I thought Leicas wide open are excellent. Should I get worried and test the lenses before accepting? 😉 My vendor is very unreasonable when I wanted to try out a few lenses for quality, he says its a Leica and they stay shrinkwrapped till I hand over the money 😀

Currently, Canon user. God willing, an M8 with a few lenses in a couple of months.

Alex

 

[boilerdoc2]

" He likes it! Hey, Mikey, he likes it"
Sorry, couldn't help myself there. We, in the queue for the M8, wait. Patiently wait.......
Steve

 

[rhogg]

Magic?

Magic?

I would agree that MR did a very good job with the review - even acknowledging his bias. It seems to me that he is the ideal M8 target market: fully understands the Leica magic, and loves digital.

Well I'm likely at the other end of the spectrum. Although I get the "magic" I've never owned a Leica. I'd love one and a set of lenses but its not going to happen. All I can afford is the Contax G system - a wonderful system all acquired through the auction site - truly bottom feeding.

I would love a simple digital camera to put my G lenses on, and can understand the absolute religious joy that long time Leica users must have with the M8. I'm jealous as heck you've got a genuine digital box for your lenses.

Nevertheless, if it is magic that brought people to Leica, and the M8 end result is "as good as" and "among the best" it is pretty difficult to see the M8 attracting new Leicaphiles given the cost of Leica gear. The M8 proves the point that the RD1 made, but also that signal processing is now as important if not more important than glass.

As experienced as MR is, and acknowledging an excellent review, I'm still left wondering if you can post process "magic", and if you need a very expensive Leica as part of the potion. Perhaps magic truly is priceless, and comes from the experience of really knowing your tools, whatever they may be.

Still I'll cheer on the M8 from the cheap seats, and hope is fosters more real choice in the digital market - more real affordable choice that is "among the best."

 

[Trius]

<snip>We compare beautiful movie stars fully made up, after all, because none of us is likely to ever see them first thing in the morning when they wake up 😀 😀 😀

I'd gladly volunteer for the experiment. KZ-J and others come to mind. 😉 😉 :angel:

Earl

 

[dazedgonebye]

M8 Body $4000
28mm Elmarit f2.8 $2295
50mm Summicron f2 -$1600
90mm Summicron f2.8 $1600

My wife leaving me for spending that much money on kit…priceless. ;-)

 

[jaapv]

M8 Body $4000
28mm Elmarit f2.8 $2295
50mm Summicron f2 -$1600
90mm Summicron f2.8 $1600

My wife leaving me for spending that much money on kit…priceless. ;-)

Hey!
Summicron 2.0/50 used 500$
CV 85 used 300$
CV 28 used 300$

Would that keep her at home after just mildly killing you?

Otherwise add:
Diamond bracelet 1500$
Weekend at the Bahamas 1000$

😉

 

[dazedgonebye]

Hey!
Summicron 2.0/50 used 500$
CV 85 used 300$
CV 28 used 300$

Would that keep her at home after just mildly killing you?

Otherwise add:
Diamond bracelet 1500$
Weekend at the Bahamas 1000$

😉

You missunderstand. Her leaving me was the good part!
She once told me that she'd leave me if I didn't take her to Hawaii on our 10th...we didn't go, but did she keep her word? Noooooo! 🙂

Back on topic...

Good review. It sounds like, short of a couple of very minor UI things, Leica got it right. I guess that was to be expected.
I also enjoyed his perspective re: the relative price of top of the line SLRs to Leica M series. It puts the price in a far more reasonable light. More reasonable, but alas, still way the heck out of my league.

 

[jaapv]

You missunderstand. Her leaving me was the good part!
She once told me that she'd leave me if I didn't take her to Hawaii on our 10th...we didn't go, but did she keep her word? Noooooo! 🙂

Back on topic...

Good review. It sounds like, short of a couple of very minor UI things, Leica got it right. I guess that was to be expected.
I also enjoyed his perspective re: the relative price of top of the line SLRs to Leica M series. It puts the price in a far more reasonable light. More reasonable, but alas, still way the heck out of my league.

We'll you may have somebody to donate the last two items to in that case 😀

It is a reasonable price, especially if compared to the M7, but still, it is an astonishing number of $$$..😱 I admit. I integrated it into my "trading up" programme and sold some lenses and Canon stuff I was not using anyway.

 

[jlw]

One thing that ticks me off a bit about the Reichmann review is that, in his section titled "The Leica Gestalt," he writes as if the core attributes of 35mm rangefinder cameras in general (e.g. the non-SLR view, the spartan feature set, the simplicity of operation etc.) are instead attributes only of Leica M cameras in particular.

We all know better, of course, but SLR wankers reading the article because of a vague general interest in the M8 are going to get a distorted view.