Poll

Why do you own a digital M Leica?

Because I prefer shooting with a rangefinder.
- 9 (45%)
Because I want to use Leica and other M lenses.
- 11 (55%)

Total Members Voted: 20

Voting closed: October 30, 2011, 08:03:58 am


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Author Topic: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?  (Read 1478962 times)

melchiorpavone

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #200 on: September 21, 2014, 10:28:51 pm »

Ok, massa, let's say I agree with you. By agreeing with you (that I do not know what I am talking about), would I know what I am talking about in such a case? ;)

If Jim Mora thinks so.

I have 50 years of experience in photography, 43 years with Leicaflexes. I have eight lenses currently and have owned several others. I know the system well, and I know it's the best system ever. The designs are brilliant. The equipment is a dream to work with. Everything functions flawlessly and simply. If you owned this equipment you would understand how idiotic and unnecessary auto-focus is.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2014, 10:34:54 pm by melchiorpavone »
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Jim Pascoe

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #201 on: September 24, 2014, 07:28:51 am »

No, and don't contradict me again. The auto-focus system will always fail at such a shot because it cannot distinguish between the mask and the eyes. It's the same problem as trying to photograph through mesh.

Oh no!  I cannot believe you are on about the same thing in this thread as the one on Sensors too.

Now I know you are deluded.  If you honestly expect me to believe that you can follow focus an eyeball, manually, with a child running towards you at that depth of field you are living in dream land.
And of course with your complete lack of experience with both digital and AF you must be an expert on both.  Have you ever used them?  Or did you just never have the time to learn how to properly take advantage of their benefits in certain circumstances?
It's not often one meets such unbelievable ignorance on LL.  Particularly when you insult another member who over the years has shown a lot of insight into photography.
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melchiorpavone

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #202 on: September 24, 2014, 09:31:29 am »

Oh no!  I cannot believe you are on about the same thing in this thread as the one on Sensors too.

Now I know you are deluded.  If you honestly expect me to believe that you can follow focus an eyeball, manually, with a child running towards you at that depth of field you are living in dream land.

Actually, I was focusing on the third eyelash from the left, of the left eye.

 ;)


My point was that AF systems cannot handle that kind of scene well: the bars of the facemask on the helmet will throw off the focussing.
« Last Edit: September 24, 2014, 12:06:55 pm by melchiorpavone »
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250swb

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #203 on: September 26, 2014, 05:11:34 pm »

To the best of my knowledge, that particular image could not have been produced with any competing autofocus system.


Like you I have a lot of experience in photography, press work, theatre work, education, and sport. And I might agree with you that no AF system could make such a clear focus judgement as MF in differentiating the eyes from the face guard, if you had further qualified it by saying 'but it was pure luck'. I know when to admit luck is an important ingredient with this sort of image. And you try to make your own luck in eliminating all things that can go wrong, but hubris is the one thing beyond technique that needs to be addressed. In this case 'you' didn't focus on the eyes, the eyes ran into shot at the convenient moment you pressed the shutter. It is a subtle difference between where experience allows you to plan ahead for this, and implying you can do it every time on demand, and thereby making sweeping claims for MF against AF.

Steve

SeanBK

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #204 on: September 28, 2014, 08:04:59 am »

Michael, Any reviews of new M Summarit lenses planned? Also in your Part II of LEICA Interview @ Photokina you addressed the delivery question (Thnx BTW). Have you heard @ any dealers having 75mm & 90mm in stock? And when 35mm will be available, as we are almost into Oct.
  In States all will be in 2nd week of Oct. I need to pair my M (240) w/35mm and 90mm, thence the query. Thank you.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2014, 08:08:44 am by SeanBK »
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Petrus

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #205 on: September 28, 2014, 01:33:48 pm »

I have 50 years of experience in photography, 43 years with Leicaflexes. I have eight lenses currently and have owned several others. I know the system well, and I know it's the best system ever. The designs are brilliant. The equipment is a dream to work with. Everything functions flawlessly and simply. If you owned this equipment you would understand how idiotic and unnecessary auto-focus is.

Yet, for some reason, 99.99999% of the professional photographers use modern Digital AF cameras, not Leicaflexes. Why, could you make any educated guess? Is it just that you have not told anybody about it before?
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JeanMichel

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #206 on: September 28, 2014, 04:00:06 pm »

Yet, for some reason, 99.99999% of the professional photographers use modern Digital AF cameras, not Leicaflexes. Why, could you make any educated guess? Is it just that you have not told anybody about it before?

Nothing particularly wrong being in the 0.000001% club.  :)
Jean-Michel
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Osprey

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #207 on: September 29, 2014, 02:11:15 am »

Yet, for some reason, 99.99999% of the professional photographers use modern Digital AF cameras, not Leicaflexes. Why, could you make any educated guess? Is it just that you have not told anybody about it before?

And for some reason >95% of professional photographers who were contemporary with the introduction and refinement of Leicaflexes, somehow did not use them when there was not only no Digital AF cameras, but no AF cameras at all.
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SeanBK

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #208 on: October 01, 2014, 01:37:27 pm »

Michael, Any reviews of new M Summarit lenses planned? Also in your Part II of LEICA Interview @ Photokina you addressed the delivery question (Thnx BTW). Have you heard @ any dealers having 75mm & 90mm in stock? And when 35mm will be available, as we are almost into Oct.
  In States all will be in 2nd week of Oct. I need to pair my M (240) w/35mm and 90mm, thence the query. Thank you.
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ErikKaffehr

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #209 on: October 01, 2014, 02:29:35 pm »

Hi,

No, that is OK, but basing a business case on that 0.000001% club may be an unsecure bet.

