New York PhotoPlusExpo 2016

[Calzone]

It is time again to register for free before September. I'm number 1415.

What will I do this year in the annual ritual of harassing the reps in the Leica Booth?

Last year I brought my black SL2-MOT that Sherry had built from two parts cameras. I had the rare 50 Lux-R mounted and I made fun of Leica for not coming up with a new original name for the SL.

"Why would I want a new SL when I already own a perfectly new old SL? I said. LOL.

And then I kinda blew them away by showing off a print I made shot with my Monochrom.

Anyways why am I such a bully? LOL.

I already own a Leica "R" to "T" adapter so this year I will be able to test this legendary lens on a SL (50 Lux-R). I am anxious and await the new 50 Lux ASPH-SL, so I will yell at these guys to hurry up because I likely need one. On top of that I will pester the Leica boys of why not make a monochrom version of the SL?

So here is a thread to load me up with ammo to target those Leica boys. Of course I will try to extract when they will come out with a wide (preferably a 28mm) for the SL (autofocus).

Looking forward to beating up those Leica boys. LOL. "Brutal," I say. No mercy.

Cal

 

[Range-rover]

There's a lot of new things to see I'll try to go 2 days again like last year, but now that
I'm a serious medium format guy I will just enjoy looking at other stuff and hopefully
see you guys there.

 

[Calzone]

There's a lot of new things to see I'll try to go 2 days again like last year, but now that
I'm a serious medium format guy I will just enjoy looking at other stuff and hopefully
see you guys there.

Bob,

I'm anxious for that 50 Lux-SL.

I also wonder if the rumor I have been perpetuating becomes true: a monochrome version of the SL.

Also feel free to generate, start and propel rumors.

You know me: I'm a smut queen. LOL. I can't help but be delusional at times. Creative people daydream a lot, sometimes are crazy, and don't have better things to do.

Cal

 

[Range-rover]

As being one of those creative type people I do that a lot. All signed up myself going to the show.

Bob C

 

[Calzone]

This is a bump.

Sign up while it is still free.

Could someone create a link for me?

Cal

 

[jsrockit]

http://www.photoplusexpo.com/

 

[Calzone]

Thanks John.

I am lame. LOL.

Cal

 

[Range-rover]

This is a bump.

Sign up while it is still free.

Could someone create a link for me?

Cal

All done, I sure they will have some good stuff!

 

[Calzone]

All done, I sure they will have some good stuff!

Bob,

Not only am I lame: I am also lazy. LOL.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

So Leica should have the "R" to "L" adapter at PhotoPlusExpo so I can try my 50 Lux-R E60 on a SL. At PopFlash I see that they are taking pre-orders, but the price is a very rude $750.00. Why is this adapter more than twice the cost of the "M" to "L" adapter??? Know that only ROM lenses can be used or post-76 lenses updated to ROM.

Been looking at the AF 50 Lux-L which is also expected soon. Seems to be another huge lens that is about the same size as the 24-90 zoom only a tad bit shorter.

I also want to see the vertical grip and the hand strap that goes with it.

Another interesting note is the Novoflex Canon EOS to SL adapter that is well integrated to work with the SL. Crazy as it sounds the smut is that Leica and Novoflex collaborated. Supposedly the Canon autofocus works, but with the exclusion of "continuous."

Anyways I'm hunting for the smut.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Okay,

Every year I do something to "bully" Leica. Last year I went to the Leica booth and showed off my Leica SL2-MOT that I rescued from Adorama and had Sheery build from two parts cameras.

"Why should I buy a new SL when I already have an old one?" I said. Pretty much I was telling them that they could of picked a new or more original name.

So this year if everyone that I know goes to the Leica booth, I want everyone to bitch and moan "Why can't you tether the SL?" especially since this model is designed to be the most pro model.

From being in the studio with my friend Mike I see all the advantages of shooting tethered using Capture One. Why can't I do this with a Leica SL?

Wireless xfer of a JPEG via an App is kinda lame by pro standards.

Please do me a favor and molest and hound the guys in the Leica booth to do a better job.

Many thanks.

