Leica m8 questions

[200sx]

Hi bros, I am contemplating on buying a M8 and ZM 21mm f2.8

Problem is
1. do i really need an external viewfinder?
2. how close can i focus. is it m8's finder limiting the close focus?
3. how do i activate the frame lines for 28mm? anyway of coding ZM 21mm without going to send it for milling or machining?
4. how long can an M8 shutter last?

Thanks!

 

[gommy]

1. The whole viewfinder view is very close to the 21mm.
2. Range-coupled up to 0.7mm any closer "guessitimate" or zone-focus
3. I'm not sure about ZM21with the newer mount, ie the one with a trough but the one with the original mount brings up I think the 50/75mm framelines. For Leica, 21mm should bring up 28/90 framelines. If ZM21 brings up 50/75 framelines even if you code for a Elmarit21Asph, the focal length will not be registered. And if you use UV/IR, no compensation will be applied for cyan vignetting. When I had the ZM21 briefly, I actually ordered the mount the brings up the 28/90 framelines from Zeiss Germany and send it to John Milch in US to mill the recesses for coding. And I change the mount myself.

 

[200sx]

Thanks bro for the quick answer. Thats a great deal of work to buy the mount then sent for milling. I found some information online that we can actually use a marker to do the coding. just that i am still confused about the bring up of 28/90 framelines. The shape of the mount is different other then the recesses ?

 

[200sx]

Thanks bro for the quick answer. Thats a great deal of work to buy the mount then sent for milling. I found some information online that we can actually use a marker to do the coding. just that i am still confused about the bring up of 28/90 framelines. The shape of the mount is different other then the recesses ?

 

[200sx]

Thanks bro for the quick answer. Thats a great deal of work to buy the mount then sent for milling. I found some information online that we can actually use a marker to do the coding. just that i am still confused about the bring up of 28/90 framelines. The shape of the mount is different other then the recesses ?

 

[aomoon]

Unofficial shutter count lifespani read from website is 100K before it go bonkers .....

 

[distagon]

1) do u wear glasses? If u do, u see less

 

[paisatge]

Thanks bro for the quick answer. Thats a great deal of work to buy the mount then sent for milling. I found some information online that we can actually use a marker to do the coding. just that i am still confused about the bring up of 28/90 framelines. The shape of the mount is different other then the recesses ?

Before you do any coding, you must change the bayonet to bring up the correct framelines. Else the coding will not do anything. If you don't want to change the bayonet yourself, you can purchase already modified one from popflash.com. Then you can DIY the coding or send it to some pro to do it. The other option is to forget about the correct framelines (after all the 21mm on the M8 is more or less the entire viewfinder) and the 6 bit coding and just use Cornerfix in post-processing.
If you just shoot B&W, it might not be a problem at all.