Leica CL Considering a CL

[JayBird]

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Hi, As soon as I sell a 2014 Focus, I am planning on buying the CL with the 18-56 and 11-23. I plan on using the camera for a light weight travel camera. My current setup is a Nikon D7100 with the 17-55 f2.8. I love it but it is a beast to lug around all day. I am going to keep the D7100 for Birding.

 

I have read the likes and dislikes threads plus numerous reviews. I believe the CL is a good entry to the Leica world for me. I do have a few questions though:

 

1 How big of an issue is the wandering focus point? Can it be locked via a menu setting?

2 How well does the Leica app work as a remote release? I like to take photos from a low perspective. I currently use the Nikon right angle viewer attachment to the D7100.

3 What software would people recommend for converting DNG files to JPG? I am currently using Nikon’s software. I have not gone down the Adobe path yet.

 

The CL would not be my first experience with Leica. My brother loaned me one of his M3s with a 35 mm lens i. Mid 70s for a college assignment. I figured it is now time to drink the Kool-aid

[jaapv]

1. i am probably one of the most vocal critics of the wandering focus point. Even so, to me it is not a deal-breaker. My workaround is to set LCD-EVF to Auto and use double-tap to centre the focus point.

 

2. Sorry, never tried it. I only use the app to transfer images to my phone.

 

3. Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, Luminar, ON1, etc. All excellent choices and purely a matter of personal preference.

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[wda]

Welcome to the forum Jay bird.

 

I have never encountered the wandering focus point. But I do use the Leica handgrip which eliminates the risk for me. That is not the reason I bought the handgrip.

[jaapv]

I use the hand grip too; it makes no difference.

[wda]

Then it remains a mystery why some users suffer and others do not.

[jaapv]

Suffer - - it is an annoyance, nothing more. I guess, if one has a habit of switching the camera off before dropping it onto its strap, one would never notice.

[Bill W]

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I love the CL. The wandering focus point has never ben an issue with me. The Leica app for CL I have never tried. I have tried it for the S and it was......! Oh well, it was...! I have been using Luminar for processing as of late and really like it. There are a lot of online tutorials for it. 

[JayBird]

Suffer - - it is an annoyance, nothing more. I guess, if one has a habit of switching the camera off before dropping it onto its strap, one would never notice.

Thanks, That is what I tend to do. The only time I don't is if I am shooting (photographing) bird or other wildlife. Buildings and landscapes do not move as fast.

 

The plan is to have gotten the camera in time before our trip in late September / Early October to Arches NP and Canyonlands NP. I want to have a few hundred practice shots to get used to controls.

[ramarren]

I've had the CL now for a week and am enjoying learning and using it immensely. 

 

How big of an issue is the wandering focus point? Can it be locked via a menu setting?

 

Not relevant to my use ... I use Leica R and M manual focus lenses exclusively. 

 

How well does the Leica app work as a remote release? I like to take photos from a low perspective. I currently use the Nikon right angle viewer attachment to the D7100. 
 

I've been testing the Leica CL app on my iPhone 8 Plus and iPad Pro 9x7. So far, it has worked okay as a remote release and viewfinder if I set the CL up as a remote hot spot, but it's been less successful set up to connect the CL through my home WiFi network (lots of freeze-ups and 'camera not found' issues). By and large, I think it will work out fine in the field but I really wish Leica had put a remote release socket on the camera. 

 

What software would people recommend for converting DNG files to JPG? I am currently using Nikon’s software. I have not gone down the Adobe path yet.

 

I'm using Lightroom 6.14 so far and it does an excellent job on CL raw conversion. I've tested lightly in Apple's Photos app and also in Luminar 2018. If I weren't using Lightroom, I would pick Luminar 2018 to work with at this point in time, although Photos actually does a very nice job of converting CL files too. It's more a matter of how much work I was engaged in ... Photos is fine for lightly editing a few images one at a time and doing all kinds of sharing things, where something like Luminar is a much more sophisticated image processing editor. 

[thighslapper]

1. not an issue of any practical significance for 95% of people 95% of the time ....

2. app works fine for remote view and release.

3. keep everything as DNG ..... LR and many other digital processors will convert and export jpg for posting on the net etc. 

 

The CL with the 2 zooms will do almost everything for travel and other general photography and give you reliably good images ... plus it's a pleasure to use. 

 

Have fun. 

[Marac]

1, Not had an issue yet really

2, App is not something I use.

3, I'm still a fan of adobe Bridge and ACR for editing and cataloging.

 

I shifted my SL and lenses in favour of the CL because of weight and bulk, I have been very satisfied with the system, apart from a few learning curves. Enjoy.

