I don't own an M8 (yet?). I learned a long time ago to never buy Version 1.0 of anything that contains or controls a microprocessor. It may not be "right," but it's a sad fact of life today that early adopters are beta testers who are paying for the privilege.
But so far, I'm optimistic about the long-term prospects of the M8. I base this optimism on some very critical perusal of other people's posted examples, including some full-sized RAW files.
At the risk of sounding glib, I have a suggestion for M8 buyers currently in a purple-tinged funk. Set the M8 to in-camera black and white, and shoot it that way--at least until Leica announces its fix and policies. This will temporarily remove the source of irritation until you know what the future holds. It will also give you a chance to appreciate the camera's good qualities without distraction.
The IR issue is a problem, yes, but we already know that it can be fixed with a filter over the lens. And look what you get in return. When I look closely at M8 files, I see edges that look like edges. I see details that, as I magnify them, don't smear out before I can see the individual pixels. When Sean Reid says that the M8 can draw like a medium-format film camera, believe him. This quality is the result of no anti-aliasing filter and a thinner-than-usual IR filter, plus great lenses. That IR filter needs to be thinner than in DSLRs due to the higher angle of incidence inherent in RF lenses.
It was a real-world trade-off, and personally, I think it was a good trade. A filter on the lens can remove IR, but no filter can add details removed by the camera design. One of the things that has bothered me about every DSLR I've tried (including the one I currently own) is that slightly soft look that turns every fine knife-edge into a slightly blurred gradient. Sharpening helps, but often at the result of an artificial look that screams "digital" to me. If the M8's better acutance comes at the price of needing to mount a filter on my lenses, maybe I'll decide to grin and bear it.
How Leica handled the issue is another matter. The M8's IR problem is understandable from a technical standpoint. There may have been some "groupthink" blindness at Leica, plus a need to release the camera no matter what due to financial and organizational issues. Regardless, the "magenta surprise" was bound to create Internet firestorms and conspiracy theories once the images were out there for all to see.
Now, what's done is done. How Leica handles the resulting anger and apprehension will probably determine the M8's success or failure. Rightly or wrongly, people feel betrayed, and that is what the movie industry calls box-office poison. I think Leica's actions next week will be more important than whether some black polyester turned purple this week.
If I were Leica, I would buy up a sizable stock of IR filters, and give away a couple with every new M8 sold, retroactively--whether or not the customer buys coded lenses. I would also implement a menu-entry system for lenses, similar to the Nikon D200. Why? Because the better the M8 can handle all the M and LTM-mount lenses each potential customer already owns, the better it will sell. I suspect this will mean Leica will sell a few less lenses next year, but they will sell many more M8s. And they will probably sell more lenses in the long run if the M8 is a success.
--Peter
(watching and waiting like the rest of you)
