DP Review of the SL

[Godfrey]

... Darn it, I'm talking myself into the SL again. Sorta. ...

🙂

The SL is simply a brilliant camera. It does not replace my M-D (and neither does the M10) but it's replaced about a score of other cameras and lenses that are in my closet now, and on the way to my consignment dealer or Ebay...

And everyone gave me crap for saying that in 2015. As Dick Feinmann was so fond of saying, "What do you care what anybody else thinks?" 😀

G

 

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Everyone's favourite blogger Steve Huff agrees with me. He unloaded his M10 and went back to the SL. The SL gives him a far higher hit rate of in focus pics than the M10 does.

" My eyes are not what they used to be, and the M10 had me missing many shots for focus. I missed the SL, so went back to it even though I loved the M10 for its size and color. But the SL, for me, is a wonderful camera."


This is why I do not see any reason to move from the M240 to the M10, but I do to the SL. With the SL my photos would get technically better.
With the M10 I wouldn't notice any difference, apart from the impact to my wallet.

Darn it, I'm talking myself into the SL again. Sorta.

(yeah yeah yeah who cares about the opinion of a guy who only photographs his dog, his wife and a fire hydrant but when he agrees w me then everyone should listen! 😉 )

Why does that not surprise me?! lol

I find the M10 slightly better than my M246 for focusing accuracy, not by much though.
But, the SL's by far the best!

Just get one and be done with it, Huss! 🙂

 

[Calzone]

🙂

The SL is simply a brilliant camera. It does not replace my M-D (and neither does the M10) but it's replaced about a score of other cameras and lenses that are in my closet now, and on the way to my consignment dealer or Ebay...

And everyone gave me crap for saying that in 2015. As Dick Feinmann was so fond of saying, "What do you care what anybody else thinks?" 😀

G

Godfrey,

The SL makes great use of my Noct-Nikkor. Really easy to nail the focus wide open. The look is kinda large format DOF. The SL encourages one to shoot wide open. Also there is the close focusing...

I too am culling down. It seems for film the Nikon F5, F3P, and SL2-MOT will share SLR glass that I will also use on the SL. All of the sudden SLR's became a more important part of my kit.

My dealer contacted me Friday. They expect shipping my 50 Lux-SL Tuesday, so this Friday I should be getting my lens.

Last night made some more B&W prints from the SL. Brutal I say.

Unfortunately the Pentax-L 43/1.9 has some kinda odd color shifting. Traces of tint in some shots in the shadows, and at times wonky color shifts. Oh-well. I'll still use this lens on my Monochrom.

Cal

 

[JeffNYC]

If I thought I'd use it a lot, I'd buy it (28mm not being something I use always). If a 50mm version comes out, I will have to.

Most definitely,

Jeff

 

[Godfrey]

...
The SL makes great use of my Noct-Nikkor. Really easy to nail the focus wide open. The look is kinda large format DOF. The SL encourages one to shoot wide open. Also there is the close focusing...

... Unfortunately the Pentax-L 43/1.9 has some kinda odd color shifting. Traces of tint in some shots in the shadows, and at times wonky color shifts. ...

I've tried the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S on the SL, but I tend to like what the Summilux-R 50mm f/1.4 does a bit more. Horses for courses.

It's funny: the FA-Pentax 43mm f/1.9 Limited from which the L model was derived was my favoritest lens on the Pentax APS-C SLRs, but I've not liked its rendering on the SL. I did a walkabout with my Voigtländer Nokton 40mm f/1.4 MC the other day and found that it performs quite nicely with rendering and sharpness akin to a slightly more modern version of the 1972 Summilux 35mm f/1.4 v2. It presents a usable and useful compact, fast lens for walkabout shooting at a very reasonable price.

The nature and feel of the SL changes drastically depending on what lens you hang on it. Put a small, light, fast lens on it and it becomes more akin to a fast-fast Leica M. Put the SL24-90 on it, and it's a super-modern, slimmer Leica R8.

G

 

[JeffNYC]

If I thought I'd use it a lot, I'd buy it (28mm not being something I use always). If a 50mm version comes out, I will have to.

Have to agree with that
:-0

Jeff

 

[Calzone]

I've tried the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S on the SL, but I tend to like what the Summilux-R 50mm f/1.4 does a bit more. Horses for courses.

G

Godfrey,

The Noct-Nikkor has a hand ground ASPH element, and is optimized for shooting wide open. At F5.6 almost any other lens will be sharper. Basically the Noct-Nikkor has a sweet spot of F1.2-F4.0.

I was really surprised by the micro shootout Joe and I performed at a NYC Meet-Up. It does seem like the SL was especially made to favor "R" glass. I was expecting my "E60" to crush the earlier "E55" 50 Lux, but there was no clear winner. The "E60" was only slightly sharper and had a more modern (contrasty) rendering, but the "E55" displayed more detail via shadow rendering and colors. No clear winner here and the two lenses were remarkably close.

The 50 Lux-M ASPH was a bit too HDR like for my tastes. It is a perfect lens, but the 50 Lux "E60" has a smoothness to the OOF, a great balance of sharp and soft wide open, and pretty bokeh.

As far as having a Noct-Nikkor and 50 Lux "E60" I feel lucky to have both and there is enough difference to love both and keep both. Of course these lenses have a second life on film bodies.

There is a big difference between the 58/1.2 Noct-Nikkor AIS and a 50/1.2 AIS, and it just isn't the extra 8mm.

The 50 Lux-SL is proving to be a great lens. I am using it as my primary lens, but the 50 Lux-R is still a very important and special lens, and is likely my second most important lens for my SL.

Cal

 

[Ronald M]

Made me dizzy and headache started.

Very bright viewfinder almost to point of pain. I did not ask if it could be turned down.

 

[Calzone]

Made me dizzy and headache started.

Very bright viewfinder almost to point of pain. I did not ask if it could be turned down.

Ronald,

The VF'er and screen brightness can be adjusted. I'll look into by how much or how little.

There are other reports like yours by others.

I know from off shore fishing about sea sickness. It seems that looking out to the horizon can help prevent hitting the tipping point before one gets to the point of throwing up.

It seems the in the face view of the world can cross over to the point of illness. There is also reports about a car called the Mayback that has such a smooth ride that passengers get motion sickness due to the lack of road feel when they perceive the movement all around them.

Sorry to hear of your difficulties.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Ronald,

The SL default setting for VF'er and screen brightness is Medium, but there are also Low, Medium Low, Medium High, High, and lastly Auto.

Really easy to set on the menue.

Cal