Leica M8.2 announced

[Limosa]

this thread is sooo funny!

thanks, you just made my day.

(after I overcame my surprise of actually reading all this mumbling)

(and then actually replying to it... gosh - lemme get a life)

[Gary Yeowell]

I really think Leica have lost the plot with the re badged M8.........  Polishing a turd comes to mind.

[pprachun]

I really think Leica have lost the plot with the re badged M8.........  Polishing a turd comes to mind.
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Personally, I think it's time for me to purchase a Leica - v8 or 8.2.  I'm thinking of getting out of photography and into collectibles   .

[Limosa]

Come on, give Leica a break. I for one sometimes do miss the 'touch & feel' of the M2 + 50/2.0 I used before going 5d. The M8 was a bit too early, were afraid of missing the show and came with something not really usable, for me at least.
But in a couple of years they'll have an M-something with a FF sensor so incredibly nicely built that it'll make you drool till your mouth is dry. Let's hope they survive untill then.

[Christopher]

Come on, give Leica a break. I for one sometimes do miss the 'touch & feel' of the M2 + 50/2.0 I used before going 5d. The M8 was a bit too early, were afraid of missing the show and came with something not really usable, for me at least.
But in a couple of years they'll have an M-something with a FF sensor so incredibly nicely built that it'll make you drool till your mouth is dry. Let's hope they survive untill then.
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They won't. A small company like Leica can't stand loosing so much sales. Leica lost over 40% in sales last year. If that goes on, which will, because nearly nobody is buying a nocti for 8000EURs..., they won't be around in two years. I really hope one of the bigger players takes the chance and buys Leica.

[NigelC]

Speaking as an idiot who drives a totally reliable Land Rover D3 (same as Range Rover Sport under the skin), as far as I recall Jaguars did pretty well in JD Power surveys

And your point is what?

[DarkPenguin]

Speaking as an idiot who drives a totally reliable Land Rover D3 (same as Range Rover Sport under the skin), as far as I recall Jaguars did pretty well in JD Power surveys

And your point is what?
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Jaguar's reliability improved greatly after Ford bought them.  I understand that Ford was pretty horrified when they saw the production line.

I generally mistake Jaguars for Hyundai's these days.

[NigelC]

I generally mistake Jaguars for Hyundai's these days.


Should be pretty undemanding when it comes to cameras then

[Paul Kay]

Well, I'm using an M8 professionally and one of the nice things about it (apart from size, weight, optics) is that people don't notice you taking pictures - surprisingly few seem to know about Leicas these days and many people seem to thinks its simply a compact. Hardly such a status symbol - except perhaps amongst some photographers.

Mine's been reliable, takes excellent images and I charge the same for them as those taken by my (more expensive) Canon! Oh yes, and I can use 50 year old (70 year old with a simple adapter) lenses on it too - many very good and not that expensive. Any more comments?

[DarkPenguin]

I generally mistake Jaguars for Hyundai's these days.
Should be pretty undemanding when it comes to cameras then
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Did I really need to put "off topic" on my post?

[photoshutter]

Just received my new m8, great camera, image in a same quality with 1dII or better (very good shadow range), but with much smaller in size, I like it a lot, very easy to use, I'm using only one lens, 40mm summicron-c
which I like, no need more, for unfamiliar faces is the best tool, 1d scary people in big, like machine gun. it is professional tool, but Leica need to add another SD slot, for back up files.

[situgrrl]

Since someone else dragged this thread up, I've got 2c too!

Firstly, Photoshutter - congrats - I'm jeleous.

Secondly - Leica - what are you playing at?  For the sake of argument, let's all agree that Leicas are "the greatest camera in the world."  Now, that being the case, you would expect their primary audience to be "the greatest photographers in the world" - or at least those who aspire to be.  Surely such people would find a snap-shot mode rather - insulting?!  Part of the brilliance of Leica for me is the simplicity - this is another mode to confuse things when shooting in a hurry - the thing Leica's excel at.

