The Leica SL: What is Leica thinking?

[Duane Pandorf]

Can you not see that the original picture of the woman holding the camera and lens is very foreshortened? It's a cell phone camera photograph made from too close to the subject, which exaggerates the elements close to the taking camera.

.....
G

A little less "exaggerated" front on photograph courtesy of: Kristian Dowling SL Review

http://static1.squarespace.com/stat...be4b03a6440673f90/1445318175629/?format=2500w

http://static1.squarespace.com/stat...be4b06c571f8f3d7a/1445361197716/?format=2500w

 

[GaryLH]

Leica is ALWAYS a niche. Leica doesn't need Pros or a broad market for this to do well. I see this is a good seller in its boutique stores. The AF zoom lens camera that the rich vacation photographer would want simply because it says Leica. I see these types in the Leica store in NYC (which is situated around other luxury brand stores). They know they want a Leica, but the M is not for them because it is a manual everything camera. I would imagine that not that many Pros use a M either, but that does well. How about the S2? Does that sell in huge quantities?

Since it can use the lenses from the S line, I wonder if it will find a place as a backup camera for those that have the S camera system?

Gary

 

[f16sunshine]

^^^^
From these images the only thing that would concern me is that slipery looking grip.
I love the top info LCD. A feature more mirrorless cameras should borrow from their Reflex brothers.

Thanks for the links Duane I did edit them back to links.

 

[Godfrey]

Those are good, Duane! Thanks!

The lens looks rather similar in proportions to the Vario-Elmarit D 14-50mm f/2.8-3.5 ASPH that Panasonic and Leica sold with the DMC-L1 and Digilux-3 DSLRs, scaled up by 10-15% to accommodate the FF format. Although big, it proved actually quite handy and was a great performer. I sold many, many photos made with that lens. 🙂

G

 

[Duane Pandorf]

^^^^
From these images the only thing that would concern me is that slipery looking grip.
I love the top info LCD. A feature more mirrorless cameras should borrow from their Reflex brothers.

Thanks for the links Duane I did edit them back to links.

Just wanted to make sure Kristian is credited as these are his photos. More photos here made with the SL by Kristian at the announcement ceremony at Wetzler.

SL Announcement

More I look at this thing and the images produced I'm impressed. I will stick with my M but I can definitely see this as a great all weather landscape camera with the "bazooka" lenses that are fully weather proof and a less expensive backup option for the single body S owner since the S lenses will work too.

 

[mlu19]

What is the main advantage of a mirrorless camera over DSLRs?

 

[f16sunshine]

What is the main advantage of a mirrorless camera over DSLRs?

Fewer move parts and less vibration is where it starts. There is no mirror to get out of the way in order to expose the sensor.
Real time exposure and focus pre-view are also huge.

There are other advantages. Everyone will have a view on what is the "main" advantage.

 

[Godfrey]

What is the main advantage of a mirrorless camera over DSLRs?

Several potential advantages:

• fewer mechanical bits to go wrong
• no swinging mirror in the way so a short mount register which allows more optimized lens designs
• no swinging mirror so another source of vibration and noise eliminated
• full pre-exposure information heads-up in the display when desired, including all manner of focusing aids and exposure analysis tools (peaking, zebra striping, focus magnification, etc)
• adaptability to many different lens types without need for dedicated mounts

and so forth.

G

 

[Nick R.]

What is the main advantage of a mirrorless camera over DSLRs?

I would rephrase it this way: What's the main advantage of an SLR over any other camera? A: What you see is what you get. Modern electronics is on the way to making the mirror part of that statement obsolete.

 

[Godfrey]

I would rephrase it this way: What's the main advantage of an SLR over any other camera? A: What you see is what you get. Modern electronics is on the way to making the mirror part of that statement obsolete.

Indeed. With a modern, high resolution, fast refresh EVF, you can see more than you can with an optical reflex finder. And its pixel accurate to the framing.

G

 

[Uncle Bill]

The new Leica SL almost reminds me of the R3 a bit. Time will tell if it will succeed, bear in mind the S series of medium format SLR is a heck of a lot more expensive well into the $20K range if you want to get two lenses along with the body.

