Caught between a rock (M) and a hard place (SL2)

[Lennywood]

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I don’t mean to complicate things, but have you seen the new Sony Alpha? I sold my M10 thinking I would get the SL2, but im all about low light, so I stopped. I bought the A7S3. But then I heard about the SL2S and though, crap! What have I done? So I ordered the SL2S but then the Alpha came out and again, crap! I canceled my order and now I find myself frozen in indecision and loosing sleep. This probably didn’t help you...

Edited February 13, 2021 by Lennywood
Correction

[jaapv]

What about using the camera that you have and not giving in to the monkey trait of reaching for the next shiny fruit before the present one is half-nibbled? I know that we all carry that gene, but still, all cameras you mention are pretty darn good at ISO speeds that film users could only dream of. A copy of Topaz deNoise AI is  several magnitudes cheaper and quite a bit more effective than the half-stops you are gaining with all these switches.

[augustwest100]

3 hours ago, jaapv said:

What about using the camera that you have and not giving in to the monkey trait of reaching for the next shiny fruit before the present one is half-nibbled? I know that we all carry that gene, but still, all cameras you mention are pretty darn good at ISO speeds that film users could only dream of. A copy of Topaz deNoise AI is  several magnitudes cheaper and quite a bit more effective than the half-stops you are gaining with all these switches.

This question is, of course, lurking around every corner for me! In the struggle to answer it, I did find some clues as to what I should do now. Let me share some of it with you because I do appreciate the comment more than you realize. 

My journey in photography started when I was around 7 years old. I picked up this huge accordion style Polaroid camera and was hooked ever since. My dad used to let me carry it around for him until one day it was just understood that it was no longer his

I then discovered 35mm through Minolta and Nikon and spent many hours in the high school darkroom. I never once gave any thought to the model of the camera or its features. For probably 10 years I owned a Nikon N90s and the only thing I ever changed were the batteries! When the Nikon D100 came out, I grabbed it and although it was APS-C and I preferred full frame, I enjoyed it for many many years. 

I was looking into buying a Nikon D700, when I went down the rabbit hole completely. I was intrigued by the Leica M8, but finally came across a used M9. I was instantly having visions of a smaller camera system. I can still remember the feeling of a backpack full of gear while traveling through Europe. Since we are on a Leica forum, I can sum up this phase of life like this, and you can fill in the blanks: MP film, M9, M240, with and without Visoflex, Q, M10.

The pros of this saga: the exquisite design of Leica cameras, the care put into the details and simplicity of use. The connection back to the “manual” days. 

The cons: due to the high cost of this equipment, there was more pressure to make those purchases “matter.”  

What worked for me was the connection to the Leica camera. It was never perfect. I missed as many shots as I hit. I liked looking through the glass and seeing the real world. I liked “previsualizing” what a shot would look like, and then comparing it when I took the shot. I liked the manual aperture and shutter controls and the film speed dial. For the first time in literally decades, I was thinking in photographic terms again. Looking at a street and saying “that’s about ISO 800, at 1/60 of a second, at f8.” My experience with the Leica M was incredible. It improved my photography skills immeasurably. That is really what still draws me to the M system - it is a continual masterclass in slowing down. Sometimes it causes me stress, and sometimes it is liberating. 

One thing I can tell you: my Sony A9 does nothing for me like this. I don’t love the EVF experience and I don’t like the dials and buttons and menus. I am drawn to the simplicity and elegance of Leica, and the way the cameras inspire me to go out and shoot.

You are 100% right about one thing though. The cameras today are all so good. As long as it can shoot at ISO 1600 that is already more than enough for me. As I posted before, I’m stuck between the M and the SL2. My worry with the SL2 is that it is just a really really good version of the Sony A9. 

Maybe your post leads me closer to the realization that I am M bound. I think back to my M9. I didn’t sell it because I hated it, I sold it because I loved it! I figured the next version would be even better. Since I still drive my car from 1997, I do want to tell everyone that it is better to keep something long enough to render it technologically obsolete. Then the pressure is off!

 

 

 

 

[Kwesi]

16 hours ago, Lennywood said:

I don’t mean to complicate things, but have you seen the new Sony Alpha? I sold my M10 thinking I would get the SL2, but im all about low light, so I stopped. I bought the A7S3. But then I heard about the SL2S and though, crap! What have I done? So I ordered the SL2S but then the Alpha came out and again, crap! I canceled my order and now I find myself frozen in indecision and loosing sleep. This probably didn’t help you...

Oh My!! losing sleep is a very bad thing. You should DEFINITELY order the Sony Alpha and then as soon as you do that start reading about the new Fuji🙂

[P1505]

Or just buy some (very) big lights and not worry about ISO performance.