View Full Version : Michael Reichmann M8 review
mfunnell
10-30-2006, 03:56
...is very favourable, and up at The Luminous Landscape (http://www.luminous-landscape.com):
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/leica-m8.shtml
...Mike
jameshays
10-30-2006, 04:55
Wow, first Reid, now this. Any more great reviews and even my wife will want me to get one...
Wow, first Reid, now this. Any more great reviews and even my wife will want me to get one...
I left my wife so I could order one :D
Michael's review is very good for the M8. Reid really should look to post process his images better. The samples from his review doesn't really sell the camera at all IMO.
Nachkebia
10-30-2006, 06:47
None of images from M8 are helping M8 to sell :D :D :D
Now that we have the one-and-a-half predictable knee-jerk reactions behind us, thank you, gentlemen;) :p we can conclude that 2 1/2 reviews by reputable photographers and reviewers are more than favorable. I think this camera will be good enough for a humble cat-shooter like me....
Yes but if he'd post processed them then people would complain the comparisons weren't "fair" because he'd "tweaked" the files. I'm not so sure that's right. We compare beautiful movie stars fully made up, after all, because none of us is likely to ever see them first thing in the morning when they wake up :D :D :D
I dunno why Reid only provided small aperature examples. Leica lenses are meant to be used opened up! Stopped down it looks like shots from my GRD... ;)
Yes but if he'd post processed them then people would complain the comparisons weren't "fair" because he'd "tweaked" the files. I'm not so sure that's right. We compare beautiful movie stars fully made up, after all, because none of us is likely to ever see them first thing in the morning when they wake up :D :D :D
I dunno why Reid only provided small aperature examples. Leica lenses are meant to be used opened up! Stopped down it looks like shots from my GRD... ;)
Both true, but you can see d@mn-all on a computer screen anyway, so it does not make a lot of difference.
Nachkebia
10-30-2006, 07:08
ywenz said it once, you can see anything on comupter screen, I don`t really get computer screen back-up :D computer screen what? when you print things will get blured or what? mad truly mad :D
Overall, I thought it was an excellent review. I likeed the details when it came to the capabilities of of the camera. I like the final comments as well. Regardless, I still wait for one :(
I think Sean's pictures showed me what I need to know about the M8's quality, too much post processing would have fudge the issues. Besides, I'm easily convinced by the fruits :p
PS. I thought Leicas wide open are excellent. Should I get worried and test the lenses before accepting? ;) My vendor is very unreasonable when I wanted to try out a few lenses for quality, he says its a Leica and they stay shrinkwrapped till I hand over the money :D
Currently, Canon user. God willing, an M8 with a few lenses in a couple of months.
Alex
boilerdoc2
10-30-2006, 07:42
" He likes it! Hey, Mikey, he likes it"
Sorry, couldn't help myself there. We, in the queue for the M8, wait. Patiently wait.......
Steve
I would agree that MR did a very good job with the review - even acknowledging his bias. It seems to me that he is the ideal M8 target market: fully understands the Leica magic, and loves digital.
Well I'm likely at the other end of the spectrum. Although I get the "magic" I've never owned a Leica. I'd love one and a set of lenses but its not going to happen. All I can afford is the Contax G system - a wonderful system all acquired through the auction site - truly bottom feeding.
I would love a simple digital camera to put my G lenses on, and can understand the absolute religious joy that long time Leica users must have with the M8. I'm jealous as heck you've got a genuine digital box for your lenses.
Nevertheless, if it is magic that brought people to Leica, and the M8 end result is "as good as" and "among the best" it is pretty difficult to see the M8 attracting new Leicaphiles given the cost of Leica gear. The M8 proves the point that the RD1 made, but also that signal processing is now as important if not more important than glass.
As experienced as MR is, and acknowledging an excellent review, I'm still left wondering if you can post process "magic", and if you need a very expensive Leica as part of the potion. Perhaps magic truly is priceless, and comes from the experience of really knowing your tools, whatever they may be.
Still I'll cheer on the M8 from the cheap seats, and hope is fosters more real choice in the digital market - more real affordable choice that is "among the best."
<snip>We compare beautiful movie stars fully made up, after all, because none of us is likely to ever see them first thing in the morning when they wake up :D :D :D
I'd gladly volunteer for the experiment. KZ-J and others come to mind. ;) ;) :angel:
Earl
dazedgonebye
10-30-2006, 08:43
M8 Body $4000
28mm Elmarit f2.8 $2295
50mm Summicron f2 -$1600
90mm Summicron f2.8 $1600
My wife leaving me for spending that much money on kit…priceless. ;-)
M8 Body $4000
28mm Elmarit f2.8 $2295
50mm Summicron f2 -$1600
90mm Summicron f2.8 $1600
My wife leaving me for spending that much money on kit…priceless. ;-)
Hey!
Summicron 2.0/50 used 500$
CV 85 used 300$
CV 28 used 300$
Would that keep her at home after just mildly killing you?
Otherwise add:
Diamond bracelet 1500$
Weekend at the Bahamas 1000$
;)
dazedgonebye
10-30-2006, 09:08
Hey!
Summicron 2.0/50 used 500$
CV 85 used 300$
CV 28 used 300$
Would that keep her at home after just mildly killing you?
Otherwise add:
Diamond bracelet 1500$
Weekend at the Bahamas 1000$
;)
You missunderstand. Her leaving me was the good part!
