Jump to content

Looks nice but.....


Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I'm struck by the similarities to the Fuji X-E2:

 

16MP CMOS sensor in an APS-C format / 1.5X crop factor...

Fixed LCD screen with over one million pixels...

Initial lenses are a 23mm and 18-56mm...

Takes Leica M-lenses with a mount adapter...

Focus peaking to aid manual focus...

No AA filter...

 

But it's 2X-2.5X more expensive WITHOUT an EVF (built-in to X-E2). And the X-E2 features an actual shutter speed dial.

 

Yes, it has a larger LCD (3.7" vs 3") and a higher ISO limit (12500 vs 6400), but for someone looking for a backup to their M-camera, the T makes no sense.

 

If experience is any guide, the wait for additional AF lenses will be long.

 

Why buy one when there are less expensive, well-made alternatives with great image quality?

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Why is a BMW 5 better then a Vauxhall/Opel Insignia ?

You decide

 

The EOS-M is not the best comparison

Probably the Fuji X-E2 and 18-55mm which is only half the price and plastic. Plus we have yet to see the edge performance of the Leica zoom measured and the micro-contrast recorded,but if it's like the X-Vario it's worth paying for. How much ? Individuals will decide ?

 

Fuji 18-55mm f/2.8-4 is almost all metal (with OIS - something the Leica offering lacks), the X-E2 has magnesium top and bottom plates and magnesium shell, and it has no anti-aliasing filter across its phase-detecting X-Trans II CMOS sensor. Reviews of the 18-55mm lens have uniformly praised its image quality. The X-E2's AF is very fast with primes like the 35mm f/1.4 and 14mm f/2.8.

 

I've been using an X-E2 with Fuji's M-mount adapter and M-lenses from 21mm to 135mm almost every day for the last 10 weeks. Most of that was shooting alongside an M8. The X-E2 requires careful focusing for best results, but it's so nice to get relatively noise-free images at ISO 6400 and auto white balance that actually works. The 14-bit contrast range is nice too - you get blue sky and shadow detail.

 

I haven't seen non-preview Leica T 701 reviews or used one to compare, but I'm wondering why anyone would have a compelling reason to buy one just looking at the specs.

Edited by lecycliste
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok so it looks sexy and cool and I sort of like the simplicity of it all but for me this is no photographers tool

1. The immediate killer is the fact that you can't turn off the 1/sec review after exposure. I need to be able to see the scene again immediately after shooting

2. Slow lenses

3. No OIS need for slower lenses

4. Apparently there is no dust protection system (could be wrong on this)

5. High iso performance would appear to be average for this range of camera, again important if you only have slow lenses

6. Would prefer in built EVF. I can see leica's reasons to try and keep in clean and simple but....

 

Basically there are other cameras out there that will do it al a lot better from a photography point of view though as a concept it is interesting. I will be sticking with my M and sony A7 and am frankly more interested in the upcoming A7s.

This will sell to the well-heeled who are into design and innovation and who aren't really interested in having the best tool for the job. Hopefully now that is nearly released Leica will go back and sort on some of the firmware issues such as auto iso on the M

Edited by viramati
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Why would anyone even consider putting such a huge lens on the Leica T camera? It is inappropriate, even stupid! Are you begging for ridicule? Well you got it. Visit the reality beyond the keyboard. NUTZ!

 

 

 

Sent from my Etcha-sketch.

 

I find the T-lenses already too big for the 'body'. Leica herself promotes using M-lenses on it. Apart from the fact that the first shots from Jonathan Slack don't impress me in sharpnesss, e.g. in comparison with the Vario X, I would not leave my M9 at home for it. That could have been an idea to save weight on a travel where I bring my MM too.

Edited by otto.f
Link to post
Share on other sites

for someone looking for a backup to their M-camera, the T makes no sense.

Well, of course it does not – no APS-C camera would make sense as a backup for an M. And that wasn’t Leica’s intention anyway. Yes, you can use M lenses, but not in the way you could with an M.

