GFX100S vs SL2/X1D

[Alistairm]

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1 hour ago, meerec said:

I shoot 907X+45p and manual focussing is a wonderful experience. I use manual focus for anything critical with all my XCD lenses. My friend shoots X1D II+45p and manual focus experience is the same. 

But if you’re coming from a Leica M you’ll be disappointed. Everyone is different, but I’m yet to use a fly by wire lens for manual focussing that I truly enjoy. 

[meerec]

4 hours ago, Alistairm said:

But if you’re coming from a Leica M you’ll be disappointed. Everyone is different, but I’m yet to use a fly by wire lens for manual focussing that I truly enjoy. 

I was thinking about it today when manually focussing the XCD 80, which is definitely typical by-wire focus. I didn’t mind it at all. But everyone is different. Focussing M or even CL with M lenses is very different, I totally agree. I do all of it and never get upset.

Edited April 4, 2021 by meerec

[meerec]

22 hours ago, Jeff S said:

I would imagine, though, that shooting in portrait orientation would be extremely awkward, especially without the grip. Or am I missing something? Of course this was not an issue with the old 6x6 film backs.

Jeff

Not at all awkward in portrait orientation. 
If you shoot with the grip, it is very simple, just flip 90° to the left with the grip on top — a very comfortable shooting, with the LCD screen closed flat. If you shoot without the grip, the 907X is a regular cube so it doesn’t matter how you hold it, whether in landscape mode or in portrait mode. The only difference is the location of the shutter button — if you change to portrait orientation, the shutter button is under your index finger on top right at the front, rather than bottom right. 

[meerec]

17 hours ago, Jeff S said:

That said, the camera probably would be fun to use, and might yield pics that I wouldn’t normally get due to viewing angle (using flip up screen) and size/discretion. Not a good price/value relationship for me though; too much of a niche.

It’s a different camera body. Much like different Hasselblad V system was. It’s part of the attraction to me. I still shoot with the SL2, M, CL ... 907X is very special for me.  

[Jeff S]

49 minutes ago, meerec said:

Not at all awkward in portrait orientation. 
If you shoot with the grip, it is very simple, just flip 90° to the left with the grip on top — a very comfortable shooting, with the LCD screen closed flat. If you shoot without the grip, the 907X is a regular cube so it doesn’t matter how you hold it, whether in landscape mode or in portrait mode. The only difference is the location of the shutter button — if you change to portrait orientation, the shutter button is under your index finger on top right at the front, rather than bottom right. 

I watched a video review and the reviewer found it very awkward without grip. As usual, opinions vary on camera handling and ergonomics. How does viewing work in portrait orientation without the OVF?

Jeff

Edited April 4, 2021 by Jeff S

[aksclix]

I have always been interested in the 907x.. I worry I'll have neck issues from long periods of shooting.. I do not like the OVF attachment as I think it ruins the awesome look of the 907x.. 

I will trade-in my x1d for a 907x when I am ready someday..  

[ZHNL]

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let’s don’t pretend it is not a serous design flaw for camera wasn’t 1X1 format. It is obviously a look over function decision. If not this, I would have bought it for using V system. 

Edited April 4, 2021 by ZHNL

[aksclix]

8 minutes ago, ZHNL said:

let’s don’t pretend it is not a serous design flaw for camera wasn’t 1X1 format. It is obviously a look over function decision. If not this, I would have bought it for using V system. 

if you're referring to the portrait shooting capability, it might be more of a design compromise to stick to the legacy model more than an overlooked design issue.. just my guess.. don't know for sure

[meerec]

55 minutes ago, aksclix said:

do not like the OVF attachment as I think it ruins the awesome look of the 907x

The OVF is optional. I put it in and out when I feel so ... it is useful mainly for 21, 30, and 45 lenses as it has the frame lines for those. But I also use the accessory to slide in my Profoto Connect lights trigger in the place of the OVF itself. Whether it ruins the looks — I’d question this. I like the 907X both with and without the OVF, either way it’s a gorgeous form factor body. 

[meerec]

1 hour ago, Jeff S said:

How does viewing work in portrait orientation without the OVF?

Do you mean how does one compose in portrait orientation? Just by looking at the back LCD with the body rotated 90° — not sure I understand the question ... what OVF has to do with it? You would not use the OVF in this case.  

[Jeff S]

18 minutes ago, meerec said:

Do you mean how does one compose in portrait orientation? Just by looking at the back LCD with the body rotated 90° — not sure I understand the question ... what OVF has to do with it? You would not use the OVF in this case.  

I’m referring to waist level viewing.  Flip out screen, in one direction, would seem a problem once camera rotated. 

Jeff

 

Edited April 4, 2021 by Jeff S

[aksclix]

26 minutes ago, meerec said:

The OVF is optional. I put it in and out when I feel so ... it is useful mainly for 21, 30, and 45 lenses as it has the frame lines for those. But I also use the accessory to slide in my Profoto Connect lights trigger in the place of the OVF itself. Whether it ruins the looks — I’d question this. I like the 907X both with and without the OVF, either way it’s a gorgeous form factor body. 

