90-280/2.8-4

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I fear that you're doomed . . . But it will save you a bit of money on Gymn subscriptions

Jono, I really don't remember the 90-280 being of this size and weight

 

Were we/Was I so "happy high" at the SL launch party!?!

[Advertisement]

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

[jonoslack]

Jono, I really don't remember the 90-280 being of this size and weight

 

Were we/Was I so "happy high" at the SL launch party!?!

 

Well Hari.... Perhaps the lens at the launch was but an empty shell . . . .rather like I was the morning after the launch party!

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

Well Hari.... Perhaps the lens at the launch was but an empty shell . . . .rather like I was the morning after the launch party!

LOL

 

Atleast you made it back to Wetzlar the next morning. I slept in till late afternoon and briefly passed by Wetzlar before heading home and sleeping the rest of the week [emoji38]

[jrp]

So what's the verdict on the lens?

 

I am still trying it out.  It is harder to get pictures as sharp as with the 24-90, particularly at the long end.  It may be the atmosphere, less effective OIS, and/or misfocusing.   It is also more susceptible to flare than the 24-90 which you can point at the sun with impunity.  Acclimatisation continues.

[Jeff S]

 It is harder to get pictures as sharp as with the 24-90, particularly at the long end.  

 

On a tripod?  With LV magnification?  With cable release or shutter delay?  With the hood (and eyepiece covered if long exposure)?  With any filters?

 

Jeff

[LocalHero1953]

And what focus distance? I have to say I have not had a problem with focus, but I've used it mainly at closer distances (but still 280mm). And I've not noticed flare to be a particular issue, though it does flare in the normal circumstances.

As a side issue, I find the hood so deep I have difficulty removing the lens cap. Not a big problem, but the 28-90 is easier.

[jrp]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Longer distances, mainly hand held, no filter or UV, single point AF.

[wlaidlaw]

So what's the verdict on the lens?

 

I am still trying it out.  It is harder to get pictures as sharp as with the 24-90, particularly at the long end.  It may be the atmosphere, less effective OIS, and/or misfocusing.   It is also more susceptible to flare than the 24-90 which you can point at the sun with impunity.  Acclimatisation continues.

 

.....but the 24-90 is the most flare resistant lens I have ever used. I have never come across any other lens you can point straight at the sun with such impunity, or have a bright ray of light going right across the lens, with no adverse results. Taking sunsets or low suns in Burma a few weeks ago was so easy. I will see how it compares when my 90-280 arrives tomorrow. 

 

Wilson

[FlashGordonPhotography]

The 50/0.95 was the maximum size, weight and bulk I could tolerate - but let's be fair, it's a totally different system with a very different philosophy and capabilities

 

Admittedly the 90-280 is a special purpose lens and is potentially very good at what it's supposed to do, but dang - the size and weight are daunting for an M guy like myself

 

I will put the lens through its paces this weekend and decide if I want to keep it or sell it

 

The 24-90 will be a sleeper keeper

 

I baulked at the weight too. Especially after a few years of chasing lighter and smaller.

 

Now after a couple of months with the SL and the two zooms I really don't think about it much. I just got used to it, although others may not.....

 

I can say the Noctilux is better on the SL than the M. I haven't used mine on the M since I got the SL and I doubt I will use it on the M again. I was very pleasantly surprised by how much less fringing there is with the Noct on the SL vs the M.

 

Gordon

[FlashGordonPhotography]

So what's the verdict on the lens?

 

I am still trying it out.  It is harder to get pictures as sharp as with the 24-90, particularly at the long end.  It may be the atmosphere, less effective OIS, and/or misfocusing.   It is also more susceptible to flare than the 24-90 which you can point at the sun with impunity.  Acclimatisation continues.

 

The 90-280 is the best long zoom I've used or owned. My copy vastly out resolved the SL sensor at almost every focal length. It's a modern lens but still not as brutal as some of the Canikons. I can directly compare it against several longer zooms from Canon, Sony and Fuji and the only thing I need is a way to sticky tape an A7R2 or Pentax K1 sensor inside the SL body so I can use the Leica zooms with those sensors. Nothing wrong with the SL sensor 99% of the time but the zooms (plus a WATE) would make a brilliant landscape set.

 

Gordon

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

I baulked at the weight too. Especially after a few years of chasing lighter and smaller.

 

Now after a couple of months with the SL and the two zooms I really don't think about it much. I just got used to it, although others may not.....

 

I can say the Noctilux is better on the SL than the M. I haven't used mine on the M since I got the SL and I doubt I will use it on the M again. I was very pleasantly surprised by how much less fringing there is with the Noct on the SL vs the M.

