50mm Summilux-SL ASPH Review

[Brian C in Az]

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15 hours ago, jaapv said:

Nobody is telling you that you should use the present-day possibilities of photography, but you should be aware they exist and that they open up a way of taking photographs that cannot be created otherwise.

You mention IS, but I for one are very happy that it exists. How else could I be able to take dynamic photographs with an 800 mm lens? It used to be impossible.

I realize that no one is telling me what I must use. It was his attitude in his reply insinuating that if someone doesn't want/love the newest technological features, then they must not be real photographers. Technology doesn't make a good photographer. Technology can only help one to achieve his/her goals.

I did mention IS, I said don't NEED it for up to 360mm in most cases. I found that medium rapid shooting in 3 or 4 frame bursts gives me a keeper or two each time.

If I was trying to shoot 800mm without a tripod or mechanical rest, IS would be appreciated. I doubt that I would discount buying a lens just because it has IS. 

I see complaints on reviews about IS not being good enough or Leica not having 5 axis IBIS. Many people rely too heavily on it. What happened to learning to hold the equipment properly and learning to control your breathing to take the perfect shake free shot?

Almost everyone on these forums does complain about the cost of the current Leica equipment. My point was that many would forego most of the technical doodads and opt for the same camera at a significantly lower price. Same with the lenses. If the choice was a 50 prime with IS for $6000 or the same lens without IS for $4k, I bet most would buy the non IS model.

[jaapv]

Let's put it this way: I have been shooting heavy rigs handheld successfully for over forty years and know all about stabilizing techniques; yet, now that it exists, I wouldn't be without Dual IS on my longest lenses.

[Brian C in Az]

1 hour ago, jaapv said:

Let's put it this way: I have been shooting heavy rigs handheld successfully for over forty years and know all about stabilizing techniques; yet, now that it exists, I wouldn't be without Dual IS on my longest lenses.

I agree, on long lenses there is a definite benefit. But on a 50mm? I really question if anyone would choose IS if there was a non IS version available.

[jaapv]

Well, in low light it might be useful. I agree that proper handheld shooting technique goes a long way towards making IS superfluous on short focal lengths, as does clean high ISO.

The main reason that it is offered is the prevalence of standard zoom lenses, which are not very fast.

[mmradman]

On 11/18/2018 at 11:52 PM, Brian C in Az said:

You are entitled to your opinion, but you do not need to insult me or insinuate that I don't actually shoot photographs. I was shooting earlier today for 2 hours as I do every weekend at minimum. 

There are a lot of very skilled photographers who shoot MF and manual exposure ONLY. We are not necessarily less skilled, we do so because we do not REQUIRE those aids. We prefer to control the scene. Not having software algorithms determine the lighting and exposure. I appreciate the higher ISO range. I like instant feedback of digital. I like shooting 200+ shots in an afternoon and seeing them on my computer hours later (for free!). I never shot 200 frames in a day with film. Film always had a waiting period between taking the shot and seeing the results. But, again, since I shot film, I learned to think and calculate and compose. There was a financial cost to every mistake made; not to mention no ability to machine gun shoot 11fps.  For some of us back then, it made us better photographers. Too many today grew up not learning the basics. Many do not understand the exposure triangle nor do they understand HOW an in camera meter sees the exposure and what it is trying to accomplish.

I have no need for 4K video. I do not need IS to take shake free photos with 360mm focal length. I do not need P mode.

Many Leica purists prefer the minimalist approach, that doesn't make them lesser photographers. Many of them are better because of that approach and preference.

You may need those things, but the better photographers do not.

No insult intended.

As SL601 and its successor are supposed to be technological tour de force such mainstream cameras will be getting more & more loaded with new features, like IBIS and high res video.  If you expect less or as you put it purist you will be disappointed unless you are prepared to ignore or switch off such features.  Auto exposure, exposure compensation, high frame rate, etc are features irritating odd "purist" but taken for granted by majority.  One thing that irritate sensible Leica user is persistent LENR.

Leica made virtue of external cosmetic customisation, in the eyes of somebody outside Leica user fraternity make us more collectors than photographers. 

Thanks to digital technology doing setting customisation is easy and down to the user via menu options.  If still not content with state of affairs good luck getting your purist mirror-less Leica camera.  

[IkarusJohn]

“Sensible Leica user” ... 

Nothing like passing judgment on other internet users.  You need to add “everyone knows” if you really want to be taken serriously ...

[mmradman]

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3 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

“Sensible Leica user” ... 

Nothing like passing judgment on other internet users.  You need to add “everyone knows” if you really want to be taken serriously ...

You just did, implicitly.  Is that professional entitlement?

Sensibly speaking you think LENR is OK?

[IkarusJohn]

I think my point was pretty clear, Mladen.

LENR is intentionally implemented to remove image noise which "becomes apparent when using higher sensitivities, particularly on uniform dark areas" (page 51 - M10-D Manual).  I don't tend to use higher sensitivities, nor do I take particularly long exposures - I rather feel that while blurred skies, rivers and tidal areas might be interesting once in a while, it becomes something of a one trick pony if done too often - rather than adding to the image, it is more a technical feat (Vieri is the exception, in that he makes it a feature to enhance the image he wants).  So, no it doesn't bother me particularly and for what I do, yes, it's okay.  Stupid as it may seem, I have considerable faith in Leica's technical knowledge on these things.

That is not to say that I don't have sympathy for Gordon and others who hate this feature, and I would not mind having the ability to switch LENR off (I would leave it on, as I suspect that noise might be a bigger problem with Leica sensors than some assume).

However, I don't think it's okay to say (as you do, by implication) that if you are not irritated by LENR you're not sensible - that's a syllogism.

Edited November 20, 2018 by IkarusJohn

[mmradman]

19 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

I think my point was pretty clear, Mladen.

LENR is intentionally implemented to remove image noise which "becomes apparent when using higher sensitivities, particularly on uniform dark areas" (page 51 - M10-D Manual).  I don't tend to use higher sensitivities, nor do I take particularly long exposures - I rather feel that while blurred skies, rivers and tidal areas might be interesting once in a while, it becomes something of a one trick pony if done too often - rather than adding to the image, it is more a technical feat (Vieri is the exception, in that he makes it a feature to enhance the image he wants).  So, no it doesn't bother me particularly and for what I do, yes, it's okay.  Stupid as it may seem, I have considerable faith in Leica's technical knowledge on these things.

That is not to say that I don't have sympathy for Gordon and others who hate this feature, and I would not mind having the ability to switch LENR off (I would leave it on, as I suspect that noise might be a bigger problem with Leica sensors than some assume).

However, I don't think it's okay to say (as you do, by implication) that if you are not irritated by LENR you're not sensible - that's a syllogism.

I was only asking your opinion on LENR, ok.

Quoatation from Leica marketing not really  swept of my feet.  As for lecture in logic, keep it.

[IkarusJohn]

42 minutes ago, mmradman said:

I was only asking your opinion on LENR, ok.

Quoatation from Leica marketing not really  swept of my feet.  As for lecture in logic, keep it.

Well, sometimes you just get more than you ask for when you make offhand assertions which just don’t stand up.

[mmradman]

3 hours ago, IkarusJohn said:

Well, sometimes you just get more than you ask for when you make offhand assertions which just don’t stand up.

And you are the expert to say so based on few off hand online comments.

[IkarusJohn]

Really?  Are we moving off topic to the personal now?  I might leave you to it.  Have fun!