Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/09/14
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thanks for the review Tom. Is the BW mode for Jpeg only? I'm a RAW shooter after getting my batch processing down. Chris ----- Original Message ----- From: <TTAbrahams@aol.com> To: <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2006 6:36 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica M8 hands on Yes, Leica kindly lent me an M8 to try out. I suspect that they thought "If he likes it, we are on the right track"! Well, I am happy to say that they are on the right track. The M8 does behave like an M-camera should. It puts minimal "digital" between you and your picture, but if you are so inclined you can add all the bells and whistles to what you are doing. When I got it (no manual for it) I managed to turn it in to a M2/M6 with little fuss. Put it on mono-chrome, put the ISO to 320 and stick a lens on it. I don?t shoot color and to me the black/white image quality was what counted. The first couple of 100 shots were done with everything in "Standard" setting and the prints that my local lab pulled were a bit flat (to be expected as you can manipulate the image in the computer after wards). The next batch was shot with higher contrast settings and came out fine. The higher ISO settings have a bit of digital "noise" (1250/2500) but so would film if you either used a T-Speed or Delta 3200 so no big deal. It does feel like a slightly obese M6. The additional thickness coupled with the rather slippery covering had my right hand cramping up after a while. I did get used to it, except when I switched between a M2 and M8. My hand wanted to "crush" the M8 to M2 thickness! The lack of a film-advance arm is somewhat disconcerting as it does feel like an M and you are forever trying to pull out a lever to hook your thumb behind - although this is something you get used to. I love the base-plate with its folding "Leica" key lock. Battery and SD card are accessed by removing it and I still have that fleeting thought ? Damn, did I rewind the film" before pulling the base plate off! The design is that close to an M! The noise is modest; a soft click and a slight "whirr" sound is not disturbing at all. My biggest problem with the M8 is that I am a left eye focuser and my nose is squished against the screen. During flu-season that could be an ugly sight! Some kind of cover would be useful - particularly as I use it as I would a regular M, shoot away happily and after 40-50 shots I looked for a shady spot (outdoor patio of cafe works well) and chimped through what I shot and deleted the misses or boring stuff. Like any digital screen, however pleasantly sized it is - I cant see it bright light and as I have to take off my glasses to see it in subdued light - i might just as well be comfortable, sipping coffee and admire my handiwork. I went through my lenses and anything that could be made to fit was put on it. from 12/5,6 to 135/4 in M-mount and even some Nikkor RF lenses with the Orion-copy adapter as well as my Viso III. I need to make a mask (i.e. draw the reduced frame size with marker on the Viso screen). It also works well with Bellows II (and a 61/2" Kodak Anastigmat from an old folding Kodak). Lenses like the 75/2 and the 50/1,4 Asph. works very well, but I found that I was suing my 40/1,4 Nokton and the 28/25 focal length for most of the "keepers". The technical stuff I leave to those of us who like that kind of stuff but the long and short of it is that A/I have ordered one and B/ Leica succeeded where nobody else did. They made me a believer in Digital. The M8 will be a complement to my M2's and M6's. It will not relegate film obsolete in my "book" but it will be additional tool in the arsenal. Now, all we need is a printer that is dedicated to black and white. Four shades - glossy black, matte black, mid-grey and light grey and while I am dreaming - a spot-varnish feature. Oh, the inks should also be reasonably priced! For storing the digital images I would like to see a digital to film transfer that was easy to use and cheap at that. Film is still the cheapest and safest long term storage available! Well, if Leica can build a Digital M successfully why cant other manufacturers do what some of the customers want to have! The demand for a dedicated b/w printer would be huge - think of all those neg- files sitting around. I have in excess of 350 000 negatives on file- most are not worth the backing they are on, but some I would like to do quick prints from. The good prints I would still do in a wet darkroom as I enjoy that process - staring at a screen does not come close to the pleasure of watching a white sheet of paper turn into an image. Best for now, Tom A ----- Tom Abrahamsson Vancouver, BC Canada rapidwinder.com _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information