Leica SL New Owner

[BCMielke]

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I was in Paris for a conference this past week and I had the opportunity to take my wife.  As some may remember I have been evaluating whether or not to purchase the Leica SL for quite some time.  With that in mind I made yet another trip to a different Leica store.    Paris happens to have quite a few Leica stores available and I went to almost every one.  While I was explaining the difference between the SL and my M, the wife figures out that the price with the dollar being strong is quite lower than the US price.  Well one thing led to another and she said to go ahead and purchase it. Thinking after the VAT is refunded even if I didn't like the camera I could in the long run probably recoup almost the whole price if I needed to sell it.   So now along with the SL I also got myself the 24-90.  I was only able to spend the last day using the camera, but so far I think I am really going to like it.  As others have commented when using the camera the 24-90 doesn't really feel heavy.  Yes it is heavier than the M with a 50mm on it, but you also aren't carrying around the 24, 70 and 90mm lenses either.  

 

Now I am going over the manual and learning as much as I can.  Does anyone else have thoughts on how best to set up the camera?

 

Oh and before I can forget, no my wife is not available...she's a keeper.  

 

 

 

 

[cpclee]

Would love to know what you paid for your SL + lens in US dollars.

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[cpclee]

Congratulations btw on the purchase.  I love the combo myself and having an understanding wife does help!

[Peter Walker]

I was in Paris for a conference this past week and I had the opportunity to take my wife.  As some may remember I have been evaluating whether or not to purchase the Leica SL for quite some time.  With that in mind I made yet another trip to a different Leica store.    Paris happens to have quite a few Leica stores available and I went to almost every one.  While I was explaining the difference between the SL and my M, the wife figures out that the price with the dollar being strong is quite lower than the US price.  Well one thing led to another and she said to go ahead and purchase it. 

 

Oh and before I can forget, no my wife is not available...she's a keeper.  

 

 

I can understand that you would not want to give away such a wife, but could she run counseling sessions for our wives...

[Manoleica]

Don't you have to Declare your Purchases @ US Customs??

[scott kirkpatrick]

There is no duty on cameras purchased outside US and shipped into US, so I would guess the same applies when they are hand-carried.  In the other direction it is more problematic.  Europe and many other countries impose a 20% VAT.

 

scott

[helged]

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...25% VAT to Norway (but the Norwegians have no reasons to complain).

[steppenw0lf]

Congratulations.

 

To your wife and to the camera (in this order).

 

When I "evaluated" the SL, I also asked the forum for help. I got useful advice among others from Leicaiste and Ramarren. 

You can find it under the label "Classic Leica R lenses on SL", if you want to reread. And of course the SL intro by Jono Slack was most influential for me.

 

The sentence "I have configured the bottom right button to have a direct access to the list of R lenses." was the most important, because I use mainly R-lenses.

Maybe you should also find a button for ISO settings and/or corrections.

I did only minimal changes, so that I can still consult the handbook if I'm puzzled.

 

Hope you enjoy it !           Stephan

[BCMielke]

Would love to know what you paid for your SL + lens in US dollars.

 

Simple Math really.  I did find out that there are a number of different VAT's in France.  12% one place and 20% another.  "I thought our tax code didn't make sense??

 

6800 for the 4300 for the lens.  1.12 conversion to US $ and then take off the 20% tax.

[BCMielke]

Congratulations.

 

To your wife and to the camera (in this order).

 

When I "evaluated" the SL, I also asked the forum for help. I got useful advice among others from Leicaiste and Ramarren. 

You can find it under the label "Classic Leica R lenses on SL", if you want to reread. And of course the SL intro by Jono Slack was most influential for me.

 

The sentence "I have configured the bottom right button to have a direct access to the list of R lenses." was the most important, because I use mainly R-lenses.

Maybe you should also find a button for ISO settings and/or corrections.

I did only minimal changes, so that I can still consult the handbook if I'm puzzled.

 

Hope you enjoy it !           Stephan

 

I will have to look at those.  I have 2 R lenses.  The 50mm E60 and the 60mm macro.  

 

I read Jono's SL intro when I was evaluating whether to purchase the camera, but you're right that would be a good re-read now that I own it.

[BCMielke]

There is no duty on cameras purchased outside US and shipped into US, so I would guess the same applies when they are hand-carried.  In the other direction it is more problematic.  Europe and many other countries impose a 20% VAT.

 

 

Correct.  They ask you about food items, but little time was spent on the other items we purchased while in France.

