Official Talk Leica thread

Hi, for a final verdict of my ZEISS Biogon 4,5/21 on the M9, I went to Oppenheim/Rhein (all f 8):


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L1013961_DxO-z21-8-tp.jpg



L1013962_DxO-z21-8-tp.jpg


No problems in church buildings with red limestone tiles ... ;)

L1013947_DxO-z21-8-tp.jpg L1013954_DxO-z21-8-tp.jpg

So, the ZEISS Biogon 4,5/21 will go back to its place in a rear corner of my cupboard... ---

Of course, the question comes up how it will behave on the new "heavy metal mirrorless" bodies from Nikon, Canon, Pana or Sigma. For me, this is less relevant because I have 2 good 21mm lenses for the M9, the Skopar and the Elmarit.

(For the SONYs, I have the 21mm Loxia.) The Biogon is not worth the effort of buying another body ...
 
Hi, LEITZ (LEICA) Tele-Elmarit 2,8/90 - M 9:

f 8:

L1013972_DxO-L901-8-tp.jpg


f 2,8:


L1013974_DxO-L901-28-tp.jpg





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L1013989_DxO-L901-28-tp.jpg


f 8:


L1013980_DxO-L901-8-tp.jpg


This Elmarit was part of my M6 "starter kit" in 1988. It is very compact, and good. The original rubber lens hood fell apart over the years, however.

So, now I take the metal hood prod.# IUFOO (zero, zero), which is robust, but a little cumbersome ...
 
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Hi, VOIGTLÄNDER Super Wide-Heliar 4,5/15 V1 screw-mount - M9 - not recommended !!!. Here is why (all f 8):


L1010912-v15-8_bearbeitet-1.jpg



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L1010939-v151-8_tp-bearbeitet-1.jpg

You might ask, why I have it. - I bought it years ago, when it came out with a VOIGTLÄNDER Bessa body for film, and with an adapter for my M6. In those days, Leica did not have a 15mm lens.

Another question, why do I keep it. - It works nicely on SONY APS-C bodies (NEX-3, NEX-5, NEX-6), making "pocket-cameras", and on the A7R2 with the SONY lens-correction app.

V3, which I shall also show, does not work as well on the SONYs (but of course on the M9).

Ah, before I forget ... Why do I show it here? - It has a very reasonable used-price, which might be tempting to some ... --- ;)

((P.S.: How to fix colour shift in the corners with cornerfix:

https://jasonhowe.blog/aperture-pri...oigtlander-super-wide-heliar-f4-5-asph-mk-1-3 ))
 
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End of the Night by Adam Bonn, on Flickr

(Yet another) taken with the 7artisans 50mm F1.1...

I wish I had more fast M glass experience to be able to rate this optic... (it's starting to make me want a 50 1.4 'lux I can tell you that!)

For the £250 it cost me secondhand (off here actually) I'm certainly not complaining.. but my HUNCH is that the Zeiss 1.5 and the VL 50 F1.1 are going to be better for lots of % more money, but not that much actual money in terms of Leica-land (obviously the ASPH 1.4 Lux is lots and lots and lots more money)

IIRC one of the amazon reviewers rates the 7a 50 more than a modern 50 'cron (which I have) and personally I'm really not convinced by that...

I think if you pixel peep the 7a you'll soon see why it's a cheap lens, but being a bit more real world with your viewing distances (as one should be IMO) it's a nice enough rendering, but I find the 50 'cron to be a lot more vivid and contrasty...

Still, I bought the 7a to be able to shoot the M9 in places that previously the lack of ISO combined with subject stopped me (like when things move in the dark) and too that end it's been a very well spent 250.

It's been on the camera more than I thought it would and I'm glad to have it

Hate the clickless aperture ring though it has tangible barrel distortion (which LR's 0.95 Noctilux profile mostly gets rid of) and wide open it colour shifts and vignettes like you're drawing the curtains! At 1.4 these flaws diminish somewhat if you're pretty liberal and tolerant about such things... and it's usable

(there's rumours, which I'm sure you've seen, of a 7a 28mm 1.4 coming next year... I'll admit I'm curious and I don't own this FL, so....)

