Leica is lending me a 24mm-90mm for NYC Fashion Week

Godfrey said:
Excellent, good to hear that Calzone!

The SL24-90 is a big thing of a lens, but that weight seems to fall away once you start using it and see what it's capable of. Although I have tended to use my R lenses most of the time with the SL, the more I use the 24-90, the more I realize that it is actually a better performer most of the time. The AF and OIS extend the range of the camera for hand-held work quite a bit, and the metering system works "more flawlessly" with a greater range as well.

Have a great time at your shoot!

G
Click to expand...

Godfrey,

You are correct that the results/files are mucho impressive. This lens is worth its weight, and in a way you get an inadvertent gym membership for free. Kinda like carrying half a bowling ball, but like I said for the results it is worth it. Kinda reminds me of shooting a Pentax 67II because the rig is big and heavy so carrying it around for a day or a typical 10-12 mile walk requires a certain level of both strength and fitness.

Oh-well time to start building up to be able to do 10 chin-ups in a set, a sloppy/quick 80-100 push-ups in a set, or about 5 pounds of muscle to offset the camera weight.

So on Spring street in darkness I take a shot with the lens wide open and the zoom set to around 35mm and the ISO set to 400. The images captured had a shutter speed of 1/5th of a second and were amazingly sharp. The image stabilization is a pretty obvious advantage when compared to shooting fast prime "R" glass. Know that this lens easily can surplant either my 35 Lux-R or 50 Lux-R, so who needs fast primes?

This lens makes the camera a remarkable fast shooter, and the AF is both fast and deadly accurate. I dumbed down the AF to AFS and single point, and the joystick is a wonder to use to place my single focus point.

I think the only bad thing about this lens is that I can see I will have to get bigger memory cards. The faster shooting makes needing a DSLR unnecessary, and I can see me needing more memory because filling cards will be very easy to do.

It does seem like having the fully integrated lens and body as a system has remarkable advantages. Now more than ever I love my SL. For me it does not get better than this. I think you are right: The matrix metering seems to be doubly deadly accurate. Anyways this lens is kinda crazy good. A very impressive lens that displays multiple advantages. I think using a lens made especially for the SL allows one to realize the true full potential of the SL.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
Godfrey,

You are correct that the results/files are mucho impressive. This lens is worth its weight, and in a way you get an inadvertent gym membership for free. Kinda like carrying half a bowling ball, but like I said for the results it is worth it. Kinda reminds me of shooting a Pentax 67II because the rig is big and heavy so carrying it around for a day or a typical 10-12 mile walk requires a certain level of both strength and fitness.

Oh-well time to start building up to be able to do 10 chin-ups in a set, a sloppy/quick 80-100 push-ups in a set, or about 5 pounds of muscle to offset the camera weight.

So on Spring street in darkness I take a shot with the lens wide open and the zoom set to around 35mm and the ISO set to 400. The images captured had a shutter speed of 1/5th of a second and were amazingly sharp. The image stabilization is a pretty obvious advantage when compared to shooting fast prime "R" glass. Know that this lens easily can surplant either my 35 Lux-R or 50 Lux-R, so who needs fast primes?

This lens makes the camera a remarkable fast shooter, and the AF is both fast and deadly accurate. I dumbed down the AF to AFS and single point, and the joystick is a wonder to use to place my single focus point.

I think the only bad thing about this lens is that I can see I will have to get bigger memory cards. The faster shooting makes needing a DSLR unnecessary, and I can see me needing more memory because filling cards will be very easy to do.

It does seem like having the fully integrated lens and body as a system has remarkable advantages. Now more than ever I love my SL. For me it does not get better than this. I think you are right: The matrix metering seems to be doubly deadly accurate. Anyways this lens is kinda crazy good. A very impressive lens that displays multiple advantages. I think using a lens made especially for the SL allows one to realize the true full potential of the SL.
Cal
Click to expand...

Once you start using image stabilization you never go back, case in point
the little Pentax K5ii I have, it has it in the body so any lens becomes
stabilized. We don't realize how the shakes effect the picture in some way
and now we have all these new camera's with high pixel counts you see
the effects more.
 
jsrockit said:
Let's be real Cal, you only like this lens because you are thinking weaponizing it.
Click to expand...

John,

I was thinking of adapting a Nikon AH-4 Handstrap to "Weaponize" my SL.

I found neck straps have already given me a very thick neck like a football player, and it actually looks funny to see a skinny/lanky guy with a girly build with a thick neck. Anyways perhaps this is why my friend Mike's baby daughter is scared of me because I look like a monster. LOL. Ella clings to her father for protection every time she sees me.

