cheekz4dayz Posted October 16, 2020 Share #21 Posted October 16, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) I loved the video Kristian and thanks for sharing!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 16, 2020 Posted October 16, 2020 Hi cheekz4dayz, Take a look here 5 YEARS 1 CAMERA - A Photographer's Story. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Kristian Dowling Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share #22 Posted October 16, 2020 13 hours ago, BJN said: Inspired! Thank You. If I can't "do it" with my SL I don't need the SL2. Need is one thing, but 'want' is another 😉 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Dowling Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share #23 Posted October 16, 2020 12 hours ago, MarkinVan said: Great video and insights. I can see the wear on your SL and can only agree on what a workhorse. Really enjoyed and appreciated your video, thanks. Thank you Markin, appreciate you watching it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Dowling Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share #24 Posted October 16, 2020 1 hour ago, J12 said: There’s a lot to be said for sticking with the same equipment and really understanding how to get the most out of it. The gear gets out of the way and you’re then free to focus on picture making. Which is the goal and very well illustrated by the variety of images in your video. None of which are let down in the least by the use of a camera featuring digital specs from 5 years ago! Considering the SL was the first model in a brand new product line, I think there’s so much that was got right with the camera straight out of the gate. It was a very confident and bold move. And no doubt a big reason it continues to remain relevant. That high quality EVF was a revelation at the time. Despite the release of the newer model, personally I like the uncompromising design of the original SL. Which better aligns itself with the design philosophy of the professional S system. I’m familiar with the handling of the original SL now and comfortable using it. So wish to stick with it. It’s easy to nit-pick tech specs on paper in the digital age when change is so fast and frequent. And I can also relate to many of your comments regarding the camera in actual use. The SL continues to be more than enough camera for stills and I can make it work for my needs. Video is the only function that has had me looking at other cameras. To date, I have just been renting bodies like the Sigma FP when needs arise. If anything, my next purchase may well be another lens for the SL as I also feel the body has plenty of life left for stills. To be honest I haven’t really felt many digital stills cameras were seriously lacking since the release of the Nikon D700, D3s and Canon 5D MKII. Which was a decade or more ago now. I felt that generation was a real turning point that opened up many new opportunities. Especially with regard to areas such as working in low light. Good to see a comprehensive and objective review of the SL in practical use over so many years. Thank you. You're right about those cameras, as I used them all. Where I feel we have seen significant improvement is in colour and lenses. It's hard to go wrong these days, it more about whats the 'better right'. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Dowling Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share #25 Posted October 16, 2020 11 minutes ago, cheekz4dayz said: I loved the video Kristian and thanks for sharing!!! Awesome thanks for watching and commenting Cheeky 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
J12 Posted October 16, 2020 Share #26 Posted October 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Kristian Dowling said: You're right about those cameras, as I used them all. Where I feel we have seen significant improvement is in colour and lenses. It's hard to go wrong these days, it more about whats the 'better right'. That's a good point! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Michael Posted October 16, 2020 Share #27 Posted October 16, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) I finally had a moment to watch, and I really enjoyed the video, content and production. The results shown are very nicely created for sure. One thing I do know however is that this video is going to cost me! I’m pretty sure I just got booted off the fence I was sitting on. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. G Posted October 16, 2020 Share #28 Posted October 16, 2020 (edited) Kristian, thank you for the amazing video. I will disagree with you (sort of) on the last point you made in the video. You are correct in stating that equipment, alone, can’t create great images. I have owned the a7r iii and a7r iv with the Zeiss Sony 50mm f/1.4 ZA. I love the rendering of that lens and have gotten some incredible images from that combination. But the Sony color science always required a lot of work on post (FWIW monochrome conversions were always really good with that combination). For some reason, though, when looking at my images from my SL and now my SL2 there is always something I see that just has “more” than when looking at my Sony images. I don’t, however, attribute it just to the technical ability of the camera. With the SL and SL2 in hand I find that I am inspired in a different way - that I slow down just a bit. I view things from a slightly different perspective. The entire camera just feels like an extension of myself. If a camera does that for a photographer then maybe you can, in fact, say that it makes a difference. Edited October 16, 2020 by Dr. G 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolf1h Posted October 16, 2020 Share #29 Posted October 16, 2020 Revealing review from a Pro in the sense that amateurs with gear acquisition syndrome (GAS) get a clear hint what's really important for making a footprint in photography. Stunning fotos of different genres (not landscape obviously) which show what can be done with a SL, an instrument not perfect in all however awesome in most important disciplines. Thanks for this contribution which does not focus on gadgets but on real image and creative quality. And finally a longterm view and not just a sensational 'what's new' report. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erikvw Posted October 16, 2020 Share #30 Posted October 16, 2020 Great report, rarely seen in this quality. Thanks for sharing with us. You are an Amzing photographer. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
