Leica S2 review in LL

[rainer_v]

I like the review of the S2 of MR, it seems to be written with a certain distance to the Leica, which makes it looking objective and interesting to read. I like that he did include some advices been given here in the forum and that MR tested the camera in some "professional" environment reg. focus tracking and tethering. Result for me is that the S2 performs exactly as i had expected.
Lets see how many professionals will find that concept , together with the nice red dot on it, enough tempting to spent 50.000 dollars or more ( backup ).

[rethmeier]

If the S2 came supplied with 3 ready made shift lenses , I certainly would consider it.

As that is not the case,I'm not interested right now.

I know that they have one in the pipeline,but that wouldn't be enough for me.

[archivue]

The back can then be placed on a technical camera, such as an Alpa, Cambo, or Linhof. This allows the use of movements, as well as the spectacular medium format digital lenses made by both Rodenstock and Schneider.

LL still ignore arca ?
strange, how the RM3D report was made vs the Alpa... it looks like personal preferences... more than reports...

Still the S2 without a bunch of TS lenses isn't a complete system...

[tho_mas]

If the S2 came supplied with 3 ready made shift lenses , I certainly would consider it.

I wonder how TS lenses will work in conjunction with an offset mircrolenses sensor; IMHO movements will be limited due to heavy vignetting, no?
Michael's article is indeed a very interessting read.

[Christopher]

The back can then be placed on a technical camera, such as an Alpa, Cambo, or Linhof. This allows the use of movements, as well as the spectacular medium format digital lenses made by both Rodenstock and Schneider.

LL still ignore arca ?
strange, how the RM3D report was made vs the Alpa... it looks like personal preferences... more than reports...

Still the S2 without a bunch of TS lenses isn't a complete system...

What do you have with your arca, sorry but as long as a company selling products in 2009 is not ABLE to actually have a real homepage, is not of any interest to me or many I know of.

[gwhitf]

Random:
* Kudos to Mr. Reichmann for taking the camera into the studio, and devoting several paragraphs to the results, on a site called Luminous Landscape.
* Very surprised to see the mention of only seeing 93-95% of the image in the viewfinder, on a pro camera.
* Phase comes out smelling like a rose in the article.
* All in all, I thought the article was thorough, balanced, objective.
* Just for kicks, would have loved to have seen a Nikon D3x thrown into that mix, next to the other two camera systems.
* The picture of the model with the spot-color lips has just got to go. It colors the whole review. All my friends and I have a blood-brother pact: No spot color effect mixed with black-and-white.
* Same thing with the orange keyline around the photo. I just can't take a good article seriously when there's an orange keyline against a black background. There -- somebody's gotta say it. The article is too good, to show the pictures that way. Design matters.

[michael]

The back can then be placed on a technical camera, such as an Alpa, Cambo, or Linhof. This allows the use of movements, as well as the spectacular medium format digital lenses made by both Rodenstock and Schneider.

LL still ignore arca ?
strange, how the RM3D report was made vs the Alpa... it looks like personal preferences... more than reports...

Still the S2 without a bunch of TS lenses isn't a complete system...

Simply an oversight. I've now added them.

Michael

Ps: Tell your friends at Arca if they'd like me to look at their products they know where to find me. Other companies have figured it out.

[michael]

Random:

* The picture of the model with the spot-color lips has just got to go. It colors the whole review. All my friends and I have a blood-brother pact: No spot color effect mixed with black-and-white.
* Same thing with the orange keyline around the photo. I just can't take a good article seriously when there's an orange keyline against a black background. There -- somebody's gotta say it. The article is too good, to show the pictures that way. Design matters.

Every photograph on the site has a coloured border. It's a signature of the site's design. I like it.

I also like desaturated images with emphasized colours. There are dozens to be found on the site over the past few years  

Michael

[narikin]

agree that MR's review is a useful contribution.
it admirably calls Leica out on some omissions and designs errors, unlike those whose living depends on selling Red-dots who review it as near faultless.

yes Phase doesnt come out of it so badly here, with the new DF body.
Surprised that the Leica lens didn't clearly outstrip the Phase 80mm D lens. very surprised in fact.
MR praises their optics, of course, but it obviously didn't lift the camera into another league.

I am the ideal customer for an S2 - MF quality street work, need something fast with big sensor and great lenses + AF.
have my DF body on order.

what would have helped a lot would be a 5 or 7 point AF allowing off center composition. is this really too much to ask for in 2009?

Once I get my DF, will decide whether to cancel my S2 order or leave it be.
(hurry up, Phase, if you have them for 'workshop' loans, then you should have them for your paying P65+ customers, who are waiting desperately... kind of shameful to have the priorities muddled up)

[BobDavid]

The S2 seems like a jewel to behold. It has its flaws to be sure.

