Leica T System Mini Review

[kidigital]

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I know it's probably not much of a technical review, but here's a brief shooting experience overview that might serve as another data point that those interested in the camera can add to their evaluation.

 

Yesterday, I was fortunate to be able spend a few hours with the Leica T and the 23mm summicron lens.

 

A big shout out to Sunil Kaul and the crackerjack team at Leica Singapore for arranging for the use of the T system with very short notice.

 

As I pursue a lot of street photography, street portraits and documentary photography, I was curious to see how the camera and lens combination would perform as a street photography camera while walking in the streets of Manila.

 

In crowded streets with lots of distractions, signage and people moving in and out of the frame, I often like to use a faster lens like a summicron to create separation between a subject and the background to emphasize an expression or a connection with the subject. This sort of subject and background separation isn't easy to produce on a cropped sensor camera. I've used, tried or owned many of the cropped sensor cameras on the market in an attempt to find a small, but potent street shooting tool. I may have found it in the Leica T.

 

Every system has its strengths and weaknesses, but in my mind, a combination of usability and excellent image quality is paramount.

 

Bottom line ... I was very impressed with the images and how quickly I was able to adapt the camera to how I like to shoot. The camera delivered pleasing results in a wide variety of quickly changing, mixed light scenarios.

 

With any system, it should always be about the images you are able to bring home as jpegs or raw files. This is where the Leica T excels ... excellent auto-ISO, dynamic range and detail from the lenses mean that you can manipulate the images how you see fit to create your own, distinctive creative vision.

 

Much of Leica's marketing emphasis for the launch of the system went into describing the physical design and overall aesthetic of the T system. In my opinion, they could have spent an equal amount of time highlighting the excellent images that the system is capable of producing.

 

Kudos to Leica for developing an autofocus-based system that in many respects is a very capable mini-M in image quality ... minus the rangefinder of course for those who are looking for excellent images on the fly.

 

I have more images posted on my website at: Leica T System Mini-Review — Kurt William Kamka

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[jaapv]

Thanks, Kiurt. I wonder, if you take it out with just the 23 on, in what way does it distinguish itself from for instance the X2?

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[kidigital]

Jaapv, the X2 has a wonderful lens. The big difference with the T is the ability to use a variety of lenses as the system fills out. Also, if you like shooting with shallower depth of field or like to use a faster lens in lower light situations, the 23mm summicron provides the beginning of additional options to fit the choices of the photographer.

[jaapv]

Yes - but it would fit in my system to forego the 23, use (in my case) the X1 as simple shoot-and-go and the T with M and R lenses. I am looking at it mainly as a compact high quality backup camera when travelling with the M240. I am thinking of the Summicron-C 40/2.0 and Elmarit 28 as standard lenses.

Edited May 26, 2014 by jaapv
d lenses.

[satijntje]

Yes - but it would fit in my system to forego the 23, use (in my case) the X1 as simple shoot-and-go and the T with M and R lenses. I am looking at it mainly as a compact high quality backup camera when travelling with the M240. I am thinking of the Summicron-C 40/2.0 and Elmarit 28 as standard lenses.

 

 

My Summicron-C 40/2.0 is unpatiently waiting to get adapted to the T:D

 

I find that the prices of the 2 T lenses is too high! Body price is also high but oke!

 

So for the timebeing onlym CRON-40:D

 

John

[LeicaS2]

Thanks for the posting of nice photos with the T. Were you focusing and then recomposing or pre focused on manual?

[kidigital]

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Yes - but it would fit in my system to forego the 23, use (in my case) the X1 as simple shoot-and-go and the T with M and R lenses. I am looking at it mainly as a compact high quality backup camera when travelling with the M240. I am thinking of the Summicron-C 40/2.0 and Elmarit 28 as standard lenses.

 

I think that is a good plan, Jaapv.

 

The system has excellent potential for users who have a current set of Leica M and R lenses. For those people, it presents another interesting tool as they expand their photographic tool kit. I have a small set of M lenses that I use with the M and MM. I'd probably still use them most often on my rangefinders. But, for travel and other short trips, it would be very convenient to throw the T, an M or R lens that one is most fond of and an autofocus lenses in a bag for convenience.

