New In-Depth Leica T Review

[dfarkas]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Excellent review David, thanks.

 

Do you know if the T lenses cover a full frame sensor?

It appears the T Mount is large enough to support a larger sensor in the future.

 

I never even thought to ask Maike or anyone else at Leica this question. I honestly don't know.

 

I can add this to my list of follow-up questions.

[dfarkas]

Enjoyed the review. I have a quick question. Is their a way to do shoot photos for timelapse video? I am ok to create the video in PP but wanted to know whether a timer can be used to take fixed number of shots at specified interval.

 

There doesn't seem to be a way currently to do interval shooting on the T. This might fall under the category of "unused, extraneous features" that were culled out.

 

If there was a call for it from a decent subset of users, I'm sure Leica might consider adding it back in a future firmware update, or add it into the iPad app.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[dfarkas]

A great review, exactly what we need to understand what it offers

 

I'm very impressed with the colours and image quality, I mean that in the widest sense of the term quality. A great little camera, it will be on my Xmas list

 

Shame they didn't offer a little more traditional styling, I can see why they didn't, perhaps if they had spoken to Porsche design and not Audi the result would have seemed more evolution than revolution

 

Well, the entire point with the T was to be revolutionary, not evolutionary. The concept was to get outside the "Leica box" design-wise, while still maintaining some Leica DNA. This was clearly not an easy undertaking and one which underwent many iterations (18 designs) over more than two years.

 

The other goal was that in spite of the radical design changes for the T, the iconic nature of the M and S would go unchanged, so as to not harm existing users in any way.

[mjh]

I wonder if the new X camera rumored to be announced in sept at photokina will be interchangeable lens too. maybe using the same lens.

The X series models are compact cameras and that won’t change. If you are looking for an APS-C system camera with interchangable lenses in Leica’s portfolio, there is the T and nothing else.

[MarkP]

Thank you David for an excellent review - answers most of my questions short of getting my hands on one to test it out.

 

Could you please explain why you see this camera as revolutionary? Unless you mean for Leica, but not for photography in general. However desirable it may be, and with what seems to be a much simplified user interface amongst the clutter of other cameras, in the end it is still just a highly refined, not revolutionary APS-C system.

 

Regards,

Mark

[MarkP]

Thank you David for an excellent review - answers most of my questions short of getting my hands on one to test it out.

 

Could you please explain why you see this camera as revolutionary? Or do you mean for Leica, but not for photography in general? However desirable it may be, and with what seems to be a much simplified user interface compared with the clutter of other cameras, in the end it is still just a highly refined but not revolutionary APS-C system.

 

Regards,

Mark

[lct]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

...seems to be a much simplified user interface compared with the clutter of other cameras...

For those who don't need reading glasses perhaps but chimping looks necessary with this camera.

[MarkP]

For those who don't need reading glasses perhaps but chimping looks necessary with this camera.

 

Excellent point but I was comparing it to other digital cameras in it's class.

Unfortunately, at just over 50 I'm now needing to use reading glasses but could probably manage - just?

Another reason against all of this digital interface.

Edited April 27, 2014 by MarkP

[dfarkas]

Thank you David for an excellent review - answers most of my questions short of getting my hands on one to test it out.

 

Could you please explain why you see this camera as revolutionary? Unless you mean for Leica, but not for photography in general. However desirable it may be, and with what seems to be a much simplified user interface amongst the clutter of other cameras, in the end it is still just a highly refined, not revolutionary APS-C system.

 

Regards,

Mark

 

Mark,

 

One of my customers came into the store today with a Sony A7. I've obviously handled these before, but was able to put it right next to the Leica T. The two cameras sitting next to one another underscored the major differences in a second.

 

The buttons and dials and controls on the Sony were scattered and haphazard, seemingly without reason for being placed where they were. There were three dials on top of the A7 that all had different physical design/construction. The three function buttons were just placed where there was room at different locations. Other controls were also of differing styles and placements. Then, of course, there was the very audible shutter sound. It just felt as if there were too many cooks in the kitchen and no overriding design philosophy. They were just chasing specs and looking to re-purpose existing parts from other cameras.

 

Perhaps many might not consider a clean design and user-friendly interface revolutionary, but it really is so completely different than anything else out there, not just Leica.