I guess it all boils down to personal preference. For my money, I think the Hasselblad option offers the most versatility and the best value. It works well tethered, offers a waist level finder option, has a family of great lenses, provides good customer service, and is on the cutting-edge with products like the 35mm-90mm zoom, an outstanding 28mm lens, and the HTS tilt-shift adaptor.

Though, I daresay, the S2 is by far the prettiest MF camera out there.

[Khun_K]

I briefly played around it, did not have much time really testing it but it is a very camera that people love precision instrument, photography and afford will likely want to have one, and get one.  Leica without doublt produce professional quality cameras but only small percentage of its users are working professionals, but this is like many professional tools, musci, cars, many many things, a tool designed to produce professional result does not restrict non-professional to own it.  I will love to have one, although I am certain I will not get one for now, but I wish well for those who will buy it, becaue it is because of them (pro and non-pro) to sustain a camera maker such as Leica to continue be an active topic.
MR did a fair review, and very useful review. For studio work, I see the S2 a strong faship camera, the tested tethered performance is not ideal, but I think it is a matter of tweak of firmware and software, it should and I beleive it will work a lot better than that.

[pschefz]

i just cannot believe that a camera clearly targeted towards fashion/studio work has that kind of tether speed....i don't understand who makes the decisions and says: yes a frame every 4 seconds and an extra couple of secs to show up is just what people want....
maybe firmware can fix things to a certain point, but it won't fix USB which is clearly the problem here....maybe it is already USB 3.0 and they are really ahead of all of us?
93-95% viewfinder? note to leica: people will put up with "liberal" framing with RF but not with SLR...defeats the whole purpose...
i am sure lenses will great and the camera is beautiful, makes those idiotic shortcomings even more stupid...these are such no brainers and should not even be talked about....

phase DF with schneider lenses with the high sync is clearly the best solution out there....

but really, i still don't see anything the canons/nikons won't do better or as good (enough...)

i was really hoping that leica would make something that would be a step forward....

somehow i was hoping that this might put a little pressure on canon/nikon to break the 35mm format and release that slightly larger sensor with new lenses (with shutter), i still think that is on the horizon but as long as DMF keeps producing "almost there/not really great solutions" they don't have to rush....

i am also really not surprised by the expected iso performance....usable 320....that's great....

[michael]

How many strobes can reach 1/800 or even 1/1600 second flash duration? Let us face it.

Most studio strobes are at least that fast. My Elinchrom BX500Ri studio strobes are 1/1580 sec at full power. Many are a lot faster.

Michael

[yaya]

Michael,

I also meant to say, the video of the demo/testing is exactly what I would like to see more of. I don't need endless specs on cameras. I want to see gear in the working environment. That tells me so much more than anything else. I'm sure it's a lot more work but doing video reviews is so much more desirable. It's the closest thing to being there. What works and what doesn't is so evident in just watching the gear being used and tested. You started something, so I guess keep on doing it.

I agree 100% and more-so the fact that is it all done in a well organised (but not staged) manner with no added sugar.

Makes it very honest and very credible IMO.

Yair

[Doug Peterson]

How many strobes can reach 1/800 or even 1/1600 second flash duration? Let us face it.

1/1600 is the duration at max power for the Profoto 8-A.

Doug

Doug Peterson
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[gwhitf]

I agree 100% and more-so the fact that is it all done in a well organised (but not staged) manner with no added sugar.
Makes it very honest and very credible IMO.
Yair

Spoken by the guy that used to strip in fake LCD images into the product shots of Leaf backs, for their print advertising. Gotta love it. (Could he be learning something, to correct his errant ways of the past?)

[michael]

I've done these before.

The Rm3D review back in July is another example. (I shot and edited that one myself).

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/...arca-rm3d.shtml

You're right. They're a lot of work. The 14 minute S2 video took Chris three days to edit, and it's a very fine but rough job– not up to his usual self-imposed standards, but I pushed him to have it ready for Sunday evening.

We'll be shooting another video this week on another new medium format camera that I'm testing that's going to knock everyone's socks off. (The camera, not necessarily the video).

Michael

[pschefz]

after thinking about it some more: the S2 really only has 2 usable iso settings...160 and 320....80 is pull with limited DR and 640 is looking questionable to me....years of development and they end up with 2? that is crazy....

can't wait to see the DMF review of the camera that will knock my socks off....really i want my socks knocked off....

[yaya]

Spoken by the guy that used to strip in fake LCD images into the product shots of Leaf backs, for their print advertising. Gotta love it. (Could he be learning something, to correct his errant ways of the past?)

...working on it (the erring/ learning bit)...

[gwhitf]

...working on it (the erring/ learning bit)...

You can do it, Yair. You can. But the sad thing is, the company that you presently work for could use your errant deeds more than Leaf.

But yeah, photographers tend to notice these things.