Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep. Thoughts On The Leica T

[JV]

Interesting read.  Thank you.  And I like the images!

Does anybody have any insight on the sales of the Leica T?

I have the impression that after the hype of the launch it has gone quiet a little bit...

[Vivec]

I have to agree -- the Leica T is not my cup of tea, but the piece was (very) well written with some beautiful photos!!!  A pleasure.
Wish the review had provided some more insight in how the menu works and why it was so different/appreciated by the photographer.

[Paulo Bizarro]

Nice article, with some good photos. But I have to smile when I read about how Leica are innovating with a touch-screen... well, I guess they innovated a few years ago when they introduced Aperture priority mode in the M series...

I appreciate the author's enamouring with the Leica T; I was at a store today ordering some prints, and saw one in the shelf. I actually do not like the design, it seems something that someone from the series "Space 1999" could be using. I much prefer the design of the Leica X2 or X-Vario. But that is just me. And the camera is big too, big lenses.

[BernardLanguillier]

Nice pictures indeed. The lens seems nice for sure.

Overall I am still unclear what the T offers over my Sony a5100 that justifies the very hefty price difference. I tend to think that the Sony is superior along most metrics (image quality at all ISOs, AF,...) besides the looks of the body (the T is good looking, I concede that) and, possibly, the quality of lenses, perhaps.

I'd rather use that money to buy other pieces of equipment.

Cheers,
Bernard

[yslee]

Overall I am still unclear what the T offers over my Sony a5100 that justifies the very hefty price difference. I tend to think that the Sony is superior along most metrics (image quality at all ISOs, AF,...) besides the looks of the body (the T is good looking, I concede that) and, possibly, the quality of lenses, perhaps.

I'd rather use that money to buy other pieces of equipment.

Leica is a luxury brand - I hesitate to call them a photography brand nowadays ever since the Japanese started dominating. We're not in their target market.

Nice article, with some good photos. But I have to smile when I read about how Leica are innovating with a touch-screen...

Leica will always attract gushing even if it's not warranted. That's the perk of being a luxury brand.

[AlanG]

Yes the photos are nice. But they are all static subjects. Couldn't pretty much any camera be used to shoot these? Whereas what distinguishes other cameras are advances in AF speed, eye tracking, fps rates, video functions, viewfinders, specialized functions, etc.

So what does this camera do that others cannot do?

Here is what the T lacks that is on the discontinued Sony Nex 6.  The current $750 Sony A6000 is similar. And there are quite a few other nice choices from Fuji, Pani, Samsung, Olympus, etc.


1. Image stabilization on some lenses.
2. Sensor cleaner
3. Built in EVF
4. Focus peaking
5. Magnified focus anywhere in the frame
6. AE lock button
7. Tilting LCD
8. Ability to use flash and EVF simultaneously
9. Electronic level
10. 10 fps
11. Electronic first curtain shutter
12. More compact IS kit lens that is wider with powered zoom
13. IR port and connector for wired remote cord.
14. HDMI out.
15. Sweep panorama feature
16. PDAF on sensor
17. AF illuminator
18. Anti Motion Blur : 6-image layering
19. Video Mode : AVCHD: PS - 1920 x 1080/60p@28Mbps FX - 1920 x 1080/60i@24Mbps FH - 1920 x 1080/60i@17Mbps FX - 1920 x 1080/24p@24Mbps FH - 1920 x 1080/24p@17Mbps MP4: HD - 1440 x 1080/ 30fps@12Mbps VGA - 640 x 480/ 30fps@3Mbps
20. Smaller and lighter with kit lens and EVF.
21. Smile shutter release. (I see the T has face detection - an essential feature for sure.)
22. Many more lenses available at this time including from third parties even some AF adapters for other brands... E.g. Canon Speedbooster.
23. Alpha lens adapter with SLT PDAF system for faster focusing.

Of course you might not really need any of these features for what you plan to shoot. Then again, maybe you will.

[MarkL]

Leica is a luxury brand - I hesitate to call them a photography brand nowadays ever since the Japanese started dominating. We're not in their target market.
Leica will always attract gushing even if it's not warranted. That's the perk of being a luxury brand.

This is the biggest thing people miss when talking about Leica and probably one of the biggest reasons for their recent success.

[AlanG]

Yes but these gushing so called reviews hardly explain anything about the camera's speed, limitations or functionality.  E.g. that there is no method of using a cable release or ir remote and that the wifi does not use the camera as an access point.

[telyt]

Yes the photos are nice. But they are all static subjects. Couldn't pretty much any camera be used to shoot these? Whereas what distinguishes other cameras are advances in AF speed, eye tracking, fps rates, video functions, viewfinders, specialized functions, etc.

So what does this camera do that others cannot do?

People enjoy using it.

[JV]

To me more than the Leica T the new Leica X Typ 113 looks interesting, too bad it also comes without a built-in EVF

[Paulo Bizarro]

To me more than the Leica T the new Leica X Typ 113 looks interesting, too bad it also comes without a built-in EVF

Indeed... the lens has to be pretty good, in order for people to buy it instead of the Fuji X100...

[Nick Rains]

Nice article and nothing to disagree with. It's a lovely camera. For those who seem to be emphasising function over form and saying 'bah, humbug' to such cameras I should say that I have had the chance to shoot with the two new T lenses and they are stunning. I suspect they will withstand the pixelpeepers' obsessions with MTF charts and brick wall photos. The 11-23 is sharp into the corners in ways that the Canon equivalents cannot even come close to. The sensor is excellent at high ISO and at base it's smooth and noiseless. This images it produces are delightful.

I am taking one to Cambodia next month to compliment my M since I can use the M lenses on it and the T can be a kind of back up. Plus having AF and zooms can be handy sometimes too.

[olaf]

Thanks Nick, I've been travelling and only just caught up with your comment. Agree totally re your 'bah humbug' remark. I'm a huge fan of 23 point lists, especially when I'm buying a washing machine or lawn mower....i.e. something with which I have no emotional involvement. That approach just doesn't work with cameras. The new Samsung has 'contect sensitive noise reduction'. OMG back to the check list, add a 24th point!
We can all create reasonable images with most cameras - but - we do our best work with cameras we love. For me that's a Leica M240. For others it can be one of the big brands or an iPhone. And that's as it should be.
I hope you'll share some of your Cambodia images. I think the T is at the start of a long and successful journey.

[JV]

I think the T is at the start of a long and successful journey.

Both the T and the Typ 113 are very desirable but they would sell so much more IMO if they had a built-in EVF...