M 262 with landscape photography

[Bobby]

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Apologies for the ignorance, but I do not have a Leica yet. 

 

Since the M262 does not support EVF, and there is no framing below 28mm, how would I do landscape photography with it?

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[dkmoore]

There is add on optical viewfinders made by Leica, Zeiss, and Voigtlander for different WA focal lengths.

[Gregm61]

You don't do landscapes with 50mm, 35mm or 90mm lenses?

 

I do with my M262. I also use my 18mm Super Elmar with the external finder.

[dpitt]

Wide angle lenses can be used with the M by adding an external VF in the flash mount. (limits using flash with ultra wides if you would ever need it) This VF is only used for framing. Focussing is done with the build in RF. Focussing is just as easy and accurate for all focal lengths on a rangefinder. Of course it becomes less critical as you go wider because your DOF increases.

If need be you can use the edges of the RF for 24mm lenses.

 

Remember, you do not have live view or preview button with rangefinders. To judge DOF you will have to use the DOF scale on the lens. No big issue IMO. I hate judging sharpness and DOF on the camera LCD anyway, because it will look very different on my 24" monitor.

 

[ECohen]

You don't do landscapes with 50mm, 35mm or 90mm lenses?

 

I do with my M262. I also use my 18mm Super Elmar with the external finder.

That's a broad statement and and a very narrow view of what a landscape photo is.....don't you think?

[Exodies]

Looks like a misunderstanding has taken place.

[ECohen]

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I hope I didn't sound nasty or disrespectful ?

I just never thought of Landscape photography or any photography having restrictions....any restrictions?

If I shoot a landscape do I have to hold the camera horizontal? Is it still a landscape photograph if its shot vertical?
 

I've always love the term for holding the camera "Landscape and Portrait" as opposed to Horizontal and Vertical. (OK i'm off topic)
 

But the restriction of just one lens as a Landscape lens, makes all my other lenses feel sad and insecure.

What would Ansel say?


 

[Exodies]

Yes but. Gregm61 said he uses 18 to 90 for landscape...

[ECohen]

Yes but. Gregm61 said he uses 18 to 90 for landscape...

 

OOPS, to quote: Roseanne Roseannadanna ..............Never Mind

[Tailwagger]

Estimate, chimp, adjust is a perfectly valid technique. 

[Paulus]

Apologies for the ignorance, but I do not have a Leica yet. 

 

Since the M262 does not support EVF, and there is no framing below 28mm, how would I do landscape photography with it?

The way one does or did  with a M6, M7, M9. There are examples enough.

[lm_user]

Estimate, chimp, adjust is a perfectly valid technique.

Only way to effectively use graduated neutral density filters

 

Tripod and HDR accomplishes similar results without filters. Some one will correct me and provide a situation where filters are necessary ( wind blowing and need sharp...... for desired )

[Stonewall Brigade]

Landscape photography is one of the key reason why I purchased the M262 and invested in Leica lenses.  I mount the camera onto a L bracket that has horizontal and vertical Arca-Swiss type quick release mounting tabs for my tripod's ball head. My lens options include the Elmarit 28mm, and new Summarit 35 & 50 mm f2/4.   I use the M262's timer set at 2 seconds, and a shutter release cable.  I am even getting good results by using a large (72mm) polarizer filter and holding it up to the lens.  I manually look through the polarizing filter and rotate it to what I like, and then hold it up to the lens front.  Works fine for me and doesn't cost $499 like the Leica M's polarizer kit.  My only complaint is sensor dust, so I will be buying a premium wet cleaning product.

[Tobers]

28mm is plenty wide enough for landscapes, though I prefer 24mm and have swapped my 28 for a 24. You can still use the viewfinder for 24mm, though for total accuracy when composing I do use the electronic viewfinder with my M-240.

 

IMHO anything wider than 24mm can look a bit "weird" and unnatural, though the sweeping perspective an ultrawide can bring can be very dramatic in the right circumstances.

 

Also I tend to use my 90mm a lot for landscapes - it's not all about the wide view.

[Echo63]

I've always love the term for holding the camera "Landscape and Portrait" as opposed to Horizontal and Vertical. (OK i'm off topic)

 

 

Back when i worked for a newspaper (it was only 5 weeks ago) we used the terms "wide" and "deep" for horizontal and vertical photos.

 

"we need a portrait to fill a wide hole in the page" makes more sense than "we need a landscape portrait"

 

 

as for Landscaping with an M - Its not something i set out to do all that often, but i do enjoy taking my M240 for a walk.

in the past I only had a 50mm lens, so if i needed a wider FOV, i would shoot multiple frames and stitch them into a panorama.

I now have a 28 and 35mm (in addition to the 50 and 90) but i haven't had them long enough to really use them much at all (the new job is limiting my "walking around with a camera" time too)

Using a lens wider than the VF - i would be looking into switching to an M240/MP240 for the live view, using external finders, or just learning how much extra the lens actually captures outside the frame lines.

of course the old "Shoot, Chimp, Adjust" method works as well

[250swb]

There is a place for very wide lenses (24mm and wider) in landscape photography, dramatic perspectives and scenes that benefit from DOF leading the eye from foreground to background. Alas many think of landscape photography as getting as much into the frame as possible and just end up diluting any point of interest or drama by making it small and insignificant. But if it is essential to go very wide a cheap Voigtlander viewfinder is ideal, you only need it for general composition after all, then chimp to see what you got. LV becomes more important with longer lenses where the narrower angle of view means a fractional movement one way or the other can affect the composition radically.