Panny S1 M lens disappointment

[kram]

Thanks for the comments folk. I do have Nikon F mount lenses as well. So back to one of the eariler post, S1 performance dilutes with M lenes on prupose. If the old GXR could perform well with M glass, surely it could be done quite easy today. Sl2 price will be steep.

 

[Freakscene]

So back to one of the eariler post, S1 performance dilutes with M lenes on prupose. If the old GXR could perform well with M glass, surely it could be done quite easy today. Sl2 price will be steep.

There is absolutely no evidence that Panasonic did this on purpose or in collusion with Leica. It is doubtful that Panasonic even considered M mount lenses when designing this camera. The microlenses, thin sensor coverstack and other concessions in the digital M cameras to make it work with M mount lenses have been responsible for a huge proportion of the substantial problems with digital M cameras (M8 ir colour contamination, M9 sensor cover breakage and M9/MM sensor cover corrosion). No other manufacturer would risk that for someone else’s legacy film lens mount.

Marty

 

[Bendj]

I just wrote a reasonably long post describing my experiences with the S1 but it got lost in the login process.

Here's the potted version:

The image is very bright and clean looking, colours are accurate to life as I see it.

The ibis is great with M Lenses, it is superb for hand held video which is why I bought the camera - as a complimentary video camera for my film bodies for personal family stuff and for travel. I will also use it as a B Cam for work along side canon stuff.

I have the 28, 35 & 50 Summicrons and all work well for my standards (mainly people up close).

The handling is great, it's quite heavy and beefy but very intuitive to use and everything you need is to hand.

 

[Bendj]

28 Summicron

untitled-5 by Fair Kid, on Flickr

 

[D&A]

If you don't mind APS, the current Leica CL (digital camera), also is optimized for M lens use, besides the Ricoh.

Dave (D&A)

 

[Huss]

28 Summicron

untitled-5 by Fair Kid, on Flickr

No offense but that kind of image hides issues. The center is always good, it's to the side and edges where there are issues. This is disguised with wide open up close pics as that kind of subject matter will always have the sides and edges out of focus.
If you are just posting on the web, none of this would matter. But then for web use there really isn't any need to use any high end gear is there? Apart from the enjoyment factor.
If you are a pro selling prints or images for clients, then it will matter as that is when you see it.

But if these are the kind of images you use it for, then no problem.

 

[Huss]

To add onto that, I don't think any of this matters for close portraiture. As the only thing that matters is the subject. Further back group shots, architectural and landscape images is where it may matter.

 

[Bendj]

I totally agree Huss, for me this will primarily be a video camera with stills on the side. Work stuff is Canon. I would say that it seems to handle the 28mm better than the Sony's I've used in the past.

 

[Bolin27]

Hi Bendj, I don't suppose you have any shots stopped down? Perhaps landscapes? Steve Huff demonstrates the Voigtlander 15mm and it looks fine to my (admittedly wonky) eye. Thanks

 

[Huss]

Hi Bendj, I don't suppose you have any shots stopped down? Perhaps landscapes? Steve Huff demonstrates the Voigtlander 15mm and it looks fine to my (admittedly wonky) eye. Thanks

The images that Huff posted were 1800x1200 pixels. You can't tell much with that low rez. The photographers conducting real tests are showing full size images. Then again they are not relying on sponsorships to keep their sites going.

 

[4deck71]

any update?

any update?

I just wrote a reasonably long post describing my experiences with the S1 but it got lost in the login process.

Here's the potted version:

The image is very bright and clean looking, colours are accurate to life as I see it.

The ibis is great with M Lenses, it is superb for hand held video which is why I bought the camera - as a complimentary video camera for my film bodies for personal family stuff and for travel. I will also use it as a B Cam for work along side canon stuff.

I have the 28, 35 & 50 Summicrons and all work well for my standards (mainly people up close).

The handling is great, it's quite heavy and beefy but very intuitive to use and everything you need is to hand.

