Used Leica SL or new Sony A9?

[Godfrey]

Steve HUff:

"I can use my Leica glass... almost any lens via adapters. THIS A9 is better than a Leica M9 in every way, yes, even for Leica glass."

Comments?

• An M9 is ancient tech, more than a decade old now from the design spec in a very fast moving world of photographic technology. Current Leica Ms are far beyond its spec and performance.
• Steve Huff always swoons over the latest gizmo. How long has he had the A9 to test? A week? Two? Three? Probably less than any of that. Anyone who makes wild assertions about a camera with less than a few month's worth of using it is likely over-excited. Steve makes such statements all the time, about all kinds of cameras, that he later drops when the next gizmo comes to him.

G

 

[Huss]

• An M9 is ancient tech, more than a decade old now from the design spec in a very fast moving world of photographic technology. Current Leica Ms are far beyond its spec and performance.
• Steve Huff always swoons over the latest gizmo. How long has he had the A9 to test? A week? Two? Three? Probably less than any of that. Anyone who makes wild assertions about a camera with less than a few month's worth of using it is likely over-excited. Steve makes such statements all the time, about all kinds of cameras, that he later drops when the next gizmo comes to him.

G

The M9 may be old tech but mine (M-E) worked perfectly with all my Leica lenses - everything from 18mm SE to 28mm Elmarit, 35 Cron, 50 Lux etc etc.
No smearing, no colour casts etc.
So for Huff to claim the A9 works better, well, seeing that Sony's have that thick sensor stack/cover that causes issues, it seems a bit unrealistic.

Main issue here is seeing that thread from KoFe about SL issues. Sure it may only be a couple of people, now, but that's how it started with the M9's sensor issues too. And Leica's treatment of those Sl owners with issues is abysmal. Sounds familiar...
Made me make up my mind to stick to my M.

 

[Out to Lunch]

All considered....hard to imagine the added value of mixing manual lenses with a speed beast.

 

[Godfrey]

...
Main issue here is seeing that thread from KoFe about SL issues. Sure it may only be a couple of people, now, but that's how it started with the M9's sensor issues too. And Leica's treatment of those Sl owners with issues is abysmal. Sounds familiar...
Made me make up my mind to stick to my M.

As I said before, the debacle on that thread is nonsense. Nonsense by Leica for putting out such an idiotic response, for sure, but nonsense anyway since it can and does happen with repairs of all kinds and all brands nowadays ... Nikon, Canon, Sony, whomever ... in which forums you read such war stories on a regular basis. To single it out as a weakness of the Leica SL is also nonsense: Leica has sold quite a lot of SL cameras and, as far as I can tell from my tech rep and the other folks I have contact with inside Leica, the warranty and defect issues on the SL have been lower than on any other camera they've produced. I would certainly not dis the SL on consistency, reliability, and quality. I'd only dis whatever service person at Leica for putting out such an idiotic evaluation statement ... which I'm sure will be made right.

But I do agree with you: If you're primary use is M lenses, stick with your M. The only M lens I occasionally put on my SL is the Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH (WATE), for when I want to work on my 'ultra-wide squares' theme, as an alternative to the Super-Elmar-R 15mm f/3.5. The WATE is smaller and lighter, and a bit sharper in corners and edges, but otherwise the SER15 is a nicer lens in use on the SL body.

My SL is now one and a half years old, has made multiple ten-thousands of exposures. The latest firmware update has given it a couple more features, a bit more speed, and an even nicer feeling of refinement. AF with both SL zooms is faster and more accurate than ever, and AFc/tracking now works as well as AFc/tracking did on my Nikon D750, or better. It's features like this that you should buy an SL for, and macro work, copy work, and other situations where you need a TTL viewfinder.

"An M is a better M than an SL." I don't think there's anything negative in that. 😀

G

 

[Huss]

But I do agree with you: If you're primary use is M lenses, stick with your M.

G

Thanks G. and others that have reminded me about this!
And I'm glad your SL is working great for you.

Have a great w/e everyone!

 

[newfilm]

Which one would you pick to use Leica M glass on? ... Also which one has the better EVF? SL's is bigger, but Sony's is meant to not black out (even though I didn't really notice that on the SL but I am only a single shot user)

I have handle the sony in store (7/7II/9), there is something in the EVF that is bugging me, it has this "everything-is-abit-slower" feeling... I don't know how to describe it...

 

[Calzone]

Huss,

I don't favor M-glass on the SL and for MF I really feel that the "R" glass has better ergonomics, balance, and feel. If Manual focus is your thing, or if you have mucho "R" glass then the SL is best suited for the SLR glass.

I very much love the 50 Lux-R E60 and it is a magic lens on the SL. I also have a 35 Lux-R 3-cam that is also great, but know that the 35 Lux is not compact, and in fact is the same size as a 80 Lux-R. I even had someone ask me the focal length of my telephoto lens when I was using the 35 Lux.

For me the M-lenses with their small barrels have a twitchy focus. For me the SL was a replacement for a DSLR (D3X) and not a sub for a M-body. I will say even that it does seem to me that the SL is more optimized for "R" glass than "M" glass.

As noted the new firmware V3.0 vastly improved the performance of my 50 Lux-SL. The AF was always deadly accurate but was a dog as far as speed. The new firmware changed all that. As much as I love the rendering of the "R" glass the SL is best used with my 50 Lux-SL.

I shoot my SL rather heavily and have had no issues. The SL I need for speed shooting fashion so the camera kinda gets used as intended with AF glass.

