IS the SL still worth buying in 2018?

[lx1713]

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all the photojournalists are switching to sony a9 - like david burnett oder david hume kennerly. if its good enoght for them, it will be good enough for us amateurs.

 

Yes, measure for measure. But they generally measure different things from most photographers as important for their work. Criterion is really different. I would be surprised if they switched 100%.

Edited April 26, 2018 by lx1713

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[Bill W]

Correct me if I am wrong but it was the photographer that won the Pulitzer and not the camera used. Who knows, Sony might give prize winning photojournalist camera's for "demo" as long as they want to use it. Just my $.02 worth.

[ramarren]

kennerly and burnett won the pulitzerprice. you?

Are you a prize winning photojournalist? The logic that says "it works well for them, therefore it must be good enough for me" is so lacking in any form of cause-consequence verifiability it's hysterically funny.

[harryzet]

Are you a prize winning photojournalist? The logic that says "it works well for them, therefore it must be good enough for me" is so lacking in any form of cause-consequence verifiability it's hysterically funny.

 

yes i am! nikon choose one of my pictures to commemorate 100 years of nikon. mine was for the year 1985, i had 187 frontpages worldwide with it

[lx1713]

yes i am! nikon choose one of my pictures to commemorate 100 years of nikon. mine was for the year 1985, i had 187 frontpages worldwide with it

 

 

Well done then. I'm truly happy for you. Perhaps you can list the pros and cons of Nikon, Canon and Sony from the perspective of a photojournalist. Maybe we can remove Canon as many PJs dislike the direction of rotation for lens removal.

[ramarren]

yes i am! nikon choose one of my pictures to commemorate 100 years of nikon. mine was for the year 1985, i had 187 frontpages worldwide with it

 

 

Good for you. If you're a prize winning photojournalist, then it's obvious why you want to do what other prizewinning photojournalists do: success in a field generally begs others to do the same thing. But it doesn't mean that what you or your fellow photojournalists do or need, reflects accurately the needs and wishes of the majority of others on this forum. 

[FlashGordonPhotography]

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When the next Pulitzer is won from a shot taken on a phone do I need to sell my SL? And my Sonys? The TL has a phone like menu system. Would that be OK?

 

Just trying to workout how someone elses hardware choices should make an impact on what I choose to shoot with....

 

Gordon

[frame-it]

very good point   and of course so many people buy Leica's because they have seen photographs/magazines/books etc  and heard of famous photographers using Leica's

 

 

i think the point is try everything if budget permits, but buy what works for ones needs..if one has an unlimited budget then "need" & "want" could possibly be one and the same 

 

 

 

 

 

Just trying to workout how someone elses hardware choices should make an impact on what I choose to shoot with....

 

Gordon

Edited April 27, 2018 by frame-it

[LichtUndDunkelheit]

3. It's addictive. Once you have those files it is hard to go back and it can push you to better technique.

I disagree, I use cameras of various resolutions next to each other just fine.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

I disagree, I use cameras of various resolutions next to each other just fine.

 

OK. Fair enough. *I* find those files addictive....

 

Gordon

[Chaemono]

Now to the point of my question - with the advent of the new Sony (I know.. I know) a7III and a7rIII along with the ability to use a Techart Pro M to E adapter, does the SL start to feel a bit long in the tooth?

 

No, it doesn't. This Sony user just got his third SL in three years and he's loving it. See here: http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2018/05/27/the-leica-sl-with-three-amazing-affordable-and-small-lenses-by-steve-huff/

 

But now that Sony has upped their game etc, I am lost.

Don't be.

 

So, I thank you in advance for your input and guidance 

You're welcome.

[LD_50]

No, it doesn't. This Sony user just got his third SL in three years and he's loving it. See here: http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2018/05/27/the-leica-sl-with-three-amazing-affordable-and-small-lenses-by-steve-huff/

 

 

Don't be.

 

 

You're welcome.

Huff is a terrible source for any review or opinion on equipment. He celebrates just about every camera as “the greatest camera ever!” and consistently changes his opinions to keep people interested in the site.

 

He is selling you a product. He also sells boxes to talk to ghosts with each one being the next greatest thing and the last he’ll ever make. It’s the same pattern and business model as the camera site.

[Chaemono]

I did notice some ghosting with my 75 Noctilux so maybe I’ll get one of them boxes.

[robgo2]

Huff is a terrible source for any review or opinion on equipment. He celebrates just about every camera as “the greatest camera ever!” and consistently changes his opinions to keep people interested in the site.

 

He is selling you a product. He also sells boxes to talk to ghosts with each one being the next greatest thing and the last he’ll ever make. It’s the same pattern and business model as the camera site.

 

What you say about Steve Huff is largely true, but I confess that it was his original enthusiastic review of the SL that got me interested in the camera when it first came out.  About 1-1/2 years later, I bought one and have not regretted it for a single moment.

 

Rob

Edited May 28, 2018 by robgo2

[Chaemono]

It’s a business model for sure. But I get the sense he only pushes stuff he feels passionate about. Unlike others who appear to be passionate about something only when enough batteries are pushed into their butts.

[scott kirkpatrick]

Huff has had three SLs, but only held them until the next Big Thing came along a month or two later.  We'll see how long this one lasts.  I have the feeling that he is making a small fortune out of a bigger one that came from some past career.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

Steve Huff writes about stuff he likes. He's said several times he won't write about a product he doesn't like. His blog. His choice. I like positive people so I have no issues.

 

But like anything else his reviews need to be taken in context and in consideration of other reviews and personal experience.. At least he sees enough in the SL to keep buying into the system. Better than a "thorough" review based on 10 minutes use.

 

Gordon

[antigallican]

Mr Huff has the same problem as most (all?) camera reviewers - his business is seeing new stuff and writing generalisations about it. The rest of us are just working the cameras. So who knows the SL better, a prof photog who has shot 100000 frames over the three years or a guy who has owned one for a month three times? I think we know the answer.

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Hallo,

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[lecycliste]

LD_50

Thanks for your reply.  

 

I've used the Techart / M combination with the Sony a7rII and the focus was fine, just not the IQ.  As far as FLE I didn't know that all M lenses were - one learns something new every day - thanks for this.

 

By "solve everything" I mean I could use Leica  M lenses on a Leica which - unless I'm wrong (and may be) - is by far preferable to using them on any other camera.  So IMHO a solution to make the manual M lense work on the SL would be great - but that's just my humble opinion.

 

Though I wasn't looking for a cost analysis of the SL but for a more subjective / personal one, I thank you for your "try it" solution.  

 

All my best.

 

Not all Leica lenses are FLE - 75/2, 50/1.4 ASPH, 35/1.4 ASPH (2010), 28/1.4, 24/1.4, 21/1.4 all have floating lens elements. The 16-18-21mm f/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH uses internal focusing - in its action, this is a pair of floating elements. 

 

With ANY Leica lens, just moving its distance from the sensor/film plane may cause a very slight image degradation. Whether or not you see it in your pictures depends on which lens you're using, how much enlargement you're using, contrast enhancement in post, your taste in micro-contrast aka sharpness, and a variety of other things. 

 

You may not notice it

[lecycliste]

My SL started out as a backup for an M10. It's become my platform of choice for 24/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH and 35/1.2 Nokton VM II used wide-open. That 4.4mp EVF lets me easily see each lens' focus and rendering at max aperture. The 24/1.4 practically lives on my SL. When I'm doing food closeups to 19", the 35/1.2 is on there. 

I also use the SL with a 135/4 Elmar (not Tele-) in Visoflex mount for closeups to 38". That requires a Visoflex to R adapter, R to M adapter, and M to L adapter. (The 135/4 including rangefinder and Visoflex focusing mounts plus closeup ring was a $150 ebay special.)

And the SL is a good platform for a 250mm f/4 Telyt-R with another adapter stack.

My SL was $3850 in BGN (bargain) condition from KEH.com.

Edited June 30, 2018 by lecycliste