 

If experience is any guide, the wait for additional AF lenses will be long.

Two additional lenses are already slated for introduction later this year, and then there are lenses planned for 2015, 2016, and 2017. Of course a roadmap is just that and development may take a bit longer than expected, as it usually does, not just with Leica. But I expect the T system grow about as fast as other recently introduced camera systems, for example Fuji’s X system.

Edited by mjh
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Lots of people defending this camera, not many stumping up the cash to buy one..........

 

Leica need to sell this to new customers. It will be interesting to hear how it's been selling after a few months.

 

I think 'defending' something yet not buying it doesn't necessarily imply any sort of pretense or hypocrisy. This may be a camera I personally don't need or want (and I won't be buying) but I could still defend it as an interesting exercise in industrial design, and which I might appreciate. There are many products out there that I won't buy for a variety of personal reasons but they are also products I can still respect for other reasons.

 

And as far as sales are concerned, in this particular case I think the brand name itself will probably carry it a fair distance. And it's a product that will appeal to certain financially comfortable individuals interested in well-designed gadgets and who also have an interest in photography, or at least making images in an era of social media and monitor/web based imagery (after all it has a touchscreen with a very recognizable GUI, wifi, a smartphone app, etc..) I think there's actually a fair number of that type of consumer out there worldwide.

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think that Leica meant for this to appeal so much to 'serious' photographers, or professionals, or those making photographic prints, etc.. I think the target demographic is the type of consumer I mentioned above. And I would imagine that as a for-profit company Leica has already figured out how many they will need to sell in order to at the very least break even on the venture.

 

In the end, it may do well in overall sales or it may not. But I can defend or at least respect their attempt at this kind of exercise. And it's not as though the T is the only product Leica makes. It's just an additional product line to many Leica products. I may not be excited by every product, but that also doesn't mean that I can't appreciate why they might be building something that may very well appeal to others.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think 'defending' something yet not buying it doesn't necessarily imply any sort of pretense or hypocrisy. This may be a camera I personally don't need or want (and I won't be buying) but I could still defend it as an interesting exercise in industrial design, and which I might appreciate. There are many products out there that I won't buy for a variety of personal reasons but they are also products I can still respect for other reasons.

 

And as far as sales are concerned, in this particular case I think the brand name itself will probably carry it a fair distance. And it's a product that will appeal to certain financially comfortable individuals interested in well-designed gadgets and who also have an interest in photography, or at least making images in an era of social media and monitor/web based imagery (after all it has a touchscreen with a very recognizable GUI, wifi, a smartphone app, etc..) I think there's actually a fair number of that type of consumer out there worldwide.

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think that Leica meant for this to appeal so much to 'serious' photographers, or professionals, or those making photographic prints, etc.. I think the target demographic is the type of consumer I mentioned above. And I would imagine that as a for-profit company Leica has already figured out how many they will need to sell in order to at the very least break even on the venture.

 

In the end, it may do well in overall sales or it may not. But I can defend or at least respect their attempt at this kind of exercise. And it's not as though the T is the only product Leica makes. It's just an additional product line to many Leica products. I may not be excited by every product, but that also doesn't mean that I can't appreciate why they might be building something that may very well appeal to others.

 

You are probably right and as you say it is really a 'well designed gadget' I really see it as a 'concept' idea and will be interested to see where it goes and how it will stir up other manufacturers

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

You are probably right and as you say it is really a 'well designed gadget' I really see it as a 'concept' idea and will be interested to see where it goes and how it will stir up other manufacturers

 

'Gadget' was probably an inappropriate word on my part as it tends to sound disparaging. But I didn't mean it that way. I like well-designed gadgets (I think that we all have somewhat of a weak spot for them.)

 

In this case it's a 'well-designed camera' and an interesting industrial design exercise. And it's not that the T isn't a capable image making device; it's quite good as an APS-C camera and with good native optics and also the ability to use M lenses (and apparently R lenses, too.) And of course it's not that a 'serious photographer' can't use one either.

