Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/06/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Just to stick my oar in again, :-) I have the G1, Olympus E3 and E510. The E3 viewfinder is massively better than the E510 and it is a more solid camera, but it is big and the IQ no better IME. The G1 viewfinder is disconcertingly different at first but bigger, brighter, and in the end IME more useable than either Olympus. The IQ is visibly better too. The viewfinder is very important to me and the biggest problem with 4/3 cameras I have tried have been the small dim viewfinder (except E3), overall the G1 is the best 4/3 VF so far IMO. I personally would not consider the Olympus in this comparison, only if considering a replacement for a high end P&S. Frank --- On Sun, 21/6/09, Geoff Hopkinson <hopsternew at gmail.com> wrote: > From: Geoff Hopkinson <hopsternew 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, 4:14 AM > Jayanand for what purpose? Comparing > what features and with what priorities? > Of course you already know the large technical and price > differences. They > are very different cameras. > No-one can persuade anyone in either direction. It comes > down to what is > important for you. > Actually I am very impressed with the new Olympus design if > I was to get a > MFT camera. Or more practically the Olympus dSLRs for four > thirds. Neither > would substitute for the M8 for me of course. > (here at least the Oly dSLRs are from half the G1 price) > > Here's my try at a Jayanand check list: > Can I afford to pay for the M8 and do I think its worth the > price > Do I have any M lenses or do I need to budget for what I > want there > Do I need/want AF > Am I happy with an EVF > Am I happy with the MFT sensor performance > Will the MFT lenses or others with adaptors give me what I > want > How does the M8 or G1 fit with my existing Nikon DSLR > outfit > > > > > 2009/6/21 Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> > > > 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 > > > > > > -- > 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 >