Leica M8-Dead of the film cameras

[havenornirvana]

I think Leica M8 approve that film camera time is over.

What you think?

[elmarfudd]

If anything will "approve that film camera time is over" it will be something more groundbreaking than a MF digital rangefinder.

[sparkie]

nope. i think film cameras will still be used, esp for B&W photography. People didnt stop

painting when cameras were invented. i think it will become an 'artists' medium. which fits

perfectly with the leica philosophy. and if any camera manufacturer were to stop making

film cameras Leica would (or should) be the last.

[john_sandys1]

I agree with the last poster: There is no way that film is dead, especially in the field of black & white fine art photography. B/W images taken digitally just do not look the same, as long as there are those of us who will buy enough film and chemicals, there will still be traditional photography in existence for many years to come, if not forever. Regards, John.

[mark_amos]

I was actually about to post the opposite proposal. Perhaps the M8 will ensure that film survives, not because the M8 is anything other than great, but simply because it will show that even with absolutely all other things being equal: similar rangefinder, same lenses, almost exactly the same form, the film camera is simpler in operation and has less battery dependence such that if you can wait to develop your pictures, the film camera is an attractive alternative. We've already seen many Leica M users (me included) make it clear that they have found AF super Nikon and Canon film SLRs to be no substitute for the film M. While the M8 brings the convenience of digital closer to the style of shooting that M film users enjoy, it can not duplicate the simplicity of the film M. Furthermore, it may take a long time for Leica or anyone to perfect a sensor to use very small side angle lenses so that as much as I would love to have an M8 with the new wide tri-elmar, it is not at all the same kind of package as my M6 with the VC 15mm, for example.

[SCL]

Doesn't even warrant a response...pure trolling.

[ben conover]

The old Leicas were so well made. I think a digital Leica made of titanium with real weather seals, anti-shake sensor, real black enamel paint, and real leather cover would be a great idea. Under $2,000 might be good too. Failing that I'll just use my Linhof.

 

Cheers.

[juergenf]

I don't think so, even though the M8 seems to be very well constructed, it will never outlast the average mechanical film M, simply because of the electronics inside.

 

So the M8 will finish of the traditional film camera? They said that too when the first high-class digital slr's started too appear a couple of years ago.

 

A simple mechanical Leica M body is still far superior to any digital camera in terms of simplicity. There is just no way such a simple camera can be reproduced in a digital format even though the M8 comes close.

[juergenf]

I've made this comparision more than once but I'll do it again. Did the vinyl record die when the CD was introduced?? Nope, I still own a record player and I can assure you there is a booming vinyl community out there.

 

Why? Because the CD and the vinyl record are two different mediums, each having their own specific characteristics. The only thing they have in common is that the are designed to play you some music.

 

The same applies to film and digital. different mediums, each having their own specific characteristics. The only thing they have in common is that the are designed to record a photograph.

[steve_york3]

35mm film is available today, tomorrow and for a long time to come. The death knoll has allegedly been ringing for almost a decade now. True, it will be a small market, maybe a very small market, but it's will be available. And if twenty years from now its not readily available, well, I just hope I'm around in 20 years. Until then, there's no reason to abandon ship unless you want to go digital.

 

Digital is not all that it's crack up to be. I hate working on computers and the mechanical nature of the Ms was one of the reasons I started using a Leica all those years ago.

[dead_metaphor]

My Fuji GSW690 takes nice pictures.

[juergenf]

"My Fuji GSW690 takes nice pictures"

 

So does my 1978 Soviet made Zenit-E :-)

[robert goldstein]

"So the M8 will finish of the traditional film camera? They said that too when the first high-

class digital slr's started too appear a couple of years ago."

 

In case you haven't noticed, sales of SLR film cameras are in the basement. How much

longer manufacturers will continue to produce them remains to be seen.

[User_1172872]

"sales of SLR film cameras are in the basement. How much longer manufacturers will continue to produce them remains to be seen." I wonder how many are actually in production right now. I suspect none -it will just take several years to deplete the inventory to the point where they are officially discontinued.

[havenornirvana]

Have you guys try to search for Kodak Portra UC 400 or Fuji Portrait NPH 400 or Fuji Velvia from Ebay? The result i got from Ebay is showing the film cameras future.In 2004 when i search for these film i could find hundreds of films but now i cant even find some of them.

[vinay_patel]

"I think Leica M8 approve that film camera time is over. What you think?"

 

I think Leica M8 approve that Leica Forum place where trolls come enjoy try make other people miserable :-)

[steve_ries]

Sure, everyone is going to run out and spend 5K on a camera body and another 2K on a computer powerful enough to run the new software and another 1K on the software and another 2K on a printer. Let me add that up - 10K to go digital and if things go the way they have been going with electronics I can throw all that away in 5 years and buy an entire new set. Gosh, is film dead??

[havenornirvana]

Vinay

 

As you can see my post under the Leica Digital!

[eliot_rosen1]

A troll is a troll, whether the post is un the digital or film categories.

[oceanphysics]

I think Nikon proved that by discontinuing nearly all its film cameras some time back. Leica is late, and nobody has cared what they do or don't do for a very long time anyway.

[Allen Herbert]

make other people miserable :-)

 

Vinay,you take it all to heart. Repeat after me....it does not matter what others think.

 

If you like the M8, and it rocks your boat....that's all what matters. Not some words.

 

Cheer up,mate....enjoy the circus.

[joseph_barbano]

The horror...the horror....

[leon chang]

Yeah...........and BIC ballpoint factory will be bankrupt soon now we all use Microsoft Word................

 

Troll!

[Allen Herbert]

I think Leica M8 approve that film camera time is over

 

Probably,and most likely. But, still, i'm saving for a black MP.

 

Why, why not. A fun thing to have,which takes photos, i don't care if film is ﾣ100 a roll.

 

What matters is will i enjoy using it,is it worth the money to me, end of story.

[oceanphysics]

<i>The only thing they have in common is that the are designed to record a photograph.</i>

<p>

So the <i>only</i> thing they have in common is their sole function and reason for existence. How trivial.