[Leica] Not Buying M8

[drodgers at casefarms.com (David Rodgers)]

Robert wrote:

>>I am in a similar boat since I only take pictures for personal use and
the
film processing (thank goodness it's still available) isn't a major
concern for me as it is for the pros and more advanced LUGGERS.<<

There are few thrills in photography that can match seeing a BW image
gradually come to life under the muted luminance of a safelight. It's
even more exciting when that image is very near how you imagined it when
you snapped the shutter. 

There's no question that digital has some real advantages over film,
especially when it comes to volume shooting, quick turn around, and
electronic presentation. OTOH, I don't want to get so caught up in
digital photography that I lose sight of a process that served hobbyists
and professionals for a century and a half. It's easy to do, though (get
caught up in digital photography, that is). 

It's sad to think that a lot of budding photographers might never
experience what it's like to make chemical prints, which despite all the
time, effort, smell, cleanup, etc. can be very rewarding. 

I, too, am glad that film is still around. It's getting more expensive,
but that doesn't matter. It's amazing what you can do with a limited
number of exposures. The biggest challenge I've faced with film since
moving and no longer having a darkroom was figuring out how to quickly
turn a spare bathroom into a working darkroom, and then change it back
without too much effort. 

DaveR