older lenses on M8 ?

[imran_ahmed]

I wonder whether the subtle differences and fingerprints of Leica M lens of

various periods are as appararent using M8 on the computer screnn / prints

as they were on slides and negatives. For example the center sharpness of the

first version 35 summicron versud the latest asph version / 90 asp versus non

asph summicron/ If so I would love to buy an M8.

[Alex_Es]

Not to worry. They're fine.

[sumo_kun]

But doesn't the M8 have a cropped sensor? That would mean the edges of the lens will not be used and so you will only be using the central, sharper part of the lens. So, I would have thought that on the M8, an older lens would lose the vignetting and corner unsharpness when compared to a film M.

[aplumpton]

My uncoated c1931-35 Elmar (50mm) works fine on the M8, but shows its

shortcomings in terms of flare and contrast, not to mention resolution. But it is

fun to use within its capabilities and transports one back to the exciting

Barnack days.

[norman_wijaya]

Latest issue of Shutterbug magazine test many old lenses on the M8

[httpphoto.netsharedco]

I have had resonable success with 1936 Hektor on M8<div></div>

[andy_piper2]

Yes in general the character of lenses comes through in digital. Oldest I use myself is a

1968 Tele-Elmar 135.

 

Chuk Tang is correct that SOME characteristics get cropped off - but my 90 'cron pre-APO

still does its soft/sharp thing, and most users still seem to get the Noctilux 'look'.

 

Do-it-yourself processing in RAW can negate certain characteristics, for good or bad - e.g

my 90 Tele-Elmarit 'thin' still throws veiling flare into the sun as it did on film. but it is so

easy to hit the 'shadows' and 'contrast' buttons in Camera Raw and get rid of it that I don't

even notice whether there was flare or not. Same for color casts - an auto white balance

will delete characteristic color tints from old lenses unless one remembers to keep it in.

 

Not the same as sending it to Granpa Kodak or Uncle Fuji and taking whatever comes

back.

[ron_breeze2]

Howard,

Did you have your Hektor on a tripod for that pic and are you using the eyepiece magnifyer?

Nice pic by the way.

[httpphoto.netsharedco]

Ron: I did not use a tripod. Taken from a Tram and steadied againt an upright pole. I

did however use the 1.25x Leica Magnifier which I keep permanently attached.