Leica Forum

Just received a black Wotoncraft 7L Pilot. Almost perfect bag, except for one thing: it's too big for my everyday casual carry... So guess I'll have to also get a 3.5L as well, because I'm keeping this bag! The 2L is tempting, (esp in leather, and the 3.5, but not going to happen, and one loses weight savings on top of wallet savings with leather) but the 2L seems a bit on the small side, esp as I like having a 135mm APO with me, unless one plans to always carry the camera (which I often do). The 7L blows the Peak Design 10L out of the water. I esp love the big pass through on the outside of the bag that is perfect for looping a light shirt through or perhaps a small tripod. The outer side pockets with the scrunch close are also perfect for extra lenses, or a place to put lenses while working.  A bag is only as good as it's strap, and the so far the Wotoncraft strap seems pretty superb. The adjusting takes a bit of counter intuitive getting used to (not quite there yet), but the comfort is the best I've ever had (my left shoulder still hates it, but that's another story). Also the lightest yet sturdiest bag I've used. After walking with it almost forgot about it (almost - it's still a camera bag). I think I will prefer my Think Tank Mindshift Turnstyle 5 for activities like skiing though, with it's more upper back fitting form. I could see the Pilot 2L being great when just going out free with he camera and for a couple of extra lenses and phone, battery, etc. Since the Pilot 7L can take a MacBook Air, it will replace my old travel standard, the Think Tank Photocross 10. The 7L comes with a long divider for an iPad/laptop, just not pictured. My couple of small Hadley Pro's I have I love, but just don't cut it for comfort like these do (but look the part, for sure). Plus I'm over the pill factory interiors of the Billingham's.  Still getting a handle on the dividers. Using dividers from old bags to split down the middle for lenses. The dividers are not perfect, but may just need to figure out the optimum placement and order a couple of extra to play with. Tripod straps on the bottom come off easily. A paperback book fits perfectly in the back pocket. Everything is just thought out to a tee, yet simple and basic. If I was asked to design a bag, it would be very close to this. Only thing I might do differently is have a zip open extension pouch for a laptop/iPad at the back of the bag. With extra padding at the bottom of the pouch. Otherwise, this is it. Modern functional design meets traditional fishing bag aesthetic. Really well done. Now to sell some other bags and collect the set. I don't normally fan boy out on gear like this, but what can I say, I love these bags!  Note: M10-R has a 135mm on it. Kitchen towel for illustrative purposes only of holding an extras shirt, light hoodie, rain jacket, etc. How often have we had to Improvise that? At least I know I have. And there's a hidden pocket in there for things you want out of the way but can't afford to lose (passport, etc).  Inside there's a zip opening that's the inside of the front flap (clever) with two not too big, not too small, inner web pockets for things like batteries, card holder, filters, etc. The entire pocket itself could hold a Profoto A10 or smaller flash, a book, another body, etc. You can stuff a lot of gear in one of these - but It will get heavy. It's the gear, not the bag, dummy. There's no denying physics.  

Impressive image with a great perspective    

Shooting with film, or with digital? That can make a big difference - especially trying to compare it to the SA f/3.4 The 28mm Elmarit v.2 will be lower-contrast compared to the 28 v.4. That will give it an "older" rendering. It has a significant fall-off in resolution towards the corners of the picture at f/2.8. Which only partly improves with stopping down - the extreme corners are still a bit smeary at any aperture. Good "people" lens - not ideal for landscapes or architecture or other genres where maximum resolution across the whole frame may be desired. Bottom line - In 1972 the v.2 was an "emergency fix" to work on the first M-mount cameras with internal metering arms - M5 and CL. And in addition, allow any ttl metering at all. The existing v.1 28mm Elmarit when those cameras came out was like your SA f/3.4 - a rear element that almost touched the shutter when mounted. And thus would jam or break the M5/CL metering arms. See 3rd picture here: https://asingulareye.wordpress.com/2016/05/13/leica-m5-fabulous-or-failure/ The v.2 fixed that by using a retrofocus design, like a smaller version of a 28 for an SLR, which has to keep clear of the camera's moving mirror. But it was Leica's first attempt at using retrofocus designs (themselves a relatively new invention) for M lenses, and thus imperfect. All that being said - I used a 28 v.2 for a while on my M10. And it produced very nice tonality, even in harsh sunlight. Shots below are at around f/5.6-8. In color shots, it tends towards warm yellow, like a built-in 81A filter. (Or at least this one did - after 50 years, could be age-related, or course).  

Thank you very much for that. I stick with AFs almost exclusively not having had much luck with AFc, but will give it another try keeping your comments in mind.