Thirdly - Sure, you can buy a full frame Canon or Nikon and have change for 2 lenses for the price of an M8 body - but the people that suggest this don't get "it" - and never ever will at the price point.  Contrary to what so many seem to think, the 5D or whatever is not a close competitor to the M8 - the nearest Canon to it is the G10 - which suffers chronic shutter lag in comparison.  (I say this having shot with neither, but comparing a G5 to an M4-P).

People talk about the loss to photography is Leica were to go under but the simple fact is, the loss is already apparent.  The red dot means squat except ludicrous prices but in jacking them up so high what is lost the whole style of photography that they facilitated.  

If a 2B pencil cost £500 we would still have oil painting....but sketching becomes tough.

I know that Cosina are still making them for film - and I know I'm in a tiny minority still shooting it - and the fact is, I don't want to be for most things and shoot less as a result.  The kids enrolling on PJ courses or taking their first jobs in the media have never known anything but digital behemoths and, unless someone steps up, never will.

[photoshutter]

What I think is m8 is better than m8.2. Why? cause 1/8000 speed with 1/250 flash sinchro is better than silenced shutter, snap mode and hardened glass, for me at least, again, I need two SD card slots.

[marcmccalmont]

I'm trying to figure out when one would use f0.95.  I presume when you want the front of the model's pores sharp but not the back.

At that price (8000 euros?) I'm sure MR will have two of them and wear them as pinky rings.

My Dad had an early screw fit Canon f1.0 lens in his case, when asked about it he mumbled about taking a squad of Marines into Cuba to take pictures of Russian trawlers at night.
Marc

[Slough]

They won't. A small company like Leica can't stand loosing so much sales. Leica lost over 40% in sales last year. If that goes on, which will, because nearly nobody is buying a nocti for 8000EURs..., they won't be around in two years. I really hope one of the bigger players takes the chance and buys Leica.

Leica do a lot more besides cameras. Leica is one of the top 4 makers of laboratory and industrial microscopes. Leica binoculars and spotting scopes are top of the pile. And they have other products too.

I don't doubt that Leica glass is very nice indeed. But one thing I notice is that in Leica online forums, all to often owners post incredibly mundane images, which receive 'wow' comments. I know that is common in online photo forums, but when the camera and lens cost as much as many cars (automobiles for anyone across the pond), you might expect the user's skills to be rather well developed.

[pete_truman]

Secondly - Leica - what are you playing at?  For the sake of argument, let's all agree that Leicas are "the greatest camera in the world."  Now, that being the case, you would expect their primary audience to be "the greatest photographers in the world" - or at least those who aspire to be.  Surely such people would find a snap-shot mode rather - insulting?!

That's for the celebs who acquire a Leica thinking its the best camera that money can buy but then find it is too complex for them to use...

[Misirlou]

Well, I'm using an M8 professionally and one of the nice things about it (apart from size, weight, optics) is that people don't notice you taking pictures - surprisingly few seem to know about Leicas these days and many people seem to thinks its simply a compact. Hardly such a status symbol - except perhaps amongst some photographers.

Mine's been reliable, takes excellent images and I charge the same for them as those taken by my (more expensive) Canon! Oh yes, and I can use 50 year old (70 year old with a simple adapter) lenses on it too - many very good and not that expensive. Any more comments?

I've had the same experience with other old-looking cameras. About ten years ago, I was shooting a group of 20 friends with a Rolleiflex TLR. A guy said "Hey, my grandmother used to have a box camera too." I love using TLRs for candid shots, esp. in 3rd world countries: A lot of people don't understand that you can take a picture from a camera you're looking into from above.

All this talk of comparing the M8 to a modern DSLR misses the point, as far as I'm concerned. I suspect many M8 buyers are just looking for a way to shoot digital with their existing Leica lenses. I hate seeing my favorite old Hassy and Leica lenses sit idle right now, but I can't afford an M8 or a digital back for the Hassys.

And those of us who have Leica gear didn't all get it just to satisfy some sick Freudian issue either. What I paid for my entire Leica kit years ago was pretty trivial. Replacing it with the latest Canon L gear would cost a whole lot more now, even accounting for inflation.