EDIT:
BTW ISO 640, 1/45 whilst walking and it was after 2am and I was a bit drunk when I took this (it was my birthday), beer must be the IBIS of the old days :D :D
 
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For the £250 it cost me secondhand (off here actually) I'm certainly not complaining.. but my HUNCH is that the Zeiss 1.5 and the VL 50 F1.1 are going to be better for lots of % more money, but not that much actual money in terms of Leica-land (obviously the ASPH 1.4 Lux is lots and lots and lots more money)

Hi, these thoughts come and go (until they come again).

With lenses - as with other goods - the principle of diminishing returns applies, meaning a car for 100000 € is not a hundred times better than a used one for 1000 €. And a car with 500 hp will not take you five times faster
to your destination compared to one with a mere 100 hp ...

Lens design always is a compromise. - Owners say, the LEICA Summicron 2/50 ASPH is the best Leica 50mm lens (and they had all before). On the other hand, it is slower than the Noctilux, which is heavier and more difficult to focus,
so the Summilux might be a better compromise, but this is not as good as the Summicron ASPH ...

To get out of this loop, could be to ask oneself, which one's favourite focal length is. If it is 50mm, then one should buy the best 50mm (according to personal criteria) one can afford ...
 
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Hi, these thoughts come and go (until they come again).

With lenses - as with other goods - the principle of diminishing returns applies, meaning a car for 100000 € is not a hundred times better than a used one for 1000 €. And a car with 500 hp will not take you five times faster
to your destination compared to one with a mere 100 hp ...

Lens design always is a compromise. - Owners say, the LEICA Summicron 2/50 ASPH is the best Leica 50mm lens (and they had all before). On the other hand, it is slower than the Noctilux, which is heavier and more difficult to focus,
so the Summilux might be a better compromise, but this is not as good as the Summicron ASPH ...

To get out of this loop, could be to ask oneself, which one's favourite focal length is. If it is 50mm, then one should buy the best 50mm (according to personal criteria) one can afford ...

That's very true re diminishing returns, for example the M9p isn't 10x the image making tool that my X-Pro1 is, despite that being the price difference (both bought second hand)

I think my draw to the ASPH 1.4 50mm is that originally I was going to get that (and that alone) to go with the M9p, but in the end, (and for not that much more) I was instead able to get the 35/90 'rits and 50 'cron

The Lux desire lingers a bit.... but I feel I chose wisely (despite the words Leica and budget seldom going together, I am very much on a budget), the 90 rit is (IMO) a great lens, the 35 I use frequently and the 50 cron is more than enough for most things, so for me, 3 lenses is better than one, even if that one has an extra stop!

In many ways the 7artisans was a great choice for me, as it offers (guestimate) about 1.5* more stops, than the cron which really opens many more possibilities for the M9. By contrast the 50 1.5 Lux would cost 10x and offer less light gathering, and the far higher IQ (over the 7a) gets lost when SS gets too low or ISO gets too high :)

(*I know it's listed as F1.1, but my HUNCH is that it's more like 1.2 irl)

L1013736.LR.jpg


90mm Summarit 2.4
 
I think my draw to the ASPH 1.4 50mm is that originally I was going to get that (and that alone) to go with the M9p, but in the end, (and for not that much more) I was instead able to get the 35/90 'rits and 50 'cron

The Lux desire lingers a bit.... but I feel I chose wisely (despite the words Leica and budget seldom going together, I am very much on a budget), the 90 rit is (IMO) a great lens, the 35 I use frequently and the 50 cron is more than enough for most things, so for me, 3 lenses is better than one, even if that one has an extra stop!
Hi, I can fully understand your decision. - I started with 2 Leica lenses in 1988, the 35 Cron and the 90 Tele-Elmarit. - And over the years, my portfolio grew ... ---

Fortunately (or unfortunately) I am not financially restricted when it comes to photography equipment.

So, what do I do to control these recurring GAS-attacks?

I keep everything I buy, never sell anything. So, cupboard space ultimately limits purchases. And the more you have, the more difficult it becomes to buy new toys offering real progress ...