Cal

EDIT: It seems that Leica knew I was gunning for them, and they came up with a patch that allows tethering into Lightroom. I got the smut from Godfrey who is a Beta tester for this new development. In the studio tethering is the way to go.

Now my only campaign is for the SLM (SL Monochrom). Perhaps Leica will surprise me in October...

 

[jsrockit]

I'll hound them over a Leica Q 50mm thank you.

 

[Godfrey]

Cal,

Thanks for posting ... I've registered now. I am not entirely sure I'll make it there, but I'm going to try.

I have no idea why you want to "bully Leica." Seems silly to me: Leica is a business, the people who run the company, who work the distributorship, are good folks who do their best for customers. They've always done well by me. Whatever...

Leica Image Shuttle for the SL (running on OS X) was released just recently along with updates for the Lightroom plugin and updated SL firmware (v2.1). It's all working very nicely for shooting with wired tethering. The Windows version is still in development. The Leica SL app for iOS works very well too, when I don't need direct raw file transfer; that's been available since the SL shipped.

The Leica SL has done a superb job for me since November 2015 with both its dedicated SL24-90 lens and with my existing complement of both M and R system lenses and accessories. The Leica M-D I've been using for the past five or six weeks is also just a super performer... it's the digital M I've been wanting since 2001, moreso than the M-P that I already had.

I have zero complaints with Leica gear, the Leica USA folks, and the Leica dealers I've dealt with. All of them have done their best to make me a very happy photographer and a satisfied customer—as they've been doing for the past forty-seven years. No equipment and no human being is ever perfect, but they have won my appreciation over long years of using their products and services.

I'll go to their booths, look at whatever new things they have to offer, see if any of the folks I know are there, and thank them for their continued excellent service and excellent products.

G

 

[Calzone]

Cal,

Thanks for posting ... I've registered now. I am not entirely sure I'll make it there, but I'm going to try.

I have no idea why you want to "bully Leica." Seems silly to me: Leica is a business, the people who run the company, who work the distributorship, are good folks who do their best for customers. They've always done well by me. Whatever...

Leica Image Shuttle for the SL (running on OS X) was released just recently along with updates for the Lightroom plugin and updated SL firmware (v2.1). It's all working very nicely for shooting with wired tethering. The Windows version is still in development. The Leica SL app for iOS works very well too, when I don't need direct raw file transfer; that's been available since the SL shipped.

The Leica SL has done a superb job for me since November 2015 with both its dedicated SL24-90 lens and with my existing complement of both M and R system lenses and accessories. The Leica M-D I've been using for the past five or six weeks is also just a super performer... it's the digital M I've been wanting since 2001, moreso than the M-P that I already had.

I have zero complaints with Leica gear, the Leica USA folks, and the Leica dealers I've dealt with. All of them have done their best to make me a very happy photographer and a satisfied customer—as they've been doing for the past forty-seven years. No equipment and no human being is ever perfect, but they have won my appreciation over long years of using their products and services.

I'll go to their booths, look at whatever new things they have to offer, see if any of the folks I know are there, and thank them for their continued excellent service and excellent products.

G

Godfrey,

I likely put it over the top, but every year at PhotoPlusExpo I really engage with the Leica booth. Be assured it is all friendly and respectful.

One year I tried to secure a chrome Monochrom when they were only available in Europe.

Another time I inquired about an a la carte service of getting a higher magnification VF'er and different framelines.

All in the spirit of getting a better camera. I only own six Leica bodies and I'm very interested in the SL which seems like a great camera for me, especially since I own a 50 Lux-R "E60" and mucho "M" glass.

I'm really excited to see the AF 50 Lux. Been patiently waiting for almost a year.

Have you used the "R" to "L" adapter? I already bought the "M" to "L" adapter and I don't own a SL yet.

Cal

 

[Godfrey]

I've not used the R Adapter SL as yet, it's only been available recently. I've been using the two-adapter stack of M Adapter T and R Adapter M since I bought the SL last November 16th: it works brilliantly with all my R and M lenses. I tend to use R lenses on the SL most of the time, I prefer their ergonomics and performance on this body over the M lenses. (I also have the SL24-90, which is a better performer than most of either R or M lenses I own, but I'm not a big zoom lens enthusiast...)

