I am loosely planning to use the M6 with Tri-X and the M8 for almost everything. I will use the M6 when I want that look. Probably this will be no more than 10% of the time, but I am willing to keep it around for that. I would like to have a 35mm for the M8, which means a 28mm, and I am planning to save up for the 28/2 Cron Asph, and use my 30% to bring the price within reach. I will also pick up a 75 Lux second-hand, when I can find a clean one for €1300. My dealer assures me that this is not that hard. I have seen two go last week for €1200.
Jack Flesher wrote:
Man, you guys are a tough crowd!
I am now am completely embarassed into getting a better pic of her up for you guys to critique! If only it stops raining here, and we get some sun, and I can get one of the kids to wash her up...
Martin, I might pick up a 35mm too, but given that it is a 50mm on the M8, this is pretty low priority for me. I really have my heart set on the 28/2 Asph. I know the Ultron is great, and if I didn't have a big tax return coming, I might buy it instead, but the Leica is really the one I want.
Yeah, the 28mm summicron is amazing. I actually got the 28mm f/1.9 Ultron because I wanted to get the M8 but after all the problems with the M8, the fact that I like what I can get out of film and that a DSLR camera will be my main camera has made me decide not to get the M8. At least for now. So I might sell the 28mm f/1.9 Ultron too and only keep a 35mm. That's all I need for a M. OK, maybe a 50mm too
carstenw wrote:
I am loosely planning to use the M6 with Tri-X and the M8 for almost everything.
Not sure I would bother unless you want the second body or the greater latitude of the film. (TX is pretty good, but many others like TMX don't have much over the M8.) The M8 can make a very nice B&W: http://www.rockgarden.net/download/sfxmas06/L1030282-700.jpg
(Shot with my new CV 28/3.5, which is rapidly becoming my favorite body cap!)
I just did a quick focus check with my M8 and several lenses.
What I found that when shooting at f1.0 and f1.4 small inaccurancies can have quit some effect regarding the subject being in focus and totally sharp or not.
Now ......
-my 50 Noctilux does frontfocus at lower distances
-2 weeksw old Summilux does slight backfocus
-35asphLux is very good
-75 Lux seems very good
-wide angles: dont think its that much influence.
Im turned off a little because both of my fast 50s do NOT focus ON THE POINT and I will have to send them to Leica
Other hands on impression:
I wish that it was possible to delay the electronic "winder" -something like a silent mode.
I also do find that the camera does not fit as nice in my hand as the M6 (M8 thicker and M8 having the control weel sticking out on the backside. But its ok
24mm frame not really easy to see, 28 seems much better. (should I have waited with buying the 24?)
Filters do make a big difference and I keep them on the lens all the time.
More later.
I've been through this with my R-D1, with lenses with very narrow DOF the lens has to be right on and may have to be shimmed to the finder.
Tim
t_streng wrote:
I just did a quick focus check with my M8 and several lenses.
What I found that when shooting at f1.0 and f1.4 small inaccurancies can have quit some effect regarding the subject being in focus and totally sharp or not.
Now ......
-my 50 Noctilux does frontfocus at lower distances
-2 weeksw old Summilux does slight backfocus
-35asphLux is very good
-75 Lux seems very good
-wide angles: dont think its that much influence.
Im turned off a little because both of my fast 50s do NOT focus ON THE POINT and I will have to send them to Leica
Other hands on impression:
I wish that it was possible to delay the electronic "winder" -something like a silent mode.
I also do find that the camera does not fit as nice in my hand as the M6 (M8 thicker and M8 having the control weel sticking out on the backside. But its ok
24mm frame not really easy to see, 28 seems much better. (should I have waited with buying the 24?)
Filters do make a big difference and I keep them on the lens all the time.
More later. ...Show more →
t_streng wrote:
I just did a quick focus check with my M8 and several lenses.
What I found that when shooting at f1.0 and f1.4 small inaccurancies can have quit some effect regarding the subject being in focus and totally sharp or not.
Now ......
-my 50 Noctilux does frontfocus at lower distances
-2 weeksw old Summilux does slight backfocus
-35asphLux is very good
-75 Lux seems very good
-wide angles: dont think its that much influence.
Im turned off a little because both of my fast 50s do NOT focus ON THE POINT and I will have to send them to Leica
Other hands on impression:
I wish that it was possible to delay the electronic "winder" -something like a silent mode.
I also do find that the camera does not fit as nice in my hand as the M6 (M8 thicker and M8 having the control weel sticking out on the backside. But its ok
24mm frame not really easy to see, 28 seems much better. (should I have waited with buying the 24?)
Filters do make a big difference and I keep them on the lens all the time.
More later. ...Show more →
Tom:
Did you do your focus tests on a tripod? The Noctilux in Particular has very shallow DOF which even the sway of your body can throw it off.
I have also never had a lens off. Have you checked the rangefinder for infinity focus. Focused on a tower a mile or so away. The viewfinder magnifier helps focusing the Noctilux too.
Anybody in Arizona looking for a M8. The dealer I got my DMR from has one they were offering to me, but it arrived in their shop only Friday, too late to ship to Canada. With all the customs and all the holidays I probably wouldn't get it until next year.
Rob,
I used the 1,25 magnifier and took several shots varying the distance with each lens, and each lens showed the same tendency in consistently in nearly all shots.
I only can recommend to everybody to check there fast lenses.
t_streng wrote:
Rob,
I used the 1,25 magnifier and took several shots varying the distance with each lens, and each lens showed the same tendency in consistently in nearly all shots.
I only can recommend to everybody to check there fast lenses.
Did you check out the infinity alignment of the rangefinder?
Yes, pick something far away and make sure the patches align when the Noctilux is on infinity. A radio tower or something similar that is very thin makes it more definative.
For example, in this shot, the boat is not far enough away for an infinity check. I focused on the lights of the boat, but the radio towers in the background are out of focus. The lens was probably just a touch off the infinity stop, but it was enough to make a difference. You would check the infinity against something like the radio towers. Most of my Leica M have needed this infinity tweaked slightly. I think Leica sents them up to a optical infinity which is something times the focal length.
http://www.robsteve.com/FM/MakingPort.jpg
BTW, this is E200 slide film, TallShips 2000 in Halifax. I shot from a boat 1/60th, f1. This is the jazzed up version with lots of extra saturation that I used for prints.
t_streng wrote:
tim,
I hoped the M8 would do better than my rd1, but it doesnt so yes, the problem seems to be lens related.
2 quick ones with the 75lux:
I should qualify, if your finder is correctly adjusted and you have problems then look to the lens. My Leica 90mm required just a .001" shim to correct it for back focusing.
just check if I can overlap the two little rangefinder images?
