rsolomon Posted January 6, 2010 Share #41 Posted January 6, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Ben and all, Pehaps you misunderstand me - ofcourse Leica produces cameras - obvisously they do. But just because they produce cameras does not make them a camera company -the Leica company is about lenses...... lens engineering, lens coatings, etc.. leica lenses are the corner stone as you say. The only real reason IMO to shoot leica is the lens, all the other reasons , simplicity, solid builld, intutive, etc are secondary to the fact that leica lenses can provide extremly high images in many (including low light) conditions. Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 6, 2010 Posted January 6, 2010 Hi rsolomon, Take a look here R8/9 - Overlooked greatness?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wildlightphoto Posted January 6, 2010 Share #42 Posted January 6, 2010 ... The only real reason IMO to shoot leica is the lens The DMR is a pretty good reason too. And it works with the R8 or R9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsolomon Posted January 6, 2010 Share #43 Posted January 6, 2010 The DMR is a pretty good reason too. And it works with the R8 or R9 DMR – A brilliant idea and piece of technology, and an engineering masterpiece – truly ! Infact I wish they produced a DMR version 2…..and since I am not a big fan of post processing I wish the DMR produced better jpegs out of the camera – finally the 1.3 firmware was a boost. But with that said ….what’s the MAIN reason you shoot with Leica, I know about all the great camera body features but isn’t the real reason, the MAIN reason Leica lenses. BTW: I also enjoy viewing your photographs, they're great! p.s.: I’m a big Leica fan, I think I truly recognize them for their lens production way more than their camera body production. oh well ..i still conclude ... the leica company is about lenses not cameras R4 & R9 Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildlightphoto Posted January 6, 2010 Share #44 Posted January 6, 2010 ….what’s the MAIN reason you shoot with Leica, I know about all the great camera body features but isn’t the real reason, the MAIN reason Leica lenses. I'd say the DMR and 280mm f/4 APO combined. The 280 on film or another digital camera is great, the DMR with any other lens is great, the DMR + 280mm f/4 APO = brilliant! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted January 6, 2010 Share #45 Posted January 6, 2010 what’s the MAIN reason you shoot with Leica, I know about all the great camera body features but isn’t the real reason, the MAIN reason Leica lenses. For me, it started (1969) because Leicas were smaller and lighter and much easier to focus in bad light than SLRs but still had good interchangeable lenses. I bought an M8 because it was the only digital camera that both fitted in my briefcase and always produced results as good as my D200 and Nikkor primes. Leica lenses have never been the main reason I've bought Leicas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted January 6, 2010 Share #46 Posted January 6, 2010 Leicas were smaller and lighter and much easier to focus in bad light than SLRs but still had good interchangeable lenses....Leica lenses have never been the main reason I've bought Leicas. Yep, same here. Perfectly happy with the pre-ASPH pre-APO pretty cheap lenses that earn faint praise from Erwin Puts etc. - but take 39mm filters and fit in a pocket. But that's for Leica M. SLRs are, well, SLRs. The R8/9 was probably the last decent one, by calendar survival, in terms of how I'd work if I had an SLR. Damn, if I could just pick up a Nikon F/F2/F3, or Canon F-1, or Contax RX and get M9 or D900 quality out of it.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
telewatt Posted January 7, 2010 Share #47 Posted January 7, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'd say the DMR and 280mm f/4 APO combined. The 280 on film or another digital camera is great, the DMR with any other lens is great, the DMR + 280mm f/4 APO = brilliant! ..yes!.DMR + R9 !!...I do my work with this tools......and some times with my BIG love!... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! I love them all!... Jan Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! I love them all!... Jan ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/107307-r89-overlooked-greatness/?do=findComment&comment=1177542'>More sharing options...