Using a neck strap with a heavy camera also kills my shoulders, so the handstrap is actually better and more comfortable, but then again I already have deformed my body over the decades. It seems that my tailor indicated that my right arm is about an inch longer than my left, and while most people do not have symetrical bodies, again carrying cameras around my whole life has yet again made me into a monster. My tailor says it is not unusual to have one arm longer than the other, but that an inch longer is kinda unusual and a lot.

The real benefit of the handstrap is that it makes any camera more ready to shoot, and also even a big camera like a Nikon F3P with motordrive remains hidden even though in plain sight.

Last night I looked into using the AH-4 on the SL BTW. It will work, but to remove or change the battery the base plate for the AH-4 would have to be removed. This is no big deal.

Anyways you really know me LOL. You coined the term "Monster" when refering to some of my cameras. LOL. but you know how dog owners resemble their dogs, and this is just another case of an owner resembling their cameras. LOL.

Cal the "Monster" AKA "Monster Calvin"
 
Range-rover said:
Once you start using image stabilization you never go back, case in point
the little Pentax K5ii I have, it has it in the body so any lens becomes
stabilized. We don't realize how the shakes effect the picture in some way
and now we have all these new camera's with high pixel counts you see
the effects more.
Click to expand...

Bob,

I think you are correct. Image stabilization, especially with Leica glass is a game changer. I could not believe the sharpness at 1/5th second.

Also Tina Manley's work I saw at an ICP Symposium deeply impressed me. The pictures were mostly taken in Iran and Syria with a SL and the 24mm-90mm handheld. What was kinda funny is that Tina's husband carried a tripod, M-Monochrom, M-240, and extra lenses and was slaved for this muling, but Tina kept the SL at hand.

Now I fully understand why.

Cal the "Monster"
 
That's one of the reason why I decided to sell my Nikon D3, When I went indoors or
after sunset with it I have to be so careful in those situations that I don't get camera
shake, I know I could buy lenses that have VR but the size of the lens gets bigger and
I want to reduce weight, besides John and I had a good discussion on Sunday's meet
about things that work and don't work.
 
That lens must be very nicely corrected -- a great set of primes in one. Just googled: 3.9 lb? Wow! Mirrorless in smaller sensors actually looks dinky, like m43 "all in one" 14-150mm that are smaller than a small 35mm kit zoom. But yeah, large sensor and optical compromising doesn't get along.

IS is really nice, but I haven't actually tried the 5 axis IBIS that is supposed to be fabulous and compatible with all lenses.

I've never warmed up to neckstrap carrying, because of the pull and some cameras become bouncy bouncy. 😀 Bandolier style crossing is nicer on the body. Although I just often twist the strap around my arm becoming an impromptu wrist strap, camera on hand.

In College I widely used a backpack everywhere and just put the camera together with all other stuff.
Weaponizing: I use artillery-style carrying, deploying the camera(s) on location. That for mostly scenery based shooting and often riding a bike.

Don't know why, but I prefer to have a small camera to take at the right moment and kept hidden while walking around.
 
Prest_400 said:
That lens must be very nicely corrected -- a great set of primes in one. Just googled: 3.9 lb? Wow! Mirrorless in smaller sensors actually looks dinky, like m43 "all in one" 14-150mm that are smaller than a small 35mm kit zoom. But yeah, large sensor and optical compromising doesn't get along.

IS is really nice, but I haven't actually tried the 5 axis IBIS that is supposed to be fabulous and compatible with all lenses.

I've never warmed up to neckstrap carrying, because of the pull and some cameras become bouncy bouncy. 😀 Bandolier style crossing is nicer on the body. Although I just often twist the strap around my arm becoming an impromptu wrist strap, camera on hand.

In College I widely used a backpack everywhere and just put the camera together with all other stuff.
Weaponizing: I use artillery-style carrying, deploying the camera(s) on location. That for mostly scenery based shooting and often riding a bike.

Don't know why, but I prefer to have a small camera to take at the right moment and kept hidden while walking around.
Click to expand...

Jorde,

The filter size is 82mm.

The design is interesting: the focus is performed by a rather small lens for speed via low mass.

Generally shooting indoors does not yield the best results, but this lens did very well covering the All Woman's Project party/opening.

If Leica specifially designed a zoom lens especially for me all I would need is a 35mm-50mm "Calzone Lens." While 24mm is useful as well all the way to 90, most photographers could do a lot of photography with a more compressed zoom range for the sake of having a flexible and less intense daily workout.

There was mention of the benefits and lack of constraints by avoiding miniturization, and also confirmation of what Godfrey and I know: Leica "R" glass does very well on a SL. Now don't tell everybody. LOL.

Cal
 
Range-rover said:
That's one of the reason why I decided to sell my Nikon D3, When I went indoors or
after sunset with it I have to be so careful in those situations that I don't get camera
shake, I know I could buy lenses that have VR but the size of the lens gets bigger and
I want to reduce weight, besides John and I had a good discussion on Sunday's meet
about things that work and don't work.
Click to expand...

