[Leica] Improved M8?

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Chris Birchenhall offered:
In answer to gene:

Chris said:
>>>Sometimes good to go digital and come home with multi-gigabits of shots,
but also nice to take one's time and get 30 prints from the local film lab.
In both cases go home and choose which to process up to larger prints and
archive. <<<<<

Chris one doesn't have to change their picture taking style simply because
they change to an M8 or any digital camera. I shoot just the same as I did
with all my other M bodies. Just because one can pop off 6 or 7 hundred
frames without changing a roll doesn't mean one has to use them all. Or
rapidly without thought!

As far as prints from a local lab? Heck the computer screen and careful
editing with some kind of software is all you need to separate the good ones
from the bad and uglies! ;-) Then make your own prints and save money. :-)

I use 1 & 2 Gig cards just so I don't have to waste time changing cards or
constantly checking to see how many frames I have left on a roll of 36.

>>>I am still thinking of a M8! But heck I am in no desperate need of yet
another camera!! Glass remains my priority which raises another problem. My
M lenses are geared to film cameras.<<<

Be that as it may, just stick them on the M8 body and get on with the
slightly changed coverage. I've read all kinds of complaints about the
coverage due to the M8 sensor compared to the full frame M7. You well know
how I always say, "KISS." Well this is exactly what I did and do with the
regular Leica M glass and a couple of CV lenses on my M8.

I lock them on and get at the picture taking with whatever shows up in the
view finder, absolutely no different than using the Canon 20D and Leica R
lenses with an adapter.  Yep they're all a bit "longer" but who cares, step
back or forward to compose what you want as though you are looking through a
full frame film Leica. Don't think...... shoot!

As with using an M7 I just turn the M8 on and away I go having a great time
without a thought of the lens and certainly not how many frames I have left
on a 2 gig card. That is unless I'm getting toward the end of the day
shooting. Then I have a peek. There's a new one in my pocket! ;-) 

Charging the battery? I always take the charger with me if I'm away for the
day so when we stop for lunch if there's any sign the battery is going down
I plug it in until we're moving on.

As soon as I'm home battery into charger and stays there until the next
morning without me ever looking at it until I unplug the charger and put
battery into body. I do not think nor worry about it!

I do not shoot and look! Absolutely a stupid action for anyone who has taken
pictures with any other M camera. Heck we never looked at a screen with a
film M of any kind? So why do it with the M8? OK we all go through the
digital "shoot & look" early days syndrome simply because of being some what
in awe of clicking and looking, there's the picture.:-) Yes I still think
this cool! :-) But I do not look after every shot because it's a huge waste
of time and essential battery life unless the situation is very critical.
Then the screen becomes a major asset of making sure you got just what was
required.

With a film camera you shot and bracketed a ton of film to make sure. ;-)
Digital? A quick peek with a reassuring glance and then back to work. 

>>>>I am all too aware I will need to
rebuild my kit to reproduce the equivalent mix on a M8 and that is likely to
involve new Leica lenses at full cost - I tend to buy second hand at the
moment. Am I wrong on that front?<<<<

I think I answered this above. Just put the lenses on that you have and away
you go. If you do require a new lens then worry about that if and when that
occurs. Or Leica come out with them. Or maybe CV will do that before Leica
and I have no complaints with any CV lens I've used.

>>>>P.S. I fear the suggestion (by another LUGer) to rush out and get a R8/9
and DMR fails to note that Leica have no more DMRs and second hand DMRs are
rare and holding a premium; I suspect they will become collectors items.
Rumours of a R10 abound on other groups.<<<

Quite frankly before I'd even consider a DMR as beautiful an image as they
produce, quite amazing without question. But hell would have to freeze over
twenty feet thick ice before I'd get one. 

Besides I use all my R glass on Canon 20d's and they produce absolutely
wonderful image capture. An R10? When I see one, hold one, use one and know
that it works 100% perfect? Well I'll cross that path if and when! :-)

ted