Curious if you are willing to provide an update? How are you enjoying the camera overall? and how are those Summicrons performing relative to the concerns voiced in this thread?

Your usage mirrors my intention to purchase an S1, btw.

 

[Bendj]

Curious if you are willing to provide an update? How are you enjoying the camera overall? and how are those Summicrons performing relative to the concerns voiced in this thread?

Your usage mirrors my intention to purchase an S1, btw.

Hi there,

Yes I am really enjoying it. I like the handling and user interface, the skin tones look good so not too much messing around in Lightroom. The image is very clean looking though compared to my experiences with Canon which is a downside for me, but once I remove the default Lightroom sharpening and maybe add a little grain it looks good.

Video is obviously a strong point and will get even better once I receive the free (in the UK) video upgrade. Ibis in video is superb.

I haven't really been using my Summicrons on the camera as my VC 40mm f1.2 has been wedded to it mostly. The balance and ergonomics feel better with this slightly larger lens and the focal length is very versatile. For work stuff I have been using Canon lenses with the MC adapter which not the fastest at focusing but is accurate and OK for the stuff I mostly shoot.

I haven't tested the camera for performance with Leica lenses in any scientific way but it's looks plenty good to me and I have owned an M9 and M10.

Hope that is useful info.

 

[Owen W.]

M lenses on any full frame digi

M lenses on any full frame digi

Several responses say that there is no market of those with M lenses hunting a solid FF body.

Well, this is my primary focus. I have a collection of some 16+ Leica lenses of various ages, and I want a digital body to use them on.

A digital M is appealing, but it is both pricey and does not come with the advanced IBIS performance of the newer FF bodies.

The IBIS has a strong appeal for low-light shooting.

So, which of the current and emerging FF bodies DOES work best with the legacy Leica M glass?

Thank you.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Here is no best mirrorless. Especially some Nikon.
And not Leica, for sure due to all of the quality issues. Maybe M 240, M10. But those are only makes sence for RF lenses. None of the M has dust shake sensor. So for non rf lenses testers it is not good.

I'm not sure what went wrong among P and L. They both used each over cameras and lenses for mft.

 

[Godfrey]

The only non-Leica camera I like for M lenses is the sadly discontinued Ricoh GXR with M module. Although it has an aps-c sensor, it is by far the best solution for shooting M mount lenses outside of a purpose-built rangefinder. There's no loss of sharpness, colours are rich, and no AA filter means you get all the detail the sensor can capture. It's also slow, a bit clunky, shot to shot time is bad, but in terms of image quality the GXR-M is fabulous.
...

I agree about the Ricoh GXR-M. It was a superb shooter.

The more modern replacement for it, for me, is the Leica CL ... I had the SL for a time but never liked using my M lenses on it, they fit the CL much much better and Leica supplies lens profiles so they perform beautifully, with rendering pretty much identical to their performance on the M-P240, M-D262, and SL (given that you have to crop the view on those three cameras to match their view on the CL).

The CL's sensor and viewfinder are generations improved beyond the GXR-M. The GXR-M had a couple of nice features that aren't on the CL, but I don't find them to be much of an issue in use.

The CL is such a strong performer and so versatile that it has replaced the GXR-M and both the SL and the M-D as my go-to camera of choice for most shooting needs.

G

 

[iaeaix]

My experience with S1R so far is pretty good, quite happy with it.
I have many Vintage M lens, so far I have not spent enough time to play with it.
But some play and test shots with beloved Summicron 35 v1 impressed, I did not expect the lens can feed up the 47MP, which it did. It is satisfaction there.
Also tried Contax G 21mm f/2.8 Biogon lens, it worked OK, no red casting at corners. My M240 showed red casting with it, M9 did the best among the three cameras.
50mm lens work of course beautifully.
Have not tested other lens yet, enjoying using the 35mm cron v1 on it .


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