Re: The Leica R8 and moving up from Canon

[Dan Cardish <dcardish@microtec.net>]

><<Dear Group:
>
>I am a Canon 1N user considering moving to the R8. The reason for the move up
>would be to gain optical quality. Not sharpness, so much as roundness and
>smooth fall off into the depth of the image (bokeh).

The following is only MHO, but before you make the rather large investment
in the R8 and associated lenses, I would suggest that you try to
demonstrate for yourself that "roundness and smooth fall off into the depth
of the image (bokeh)" is something real and  tangible that you can see in
your photographs, and that the R8 really is an improvement over your
current Canon.  Try borrowing a reflex leica (it doesn't have to be the R8
for this test), and one of the lenses you would eventually buy.  Take the
same shots with your current Canon, and the borrowed Leica lens.  Check to
see if you can see an improvement in "bokeh".  Maybe the difference is
there, maybe not.  For all you know, you may like the Canon's bokeh better.
 My understanding of bokeh is that it is subtle, it depends very much on
the subject matter of the photograph, and also on lens aperture in use.

Considering ony sharpness, I am convinced that both systems will serve you
equally well.

Dan C.