Cal

 

[ptpdprinter]

Steve HUff:

"I can use my Leica glass... almost any lens via adapters. THIS A9 is better than a Leica M9 in every way, yes, even for Leica glass."

Comments?

Yes. Steve Huff said it. So what. He also says that you can communicate with the dead, and has a website devoted to it. Nothing he says is credible.

 

[Viktor Sebastian]

Yes. Steve Huff said it. So what. He also says that you can communicate with the dead, and has a website devoted to it.

And here I was just thinking that you were joking!

😱

 

[helen.HH]

Neither... M10

 

[newsgrunt]

Several colleagues (Reuters/ AP etc) have switched over to Sony after years as Canon/Nikon shooters. As well, Sony, in the US afaik, has hired Bill Pekala, a long time NPS chief. One of the things everyone has been saying is that if Sony wants to swim with the sharks, they NEED strong personnel in service and this is a huge, huge get.

I'll probably be Nikon forever but I see Sony chipping away at the two giants but not sure if they'll surpass them as many (myself included) still prefer optical viewfinders and don't need 20 fps etc..and until they can basically match the most used and best Nikon and Canon lens lineup, then they'll always be a step behind. Close that gap and things are different.

 

[ptpdprinter]

Steve HUff:

"I can use my Leica glass... almost any lens via adapters. THIS A9 is better than a Leica M9 in every way, yes, even for Leica glass."

Comments?

Anybody that believes anything Steve Huff says has a screw loose. Besides running a camera site, his other job is selling contraptions he builds to communicate with the dead.

http://huffparanormal.com/2018/02/u...ld-as-i-prep-for-group-night-amazing-footage/

Huss, I know you have posted articles on Steve Huff's site, and my comments are not directed at you.

 

[johannielscom]

Have you used any Sony cameras previously? They have wonderful technology on paper with some cutting edge sensors, but ultimately Sony cameras are the antithesis of why many of us like Leica.

rubbish.

It's very easy to set a Sony to all manual operation to have the oldskool experience and sure it's a plastic camera, but so was the Bessa line of cameras and that was hailed as the best thing since sliced bread here. It's not about the materials used but about the capabilities it provides to the photographer.

The Sonys can be just as good in every aspect, both in output and in ergonomics/handling. It too has the potential to be the camera that you want to take with you when you go out, that strange 'mix of presence and non-presence' absolutely is no Leica prerogative.

 

[Huss]

Huss, I know you have posted articles on Steve Huff's site, and my comments are not directed at you.

I know.
🙂

This thread was started a while back when the A9 was first introduced. Now that it is clear that it still uses much thicker cover glass than what is on Leica sensors, it is obvious that he is very mistaken.

 

[DwF]

rubbish.

It's very easy to set a Sony to all manual operation to have the oldskool experience and sure it's a plastic camera, but so was the Bessa line of cameras and that was hailed as the best thing since sliced bread here. It's not about the materials used but about the capabilities it provides to the photographer.

The Sonys can be just as good in every aspect, both in output and in ergonomics/handling. It too has the potential to be the camera that you want to take with you when you go out, that strange 'mix of presence and non-presence' absolutely is no Leica prerogative.

RX1 cameras (the lot of them) can be made simple and quick to use! They are compact, well built fabulous picture takers, and no time is wasted deciding which focal length to use 🙂

 

[Tejasican]

Sony has to have better service than Leica. I've never seen service as bad as Leicas unless you're a dentist. I no longer trust Leica. Sony I'd be willing to give them a chance. Everyone I e talked to that owns Sony loves them with no complaints.

I loved every Sony product I had - until it broke, then I discovered the lack of service. That's why I no longer buy Sony. I had hoped the camera department was different initially, but sadly I discovered otherwise.

 

[Michael Markey]

Everyone I e talked to that owns Sony loves them with no complaints.

Never used the A9 but I use an A7S and A7R2 with Leica glass and couldn`t be happier.
The EV and the focus peaking are a dream.

 

[Huss]

I loved every Sony product I had - until it broke, then I discovered the lack of service. That's why I no longer buy Sony. I had hoped the camera department was different initially, but sadly I discovered otherwise.

Sony service is meant to be pretty decent now, while Leica in the US is a nightmare.

 

[vladimir]

Which one would you pick to use Leica M glass on? Money is pretty much the same. No need for AF or 20fps etc. Just the best non M camera to use M lenses on.
Huff says the Sony A9 is the best ever for Leica glass, but he says everything is the best ever ...
But maybe it is? Also which one has the better EVF? SL's is bigger, but Sony's is meant to not black out (even though I didn't really notice that on the SL but I am only a single shot user).
😕

I have Leica SL and use Leica M and Leica M mount lenses on it via Leica M-Adapter L. Adapter L reads 6 bit coded lenses or you can choose from M lens menu for uncoded lenses. This feature does not exist on Sony to my knowledge. I read Huff just to see how ridiculers some gear reviews are now days, even KR has more credibility. My choice would be Leica SL for many reasons, but only you can decide. Do more research.

 

[tuanvinh2000]

i owns the A7 for several years now (the original A7). happily made pictures and prints to 16x20 on fiber paper from Ilford labs with perfection. once it's setup, the only dial i use is ISO dial. A mode, set aperture and focus on a manual lens. it's a breeze. i use only 35mm/75mm pair of lens. if i want a 21mm, get a zeiss 21mm loxia 🙂 and the A7 feels solid too with a case made in metal, same weight as my M6.