Mark Norton wrote:
From memory of using the camera at Photokina, if you have a short shutter speed selected, it will shoot at about 2fps, but will obviously slow down as the exposure time increases. In continuous mode, it will take pictures for as long as your finger is on the release or until the buffer fills up. In single shot you have to let the release up but cannot remember how far. There are four positions - "nothing", "meter on", "exposure locked", "release".
Thanks! The reason I was wondering is that one of the first SLRs with a built-in motor drive, the Nikon F4, had a 'silent drive' mode. In a nutshell, in this setting it slowed down the winding to quiet it. (Not sure if Nikons still have it, I haven't used Nikons since about then.) I was wondering if Leica had done something similar in the single-shot (S) drive mode.
Mark Norton wrote:
The answer is that you can mount the lens, but you won't get the results you are looking for.
The macro adapter is effectively an extension tube with goggles and there's a a small cam roller to transmit the focussing ring position through to the camera via a slider.
The key thing is that the lens is mounted upside down in the Macro Adapter which presents you with a different distance scale and depth of field markings engraved on the conventional "underside" of the lens. Most important of all is that it also presents a different profile cam for the camera to follow in macro mode. Look at the cam and you see two distinct profiles, one for use by the camera when the lens is being used normally, the second for use by the macro adapter when in macro mode. ...Show more →
Sounds like the two really need to match... Oh well, glad I asked. Thanks for helping out!
Does any on know that model battery the M8 is going to take?
The manual doesn't give a model number. I hope we will be able to get 3rd party batteries and chargers. I would not want to ever go out with out at least 2 spares and two chargers.
Camera-specific, as it communicates with the camera.No third-party likely. But come on, you are not going to pinch 20 $ on a battery for a 5000$ camera and 10.000$ lenses, are you?
jaapv wrote:
Camera-specific, as it communicates with the camera.No third-party likely. But come on, you are not going to pinch 20 $ on a battery for a 5000$ camera, are you?
I do with my Canon 5D 3K camera (at time I got it). A battery is a battery is a battery.
What can a battery communicate? I'm charged, I'm not charged. It's just volts and milliamps.
The only thing specific is the contact set up and form factor.
I't's not. The battery charge and film counter are linked. RD1 users suffered major camera problems through 3-rd party batteries. Anyway, unlikely to be any 3-rd party ones. Leica is notorious for its patent policy.
To me the advantage of 3rd party is the ability to get a spare very quickly if necessary, where ever you happen to be. That was one of my favorite parts of the consumer Canons. One of the MFDB's (Aptus I think) uses relatively cheap Sony camcorder batteries.
Since it is newly introduced (as we all know, we are still waiting for ours....), it would be awhile for generic batteries to become available. Based on the limited appeal, battery manufacturers may even think twice about making batteries for this camera, but I may be off base in that respect. As long as I can get about 500 shots per charge as Leica specified (with limited chimping), I will be happy with just one battery to start with.
I embarked on M8 madness for two reasons. Leica glass, and 16 bit pixel depth. (RF and the Leica charisma are bonuses.) The Leica glass I know about - for me this doesn't require a lot of comment.
The question is: does 16 bit capture make a difference? Does the M8 realy provide 16 bit? I know what I would be looking for in the raw files, but I have trouble describing it. It could, but doesn't necessarily, translate into better dynamic range (than the 1DsII for example). Anyway, just a question . . . .
jaapv wrote:
But come on, you are not going to pinch 20 $ on a battery for a 5000$ camera
Let's be realistic... we're talking about Leica here!
The battery will probably cost around $450 due to the extensive quality control. The only hope I see that maybe the Panasonic version will fit, but it will not be tweaked by Leica and possibly not perform as well.
Re: Batteries can cause fires. So much for my 1st D2000, an actual Polaroid battery blew up and burned my D2000 up, the bag, and one lens (135 2.0L).
"Check please!"
Re: F4 Quiet Mode...the 1D's have that too, quieter-shutter-mode.
Re: M8 fever...I'm going to buy a clean Canon QL17 and see if RF's are still in my brain...haven't shot one since I was 11! It was a fixed lens Olympus, 60's, and I dropped it an dented a corner which jammed it. Maybe I'll take a go at fixing it, use a piece of hardwood to bring the corner out? Hmm.
If I like the QL17, which I'm going to compete in the Deviant Art contest with...then I'll try a Bessa and the 35 1.2. 28 1.9...who knows!
(vision of the snot nose dirty kid looking in on the rich kids playing with German trains...)
G.
Random p.s. There is a really nice, dramatic, well-shot picture of a soldier on ABCNEWS.COM right now...first "notable" shot I've ever seen there that I can recall!
Edited by losloslos on Oct 23, 2006 at 09:16 PM GMT
MikeZ wrote:
Let's be realistic... we're talking about Leica here!
The battery will probably cost around $450 due to the extensive quality control. The only hope I see that maybe the Panasonic version will fit, but it will not be tweaked by Leica and possibly not perform as well.
For reference the DMR batteries are about $140, and good for about 300 shots max.
Guy,
That bag with dual compartments looks good but it would be heavy if loaded like that. Leica M lenses, although small in size but quite hefty in weight. I am more thinking along the line of a slingshot type bag for easy access as well as easy on the shoulder. I haven't made up my mind yet though.
Guy Mancuso wrote:
It certainly don't look like a camera bag but more a messenger bag, good street bag . Of course if i ever decide to switch teams i at least have the bag for it.
Well, lets just call it a man bag instead of a purse
AGeoJO wrote:
Since it is newly introduced (as we all know, we are still waiting for ours....), it would be awhile for generic batteries to become available. Based on the limited appeal, battery manufacturers may even think twice about making batteries for this camera, but I may be off base in that respect. As long as I can get about 500 shots per charge as Leica specified (with limited chimping), I will be happy with just one battery to start with.
The batteries here are showing at about $85. I think 500 shots will be stretching it, the Leica manual says 400 with 4 seconds chimping per shot.
I bought compatible batteries for my R-D1 which have been fine, obviously generic and identical to the Epson branded ones selling for 4 times the price. The Epson battery is just a cell and two connections, as simple as it can get.
The Leica battery might be smarter. I was told by Leica at Photokina that the battery was designed just for this camera. Some manufacturers put memory chips in the battery to try to prevent you using a compatible (Sony laptops) or to record battery usage (Nikon) so that you know when a battery is reaching the end of its useful life.
It's possible that a manufacturer like Haehne might come out with one, we'll see.
MikeZ wrote:
Let's be realistic... we're talking about Leica here!
The battery will probably cost around $450 due to the extensive quality control. The only hope I see that maybe the Panasonic version will fit, but it will not be tweaked by Leica and possibly not perform as well.
80 Euro, so under 100$ Panasonic ?
Yes Mark, you are correct, the battery has a memory chip. Your frame counter will show the number of shots left on the card, OR the number of shots on your battery, whichever is lower.
Thanks for helping out!
Maybe I'll take a go at fixing it, use a piece of hardwood to bring the corner out? Hmm. 
?