 

Gordon

 

 

Agree

 

The loaner SL i had, i used mainly with the 50/1, 50/0.95, 75/1.4 and 90/2AA - wide open, much easier to focus with the SL (stopped down, i still prefer using them on the M) and yes, much lesser fringing

 

The new sensor is definitely a step up and the resulting images look nicer to my eyes than what the M240 delivers - again, in all fairness, the m240 is a veteran by now and hopefully the next M will benefit from this sensor as well

 

The recent firmware update 2.0 enabled 1/16,000 shutter which was the tipping point for me - I had requested for this shutter speed to be able to use my Noctiuxes wide open without ND filters after seeing it was possible on the Q

 

I think I can adapt to the weight and bulk of the 24-90, but the 90-280 will stay at home till theres a specific planned activity which calls for the lens   

 

Let's see, i will take a trip next weekend specifically to put the 90-280 to good use 

 

- Hari

[sillbeers15]

I tried hand held shooting with the demo 90-280mm lens in Leica store and found the weight to be acceptable, ......so I paid for a pre-ordered an hour ago to wait for my lens to arrive.

 

I find the lens hood to be too bulky. Over the years, I only see the function of the lens hood as a protection of lens more than the function to block off stray light.

 

At the store, I swapped the 24-90mm lens hood onto the 90-280mm lens to cut off some bulk (in linear dimension). I also found that I liked the arrangement,..so I'll be getting an additional 24-90mm lens hood for my 90-280mm lens after it arrives.

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

My only gripe is with the plastic front cap. It feels cheaper than the Zeiss ZM front caps. It feels cheaper than the old Helios/Zenit front caps.

 

Awful.

 

The 90-280 hood was broken, will go to Wetzlar today and see if I can get a replacement.

 

Thanks for the tip sillbeers15, I'll probably pick up one more 24-90 hood in case it's effective on the 90-280.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sillbeers15]

My only gripe is with the plastic front cap. It feels cheaper than the Zeiss ZM front caps. It feels cheaper than the old Helios/Zenit front caps.

 

Awful.

 

The 90-280 hood was broken, will go to Wetzlar today and see if I can get a replacement.

 

Thanks for the tip sillbeers15, I'll probably pick up one more 24-90 hood in case it's effective on the 90-280.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ever since I started using M series,.RF cameras. Unlike SLRs, one cannot tell when the lens cap is on or off the camera through the OVF. I had the fear of happily shooting away while still keeping the lens cap on the camera.

 

My habit now is to take the lens cap off while the UV filter & lens hood protects the lens after the lens gets mounted onto the camera, even when I keep it in the camera bag. This habit gets translate onto using the SL. That is why I prefer the less bulky and Leica signature shaped square lens hood on 90-280mm over the stock item.

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

Ever since I started using M series,.RF cameras. Unlike SLRs, one cannot tell when the lens cap is on or off the camera through the OVF. I had the fear of happily shooting away while still keeping the lens cap on the camera.

 

My habit now is to take the lens cap off while the UV filter & lens hood protects the lens after the lens gets mounted onto the camera, even when I keep it in the camera bag. This habit gets translate onto using the SL. That is why I prefer the less bulky and Leica signature shaped square lens hood on 90-280mm over the stock item.

 

After the initial fancy wears off, I typically chuck the hoods and the caps into a drawer and forget about it. I like flare and once I learn the flare patters for a particular lens, I use it every once in awhile to get a moody shot.

 

For this reason, I appreciate that most M lenses have integrated hoods. Pull them out if you want to use them, else leave them be.

 

I carry a bunch of lens wipes and all my lenses have filters attached, which come off only when I shoot at night.

 

The only hoods I've left on my lenses are the 12466's and the standard hood on the chrom 35/1.4FLE.

 

I should check if I projected light at a particular angle, can I make the batman distress sign out of the 24-90 hood? [emoji88]

[wlaidlaw]

I think it is going too far to compare the lens cap with a Zeiss ZM lens cap. I don't actually seem much wrong with the 90-280 cap. See the pics below of the comparison. The Leica cap has at least got rubberised bases to the finger latches, so that you can grip them. You can see that I have had to put on sticky velcro on the Zeiss cap, to have any chance of removing it with a standard hood on (that is off my 50mm ZM Planar), without it squirting through your fingers like a wet bar of soap. 

 

I agree with others, that the sharpest point of focus with the 90-280 lens, seems to lie just on the bottom edge of or even below the focus rectangle. Hopefully this is something that can be corrected in firmware. Otherwise the lens seems to live up to expectations in every way. 

 

BTW is the UK passport scheme still going as no passport form was included with my purchase?

 

Wilson

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited May 20, 2016 by wlaidlaw

[LocalHero1953]

No passport with mine

[thighslapper]

ditto ....... and I'm not sure if included or not ...... no passport with any of my recent Leica purchases in the last 12 months ....

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[Jeff S]

 

BTW is the UK passport scheme still going as no passport form was included with my purchase?

 

 

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/258504-leica-uk-discontinues-passport-cover/

 

http://www.reddotcameras.co.uk/content/13-leica-uk-passport

 

Jeff

[wlaidlaw]

ditto ....... and I'm not sure if included or not ...... no passport with any of my recent Leica purchases in the last 12 months ....

 

I got passport for my SL and 24-90. I understand it was stopped from April 1, 2016 purchases onwards. Boo-Hoo. 

 

Wilson