arturo_de_la_fuente

George,

I do not own any mini-notebook but I doubt they are powerful enough to process RAW files. They are probably OK if you only want them to empty the SD/CF memory cards and possibly browse jpgs (in case you shoot jpg+raw).

A real laptop would give you a bigger screen and CPU power to process RAW files while on trip, but it is obviously bigger and heavier.

An Epson P3000/P5000 is in my view a rather specialised device that might have interest for slideshows, but it is rather expensive if you only want it as a storage device.

I personally own a laptop (my home PC), and a portable hardrive CompactDrive PD70X, and I'm pleased with this combination. If I had to buy the CompactDrive today, probably I would go instead for a mini-notebook for the extra features to read email, documents, etc. I think it should work fine as a replacement of a portable HD provided you can wait for a calm moment to empty the SD/CF memory cards, like a lunch break, the end of the day in the hotel, etc. If you must empty cards in the rush of the action, a CompactDrive or equivalent is a better choice.

Regards,

Arturo

Are you talking about the same lens? A Nikkor-S is a lens for rangefinder Nikons.

I think you'd had more chances to get an answer if you ask in www.rangefinderforum.com.

I'm afraid this is as much as I can help.

Arturo

The 85 on a D300 is definitively too long to complement the 18-200 for your purposes. A fast 50mm will be fine for portraits, but for general low light photography (particularly indoors) you'll need some wider, a 35mm or a 24mm. But you will not find a 24mm faster than f2.8. If you are on a tight budget I'd suggest you get a 50mm 1.8 and a second hand AFD 35mm 2.0 as a good compromise.

Arturo

Ewan, thanks for this refreshing piece of writing. I am a bit too tired of scientific gear tests. I feel more prone nodaways to feelings and impressions.

My way to the Leica road is not so different from yours. I also got myself recently a used black M6 with one lens, in my case a summicron 35 ASPH, purchased in eBay. I am not new to rangefinders; I have a Xpan (which was my fetiche camera until now) and I have plenty of other gear, mostly Nikon SRL for film and digital, and a small digital P&S. I admit I could not really justify buying another camara. Still, I couldn't resist and I got one.

My relation with my M6 did not start well. I took it to a dinner with friends and I did not load correctly the film; I only realised when I reached 39 shots and the film didn't finish. At the beginning I found the M6 nice but it did not particularly impress me. OK, the camera is very small, and that is nice, but I also found it rather heavy (for the size). The camera lugs are misplaced, they are too low and do not allow me a good grip with the right hand. The lens is so small that initially was hard to focus. But gradually I got to love it. The viewfinder is significantly bigger than the Xpan's (although this is not the Xpan's fault; it is just a different philosophy of camera oriented to panoramic wide angles). The shutter is so smooth and quiet. I also started getting more natural portraits: after 6 years shooting my wife with all kinds of gear I finally got a relaxed portrait of her. What they say is true: Leicas are inobstrusive! Now I'm so attached to my M6 that I feel dragged to get more lenses. I keep repeating myself that, with this camera, "less gear is more". It is not a camera for every situation nor to shoot everything, but it is to me a fine tool for a different creative approach. And it's a fine piece of craft too.

Arturo

Hello! Your question is so open that I anticipate you'll get all kinds of answers. This is extremelly subjective. My two cents are as folows:

You could spend $500 in a P&S camera that will be fine to make family snapshots outdoors in a sunny day, provided you do not print big enlargements. This is enough for 80% of people. If you are considering a budget of $3500 and asking in this forum I assume you want to know about alternatives. I'd say you have two broad solutions, provided you do not have any lens at the moment (ie you start from scratch):

1) Buy a canon system: canon body, a flash and some lenses. The Canon 5D plus lenses is out of your budget (the body alone is $2500). I'd propose the body canon 30D ($1000) plus a flashun 430EX ($250) plus a 50mm f1.8 ($100) and/or a 85 f1.8 ($400). This is the bare minimum to make portraits as good as you can get. You also need a zoom 17-40 f4 ($650) and a 70-200 f4 ($1200) for general purpose photography. There are rumours of a replacement for the 30D in the pipeline, you could get it soon cheaper or a slightly better replacement. Spend the rest of your budget in a bag, memory cards, etc.