 

[borge]

Indeed. With a modern, high resolution, fast refresh EVF, you can see more than you can with an optical reflex finder. And its pixel accurate to the framing.

G

You will also see the dust on the sensor as it accumulates a lot faster than on any DSLR due to being exposed all the time. But I guess pro's never changes lenses on the go 😀

 

[David Hughes]

HI,

I was thinking that Leica were thinking it was about time they replaced the Digilux 2...

Regards, David

 

[BlackXList]

It does have a thumbwheel, as well as a joystick. ??

G

Presuming that the dial on top is the PASM mode dial, it has a thumb dial at the top of the back which is presumably for changing aperture/shutter speed. But no additional wheel on the back (as most SLR's do for changing exposure compensation on the fly etc.)

Presumably the changes will be made by one of the four buttons around the screen or the touch screen. meaning they can't be done on the fly with an eye still to the viewfinder.

If this is the case, it's a serious design oversight if they're hoping to take market from Canon/Nikon

 

[JoeV]

What is the main advantage of a mirrorless camera over DSLRs?

Along with what others have offered, an EVF permits live-view of a scene in monochrome, which is important for B/W work.

~Joe

 

[borge]

Along with what others have offered, an EVF permits live-view of a scene in monochrome, which is important for B/W work.

~Joe

Seeing as 99.9% of the most iconic and important B&W work since photography was invented was done with an optical viewfinder, I can't really agree with your statement.

 

[Godfrey]

You will also see the dust on the sensor as it accumulates a lot faster than on any DSLR due to being exposed all the time. But I guess pro's never changes lenses on the go 😀

I believe it has the Olympus/Panasonic type ultrasonic sensor cleaning setup as well. 80,000 exposures with cameras so equipped and not a single dust spot yet.

Yes.. From the manual:

CLEANING THE SENSOR

The camera is equipped with an automatic sensor cleaning function. Every time the camera is switched on, the sensor unit is subjected to ultrasonic vibrations...

G

 

[Godfrey]

Presuming ...

Why presume? Download and read the manual. 🙂

From the manual:
Tap the LV button, spin the dial ... That sets exp comp with the default setup. You can reassign to a favored button.

G

 

[rbelyell]

Can you not see that the original picture of the woman holding the camera and lens is very foreshortened? It's a cell phone camera photograph made from too close to the subject, which exaggerates the elements close to the taking camera.

Aside from which, this is an interchangeable lens camera. I don't have to use that lens. I'm interested in the size of that which I have to hold and operate the controls from ... the body, in other words. The body is a nice size; I'll likely never own that lens. The other photo with the gent holding the camera shows me how big the body is, the M lens on the camera also tells me how big it is because I have lenses just like that and know exactly how big they are. Putting the camera next to another one I know the size of lets me gauge exactly how big it is. To scale illustrations from Leica let me see precisely how large the zooms are too.

So give it a rest. I'll not respond to any more of your shrill indictments.

G

not a word of what you quoted from me was 'shrill'. just stuff you dont enjoy hearing. you want this forum to be a leica kool aid drinking contest-shrill acknowledged--and i dont. as long as ridiculous statements like the one i took issue with are ok as long as theyre leica supportive, the more i,ll point that out. not shrill, but we make our choices and the chips fall where they fall.

and the photo of dowling holding that kit looks no less monstrous to me than it did in the alleged 'doctored' photo of a 'midget'.

 

[Godfrey]

not a word of what you quoted from me was 'shrill'. just stuff you dont enjoy hearing. you want this forum to be a leica kool aid drinking contest-shrill acknowledged--and i dont. as long as ridiculous statements like the one i took issue with are ok as long as theyre leica supportive, the more i,ll point that out. not shrill, but we make our choices and the chips fall where they fall.

and the photo of dowling holding that kit looks no less monstrous to me than it did in the alleged 'doctored' photo of a 'midget'.

Okay, you win. You are ignored now so I don't have to be annoyed by your posts.
Bye.

G