Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/06/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I know you have the reflex side covered by seeing your gorgeous Nikon shots. I would recommend the M8, the G1 is no comparison to the M8, not even close, and as a reflex you already have a better reflex camera than the G1. For me the G1 is a bit of fun taking portraits with my Noctilux (the first time I have "seen" through it). If I hadn't got such a good price I would not have bought it at all, and I would need to have an M8 already before even considering it, personally. Frank --- On Sun, 21/6/09, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> wrote: > From: Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [Leica] If You Were Buying an M8 Today... > To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org> > Date: Sunday, 21 June, 2009, 3:45 AM > Would you buy a M8 or a Lumix G1 - > the latter is available here at around > US$800 new from Panasonic? This is what I am debating right > now. > Cheers > Jayanand > > On Sun, Jun 21, 2009 at 6:52 AM, Geoff Hopkinson <hopsternew at > gmail.com>wrote: > > > If it helps, Stefan Daniel at Leica has just stated > categorically (at > > dinner > > in Germany) that there will be no further new versions > of the M8 (although > > they are aiming for an M9 and M10 eventually if > possible). > > Firmware development for the M8 will continue. > > The upgrade options are still available with current > prices on Leica's > > website. > > You can have your camera upgraded or serviced if > desired by sending > > directly > > to Leica customer service in Solms. > > Aimed turnaround within the workshop is 5 days (plus > transport and handling > > obviously). > > > > I asked about booking an upgrade date while visiting. > Since I was visiting > > from afar, Leica upgraded my camera for collection the > NEXT BUSINESS DAY > > and > > did not even charge me any express service fees. > > They also volunteered to check my 50 & 75 against > the new focus calibration > > measurements from my reassembled M8 (I got shutter and > framelines > > upgrades). > > "Your lenses are good but we can make them better" > > Customer service then loaned me an M8.2 on the spot to > use over the weekend > > while my camera was in the workshop. > > By the way the electronic and optical measurement and > calibration of the > > individual body is done on a very sophisticated and > precise rig on 8 > > optical > > targets set out at .7m, .9m etc and out. > > > > I shot with my M8, then 500 frames with the M8.2 then > back to my M8.1 > > (upgrade) for another 500 frames or so over the next > couple of days. > > So I got a good chance to compare the versions > directly in close > > succession. > > Incidentally I got unlimited access to the new wides > from the Akadamie over > > the weekend too and shot them on the M8.2. > > > > My impressions on the different versions: > > On price for me in Australia, the upgrades are more > economical than buying > > a > > new M8 vs. a new M8.2. Based on the used/demo or > selling my M8 first, price > > difference would be even larger. > > Obviously you have to do your own sums. > > On framelines the upgrade or M8.2 suit me much better > at typical shooting > > distances. That is I am not constantly allowing for > the overly tight > > framing > > of the original in my style of shooting. Its quite > noticeable when shot one > > after the other. > > On shutter speeds I don't care about the loss of > 1/8000th nor the slower > > flash synch speed. I do really appreciate the much > more M6 like soft > > shutter > > operation and recocking sound. > > That is Brians' fault. After handling his M8.2 I was > conscious of the > > louder > > sounds from my original shutter everytime. > > By the way I shot candids with the new shutter at less > than 2 metres with > > no > > disturbance of the subjects at all. More importantly > it's just a really > > satisfying soft sound. I can't emphasis enough how > much more pleasing it is > > for me. > > The shutter speed dial of the upgrade is actually > better than the M8.2 in > > my > > view. There is no Snapshot mode, which I found was too > easily selected > > instead of A if changing quickly. I think that the S > mode is of very > > limited > > utility to enthusiasts anyway. > > The M8.2 in its black paint is a prettier camera to my > taste. I use mine in > > a half case so I don't miss the newer less slippery > covering and I can live > > without the pretty paint. But it is pretty..sob. In > chrome there is nothing > > in that of course and I think that they are pretty > cameras too that will > > resist wear very well. But if you want the classic > Leica brass showing > > through black paint experience..... > > Anway, just get an M8, any M8 now, if you are pining > for one and can > > assemble the required funds. > > > > > > . > > 2009/6/21 Ric Carter <ricc at embarqmail.com> > > > > > > > > On Jun 20, 2009, at 3:09 PM, J. Newell wrote: > > > > > >> > > >> If you were buying an M8 today... > > >> > > > > > > > > > VERY recent buyer > > > > > > > > >> (1) Would you (buy an M8)?? Or would you > buy an M8.2, or neither? > > >> > > > > > > > > > I got a factory used/demo M8 and am very > satisfied. One year factory > > > guarantee--same as new but for cosmetics > > > > > > If I were not cost concerned, the black 8.2 is > one of the prettiest > > cameras > > > I've ever seen. I'd get that AND an M8 (old > shutter) for the Noctilux. > > > > > > > > > > > >> (2) What would you be concerned about? > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > You cannot frame precisely with the M8 > viewfinder--do not know about the > > > M8.2. It may only? be that I have never been > able to do instant > > comparisons > > > before. > > > > > > I like the 1/8000 of the M8 shutter--one more > stop at which I can use the > > > Noctilux and Nokton 1.2 wide open--really IS a > big deal.? M8.2 or updated > > > shutter drops to 1/4000. This is the one > advantage to the M8 that I see > > > other than cost. > > > > > > > > >> (3) What would you expect to pay, roughly, in > US$ for a used body? > >? (I've > > >> done the online search and have an idea of > dealer price ranges) > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > get a dealer to call and ask about availability > on demo > > > > > > > > > $2500? > > > > > > > > > > > >> Thinking...dissatisfied with scanning > negs... > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > I did not realize HOW tired I was of > processing/scanning until getting > > the > > > M8 > > > > > > ric > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> John Newell > > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Leica Users Group. > > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more > information > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Cheers > > Geoff > > 'Life's not B&W, except at both ends' > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/ > > http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 >