Leica M8

[wang]

There is the news for the new Leica M8. It is relevant to discuss this camera here because it could be fitted with the ZM lenses. I have gone through all the new informations about this new camera but one important point is missing.

Which manufacturer is supplying the sensor ? Is it Imacon again ? If so, I would believe it would be more film like and less plastic feel in the image.

 

[fotografz]

Reports I've read say it is Kodak with Jenoptic providing the digital elecctronic expertise that Imacon provided for the DMR. Like the DMR it is a 16 bit CCD sensor with a 1.33X crop factor. It is not the same sensor as the DMR however, due to needing design features to accomidate rangefinder lenses which set in closer to the sensor plane.

BTW, Imacon does not make sensors.

The ISO sensitivity ranges from 160 to 2500. The viewfinder has bright line framing for 24 through 90mm lenses ... so the corresponding wide Zeiss ZM glass can be used (like the ZM25/2.8) without an aux. viewfinder. My suspecions are that a 21mm can also be used without a aux. finder by framing using the full viewfinder window .... but that remains to be seen.

Preliminary reports from beta users say that it is very much like the Leica DMR in picture quality and dynamic range with improved higher ISO quality.

The new M8 has a different shutter than the Ms of the past. The cloth shutter has been replaced with one similar to that of the R9. 1/8000th top speed and 1/250th sync speed means fast M mount glass can be used wide open in broad daylight ... and fill flash can be more easily used outdoors with wider apertures.

I ordered mine last year and am #1 on the list of my long time Leica dealer to receive mine in early November (hopefully).

dpreview has a comprehensive technical overview of the new camera already:

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[jsmisc]

Beautiful looking camera and something to aspire to

 

[dirk]

mmmhhh, the M8 is really looking good. A crop factor of 1.33 seems to be something many users could live with. 10MP also.

I wonder whether this CCD will give us a filmlike look. According to the press release of Leica, they paid special attention to the need for noise-reduced images at high ISO setting for the M8.

I wonder whether this is only marketing hype or real...

So Marc is again the lucky man who goes first with this adventure. I am totally jaleous. But the price is too high for me...

I wonder if the lack of the extra 6pins in the Zeiss Ikon lenses would be a disadvantage in the final results, if you shoot only in RAW. In jpeg it will obviously make a difference since it gives the exif info to the internal algorithm to adapt vignetting etc.

But in raw, you have no changes in the file, just the attached exif data. So I guess ZM lenses and Leica lenses have then same starting levels to begin with - In other words no disadvantage for ZM lenses..

 

[dirk]

sorry, I forgot the link to the press release:

https://camera-info.com/Leica/Leica_M8_and_2_new_M-lenses.html

 

[kdemas]

Dirk,

It will be interesting to see how the M8 performs. I too have one on order, though I am not #1 on on our local list (more like #15). It will be exciting to give it a whirl.

I think the zeiss lenses should work just fine. When shooting in RAW the 6-bit code really is only used for lens identification in the EXIF file, from what I understand. In JPG it's a different story as it aids the "in camera processing" in a number of ways.

Anyway, I'm glad we have something else to get excited about in the world of photography. Now I jsut have to decide what to sell!

Take care and thanks for the Zeiss interview you posted, very interesting.

Kent

 

[fotografz]

As ex&le I have some non-ROM type Leica R lenses for the DMR ... so the Exif info lacks which lens and aperture setting was used because the lens is not communicating with the camera. Same will be true for the M8. No big deal because the film M doesn't tell you anything about the shot either : -)

Since I rarely if ever use jpg and almost always shoot RAW, I was actually relieved to see that the adjustments were not applied to RAW files since it will cost $125. to apply the Code to each of my M lenses.

In PhotoShop CS2 Adobe Camera RAW there are excellent, fast and easy to use tools to adjust any vignetting should that be needed.

 

[djg]

Dirk, I don't think luck had much of anything to do with Marc getting his M8 when he does .

On the other hand it had everything to do with me getting my EOS 1Ds Mk 2 when I did back in Dec 05. I logged in to B&H to change my e-mail notification for it to my work address, realizing that if I waited until evening at home to read it, whatever slim quantity dribbled in would be gone by then, and lo & behold it said In Stock! Just the one! It was Divine Intervention, I swear, as I had told myself the night before, "If God really wants you to have one he'll make it happen" ...

 

[fotografz]

Dirk, I can't recall where we were discussing printers, but if you remember I mentioned that a reliable source told me Epson was coming with a new printer ...

It IS coming just as I predicted. I got this today ...

 

[djg]

Hey, I click there but nothing happens ... oh, that's for the old printers anyway. I've been contemplating the Canon IPF5000. I'll have to hold off a bit.