Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/11/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]i went up to leica day at jim shulman's, had some lasagnia, then talked with a bunch of luggers about gossen luna pro's and stuff, just like in the old days, then we swaggered over to the camera store to meet the digital m8. from the moment i put my hands on it i was ... underwhelmed. some thoughts: * leica's basically asking us to drop $5,000 on a camera that's not as good as a DSLR half it's price (or even a third) -- so in exchange it needs to give me something -- it needs to get me feeling like i was years back when i used my leicas and was in love with my camera (i am no longer in love with my camera, but my pictures are better -- it's a sad trade, but if your goal is the picture, it's one i'll make, if reluctantly). * the M8 _sort of_ feels like an m. but not really. immediately upon picking it up i noticed two tactile sensations: 1) it's not as solid feeling 2) it feels a lot thicker the front view in the brochure makes it look like a beautiful classic m. from the top, it looks like an m and a half glued together. * i clicked the shutter and it went "clunk-whirr!" -- like an slr with an old-school winder. with all this going through my mind, one of the camera sales people said "imagine taking photos at two frames a second!" -- i'm already taking photos at five frames a second with my leica d200. * having read the magenta article at jim's earlier in the day -- my brain connected the dots -- not quite an M, three times more expensive than a better camera, released with bugs .... like saul on the road to damascus, i had an ephiphany -- or at least a breakthrough. i saw the world in a clearer light. i want the m8 to be a digital version of the m6. i want that feeling i had five years ago, but i also want good photos, the best photos that my cameras can get me in the compromise of speed, size, and time. the m8 isn't going to help me, it's just a $5,000 excuse to set me back slightly at the cost of dilluding myself into thinking i'm having more fun than i am. like the Wedding Guest, i went home a sad and wiser man. this week i'll be in the pacific northwest photographing gun owners, and i'll be doing it with the leica d200. kc