Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/08/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Larry, I can't answer for the experts but I can for me! For someone like myself, an amateur who doesn't take loads of shots and doesn't want to carry multiple cameras, the benefit if digital with its variable iso and ease of use for B&W is reason enough to go digital. On top of that the quality is, IME superior. Already at 3.3 megapixels the Canon EOS D30 was better than film in poor light. Nowadays it is no contest in my experience with digital SLRs and the M8 competing with medium format not 35mm. It is obvious in my prints. The M8 is not as easy to use as a EOS 1D mk2, which has the same sized sensor and approximately similar pixel count and price. If you want zooms, macro, super telephotos and so forth there is clearly no contest. OTOH the menu on the EOS is infuriatingly counter intuitive and the autofocus is always wrong using fast primes. For normal work it is no contest the Leica is intuitive (to me) and tiny. The results are -way- better than my Canons. I too have been scared by the reliability problems but mine is fine so far. I hate the need for IR cut filters but understand why the compromise is chosen. I wish the lens could be set in the menu, like Nikon do for their old lenses, rather than needing coding. I think a lot of the complaints I have seen on the web (not this list) are from people who have no experience of manual photography. My Canon has needed a new shutter - a fairly common fault apparently. I am thrilled to bits with my M8. That may change if it broke down! Frank On 30 Aug, 2007, at 02:28, Lawrence Zeitlin wrote: > Citing the inadequacies of mechanical Leicas does not make the M8 > more reliable. It just points out that in recent times the troubled > Leica company had neither the funds or resources to adequately test > its cameras before releasing them to the market. The assertion that > the M8 has the best image quality of any $4750 camera is totally > unsupported by pictures posted on the LUG. Aside form the fact that > it is difficult to judge the nuances of image quality from a > computer screen, the photos don't appear to be superior to those > taken with film cameras using the same or equivalent glass. Tell > the truth Ted, Tina, and Sonny. Are your pictures any better now > than they were when you used old fashioned film? > > This is not meant to restart a film vs. digital conflict. However > M8 apologists provide one of the most blatant displays of cognitive > dissonance since the publication of the Surgeon General's report on > the dangers of smoking. If you spend nearly $5000 on a camera > simply to use your Leica lenses, you better convince yourself that > it is the best thing since sliced bread. Otherwise you might think > yourself foolish for replacing a film camera that you already own > that gave excellent results. > > Larry Z > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information