Would you sell your 5Dmk2 for an M8?

[Frank Petronio]

I'd sell an M8 for a 5D2. Using a smaller prime changes the handling/size issues....

 

[michaelwj]

My answer would be: In a heartbeat.
But then I like rangefinders and really don't get along with SLRs.

Michael

Jeebus, I thought this was a rangefinder forum. Look at all the 'get the auto-everything A7', 'stick to your dlsr', 'buy an all-AF fuji' advice in this thread. I'd assume you come to this forum because you like rangefinders.

 

[semordnilap]

I would not hesitate, but remember with Leica you are buying into a system where the body price is only marginal, high as it is. The real cost is in the lenses.
If you think about it, it is really rather shocking that my everyday Billingham contains the equivalent of a midrange VW Golf, regardless of the body I feel liked using.

Yet one of the nice things is the wonderful variety of used lenses, not to mention the CVs... If the OP wants to do portrait work, a 75 color heliar or a 90 tele-elmarit would serve very well, at a reasonable price.

And it's not like the nightmare that is trying to focus manual focus glass with a dslr....

 

[Chris Bail]

I can't say that I understand the negativity toward the M8. I sold my D700 in favor of an M8 a couple years ago. Other than the occasional extreme low light shot, I don't miss the D700. In any case, I've found that if the light is that bad, and there's not enough contrast in the subject to focus effectively, it's not a picture I'm going to like anyway.

The IQ from the M8 is plenty good enough for the type of prints I make (as is the IQ from the R-D1 for that matter), its much more fun to shoot than a DSLR, and I can carry around a lot more lenses in a relatively small camera bag.

I say go for it. Get a couple UV/IR cut filters for color work and enjoy.

 

[f16sunshine]

I don't think it's negativity to the M8.
The OP asked for a comparison/choice.
The 5Dii is easily the choice.
I love the M8 but the 5Dii is more versatile and reliable as well as having an IQ edge.
If it's either or It's the EOS in this case. My 2c 🙂

 

[Hamfish]

I sold my 5d2 and bought a killer 50 cron for my m6 from the classifieds here and never looked back. But that was me wanting to ditch digital and the 5d was becoming a shelf queen. If it will make you shoot more get the m8. But to each his own.

 

[mretina]

I use my 5dii little but I would not part with it due to IQ and versatility.
When I can and makes sense I shoot film.

Bought a used x100 to replace a canon powershot s90 for high iso portability and convinced myself I could do without a leica digital. I am happy for the price I paid (450 usd)
I doubt an M8 would address my needs better even if I could use my leica glass.

m9/mm are way to expensive for the use I would have.
Also I do not want to give up film and that would be a clear competition.

but it is not clear cut. so I consider same move from now and then.

 

[Peter_S]

Possibly.it would slim down your kit, but only for a while, since you may get a 35mm lens at the end anyways to compensate for the crop. I used the M8 and M8.2 alongside the M6 for several projects, but I sold the again, since I did not like the redundancy between the two and it is not a camera I could trust in rough settings (rf calibration, sensor dust), but that is not an issue in portrait use. That said, in portrait use the lens-camera calibration is all the more important, and something else that annoyed me. I would personally not downgrade in sensorsize neither. If I was you, I would look at M9...that maybe worth the hassle of mechanics that are not as sold as they probably used to be, combined with somewhat old electronics. It is worth the size too, given the FF sensor.
Image quality is stellar beyond doubt, but is so as well with most other cameras these days. I would consider something that complements the M2, not makes it redundant.

 

[Fraser]

Watch this before you sell the 5d
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnL24q11oEU
I do think the m8 is still a good camera and if you get a good deal I would say go for it but maybe not if it means getting rid of the 5d.

 

[jaimiepeeters]

So what about the X-Pro 1 with Leica glass?

 

[hepcat]

So what about the X-Pro 1 with Leica glass?

That depends on whether you can stand an EVF. I really dislike them. The OVF is pretty much useless with anything but the native lenses... and then AF tends not to be as reliable as one might expect. My X-Pro1 experience was less than satisfactory.

 

[TR3B]

Pretty nice B/W files from the M8

I use 5D and M8 - M8 more so

Just sayin!

 

[Bob Tilton]

I just sold my 5DII/24-105 last weekend. It had sat on the shelf for nearly two years without a single frame shot after receiving my M9.

Personally - I would never go back to a DSLR but I don't do commercial work. With that said, it seems to me a DSLR is necessary for commercial work for its versatility unless you marketed yourself as a "rangefinder" photographer for your portrait work.

As much as I enjoy the M9 I do realize its limitations.

 

[jaapv]

Actually I wouldn’t have bought a 5D in the first place….😉

 

[Berth]

Actually I wouldn’t have bought a 5D in the first place….😉

Anybody's who's into sports or wildlife photography would be weighing Canon vs. Nikon DSLRs. Rangefinders, of whatever make, simply aren't very good tools for that.

 

[Pioneer]

Anybody's who's into sports or wildlife photography would be weighing Canon vs. Nikon DSLRs. Rangefinders, of whatever make, simply aren't very good tools for that.

Absolutely! Different horses for different courses.

I truly enjoy my M9 and couldn't imagine not having it. But there are times and places when the 5D is the better tool. Sure, I could fight through it with the M9 and probably make it work, but I don't have to.

If I were working with an M8 instead I would likely own a Canon a 7D instead but I prefer full frame. But that is just a personal preference, there is no "magic" in full frame.

Get them both and enjoy them.

 

[Bob Tilton]

I went from a 40D to a 5DII and I could've sworn some magic happened. 😉

 

[Berth]

I went from a 40D to a 5DII and I could've sworn some magic happened. 😉

I went from a 20D, and for sure magic happened. The 5DII really is a fantastic camera.

 

[MCTuomey]

Hi

since I stopped doing fashion photography and only use my 5dmk2 for some commercial portrait stuff, I was wondering what the thoughts would be on selling the 5dmk2 + 24-70L set and get the M8 to use with the lens of my M2.. a Summicron 50mm f2 Type 3.

Would appreciate your thoughts and motivation.

I don't think commercial portrait work can be done as well or as efficiently with an M8+50 Cron as with a 5DII+24-70L. However, if the commercial work is minimal and/or you have flexibility on the part of the client, maybe the M8 combo would work. If so, and your heart is with the M, then try it. You could buy back the canon gear later if you found you needed it.

 

[Tom Niblick]

I'd sell a Canon for a M9 in a heartbeat... but a M8? No.

I'd find a way to own both. Not that the M8 is a bad camera. I loved mine, especially for black and white and IR. But the M8 is a bit quirky and probably not the best only camera for the long haul. The M9 however, is IMHO probably the best and most versatile digital M Leica has made. Sure, the Leicas share the same sensor but the M9 has all of the bugs worked out. I've never had to pull the battery to reset my M9 where I seemed to be resetting my M8 all of the time. On the other hand the M8 seemed a bit sharper.