Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/05/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Gene, You have always been quick to blame the D200, and quick to excuse the M8 for their respective faults. Reading your posts over the months on this subject, I really could not fathom why you did not buy a Canon or a Pentax or whatever because you seemed very unhappy with the D200. All cameras have their foibles - the only important thing is how you learn to adapt to the camera in order to take good photographs. I take a lot of wildlife photos, and of birds, in tiger reserves where you have no choice of angle or distance, because you cant get off your jeep/elephant/boat. I also use the old D70, with a slow focusing consumer lens, the 80-400 VR, handheld. I really have not seen much of a problem - I get my share of misses, but more than enough hits to keep me happy. Cheers Jayanand On 5/30/07, grduprey@mchsi.com <grduprey@mchsi.com> wrote: > > Philippe, > > Now your'e going to put me on the spot. First off the D200 is on hell of > a camera and imo better than the Canon equivalent. > > Of real problems, i had 2 bad batteries, and on one occasion it would not > write to my memory card. I have also never been able to get consistant > flash exposures with the SB-600 flash. Consistant auto focus is also a > problem when shooting birds in trees. Going to manual focus fixes this > though. Banding was a problem early on until a firmware fix was made, > although Nikon never really admitted there was a problem. WB problems are > constant, far worse than any i have had with the m8. Image quality does > not > compare with the m8. The user satisfaction i get with my m and r cameras > is > not there with the d200. Granted most of this is personnal preference, and > will change with the user, they are my problems with the camera. > > Gene > -------------- Original message from Philippe Orlent < > philippe.orlent@pandora.be>: -------------- > > > > Just out of interest, Gene: what are your problems with the D200? > > Thanks, > > Philippe > > > > > > On 5/29/07, grduprey@mchsi.com wrote: > > >> > > >> Chris, > > >> > > >> Almost every m8 being shipped now has the firmware 1.102 in it. > > >> This has > > >> fixed just about all the complaints, except the AWB problem. You > > >> should be > > >> shooting DNG for max image quality, and if so it is a non issue, > > >> just tweek > > >> it if needed. My experience is it is almost dead on 90+% of the time > > >> anyway. The UV/IR filters are being shipped, with a few > > >> exceptions, which > > >> have not yet made it out of production cycle. Even then you can > > >> get the > > >> heliopan or other brands redily f rom photo suppliers. The filter > > >> thing is > > >> no different than using a UV filter, end of comment, just use them > > >> if you > > >> shoot color, if you only shoot B&W, then forget the filter issue all > > >> together. Yes there are some other issues which still plague the > > >> camera, > > >> but they are just teething problems which all new cameras have. > > >> Mine has > > >> been flawless, bought in mid February. My greatest problem with > > >> the m8 has > > >> been getting used to the metering patten, which is quite different > > >> from my > > >> m6ttl and Leica r cameras, ! > > >> but i h > > >> ave just about got this licked. > > >> > > >> I have far fewer problems with the m8 than i do with the Nikon D200 i > > >> have. The biggest is it does not take Leica R lenses and there is no > > >> adapter. Nyone know of a camera repair that can modify the D200 > > >> with a > > >> Leica R mount, and does not cost a fortune? > > >> > > >> Chris, my advice is to go to your Leica dealer and buy the m8 and > > >> start > > >> enjoying it. And do as i do, by using Ted's advice and KISS. > > >> > > >> Gene > > >> > > >> -------------- Original message from "Chris Birchenhall" < > > >> chris@tarsier.freeserve.co.uk>: -------------- > > >> > > >> > > >> > Hi LUGers > > >> > > > >> > The current edition of the UK magazine Amateur Photographer > > >> (known as AP > > >> in > > >> > the UK) has a review of the "improved M8" by Damien Demolder who > > >> is also > > >> the > > >> > current editor of the AP. I am an admirer of Damien's reviews > > >> which tend > > >> to > > >> > be balanced and informed. I am still lurking on the M8 front so > > >> I read > > >> this > > >> > review with interest. The "improved M8" is essentially the M8 > > >> with the > > >> > latest firmware updates and IR filters. The review is something > > >> of a > > >> mixed > > >> > bag. On the one hand Damien is critical of the internet clamour > > >> about > > >> the > > >> > red casts and banding and he suggests even Canon had comparable > > >> teething > > >> > problems. He continues "to their massive credit the people at > > >> Leica have > > >> > openly acknowledged their faults and endeavoured to fix them". > > >> On the > > >> other > > >> > hand, Damien laments the continued lack of support for SDHC > > >> cards and is > > >> > critical of newly introduced starbust effects on various > > >> highlights. He > > >> > suggests these "effects are not ugly but they shouldn't be there." > > >> > > > >> > In his conclusion, Damien describes the IR filters "like sticking a > > >> plaster > > >> > over a wound that doesn't heal but stops bothering you", but > > >> goes on to > > >> say > > >> > he became comfortable with the filters after some use. He > > >> suggests the > > >> AWB > > >> > and JPEG mode are not as good as they could be and reaffirms his > > >> > recommendation to use RAW to get the best out of the camera. > > >> > > > >> > I can finally note as an aside comment on one of his illustrations > > >> Damien > > >> > suggests there "is still a bias towards the red channel in this > > >> camera, > > >> > which makes for dramatic black and white conversions". > > >> > > > >> > As I suspect I am not the only one lurking at the sidelines and > > >> pondering if > > >> > and when to buy a M8 perhaps M8 users or anyone with access to > > >> other > > >> > commentators may like to respond to what I take to be a lukewarm > > >> review > > >> by > > >> > Damien. > > >> > > > >> > Chris > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > _______________________________________________ > > >> > Leica Users Group. > > >> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > > >> information > > >> > > >> _______________________________________________ > > >> Leica Users Group. > > >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Leica Users Group. > > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >