please help i am about to buy an M8 and........

[panos]

Hello everyone .
I am new here and the reason i have subscribed is that i am about to buy an M8
and i would be gratefull if some of you could answer me some questions.
I am curently doing an MA in fashion photography and i have been working within the public domain for about a year and a half.
i am doing fashion photography and interested in fashion photography .
usually i used to shoot film medium format but now i will have to turn digital as the industry requires it really.
everyone had advised me to buy the canon mark II or whatever it is called but i really don't like the feel of it .(too big ,heavy , and quality wise great ok but still it is not my cup of tea).
so as i love rangefinder cameras i am thinking to buy the M8. the reason is that it is small , great quality of lenses and as i shoot mainly on location i think it will be a great tool to have.
i have few questions though and i am sure that i can find the answers here:

1 how big can you print with having the best quality print possible (in terms of dimentions)?

2 do you know where can i find pics taken with the M8 with the use of flash?
as i mainly shoot with flash even when i shoot in location always i use flash for feel or as main sourse of lighting

3 as i do loads of post production in my pics i do not think that the magenta issue will be a problem however when you use IR/UV filters to solve the problem do you loose in terms of definition and how other colours react to that filter ?

4 and the last question is how about used lenses is it tricky (especiall if u buy on line and you can not test before you buy. in what areas do you have to be extremely careful.


thanks for your time
panos🙂

 

[venchka]

Hmmmmm...I think you should look around you and see what others are using and WHY they are using a particular body+lens combination. I'm not saying that the Leica body & lenses aren't good. They may not be the best tool for the fashion job at hand.

The Canon 5D body is smaller than the 1D Mk Whatever bodies. The sensor is FULL FRAME and delivers pretty amazing results up to and including ISO 3200. High quality 1:2.8 Canon zoom lenses will give you a great deal of flexibility to frame "just right". Canon's fast fixed focal length lenses are good as well. The 35/1.4, 85/1.2 & 135/2.0 are very very good.

Talk to folks in the field. Observe. Find out what works.

 

[Olsen]

I would also be wary about using a M8 on a pro fashion asignments. Actually, fashion is a difficult task for just any digital camera due to moire'. With the M8 you will have to struggle with the mangenta color fringe too. It will be difficult. A guy I know here in Oslo - the one I bought my MP from, by the way, do fashion asignments with the newest Hasselblad; H3 with 39 million pixels, the only digital camera that does not produce moire', - a very important property when documenting clothes, patterns and materials.

You find it here: http://www.hasselblad.com/products/h-system/h3d

 

[rvaubel]

although I think that the M8 can do a perfectly good job, the advantages of a SLR cannot be denied. The flash issue would make it even more difficult. That being said, it would make a perfect backup or alternative camera for many users. On many location assignments it would be the perfect choice. However, as the only camera in my fashion arsenal, I say go with the Canon.

Rex

 

[davichan]

yes i also agree, the M8 would not be my choice to shoot fashion with..
i love this camera, but in my opinion it is not the right tool i would reach for when thinking about proper framing, morie, IR issues, teathering to a computer for client playback..
to many issues to deal with..
M8 is great for so many other things....
but find another tool for fashion in my most humble opinion.
😱

 

[jarski]

try rent one and give it a try?

 

[mervynyan]

get the slr, doing a fashion shoot is all about lighting, you will spend more money on strobes than the camera. if you are any good, you can easily sell photos to buy a m8 later on.

 

[HAnkg]

It seems you know the type of work you are doing and if you are choosing between a 35 mm DSLR and an M8 and you prefer the manual RF focusing and handling of the M and you can live with a 120 (90mm) as your longest lens then the M8 will produce quality on the same level as any DSLR. It's got a 1/250 flash sync which is good for a focal plane shutter and the IR filters will have no negative impact on color. Anyone who uses an M must learn to compensate for the framing so this is no different for any type of shooting with the M. If it's an impediment in the studio then it is equally an impediment for documentary, event or any other type of photography. So while it would not be the choice of most studio or fashion photographers your needs and preferences might be different. There are a lot of fashion photographers shooting with manual focus medium format so AF is a personal choice as well.


Try it in the studio next to a DSLR. Check the results and handling and make your choice. Helmut Newton shot fashion with strobes and a rangefinder (Plaubel 670) on occaision so you will be in good company.

 

[HAnkg]

I should add 2 more qualifiers.

If shooting tethered is a requirement then that would rule out the M8.

If you are just looking to break in to professional work, now is not the time to go against the herd equipment wise. If you had an established business and clients who you have already established credibility with it would be a different story and you would have more flexibility in using whatever you where most happy shooting. But just starting, use what everyone uses and what is easily available at rental houses everywhere. That would mean a used or new Canon 1 series or perhaps a 5D.

Don't worry about the equipment now -if you have talent and vision your work will show it no matter what lighting kit and brand of camera you use.

 

[x-ray]

I've shot a great deal of retail fashion and shot MF and 35mm. My 35mm use has been restricted to editorial and documentary work. RF and particularly the M8 would be low on my list of cameras for studio use and particularly fashion. I now use the 1DsII and find it the ideal tool. The M8 is very restricted in lenses and the Canon has a vast number of super speed teles and wides to do the job.

 

[Joe Mondello]

If shooting tethered is a requirement then that would rule out the M8.

