Companion camera to the Monochrom

[Peter_S]

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Not sure my input is valuable, but I would get something small that does not take much thinking to take along, and that does not lead to a steady conflict what to take and what to use. Not sure redundancy at such a high price brings peace of mind. Also the M bodies are not sooooo light and taking two all the time sort of defeats the purpose of the smallish M cameras (I would then just get an S and be done with it).

I use a Monochrom and X1 at the moment and the works. I miss my T, however, and feel that this would be the ideal companion. Small, very robust, takes M glass without issues and the image quality is great. It has live view, which you may have come to appreciate in the MM2 (I did, anyway).

Yeah, there is the crop (hey, its a companion, not a replacement!) and the interface, which is really not that hard to figure out. I used a T along the M8 and the switch is not that big a deal (not worth a few thousand Euros, anyways). Its probably as good as APS-C gets. And since this is a Leica forum, the fact that it is a Leica may play in its favor too. The T image tread here in the forum may be worth looking at.

 

The TL2 may be the way to go. The saved cash can go into a T 2/35mm lens, other nice things in life, and then you also have a light, small AF camera for those times when the pricey Monochrom can stay at home.

 

Alternatively - the Q.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Peter_S

[Belle123]

First, I have too many cameras. But if taking my monochrome out as main camera, I would also suggest a Leica T. Also, have it converted to infrared if you dare. Very addicting once you start down the infrared path. I bought a used T to try the infrared out originally, and now they are a steal second hand, and the conversion is not too expensive. Now waiting to snatch up used TL2, probably have to wait a year before those show up, and do the same. The extra resolution should be a real improvement on infrared.

 

If not the infrared T, then I would take my Q.

[algrove]

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The best companion for any MM is another MM.

Edited October 9, 2017 by algrove

[Neko]

I have a Monochrom version 1, M10 and Canon 5D MII. Very happy with this 3 guys. I am currently working on a project with people in interiors and my Mono is my main camera. For macro and still live I use the M10 with the R AMER and the Canon with the Zeiss 50 macro planar.

 The Monochrom-50APO combo is just amazing. I love the way it renders with the 90APO for head portraits. For street shooting I prefer the 35 lux FLE.

 Yesterday my local dealer lent me a 21 elmarit till my 35 lux comes back from Wetzlar. Looking forward to see how it renders mounted on my Monochrom.

Edited October 9, 2017 by Neko

[Genn]

I always have a second camera with me in the pocket - iPhone 7+.

 With it's two lenses and 12MPix it is a good supplement to M246.  First special use case - panorama mode.  Second use case  - special program Viewfinder Mark II to select appropriate focal length. 

[colint544]

I have a Monochrom version 1, M10 and Canon 5D MII. Very happy with this 3 guys. I am currently working on a project with people in interiors and my Mono is my main camera. For macro and still live I use the M10 with the R AMER and the Canon with the Zeiss 50 macro planar.

 The Monochrom-50APO combo is just amazing. I love the way it renders with the 90APO for head portraits. For street shooting I prefer the 35 lux FLE.

 Yesterday my local dealer lent me a 21 elmarit till my 35 lux comes back from Wetzlar. Looking forward to see how it renders mounted on my Monochrom.

 

Out of curiosity, might I ask why your 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE has gone back to Wetzlar? I have the same lens, had it since new, rarely use it, and have always looked after it. I'm shocked at the build quality. The rattling, the virtually stepless aperture ring, and now the focus ring has suddenly developed about two centimetres of play. It's almost unusable now, and it'll need to be serviced. Just wondered if you (or anyone else, for that matter) had experienced anything similar?

 

As for a companion camera to my beloved M Monochrom mk1, for me, it usually ends up being my iPhone 6s Plus. That thing takes a surprisingly good picture, and the colours (which naturally, the M Monochrom can't do) are superb.

 

https://www.instagram.com/colintempleton/

Edited October 11, 2017 by colint544

[Guest]

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if I need a color( that´s very rare) I have to ask my wife ...she makes nice picts  with her I-phone 

 

lambda.

[Neko]

Out of curiosity, might I ask why your 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE has gone back to Wetzlar? I have the same lens, had it since new, rarely use it, and have always looked after it. I'm shocked at the build quality. The rattling, the virtually stepless aperture ring, and now the focus ring has suddenly developed about two centimetres of play. It's almost unusable now, and it'll need to be serviced. Just wondered if you (or anyone else, for that matter) had experienced anything similar?

