X1 Replacement

[Sully]

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For years I took my reliable X1 on jobs or walk about because it was small. It was my best camera because I always had it with me. However, the T peaked my interest in a small camera that could take other lenses and close up attachments. I went to the Washington, DC Leica store where the salesman, Andy (very well informed and helpful), showed me the T. Most important....The T fit in my coat pocket even though it was a little bigger than the X1. So, I could use this camera for the same purpose as the X1.

 

I took a few accessories with me to see if they would work with the T.

 

1. 65mm black Elmar lens with a Novoflex Viso to M adapter. The lens worked perfectly with the T and M adapter. The manual focus magnifying system was easy to use. Turn it on with the left external roller wheel, focus, and then tap the shutter release to go back to full picture.

 

2. 90mm, Tele-Elmarit, (old one-255g). This lens is very small, so, it will fit easily in my other coat pocket. It focuses to 1m which gives a face filling frame on the T. The lens is sharp enough for most work, but it really is nice for portraits because it does not "see" every pimple and line in an older face. What happened? I remember shooting a lot of younger faces at one time. But now most of pixs are old faces.

 

3. A set of 55mm ELPRO) close up diopters from the R era and a 55 to 52 step-down ring. This system worked just fine with auto or manual focus on the 23mm T lens. I didn't try it on the zoom lens. You can really get close by stacking the rings. There are other ELPRO sizes (series 6 and 7) that might be better, but this is what I had at the time.

 

4. 35mm Leitz bright line finder. I used this all the time on the X1. It works well on the T.

The T 23mm lens gives just a little more picture area than the 35 finder shows, but it is close enough for me. The auto focus seemed accurate for the pictures I shot in the store. The old bright chrome looks good on the silver T. Makes me wish I had ordered a silver instead of a black one. Mmmmh...Time for that second T body.

 

Ciao, Sully

[BB W]

Thanks so much for your detailed feedback on trying out the T with your lenses and that . 35mm Leitz bright line finder. I would think quite a few people would find your post worth reading - and that the bright line finder would be a big plus for some.

 

Perhaps, this bright line part (and maybe more) ought to go into the FAQ thread?

 

Looking forward to your photographs after you get your own T - the black one.

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[wda]

Sully, why replace your X1? By all means buy into the T system, but the two cameras are NOT mutually exclusive. There are many times when you will be pleased just to take the X1 to a party or similar, when a system camera is just too big with more than one lens in the bag.

[jlindstrom]

Sully, why replace your X1? By all means buy into the T system, but the two cameras are NOT mutually exclusive. There are many times when you will be pleased just to take the X1 to a party or similar, when a system camera is just too big with more than one lens in the bag.

 

True, but in this case how much bigger the T is with the 23mm prime?

 

//Juha

 

 

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[Sully]

David,

 

True, the cameras are not mutually exclusive. But for me the T will do essentially the same thing as the X1, yet, the T is not really too big. Although my wife would laugh at me for saying this, "It is not good having too much stuff. Keeping it simple is better."

 

There will be a learning curve with the T, but after a few months, I think it will be just like the dependable X1. A small camera, always with me, and oh, by the way, it will take a nice little portrait lens from the other pocket or a close up attachment. Hopefully, Leica will add a nice 60mm or 70mm auto focus, F 2 lens for the system.

 

Ciao, Sully