Time to get an M8?

[noimmunity]

I'm in a bit of quandary. I accepted a very exciting position at a prestigious university in Shanghai. The salary however is quite a bit lower than what I receive now.

My RF kit has been built upon the premise that I would be shooting film. In fact, I shoot quite a bit. With my current salary, it's okay, but I am anxious that in the future I will find it's too much of a burden.

I'd like to keep shooting film, both color and B+W, but I'm thinking about ways to reduce costs. Although I have some C/Y lenses and bodies, I am deeply committed to ("invested in") M mount glass. And everytime I've tried to sell M mount glass from Taiwan, it's always been at a loss.

I'm wondering if I shouldn't add a digital body to my options, especially for color work? Because of my commitment to M glass, I couldn't move into another system without selling off a bunch of M glass that I love. I used to have an RD-1, but always preferred film. The files from the M8 look better to me. However, the only way I could afford an M8 would be to sell off some glass, inevitably at a loss, or eat instant noodles for half a year. It seems to me that over a period of several years, the cost of the M8 would amortize itself (vis-a-vis the cost of color film processing). Alternative options: I could probably afford a Panasonic G1, but I'm not sure that's what I'm really looking for. Another possibility might be to buy a scanner and save costs there.

Once I move to China (from Taiwan) buying anything becomes even more complicated.

I'd like some thoughtful advice.

 

[Fred Burton]

"It seems to me that over a period of several years, the cost of the M8 would amortize"

This is only relevant if you believe you will still be happy with the M8's image quality "several years" from now. The sensor is already several years old. Only you can make that call.

 

[Keith]

As a non pixel peeper and someone who will never need to print wall size images from the M8's files mine will keep my digital needs satisfied for years to come ... provided it keeps working of course.

In your position going where you are and having all that M glass I wouldn't hesitate to put my faith in the M8 ... I'd still have an M mount film body though just in case. Probably a Bessa!

 

[noimmunity]

Yes, I think I could be content, within its limits. At any rate, I'm sure I would not be able to afford the M9 if and when that comes out.

But this also seems to me to make a stronger case for a G1 or an MTF from Olympus. It's a system that will grow, costs much less, and probably be quite pleasing to use on its own terms. Maybe not the best digital platform for M mount lenses, but it does allow some use. The lenses for the 4/3 system tend to be pretty good anyway. Perhaps in the end it just makes sense to treat these as discrete systems. I love RFs and film, so I hope to be able to keep shooting that as long as possible. I guess eventually there will be an affordable high quality digital platform for M lenses in one form or another, just a question of time.

 

[noimmunity]

As a non pixel peeper and someone who will never need to print wall size images from the M8's files mine will keep my digital needs satisfied for years to come ... provided it keeps working of course.

In your position going where you are and having all that M glass I wouldn't hesitate to put my faith in the M8 ... I'd still have an M mount film body though just in case. Probably a Bessa!

I think so, too. However, in order to get an M8 at this point I'd have to sell off something like the beloved 75 'cron, or a couple of other lenses, at a loss no less. I'm not so sure that's a good idea.

Dilemma!

 

[__hh]

Wow... I wish I had your dilemma of having to add an M8 to my kit in the name of cost cutting measures.

 

[Rayt]

Shanghai like most of China is polluted but the good thing is that you can shoot anytime in the day without all that harsh sunlight breaking through the layers of smog. In other places I have been I can only shoot from 6am to 9am, or 5pm to 7pm, but you can shoot all day in China. B/W film and processing are going to be much much cheaper. The local b/w films are not bad and local labs charge less than $2 to process. I really like the Shanghai branded film but they come in 120. I would keep things simple and pick up a Rolleiflex 3.5F and just use that. Instead I would spend the money on travel. There are endless places to shoot in China and Shanghai is pretty much centrally located. Flying domestic in China is not expensive and if you book in advance you can get deals easy.

 

[35mmdelux]

Here is my 2-cents:
Looking over your "signature kit" its alot of gear. I would begin by consolidation. This is really where you need to make some choices.

If you shoot alot of digital, then the M8 would make sense. If not, then the scanner would make better sense.

FWIW recalling my tour in the US Army I wish I had travelled far lighter. Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate.

 

[noimmunity]

Here is my 2-cents:
Looking over your "signature kit" its alot of gear. I would begin by consolidation. This is really where you need to make some choices.

If you shoot alot of digital, then the M8 would make sense. If not, then the scanner would make better sense.

FWIW recalling my tour in the US Army I wish I had travelled far lighter. Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate.

Yes, I subscribe in general to a philosophy of KISKIL: keep it simple keep it light. Learned that from ultralightweight backpacking.

I think there is a core of about 6-7 lenses that I would not like to trade away. The lenses I could part with are the ones at the extremes (18, 135), as well as the ones I feel I already have covered (28, 85, 50/2.8).

Yet it always seems to me that having come this far in one system, it made sense to flesh out the system on its own. This plan was based a career path that once seemed sure but now has changed. If I were starting from scratch now, I'd build the system slightly differently. But to change now would incur a penalty...I'm not convinced that's the right choice. But then again, as long as I can keep shooting a high-quality RF, I'm likely to be happy making any number of compromises.

Keep 'em coming folks. This is really really helpful.

 

[noimmunity]

This has been good. I'm thinking to hold off on this and look at it again later. I think I'll probably opt to move into an MTF system, if I do anything.

But I'd love to hear more about the pros and cons of it all...

 

[blondie1]

Shortcomings

Shortcomings

If I were you, I'd stay to film, until Leica produces a good digital camera. The M 8 is namely a very poor product. I worked with it for two years professionally and discovered many shortcomings. Here are some: very bad quality above 640 ISO, while 640 is not perfect already. Very slow processor, after nine pictures one has to wait more than 20 seconds until the camera can go on shooting. Poor and unstable color balance.
Considering the price of the M8, it is almost a shame that these shortcomings exist. If you want to read a test, go to : http://web.mac.com/kamberm/Leica_M8_Field_Test,_Iraq/Page_1.html
So if you are wise, do not buy one.

Greetings, Blondie1.




quote=noimmunity;959967]


I'm wondering if I shouldn't add a digital body to my options, especially for color work? Because of my commitment to M glass, I couldn't move into another system without selling off a bunch of M glass that I love. I used to have an RD-1, but always preferred film. The files from the M8 look better to me. However, the only way I could afford an M8 would be to sell off some glass, inevitably at a loss, or eat instant noodles for half a year. It seems to me that over a period of several years, the cost of the M8 would amortize itself (vis-a-vis the cost of color film processing). Alternative options: I could probably afford a Panasonic G1, but I'm not sure that's what I'm really looking for. Another possibility might be to buy a scanner and save costs there.

Once I move to China (from Taiwan) buying anything becomes even more complicated.

I'd like some thoughtful advice.[/quote]

 

[Laowai]

Leica has no service to offer in China, so I advise you to stay with film. There is no problem getting b&w and negative developed all over China (I love Porta 160 & 400). In Shanghai they even know slides...

 

[Jager]

Notwithstanding it's early teething pains, the M8 is a fabulous camera, with very high image quality. It brings the lovely rangefinder experience squarely to the digital arena.

But I'm not sure I'd go to if if it meant significantly eviscerating your current collection. I'd continue to shoot film until/unless you have a more compelling reason for going digital. On its face, digital photography seems cheaper because of its lack of film and development costs. But when you truly get into it you'll find you'll need lots of other things. As a couple of posters have described, you should be able to get film and development in China for not too great a cost.

Save the move to digital for when you want its other benefits.

 

[Tuolumne]

You can buy and process alot of film for the cost of an M8.

/T