The real cost of a digital M

[ChrisC]

....
2. Summilux 35 or 50 mm Lens - $2000-$4000 (depending on version)
3. New desktop computer


What else.....

You can save on the lenses unless you are absolutely insistent on f1.4. For 35mm the Zeiss C-Biogon f2.8 is a spankingly fantastic lens, with it you can also throw in a Manfrotto 685B [super fast, long] monopod, and this wonderfully shaped lens hood :

http://bophoto.typepad.com/bophoto/2010/09/new-lens-hood-for-voigtlander-35mm-14.html#more

Consider the stellar Zeiss 50mm Planar f2.0

I can't use the M8 without a Megapearls 1.15 variable dioptre magnifier; it changed the camera for me.

If going the Mac route. It might be worth considering a different option. Maybe combine a relatively 'low' spec. Mac Mini combined with a top spec 30 inch NEC monitor, with a view to replacing the 'mini' in , maybe, 2-3 years. Computing power is being driven by greater demands than photographers, so we really don't need the screaming spec. computers for our most general work.

Treat yourself to a subscription to Sean Reid's excellent Reid Reviews where Sean will provide superb appraisal of the digital 'M' platform.

........... Chris

 

[Guaranteed]

I would not recommend anything bigger than a 4 or 8gb SD card. Cards will fail. 16gb is a lot of imagery to loose!

The same thing was said when the 8GB cards first came out, stick with either of the big two and you'll be fine. I'd be more worried about having the shutter/computer go before the card did or even losing a smaller card swapping them out(stupid little SD cards).

Agreed with the computing power. When I'm travelling I bring along my little HP dm1-3025dx netbook and handles CS5 and 5D2 files just fine. Now it isn't lightning fast as it's still stock but if I ever get around to maxing out the RAM to 8GB and tossing in an SSD it'll cook right along.

 

[willie_901]

Dave,

You have a lot of great advice.

My advice is to install at least 8 GB of RAM in your computer. The performance of my 27" iMac increased dramatically (Lightroom, PSE9 and Vivezza 2). The Apple Magic Mouse is a surprisingly precise device. I used a Walcomm tablet for difficult adjustments before I owned the Magic Mouse. Now I rarely have to use the Walcomm... in fact it's in the closet.

 

[mugget]

Just wanted to chime on about the computer side of things...

I had built myself a PC and eventually got fed up with it (wouldn't boot, could have been any number of things including video card, RAM, motherboard etc. and I didn't have the time or desire to buy various new parts to test, add to that I already had a bunch of photos that I hadn't been able to process due to the computer being down), so I just decided to go out and buy an iMac. I had a PowerMac G5 and Apple laptops previously, never had a problem at all with them. It must be going on about 2 years with this iMac, it's the 27" 3.2GHz Core i3, 4GB RAM. It's completely fine for any type of photo processing. I would just like to bump it up to 8GB RAM, but then I usually have a bunch of other stuff running while I am processing photos.

You just don't need the latest and greatest. The Core i3 wasn't exactly cutting edge a couple of years ago, let alone now - but it's fine.