All the Leica R and M lenses I own work beautifully on the SL. Some of the Voigtländer M-mount lenses are a little less useful because they don't have the lens profile support that the Leica lenses do; you have to use CornerFix and other corrective measures after the fact. It's similar to using these Voigtländer lenses on the M typ 240/262 bodies in that respect.

The R Adapter SL improves on the two-adapter stack for extreme telephotos and extreme close-up work (less vignetting without the M-mount diameter constriction) and, of course, has the electronics in it to transfer R ROM lens information directly to the SL for correction purposes and EXIF data. Neither of these facilities are of much use to me since I don't have the very long lenses that suffer from vignetting and don't have any R ROM lenses, and the extreme macro vignetting doesn't concern me much. This adapter's use is restricted to 3-cam, R-only, and ROM R lens models for the same reason that the R8 and R9 bodies are: 1- and 2-cam R lenses can damage the electronic contacts in the mount due to differences in how the aperture cams are constructed. Leica (and others) can update most 1 and 2 cam lenses to 3 cam still, if you're willing to pay the price.

The R Adapter SL costs about the same as the two-adapter stack does. It's a bit expensive, I agree; if you don't need the electronics, don't care about the lens profiles, etc, the Novoflex LET/LER adapter is a simple adapter that will let you use R lenses on the SL body at a lower price.

G

 

[Calzone]

I've not used the R Adapter SL as yet, it's only been available recently. I've been using the two-adapter stack of M Adapter T and R Adapter M since I bought the SL last November 16th: it works brilliantly with all my R and M lenses. I tend to use R lenses on the SL most of the time, I prefer their ergonomics and performance on this body over the M lenses. (I also have the SL24-90, which is a better performer than most of either R or M lenses I own, but I'm not a big zoom lens enthusiast...)

All the Leica R and M lenses I own work beautifully on the SL. Some of the Voigtländer M-mount lenses are a little less useful because they don't have the lens profile support that the Leica lenses do; you have to use CornerFix and other corrective measures after the fact. It's similar to using these Voigtländer lenses on the M typ 240/262 bodies in that respect.

The R Adapter SL improves on the two-adapter stack for extreme telephotos and extreme close-up work (less vignetting without the M-mount diameter constriction) and, of course, has the electronics in it to transfer R ROM lens information directly to the SL for correction purposes and EXIF data. Neither of these facilities are of much use to me since I don't have the very long lenses that suffer from vignetting and don't have any R ROM lenses, and the extreme macro vignetting doesn't concern me much. This adapter's use is restricted to 3-cam, R-only, and ROM R lens models for the same reason that the R8 and R9 bodies are: 1- and 2-cam R lenses can damage the electronic contacts in the mount due to differences in how the aperture cams are constructed. Leica (and others) can update most 1 and 2 cam lenses to 3 cam still, if you're willing to pay the price.

The R Adapter SL costs about the same as the two-adapter stack does. It's a bit expensive, I agree; if you don't need the electronics, don't care about the lens profiles, etc, the Novoflex LET/LER adapter is a simple adapter that will let you use R lenses on the SL body at a lower price.

G

Godfrey,

I'm not a zoom person also, but the 24-90 shots speak for themselves. Even though I'm a fast prime kinda guy this zoom interests me.

My 50 Lux is a ROM lens that I made into a three cam by cannibalizing a Leica macro extension tube that was three cam and shaving one of the cams from 2.8 to 1.4. The reason to retrofit the 50 Lux to work on the black SL2-MOT mentioned above. This lens writes very much like a Noctilux except for the light fall of in the corners wide open.

I'm thinking the added close focus of the "R" lenses, their proportions, and on my 50 lux the longer focus throw suits the SL well.

Know that at the level of perfection that Leica provides I make it a ritual every year to be a knit-picker for something. Usually it is dumb like a better name for a camera. LOL.

