rya
Established
I know we all love a "what do I do with my wallet?" thread, so here you are:
I want a digital camera. Had a D300, never felt good with it. Too many buttons, too hard to focus manually and lens crop is terrible. Have a Ricoh GRDII, have gotten a lot of images my friends want of themselves and others but haven't really gotten attached and don't like using it that much.
The decision is between the D700 and the M9. Or neither. Currently I mostly shoot with an M6TTL, scanning color and wet printing b&w. To finance this project I will be selling a lot of things, like my Speed Graphic, a Pentax kit (4 lens + body), the Ricoh, a bag, possibly my Nikon 4000 scanner, and my Nikon kit (3 primes + film body) if I get the M9. I will essentially look to sell all my gear except for one definitive Leica kit or a nikon + m6 kit.
If I get the D700, I will always be choosing between cameras and lens groups. If I get the M9, both cameras can easily ride together. And there would never be a question as to what to bring... it would always be the right bag. I didn't enjoy using the D300 like I do the M6. On the other hand, the D700 certainly carries its weight in the dark (and may nearly make up for the difference in hand-holdability) and will save me about 4500. Oh, and I can drag that D700 through nearly anything and never fear, whereas I may baby the M9 until I know it can take some rain and snow. The third option is to obviously abstain from all this silliness and have fun with what I've got and spend a few months in Brazil.
Go!
I want a digital camera. Had a D300, never felt good with it. Too many buttons, too hard to focus manually and lens crop is terrible. Have a Ricoh GRDII, have gotten a lot of images my friends want of themselves and others but haven't really gotten attached and don't like using it that much.
The decision is between the D700 and the M9. Or neither. Currently I mostly shoot with an M6TTL, scanning color and wet printing b&w. To finance this project I will be selling a lot of things, like my Speed Graphic, a Pentax kit (4 lens + body), the Ricoh, a bag, possibly my Nikon 4000 scanner, and my Nikon kit (3 primes + film body) if I get the M9. I will essentially look to sell all my gear except for one definitive Leica kit or a nikon + m6 kit.
If I get the D700, I will always be choosing between cameras and lens groups. If I get the M9, both cameras can easily ride together. And there would never be a question as to what to bring... it would always be the right bag. I didn't enjoy using the D300 like I do the M6. On the other hand, the D700 certainly carries its weight in the dark (and may nearly make up for the difference in hand-holdability) and will save me about 4500. Oh, and I can drag that D700 through nearly anything and never fear, whereas I may baby the M9 until I know it can take some rain and snow. The third option is to obviously abstain from all this silliness and have fun with what I've got and spend a few months in Brazil.
Go!
Pickett Wilson
Veteran
Option 3 would be the best. But I'm guessing you are going to sell everything and get the M9. 
rya
Established
I don't think that I would regret the first two because I am sure that both ways would be satisfying, but every time I hear the M9 compared to a "small car" I get nervous.
Thardy
Veteran
Vincent.G
Well-known
BillBingham2
Registered User
Another crazy option is wait a bit, till say after the new year. See what comes out and how it all hangs together.
As VG said, we need some more background to help. What lenses do you use on the M6, D300, Pentax and Nikon Film. What do you like to shoot.
I do think the GRD is worth holding on to as a pocket camera. Get the CV minifinder and stick it in a belt bag in case of rain. Another option is the X1 which is looking very interesting. Perhaps the X1 as your main wide camera and the D300 for tele work.
B2 (;->
As VG said, we need some more background to help. What lenses do you use on the M6, D300, Pentax and Nikon Film. What do you like to shoot.
I do think the GRD is worth holding on to as a pocket camera. Get the CV minifinder and stick it in a belt bag in case of rain. Another option is the X1 which is looking very interesting. Perhaps the X1 as your main wide camera and the D300 for tele work.
B2 (;->
rya
Established
Thank you for the inquiries. I shoot mostly street and landscape and try to carry a camera all the time. Musicians and sinks are my current draws--it is all art photography but I would like to try some more documentary or portrait style work.
I am fairly content with my M-mount lenses, a CV 35mm 1.2 and 2.5 combo and a 50 summicron, although I sometimes desire one longer (75/90) and one shorter (24/28). Often my camera is set for max aperture and 1/15s. Film of choice is Ilford's 125 or 400 and Kodak's 160--the GRD comes out to do B&W 800 and greater shots because I can take a lot more and check for blur easily. I would condense the 35s to a summilux but I love the character of the nokton too much. On the Nikon I use 24, 35 and 50 primes and 28, 55, 60 macro and 85 primes on the pentax. I had an 18-200 for the nikon and sold it after a week.
Bill,
I sold the D300 to fund my M-mount venture and never regretted it. I feel like my D300 images mostly just sit on hard drives while I print the leica work. Every time I think of ridding of the GRD I take it on an outing and have people requesting digital copies from it although it makes few prints. And the X1 looks like a great upgrade from this, but $2000 is steep. And I won't carry more than two cameras at once, which makes X1 plus D300 plus M6 too much. The X1 and M6... maybe.
How soon do you think there could be a price drop or university discount? I am staff (and possibly student) here.
