The M8

[rvaubel]

John, I agree with you; in addition to shutter speed/AE, we need to know, at a glance:

- Quality
- ISO
- EV +/-
- Memory
- Battery
- WB

I'd expect there to be a secondary LCD display somewhere with this information, preferably viewable from the top of the camera.

I don't want a 2nd LCD . The information I need to know at a glance should be visable thru the viewfinder. WB, Quality, battery and memory can be displayed on the back LCD.

The viewfinder info should be reserved for the unique data you need for that particular shot.

*shutter speed
*F#
*ISO
*compensation

Everything else can go on the LCD. Why would I need to see the WB and Quality on every single shot?

Rex

 

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

 

[Nachkebia]

Would be better if you could choose what to show in viewfinder, personaly I would like to see nothing but shutter speed 🙂

 

[humanized_form]

the missing info that would be on a top lcd like iso/wb/file quality/remaining images/etc could all be presented in the viewfinder(note that the viewfinder does appear bigger in the pictures, least to me), if this is the case i hope there is a way to turn it off, or that it briefly appears when you half press the shutter button or something.

personally i really like way the the shutter speed is displayed in the m7.

 

[Harry Lime]

Harry Lime : No its not, usualy it is placed on the upper right side, so when you navigate you can rest your hand.

If it was on the upper right side your thumb would always be resting on it, increasing the chance of you unintentionally changing a setting.

If you are 'chimping' then the cross falls right under your thumb, as you tilt the body forward to see the screen.

If the ribbed ring really does spin to adjust exp. compensation, then as it is pictured, the outer edge of your thumb would be perfectly placed to manipulate it by resting on the upper half of the dial at the 2 o'clock position.

Take a look at almost any Canon SLR or DSLR and you will see the same line of thought. I studied industrial design so I known a thing or two about these issues...

 

[Nachkebia]

Harry Lime : No, you take a look at Nikon SLR cameras, F6, D200, it has lock 🙂 btw I have them both 🙂

and d200

 

[Nachkebia]

Ah, and canon has as usual everything wrong, but don`t forget canon has scrol and nikon has controling arrows, there is huge functional difference.

But still, little joystick is on upper side.

 

[Harry Lime]

Harry Lime : No, you take a look at Nikon SLR cameras, F6, D200, it has lock 🙂 btw I have them both 🙂

Take a look at the back of a Canon. On the Nikon your thumb rests on the small dial on the upper right or in the depression. You also have a handgrip on the front of the Nikon/Canon that fills the cup of yor hand and places your thumb higher up the camera body. Holding these cameras is more of a vertical affair than the horizontal approach on a M series camera

I think Leica got it right.

 

[Harry Lime]

Ah, and canon has as usual everything wrong, but don`t forget canon has scrol and nikon has controling arrows, there is huge functional difference.

But still, little joystick is on upper side.

Do you see the flat, empty space for your thumb, between the small joystick and AF button?

 

[Nachkebia]

You are talking about space that you put your thumb while shooting, I am talking about space when you navigate through the controls, Sence the difference? 🙂

 

[Harry Lime]

You are talking about space that you put your thumb while shooting, I am talking about space when you navigate through the controls, Understand? 🙂

Yes, I understand, but a good layout will not get in the way of differnet actions that the operator has to perform.

Shooting and chimping demand different requierments from the layout and in a good design they will not clash.

You're entitled to your opinion, but personally I think Leica got it right.

 

[Mark Norton]

I don't want a 2nd LCD . The information I need to know at a glance should be visable thru the viewfinder. WB, Quality, battery and memory can be displayed on the back LCD.

The viewfinder info should be reserved for the unique data you need for that particular shot.

*shutter speed
*F#
*ISO
*compensation

Everything else can go on the LCD. Why would I need to see the WB and Quality on every single shot?

Rex

I don't think for one minute we're going to see the shooting aperture anywhere. Comparing an ambient light sensor with the TTL sensor to establish shooting aperture is fraught with problems, not least when you are using flash.

The point about a monochrome LCD is that they can be on all the time the camera is switched on; the LCD and viewfinder display can only be for short periods because of power drain. Therefore, if there's information you want to be immediately accessible, it needs to be on a monochrome LCD. Nikon do it, Leica do it with the DMR and I expect them to do it on the M8.