2) Buy a nikon-mount system: body either Nikon D200 ($1200) or Fuji S5 ($1700; better for skin tones but debatable if worth the price tag over the D200), plus flashgun Sb-800 ($250) and lens 50 f1.8 ($100) and/or 85 f1.8 ($350). Given your budget I'd suggest you complete with a Tokina 12-24 f4 ($500) and Nikon AFS 70-200 f2.8 ($1800). If you get the latter zoom you can not afford the S5 nor the 85 f1.8. Alternatively, you could go for a sigma 50-150 f2.8 or tokina 50-150 ($700) and spend the extra in a Zeiss 50 f1.4 ($500, manual focus only) instead of the Nikon 50 f1.8 or a Nikon 12-24 f4 instead of the Tokina 12-24. All in all, my first choice would be D200+SB800+Zeiss 50+Tokina 12-24+zoom 50-150 because it might be risky to spend $1800 in the AFS 70-200 if you are not sure that you need/want it. You could also save plenty of money buying second hand AIS fixed manual-focus lenses, if you are an old-fashioned photographer (I love those lenses!).

A rangefinder digital system based on the Leica M8 is certainly out of your budget, whereas your budget is too high for buying a DSRL system from another manufacturer (Pentax, Sony, Olympus,...)

Arturo

I do not think shooting with film will provide you better results in low light.

If I understand it correctly, the reasons for your disatisfaction in low light are noise and cropping factor.

Regarding noise, modern DSRL get much lower noise at 800 ISO and higher than film. I can not see a way moving to film will improve there.

I'd suggest one of the following: 1) cheap solution: use a noise removing software as part of your digital darkroom flow. Noise Ninja or equivalent will get you at least the "equivalent" of 1-f stop in terms of decreased noise. 2) expensive solution: get a Canon 5D (pardon to the Nikon purists), if you can afford it (from your shopping list I guess you can afford it). You can use your wonderful Nikon lenses in the 5D with an EOS-Nikon adaptor ring. The Canon 5D solves both the noise and the cropping factor issues. Search in other threads about those adaptors.

Having said that, the F5 is a wonderful body at a bargain price nowadays. I would buy it only for the fun...

Arturo

Neil,

The discontinuation of the Xpan due to EU regulations is just untrue information circulating. The Xpan camera was designed and manufactured by Fuji, Hasselblad merely put the name for the non-Japanese market. I know first hand because I own a Hassy Xpan that reads "made in Japan". Fuji decided to discontinue the production of their model (following the fate of every Fuji rangefinder) and few months later Hasselblad found an excuse to discontinue selling the Xpan. It is that simple.

Cheers

I do not take pictures to earn money, much less to get rich. I do not do photographies to kill my spare time either.

Many times, I do not take pictures to share with others, to create a memory of other persons or objects, nor I do it to leave others a memory of me. Sometimes (not always) I do not feel the need to show my pictures to others. It suffices me to have made them, something beautiful or meaningful to me. My wife asks me why I do not participate in competitions.

With time I created an eye for the light, for the details, for the subjects. Now if I see "a picture" and I have no camera with me to record it, I feel a bit frustrated. Sometimes I go out explicitly to make a picture, when the subject/conditions are favourable (say sunset). Sometimes I put a camera in my pocket as I leave home, just in case. Sometimes I'm at home, I see the light hitting a face or an object, and I run to get a camera to photograph it. I rarely create the conditions for a picture (ie studio photography) although I do change the conditions (e.g. filling flash). I take pictures with expensive gadgets (that luckily I can afford) and also with cheap 1-use film cameras.

I take pictures because I feel compelled to. I do not justify it. I feel good when I do it. Given my circumstances, photography is a good pursuit for me. If you do it for money, to kill your time, to leave a record or a touch, or if you have a good reason, then it is a worthy pursuit for you. Perhaps you do not even need a reason, it is enough if you feel good.

Arturo

Juan,

Some links:

http://www.nikonians.org/dcforum/DCForumID17/16124.html#1

http://www.millhouse.nl/zeiss85.html

http://www.nikonians.org/dcforum/DCForumID17/16138.html#14

http://www.nikonians.org/dcforum/DCForumID17/15974.html#37

Juan,

I'm convinced the Zeiss 1.4/85 is a much better lens than the Nikon 1.8/85. This answers your question. I also confirm you will have no problems to meter in matrix mode with the Zeiss.

