Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/01/26

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

Subject: [Leica] First time behind the (thumb)wheel of an M8 (5 photos)
From: photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman)
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:24:36 +0100
References: <923514.6587.qm@web26704.mail.ukl.yahoo.com>

Very nice, Peter. 

The grip issue is easily fixed with the Leica grip.

However, the issues with the battery indicate that something is wrong. This 
is not normal and I would return it to the seller (if you have that option) 
or get Leica to look at it.

Nathan

Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu
http://www.greatpix.eu
http://www.nathanfoto.com

Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog



On Jan 27, 2010, at 4:25 AM, Peter Cheyne wrote:

> I've had an M8 for the last four days, and I'm glad I bought it, despite 
> the glitches, the frustrations, and the let-downs.  
> 
> Three or four times a full battery went dead for a few minutes or more.  
> The body is coated with the least grippable material I have ever felt on a 
> camera.  The battery needs to be reinserted if I use continuous mode after 
> shooting in discreet mode. Many say its ISO 640 is fine, but I don't like 
> to go above 320.  Quite soon I realized shooting in DNG is a must, because 
> of poor white balance.  I set the in camera JPEG processing to desaturate 
> to black and white, so that when I need to increase the ISO above 320,  I 
> can switch to grainy monochrome by just hitting SET, then changing DNG for 
> JPEG fine, not needing the advantages of RAW for b&w.  That last point is 
> a neutral, not a minus, compared to my film M experience.  When my M3 or 
> M6 needs faster film than Provia 400X, I use monochrome.  That would also 
> go for ISO 400 used indoors.
> 
> On the positive side, I've had a few wows with this camera too.  Apart 
> from the slippy covering, which I really must get replaced with something 
> grippier, it feels so much like a Leica that my thumb moved to touch the 
> shutter lever and I then stared down at the absence of one in incredulity.
> 
> On balance, I'm happy about my M8, and I'm also happy I waited until I 
> could get a reconditioned one for 3000 dollars (including import tax).  
> Here are some photos from the last four days.  If any comments, criticisms 
> or tips come to mind, please let me know them.
> 
> This is the shot that made me like this camera and decide to really try 
> and learn how to use it properly.  It's of my daughter, out on a walk, and 
> was taken with a Tele-Elmarit at  f/2.8.  As a grabbed shot, I had to 
> focus quickly on her eye, and I was pleased when I could review the image 
> and see the focus seemed to be spot-on, with very clear definition in the 
> eyelashes.  Having said that, 10 minutes later, the camera went dead, 
> despite an indicated full battery.  Just as mysteriously, it started 
> working twenty minutes later.  Here's the pic:
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/geordiepete/4307441916/sizes/l/
> 
> In this next one the focus is not spot-on.  It was taken with the 50mm 
> tabbed Summicron.  I've liked the colours, contrast and  bokeh from this 
> lens since I started using Leicas fifteen months ago.  Today, thanks to 
> the instant feedback of the M8, I learned how to correct the back-focus I 
> get with that lens.  You know how that lens screws into two parts?  Well I 
> just turn the front half of that lens a fifth of a turn or so, so that the 
> white aperture marking dot is aligned with the red dot on the focussing 
> barrel.  That is enough to correct focussing at all distances with my copy 
> of this lens.  I can live with that for a while, until I find out how to 
> fix it properly.  My current method makes what used to be the simple 
> light-fingered job of changing apertures into a bit of a bother.
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/geordiepete/4303701107/sizes/l/
> 
> Here's another shot taken with the 'Cron 50.  This one is of a pair of 
> racehorses  in Yorkshire.
> 
> http://www..flickr.com/photos/geordiepete/4304475744/sizes/l/
> 
> I like how the Canon LTM f/2 works on the M8.  This one is at f/2.8:
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/geordiepete/4307433986/sizes/l/
> 
> This last one is of my daughter singing in the streeet on the way home 
> from school.  I just felt like sharing this one:
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/geordiepete/4306680673/sizes/l/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 



In reply to: Message from geordiepete211 at yahoo.co.uk (Peter Cheyne) ([Leica] First time behind the (thumb)wheel of an M8 (5 photos))