Anyone heard of this camera?

onikami said:
Anyone know what the hell this is about? Are these people the Rolls Royce of the camera indusrty?
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Pretty much Yes!

They are one of the most revered names in photographic equipment manufacture and have a devout following. Mainly concetrated on 35mm rangefinders and SLRs but have dipped their toe into the digital market.

Their lenses are some of the best ever made!
 
They've been around for years and are very very very good!
Expensive... yes

cheers
Bill
 
EdBray said:
Pretty much Yes!

They are one of the most revered names in photographic equipment manufacture and have a devout following. Mainly concetrated on 35mm rangefinders and SLRs but have dipped their toe into the digital market.

Their lenses are some of the best ever made!
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So the M8 is the digital version? To be honest, this is the first time in 31 years I have heard of them. It does look beautiful, will admit. And I do want one, but, my God, couldn't justify paying that much in a million years.
 
Have to say that I'd never buy (or afford) one myself but having a friend who's had several including a MP and M8 which I've been allowed to fondle I can understand the attraction. Bit like a Rolex watch or a superb fountain pen a joy to handle but whether I'd notice the difference between the finished output of one and a Canon/Nikon etc I doubt. Not that I'll ever have the option....
 
velocette said:
Have to say that I'd never buy (or afford) one myself but having a friend who's had several including a MP and M8 which I've been allowed to fondle I can understand the attraction. Bit like a Rolex watch or a superb fountain pen a joy to handle but whether I'd notice the difference between the finished output of one and a Canon/Nikon etc I doubt. Not that I'll ever have the option....
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Ditto ....I will never be able to afford one unless I sell all my kit for one body
 
onikami said:
So the M8 is the digital version? To be honest, this is the first time in 31 years I have heard of them. It does look beautiful, will admit. And I do want one, but, my God, couldn't justify paying that much in a million years.
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You can't have had much interest in cameras over the last 31 years then.

A D700 is 2 grand :shrug: are you any more likely to buy one of those ?

wait....my Mamiya 6 is worth a grand with glass....and its a film camera...:lol:
 
onikami said:
So the M8 is the digital version? To be honest, this is the first time in 31 years I have heard of them. It does look beautiful, will admit. And I do want one, but, my God, couldn't justify paying that much in a million years.
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How long have you been interested in photography, I am assuming that the 31 years is your age?

Google Leica, especially the history of!

Oskar Barnack's genius idea of creating the small format 35mm camera created a revolution in photography in 1925, paving the way for the birth of the Leica Legend. His diminutive, lightweight LEICA A offered a new, undreamed-of freedom in reportage and artistic photography. From that point to the present day, Leica has had a profound influence on our view of the world we live in. And remarkably, you can still savour this sheer visual enjoyment time and time again whenever you use a Leica product to provide that unique visual perspective.

basically the Leica was the forerunner of everything we currenly do in small format photography today, took the concept of 35mm cine film and made a camera that was able to use it for stills.
 
Honestly, if you ever get the chance to handle one, they just "ooze" quality.
Not in the high-tech way that maybe Canon or Nikon do, but just in pure engineering excellence.
 
I only recently developed an interest in photography and was only aware of the usual brands: Canon, Pentak, Panasonic, Sony etc.

Never heard of Lecia until Thursday this week.

Now that I've come across them, it is somewhat annoying that it seems the price indicates is more or less a rich mans play thing. Reading comments here and looking at the pic of the M8, I want one now.
 
How cool does that shutter sound (new version)?
 
onikami said:
I recently came across a camera called a Leica M8. Became intrigued. But have been shocked that almost all are priced over £1000.

WTF? :bang:

Anyone know what the hell this is about? Are these people the Rolls Royce of the camera indusrty?

Bloody crazy.

Here is one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=310119006684&Category=31388

:cuckoo:
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I don't want to be rude, but I guess you can put that down to "learning something new every day". If you've been into photography and not heard of Leica, that' ok .. but at £1,000 that's dirt cheap.

Have a look at the new ones, and the price of their lenses (here) and you will see just how much these go for.

These are some of the sexiest cameras ever made.



Bill Roberts said:
Honestly, if you ever get the chance to handle one, they just "ooze" quality.
Not in the high-tech way that maybe Canon or Nikon do, but just in pure engineering excellence.
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You really shouldn't tell him to do that. I guess you haven't been following the thread by AliB (here) and see the consequence of something like that :p

Lieca are as addictive as some of the stuff people snort up their nostrils. It should come with a NHS warning.