The actual performance of the ZF Zeiss lenses and their value for the cost as compared to Nikon equivalents has been discussed a lot in internet fora (there is more stuff -and pictures- in Nikonians than here). For some people the performance difference is significant whereas for others it is negligible or does not justify the price tag. In general, there is some acceptance than the gap between the ZF 1.4/50 and the Nikon 1.4/50 is bigger than the gap between the ZF 1.4/85 and the Nikon 1.4/85. (for the moment there is little information about the new 2/35 and 2.8/25 ZF lenses)

I personally own the ZF 1.4/50 and I am very pleased with it. Among the finest lenses I know. The handling and performance are stellar. However I decided not to get the ZF 1.4/85, as I already own the Nikkon AFD 1.4/85. Both Nikkors AFD 1.4/85 and AIS 1.4/85 are among the best Nikkors ever. If you look for the best value for money, I'd suggest you look for one Nikkor rather than Zeiss. If you do not mind the price tag, by all means go for the Zeiss. You can not go wrong.

Saludos,

Arturo

There is a superb book with those pictures. I have owned and enjoyed it for years. http://www.amazon.com/Bound-Glory-America-Color-1939-43/dp/0810943484/sr=8-5/qid=1171531317/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5/103-9716374-3087814?ie=UTF8&s=books

Arturo

There is a fine 2-side sheet with shortcuts in PDF here: http://user.fundy.net/morris/ . Click in "photoshop" on the left.

I always have mine at hand.

Regards,

Arturo

Hi. This thread looks to me like the good old debate SRL vs. rangefinder. I have a DSRL (not a 5D) and a film rangefinder (not a Leica) and I love both systems. The rangefinder provides me probably more enjoyable shooting experiences, but you can not photograph anything or in any situation with a rangefinder. The reflex is better for that. Moving this debate from film to digital will not change things, ie will not make rangefinder interchangeably with reflex, perhaps just the opposite.

Another point, in my understanding, hardly mentioned is that DSRL are much more mature than digital rangefinders. For DSRL there have been years of experience and significant improvements. This will likely happen with rangefinders too, but let's not forget that this is the first digital M ever. I'm certain there will be small or not so small non-satisfactory things, like ergonomy, scratches in the screeen, or who knows what else, time will show. And the drawbacks of the 1.33 crop factor and Leica future policy about releasing lenses with cropped factor (perhaps smaller than lenses for film) is completely unresolved to me. This is a problem, somehow neglected by rangerfinder entusiasts driven by the frenzy of moving to digital, because the strong point of rangefinders is in the wideangle.

Erwin Puts (http://imx.nl/) has compared the M8 and 5D in his website and stated that he will sell his 5D and keep his M8. I would not do so. You could buy yourself one M8 to complement your 5D, if you can afford it, and you certainly will enjoy it. But I would not replace a 5D by an M8. This is my advice.

I was tempted to get me a M8 for last Christmas (I can afford it), but eventually I decided to wait and see.

Regards,

Arturo

There is a guy that makes adaptors and sells them in the Dutch eBay. Just go to www.ebay.nl and search for "Xpan". I never made business with him, so I can not give neiter positive nor negative feedback, I just point his existence.

I pondered myself buying an adaptor Nikon to Xpan plus a Nikon 28 PC lens, as explained here http://xpan.free.fr/trucs_accessoires.htm (link only in French). I eventually decided the price was too high and close to a genouine 30mm Xpan.

I wish there was there out an adaptor with rangefinder coupling to allowing shooting with fast lenses, even if in 35mm format only.

Arturo

Hi Dan.

Sorry to contribute so late to this thread. I hope you can read this.

I found enlightening similarities between some of your saying (and others' in this interesting thread) with my thinking, particularly when I learnt of several (film) Leica users talking about Pentax DSRL body coupled to pancake lenses.

A word of background: I am a Nikon user with tons of kit. My digital body is a D2X, which is a joy to use but it is big like a tank and weights a ton. I can not use it as a carry-all-around camera, and I miss a lot this kind of fresh, casual photography. I looked in the digital market for a camera for this purpose. Nikon has smaller bodies, but my problem is really the lens: there is no Nikon wideangle, small lens, and Nikon is neglecting the market of prime lenses (to the benefit of others, like Zeiss). The existing P&S are not good for me, especially at high ISO, and the models with good high ISO have no wideangle. I gave a thought to the M8, but building a system of M8 plus 2-3 fine lenses would cost me more than I can justify. Then I discovered the Pentax "limited" pancake lenses, and the K10D looks like a fine body for the price (and it comes with SR!). I was thinking that a K10D plus a limited 21mm and a 40mm or 70mm is what I need as a discreet camera, not too big, not too small, to carry around the neck. I do not intend to build a whole Pentax system with flashes and the like, nor to sell my Nikon kit.

