Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/10/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dave, If the M8 is such a dissapointment and not as easy to use, then why did you order one? Seems you would have been better off buying another RD-1. Something is wrong with the picture you are painting. gene -------------- Original message from "David Keenan" <ausdlk@gmail.com>: -------------- > >For those who have used both an R-D1 and M8 -- how much actual > >difference is there in the feel and image quality? > > I addressed this subject from my point of view on RFF awhile back. > > I own an R-D1 and have had some hands-on time with the M8. And one on > order. > > Ultimately the M8 is a disappointment for me. While the picture quality is > likely to be first rate, the handling of the M8 despite what others say > about its "M like" look and feel leaves me wanting. The added thickness, > the > awful (i.e., slick) covering, and the totally unsatisfying (to this total > traditionalist) empty, hollow sound of the new shutter all contribute a > deep > disappointment in the M8. > > My "perfect M8" would have been an M7 with just a digital sensor on the > film > plane. No LCD, no controls other an ISO selector -- just a USB connector > and > some software on the PC to configure the camera before heading out to > photograph. To my way of thinking that's all a digital Leica M needs to > be. > I know, dream on... > At this point, I think that the R-D1 is a much better external > implementation of a digital rangefinder. It is as thin as its film > counterpart. I really like how the LCD panel can be hidden. I like the > analog ISO selection. Wih the LCD panel closed for all practical purposes, > I > am using a Voigtlander Bessa which does a pretty good imitation of a Leica > M. > > The R-D1 build quality is not up to Leica standards. The > rangefinder/viewfinder is not particularly rugged. The battery life is > suspect. The 1.5x crop factor is little bit more of a pain than the M8's > 1.3x for wide angle users. I have some issues with the analog guage dial > on > my R-D1. But I have no complaints about the Epson's picture quality. > > Now that I have a modified PhotoEquip grip on my R-D1 and have found the > Hexanon Dual 21-35mm lens to be the perfect R-D1 lens, I am not sweating > the > arrival of the M8 that I have on order... I have struggled with canceling > this order entirely but I now have non-photographic reasons to own one. > > But if I couldn't afford both, I'd feel no particular shame or loss by > only > owning and photographing with an R-D1. > > I hope that Leica is enormously successful with the M8. I realize that I > am > in the minority with my gripes about the camera. My hope is that Leica > will > gain enough strength with the M8 so that they can get it right with the > M9... > > Dave. > > -- > My Photography: http://www.david-keenan.com > My Blog: http://www.david-keenan.com/euroblog > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information