I received my APTUS 75 about two weeks ago and though my english is not very good I will try to share some impressions after this short period of usage on FUJI GX680 III :
The back feels solid and tight mounted on the camera through KG - stitching adapter . It can be attached horizontally or vertically or you can also rotate the adapter (including the DB) like the old film back . Focus is accurate . I do not understand why the KG One Shot Release is so big and why it has such long wires ? . It is a "boxy" , 60-ies design thing that dongles hanged up on the wires making all the set looking very improvized . But it works well .
The back is very simple and intuitive to operate . Actually I did not even read the manual .
The screen is good . It is not like those on the Canons but it somehow compensate by its size . After few days of use I learnt to evaluate the exposure on it . I can set gray balance on the back , which is nice . I like very much that I can zoom in at 1:1 and check the focus . I find this very useful .
The files look amazing . I'm still impressed every time I open one . It is not only about the detail , it is about the 3D feeling of these files , the smooth transitions and rich , natural colors . And they are very sharp . I can't explain exactly but the sharp is natural , not "cooked" in the software . Very "workable" files , they can take a lot of post without breaking apart .
Long exposures , up to 25 seconds are very clean . Between 25 and 30 seconds the noise becomes visible . For the kind of work I do it is absolutely ok . I can't remember a job in the last years where a longer exposure was necessary .
The files at 50 ISO are incredible . The best single shot captures ever . At 100 ISO is almost the same . 200 ISO is still clean and absolutely usable in demanding situations . At 400 ISO Leaf Aptus 75 is surprisingly good , it very much looks like film . Yes , noise can be seen but it reminds me of the film grain . I would go further and say a 400 ISO Aptus 75 file looks almost like a 6x8 100 ISO film . I have a poster in my studio (portrait) 28x40 commercial print (300dpi) from a 6x8 Kodak E100S and to my eye , Leaf Aptus at 400 ISO , is very similar when up-sized . From 400 to 800 ISO the difference is noticeable and 800 can be used more for the editorial kind of work in my opinion , for prints up to double page spreads or larger but you have to like the grain .
The 30G Digital Magazine is very convenient . It is not bulky and very easy to attach and detach from the camera after you get used . As simple as inserting/extracting the card .
Software is ok but pretty slow to process the files on my dual 2GHz 3.5G RAM . The only thing I miss in Leaf Capture is the temperature slider . Anyway , I have it on ACR .
All in all I'm very happy with the purchase . It took me almost 2 years to decide between Leaf and Phase but now , after 2 weeks of usage I belive I made the right choice . Phase is very good too but I couldn't get over the poor screen and I prefer the look of the Leaf files .
One more thing : prior to the purchase and after , every time I call somebody from Leaf I get an answer . Or if he does not answer , I can be sure he will call me back very soon . Every email I sent got an answer in the same day . This made me feel safe to choose Leaf , even if the dealer is 600 km from here , over the Phase which is next door .
GH