T25UFO Posted October 16, 2020 Share #31 Posted October 16, 2020 Great video supported by excellent photos. This is the gold standard. Oh, and I love the cat at 9:25! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Dowling Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share #32 Posted October 17, 2020 19 hours ago, _Michael said: I finally had a moment to watch, and I really enjoyed the video, content and production. The results shown are very nicely created for sure. One thing I do know however is that this video is going to cost me! I’m pretty sure I just got booted off the fence I was sitting on. haha thanks Michael, I'm not sure if you're happy with me right now, but hopefully you will be soon 😉 Best of luck and let me know if I can help with any pending questions 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Dowling Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share #33 Posted October 17, 2020 16 hours ago, Dr. G said: Kristian, thank you for the amazing video. I will disagree with you (sort of) on the last point you made in the video. You are correct in stating that equipment, alone, can’t create great images. I have owned the a7r iii and a7r iv with the Zeiss Sony 50mm f/1.4 ZA. I love the rendering of that lens and have gotten some incredible images from that combination. But the Sony color science always required a lot of work on post (FWIW monochrome conversions were always really good with that combination). For some reason, though, when looking at my images from my SL and now my SL2 there is always something I see that just has “more” than when looking at my Sony images. I don’t, however, attribute it just to the technical ability of the camera. With the SL and SL2 in hand I find that I am inspired in a different way - that I slow down just a bit. I view things from a slightly different perspective. The entire camera just feels like an extension of myself. If a camera does that for a photographer then maybe you can, in fact, say that it makes a difference. Hi DrG I'm happy you're open to disagreeing with me, because as much as I KNOW 😉 I am right, you have a good point. My mindset is also from a Professional perspective, so my personal value on image quality may be somewhat smaller compared to yours. The video also wasn't aimed at Leica photographers, so I wanted to ensure that the viewers understood my position on enjoying photography no matter what you have, as not everyone has the means to purchase a Leica. We are certainly some of the fortunate ones. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Dowling Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share #34 Posted October 17, 2020 13 hours ago, rolf1h said: Revealing review from a Pro in the sense that amateurs with gear acquisition syndrome (GAS) get a clear hint what's really important for making a footprint in photography. Stunning fotos of different genres (not landscape obviously) which show what can be done with a SL, an instrument not perfect in all however awesome in most important disciplines. Thanks for this contribution which does not focus on gadgets but on real image and creative quality. And finally a longterm view and not just a sensational 'what's new' report. You nailed the analysis alright. I wanted to make a video that was unlike any other, especially Leica videos. Thanks so much for watching and commenting Rolf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Dowling Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share #35 Posted October 17, 2020 13 hours ago, Erikvw said: Great report, rarely seen in this quality. Thanks for sharing with us. You are an Amzing photographer. Many thanks Erik, appreciate your time and commentary Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Dowling Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share #36 Posted October 17, 2020 6 hours ago, T25UFO said: Great video supported by excellent photos. This is the gold standard. Oh, and I love the cat at 9:25! Thanks T25UFO, the cat pic is def one of my favs! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Posted October 17, 2020 Share #37 Posted October 17, 2020 Thank you for sharing your experience, Kristian. I enjoyed the video and your approach. But mostly, your photos. Stunning work. I rightly understand the Pro part, the reliability of the gear. I use the M system more and more every day, implementing it in my own work and personal projects. My primary camera so far is Nikon D5, but it will soon be the time to switch to mirrorless, I guess. The features of the new cameras already reached (or even passed) the ones of the "old" flagship DSLR (they are still reliable). Very soon, I think DLSR will become obsolete. What do you think? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristian Dowling Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share #38 Posted October 17, 2020 1 hour ago, Dennis said: Thank you for sharing your experience, Kristian. I enjoyed the video and your approach. But mostly, your photos. Stunning work. I rightly understand the Pro part, the reliability of the gear. I use the M system more and more every day, implementing it in my own work and personal projects. My primary camera so far is Nikon D5, but it will soon be the time to switch to mirrorless, I guess. The features of the new cameras already reached (or even passed) the ones of the "old" flagship DSLR (they are still reliable). Very soon, I think DLSR will become obsolete. What do you think? Hi Dennis, thanks for watching and your feedback. I think we shouldn't get too caught up on the format in terms of performance. The focus of format should be more so on the system behind the format, in terms of what it offers you now and where its headed down the track. Its no secret the mirrorless system has many advantages and it really starts and ends with the EVF. Being able to shoot with the ability to see what you're shooting before you press the shutter with 90% + accuracy makes a big difference to the experience of operating the camera (often overlooked) and more importantly, the efficiency, especially for those who shoot in manual exposure. I originally did miss the optical finder, but the benefits of the EVF have outweighed the drawbacks (lag time/refresh rate). I look forward to the days of zero blackout, so fingers crossed for that. Other than that, there are other benefits of less vibration and simpler implementation of video, but they are all still a lightbox at the end of the day. As much as we want want want, we need to focus more on the final picture, and upgrading our ability and operation efficiency to see any real improvements from upgrading. Hope that answers your question - I could go all day otherwise 😉 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Albertson Posted October 17, 2020 Share #39 Posted October 17, 2020 Nice video, Kristian. Your original "how-to" video that you posted a few years ago taught me a lot of things about using my SL that aren't exactly highlighted in the manual. Agree with you about the 35SL, it's a phenomenal lens in my preferred focal length. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Posted October 17, 2020 Share #40 Posted October 17, 2020 4 minutes ago, Kristian Dowling said: Its no secret the mirrorless system has many advantages and it really starts and ends with the EVF. Good point. That's why sometimes, as you're saying, I could imagine that an EVF can make a real difference. I sometimes know that when I'm working with the M system ( which is not "so accurate" as an EVF) I feel freer, without distractions. The camera approach set me free. You have an idea in your mind that your pursuit, a composition that probably will be 90-95% as you thought, and the fact that, as it were a film, you don't know how the picture will look like, until you see it. It's challenging, fascinating, and scary at the same time. But it's a good scaring. Here it's when I have doubts to switch to an EVF in the near future. Why? I know it could be very helpful; Seeing the exposure preview could be a significant advantage. But it also shows you all that you are doing, w/o let you wait, hope, and struggle for your photo. Do you know what I mean? My last EVF was a version of a Fujifilm x100 (probably S). It was a few years ago, so I can't tell you. My point is, right now, I prefer to guesstimate instead of having it all ready ... But this is me. It can transform me over time into lazier and less visionary. Does it make sense what I'm saying? Maybe if I try out an SL2, I would change my mind soon 😂 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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