I am no equipment bag carrier. Usually, I know where I am going to take pictures and take a body with one lens (sometimes one in a pocket) with me.

For me, the more lenses I have, the more I must leave at home ... :(
 
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Hi, the last instalment of my lens series: LEICA Elmarit-M 2,8/90 E46 - M9:

f 2,8:

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f 8:


L1014053_DxO-L902-8-tp.jpg


The Elmarit-M is a good lens, too. However, the R version is a little better. This explains why the new "heavy-metal" mirrorlens cameras from Nikon, Canon, Panasonic have a new bayonet with a bigger diameter. ---


First of all, thank you for your friendly patience. - Maybe, others will show pictures with their higher end Leica lenses here, too.

I think it is good to go through one's equipment now and then, to see how the lenses perform, and perhaps what is missing ... ---

For me, the "rehabilitation" of the VOIGTLÄNDER Skopar was a nice surprise. ---
 
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I think the current 50/f2 is the best value for money sharp lens, it’s very sharp. I have a 50/f1.4 which is that much bulkier. In the sun this weekend I just used the 35/f2.
I had a 90/f2.8, refurbished, and loved it, my son has stolen it. I now have the 90/f2, which is better but much bigger.
 
Ever reliable 35/f2 at f2, 50% crop.

44634122884_7a1e16c579_b.jpg
 
1)I think the current 50/f2 is the best value for money sharp lens, it’s very sharp. I have a 50/f1.4 which is that much bulkier.

2)In the sun this weekend I just used the 35/f2.

3)I had a 90/f2.8, refurbished, and loved it, my son has stolen it. I now have the 90/f2, which is better but much bigger.
Hi,

ad1) lensrentals compared many M mount 50s: https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/06/comparing-rangefinder-and-slr-50mm-lenses-version-0-7/ The Summilux performs better than the Summicron.

ad2) My Summicron 35 is my favourite 35 ...

ad3) There is always a price to be paid for some extra performance. --- The 2/90 should isolate subjects more, suppose ...
 
The 7artisans isn't a terrible lens, but it'll never get confused as a modern high quality optic!! (although the build quality seems very good and the ability to adjust the lens to the RF is genius)


L1013995.LR.jpg

This is wide open (these are 1200px btw)


L1014006.LR.jpg

This I think is 1.2(ish - bit hard to tell on a clickless aperture ring) - less than 1.4 anyway!

Alone on the Beach by Adam Bonn, on Flickr

I see pictures that I find more technically pleasing to my eye from the 50/2 though (to be fair this obviously isn't wide open!)

Re the demon GAS.... I'm sure I'd love a 50/1.4 APSH... but it's a lot of money and the cron/7a combination gives me Leica quality when the light's plentiful (and I do live in Portugal) and the 7a gives me a not inconsiderable 1.5+ stops for when it's not &/or I simply have to have shallow DOF


I'm not unhappy with the choices that my budget has driven me too (maybe a little the 35 'rit over the 35/2... for the tactile stuff more than the 1/2 stop, it's by far my flimsiest feeling M lens, the 7a feels waaaay better built) and IQ is ultimately more about content than resolution.

I keep meaning to do a side-by-side at f2 between the cron and the 7a.... I could share here... I have a hunch the 7a is going to turn out to be longer than 50mm.....
 
M10-D image leaked shows an advance lever... we can only speculate as to whether it has a function or is just for show..

But imagine ... if there was no external battery and a crank of the lever created sufficient energy to take a shot!


Leica-M10-D-camera2.jpg
Leica-M10-D-camera1.jpg
 
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M10-D image leaked shows an advance lever... we can only speculate as to whether it has a function or is just for show..

But imagine ... if there was no external battery and a crank of the lever created sufficient energy to take a shot!


View attachment 136746
View attachment 136748

I think today's rumour is that you'll need your smart phone to use the camera, and (sadly) I don't see how the crank lever would ever drive that EVF.... Still be nice to see what it is...

and isn't Leica really rushing these out!! We're not 2 years past the M10 release date yet, and we've already had the M10 (well dur) the M10p and very soon the M10-D... I guess next the M10Monokrom, then finally the M10-ME, I wonder if they'll delete live view on it like last time with the 262?
 
