[Leica] Re: M8 problems

[jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj)]

Larry,
I agree with you that any criticism of Leica is generally shouted down here.
I have stayed out of these M8 discussions after the roasting I received on
this list for giving my personal opinion when the M8 was released, not even
on the camera, but the pricing as a value for money option.

Since then, I have received prints of photographs shot with the M8 in the
print exchanges I take part in. They are good, but the shots taken with sub
US$1000 Nikon/Canon cameras are equally good, in fact I cannot see any major
differences, or great additional detail. Please note that I am talking about
physical prints, not JPGs or RAW files on a monitor, so the printer's art
comes in as well. But surely a print is the end product that we aim for.

I have Doug's prints taken with the Leicaflex, as well as the DMR. I took
them out this morning and looked at them in detail, and each is as good as
the other.

A Digital M is probably in my future, but I will wait. As of now Nikon is
delivering products that I want, at price points which are very competitive,
and the D3 specs looks fantastic, so thats maybe the next one if the specs
bear out....

Cheers
Jayanand

On 8/30/07, Lawrence Zeitlin <lrzeitlin@optonline.net> wrote:
>
> Curiouser and curiouser.
>
> Since my questioning of the M8 most of the on list replies have
> supported the camera. On the other hand, I have received half a dozen
> off list messages complaining of the camera's unreliability and
> general inadequacy. It is almost as if expressing doubts about the M8
> on the LUG is a sign of disloyalty to Leica in general. Even some LUG
> posters who describe problems with cameras or service urge others to
> buy the camera to support the company. This is peer pressure at it's
> worst. More important, if won't save Leica if they don't produce
> fault free cameras.
>
> My reluctance to buy an M8 is based on the fact that it would be a
> marginal purchase for me, done primarily for curiosity. I currently
> own a couple of rock solid M3s and a CL and about half a dozen Leica
> lenses, none newer than the 80s. Even selling all my Leica bodies
> wouldn't pay for half the cost of an M8. And then I would just have
> the old lenses to use with it. For me, the real advantage of the
> older Leicas is that they can tolerate a good deal of benign neglect.
> I can leave them in a drawer for months on end, then pop in a roll of
> film and they are ready to use. As long as the film is fresh, the
> results are generally good. No batteries to charge, cards to format,
> white balance, banding, or magenta problems. Only three adjustments,
> focus, shutter, lens opening. My DSLR has 15 modes of operation, each
> with half a dozen submodes. The mind boggles.
>
> But then I don't make a living from photography. I can't depreciate
> an unreliable expensive camera as a tool of the trade. I don't get
> free loaners. I live in the sticks and the closest camera store
> handing the Leica line is 50 miles away. The fact that the M8 is a
> digital doppleganger of the Leica is almost irrelevant. I would use
> my Leica lenses on a Box Brownie if I could be assured that it would
> always work when I clicked the shutter.
>
> After I retired, I started a second career as a travel writer/
> photographer selling mostly to marine and boating magazines. I must
> confess that most of my photographic work is done with Olympus OM
> cameras and assorted digitals. At first I felt that the Leicas were
> too valuable to take out on a boat but then I got seduced by the dark
> side of SLRs with auto exposure, opening backs, and nice, bright
> viewfinders. I can even use all my Olympus lenses on the E-500 DSLR.
> Too bad someone doesn't make an adapter to let me mount Leica lenses
> on the camera.
>
> Now I feel better.
>
> Larry Z
>
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