AliB said:
That's a bargain!

The retail price of a new M8 is about £4000. Here's the spec http://uk.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/m8/

And if you like expensive cameras there are the Hasselblads and this little baby.

http://www.roundshot.ch/xml_1/internet/de/application/d438/d925/f934.cfm

It's only $42,000. :)
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Go on, keep gloating. I hope you realise that you're pushing many into a divorce!

But seriously, you are one lucky person and I hope you're enjoying that sexy toy which you fondle with your hand close to your face.
 
Have a look at Contax, Mamiya, Hasselblad as well as Leica. All classics in their own right.

Welcome to the world of photography. I just bought my first Leica only a week ago (little D-Lux4 digital) and they are things of beauty, I'd love an M8 but I'd have to sell a kidney! :) or MrB............ Must..........stay..........away...........from...........M8............

You could buy a tidy car for what they cost!

And Wail, for all the little Leica is a sexy little midget gem, it's the hasselblad that I just want to lick (but I'd ruin the leather covering!)
 
When they say that Leica do digital they mean that they take a panasonic camera and stick a red dot on it :D
 
The M8 was a huge step for Leica - producing a digital camera as their latest step in the legendary M Series. Most would say it's has the feel of an M Series in every way. No doubt this is a step Leica had to take to survive. Unfortunately the camera is flawed with a faulty sensor.

I believe the camera is now sold with filter to correct the problem.
 
AliB said:
Have a look at Contax, Mamiya, Hasselblad as well as Leica. All classics in their own right.

Welcome to the world of photography. I just bought my first Leica only a week ago (little D-Lux4 digital) and they are things of beauty, I'd love an M8 but I'd have to sell a kidney! :) or MrB............ Must..........stay..........away...........from...........M8............

You could buy a tidy car for what they cost!

And Wail, for all the little Leica is a sexy little midget gem, it's the hasselblad that I just want to lick (but I'd ruin the leather covering!)
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Yup ... keep this up and we'll end-up having a camera orgy!



koomber said:
When they say that Leica do digital they mean that they take a panasonic camera and stick a red dot on it :D
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You do realise that you're on borderline blasphemy with something like that going through your mind :bat:

I think there is a rule here that says such idiologies could get you tied to a stake and burnt alive, much like they did to witches in the old days. I'd be veeeery careful, if I were you :p
 
CT said:
The M8 was a huge step for Leica - producing a digital camera as their latest step in the legendary M Series. Most would say it's has the feel of an M Series in every way. No doubt this is a step Leica had to take to survive. Unfortunately the camera is flawed with a faulty sensor.

I believe the camera is now sold with filter to correct the problem.
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I believe there was a problem and they brought out the M8.2 version presumably to fix it. I think (but not being a Leica owner I'm not certain) that you can basically have an original M8 converted to the latest version.
That sound typically Leica to be honest... anything is possible at a cost.

They *are* superb, but very expensive too!
 
It will be more expensive if they make it gold plated. If I win the lottery on saturday I'll buy one.
 
Bill Roberts said:
I believe there was a problem and they brought out the M8.2 version presumably to fix it. I think (but not being a Leica owner I'm not certain) that you can basically have an original M8 converted to the latest version.
That sound typically Leica to be honest... anything is possible at a cost.

They *are* superb, but very expensive too!
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I can understand why people like Leicas, but there's certain things about them that would drive me nuts. The fact that you virtually have to disassemble the camera to load it and manual focusing to name just two. I wouldn't swap my Contax G2 for one, but I can understand the appeal. That's film cameras of course.
 
See, I did mention Contax.........and forgot Rollieflex...

oh yes Camera orgy all right :)
 
Funny enough I think the manual focussing wouldn't be as big an issue as you'd expect.
Rangefinders are pretty quick to focus. But I do agree, in a lot of ways they'd drive me nuts too!
 
Bill Roberts said:
Funny enough I think the manual focussing wouldn't be as big an issue as you'd expect.
Rangefinders are pretty quick to focus. But I do agree, in a lot of ways they'd drive me nuts too!
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It's probably totally irrational, but manual focusing is one of the things I love about medium format cameras, but it drives me quackers on a 35mm camera. :gag:
 
D LUX 4!?!?!?

i....hate......you.....all.