 

For me, how a camera feels to use and how I experience picture taking with it plays such an important part of how I evaluate it. I love shooting with the M and the S partly because how I feel using them. How they feel in my hand. What the experience looking through the viewfinder is like. How they sound when I take a shot. Of course, image quality is always a factor, but the T produces stunning images with great glass. I have no complaints there. Could it be higher resolution? Maybe, but I never felt the image quality lacking. With image quality out of the way, with great lenses, pleasing color reproduction, etc.I am left to focus on the physical interaction with the camera. And it is different. And very fun while being entirely practical and useful. This is rare. This is, for me, revolutionary.

[MarkP]

I understand. Exactly why I use the M system.

[AlanG]

The Nex 7 does not have a touchscreen so of course it has more controls...fewer than on an M with its EVF. E.g. you can change the AF point, magnify the view and more while looking through the EVF.The Nex 7 also has more features. So it comes down to what you prefer.

 

Minimalism, while nice for design, has its drawbacks... I find a camera with lots of direct controls...once learned so that it is a reflex to use...is extremely fast in practice.

 

The Nex 7 may be louder (I don't have either camera) but it can shoot 10 frames per second. So that might have something to do with it.

Edited April 27, 2014 by AlanG

[diogenis]

Every other camera but Leica M and/or Leica T has cluttered design, many button lying around and is difficult to navigate and use.

If we all accept in the end -and this is where we are now- that sensor technology in digital is same among manufacturers, then just as Farkas say, what's left is usability. If you want the ultra simple and gorgeous M there is nothing like it in terms of handling. Btw, I wouldnt mind an M with an approach at the back Like Ts: touch interface to get rid of the buttons in the back, and, finally some app for remote control.

If you want AF you choose Leica T and

If you want a gatling you go for a dSLR. With the added weight/bulk. Choices are easy now, everything exists in the market.

My guess is that there will be again many copy cutters that will follow Leica T. We will see.

[diogenis]

Remember the mobiles of the past decade? Full of buttons: 9 for dialing and another 20-30 for the letters. Who would have thought then that there will be one day a phone with a touch screen and 0 physical buttons to interact with? This is where we are now and this is where cameras will go soon

[thighslapper]

Great review David. Thorough and practical and entertaining too. I especially agree with you on this which speaks to the end results and makes this camera now an object of lust:

 

"But, due to the wider dynamic range, I did find myself routinely bringing my black levels down and white levels up while simultaneously opening up shadows and recovering highlights. This technique works quite well and can be seen in most of my sample images throughout the review. I’ve covered this topic before, but it bears repeating: I don’t personally believe in judging images “out of camera with no corrections or sharpening.” To me, this isn’t the end result and tells me nothing about the possible quality from a given camera. I want to see how malleable the files are, how easy and consistent they are to work with and ultimately, how they look when I finalize my artistic vision for them."

 

 

..... sounds very similar to the XV images ....... I tend to sharpen to 90 in LR by default and often use auto-tone and then roll off the exposure a bit ..... the results are consistently very impressive and don't impact on the 'naturalistic' colour balance and overall look .....

[imants]

I would prefer to wait for a review from a neutral party before I make up my mind a site called red dot is a leica fan . Nothing wrong with that but others may see it all in a different light

[thighslapper]

I would prefer to wait for a review from a neutral party before I make up my mind a site called red dot is a leica fan . Nothing wrong with that but others may see it all in a different light

 

I think you will find that we are also Leica's harshest critics ......

[imants]

May be mabe not, but there are other views as well good bad indifferent

[alexander]

I wonder if the new X camera rumored to be announced in sept at photokina will be interchangeable lens too. maybe using the same lens. I like this camera but like the x vario style better.

 

no.. this will be the T series... domain...

[michaelbrenner]

One of the most complete reviews (I have been able to find), even including a video demo on how the Leica T is able to be controlled by a tablet via the mobile app, my compliments on a job well done. Thank you so much for taking the time to produce a helpful and informative review, covering relevant topics concisely using well-written prose, excellent pictorial examples, and appropriate video explanation. I especially enjoyed the video covering the touch screen interface. I was quite a bit dubious about a touch screen Leica, but seeing the video demo has won me over. Many thanks.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[flyalf]

Thanks a lot for this well written and informative review .

 

I haven't quite yet understood how the control dials on top are used, and what they can control. Can they be set so that they are scrolled will adjust aperture and shutter speed? How is this information displayed? From the review I do not understand the following: "The control dials require a two-step activation.". What is the first and second step?

 

Sorry for being a bit slow , perhaps reviewer or others can clarify?