Best regards
Erik

Nothing particularly wrong being in the 0.000001% club.  :)
Jean-Michel
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LesPalenik

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #210 on: November 09, 2014, 07:48:38 pm »

Actually, I was focusing on the third eyelash from the left, of the left eye.

My point was that AF systems cannot handle that kind of scene well: the bars of the facemask on the helmet will throw off the focussing.

The picture below was not taken by Leica, and I used it already once before on this forum, but it illustrates quite well the delay between measuring the distance (obtaining the focus) and pressing the shutter. I focused on the (previously visible) paddler, but a few milliseconds delay was long enough that the paddler dropped into a hole about half a meter downstream. Interestingly, even missing the moment in time, the hand with paddle is still in focus. I could claim superior focusing skills, but between us, it was pure luck!



Another second later, this time about one meter further downstream and fifty milliseconds later after the paddler re-appeared from the hole, I got my man.


An article describing neurological facts potentially useful to an action photographer, can be found at:
http://advantica.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/neuroscience-for-photographers/
« Last Edit: November 10, 2014, 04:08:01 am by LesPalenik »
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svedosh

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #211 on: December 13, 2014, 05:12:56 pm »

Rangefinder. Zeiss lenses are great, but their advantage over the best mass market lenses is dwindling. However no SLR can compete with a rangefinder for quiet smooth operation.
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Jim Kasson

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #212 on: December 13, 2014, 05:31:36 pm »

However no SLR can compete with a rangefinder for quiet smooth operation.

True enough. But the Sony a7S (in all-electronic shutter mode) and RX-1 (in any mode) are much quieter than the M9 or M240 (or any M, for that matter, including the film ones), and not a rangefinder in sight.

Jim

SeanBK

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #213 on: December 19, 2014, 01:51:32 am »

Can't figure why this thread still open, so I assume Michael is still interested in Leicaphiles' thoughts.
I shoot w/Leica M type 240 & Leica lenses. Love the results w/Leica glass. Was shooting w/NikonD800e, no regrets in the switch. Nikon D800e is great but was getting cumbersome & sharpness from Leica glass is just great & very easy to focus w/Rangefinder.
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E.J. Peiker

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #214 on: April 05, 2015, 08:30:55 am »

Can't figure why this thread still open, so I assume Michael is still interested in Leicaphiles' thoughts.
I shoot w/Leica M type 240 & Leica lenses. Love the results w/Leica glass. Was shooting w/NikonD800e, no regrets in the switch. Nikon D800e is great but was getting cumbersome & sharpness from Leica glass is just great & very easy to focus w/Rangefinder.

I was just thinking a similar thought, it seems strange that this thread continues to be pinned to the top.
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Bo Dez

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #215 on: June 29, 2015, 09:04:52 pm »

I have been a long term Leica M user and I have to say that it seems very soon I will be switching to another brand unless they can provide a 36-40mp body. Given the S, which is not even out yet, is still 37MP I can't see it happening. I'm holding out hope but don't like my chances.
« Last Edit: July 07, 2015, 02:02:58 pm by Bo Dez »
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SeanBK

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #216 on: August 08, 2015, 10:07:54 am »

Leica S (007) will be out by end of Aug, '15. 37.5MP
New rumored Leica by the end of the year 2015, supposed to be breaking the mold & highest ISO in the market.
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Uhoh7

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #217 on: September 10, 2015, 04:15:52 am »

I broke down and bought an M9 in Jan 14, when it became obvious Sony had messed up their cameras with a thick sensor cover. I had returned the A7r in 2013, and replaced it with plain A7, which I kept and later did the Kolari mod, so now it shoots M glass pretty well.

So I use the A7.mod as a second body to my M9. The RF took a couple months to get used to, but now I'm addicted. I do hate the M9 shutter, and the Sony shutter LOL, but overall I really like the M9.

I learned with the A7r that pixel count is totally meaningless. Especially if you prefer to avoid crops, as I do. Many problems ensue with tiny pixels that big pixels are oblivious to: witness A7S.

I won't be selling the M9.....ever. I would like the same thing with a normal shutter in the M6 footprint.
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douglas fry

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #218 on: September 14, 2015, 09:03:52 am »

I shot with Leica M6's before the year 2000 when I went digital (I had the 21mm Elmarit, 35mm Summicron ASPH, 50mm Summicron and 90m Elmarit) - all that gear went on a shelf and I went with Canon.

Fast forward to this year I sold all my 1DX bodies and L lenses and went with Sony A7II which allowed me to use my Leica glass once more....Beautiful images, so clear with great colour and compact of course...

I bought a Leica M240 and couldn't be happier, add to it the 90 APO Summicron for portraits  and I'm sorted for almost every shoot (I'm a professional photographer in UK). I still use a Sony for longer focal lengths but everything else is on the rangefinder.

I now carry my Leica everywhere, something I haven't done for years (just relying on my iPhone) - I shoot more personal work and it has generally given my photographic life a big boost - its a great camera. I'm going to add another M to the arsenal shortly.
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Allen Bourgeois

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Re: M Leica – Camera or Lenses?
« Reply #219 on: December 21, 2015, 06:04:30 pm »

The new M 262 is really quite.
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