Bob,

I don't miss my D3X at all. It did poorly indoors.

Cal
 
Prest_400 said:
That lens must be very nicely corrected -- a great set of primes in one. Just googled: 3.9 lb? Wow! Mirrorless in smaller sensors actually looks dinky, like m43 "all in one" 14-150mm that are smaller than a small 35mm kit zoom. But yeah, large sensor and optical compromising doesn't get along.

IS is really nice, but I haven't actually tried the 5 axis IBIS that is supposed to be fabulous and compatible with all lenses.

I've never warmed up to neckstrap carrying, because of the pull and some cameras become bouncy bouncy. 😀 Bandolier style crossing is nicer on the body. Although I just often twist the strap around my arm becoming an impromptu wrist strap, camera on hand.

In College I widely used a backpack everywhere and just put the camera together with all other stuff.
Weaponizing: I use artillery-style carrying, deploying the camera(s) on location. That for mostly scenery based shooting and often riding a bike.

Don't know why, but I prefer to have a small camera to take at the right moment and kept hidden while walking around.
Click to expand...


Your right about that, that's why I like the Panasonic GX1 small and light
and goes everywhere!
 
Calzone said:
Jorde,


If Leica specifially designed a zoom lens especially for me all I would need is a 35mm-50mm "Calzone Lens." While 24mm is useful as well all the way to 90, most photographers could do a lot of photography with a more compressed zoom range for the sake of having a flexible and less intense daily workout.

There was mention of the benefits and lack of constraints by avoiding miniturization, and also confirmation of what Godfrey and I know: Leica "R" glass does very well on a SL. Now don't tell everybody. LOL.

Cal
Click to expand...

Actually there was the occasional Wide to Normal short zoom which I don't think it's that usual anymore.
(Quick google: Sigma makes a 24-35 f2; not small!)

A few days ago someone published how awesome is the OM 24-48 f4, for chips, and prices for sure spiked afterwards. The sony A7 crowd gets them all. Actually a small, not so fast but well corrected zoom would be nice to go with digital systems.

Perhaps because film cameras aren't small by definition I prefer to miniaturise the digitals.
 
Good for you, Calzone!

On the other hand, you seem to be spending big money at your Leica store, so they doing you a little favor can be expected, don't ya think? Plus, I would assume that they hope you will buy that lens after you tried it out, so its actually not really a favor but in their own business interest. I have never bought anything new at my Leica store, but each time I visit they ask me if I want to take a loaner M for a weekend, and they barely know me. Its all part of the business plan, I guess. 😀
 
Calzone said:
Bob,

You are mighty tall and a large man. That Panasonic looks kinda small on you. LOL.

BTW that MF Rollei seemed to be the right body size.

Cal
Click to expand...

Yes! but that the idea no one sees it and then I take the shot. But that
Rollei is something, it's the reverse of what the Panasonic is.
 
giganova said:
Good for you, Calzone!

On the other hand, you seem to be spending big money at your Leica store, so they doing you a little favor can be expected, don't ya think? Plus, I would assume that they hope you will buy that lens after you tried it out, so its actually not really a favor but in their own business interest. I have never bought anything new at my Leica store, but each time I visit they ask me if I want to take a loaner M for a weekend, and they barely know me. Its all part of the business plan, I guess. 😀
Click to expand...

G,

The timing of the loaner was fortunate for me, but you are correct that this GAS puts one over the edge. This 24mm-90mm is surely a valuable lens to me that I would like to own one day. Perhaps my gal might buy me one. LOL.

The one lucky thing is that I had lots of boxed Leica gear to lower the amount of cash required, and over the years of day-trading used gear I actually made handsome profits.

Other than a Monochrom, the SL, and a AF 50 Lux-SL that I prepaid and currently am number 4 on a dealer's waiting list I generally buy used gear. Still a lot of money though.

Cal
 
BillBingham2 said:
Sounds like a MOST EXCELLENT adventure.

Please keep us in the loop, be safe, back-up your images, share what you can, stay healthy, and HAVE FUN!!

B2 (;->
Click to expand...

B2,

My gal plays art director, so she is the only person allowed to post these images. LOL.

Anyways because big things are happening I have to clam up. I can say that I'm having fun, but don't believe being involved in the world of fashion isn't hard work. Like I said in another thread: "I use to be a lazy slacker." LOL.

Anyways what I see what these people do in the studio with huge crews is amazing. I am deeply impressed.

Cal
 
giganova said:
Now that you got the SL with a big lens, we expect nothing short of stunning photos! 😀

Will they let you shoot at the fashion show without press credentials?
Click to expand...

G,

I had to delete my response, because I have to honor a fashion talk blackout because just so much is going on at this time.

Hope you understand.

Cal
 
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