 

It doesn't appeal to me personally only because I really, really don't need it, and therefore I can't let myself to succumb to any of its charms. Sometimes these sorts of products tend to be more like crack cocaine or something.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

No it's not meant to appeal to existing Leica users - well maybe to owners of PanaLeicas or X models looking for something better.

 

It's lacking that something though that makes a product something you MUST have, something rather like the iPhone when it first came out, everyone wanted it even if their own phone was perfectly fine up til then. Lots are making reference to Apple here but the T just doesn't have anything particularly special or innovative about it. In fact it's somewhat lacking in spec (no sensor cleaning or IS).

 

Personally I think it's underwhelming and as I've said before, Leica can only push the brand values and designer label so far before they start to lose credibility.

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

It doesn't appeal to me personally only because I really, really don't need it.

 

Agreed. I already have more than one M body – what possible need could I have for one of these new cameras? It's not uninteresting to read about and look at what is a new camera system from Leica but, when all the hype and excitement dies down, it's just another camera and, if you buy it, you still need to find something interesting to point it at.

Edited by wattsy
  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

HI David

Ok so it looks sexy and cool and I sort of like the simplicity of it all but for me this is no photographers tool

1. The immediate killer is the fact that you can't turn off the 1/sec review after exposure. I need to be able to see the scene again immediately after shooting

2. Slow lenses

3. No OIS need for slower lenses

4. Apparently there is no dust protection system (could be wrong on this)

5. High iso performance would appear to be average for this range of camera, again important if you only have slow lenses

6. Would prefer in built EVF. I can see leica's reasons to try and keep in clean and simple but....

 

Basically there are other cameras out there that will do it al a lot better from a photography point of view though as a concept it is interesting. I will be sticking with my M and sony A7 and am frankly more interested in the upcoming A7s.

This will sell to the well-heeled who are into design and innovation and who aren't really interested in having the best tool for the job. Hopefully now that is nearly released Leica will go back and sort on some of the firmware issues such as auto iso on the M

 

HI There David

I agree with every word you say . . . . except that it's no photographers tool. It's just a different paradigm, and it really is different - but it's a good paradigm, and 7 months use has taught me that it pushes you in different directions.

 

Today I went out just with the 23mm summicron and no EVF - left dial set to EV compensation, right dial to Aperture , shot in Aperture priority and used touch focus . . . . It's a startling way of taking pictures - on the one hand it's like an iPhone . . except that you have all the Aperture/ISO/Exposure information in front of you.

 

I think that those looking at it as 'just another mirror less camera' are really missing the point - and at this point I'd like to say that in the last 6 months I've bought and used:

Olympus OMD - E-M1

Sony A7r

Sony A7

Fuji X-T1

Ricoh GR

 

.... the only one of these I'm going to keep is the Ricoh . . . and I'm hoping to buy a T - when I've decided whether to get a black or a silver one.

Edited by jonoslack
  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

No it's not meant to appeal to existing Leica users - well maybe to owners of PanaLeicas or X models looking for something better.

 

It's lacking that something though that makes a product something you MUST have, something rather like the iPhone when it first came out, everyone wanted it even if their own phone was perfectly fine up til then.

 

Actually James - everyone was really rude about the iPhone when it first came out - similar arguments to yours about this camera (where's the removable battery, where's the memory card slot etc. etc.)

 

I understand the criticisms of the camera (I certainly should do, I've had one since October). Added to which I've bought and used the obvious opposition cameras. But for many people, when they've handled it and realised that it encourages photography in a different direction then it becomes rather hard to resist.

 

Put it this way - for me the gloss has long worn off (my feelings, not the camera). But when Leica ask for the test camera back I'm just going to have to buy one - and the other mirror less cameras I've had over the last year or two are all going to the wall. Not because the T is better, or because I can't afford to keep them - but because Taifun really is different, and it encourages a different method of shooting (which none of the others do).

 

I love it that whilst everyone else goes retro and adds more and more options to the menus . . . Leica goes modern and deletes everything from the menus.