rsolomon Posted January 7, 2010 Share #48 Posted January 7, 2010 For me, it started (1969) because Leicas were smaller and lighter and much easier to focus in bad light than SLRs ....... Leica lenses have never been the main reason I've bought Leicas. For me I was looking for the best image quality....i would, and did carry a big heavy camera to support leica lenses --- R9/DMR/ 180 2.8 is NOT smaller or lighter then much - heck leica bodies are usually quite heavy - certainly R lenses are heavy. for me, weight vs image - i go with image quality SLRs are, well, SLRs. The R8/9 was probably the last decent one, by calendar survival, in terms of how I'd work if I had an SLR. ..... With due respect : what does this mean in relation to "r8/r9 overlooked greatness?" ..yes!.DMR + R9 !!...Jan Do you think the lens plays THE key role in final image quality? i do. I guess each has his own opinion, to me leica lenses are the cornerstone of the company, that which the rest of the company is built around. To me the lens plays the most significant role in final image quality (atleast with my post processing talent). Some may beleive its firmware, sensor, post processing, or the camera body that provides more influence then the lens in determining image quality- not me. Like others I'm glad leica produces camera bodies - but to me they are nothing more then the vehicle to exploit suberb lenses, allowing us to produce top quality images. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildlightphoto Posted January 7, 2010 Share #49 Posted January 7, 2010 Do you think the lens plays THE key role in final image quality? i do. It all matters. Lens performance, camera body/viewscreen calibration, ergonomic design, sensor/film, processing... if any part of the imaging chain fails the system will not deliver optimum image quality. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted January 7, 2010 Share #50 Posted January 7, 2010 I suppose it means that John (giordano) and I had drifted off the SLR subject in bringing up the M system, so I was moving back on-topic. Specific to the R8/9 - just what I said. It outlived the best SLRs from other makers by a decade or so - thus making it the winner of the "Great Manual SLR tontine" Tontine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Frankly, in the pictures that get into museums or publication and will be around forever (and who cares about anything else?) - quality images are far more important than image quality. If one looks up the work of the photographers who "made" Leica's reputation for them, often the image quality is pretty rank: soft, grainy grab shots blurred either by slow shutter speeds or soft lenses (Leica did make them - I own a few). But the quality of their images is outstanding. *photo-eye | Magazine -- Ward 81 Masters of Photography: Sebastiao Salgado Susan Meiselas - Shortie http://www.artnet.com/artwork/426003272/118598/robert-frank-paris.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizard Posted January 7, 2010 Share #51 Posted January 7, 2010 Interesting thread. So Leica is not a camera company. And there am I thinking that it was Leica (or Leitz at the time) who invented the 24x36mm small format camera. Now if that doesn't make them a camera company ... And I wholeheartedly agree with Doug, it is the entire chain that matters, not just the lenses (they do play an important role though). Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsolomon Posted January 7, 2010 Share #52 Posted January 7, 2010 Frankly, in the pictures that get into museums or publication and will be around forever (and who cares about anything else?) - quality images are far more important than image quality. I care, however you make an excellent point ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsolomon Posted January 19, 2010 Share #53 Posted January 19, 2010 here's a thread refelcting the importance of the lens to leica..... http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/customer-forum/112563-leica-glass.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted January 19, 2010 Share #54 Posted January 19, 2010 I suppose it means that John (giordano) and I had drifted off the SLR subject in bringing up the M system, so I was moving back on-topic. Happy to do the same. When years later I bought a Leicaflex the lenses were again important but not decisive. After two or three years I traded the Leicaflex for a Nikon F precisely because the R lenses were unaffordable, unavailable, or not even made, while it was easy to hire any Nikkor I couldn't buy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted January 19, 2010 Share #55 Posted January 19, 2010 Interesting thread. So Leica is not a camera company. And there am I thinking that it was Leica (or Leitz at the time) who invented the 24x36mm small format camera. Now if that doesn't make them a camera company ... Invented, no. Got the concept of the small-format precision camera right and proved in the marketplace, definitely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyCoupe Posted February 2, 2010 Share #56 Posted February 2, 2010 R8/9 is a great camera, indeed. But now I need a body on which to hang all my R lenses, enjoy the option of auto-metering, maybe even auto-focus now and then, 15 or more mp. The lube in my lenses is getting stiff from disuse. When will Leica keep its re-promise of creating the availability of a body that will? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsolomon Posted February 4, 2010 Share #57 Posted February 4, 2010 Interesting thread. So Leica is not a camera company. And there am I thinking that it was Leica (or Leitz at the time) who invented the 24x36mm small format camera. Now if that doesn't make them a camera company ... Andy That doesn't make them a camera company today. Nor is Ford Motor Company the pinacle of manufacturing despite that Ford is practically universally reconized as revolutionizing manufacturing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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