SL cropped or CL

[jjk]

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PREFACE

I have been using the rangefinders since the M4P.  I loved that camera.  Also liked the M6, M6TTL and loved the M7.  Problem is, I dislike the parameters of working with film and love the flexibility of Camera Raw and Photoshop.  Then comes M8 with its issues.  Had to start somewhere.  The M9 was better.  By the time I got to the M240, I decided, it was better to have a body for each lens than to have to deal with dust on the sensor, so I have 3 of those for my favorite 4 lenses.

Thru all this is the passage of time and I just don't see as well as I used to.  Also, when I could see better, I never noticed the rangefinders getting our of wack as much as I notice it on the M240.  Maybe part of that was the fact that you couldn't see it on a 8x12 print from film like you can on a computer monitor at 200%.  Along comes the CL and I bought that earlier this year.  I still love working with the Ms, but I really love the CL.  The horizon line has saved me a lot of rotating and cropping.  I've read about some of the problems that others have had, but so far, I've been lucky.  I haven't had any problems.  I have the 18 to 56, 35, and 55 to 135.  Recently we returned from a 3 week trip to Alaska and Canada.  I shot the CL mostly using the zooms and spot (crosshairs) autofocus.  I've been happy with the results that I've printed 13x19.  I also used 2 M240s alternating between the 90f2 APO ASPH, 50f2, and 28f2 ASPH.  For distance, I used to use V-Lux4.  That was replaced by the Sony RX 10 version 4.  You have no idea how good the Leica menu system is until you try to navigate the Sony's.  Although many rant and rave about the Sony, I have yet to fall in love with it.  That brings me to the next thing I want.  I have read about the L90-280 for the SL that can be used on the CL.  I recognize that it will dwarf the CL.  I suspect at some point I will end up with an SL body.  So here is the ...

QUESTION

Does the 90-280 at 280 ( 420mm equivalent ) give a better image on the CL, or is it better with the SL and cropped down to show just the portion of the frame that the CL shows?  Is cropping down the SL the same as dumbing it down with CL lenses?

[LocalHero1953]

The short answer is that it is good enough. If you can't win a global photographic prize with the 90-280 on the CL, then you won't win it on the SL. And vice versa.

 

More seriously: what sort of difference are you looking for that will make such a difference to your photos? I have the 90-280, SL and CL, and I am far more concerned about the practicalities of using either camera with this lens than whether one produces better IQ than the other. IQ is the least of my worries!

 

The 90-280 on the CL is unbalanced in the hand and difficult to control because the CL is, effectively, weightless. I would far rather hand hold it on the SL, heavier though the SL is. And if you crop from the SL, you are down to 10+mp compared to the CL's 24mp.

Edited July 18, 2018 by LocalHero1953

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[jaapv]

The SL cropped produces 10-12 MP images, the CL 24 MP images. It shows, especially on larger prints. In other words, a native CL image has double the resolution of a cropped SL image. Get a handgrip on your CL. 

 

It is a matter of training. I'll happily use my 105-280 on the CL Manual focus, no O.I.S.

[Irakly Shanidze]

Regardless of the fact that CL has 24mp while SL is only 12mp on a crop, CL sensor is more advanced, it holds better in low light.