Leica Digital M8

DouglasUrner · #1 09-13-2006, 03:05 PM

Just when I though I was over my Leica lust (film is dead and blah, blah, blah) this comes along. Or, if you can read French, this.

I figure if you've got a Visoflex it is an SLR

Doug

Terry Zorich · #2 09-13-2006, 06:48 PM

Hmmm. Nevermind.

Jamie_Roberts · #3 09-15-2006, 11:50 AM

You know, we'll see what Canon announces at Photokina, but the new M8 looks fabulous. You can see it in English now here:

Leica M8, Exclusive Preview: Digital Photography Review

I haven't seen actual US pricing yet, though--a lot of rumours.

But I think we may need a new category here on the forums. This isn't an SLR, and it's not really a "compact camera used by pros"

For me, the combination of a 16bit per channel sensor, optimised profiling by C1, 2500 ISO, Leica M glass and all the traditional goodness of an M is just really, really tantalizing for events where a PJ approach is required.

I'm on a waiting list right now.

I just need to see the files from production firmware, especially the high-ISO stuff. Has anyone seen any links yet to actual RAW files?

Ken_Tanaka · #4 09-15-2006, 01:43 PM

No sample images out there yet (that I've seen).

Of course the greatest appeal of the M8 will be for those photographers (like me) who have been shooting with film Ms, or other compatible rangefinders, and have a sizable investment in M lenses. Rangefinder photography is one of those genres that you either love or hate. So I wonder how much the M8 will expand Leica's rangefinder market since the Ms are largely manual cameras/lenses (in an auto everything age) and a from-scratch kit will easily set you back $6,000 - $7,000.

Pricing is strongly rumored to be in the $4,500 - $4,700 range.

DouglasUrner · #5 09-15-2006, 02:19 PM

There is a nice short summary of the M8 and links to more in-depth information at Rob Galbraith's site.

It will be interesting to see how well the M8 holds its value, I imagine that it will do pretty well, especially if the image quality is what one would hope for.

Doug

Bob Varipapa · #6 09-15-2006, 09:00 PM

Cost = $5000 per Dpreview.com

Jamie_Roberts · #7 09-15-2006, 10:24 PM

Ken--it's funny, but I actually think that now, thanks in part to the Zeiss Ikon "M" compatible lenses, is one of the best times to go into a Leica rangefinder. You can now mix the more expensive Leica stuff with some special purpose, and altogether just great, Zeiss lenses.

Auto-everything, I think, is over-rated anyway, at least if it can be balanced by light weight, speed and accuracy of focus, and quality. Even the most auto-reliant pros I know (because they're shooting sports, for instance, under horribly unpredictable circumstances) love to slow down and use something lighter and more deliberate. The question is whether they justify that or a 5d instead.

But for me, for events, it's a dream come true--to be able to do real PJ stuff without calling a lot of attention to yourself is wonderful.

And yeah--if you already have an M lens collection, your only decision will be whether to stick with film or not...

Doug--the value question is really interesting.

I'm sure a future "M9" will be in the making, full-frame, etc... but as you say, if the image quality is really there on the M8 for the high-ISO stuff, well, for all intents and purposes that the M8 will be a worthy M successor anyway. If the build quality and Leica support is there the way it is on their other equipment, then you're right--the value could stay very, very high indeed.

But it's not cheap up front. Sigh. And the price is a little higher than was rumoured there for awhile. Thankfully, I could write it off!