L1913 Posted July 1, 2013 Share #1 Posted July 1, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) If there is already a thread on this or a more appropriate place for this post, please point me in the correct direction. I am ready to jump ship from Nikon to Leica and would appreciate advice from experienced users of the camera on the following points. 1) 90% of the photography I do is traveling photography of landscapes and cityscapes. The ability to take very good crisp night shots is very important to me as I enjoy taking night shots of lit up skylines. I like to take my favorite shots and make large prints (100 inches) on metallic paper to hang on my wall so focus and color are extremely important to me. The reason why I am interested in Leica is the obvious. It is said to produce unique images with incredible quality using the best glass available. Sharp focus and control of focus is also of utmost importance to me and I am under the impression that this camera will offer more precision and consistency than can be achieved with the autofocus of an SLR. Also, of course, the Leica allure is a factor in my desire to own a Leica. I have a few concerns about the camera. From what I read it is touted as a camera that is meant primary for hand held shooting for fairly nearby subjects. A great deal of what I will be shooting will be far away and because I make large prints a tripod will frequently be preferred and will certainly be necessary with night shots. Is the M (240) the right camera for me? 2) What lens would be most appropriate if I am only going to buy one lens and would like something that will be good for everything. Would anyone have advice? 35mm/1.4? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 1, 2013 Posted July 1, 2013 Hi L1913, Take a look here Leica M240 Advice. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
timd. Posted July 1, 2013 Share #2 Posted July 1, 2013 35mm is a good universal lens, yes. others may suggest 50mm - it depends on your personal taste. what lens has been your favourite until now? rangefinder or not, concerning the field of viw the result on paper is not that much different, as you can guess. one more question: if nowadays you're shooting skylines with a 35mm lens, what is your problem with af? did you get better results using your lens manually? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
01af Posted July 1, 2013 Share #3 Posted July 1, 2013 From the description of your intentions and requirements, I'm sure the Leica M (any digital full-frame model—M9, M9-P, M-E, M (Typ 240)) will suit you fine. Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a Leica M camera on a tripod. However ... maybe the Leica S will suit your needs even better! Think about it if funds permit. Sure, a Leica S with, say, two lenses will be bigger and heavier than an M with two equivalent lenses—but not that much bigger, definitely smaller than any other digital medium-format system, and will deliver even better image quality than an M. For your style of photography, it might be worth it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1913 Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share #4 Posted July 1, 2013 I have been using a 24-70/2.8 and it has worked very well. What arguments would you make for the 50 over the 35? Also, I find this a little unusual considering they Germans talent for engineering, but I understand some lenses are so big that they block portions of the viewfinder. How big of a deal is this? Is it true that if you are shooting between f/16-f/8 that you are not taking advantage of anything the Leica glass has to offer? AF works very well, but yes I do find that I get a better focus in manual. I also find that autofocus seems to get confused at times and I get shots that don't have the correct thing in focus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted July 1, 2013 Share #5 Posted July 1, 2013 Viewfinder intrusion is a non-issue. Some lenses like the Noctilux do block a small corner of the frame, but one does not even notice this after short use. It has everything to do with engineering - a lens needs a certain size to get perform optimally. Leica manages to keep the lenses small enough not to be obtrusive whilst still maintaining top quality. Leica lenses are designed to perform well at wide apertures which does include performing excellently at smaller apertures as well. Some other makes only manage to get optimum performance at smaller aperture, which means that the most "dramatic" differences between Leica and the rest of the world will be seen wide open. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1913 Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share #6 Posted July 1, 2013 The S system is incredible, but the M system would already be a huge jump from my current D800/24-70 setup and is just too much for me. I guess I am asking this question to a biased audience, but am I going to get a special image with a leica M as compared to what I get with my current D800? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
macjonny1 Posted July 1, 2013 Share #7 Posted July 1, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) From the description of your intentions and requirements' date=' I'm sure the Leica M (any digital full-frame model—M9, M9-P, M-E, M (Typ 240)) will suit you fine. Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a Leica M camera on a tripod. However ... maybe the Leica S will suit your needs even better! Think about it if funds permit. Sure, a Leica S with, say, two lenses will be bigger and heavier than an M with two equivalent lenses—but not that much bigger, definitely smaller than any other digital medium-format system, and will deliver even better image quality than an M. For your style of photography, it might be worth it.[/quote'] The S may be a good choice but it is twice as thick and 50 percent taller and a lot wider. The lenses are also monstrous in comparison. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timd. Posted July 1, 2013 Share #8 Posted July 1, 2013 you can as well use manually focused leica r-lenses on your d800 - not the worst option for nighttime shots. you're using a 24-70/2.8, ok, but when i asked i was thinking of 'what focal length are you using most of the time' - maybe you could have a look at your exif-files. if you want to reduce to one lens, that would be the one to chose, i guess. have you tried rangefinder shooting? do so. and if you like it, than you're trapped. there is no alternative Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted July 1, 2013 Share #9 Posted July 1, 2013 It would certainly depend if you will be using tripods and how extreme would your nightshot conditions be. But for cityscapes I certainly think 35 would be a bit narrow and would recommend you going for 24 or 28 instead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmldds Posted July 1, 2013 Share #10 Posted July 1, 2013 Why don't you borrow or rent one to try out first. I did have a D800 and it produced exceptional images. For your genre, I doubt a Leica will beat results from a D800. However, if you want to use a rangefinder, the "M" will be a wonderful tool! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1913 Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share #11 Posted July 1, 2013 The S is definitely not an option for me both in terms of price and size. It's just too big and to huge of a price jump from where I'm currently at. Probably obvious already, but I'm not a professional, this is just a hobby. Is there any purpose in a lens like the noctilux if your not shooting as close to f/.95 as possible? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted July 1, 2013 Share #12 Posted July 1, 2013 I guess I am asking this question to a biased audience, but am I going to get a special image with a leica M as compared to what I get with my current D800? No an image will remain special regardless of your gear, and vice versa. No matter what gear you use, if your image is unimpressive, it will be unimpressive. Unless you are speaking of entirely in technical term of the image, then thats a different discussion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted July 1, 2013 Share #13 Posted July 1, 2013 Is there any purpose in a lens like the noctilux if your not shooting as close to f/.95 as possible? To me, it yields a "swirly" bokeh. But I can live without it. And I opted for a summilux instead. So my PERSONAL answer is no, if you're not planning to shoot it wide open, get something cheaper smaller lighter and technically more correct than the noctilux (I was told there are issues like PF and etc etc, as compared to a summilux asph FLE). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1913 Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share #14 Posted July 1, 2013 I never thought about trying a Leica lens on my D800. I don't mean to offend anyone here, but it kind of seems like the Leica M is just a novelty camera for folks who had them in the days before digital. I really don't seem to get the feeling that the new line of digital Leicas are anywhere near the pinnacle of image quality that they used to be known for. They look really cool and feel nice in your hand, but no one seems that part in the picture. Is the only point if a Leica novelty? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted July 1, 2013 Share #15 Posted July 1, 2013 Won't work... Wrong register distance. Leica is hardly a novelty. Nothing against the image quality they used to have in the past , quite the opposite and many folks still love the look with good reason, but the current image quality is far beyond what one could dream of just a few decades ago. There is very little to choose between current high-end cameras in IQ, though the lenses will still make a difference. Your choice of camera should be based on the camera concept, ergonomics, fitness for intended use, etc. Nothing has changed in that respect, really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted July 1, 2013 Share #16 Posted July 1, 2013 I never thought about trying a Leica lens on my D800. I don't mean to offend anyone here, but it kind of seems like the Leica M is just a novelty camera for folks who had them in the days before digital. I really don't seem to get the feeling that the new line of digital Leicas They look really cool and feel nice in your hand, but no one seems that part in the picture. Is the only point if a Leica novelty? Not offended, but technically, yes its not as good in iso 6400 compared to a Nikon. It doesnt have AF like a Nikon. Doesnt have all the whizz like a Nikon either. But the images it produces, in combination between the body and the lens, is different. My wife with mo photographic skills can tell if an image is Leica or not. It has a subtle but differently look. Not everyone can see it. I cant say its better, nor can I say its worse. But I like it. I have used my Leica lenses on my Fuji and Olympus as well but I cant replicate the result that I like from a Leica M body. And surprisingly, using an M with manual focus gives me joy in a package. I will not debate on camera technicalities as each camera has both advanges and disadvantages, as they are better for some people and not so good with others. Thats why everyone has their own preferences. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
timd. Posted July 1, 2013 Share #17 Posted July 1, 2013 I never thought about trying a Leica lens on my D800. I don't mean to offend anyone here, but it kind of seems like the Leica M is just a novelty camera for folks who had them in the days before digital. I really don't seem to get the feeling that the new line of digital Leicas are anywhere near the pinnacle of image quality that they used to be known for. They look really cool and feel nice in your hand, but no one seems that part in the picture. Is the only point if a Leica novelty? ok, may i ask you what made you 'ready to jump ship from Nikon to Leica'? being ready to spend thousands for a new camera system is nothing you do just without any reason, or am i completely wrong? if it's only manual focus you're looking for, there's quite a big choice to put on a d800. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted July 1, 2013 Share #18 Posted July 1, 2013 No reason to deal with hypotheticals when you can rent an M (including any M but the 240) with most lenses, and see for yourself. Note also that the S2 (the earlier version now that the S has been released) is now available, with warranty, at about half the cost ($10-12,000) when it first appeared. So the price differential compared to the 240 is not nearly what you may think. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1913 Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share #19 Posted July 1, 2013 No reason to deal with hypotheticals when you can rent an M (including any M but the 240) with most lenses, and see for yourself. Note also that the S2 (the earlier version now that the S has been released) is now available, with warranty, at about half the cost ($10-12,000) when it first appeared. So the price differential compared to the 240 is not nearly what you may think. Jeff Thanks. I didn't realize this and actually thought these were more around $40,000. Still much to large for me though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted July 1, 2013 Share #20 Posted July 1, 2013 I am ready to jump ship from Nikon to Leica and would appreciate advice from experienced users of the camera on the following points....................................... I don't mean to offend anyone here, but it kind of seems like the Leica M is just a novelty camera for folks who had them in the days before digital. I really don't seem to get the feeling that the new line of digital Leicas are anywhere near the pinnacle of image quality that they used to be known for. They look really cool and feel nice in your hand, but no one seems that part in the picture. Is the only point if a Leica novelty? You seem confused. I suggest you consider your requirements more carefully before jumping from/to any ships or you may just drown. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.