Question for the hive mind

[marcdecarli]

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Let me quickly get you up to speed. I’ve owned an SL, SL2, and SL2-S before. Some of them more than once. I love them. 

I’m currently experimenting with consolidating to one SL. My current setup has been reduced to an SL and a Sigma 45mm f2.8. 

I’m considering a few options.

1. Keep the SL, buy an M to L adapter and an M lens or two.

2. Keep the SL and buy the SL 50mm f2.

3. Switch from the SL to the SL2-S and stick with the Sigma 45mm f2.8 (for now).

For what it’s worth, I’m a documentary family and lifestyle photographer. I shoot in low light, I care about size, and I care about weather sealing. As compact as M lenses are, I’m willing to compromise somewhat on size. SL lenses aren’t humongous like other brands. But I also loved having and manually focusing with an M and a Q2. 

My goal is to build a kit around the SL line. I think I’ve settled on what I’m going to do, and I’m curious what you’d do given these three options.

 

Edited July 31, 2021 by marcdecarli
Misspellings

[david strachan]

Hi Marc

Such a huge question.  I really think you'll have to work through that one by yourself.

Best of luck...

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[beewee]

The fact that 2 of the 3 options you listed includes the SL suggests you’re fine with the performance of the SL and do not need the higher ISO performance or IBIS of the SL2-S.

The fact that 2 of the 3 options explicitly mentions the 45mm and 50mm suggests that you primarily care shooting with a standard focal length.

With those two points in mind, it boils down to budget and the rendering you want to achieve. The 50 APO SL has a very unique rendering, but so do other M lenses of various vintages.

I think a better question to ask yourself is what do you want your end-game kit to look like and just build towards that. Personally, I have a much easier time justifying a lens purchase (especially used) than bodies. Bodies depreciate whereas lenses tend to hold their value (assuming you buy used, in good condition, at a good price, and you take good care of it) and allows you to trade up later on, if you wish to do so.

Edited July 31, 2021 by beewee

[marcdecarli]

@beewee I buy pretty much all my photography gear used. Short of being able to zone focus with a 28mm manual focus lens or wanting to “get in the action”, my go-to is 50mm.
 

The Sigma is impressive for the money. But I’d love an extra stop of light, and sharper images when shooting wide open. I owned the SL 50mm f2 before and I LOVED it. 
 

Having owned and shot with all three versions in the SL lineup, I’m very surprised by how well the SL 601 is holding up in 2021. I really don’t have any complaints. There are things I like about the new SLs but nothing I “need”. 
 

By getting a SL2-S I would gain all the new and improved features, but most importantly the option to replace my GH5 for video work (mostly talking head stuff for work). 
 

I’m fine with the GH5. I’m happy with the SL 601. Your comment about lenses is very practical and I tend to agree with you. 

Edited July 31, 2021 by marcdecarli

[chris_tribble]

Having mainly shot M for decades I find that I’m using the Sl2 for more and more jobs - and for personal projects. And in spite of myself I find myself using the 24-90 as a go to. Frankly this surprises me. On the M 35 was “my” focal length, with 28 and 50 close behind, with Canon 5 series bodies and fast 70-200 lenses complementing the Ms. As of now I have the APO SL 35 and 75 lenses, but they’ve had too little use during the pandemic for me to know what my final judgement will be. 
So, returning to the OP. Why not consider a zoom? The 24-90 isn’t as fast as a prime, but honestly, its rendering is lovely and it gives you so much flexibility. For me, the SL system is driven by its outstanding zooms. By not using them you’re missing out on some of the main goodness. 
just a thought.  And it’s good enough for Steve McCurry https://www.leica-camera.blog/en-gb/2019/11/09/china-with-the-sl2-and-steve-mccurry/

🙂

Edited July 31, 2021 by chris_tribble

[brembeck43]

Buy the Voigtlaender Apo Lanthar 50mm VM 

 

[jankap]

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I believe, Mr. Karbe said somewhere, that one should choose a stop more for the depth of field only. Further M-lenses are small in size, but they do not send data to the camera.

Otherwise the newer the design the sharper the lens is. Old designs can deliver nice pictures in some areas (portraits, atmosphere, etc), but they do that in all areas and always.

To the remark of building a set of lenses, look for the Q how good cropping is nowadays. I would look for 24 or 21mm and 90+mm, if you start with your 45mm.

Edited July 31, 2021 by jankap

[Jeff S]

Depends on your priorities. If weather sealing is paramount, your first of three options is out. How important are other factors (camera controls, IBIS, resolution/MP, budget, etc)?  Totally personal decisions. I personally own both the M system as well as the SL2, using each with native lenses, as each system serves different needs and preferences. But that’s just my approach; others are equally viable depending on goals and priorities.

Jeff

[Photoworks]

My first approach would be to replace the sigma 45. what a boring rendering. the only plus is that it is small.

[hansvons]

The SL2-S is a superb stills camera with goodies like IBIS, high sensitivity and weather resistance I don’t want to miss anymore. The juice you can get off the camera’s raw data at higher ISO is substantially more compared to cameras from previous generations.

But the biggest thing is the SL2-S video capabilities. Its video colour is as good as its colour in stills. Can’t think of any comparable hybrid camera in the market. The 24-90 zoom is not a makeshift but an animal of its own and teams up perfectly with the SL2-S. And then there’s the cheaper new 24-70 alternative, I haven’t worked with. 
 

I’d sell the GH5, the SL and the 45mm Sigma and purchase the SL2-S bundled with the 24-70 or try to find a used 24-90.

One camera, one lens for video and stills.

Edited July 31, 2021 by hansvons

[leicameech]

In your position, I'd consider a Q2 unless you don't want anything wider than your 45 (considering what you shoot, however, I'd imagine there's a reason you had the Q2 at one point). If you would consider swapping your SL for the SL2-S and not upgrading the 45, then perhaps getting a (truly) different focal length could be a better way to go than to replace your focal length with essentially the best version ever of the same thing. 

Otherwise, I'd get the 50-SL lens first. SL 601 is a very nice camera and perfectly capable of utilizing the 50 APO SL. 

Last choice would be the SL2-S and keep the Sigma, unless you're willing to accept that getting the new camera is likely going to accelerate your acquisition of an SL lens anyway. Your options, for what it's worth, in the order I'd choose them:

4. Q2 (what I'd do)

2. Amazing lens, and the sigma lens would be made redundant. You'd have to ditch it, which could help fund an M adapter L, which would lead to...

1. I shoot a 50 Lux-M on an SL2 myself, and love it. Wouldn't have bought the M lens if I didn't have a film M, though. 

3. If I had SL2-S money in my pocket tomorrow but owned an SL and the 45 Sigma, I would not spend the money on an SL2-S. *unless it was for the 24-70 kit, which is more money* Versatility is hard to ignore, even though I prefer primes I have my eye on this lens as my first SL lens. It's great. 

Next time I'm getting a new piece of kit I'm making one of these threads.