RE: [Leica] Leica and a new M? Now what's wrong with R8?

[Godfrey DiGiorgi <ramarren@bayarea.net>]

I own Nikon SLR kit. I've used Nikon SLRs since 1968 and never been 
dissatisfied with them. But I don't like AF SLRs: the jerky, hunt and 
focus appearance in the viewfinder makes me disoriented, and even when I 
tried a multi-AF-spot F5 and F100 bodies, I found it difficult to keep 
what I wanted in the AF target site. So I keep my lovely old tech Nikon 
F3/T and enjoy it, it continues to take excellent pictures even though I 
use it relatively infrequently now. I mostly use it for longish lenses 
and the motor. So as long as the F3 stays around and my nice set of 
lenses are intact, there's little to think about changing lenses about. 
But I doubt I'll ever really want an F100 or and F5.

Every so often I think of moving to a Contax RTS III or Leica R kit. I 
spent some time handling/fooling with the R6.2 and R8. I like both of 
them a lot. The R8 is supremely ergonomic in my hands: every control is 
like it was made for me. If I ever go with a Leica R, it will likely be 
the R8. 

But there's precious little to make me want to move from Nikon. And not 
even the R8 has interchangeable viewfinder system like the F3 does, and I 
like my waist level and 6x magnifying finders. 

Godfrey