Leica Digital v. Canon EOS system

[Palm]

Hi Everyone, Thank you for reading my thred. I am pretty new to community, but I have been around observing for quite a while.

I currently have two Leica bodies R5 and R8 and some typical lenses, nothing facy, for my film photography. I also have Canon Rebel with some standard lenses for typical digital use.

I know this must be really irretated question, but I am considering to upgrade my Canon Digital to Leica Digital, but I am weighting the pros and cons for me to do that. I am considering, for now, to trade all my canon system for Digilux 2, until I am capable of getting DMR for my R8. (Sorry I'm not keen to the M photography, and never yet try one)
Well, either this or getting a proper L lens for my digital. Or should I just wait until I can get a hand on DMR, somehow along 5 years Ha Ha Ha, I hope the price will come down soon. The D3 is not yet in my agenda, I want to wait until it grow a while. (I do not know why should we buy interchangeable lens SLR without any lens yet available.)

Anyway, I kind of like considering many aspect of it. The D2 will give me a Leica look (Especially good for my gear bag) and wide range of compact capability for less investment on the lens. Although that is the deal, it will also limit the range of photography I can achieve from my digital SLR and canon L lens.

I really thank you for all your time, I appreciate all of them.

Palm

[carstenw]

I suppose others with more R experience will be along shortly to add to the answer, but I think it is really important to know what kind of photography you do.

Two other points:

1) The D3 uses the 4/3 system lenses, and Olympus makes some great ones, so there are other choices. Leica has also announced a 25mm f1.4 lens, IIRC.

2) You dismiss the M8 very quickly. Once the fixes for it are out, you might want to try it in your store, for a while, just to make sure that you are right. I am one who has spent a lot of money on SLR lenses, only to realise that the M system is probably better for my needs.

The Digilux 2 is a great camera, but cannot compare to larger sensors.

[stunsworth]

Hi Pachara, welcome to the forum!

One other posibility is to use your R lenses with the Rebel. You'll need to buy an adaptor to do that - available cheaply on eBay. You'll lose autofocus/focus confirmation and have to use stop down metering, but it's something to consider as a low cost 'upgrade' for the Canon.

[dwcolvin]

Originally Posted by Palm

The D3 is not yet in my agenda, I want to wait until it grow a while. (I do not know why should we buy interchangeable lens SLR without any lens yet available.)

Four Thirds | Products | Lenses

And unlike M lenses on an M8 or Canon 35mm lenses on a Rebel, the focal lengths match the sensor size.

[ho_co]

Palm--
Interesting question. The Digilux 2 is a lovely camera, but out of production. And it isn't that much smaller than your Rebel.

If you're waiting for the DMR price to come down, so am I! But I don't think that's going to happen before Leica comes out with a digital R10. (Only a guess, of course.)

Have you considered something really small like the D-Lux 3?

I have the D-Lux 2 and find that it offers a bit better detail than the Digilux 2 (8 MP instead of 5 MP), but that the Digilux 2 makes slightly better images with noticeably less noise because of its greater sensor size.

You're doing right to raise the question, but I think the digital market changes so quickly that instead of reaching a rational decision, one day you'll simply say, "Today's the day. I'm getting the XXX."

Gee, there are a lot of choices! Enjoy the search!

--HC

[Palm]

Thank you so much for the kind replys.

I did have the D-Lux2 for a while, before my girlfriend take it right off my hand. I have to admit it, it is one of the greatest compact I ever get a hands on.

I sure will go to try the M8 since there are so many compliment for it. Else, I always admire M7 and M8 is a real good looking fella. I am a portrait photographer, and I think I should give rangefinder a try someday.

Yes, I too prey for R10.... what can I say when you use Leica you will never want to use something less. Not saying that Canon is less of the camera than Leica, but you all know what I mean................

Thanks again,

Palm

[ecalpemos]

Hi, this is interesting because I use both the canon 350 d with L lenses and a digilux 2( I use medium format for film as well) , I use both cameras commercially and so can really compare the two. The digilux is lovely and really does deliver pictures which easliy rival the 8 mp of my canon and personally I actually prefer the digilux to ther canon even with L glass. You must however be aware of the pitfalls of the digilux.( it does have some) I shoot raw and the 6 second wait on occasions can be irritating, the camera is not as fast in action as the canon(speed of use not the lens speed), you can not go beyond the focal length of th lens and you are limited in the range of iso you can use.
However on the other side the lens on the digilux really squeezes every bit of quality out of the ccd and it is nice and fast, the camera is almost silent in operation and feel and operation of the camera is gorgeous.
If you do not need the speed of operation of the canon and can wait a few seconds after exposure and do not need iso 3200 then I highly recommend the digilux. Otherwise the digilux 3 seems to address a number of these issues and I myself am quite interested in trying one. Also do not forget that if you need some attributes that the digilux does not have then the canon also gives great results with L glass on it but personally I do really love my little digilux, it is a really great camera to always have with you and it is a leica and we all know that leica do what they do best, they nmake excellent optical instruments. Good luck.( by the way, I have regularly printed up to one meter by 70 cm with my digilux so dont worry about mp, on this camera 5 is enough)