;)

Was looking for a G9, but now.........
 
CT said:
It's probably totally irrational, but manual focusing is one of the things I love about medium format cameras, but it drives me quackers on a 35mm camera. :gag:
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Not irrational at all CT. It's probably a speed thing. The MF gear almost demands that you take your time and focusing is just part of a fairly time consuming setup. With 35mm we are probably more "in the moment" so anything that detracts from the immediacy of that capture is going to interfere rather than enhance the experience.
 
AliB said:
Not irrational at all CT. It's probably a speed thing. The MF gear almost demands that you take your time and focusing is just part of a fairly time consuming setup. With 35mm we are probably more "in the moment" so anything that detracts from the immediacy of that capture is going to interfere rather than enhance the experience.
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I think that's exactly it Ali. The whole slowed down process of using a medium format makes it an event when you press the shutter, and very satisfying somehow - two different animals.
 
cressers said:
D LUX 4!?!?!?

i....hate......you.....all.

;)

Was looking for a G9, but now.........
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What did I say about such thread :shrug:


AliB said:
Not irrational at all CT. It's probably a speed thing. The MF gear almost demands that you take your time and focusing is just part of a fairly time consuming setup. With 35mm we are probably more "in the moment" so anything that detracts from the immediacy of that capture is going to interfere rather than enhance the experience.
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So, you're pushing 35SLRs down the food-chain towards P&S cameras :bat:

Sure, with an 35SLR we can be "in the moment", but it's always best to "slow down" and consider the shot being taken .. and manual focus makes me do just that. If anything, it increases the number of keepers I get to have while reducing the number of time I force my 35SLR into a P&S mode.
 
Wail said:
So, you're pushing 35SLRs down the food-chain towards P&S cameras :bat:
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Nope, but there is a kind of continuum in terms of format vs time. I've seen Gandhi set up a large format film camera ( I could cook breakfast quicker) Then there is MF where there is a degree of faffing about (note the use of a technical term) and then 35mm and last but not least digital SLR with one keeper out of 100 ratios (but it's quick)

So 35mm film is actually nicely in the middle being faster than LF/MF and slower than digital anything.
 
CT said:
I think that's exactly it Ali. The whole slowed down process of using a medium format makes it an event when you press the shutter, and very satisfying somehow - two different animals.
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To be honest I got a lot of satisfaction from manually focussing. Years ago I had Yashica 124G, a Bronica EC-TL and a Hasselblad 500CM. Of course you didn't have any option, but it never ever seemed to be a burden to manually focus them. In fact with the blad the mirror didn't even auto return until you wound it on to the next frame. I don't think I want to go back there, but I must admit to a certain amount of nostalgia.
The quality of the end result though... Oh Yes!
 
Bill Roberts said:
In fact with the blad the mirror didn't even auto return until you wound it on to the next frame. I don't think I want to go back there, but I must admit to a certain amount of nostalgia.
The quality of the end result though... Oh Yes!
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LOL. I really do hear you. I have an RB67 and a 501CM and I love them both.
 
I must admit to having thought about selling all my Canon gear and just buying myself a 2nd hand Leica M8 (any other of the leica digital range is just paying for a red dot)and a couple of lenses but I would love a digital version of the Contax G2 and if I had the time would just have a film version.

But for now I will stick with my Sigma DP1 and my 5D... but for how long, who knows? :)
 
It would have to be a Leica M7 for me - at least they have aperture priority. The cost of the lenses though! :eek:
 
I would hate to see the price tag of a design it yourself 'Leica a la carte' build

Ouch, you wallet would sting after that!
 
onikami said:
To be honest, this is the first time in 31 years I have heard of them.
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Ask people to name a camera manufacturer and leica will probably be in the top three (along with canon and nikon)

historically the only companies whocan compete with leica for fame and reverence is zeiss and hasselblad - but you may not have heard of them either.


onikami said:
I only recently developed an interest in photography and was only aware of the usual brands: Canon, Pentak, Panasonic, Sony etc.
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No nikon, can't spell pentax but does include Panasonic and Sony for the 'usual bands' :cuckoo:
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
Ask people to name a camera manufacturer and leica will probably be in the top three (along with canon and nikon)
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I think if you were to stop 100 people in the street and ask them to name 3 camera manufacturers, I would bet very few of them mention Leica tbh
 
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