She once told me that she'd leave me if I didn't take her to Hawaii on our 10th...we didn't go, but did she keep her word? Noooooo! :-)
Back on topic...
Good review. It sounds like, short of a couple of very minor UI things, Leica got it right. I guess that was to be expected.
I also enjoyed his perspective re: the relative price of top of the line SLRs to Leica M series. It puts the price in a far more reasonable light. More reasonable, but alas, still way the heck out of my league.
You missunderstand. Her leaving me was the good part!
She once told me that she'd leave me if I didn't take her to Hawaii on our 10th...we didn't go, but did she keep her word? Noooooo! :-)
Back on topic...
Good review. It sounds like, short of a couple of very minor UI things, Leica got it right. I guess that was to be expected.
I also enjoyed his perspective re: the relative price of top of the line SLRs to Leica M series. It puts the price in a far more reasonable light. More reasonable, but alas, still way the heck out of my league.
We'll you may have somebody to donate the last two items to in that case :D
It is a reasonable price, especially if compared to the M7, but still, it is an astonishing number of $$$..:eek: I admit. I integrated it into my "trading up" programme and sold some lenses and Canon stuff I was not using anyway.
One thing that ticks me off a bit about the Reichmann review is that, in his section titled "The Leica Gestalt," he writes as if the core attributes of 35mm rangefinder cameras in general (e.g. the non-SLR view, the spartan feature set, the simplicity of operation etc.) are instead attributes only of Leica M cameras in particular.
We all know better, of course, but SLR wankers reading the article because of a vague general interest in the M8 are going to get a distorted view.
IGMeanwell
10-30-2006, 14:43
I liked the little movie added to end of that review
although its pretty obvious the M8 definitely has a pretty wide latitude of dynamics... you still have to be weary of the blown highlights
I am a little suprised that Leica didn't try to adopt the Fuji Super CCDs or maybe the Fovian sensors to get an ever wider latitude (both chips often are considered the most dynamic)
but that all being said the image quality is definitely worth of the leica name
madmaxmedia
10-30-2006, 15:25
I like Foveon very much, but high ISO performance is not one of Foveon's strengths (at least up til now.) Their new sensor in the Sigma SD14 is 1.7 crop too. I think it is important that Leica went with 1.3x.
I'm in agreement that he should have shot more with lenses wide open. This also goes with the issue of higher ISO speeds. Sure the top o' the line Canons showed better results there, but isn't that tempered by a lens that is faster? As he mentioned, the M8 was never intended as a sports camera with a slow giant zoom.
That kind of performance in that size of package with Leitz lenses is quite remarkable. I just may sell my Ducati to buy one!
ffttklackdedeng
11-01-2006, 10:25
I just may sell my Ducati to buy one!
Hehe, I was thinking the same not long ago.. decided to keep the Ducati :rolleyes:
You missunderstand. Her leaving me was the good part!
She once told me that she'd leave me if I didn't take her to Hawaii on our 10th...we didn't go, but did she keep her word? Noooooo! :-)
That sounds like a story I heard about a guy who on their 10th bought him and his wife cemetery plots. She was upset at first but decided to look at it as a romantic gesture, that they'd be "together for eternity". On their 11th, the day came and went and he didn't get her anything. When she confronted him he replied "well, you didn't use what I got you last year..."
foxwhelp
11-01-2006, 11:08
That sounds like a story I heard about a guy who on their 10th bought him and his wife cemetery plots. She was upset at first but decided to look at it as a romantic gesture, that they'd be "together for eternity". On their 11th, the day came and went and he didn't get her anything. When she confronted him he replied "well, you didn't use what I got you last year..."
All so very, very down on marriage. Doesn't have to be that way -- My wife ordered an M8 for me as a 14th anniversary present. Now I wait....
roblumba
11-01-2006, 12:54
My wife actually doesn't mind, as long as we don't create any debt because of it. So I'm selling all my current equipment, which has become dead weight to me now. She hates it when I bring that big Canon 1DMII plus lenses. When I travel back to Alabama with her it's going to be a breath of fresh air that I'm not bringing that Billingham bag full of equipment.
All so very, very down on marriage. Doesn't have to be that way -- My wife ordered an M8 for me as a 14th anniversary present. Now I wait....
Officially, 14th anniversary gifts are supposed to be ivory (traditional; probably not very nice in view of endangered-species status) and gold jewelry (modern; too bad there's no a la carte option for M8 yet!)
"Optical goods" don't turn up on the modern list until the 48th anniversary, so it could be a long wait before you get any lenses to go with your camera!
(Read the whole list here: Traditional and modern wedding anniversary gifts. (http://www.chipublib.org/008subject/005genref/giswedding.html)
dazedgonebye
11-01-2006, 13:19
All so very, very down on marriage. Doesn't have to be that way -- My wife ordered an M8 for me as a 14th anniversary present. Now I wait....
Forget cameras...how much do you want for your wife? ;)
Nachkebia
11-01-2006, 13:29
bla bla bla bla
http://luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/leica-m8-port.shtml
I want M8 as a present!
My wife actually doesn't mind, as long as we don't create any debt because of it. So I'm selling all my current equipment, which has become dead weight to me now. She hates it when I bring that big Canon 1DMII plus lenses. When I travel back to Alabama with her it's going to be a breath of fresh air that I'm not bringing that Billingham bag full of equipment.
Just you wait what happens when Leica GAS hits you....Hidden debts and Phototrekker gear bags full....:p
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