I think today's rumour is that you'll need your smart phone to use the camera, and (sadly) I don't see how the crank lever would ever drive that EVF.... Still be nice to see what it is...

and isn't Leica really rushing these out!! We're not 2 years past the M10 release date yet, and we've already had the M10 (well dur) the M10p and very soon the M10-D... I guess next the M10Monokrom, then finally the M10-ME, I wonder if they'll delete live view on it like last time with the 262?

Mechanical shutter? The digital Epson RD-1 was based on the Voigtlander/Cosina film body and had a 'wind-on' lever that cocked the shutter.

I suppose they know their market, but the 'less is more' thing can be taken too far. There's no real reason to leave out features like video, let alone the rear LCD, except to appeal to hipster purists or harcdore film holdouts who are just now wondering whether there might be something in this digital thing after all.
 
Mechanical shutter? The digital Epson RD-1 was based on the Voigtlander/Cosina film body and had a 'wind-on' lever that cocked the shutter.

I suppose they know their market, but the 'less is more' thing can be taken too far. There's no real reason to leave out features like video, let alone the rear LCD, except to appeal to hipster purists or harcdore film holdouts who are just now wondering whether there might be something in this digital thing after all.

Yeah my hunch (whatever that's worth) is that it'll cock the shutter, or maybe just be a thumb rest (or ornament!!), unless it MAYBE it allows you to enter some sort of shooting menu or set the date/time

Personally I can see leaving video out to be an OK thing, especially on an M, the snag with including video I think is that it's just another spec that some other manufacturer will beat, and the internet will get all angry about it... (some times I think that moving imagery must not have existed before 4K and I reckon the vast majority of serious videographers will have a dedicated tool for the job, rather than demand that their stills camera is also class leading movie recorder)

At the end of the day, we can use nearly any camera as we can a Leica M-D, it's just about self discipline... The joke when the first M-D came out was that M9 users (like me!) need not apply as the LCD is so pants that you'd never use it unless you really had too anyway! (To be fair I often check the histogram on the M9 LCD)
 
Yeah my hunch (whatever that's worth) is that it'll cock the shutter, or maybe just be a thumb rest (or ornament!!), unless it MAYBE it allows you to enter some sort of shooting menu or set the date/time

Personally I can see leaving video out to be an OK thing, especially on an M, the snag with including video I think is that it's just another spec that some other manufacturer will beat, and the internet will get all angry about it... (some times I think that moving imagery must not have existed before 4K and I reckon the vast majority of serious videographers will have a dedicated tool for the job, rather than demand that their stills camera is also class leading movie recorder)

At the end of the day, we can use nearly any camera as we can a Leica M-D, it's just about self discipline... The joke when the first M-D came out was that M9 users (like me!) need not apply as the LCD is so pants that you'd never use it unless you really had too anyway! (To be fair I often check the histogram on the M9 LCD)

From comments on the rumour site

The “advance lever” looks like it’s going to be the on/off switch
 
The pictures Dan shared give away most of the functionality IMO

The advance level (sic) seems to replace the on/off switch on a regular M, meaning that perhaps it IS is the on/switch*

What was the ISO dial on the last M-D (and the film Ms) is now the EV dial (so eff knows what the thumb scroll wheel now does)

The outer ring of the EV dial turns on the wifi, and also has two other modes (red dot / white dot)*

*So we can see that the camera has the EVF, we can assume that it has an on/off switch ;) MAYBE it also has burst &/or self timer modes... so the extra dial on the back and the advance lever probably control those functions... MAYBE the advance lever is the drive mode and the rear dial is on/off... or MAYBE the advance level is on/off and the rear dial handles EVF on/off

But whichever way round it is, we’ll find out soon enough as the runoured announcement date is 23/10
 
If it does turn out to be an on/off switch I hope it doesn't work the same way as (e.g.) the Nikon FM2, where the camera is locked unless the lever is in the standoff position, neatly poking left-eyed shooters in the right eye.
 