I am fairly content with my M-mount lenses, a CV 35mm 1.2 and 2.5 combo and a 50 summicron, although I sometimes desire one longer (75/90) and one shorter (24/28). Often my camera is set for max aperture and 1/15s. Film of choice is Ilford's 125 or 400 and Kodak's 160--the GRD comes out to do B&W 800 and greater shots because I can take a lot more and check for blur easily. I would condense the 35s to a summilux but I love the character of the nokton too much. On the Nikon I use 24, 35 and 50 primes and 28, 55, 60 macro and 85 primes on the pentax. I had an 18-200 for the nikon and sold it after a week.
Bill,
I sold the D300 to fund my M-mount venture and never regretted it. I feel like my D300 images mostly just sit on hard drives while I print the leica work. Every time I think of ridding of the GRD I take it on an outing and have people requesting digital copies from it although it makes few prints. And the X1 looks like a great upgrade from this, but $2000 is steep. And I won't carry more than two cameras at once, which makes X1 plus D300 plus M6 too much. The X1 and M6... maybe.
How soon do you think there could be a price drop or university discount? I am staff (and possibly student) here.
arseniii
Well-known
I don't think you could make more than 30% of the m9 price from the stuff you have. Film gear is cheap now. Option 3 would be my choice. And may be I'll add some film M on top if I'd be boared with old stuff
Vincent.G
Well-known
Hi rya
If D300 is not your cup of tea, the D700 will get on your nerves as it is very similar to D300. Simply put, D700 is more or less like a D300 with a FF sensor. You may want to think what kind of look you want to achieve in low-light shooting situation: clean, modern looking high iso shot with FF or grainy but punchy classic looking high iso film shot?
Based on what you described, I guess sticking to whatever you have right now works fine. Personally, I feel M9 is way too expensive. Fyi, I have the D700 before I ventured into Leica RF and will keep it for fast action or low light shots of my kids or for situations that my RF (or maybe me) cannot handle well. Comparing D700 and a leica, I would prefer to carry a leica wherever I go for obvious reasons.
If D300 is not your cup of tea, the D700 will get on your nerves as it is very similar to D300. Simply put, D700 is more or less like a D300 with a FF sensor. You may want to think what kind of look you want to achieve in low-light shooting situation: clean, modern looking high iso shot with FF or grainy but punchy classic looking high iso film shot?
Based on what you described, I guess sticking to whatever you have right now works fine. Personally, I feel M9 is way too expensive. Fyi, I have the D700 before I ventured into Leica RF and will keep it for fast action or low light shots of my kids or for situations that my RF (or maybe me) cannot handle well. Comparing D700 and a leica, I would prefer to carry a leica wherever I go for obvious reasons.
rya
Established
The sales certainly will not cover much, but to allow the purchase it would have to go. As a policy, even buying the D700 would require me to sell off some items.
It sounds like the D700 will not satisfy me. There seem to be hopes for it that it can't provide in the user experience section.
The small sensor of the M8.2 causes problems, as it would make my favorite focal length (35) much harder to acquire. But it could be a good feel-out for leica digital.
Or I could reorganize some items into an M2 or the like in the mean time and wait for prices to relax...
It sounds like the D700 will not satisfy me. There seem to be hopes for it that it can't provide in the user experience section.
The small sensor of the M8.2 causes problems, as it would make my favorite focal length (35) much harder to acquire. But it could be a good feel-out for leica digital.
Or I could reorganize some items into an M2 or the like in the mean time and wait for prices to relax...
mark-b
Well-known
Why get a D700? It has as many buttons and is as hard to focus manually. If you want a fullframe, sell everything except one film camera; the M6, and get the M9.
Vincent.G
Well-known
aizan
Veteran
sell everything but the m6ttl, put the money away, save money every month while doing the "one camera, one lens, one film, one year" project, and when you're done, sell the m6ttl and buy an m9. that way, you'll really know if you can get by with just one camera!
faris
Well-known
option 3. brazil/cuba/se asia and a lot of change for good food!
Austerby
Well-known
My preference is for film Ms and digital compacts/slrs. I've no plans for an M9 any more than I did for an M8.
You appear not to like Nikons, so perhaps try something else?
You appear not to like Nikons, so perhaps try something else?
oldoc
oldoc
Stand pat.
rya
Established
The decision is made:
I am going to begin selling what I am not using anyways but hold off on buying a new digital for now. In the mean time I might get a rough M2 or M3 just to compare it to my M6 and know that I can always resell without much loss when ready.
The next digital will be the M9, but I am going to wait a bit and see what happens. The only exception to this might be to get an X1 instead to replace the ricoh if I still don't feel confident in getting the M9 next year. The M9 is certainly a want and not a need.
Thank you all for your input, it is greatly appreciated. For your time:
I am going to begin selling what I am not using anyways but hold off on buying a new digital for now. In the mean time I might get a rough M2 or M3 just to compare it to my M6 and know that I can always resell without much loss when ready.
The next digital will be the M9, but I am going to wait a bit and see what happens. The only exception to this might be to get an X1 instead to replace the ricoh if I still don't feel confident in getting the M9 next year. The M9 is certainly a want and not a need.
Thank you all for your input, it is greatly appreciated. For your time: