Weddings, Events, Live Music - M10, lenses and second body?

[dancook]

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I currently own Leica Q, Leica SL, 50SL and 90-280SL.

 

I'm considering if I sold them all what I could purchase along with an M10, and still cope with wedding, events and live music.

 

I would like to hear recommended setups? particularly from those who do the same kind of stuff, and if you have links to galleries so I can see how you use them?

 

thanks

 

 

www.danielcook.com - I have numerous galleries for some of what i do (no wedding), but probably not necessary.

[Tobers]

For weddings I'd definitely go with 2 bodies.

 

What you might consider is keeping the Q for 28mm, and then getting an M10 and a 75 for longer shots (possibly with a 50 too). You could kick off with the moderately cheap (but very good) Summarit 50 and 75.

 

Andy

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[Tobers]

But you'll just end up getting Summilux stuff eventually so just bite the bullet and get them from the start :-)

[arno_nyhm]

75 or maybe 90 is as long as it gets with the M10. the 135/2,8 is recommended to stop down for two stops even by leica.

 

what do you think, you'd replace the 80-200 with on the leica? LV on the M10 is nice to have and from all that i hear faster than what the M240 delivered but for me, its only useable for tabletop or static kind of pictures. i'd rather not be stuck with that trying to get some decent pictures from decisive moments on stage with the LV of the M10.

 

so the M10 won't be a good replacement for the SL.

 

if you plan on getting closer, the M10 is just the camera to have. for me it feels more responsive than the Q. replacing the Q by M10 with 28 or 35 lens would be a good idea in my opinion. if that will be a summicron, elmarit or summilux- that's a matter of budget and availability. the M10 doesn't need too much light anyway - so the elmarit should do. but you might want one or two stops more...

[Printmaker]

Hi Dan

 

I find a M10 with a 35 and 75 Summicrons to be a wonderful kit. I also use a 90 Elmarit M, 50 Summicron, 21 SEM and 135 Elmarit but by far the 35/75 combo sees the most use - like 95%.

 

If I were ever to find myself shooting weddings again, I would want two M10 bodies with a 35 Cron or Lux mounted on one and the 75 Cron on the other. Then I would take a small fanny pack with an adaptor mounted 135 DC Nikkor* and a 21 SEM for those shots needing a bit more reach or breadth. Of course you would want a EVF for composition with these lenses... and several spare batteries.

 

* The 135 Elmarit was a good lens in its day but the 135 Apo or the 135 Tele Elmar are far better lenses. You will probably need more speed so going with a 135/2 makes more sense. Or even a manual focus 180/2.8 Nikkor for those far away shots from the church choir loft.

 

 

barefootphoto.gallery

Edited August 8, 2017 by Printmaker

[FlashGordonPhotography]

Hard to recommend anything until we know *why* you want to change away from the SL you already have. I've shot weddings with a pair of M's, a pair of XPro 2's, Canon, Olympus, and currently a pair of SL's. All have advantages and disadvantages. All are capable of great images.

 

Gordon

[dancook]

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Hard to recommend anything until we know *why* you want to change away from the SL you already have. I've shot weddings with a pair of M's, a pair of XPro 2's, Canon, Olympus, and currently a pair of SL's. All have advantages and disadvantages. All are capable of great images.

 

Gordon

The first thing that made me think about it is taking the 50Sl for a walk around tenby, hardly any room to put it on table for breakfast and not a very intimate lens.

 

I've always pondered the leica M, but never had one. I feel I would have preferred it as a walkabout.

 

So I'm currently romanticising, and need to consider the practicality.

 

Whilst I currently feel it might be hard to let go of the 90-280. If I was just more creative with short focal length then my photography will probably be better.

[earleygallery]

The first thing that made me think about it is taking the 50Sl for a walk around tenby, hardly any room to put it on table for breakfast and not a very intimate lens.

 

 

 

Well, you're OP was about wedding and event photography so you shouldn't really be worried about room on the table for breakfast! 

 

I think you need to work out what is more important to you - a tool for the job or a camera that you can carry to breakfast. You probably need both. 

[dancook]

Well, you're OP was about wedding and event photography so you shouldn't really be worried about room on the table for breakfast!

 

I think you need to work out what is more important to you - a tool for the job or a camera that you can carry to breakfast. You probably need both.

 

I'm just saying for personal use, I would quite like the leica M.

 

Can't afford to get an M10 and lenses whilst owning Sl and lenses.

 

People use leica M for weddings, only using manual focus. So what do I need to keep my Sl for?

 

This is what I am fighting with

 

Besides the m10 to some is the tool for the job when it comes to weddings.. So what are you suggesting? It's not appropriate. Why?

Edited August 8, 2017 by dancook

[earleygallery]

Only you can decide if you will find an M suitable for wedding/event photography. Of course others use it like that but it will mean a different way of working and likely different results. As already noted above your longest lens is realistically going to be a 90mm - that might be rather limiting in some situations, or not as the case may be.

[dancook]

Only you can decide if you will find an M suitable for wedding/event photography. Of course others use it like that but it will mean a different way of working and likely different results. As already noted above your longest lens is realistically going to be a 90mm - that might be rather limiting in some situations, or not as the case may be.

Well I can decide, but reading experiences help.

 

For e.g.

 

http://www.adamrileyphotography.com/wedding/woodhill-hall-wedding-victoria-james/

 

This guy shot m10 and 50mm cron alongside leica q. Unfortunately details of how it went are not there. He has results. But I'd like to know what challenges he faced.

[earleygallery]

That website has a 'contact' button, why not use it and ask the question. 

 

Someone else's challenges might be interesting to hear, but they might not be relevant to you at all. As I've said it's really down to personal preference and ways of working. I don't think your gear should define that. 

[phongph]

The first thing that made me think about it is taking the 50Sl for a walk around tenby, hardly any room to put it on table for breakfast and not a very intimate lens.

I've always pondered the leica M, but never had one. I feel I would have preferred it as a walkabout.

So I'm currently romanticising, and need to consider the practicality.

Whilst I currently feel it might be hard to let go of the 90-280. If I was just more creative with short focal length then my photography will probably be better.

Hi "dancook"!

If I were You, I will have two combo: M10 & M 35 Lux Fle and SL 601 & M Apo 75 (or M Lux 75) to adapt all your demand. And I will keep SL 601 and trade in Q, SL 50 and SL 90-280 (or still keep this len) to get M10 and two above M lens.

Ps: I have got both body SL 601 and M10 and some M lens and SL len. M10 with EVF Visoflex 002 is quite good and helpful to shoot with M lens if You are not familiar with RF (like me)! Pls keep SL 601 for back up of M10 and bring two body and Lens for versatile purpose. SL 601 is very good body with much technical advantages.

It is just my private idea! The attached is the nice combo on the table!

I hope You can have the good choice and happy with this.

Thanks!

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Edited August 9, 2017 by phongph

[M11 for me]

I do not really understand how someone by all means want to find a way of how to shoot a wedding with an M10. This is an event that gives you no second chance. And there are certainly better options:

 

- Very fast AF of a DSLR

- Image Stabilisation on the side of the photographer at least

- very good and fast lenses

 

I do not think twice what to take.

 

And for the breakfast table I take the M10. That is what I bought it for: No bulky and heavy tool, when I travel with my wife.

 

Just a few weeks ago I was the official photographer at a folk festival outdoor and in tents: Normally I had ma 5D Mk IV with zooms during the day and prime at night time: 50 1,5 and 135 2,0 and maybe 35 1,4. Plus flash for some situations.

 

One evening, my wife was with me, I decided to go with the M10 and 28, 50 and 75mm. The result was nice but as everything was moving so quickly many shots were not sharp. A second group of pictures were not FULLY sharp. And a few were excellent.

 

But with Canon the result would have been reachable much easier: And people expect to see themselves later on the fotos. It made me really mad that I had the M10 and not the Canon. Such an event needs no discrete camera. Everybody accepts the photographer. Everybody smiles into the camera.

 

My initial question: What advantage does some have at such an event with an M10 over a highly automated Pro beast. 

 

Fot whatever is slow, whenever I have time, whenever my wife is with me its the M10. Whenever its fast at weddings, events, lots of folk at parties it the DSLR. It could though be the M10 of course but its not an ideal option. I have better gear and I will use it.

 

THAT IS MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR: Slow motions: Leica M10; fast moving subjects and objects at near distance with shallow DOF at events: DSLR. When at events you have a 28mm and your motif is the stage that is far away then there is NO reason NOT to take the M10.

Edited August 9, 2017 by Alex U.

[mhicks]

Am I misinterpreting the OP's situation by thinking he doesn't have the (discretionary) funds to buy an M10 without selling his current equipment?

 

IF that is true then telling him to keep the SL and buy the M10 is a specious suggestion.

 

In this scenario the suggestion is easy: don't bother until the day you no longer wish to shoot weddings.

[anickpick]

I strongly recommend you rent an M camera for a day or two. The rangefinder is quite a different thing from the SL's EVF.

 

Personally, I prefer the rangefinder in most situations. If it turns out you feel the same, I recommend:

 

M10

used M240

28mm Summilux

used 50mm Summilux 

used 75mm Apo Summicron (as you love your 90-280SL, you'll love the 75mm Cron too - very nice rendering)

 

Cheers!

[dancook]

Ok well I look into my option to borrow an M10, and see how I get on with it.

 

Also maybe I should consider waiting until I have the funds to add the M10 without needing to sell any existing gear.

 

Although I do hate having more gear than I can reasonably use, which is why I like to double up on the use for a camera I'd like to use personally. I've painted myself into the corner with the SL, I've been spoiled (in the IQ/handling - certainly not AF)

 

At one stage I was considering getting the Hasselblad X1D, but keeping it alongside a Nikon D750 for wedding work. Maybe when the D850 comes out I could consider it for wedding/event work over the SL. Just the SL has no AA filter, it produces excellent colour and lenses like the 90-280 and 50 are of the highest image quality. At least the AF will be a step up.. 

 

 

I will keep giving this some thought, but I need to go to breakfast again

[anickpick]

Dan, I just had a look at some of the photos you took with the 90-280.

I have to say you make really great use of that lens and I believe you would miss it if you gave up the SL for the M10.

In your case I would not sell the SL.

I would sell the Q and buy the M10 with one lens (28mm Summilux, which by the way is awesome on the SL, 35mm Summilux, or 50mm Summilux - hard choice...).

SL and M is a great combination imo. Most M lenses perform beautifully on the SL too.

Switching whole systems (to Nikon, than to Canon, to Sony, and finally back to Leica ) will be much more expensive in the end than building up a nice SL and M setup.

Edited August 9, 2017 by anickpick

[antigallican]

You know, the thing about autofocus lenses is that they drive the shallow depth of field style. Cartier Bresson, WeeGee, Salgado are all f8 and up kind of guys - well HCB was a shutter priority kind of guy before it had been invented. But my point is, if you abandon the endless modern search for f1.4, one eye in focus one eye out, suddenly the world is your oyster. I have tried M9 at a wedding but it doesn't really work unless there's loads of light. But I'm sure an M10 would. M10, 90mm and 35mm could cover the whole shebang.

 

ps ditto for

http://www.adamriley...victoria-james/

 

very little of his material is shot with short or shallow dof.

Edited August 9, 2017 by antigallican

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[dancook]

This is one of my thoughts, narrow aperture and improve compositions to make interesting images.