Are we holding on to our M film Leicas?

[harvey_edelstein1]

Another observation, the M8 cropping factor will make the 21mm and 75mm cron very pricey since they are now equivalent to 28mm and 100mm. The new Zeiss 18mm f4 will be popular for wide angle landscapes.

[simon larbalestier]

>> The M4s and MPs are stable now because their owners have little interest in drf M8

because they abhor electronics and are originalist Leicaphiles.

 

The M8 bleeding edge Leica guys have orders in but the shipments are first being

delivered to the distributers and stores. In six months when enough of the orders have

been filled then we will see the market change.

 

Most of those who put in orders, rich doctors etc. don't need to sell anything to raise cash

for whatever they want. <<

 

Funny to read this

I still work with the M4 and MP and will use the M8 alongside then and i'm no rich doctor.

I decided to make the investment because i thinks it's an important tool to have alongside

the others i use.

[harvey_edelstein1]

Simon you are an exceptional guy. But to have backup for your backup when Leicas as we know are soo reliable even you in six months from December will be contemplating lightenning up your collection.

[simon larbalestier]

LOL Harry ! i forgot to mention then that i've got two other backups for the backups

M6 and M4-2 :-) That said i usaully work with 2 or three bodies at a time either for different

lenses or ASA rating of TriX.

Maybe i'm anal but i've traded and sold enough stuff to realise sooner or later

i'd need it back for something specific. My old Noctilux keeps coming to mind......

[al_kaplan1]

Having a bunch of duplicate Leica bodies and lenses makes sense. I used to have a few clients who wanted me to shoot both B&W and slides. Two bodies had 35mm Summicrons, the other two had a 90/2.8 Elmarit and an 85/2 Nikkor. Sure, I carried a 19/3.5 Canon, a 50mm Summicron, and a 135mm Elmarit, but most of the time I didn't need to be juggling lenses. I never considered it a collection. It was a working kit of much needed tools.

[DB_Gallery]

I added Leica into my kit a little over a month ago to make great film images. I have no

interest in getting an M8 since it crops. If I want digital, I have two Canon 5D's to do that

with.

[harvey_edelstein1]

Daniel I would love to add a Canon to my camera collection but may add a second Leica body since I have 4 lenses and only an M4-p with MR-4 and the M winder. Maybe someone like Simon will want to diversify to a FF Canon with lets say the 24-105mm with image stabilization and the silent wave AF motor. At least it has no crop factor and a 1/250 shutter sync.

If I could choose maybe I would get an M7 for the AE, but I have a Sekonic dedicated spotmeter and a regular Sekonic meter that I would probably still carry along with me to check the cameras internal metering. I also am interested in the Fuji S5 that is comming out since it uses Nikon glass and is based on the D200. It is supposed to have a 400% better dynamic range and a low noise iso 3200. This would make JPEG out of the camera easy. Fuji is supposed to have a Velvia mode that mimics the Velvia look in digital and still have the wide dynamic range to capture wide latitude subject without the blown highlights or loss of shadow detail. I am still looking for something better than what we have before I give up my RF gear. By the way that wide angle Voigtlander looks kool too. I also like the newly announced ZM 18mm f4.0 Zeiss wide angle Biogon design, should become a classic.

[simon larbalestier]

>>>>Maybe someone like Simon will want to diversify to a FF Canon with lets say the

24-105mm with image stabilization and the silent wave AF motor.<<<<

 

My friends here in Bangkok have 5D's with fast 1.4 primes and there are truly excellent

machines but not for my way of working. With an M8 i can see the logic in adding to my

exisitng setup and the crop factor is not really an issue for me.

 

But in all honesty i can't even begin to evaluate its virtues or non virtues till i've got one in

my hand and i'm shooting with it alongside one of my film bodies.

[vinay_patel]

"Most of those who put in orders, rich doctors etc. don't need to sell anything to raise cash for whatever they want."

 

Too funny. Though I suppose if being able to come up with five grand without selling a kidney is your definition of "rich" it's not fair to laugh.

[x-ray]

I just can't seem to sustain any high level of interest for the M8. I shoot film for my documentary and personal work and digital 1DsII's for my commercial. I seperate the two into fun with film and work with digital. I've mentioned to my wife that I would rather have my digital gear stolen than my film. Don't get any ideas! In recent months I've had a few new clients ask about my digital and stating they require the cameras to be a minimum of 12 MP and one said a minimum of 10 MP. The M8 is on the bottom edge or below the standards of many upper level clients now and It just doesn't make much sense for me to buy a camera with very limited use. I upgraded to the MKII from the MKI for that very reason and probably will have to do the same when the 22 MP MKIII comes out. It really wears me out to keep this madness up with upgrading equipment but i don't see things changing anytime soon.

[terry_m1]

I am passionate about the quality of images I get with film via my M6 TTL and more so my R8 and numerous lenses, and I LOVE making prints in my darkroom, so there is no way I would ever sell either body and any of the lenses and then convert to digital. Yes, I am addicted to the magic inherent in film-based results!

[harvey_edelstein1]

I read somewhere that the average american family has $5,000 or less in the bank. Those who use their cameras for commerce can ultimately get someone to pay for their gear, everyone else is paying out of their own stash of greenbacks. The M8 body plus a few other lenses to compensate for the crop factor ( a 15mm or 18mm on the wide end and an 75mm to replace the 90mm) and you are spending a lot of bucks. So far I see only the usual amount of gear being sold. It seems that these folks who are buying the M8 have no money shortage. Maybe they are not rich just richer than me or have fewer kids arround the house.

[x-ray]

Harvey - There certainly are people with much more money than I have but there are many with much less. I've come to the conclusion that many of these that don't have money have credit. It's a bad way to support a hobby but that's their choice. My choice is to always pay cash and only use credit when I can pay it in full that month. I enjoy my purchases much more knowing they belong to me not a credit company. It's a choice of lifestyle.

[mingus1]

I'm certainly holding on to my film setup, I treasure my MP and 35mm asph, but I just don't use it al that much anymore ... I really enjoy my 5D I like the post processing work and I'm sure I will like my M8 more leaving the MP as a sort of of relic in my cupboard amongst my other relics .... I still have a fridge full of film but seriously am asking myself wether I will ever use them all ....

[harvey_edelstein1]

I understand that the M8 wait may be a few extra weeks. I think you should use the film in the frig meanwhile. The rest you can send to me so they won't go bad. I agree with you on credit cards I just moved and bought a two year old car all paid for within a month. I am not rich, but I don't like car payments and since the vehicle is a priority as a people mover it got the most money. The car is now mine and if I get money and the Canon $600 dollar rebate is available next year I might pick up a $2300 Canon 5D with either the 24-70L or the 24-105L.