 

Scotch is also very well priced in France compared to the US.  

[thighslapper]

1. Go out and take photos.

 

2. After a while you will work out whether you prefer full auto and what sort of metering and AF focussing format suits you

 

3. You will then realise some of the default menu settings don't suit 

 

4. THEN ferret around in the various menus and alter the defaults to the style that suits you ...... save as a pre-set or two ....

 

5. By now you will have got the hang of the 'short press', 'long press' toggling of the buttons.

 

6. You will realise that most are set up in ways that don't suit ...... configure and rearrange to suit.

 

7. You will end up doing this a few times till you find a combo that works ..... after that the menu system will hardly need to be accessed at all.

 

I wouldn't spend hours reading the manual ...... which in places is quite obscure and confusing ..... just refer back to it for things as they crop up

Go out and take photos and change things incrementally as you go along ..... it took about 2 weeks to finalise my custom set-up ..... and it hasn't changed in the last 3 months. 

 

Have fun !

Edited March 14, 2016 by thighslapper

[ramarren]

I was in Paris for a conference this past week and I had the opportunity to take my wife.  As some may remember I have been evaluating whether or not to purchase the Leica SL for quite some time.  With that in mind I made yet another trip to a different Leica store.    Paris happens to have quite a few Leica stores available and I went to almost every one.  While I was explaining the difference between the SL and my M, the wife figures out that the price with the dollar being strong is quite lower than the US price.  Well one thing led to another and she said to go ahead and purchase it. Thinking after the VAT is refunded even if I didn't like the camera I could in the long run probably recoup almost the whole price if I needed to sell it.   So now along with the SL I also got myself the 24-90.  I was only able to spend the last day using the camera, but so far I think I am really going to like it.  As others have commented when using the camera the 24-90 doesn't really feel heavy.  Yes it is heavier than the M with a 50mm on it, but you also aren't carrying around the 24, 70 and 90mm lenses either.  

 

Now I am going over the manual and learning as much as I can.  Does anyone else have thoughts on how best to set up the camera?

 

Oh and before I can forget, no my wife is not available...she's a keeper.  

 

 

I hope you enjoy using the SL as much as I do. 

 

I don't know how best to set up the camera for all uses. I have four user configurations defined for different purposes. The basics for me, however, are to assign the things I use most (exposure compensation, ISO setting, metering pattern) to convenient locations that I can reach and use easily. For me, that means:

• Upper Right - Exposure compensation
• Lower Right - ISO
• Lower Left - metering pattern

Everything else varies per my intended use of lenses (R or SL) or intent (regular format, color default or square format, B&W default). 

Explore, take pictures, have fun! 

[BCMielke]

 

 

I wouldn't spend hours reading the manual ...... which in places is quite obscure and confusing ..... just refer back to it for things as they crop up

Go out and take photos and change things incrementally as you go along ..... it took about 2 weeks to finalise my custom set-up ..... and it hasn't changed in the last 3 months. 

 

Good advice!  I always read the manual with the camera in hand.  I haven't ever read a manual that shows me exactly how to use it very well.  The Leica manuals always seem to be a bit more cryptic than others however.

 

It took me quite awhile to realize the joystick was the AE-L/AF-L button they were referencing.  

[BCMielke]

I hope you enjoy using the SL as much as I do. 

 

I don't know how best to set up the camera for all uses. I have four user configurations defined for different purposes. The basics for me, however, are to assign the things I use most (exposure compensation, ISO setting, metering pattern) to convenient locations that I can reach and use easily. For me, that means:

• Upper Right - Exposure compensation
• Lower Right - ISO
• Lower Left - metering pattern

Everything else varies per my intended use of lenses (R or SL) or intent (regular format, color default or square format, B&W default). 

Explore, take pictures, have fun! 

 

So far I have Exposure Compensation on the FN key in front.  That makes it easily accessible for me.  I use exposure compensation all the time.  How have you found the UR position?

[Peter Walker]

What's working well for me is:

 

UR: Exposure Compensation

(IMO, Easiest button to press - the one is use most)

LR: ISO

(Keep the two main exposure functions logically together)

UL: Focus Mode: AF, CF, MF

(I like to flip between AF and MF often)

LL: Focus Area

(Keep the focus functions together - don't use this one much)

Front Button: change drive mode

(I like to quickly switch on exposure bracketing if light is weird)

Top Button: change profile

( have 4 profiles that I like to flip between, depending on lighting)

 

4 Profiles:

Slow: ISO100, Aperture priority, spot focus

Fast: Auto ISO up to 3200, Shutter priority, matrix focus

Face: Auto ISO up to 1600, Aperture priority, AF, Face

Track: Auto ISO up to 1600, Program priority, Tracking focus, CF.