 

[Nachkebia]

Yes, I understand, but a good layout will not get in the way of differnet actions that the operator has to perform.

Shooting and chimping demand different requierments from the layout and in a good design they will not clash.

You're entitled to your opinion, but personally I think Leica got it right.

And they would have not get it if they placed it on the upper side? and put the menu button on the buttom?

 

[Harry Lime]

And they would have not get it if they placed it on the upper side? and put the menu button on the buttom?

And they would have not get it if they placed it on the upper side? and put the menu button on the buttom?

No, because if it was on the upper right side your thumb would always be resting on it while you were shooting, increasing the odds that you will accidentally change settings. You don't need to operate the cross pad while you are shooting and the ring is in the proper position. When you tilt the camera forward to see the screen, the cross will fall right under your thumb. Pull out your M camera and give it a try.

The little joystick you pointed out on the Canon is for selection AF points, which is something you obviously do while you are looking though the viewfinder. But even in that case Canon leaves you a free space to rest your thumb away from the buttons while you shoot. People tend to grip their cameras tighter in the heat of the moment and you don't want them to press anything unintentional.

 

[Geoff Hall]

Not

Not

RFF Has the M8 photos

I saw the M8 image this morning. There are a number of giveaways that say to me it is not the real thing:

10.) The top right side seems odd and not ergonomic. It would feel awkward in my hands. I would like to see it slanted like an M7.

9.) The back controls seem lacking in functions and appear to be only a partial of lift of those found on the Digital-Module-R.

8.) The USB connector door appears out of place. I would think that USB connection would not be given such precedence and placed so non ergonomically close to the camera strap eyelet. I’d like to see it hidden behind a removable bottom plate.

7.) The shutter speed dial appears too small the accommodate the extra shutter speeds eluded too.

6.) There is no indication that the bottom plate is removable. It would be both an unnecessary design effort and retreat from tradition Leica M design to implement a recessed hinged door(s) for the battery and memory card compartment(s).

5.) The right side body protector above the camera strap eyelet seems too short to provide actual protection.

4.) The LCD, on the back, appear to small to be the reported 2.5” size.

3.) The back flash sync jack is missing.

2.) The “8” of the M8 does not match the M in weight or perspective.

1.) The blue auto-focus assistant lamp, to the upper left of the Leica emblem, is too close to the edge of the body. Err, folks, there is no auto-focus to begin with. Well, OK lets say it’s for white balance. It still seems to awkwardly placed.​

Personally, I want a M8 to be clear in appearance and ergonomic in function–a Leica hallmark. Like the Digilux 2, keep the front and top analog with the digital controls and display on the back. Something like this:

 

[Nachkebia]

No, because if it was on the upper right side your thumb would always be resting on it while you were shooting, increasing the odds that you will accidentally change settings. You don't need to operate the cross pad while you are shooting and the ring is in the proper position. When you tilt the camera forward to see the screen, the cross will fall right under your thumb. Pull out your M camera and give it a try.

The little joystick you pointed out on the Canon is for selection AF points, which is something you obviously do while you are looking though the viewfinder. But even in that case Canon leaves you a free space to rest your thumb away from the buttons while you shoot. People tend to grip their cameras tighter in the heat of the moment and you don't want them to press anything unintentional.

Look at it

Have you held Leica before? you know how small it is? even as it is placed at the momment you will touch it with your thumb.

 

[Benny Boy]

Definitely fake - In the photo of the camera back, you can see that the top plate is not flat but is sloping towards the back. It's too much slope to be from perspective. Kind of ironic since this trickery is made possible through the wonders of digital. Keep your film cameras and buy lots of film - FILM RULES.

 

[Harry Lime]

Look at it


Have you held Leica before? you know how small it is? even as it is placed at the momment you will touch it with your thumb.

Yes, I own six M cameras and in addition to my job in the movie business shoot documentary and photojournalistic style material on a freelance basis.

I also own a Canon 1-v, used to own a Canon 5D and rent whatever 1D series camera I need for a job. I also have a Nikon F3, R6.2, Leicaflex SL and several medium format cameras from Hasselblad and Rollei.

I studied industrial design at the Rochester Institute of Technology and if you don't like the layout of the M8 don't buy one.

 

[Nachkebia]

😀 😛 🙄 :angel:

 

[Nemo]

In your opinion Harry, it is real or fake?