[IkarusJohn]

I think that is a good plan, Jaapv.

 

The system has excellent potential for users who have a current set of Leica M and R lenses. For those people, it presents another interesting tool as they expand their photographic tool kit. I have a small set of M lenses that I use with the M and MM. I'd probably still use them most often on my rangefinders. But, for travel and other short trips, it would be very convenient to throw the T, an M or R lens that one is most fond of and an autofocus lenses in a bag for convenience.

 

That is my plan also, with the exception that I added the kit zoom so I have at least one lens that uses AF and all the other functions the camera has to offer. I have no intention of adding T lenses for focal lengths I already have in M lenses.

 

As there are no M zooms, the choice of the kit lens was obvious. R lenses are just too expensive to contemplate. The kit zoom is remarkably small - it makes the camera almost pocketable.

 

Cheers

John

[kidigital]

Thanks for the posting of nice photos with the T. Were you focusing and then recomposing or pre focused on manual?

 

I only had the camera for a few hours, so I picked the autofocus setting that I most wanted to use if I were to purchase the camera for the type of photography I like to pursue. I'm very happy using an M for street photography, street portraits and documentary. Often, I use a wide like a 21SEM and zone focusing. However, there are instances where I enjoy have an option for autofocus and shallower depth of field for spontaneous or quick reaction photographs and to hide the amount of clutter, signage, etc. that appears on many crowded streets. This is where the T gets interesting. It delivers excellent image quality that has a look that is similar to the M for those looking for a consistency in look between systems ... and autofocus.

 

For a few of the shots, I simply used the touch autofocus on the rear display to highlight the part of the scene I wanted in focus and snapped away. I don't know if it is possible, but it would be great to trigger the shutter from the touch of the LCD screen like you can do with the Olympus OMD ... it then becomes a very convenient one-step process.

 

For all of the shots I posted, I used auto focus with facial detection. I mostly pursue photographing people. The auto focus in this mode was quick and responsive. I did miss a few times, but I'd blame that on user unfamiliarity as I only had the camera for a short while.

[colonel]

thanks for posting

the pictures don't look that in focus/crisp. Am I missing something ?

best rgds

[jaapv]

If I look at the face of the bloke on the bike with the kid it looks crisp enough. And in the last shot it is clearly locked on to the bloke in the background. Typical AF effects?

[colonel]

If I look at the face of the bloke on the bike with the kid it looks crisp enough. And in the last shot it is clearly locked on to the bloke in the background. Typical AF effects?

 

yes I saw the sweat

 

I am getting some pretty crisp stuff with the X-Vario and the T comes without the AA so was expecting something more biting, especially from the prime

 

If you or anyone can direct me towards photos from the T you could describe in the above manner I would be most grateful (not criticizing the photos here which are a certain style of street) just looking to see what the camera is capable of in the ideal conditions.

 

many thanks

[kidigital]

yes I saw the sweat

 

I am getting some pretty crisp stuff with the X-Vario and the T comes without the AA so was expecting something more biting, especially from the prime

 

If you or anyone can direct me towards photos from the T you could describe in the above manner I would be most grateful (not criticizing the photos here which are a certain style of street) just looking to see what the camera is capable of in the ideal conditions.

 

many thanks

 

These images were all shot at f2. I was looking for a certain type of look that includes subject isolation without maximum depth of field. For the type of look you are looking for that includes across the frame ubersharpness, one can use just about any kind of cropped sensor camera that is on the market ... and most camera phones. Cranking up the lens to F8 or F11 would no doubt produce the biting sharpness you are looking to achieve.

[theboch]

Thank you very much Kurt. Does definitely are a few of the pictures which show what a skilled photographer with the right subject can do with the Leica T.

 

I honestly was a little bit disappointed by the shots I saw from the people which got their camera since May 26 and I started thinking if the image quality might be not that good as I had imagined it... but your pictures cleared up my concerns

[colonel]

Cranking up the lens to F8 or F11 would no doubt produce the biting sharpness you are looking to achieve.

 

 

Quite

But I want to see that wide open from Leica ...

 

 

 

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