Of course, this is all very subjective.. some like it while some don’t.. this is purely my opinion..  I felt the OVF design isn’t modern enough to pair with the beautiful design of the 907x body.. and it doesn’t work with all lenses.. 

[ZHNL]

1 hour ago, aksclix said:

if you're referring to the portrait shooting capability, it might be more of a design compromise to stick to the legacy model more than an overlooked design issue.. just my guess.. don't know for sure

It is not just that. The fact of lcd tilt naturally make it even more awkward. It would have have been at least usable with straight square design or even better putting two way tilt will solve all the problem. Or just put a square sensor in there. 
 

legacy model is a design beauty with both look and function. Can’t say the same here  using as digital back for V and have 2X crop doesn’t sound much promising either. Sounds harsh but Just want to be honest here.

Edited April 4, 2021 by ZHNL

[Alistairm]

I think this may be like trying to explain to someone why some people still like to use candle light occasionally despite the advent of electric lighting. 

[beewee]

10 hours ago, Alistairm said:

But if you’re coming from a Leica M you’ll be disappointed. Everyone is different, but I’m yet to use a fly by wire lens for manual focussing that I truly enjoy. 

I’ve been shooting Leica M for 10 years. The one thing I do miss on fly by wire manual focusing is the tactile response of feeling the focusing ring/tab stop when it goes to infinity and to a lesser degree the closest focus distance. I also miss the absolute positioning feedback that the focus tab provides so I can know roughly where the lens is focused just by feel.

To some degree, the clutched focusing ring on the Lumix lenses does offer (visually) the absolute positioning feedback and a tactile response when hitting infinity and close focus points but it doesn’t fully stop and the ring can keep rotating. I do wish that Leica had implemented the clutch focusing tab on their SL lenses. 

Edited April 4, 2021 by beewee

[aksclix]

51 minutes ago, Alistairm said:

I think this may be like trying to explain to someone why some people still like to use candle light occasionally despite the advent of electric lighting. 

I know this is not directed at me but candle light dinners are still in fashion and romantic  

[beewee]

The GFX100S seems to front focus on eye-lashes rather than the actual eye in this video. I also find the chromatic aberration in the backlit photos rather distasteful from the GF 80mm.There is CA even around the bokeh area on the woman wearing the white jacket in the background at the 11:40 mark.

 

 

Edited April 4, 2021 by beewee

[FlashGordonPhotography]

14 hours ago, Alistairm said:

But if you’re coming from a Leica M you’ll be disappointed. Everyone is different, but I’m yet to use a fly by wire lens for manual focussing that I truly enjoy. 

Is the 45p fly by wire? It's the only lens I don't have (I have the original). I thought it was mechanical or at least linear.

The rest are, of course fbw, and I agree with you.

Gordon

[FlashGordonPhotography]

18 hours ago, Succisa75 said:

I do agree on the Menu system. One of the best if not the best of all camera companies but disagree on the leaf shutter and how it equates to shutter shock. The 45P is the best in terms of dampening this in my opinion but other XCD lenses aren’t as good. The X1D would benefit more from IBIS with this vs the GFX system in my personal opinion. I’m decent with handholding at lower shutter speeds but even I experience this shutter shock issue with images that aren’t always tact sharp. 

for colors I prefer the X1D except when shooting red. It has a hard time handling the color. Odd since everything else it handles beautifully 

Leaf shutters are circular. They don't really suffer from shutter shock like focal plane shutters as the forces involved are not in a single direction. I've always had better results with leaf shutters. The shutters on some of the lenses are loud, for sure but I haven't seen this transfer to the images. I have seen the three stage firing result in my movement a bit early. But I've learned to not react to that first sound, physically.

I guess the S system would be the only place this could be tested conclusively.

Gordon

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[FlashGordonPhotography]

2 hours ago, beewee said:

The GFX100S seems to front focus on eye-lashes rather than the actual eye in this video. I also find the chromatic aberration in the backlit photos rather distasteful from the GF 80mm.There is CA even around the bokeh area on the woman wearing the white jacket in the background at the 11:40 mark.

 

 

I'm still stuck in the house, post surgery, so I can't yet comment on the AF accuracy except for some short testing but I have yet to see AF errors. I can say there are situations where in AFS the SL2 focuses faster and more accurately and others where the GFX is superior. In AFC there's no competition. The 80mm does have a bit more CA than the 80MM 1.9 XCD and the Leica Summicrons are almost perfect but it's not too bad (the Fuji) and more controlled than the glorious SL50mm Summilux. You really have to push hard to make it happen and stopping down to 2.4 (close to the Leica wide open) almost eliminates it entirely. So it's not a huge deal. It's good to be aware in extreme back lighting but elsewhere it can be ignored.

Please be aware that IMHO lenses do not need to be perfect to be brilliant. That's my bias. I sometimes find someone else's perfect, boring.

If HB were to make an XCD100 with this AF speed and eye detect, yes it would be a better combo. But they don't.

Gordon