Did you eventually buy the K10D? Does anybody think that a K10D with a couple of pancake lenses is a sound choice for a second camera for casual photography?

Thanks

Arturo

Then this is sad news. I photograph both with reflex and rangefinder cameras, and to me it is pretty clear that the strong point of the rangefinders (vs. reflex) is the wideangle, mostly but not only when used for hand-held discreet photography.

If the M8 needs an external viewfinder for anything wider than 32mm, it is the same as saying that the external viewfinder must be always attached. There are certainly advantages in external viewfinders but it makes the whole camera not discreet enough for me.

Thanks for your comments,

Arturo

I'm not a Leica owner, although I own a Xpan II. I'm following with interest

the developments triggered by the new M8.

I wonder if an external viewfinder is needed to work with a 21mm lens (ie

equivalent to a 28mm with the factor crop). I could not find it clearly stated

anywhere in this forum nor in reviews on-line, although perhaps I missed it.

Behind this question the issue is of course how the frames in the viewfinder

behave with the cropping factor, ie if the frames for 50mm correspond to the

viewangle of a 50mm lens in full-frame or to a 50mm lens considering the crop

factor (ie equivalent to 65 mm).

I downloaded the M8 instructions from the Leica website and p 87 says: "The

bright-line frame in the viewfinder of the LEICA M8 of course always shows

the ?correct? field of view for this camera, i.e. it takes account of the

increased focal length." which **seem to indicate** that the 28mm framelines

will be the ones you need to work with a 21mm lens. However I'm not fully sure

and I'll thank anybody that could confirm it.

This is pretty important point to me because I would see a major pitfall the

need for an external viewfinder for any lens wider that 24mm (which is like a

31mm in FF terms)

Thanks.

Arturo

Hi. This is my personal experience using the ZF 50 f1.4:

I use it with the F100 and D2x. I also own a Nikon AF 50mm f1.8. This is the only other 50mm lens with which I can compare the Zeiss.

Optically, I find the ZF marginally superior to the Nikon AF 1.8. Better but not much more. The bokeh is not as good as I expected when I bought it. Only the optical difference does not justify the price tag (x5 times difference).

Building quality and joy to use is a whole different story. ZF is the best built lens I've ever had. Point. My Nikon AF 85 f1.4 has the f-stop ring made of plastic and lags behind. The manufacture of my Xpan lenses is outstanding but it is not as good as the ZF 50mm. I enjoy every minute I shoot with that lens. I shoot for fun, not for a living, I can pay the price tag for a lens that gives me a (subjective) higher return when using it.

I understand that the ZF is not for everybody, particularly if you need AF, you can not afford to loose a picture for lack of focus or if you must balance price/benefits.

I have no problem at all to focus the ZF with the F100. Instead, with the D2x I had to buy a Katz focusing screen to get the best of the lens.

In case somebody wonders, the lack of CPU chip is not a problem (to me) to exposure with the F100. I use central weighting. Given that the ZF is a manual focusing lens, it takes (me) longer to take a picture, which forces me to reflect a bit before pushing the button. I use that time to think about correct exposure too (with slides; with negative film the difference between central and matrix weigth is negligible).

I have in high regard Ken's opinion, but this time I could not disagree more. His comparison of ZF 50 f1.4 (any 50 f1.4, by the way) with a zoom AF VR 18-200 is completely pointless.

I wish Zeiss releases a ZF 28mm f2.0.

My two cents .

Arturo

Hi.

Some time ago I was tempted to do the same thing to scan my Xpan films with Minolta 5400. I had second thoughts and eventually did nothing. I worried about (a) not having a sofware able to do it (although I do not see a reason to phisically prevent it); (b) worries that the film would not stay flat enough. I looked unsuccesfully for a third-pary film holder, if possible with glass. So for the moment I keep stitching two separate scans. This is a mess but I optimised my workflow and it does not take (way) too long.

Arturo

Where is the viewfinder? A camera for that market segment *must* have a real viewfinder.

The lens looks a bit too big for a f4.

Having said that, I'll follow the news about this model with interest...

Arturo