leicapages

This is really odd, have never heard or seen this before. Like gael.e I would not glue this myself. Many glues can be abrasive and eventually damage the lens. Your best bet would be to send it in for servicing.

no northern lights in mid-July obviously but I have seen them not only in winter time but as early as September as well, if conditions are right. Nothing more magical than sitting in a hot pool in the middle of snow with the green ghostly spectacle in the skies over your head . Have had some decent shots of northern lights with the S 007 on the Leica mini tripod in the Westfjords. The trick is to avoid clear moon, too many clouds, and lights around you. A good website with predictions of aurora borealis (northern lights) is https://en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/aurora/

I did not realize that the Hasselblad H series was discontinued? What happened at Hasselblad?

Well, if you are doing hiking and/or backpacking forget anything but the Q I would say. If you are driving around by car and do not intend to take the camera equipment on the back for a too long time, the other systems offer of course greater flexibility and/or quality. I have done the Rolleiflex 6008AF and Hy6 with film backs, and once also a Leaf AFi (essentially a Hy6 with Leaf digital back included). One cannot compare film to digital, it is an entirely different process. More artisanal, more deliberated. Comparing the Leaf AFi to the Leica S it is a fact that the latter is nimbler and quicker in operation. But while the process is obviously different, the results are comparable. In the beginning I made the mistake of carrying too much gear. Cumbersome and some ultimately ends up not being used at all because of weight and/or size. That's why my advice was to stick to as little as possible: one body with one lens, or perhaps two lenses. I had good results with the Schneider 50mm AF lens for 6008 AF and Hy6 (and took the Schneider 80mm AF lens as backup). Or with the Leica S Vario 30-90 (essentially meaning you are not required to change lenses somewhere in the field, which I found a tremendous bonus in dusty etc situations). The Leica S gave me ultimately more 'fun' during the picture taking process (once took it in a backpack for a daytrip by plane to the Westman Islands from Reykjavik, which was a burden during my day's walking around), but nothing beats the 6x6 prints or slides I got from the Rolleiflex cameras... To each his own I guess. As the saying goes, the best system is the one you actually have with you.

I have used several systems over the many years of trips to Iceland. Rolleiflex 6008AF and assorted lenses, Rolleiflex Hy6, Leica S 007 with Vario 30-90, Leica Q. Both in summer and in winter times. Depends on what you are after and how much schlepping you are willing to do. If size and weight are the main consideration, a Q series is unbeatable. I have found that a wideangle lens gives you satisfaction in most occasions. When I used the Vario 30-90 it was usually towards the wideangle end. I usually find that 'simplifying' your kit to one body + one (or max two) lens(es) gives one the most enjoyable practical experience in the field.

Thanks, but that sounds a little (too) complicated. Why would I have to use a mobile device at the same time of shooting with the Q3? Why not direct registration by the camera as is the case with the S 007 ?

Well, having been orphaned by Leica with the dropping of the R system, in which I had a very sizeable investment, it took me quite some time to invest in a Leica system again. Eventually I went for the S 007 as I felt it was, at least for me, the closest successor to the R8/R9 system. I truly hope not being abandoned again. As another poster stated, if one wanted to buy mirrorless and with electronic viewfinder, one would have bought other systems than the S already...

Where is the box "Thanks I'll stick with my Q..." ? Does the Q3 have GPS geolocation? That could be the only reason to upgrade for me.

On a related matter, I noticed that all references to other than Leica S3 materials are gone from the download section on the Leica web page. Odd, for instance in case one wanted to perform a firmware update.

The Vario 30-90's main advantage is of course its versatility, being a "one lens that does most" sort of tool. Its performance does not, however, correspond to fixed focal length lenses especially on the higher end. I have made some comparison shots with the 70mm lens and the differences could be seen, especially in the field. As always, zoom lenses represent a trade-off. For me, I like that I do not have to change lenses all the time (not a small issue given the proneness of dust on the sensor and the difficulty to clean the camera). The biggest downsides of the Vario are of course size and weigth, as well as the darker viewfinder image it can present given the modest (and changing) maximum aperture. The alternative solution could be the S + 70mm, if you are happy with a "standard angle" lens. Smaller, lighter, and even better optically. The Rolleiflex Hy6 and 6008 are still used now and then, but quite less often than earlier. The size and bulk are sometimes a bit of an issue when packing light.

Peter, asking yourself this question is as much as answering it. You should keep the system which works best for you, full stop. If weight and size are a priority, I think the S is not an option. I personally do not wish an electronic viewfinder but an optical one, so that pretty much takes priority for me. In your case, the SL seems like the way to go.

Roland, not sure this is actually a technical "problem". The GPS locking, in particular upon a cold start (not having used the camera for a while, or in a new area), on my S 007 is slow too. Sometimes, I even have to switch the camera on and off a few times before it effectively locks. I had complained about this to the Leica customer service but got no satisfactory answer other than this is a "feature", not a "problem". The slow GPS locking is one of my biggest frustrations on the S 007.

Andreas, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Your experience with the S 007 pretty much corresponds to mine. I am using the S 007 mostly as a, albeit heavy, travel camera with one lens, the Vario 30-90. Very versatile and mostly excellent results. Not perfect though, but hard to beat. Briefly used the S 006 before that, and the S 007 feels more refined to me.

This is like the one I saw: "designed by Leica Camera Germany. Assembled in China".

Thanks to all for their valued feedback! It seems the item I got to see must have been not genuine at all if it was made in China... That said, if for the high price of the item, there are some deficiencies such as the release button and finish, plus the fact one has to remove the grip every time to replace the camera battery, that seems like a nuisance more than a help, at least for me. Guess I will no longer look for one then. Great to have such user forum here!