Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Not that I would mind you ... but the siren call of going solely digital can be strong at times and many braver souls than I have been dashed on the rocks before.
When I bought a D700 I figured I probably wouldn't need my M8 ... maybe I could sell it? Like hell! ... much to my surprise I've disovered that the M8 compliments the D700 perfectly so it stays as far as I'm concerned and will now fill a different niche to what I'd previously intended it for. Set it on black and white jpeg (yes jpeg 😱) at 1250 or 2500 ISO and it produces files with noise that can be coaxed into looking a lot like grain without too much effort at all. As a small light uncomplicated tool for shooting digital black and white it has no peer IMO except possibly the M9 which aside from it's lack of crop factor, would have no other advantage in this simplified mode. The M8 without it's dodgy white balance selection and need for IR cut filtering is a fantastic camera and leaves those weaknesses far behind in this new role!
The D700 ... what can I possibly say about this camera that hasn't been said already? It's colour rendering leaves the M8's for dead IMO and it's job will be to produce accurately framed, precisely exposed images that require little post processing to hide excessive noise above 640 ISO and not to create frustrating colour casts when a dodgy white balance engine has guessed wrong once again in less than favourable light conditions! Aside from the bulk and weight of the D700, which is much exaggerated IMO, it's a brilliant, brilliant camera and has ergonomics that more than compensate for it's dimensions.
Then of course there's always film ... (life's good!).
When I bought a D700 I figured I probably wouldn't need my M8 ... maybe I could sell it? Like hell! ... much to my surprise I've disovered that the M8 compliments the D700 perfectly so it stays as far as I'm concerned and will now fill a different niche to what I'd previously intended it for. Set it on black and white jpeg (yes jpeg 😱) at 1250 or 2500 ISO and it produces files with noise that can be coaxed into looking a lot like grain without too much effort at all. As a small light uncomplicated tool for shooting digital black and white it has no peer IMO except possibly the M9 which aside from it's lack of crop factor, would have no other advantage in this simplified mode. The M8 without it's dodgy white balance selection and need for IR cut filtering is a fantastic camera and leaves those weaknesses far behind in this new role!
The D700 ... what can I possibly say about this camera that hasn't been said already? It's colour rendering leaves the M8's for dead IMO and it's job will be to produce accurately framed, precisely exposed images that require little post processing to hide excessive noise above 640 ISO and not to create frustrating colour casts when a dodgy white balance engine has guessed wrong once again in less than favourable light conditions! Aside from the bulk and weight of the D700, which is much exaggerated IMO, it's a brilliant, brilliant camera and has ergonomics that more than compensate for it's dimensions.
Then of course there's always film ... (life's good!).
