Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/11/11

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] M8 in Palo Alto
From: nathan at nathanfoto.com (Nathan Wajsman)
Date: Sat Nov 11 23:03:05 2006
References: <6.1.0.6.2.20061111001133.07ff61d8@192.168.100.42> <20061111083100.7376.qmail@web56306.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <6.1.0.6.2.20061111150411.07c8ce20@192.168.100.42> <6043D831-2A8B-4168-BFFD-0A3BDBA868AF@comcast.net> <4556B759.9070905@nathanfoto.com>

To add another general comment on the M8: like most others, after 
handling it at Photokina, I concluded that it IS a real M. The reported 
streaking/magenta problems do not scare me, I am sure they will fixed 
with firmware upgrades. And I need a live screen like I need a hole in 
the head. No, the only feature I wish they had incorporated is some 
level of weather-proofing. I have really come to appreciate the ability 
to walk around in pouring rain with my Canon 1D2 without any ill effects 
(other than having to wipe the front element occasionally). And of 
course, where I live it rains a lot.

Sure, the film M's were not weather-proof either, but since they were 
mostly mechanical (before the M7), the risk was manageable. The M8 is an 
all-electronic marvel, and so getting it wet is not an option.

Nathan

Nathan Wajsman wrote:
> Hi Tom,
>
> I occasionally find myself photographing at f1.4 and ISO 1600, and I 
> am allergic to flash, so high-speed performance is definitely 
> important for me. If you look at my Seville pictures (at night), there 
> are many that could have benefitted from a smaller aperture for more 
> depth of field or a faster shutter speed to better freeze movement (I 
> was shooting mostly with a CL with 40mm Summicron and Fuji Neopan 1600 
> film, rated at 1600). Technology moves on, and one of the greatest 
> thing about my Canon DSLR is its high-ISO performance, which far 
> surpasses any 35mm film of similar speeds. It is therefore reasonable 
> to evaluate the high-ISO performance of the M8, especially given the 
> nature of M photography, and given the price of the M8, which is 
> comparable to that of a high-end DSLR.  I am prepared to accept in a 
> pocket P&S that ISO beyond 400 is basically unusable without Noise 
> Ninja or the like, but not in my primary camera (which the M8 would 
> become if I bought one).
>
> Nathan
>
>
> Tom Schofield wrote:
>> One thing I don't get about these discussions re high ISO performance 
>> -- Why do you need more than 400 or 800 ISO with a Summilux or 
>> Noctilux?  I have shot newlyweds leaving their reception under street 
>> lights at night with 400 ISO with a Noctilux., and everybody seems to 
>> be saying the 640 setting is great.
>>
>> Tom Schofield
>>
>>
>> On Nov 11, 2006, at 3:11 PM, Richard wrote:
>>
>>> Yup, M8 is definitely an M8. The size, weight, shape, and of course 
>>> the viewfinder say, :Leica M: The shutter sound is different, yet... 
>>> very similar to low speed on the film Ms. Imagine the sound of the 
>>> 1/15 on a film M sped up. Here's my obligatory "test" picture:
>>> http://www.dragonsgate.net/pub/richard/PICS/L1000005.jpg
>>>
>>> 75/1.4 'lux at 1.4
>>>
>>> The ISO 1250 shots look worse than the RD-1 at 1600, IMHO, but 
>>> that's a very unscientific observation. Apparently there are now 28 
>>> people on the K&S waiting list :-) and the Norcal rep. says he has 
>>> 250 camera in the first batch and of course they are all accounted for.
>>>
>>> Too bad there are 5003 reasons not to buy it: the first 5000 are the 
>>> killer reasons, the last 3 are nits:
>>> - 5001: lack of shutter arm (no biggie)
>>> - 5002: various white balance, banding issues (almost certainly 
>>> software fixable)
>>> - 5003: magenta black (almost certainly don't happen all that often 
>>> "in real life" and most likely will be fixed one way or the other)
>>>
>>> Now to address the first 5000 reasons...
>>>
>>> At 12:31 AM 11/11/2006, pmcc wrote:
>>>
>>>> Here's the pdf:
>>>>
>>>> http://www.kspphoto.com/media/event_data/leica/Leica_card.pdf
>>>>
>>>> Peter.
>>>> SF, CA
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>>
>

-- 
Nathan Wajsman
Almere, The Netherlands

Opportunistic Image Acquisition

General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com and http://www.greatpix.eu
Picture-A-Week: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com

Stock photography: http://www.alamy.com/search-results.asp?qt=wajsman
http://myloupe.com/home/found_photographer.php?photographer=507
Prints for sale: http://www.photodeluge.com

Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog


SUPPORT FREEDOM OF SPEECH, BUY DANISH PRODUCTS!


In reply to: Message from richard-lists at imagecraft.com (Richard) ([Leica] M8 in Palo Alto)
Message from pmcc_2000 at yahoo.com (pmcc) ([Leica] M8 in Palo Alto)
Message from richard-lists at imagecraft.com (Richard) ([Leica] M8 in Palo Alto)
Message from leicaluvr at comcast.net (Tom Schofield) ([Leica] M8 in Palo Alto)
Message from nathan at nathanfoto.com (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] M8 in Palo Alto)