[Jacek.PL]

1. It’s not ann issue for me.

2. I use it a lot. It works very well. I’m using qr code to link between smarfone and CL.

3. Try jpg only. Few months ago a used DNG & JPG files but today I not see any difference. Jpg files directly from CL are very good. Sometimes I use Luminar.

 

11-23 lesns is very good for landscapes and city photos.

18-56 very good allround lens.

35/1.4 for portraits and lowlight shooting.

 

I sold my Nikon 750 and all Nikkor lenses and I’m very happy.

[jaapv]

Thanks, That is what I tend to do. The only time I don't is if I am shooting (photographing) bird or other wildlife. Buildings and landscapes do not move as fast.

 

The plan is to have gotten the camera in time before our trip in late September / Early October to Arches NP and Canyonlands NP. I want to have a few hundred practice shots to get used to controls.

You'll find it quite intuitive. Once you get the hang of the menu system, it is easy to set up to your taste. The default profile is quite useable, though.

 

I cannot echo the JPG-only option expressed above. To me it is rather silly. Set the camera to DNG+JPG. Use the JPG if you feel like it, but keep the DNG in case one wants to process the image further. I does not cost anything, except a bit of memory space. The CL DNGs can take quite a beating if needed.

[papimuzo]

Just to add some statistics:

 

1.  never had an issue with that

2.  i don't use this facility

3.  using Capture 1 with pleasure and pleasant results at least for me... (I'm using DNG files excusively)

 

Have a nice and efficient travel and pictures.

Edited July 23, 2018 by papimuzo

[rob_w]

3.  using Capture 1 with pleasure and pleasant results at least for me... (I'm using DNG files excusively)

 

What do you use as a catalog for managing your photo collection?

[papimuzo]

What do you use as a catalog for managing your photo collection?

On a Windows PC nothing special out of files management. When pict are treated to my like, I make an "output" to the usual C1 catalogue and use then a copy of it  with a chronological title, into an external drive. I keep the C1 session catalogue as my main archiv, based on what the session title says.

Forgot to say that in C1, I only "import" copy of images according to the subjects, because I keep the genuine DNG files from the SD memory card as such, chronologically stamped.

I hope been clear.. . I that you asked?

 

Good pictures.

[JayBird]

Ok. So I sold the Focus and got 7,000 for it. I will be pulling the trigger later this week on the camera. That gives me enough to get both the 18-56 and 11-23 lenses. However for internal political / budget reasons, that is not practical. The 18-56 is similar range to my Nikkor 17-55 so I know what to expect. The 11-23 is similar to my son's Nikkor 10-24 so I have a good idea again as to what to expect for FOV. The 18-56 would be a general walk around lens. I see it good for landscapes. the 11-23 would be good for architectural and interiors. I am leaning towards the 18-56 as it is a standard kit configuration. My local camera shop has it in stock. The 11-23 would probably have to be ordered.

 

The questions is, does one have better performance than the other? Taking into consideration, IQ, focus speed, etc. 

[JayBird]

One more question. There is a promotion going on right  now where you get a M lens adapter with the purchase of a CL. What is the affect on the focal length with the adapter? Does the 1.5 crop factor still apply or is it different? I can see where the additional distance to the sensor would affect the equivalent focal length.

[jaapv]

The focal length of a lens (expressed with the lens set to infinity) can never change. What can change is the angle of view which is determined by the sensor size. An adapter will not change the sensor size.

 

So for instance a 35 mm lens used on an APS-C sensored camera like the CL will have the same angle of view as a 52.5 mm lens on a full-frame camera. But it will remain a 35 mm lens.

 

There is no additional distance to the sensor by the adapter. It will be exactly the same as the sensor distance on an M camera.

The only thing it does is compensate for the shorter register distance of the L mount.

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[jaapv]

Ok. So I sold the Focus and got 7,000 for it. I will be pulling the trigger later this week on the camera. That gives me enough to get both the 18-56 and 11-23 lenses. However for internal political / budget reasons, that is not practical. The 18-56 is similar range to my Nikkor 17-55 so I know what to expect. The 11-23 is similar to my son's Nikkor 10-24 so I have a good idea again as to what to expect for FOV. The 18-56 would be a general walk around lens. I see it good for landscapes. the 11-23 would be good for architectural and interiors. I am leaning towards the 18-56 as it is a standard kit configuration. My local camera shop has it in stock. The 11-23 would probably have to be ordered.

 

The questions is, does one have better performance than the other? Taking into consideration, IQ, focus speed, etc. 

I think you will be hard put to discern any quality difference between the three native CL zooms. If pushed to the limit, the 55-135 might possibly be the best of the three, but in practical terms you will never see it. All are equally good.