I thought the M8 WAS capable of tethered shooting 😕

 

[HAnkg]

I thought the M8 WAS capable of tethered shooting 😕

The Leica software for tethered shooting is primitive and buggy.

 

[panos]

thank you for your comments .much appreciated.
could i possibly ask ,and only if you have time, if you could answer some of my questions as well?
your opinion obviously is a great help but it would be much much much appreciated if you could answer me the following :




1 how big can you print with having the best quality print possible (in terms of dimentions)?

2 do you know where can i find pics taken with the M8 with the use of flash?
as i mainly shoot with flash even when i shoot in location always i use flash for feel or as main sourse of lighting

3 as i do loads of post production in my pics i do not think that the magenta issue will be a problem however when you use IR/UV filters to solve the problem do you loose in terms of definition and how other colours react to that filter ?

4 and the last question is how about used lenses is it tricky (especiall if u buy on line and you can not test before you buy. in what areas do you have to be extremely careful.


Kind Regards,
panos🙂

 

[panos]

also i don't do cataloges - lookbooks very often and when i do i always rent a studio and most of the times the camera is within the bugdet on top of my dayrate.
i also have a pentax 645 that i can use if it is required.
the reason i was thinking of buying an M8 is because i used once a friends M6 and it gave the impression that you almost still the image as you can prefocus as i shoot mainly on 11 or 16 and just think akout the framing.
i am flirting with the idea to take fashion pics in a more documentary way.
but anyways thanks again for your time

 

[ISO]

Panos, check out the book of "Sean Ellis - A year in fashion", if you can find it. Nice book and great inspiration. He uses a M8 on travels but mostly shoots large format film, on location, as much as I have seen.

 

[panos]

yeah thanks
i have seen the book
it is great and i know his work
great stuff

 

[HAnkg]

1 how big can you print with having the best quality print possible (in terms of dimentions)?

Here is a thread on 30x40 prints on the Leica user forum:
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/9022-30-x-40-inch-m8-prints.html

Here is a quote from the thread:
"Here is a picture from this morning of the photographer William Christenberry and artist Yankel Ginzberg at the studio, both after looking at my 30x40 M8 prints.
Bill is a famous user of everything from brownies to 8x10 view cameras and his new book published by aperture was voted one of the four most important books of the year by Time. I asked him what he thought of the prints and his quote was " I thought I was looking at prints from an 8x10 neg" his next question was can I get one of these camera's now?"

2 do you know where can i find pics taken with the M8 with the use of flash?
as i mainly shoot with flash even when i shoot in location always i use flash for feel or as main sourse of lighting

Here is one using strobes and 75mm Summicron (I can see umbrella reflection in eye):
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/digital-forum/22702-my-75mm-f2-cron-has-arrived.html#post239075

No different then any DSLR using strobes. Depends on your lighting and post-processing skill.

3 as i do loads of post production in my pics i do not think that the magenta issue will be a problem however when you use IR/UV filters to solve the problem do you loose in terms of definition and how other colours react to that filter ?

IR filters will have no negative impact on color.

4 and the last question is how about used lenses is it tricky (especiall if u buy on line and you can not test before you buy. in what areas do you have to be extremely careful.

Make sure you can return the lens and factor an adjustment at DAG for things like backfocus into the cost of any used lens.

 

[ISO]

Panos, tell a bit more about your idea to take fashion pics in a more documentary way. Maybe a M8 could be the right tool for you. BTW, for Terry Richardson it is/was a Yashica T4 or Contax T.🙂

 

[panos]

Hankg
thank so very much for the information you gave me
the results are breathtaking at least for what i want to do
your answers were a great help indeed
thanks again
all the best
panos

 

[panos]

ISO
I alwys wanted to buy a rangefinder and i was flirting a lot with the contax G2 wich Richardson uses.I don't particularly like the Yashica as i feel that u are limited in terms of flash.I peronally think that the main reason he is using he Yashica i a big f.... off to how proper the quality has to be for fashion photography.I really like his approach though because he is taking the piss big time which i find it honest .As i have heard in his book terryworld his private parts are edited transformed scale in Photoshop in order to be bigger which i found very funny.Anyways i like his work especially when he works with Carine Roitferd for French Vogue.Although i prefer aesthetically Jurgen Teller maybe as he has a more european style.At least i think.
Coming back to your question i really like photographers such as William Klein , Robert Frank , Lee Friedlander (if that is his name) of course William Eggleston and i really liked their approaches on spaces.So want i want to do is go out with a model and try to document her within a space.I think that if the styling is strong ( which i believe is what fashion photography is all about) it will be mch more interesting to live the model to react with the enviroment and just pic fractions that you like. otherwise when models are possing it gets a bit boring.it is an approach that i want to start doing and then really take it from there. i think the m8 will give that sort of freedom but also the quality of the lenses. i am shooting in the studio as well but i am very confident with lighting and cameras and i don't think that i will have any sort of problems.the most crucial think is that i have found a sponsor that will support me financially and they will give me 15k so even if it is not going to work is not going to be my money anyways.otherwise i wouldn't be able to afford it.if u want to see a sample of my work go to myspace.com/ilovesania.i am interested in a feedback.back to the documentary approach i would suggest you to check SELF SERVISE magazines or check phoographers like inez and vinoodh or a good website is artandcommerce.com or cmluk.com both agensies with top end creatives in fashion.really good stuff.hope u r not fade up that u simply asked a question and the reply was a bit of my lifestory.
cheers
panos