 

These 4 get me quickly to a shooting setup in four common situations. The name of the profile gives a hint of the situation. For a lot of shots, I start with "slow" and adjust from there. But, for example, if I see a people photo opportunity and I don't want to fiddle with settings, I quickly change to "face" mode.

 

This approach has been working well for 3 months and it's burned into my muscle memory so is quick to operate.

 

In fact, that'd be my main advice: work out some settings that suit your style then burn them into your muscle memory...

 

Regards

Peter

[scott kirkpatrick]

I use only manual focus lenses (mostly R).  So LR = list of lenses, UR = exposure compensation, UL = ISO, LL = white balance temperature (mostly left on auto).  I avoid the other  buttons.  I change from auto ISO to fixed ISO frequently to avoid the tendency of auto ISO to insist on ISO50 and then underexpose rather than drop the shutter speed below 1/f or 1/2f.  Mostly the SL figures things out for itself.

 

scott

[ramarren]

So far I have Exposure Compensation on the FN key in front.  That makes it easily accessible for me.  I use exposure compensation all the time.  How have you found the UR position?

 

 

I had it on the FN button first, but found it awkward. Now I have it on the UR, quite handy for my hands. 

[BCMielke]

 

4 Profiles:

Slow: ISO100, Aperture priority, spot focus

Fast: Auto ISO up to 3200, Shutter priority, matrix focus

Face: Auto ISO up to 1600, Aperture priority, AF, Face

Track: Auto ISO up to 1600, Program priority, Tracking focus, CF.

 

 

I haven't even worked on profiles yet!  I do like the above thought process.  Especially one just for faces.  

 

I would probably add a high ISO one because I do alot of indoor shooting in low light.  

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[Peter Walker]

I haven't even worked on profiles yet!  I do like the above thought process.  Especially one just for faces.  

 

I would probably add a high ISO one because I do alot of indoor shooting in low light.  

 

 

The way I think about profile settings is:

 

"If was walking down the road shooting something, anything, and a great shot of X, Y or Z occurred and I wanted to start shooting it without any thinking or fiddling of buttons, what would be the ideal settings".

 

Firstly, set the 1st memory slot to your preferred base setting.  The base profile is what you like to use for most shots.  Include all your favourite button shortcuts, quality settings, card slots, numbering, etc.  Make sure you set one of your "long press" buttons to "load profile".  I prefer the one on the top of the SL because it seems logical to have it near the mode dial.

 

Then you think about the X, Y, and Z scenarios / subjects that you'd like to shoot quickly and set up the 2nd, 3rd and 4th slots for those three X, Y and Z scenarios.  For each of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th slots, start with the 1st slot settings loaded - then you'll get the same favourites in all 4 settings without having to set them again individually.

 

For example, X could be an interesting person in a bright location; Y could be an interesting person in a dark location and Z could be a car driving towards you.  

 

For X, Y, and Z, think about scenarios that are likely to change / disappear quickly - situations when you won't have time to be making a lot of setting changes.

 

Don't worry about scenarios / subjects that you have plenty of time to shoot.  For those, you just start with your base setting and adjust until you are happy.

 

On the principle that it is always best to start with a known setting, the camera should usually have profile one loaded, the base profile.  Then, when a situation similar to one of your X, Y or Z scenarios occurs, with one long press of your "load profile" button and a flick / press of the toggle, you can have the optimal profile loaded in a couple of seconds.

 

Afterwards, go back to the first profile and you are back to your known favourite state.  This also applies, of course, if you have been adjusting all sorts of parameters and you want to get back to your known base state: just reload profile one.

 

If you use the rename profile function to give the profiles a name that means something to you, like my Slow, Fast, Face, Track, you will quickly recognise the best profile to load. (Come to think of it, I might rename "Slow" to "Base", as it is the one that I usually have loaded.)

 

To make sure you don't ever accidentally lose your hard work setting up these profiles, export the profile file to a memory card then copy it to your computer.  You can re-import the profile from a memory card if they ever get lost.

 

If you get these profiles set up the way you like them, they can be a powerful aid in using the camera in real-world situations...

 

Regards

Peter

Edited March 16, 2016 by peterbkk