Cal

 

[Godfrey]

...
I'm not a zoom person also, but the 24-90 shots speak for themselves. Even though I'm a fast prime kinda guy this zoom interests me.

My 50 Lux is a ROM lens that I made into a three cam by cannibalizing a Leica macro extension tube that was three cam and shaving one of the cams from 2.8 to 1.4. The reason to retrofit the 50 Lux to work on the black SL2-MOT mentioned above. This lens writes very much like a Noctilux except for the light fall of in the corners wide open.

I'm thinking the added close focus of the "R" lenses, their proportions, and on my 50 lux the longer focus throw suits the SL well.
...

The SL24-90 is indeed a superb lens and enables you to use all the capabilities of the SL body. For me, it's a "work" lens: I take it out when I know I absolutely, positively, must get the best shot possible for a specific task. Very little of my photographic endeavor is of that nature nowadays so it doesn't get used all that much. But once I get used to its size and weight (which really isn't that much more than some of the bulkier R lenses, like the Super-Elmar-R 15mm), it is a delight to use.

My Summilux-R 50 is vintage about 1972-1973, same as my black Leicaflex SL ... As a matter of fact, it was likely purchased with the black 'SL new as I bought that body and 50, 90, 135 lenses as a set from a shop selling it for the original owner. Your ROM model is probably a slightly better performer, but I love the old 'Lux dearly: it was my standard lens on the A7, on the 'SL, the R8. and now on the SL. I agree, it has a beautiful rendering signature.

R lenses overall work better on the SL than M lenses do, mostly due to the ergonomics. For instance, the WATE at 16mm is sharper and has less distortion at corners and edges than the Super-Elmar-R 15mm, but the R15mm is far nicely to use and focuses much more easily. Tradeoffs. Overall, I keep most of my M lenses on the M bodies these days, and use the SL as my digital R body. 🙂

G

 

[Calzone]

The SL24-90 is indeed a superb lens and enables you to use all the capabilities of the SL body. For me, it's a "work" lens: I take it out when I know I absolutely, positively, must get the best shot possible for a specific task. Very little of my photographic endeavor is of that nature nowadays so it doesn't get used all that much. But once I get used to its size and weight (which really isn't that much more than some of the bulkier R lenses, like the Super-Elmar-R 15mm), it is a delight to use.

My Summilux-R 50 is vintage about 1972-1973, same as my black Leicaflex SL ... As a matter of fact, it was likely purchased with the black 'SL new as I bought that body and 50, 90, 135 lenses as a set from a shop selling it for the original owner. Your ROM model is probably a slightly better performer, but I love the old 'Lux dearly: it was my standard lens on the A7, on the 'SL, the R8. and now on the SL. I agree, it has a beautiful rendering signature.

R lenses overall work better on the SL than M lenses do, mostly due to the ergonomics. For instance, the WATE at 16mm is sharper and has less distortion at corners and edges than the Super-Elmar-R 15mm, but the R15mm is far nicely to use and focuses much more easily. Tradeoffs. Overall, I keep most of my M lenses on the M bodies these days, and use the SL as my digital R body. 🙂

G

Godfrey,

I'm loving my R8 with the 50 Lux. The ergonomic suit me well. My thinking aligns with yours about the 50 Lux and the 24-90.

I was looking at the AF 50 Lux, and my estimate is that it is almost the same size as the 24-90 but only a tad shorter.

Anyways a bit smaller than my Nikon D3X.

I'm thinking of how spoiled we are.

Cal

 

[Range-rover]

It true Cal, I've been spoiling myself lately as well, the Nikon D3 series does
spoil you in most digital way's, plus now with the Hassey and Rollei's oh no!

 

[brennanphotoguy]

Godfrey,

I'm loving my R8 with the 50 Lux. The ergonomic suit me well. My thinking aligns with yours about the 50 Lux and the 24-90.

I was looking at the AF 50 Lux, and my estimate is that it is almost the same size as the 24-90 but only a tad shorter.

Anyways a bit smaller than my Nikon D3X.

I'm thinking of how spoiled we are.

Cal

Did you get the R8 we had in the used dept at B&H?