Hi, the river Rhine on a hazy autumn morning near St. Goarshausen (Leica Summicron 2/50 f 8 + M9).


L1014103_DxO-L50summ-8-tp.jpg
 
If it does turn out to be an on/off switch I hope it doesn't work the same way as (e.g.) the Nikon FM2, where the camera is locked unless the lever is in the standoff position, neatly poking left-eyed shooters in the right eye.

Officially announced today....

It's an ornament... aka a thumb rest.
 
It's a pretend wind-on lever?! That's perhaps the silliest thing to be fitted to a Leica since the WINTU viewfinder for shooting round corners.

I don’t get this new M10-D at all...

The first M-D (love it or loathe it) was basically an analogue experience from a digital camera.

The M10-D has all of the digital features that other cameras do, except that most of them have been moved to your phone

It’s neither one thing or the other
 
The M10-d might sell better if they throw in a free tin of beard oil
 
I'm going to get ahead of the trend and stick an old LCD screen on the back of my M6 and pretend to check it after every shot. Though come to think of it, the Nikon F6 got there first.
 
I like the M10-D. I particularly like the idea of separating the experience of shooting and the experience of reviewing photographs; this is one of the reasons I like shooting film. The last M-D only shot DNG. I thought I would have liked that camera if I had some way to access the full menu and set it to DNG & JPG fine. This new M10-D allows me to access the menu from an app so I like it a lot. I do have a beard though! I’m not all sure about this lever that isn’t what it looks like.

Anyway, I can’t afford it. And even if I could, it wouldn’t get much use as I currently prefer using the M6 to the M9.
 
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I don’t get this new M10-D at all...

The first M-D (love it or loathe it) was basically an analogue experience from a digital camera.

The M10-D has all of the digital features that other cameras do, except that most of them have been moved to your phone

It’s neither one thing or the other

Hi, I also have my difficulties with this model...

I always thought that innovation does not mean only change but change and improvement or progress.

Practically, it is now impossible to check an image immediately after capture. It is done via a smartphone. So, if you want to check an image after capture,
you upload the picture to your smartphone, put your Leica in your pocket (or hand it to your Sherpa), check the picture, put your phone in your pocket,
take your Leica again, for the next picture, or take the one you are not satisfied with again. Oh dear ...

This works for static subjects, at best, if you are patient.

So,

the M10-D
is not for me

(which rhymes)


Some more retro-innovation via firmware for other Ms:


- images are displayed 14 days after capture (for the time it took to develop slides and ship them)

- limit ISO to 400 max (film was not better)

- limit display to 24mm x 36mm "Kleinbild-size" (to get the retro-experience of a slide held against the light)


Sorry, folks, I could not keep this to myself (or tell it to my hairdresser).



The next Leica M will be more appealing to me, I hope.
 
I used to work in "technology" but now I mostly avoid it and although I have a smartphone I only have it grudgingly and I know I'd just hate having to use it in conjunction with my camera. I can sort see the appeal but to me it's a strange mix of the old feel of film shooting but with a digital camera which I can completely understand but it's in an uncomfortable marriage with awkward smartphone tech and I do wonder who this mix will appeal to. Personally I think the mew model would make the most sense for hard core fans who also own another more practical camera, probably a Leica.
 
I sorta get the m60/m262D

It’s a digital work flow with a camera that you have an ‘analog’ relationship with

But the new m10d, with an EVF and sooc jpegs and fake wind on lever seems more like a styling exercise....

IMO If one is incapable of resisting the chimping lure of digital, then moving the chimp to your phone isn’t going to make you stop... much like if your favourite restaurant moves premises to a bit further away, you’re still going to make the effort to go there
 
IMO If one is incapable of resisting the chimping lure of digital, then moving the chimp to your phone isn’t going to make you stop... much like if your favourite restaurant moves premises to a bit further away, you’re still going to make the effort to go there

I'm coming around to the point of view. I'd just be eager to transfer the photos to my iPhone to look at them. And that doesn't sound relaxing.
 
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