Digital Leica M8 announced

I'm sure the price tag will make it a very impractical choice for most but boy would I love to have one:

Leica M8

Guy

Guy,

Thanks for posting this.

I second your lust for this camera.

I used an M3 for many years and sold it and the lenses to fund my digital equipment.

I shoot mostly nature now but when I used the Leica I was mostly a street photographer (stealing time on business trips as often as not).

I miss the M3 and may risk divorce and buy an M8 at some point-- probably well after the initial hype wears off? -- Of course with Leica prices just seem to go up.

Frank

I used an M4 when I was a "street" photographer. A camera never felt so good in my hands. I also drooled over the M8 but I don't know if I'd ever use one. The purpose of a rangefinder was quiet and quick focusing. If I were doing street shooting today, I'd want something with autofocus.

- Dan.

Dan wrote:

"If I were doing street shooting today, I'd want something with autofocus."

Do you mean auto-out-of-focus? I think I had better luck with focus on the fly when I used the Leica. I can't bring myself to use my 20D in street photography situations and would never use it in a church as I did with the M3. Quiet and perfect in size and heft. Hand holdable to a tenth of a second w/o image stabilization.

But I guess the M8 with lens will list for about $7K!?

I have had good luck in street work with a Canon G1 and now an Olympus C-7000. The C-7000 even tells the user what it is focusing on!

Frank

I have better things to do with the money than buy a fashion piece.

Dear Doug,

A Leica M camera may be over priced but its no mere fashion piece (some use it that way of course).

I paid $350 for my M3 in 1987 (with two lenses!) then had it professionally reconditioned for $250. It was a constant companion for 18 years after that. I found it a wonderful camera -- it added so much to my photographic experience -- perfect size amnd weight. Great for many kinds of photography especially in cities or concert halls/churches.

I've never purchased a new Leica but at one time had 6 or them (4 collectors items, 2 users -- an R4 along with the M3)

I will not buy a new Leica now and may never buy another one as digital has changed things so completely. It will be fascinating to see Leitz try to stay a float in the brave new world. I wish them well.

But I still miss my M3....

Frank

Might be worth reading Irwin Put's take on the M8. He also makes some comparisons to the Canon 5D in terms of image quality and finds the 5D superior.

http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/m8report/t006.html

Thanks Doug, An excellent review. Here is what Irwins says about quality comparisons with the 5D:

"My first tests do indicate in all fairness a draw."

That's fine by me. Quality of the 5D is stunning. He also says that if you expect all of the Leica lens quality to come through to the digital image produced by the M8 you will be disappointed. Well, at one time Leitz said making a digital M was impossible -- now that would have been disappoiting!

- Frank

It just ain't my cup of tea. I shoot landscapes not street scenes and need a lot more than a 10 mp camera to handle the job as well as see-thru-the-lens capabilities.

I still think it's a fashion piece for those with more cash than they can spend.