On the road again - Robb's Leica Adventures

[jplomley]

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Any updates Robb on the Hassy X2D performance? 

[robb]

On 5/11/2023 at 6:31 AM, jplomley said:

Any updates Robb on the Hassy X2D performance? 

Jeff,

The X2D is a great camera.  I am now at several thousand images taken with just the 38mm.  My 55mm arrived last week.  

I am shooting in 16 bit.  The color is great.  Out of the can it is better than the SL2, but the Sl2 with minor slider input in Lightroom can be just as nice.  The x2d just starts out that way with little to no adjustments.  The camera is excellent at nailing focus on first go.  Still not the fastest focus but it always locks on to the eyes in portraits, even with the wider 38.  My keeper rate is actually like 100%.  The 38 lens is fairly light weight but also built very well.  I have enjoyed using this lens for my environmental portraits.  I thought it would be a little wide but I ended up surprised how natural it looks.  I'm sure my new 55 will be even better.  The new 90 whenever it arrives should also be stellar.

The 38 background is not a soft as Leica apo lenses but still looks very nice.  The lens is Very sharp even at f 2.5 which at that or up to f 2.8, and 4.0 is where I always shoot it.  I have not been disappointed yet with any of those apertures.

I shot some interior portraits at iso 800 available light in a warehouse and I really didn't care for the color as much or the grain.  So I doubt I will shoot the x2d without my profoto lights especially indoors.  The lit portraits just take your breath away so there isn't any need to go a different route with that setup.  I will choose the Leica's for available light work inside and when I want more lens variety.

I'm not a fan of the x2d strap lugs or the oem wide strap itself.  I have the really right stuff L-plate coming soon so that may fix the strap issues.  I'm going to try a rope strap with a dif mounting.

I see the x2d as a Texas Leica Q.  It is really fun and easy to use and has a nice interface.  It still has issues with the viewfinder when shooting strobe in manual mode with a backlit scene.  similar issues with the SL2... it's a mirrorless issue in general, regardless of PAS vs PASM settings.  You need a modeling light to actually focus and see for correct framing.  But the images are so nice that I'll hope for future firmware updates to better correct the quirks and just live with it.

Which camera do I take for environmental portraits with strobe?  X2D

Which camera do I reach for on all other needs?  SL2 / SL2-s

Robb

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Finally had time the last two months to get the hang of importing files into Hasselblad Phocus and exporting to Lightroom Classic for processing.  These first few images were with a borrowed 45.  Nice look.  Lens is noisy and slower than newer V lenses.  But I would enjoy using any of the older xcd lenses.  

Cold and Windy in Tucson, Arizona - Hasselblad X2D with XCD 45mm f 3.5, iso 100, 1/250th at f 4.0 with Profoto B10 and Elinchrom octa

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Hopefully you can get a sense of the OOF areas here. - Image -3 is rotated and cropped in slightly because it was not shot level.  

Mailboxes in Tucson, Arizona - Hasselblad X2D with XCD 45mm f 3.5, iso 100, 1/125th at f 4.0 with Profoto B10 and Elinchrom octa

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On the road with the Leica SL2-s.  I went to a good friends wedding and brought a camera with the apo 35/75 combo just to get some extras for him in B&W.  He had hired another shooter to cover the event in color.  That shooter was using a pair of Sony cameras with a zoom and an adapted Canon EF 50mm f 1.2L....  with shoe mounted direct flash.  It was a very dark venue inside for the dinner and dancing.  These photos of family members were in a slightly brighter area in an outer lobby inside the hotel.  So it was a little better with available light.

Flower Girls in Palm Springs, California - Leica SL2-s with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 6400, 1/80th at f 2.0

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Best Man in Palm Springs, California - Leica SL2-s with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 6400, 1/125th at f 2.0

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Niece in Palm Springs, California - Leica SL2-s with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 6400, 1/125th at f 2.0

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Niece in Palm Springs, California - Leica SL2-s with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 6400, 1/125th at f 2.0

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Back to another stop to photograph construction workers at various sites.  I encourage them to get a "normal" portrait and then get them in more personalized moments if they show something else they'd like to do for an additional shot.  These are always on the fly and can be very fun and unexpected.

Heavy Equipment Operator in Midland, Texas - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 100, 1/250th at f 4.0 

 with Profoto B10 and Elinchrom octa

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Welder's Assistant in Beaumont, Texas - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 100, 1/250th at f 4.0 with Profoto B10 and Elinchrom octa

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Crane Operator in Beaumont, Texas - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 100, 1/250th at f 4.0 with Profoto B10 and Elinchrom octa

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Another commercial project showing a day in the life with their employees at a factory.

Assembly Line in Little Rock, Arkansas - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 35mm Asph, iso 400, 1/200th at f 2.0

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Supervisor in Little Rock, Arkansas - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 35mm Asph, iso 250, 1/60th at f 2.0

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Assembly Line Worker in Little Rock, Arkansas - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 35mm Asph, iso 200, 1/60th at f 2.0

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I brought the 90 apo instead of the 75 on this trip to give me some more reach in darker spaces inside a factory.  It worked well for that, but I found after shooting the portraits in front of the backdrop that I really preferred the 75 for that part of the work.  The 90 also focussed on the eyelashes rather than the eye itself more often so my hit rate was lower with the 90 vs 75.  Bottom line is once you get a setup that's perfect for you... the grass is likely not greener.  that said.  the 90 is a stellar lens.

Fork Lift Operator in Little Rock, Arkansas - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 90mm Asph, iso 100, 1/250th at f 4.0

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Accountant in Little Rock, Arkansas - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 90mm Asph, iso 100, 1/250th at f 4.0

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She walked right in and this happened.  Glad I was ready, although quite surprised as I thought I was going to get a traditional pose to start her session off.  

Assembly Line Worker in Little Rock, Arkansas - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 90mm Asph, iso 100, 1/250th at f 4.0

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[Olaf_ZG]

Robb, didn’t gave a like to all your last posts, but I do like them. And I enjoy your journey here: it is nice to see a pro using and making the best out of Leica.

Thanks for sharing.

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Working with some landscape architects to show people using new parks and trails in the Western Phoenix residential communities.  700 steps on this one.  I was definitely winded after going top to bottom.  

New Trail in Buckeye, Arizona - Leica SL2 with APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4, iso 100 at 187mm, 1/100th at f 8.0

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

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Back to the opposite coast for some different projects.

Basketball Coach Strategist in New York City, New York - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 200, 1/60th at f 2.0

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