  • Like 8
Link to post
Share on other sites

HI David

 

 

HI There David

I agree with every word you say . . . . except that it's no photographers tool. It's just a different paradigm, and it really is different - but it's a good paradigm, and 7 months use has taught me that it pushes you in different directions.

 

Today I went out just with the 23mm summicron and no EVF - left dial set to EV compensation, right dial to Aperture , shot in Aperture priority and used touch focus . . . . It's a startling way of taking pictures - on the one hand it's like an iPhone . . except that you have all the Aperture/ISO/Exposure information in front of you.

 

I think that those looking at it as 'just another mirror less camera' are really missing the point - and at this point I'd like to say that in the last 6 months I've bought and used:

Olympus OMD - E-M1

Sony A7r

Sony A7

Fuji X-T1

Ricoh GR

 

.... the only one of these I'm going to keep is the Ricoh . . . and I'm hoping to buy a T - when I've decided whether to get a black or a silver one.

 

Hi Jono

I can see your point and yes it obviously a new and intriguing way to work but I really couldn't justify the cost of the system when you compare it to other cameras. I have to say that I am also beginning to think this with the leica M which i now only really use on lenses wider than 28mm and when and if Sony come out with some good wides even the M may have to go!!!

All that said I could be tempted but the T and the 23mm lens but when you can get the Fuji X100s for under £900 with the hybrid finder and silent shutter it just makes no sense.

Anyway I am sure you will enjoy the camera and make some fantastic pictures with it

Edited by viramati
Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually James - everyone was really rude about the iPhone when it first came out - similar arguments to yours about this camera (where's the removable battery, where's the memory card slot etc. etc.)

 

I understand the criticisms of the camera (I certainly should do, I've had one since October). Added to which I've bought and used the obvious opposition cameras. But for many people, when they've handled it and realised that it encourages photography in a different direction then it becomes rather hard to resist.

 

Put it this way - for me the gloss has long worn off (my feelings, not the camera). But when Leica ask for the test camera back I'm just going to have to buy one - and the other mirror less cameras I've had over the last year or two are all going to the wall. Not because the T is better, or because I can't afford to keep them - but because Taifun really is different, and it encourages a different method of shooting (which none of the others do).

 

I love it that whilst everyone else goes retro and adds more and more options to the menus . . . Leica goes modern and deletes everything from the menus.

 

Have to say I am all for the reduced menu aspect of this and other leica cameras. Will be interesting to see if leica dare to introduce such a screen on the next version of the M. imagine the whole back with just the screen and thumb wheel. Now that would be something

 

Have just read Andy Westlake's preview/summing up on DPreview and have to say I pretty much agree

Edited by viramati
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I've just visited the David Bailey exhibition in London - including some massive (and excellent) blow-ups from iPhone images. No, they weren't sharp-edged perfection, but they go to show that camera equipment does not define who is a photographer, let alone who is a professional photographer.

 

I may or may not buy the Leica T, but if I do, it will be a balance between (a) will it help me take the type of photo that I want to take (B) will it be a good experience to have and to use and © can I afford it. I guess most people will have similar criteria, but their answers will differ.

 

I guess (a) could also include taking types of photo I hadn't thought about before. The concept of a totally software- and wifi-controlled compact camera has interesting implications (wildlife, street photography), though not always attractive ones (privacy and candids).

 

I suspect Leica has also been clever with © as well. They have priced it affordably for their market (most predictions were higher), but my Mk I crystal ball tells me this is the bottom end of the Leica T range to get the saliva glands working, and that a forthcoming full frame Leica T, which may sell in parallel with this one, will be priced significantly higher!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

my Mk I crystal ball tells me this is the bottom end of the Leica T range to get the saliva glands working, and that a forthcoming full frame Leica T, which may sell in parallel with this one, will be priced significantly higher!

You should replace your crystal ball … The T system is APS-C and will stay that way. Leica’s one and only 35 mm system is the M system.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...