 

As for a companion camera to my beloved M Monochrom mk1, for me, it usually ends up being my iPhone 6s Plus. That thing takes a surprisingly good picture, and the colours (which naturally, the M Monochrom can't do) are superb.

 

https://www.instagram.com/colintempleton/

 

 

There is a problem with the focus ring. I could not move it beyond 5,6 and it was kind of loose. The lens was unusable. I hope it will come back soon and in good shape. I had the same problem that you experienced with the aperture ring. Sent in for this reason and now is OK. So this is second time I send this lens in.

 My 50APO also had a problem with the focus ring and had to be serviced. Some LUF member wrote that three of his FLE lenses had problems with the focus ring. Maybe it has to do with the floating elements.

  Any way, I´m a bit concern about Leica´s quality control.

Coming back to the subject of the thread…Today I saw the first  images taken with my Mono 1 and the 21 elmarit  and they look fantastic.It is first time I shoot with a 21 and I love it.

[colint544]

There is a problem with the focus ring. I could not move it beyond 5,6 and it was kind of loose. The lens was unusable. I hope it will come back soon and in good shape. I had the same problem that you experienced with the aperture ring. Sent in for this reason and now is OK. So this is second time I send this lens in.

 My 50APO also had a problem with the focus ring and had to be serviced. Some LUF member wrote that three of his FLE lenses had problems with the focus ring. Maybe it has to do with the floating elements.

  Any way, I´m a bit concern about Leica´s quality control.

Coming back to the subject of the thread…Today I saw the first  images taken with my Mono 1 and the 21 elmarit  and they look fantastic.It is first time I shoot with a 21 and I love it.

 

Thanks for the info. The 35mm Summilux FLE, despite the disappointing build (on my copy anyway) is optically fantastic.

[Neko]

Thanks for the info. The 35mm Summilux FLE, despite the disappointing build (on my copy anyway) is optically fantastic.

 

Completely agree

[klytz]

I have an M240P as a buddy for my M246. Same buttons and feel. It ought to be easy, but......

 

I am ambitious in the way, that I desire to become a decent hobby photografer with my Leica Ms. And I am sorry to write in this forum that when I have to be sure of the quality of my work, I just take my point and shoot camera, the Nikon D4 that never lets me down in any way. Fotos are always - and I mean always - sharp and correctly exposed. But it is too easy and I have taken thousands of Leica pictures since I got my first M6TTL 18 years ago and I am still struggling. Maybe I should start practicing a new hobby instead, what about gardening? 

 

Best wishes from Denmark

 

Klaus 

[Jeff S]

I have an M240P as a buddy for my M246. Same buttons and feel. It ought to be easy, but......

 

I am ambitious in the way, that I desire to become a decent hobby photografer with my Leica Ms. And I am sorry to write in this forum that when I have to be sure of the quality of my work, I just take my point and shoot camera, the Nikon D4 that never lets me down in any way. Fotos are always - and I mean always - sharp and correctly exposed. But it is too easy and I have taken thousands of Leica pictures since I got my first M6TTL 18 years ago and I am still struggling. Maybe I should start practicing a new hobby instead, what about gardening?

 

Best wishes from Denmark

 

Klaus

Sharpness and exposure involve some obvious basics. Are your eyes corrected optimally for the focus patch (2m virtual distance)? Is your gear properly calibrated? With your digital Ms, do you use the histogram? Or practice judging light with an incident meter? I assume you're not dealing with camera shake.

 

Jeff

[klytz]

Hi Jeff

 

Thank you for responding. I guess I have got the basics right, but you might have an issue concerning the focusing, since my age of nearly 64 could get in the way for making things  sharp. I have considered buying an EVF2 to help me out.

 

But it may be a problem too, that when I grip a Leica M, I start behaving like an artist which I am not and then the fotos do not look that good - to my opinion. The walls of my waiting room in my clinic are literally  plastered with my own fotos, and my dear patients are always very positive regarding  the decoration, but I could be suspicious that they are just extremely polite being afraid of the pain when I start drilling;-)

 

Best wishes

 

Klaus 

[Jeff S]

At 67, I couldn't get by using the RF without my glasses (for distance and astigmatism), as well as a +.5 diopter for optimum correction. Any optician should have trial diopters for you to experiment.

 

Unfortunately I don't know of any tool to ensure interesting pics.

 

Jeff

Edited October 14, 2017 by Jeff S

[James S]

So, having just completed several hundred miles around Scotland, I seem to have found my answer: The 5DIII. With an A7RII now in the family we have the option to go with all the weight of big zooms to get fast autofocus and good teles or just carry around the light bodies and Leica lenses.