Quoting "Dr. Puritz" <drpuritz@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>: > Thanks Bill. Very interesting to follow the discussion from so many very > accomplished Leica photographers. > > I have passed the link over to the MUG list. Tina Manley, a wonderful > photographer and an even better person, posted some of her early M8 > photos.....and....you guessed it....magenta color. Others on the MUG have > commented on some yellow banding. > > Problems for the M8. Exactly what is NOT needed as Leica tries to push > ahead and survive. Leica will develop some kind of fix, but one wonders > "what they knew, and when they knew it". The possible need to encode lenses > > and use filters has many very riled up. I have an M8 on order, and like > many, I am wondering. > > Elliot Hi Elliot! I dont' want to sound like an apologist for Leica, but the early DMR firmware also had problems with magenta faces, and eratic WB... in fact these problems were much worse than with the early M8's, for Leica have learned much from thier DMR experience. Personally, I believe that these problems stem from the extended sensitivity into the infra-red range that is part of the makeup of both the M8 and the DMR. And, it is extended sensitivity which as made the WB and related problmes harder to solve, than for firms like Canon or Nikon, which which place stronger IR filters in thier cameras. OTOH, I also believe that it is this extended sensitivity that helps determine the "look and feel" of Leica digital photographs. As you say, "Leica will develop some kind of fix". Certainly, with the DMR, each new firmware update has made a big difference. With the current version (v1.2) the magenta faces are gone, and the white balance is much more reliable... though still a bit eratic, at times. I understand that V1.3 (now in testing and due out before Christmas) makes considerable improvement again. As for 'what they knew, and when'... well, I have no knowledge, But, look at from their standpoint. Historically, Leica missed just about every deadline for introducing new cameras for the last 30 years. (The DMR was nearly 2 years late!) And they have been resoundly chastised for it. So... if you were in their shoes - even if you felt of a problem which you could cure in, say, 6 months... are you better off taking the flack for something which occurs infrequently, but which definitely does occur, or are you better off taking the flack for a 6 to 7 month delay in introducing the camera. Then, throw in their financial position, realize that such a delay could cause the firm to fail, and then answer the question again. My CANON 20D went through several udates whilst I had it, and I understand from other 20D owners I know, that there have been a couple since that time. And Canon is a company with a long history in digital cameras! The problem is that users invariably use a product in ways that the designers and testers never though were possible. Then they find out these ways are not only possible, but popular! Whether folks cancel their R8 orders because of such things is entirely their choice. But such things plague every digital camera. I'm glad they did not prevent me from buying the DMR... and yes, I knew of the DMR's problems before I bought. For, despite it's foibles, the only digital camera I've ever found which makes photographs as stunning as the DMR, is the M8! And the M8, to be honest, is a lot simpler to use! Cheers! David (on the road again) Young. ------ Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at: http://www3.telus.net/~telyt/lrflex.htm Archives are at: //www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/