SL becomes a reasonable street camera with small lenses

[setuporg]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I've just received a 90mm/2.8 Sigma lens and went about shooting Halloween people in San Francisco.  I must say the camera feels much lighter than with an APO prime and looks like a reasonably normal street one.  I've been enjoying the Sigma 24/3.5 and am now adding a Sigma 24/2.0 and a new Panasonic 50/1.8.  I'd seriously consider letting heavy lenses go and using the much lighter kit.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[michali]

58 minutes ago, setuporg said:

I've just received a 90mm/2.8 Sigma lens and went about shooting Halloween people in San Francisco.  I must say the camera feels much lighter than with an APO prime and looks like a reasonably normal street one.  I've been enjoying the Sigma 24/3.5 and am now adding a Sigma 24/2.0 and a new Panasonic 50/1.8.  I'd seriously consider letting heavy lenses go and using the much lighter kit.

 

I've offloaded my Leica L primes, kept the Leica VE 24-90mm L & the Leica VE 90-280mm L & filled in with several Sigma DG DN L mount prime lenses: 24mm f3.5, 45mm f2.8 , 65mm f2, 85mm f1.4 & Sigma 105mm f2.8. I also love the fact that many Sigma lenses have aperture rings as well as manual controls. So far I can't find fault with any of these lenses.

•  

[setuporg]

30 minutes ago, michali said:

I've offloaded my Leica L primes, kept the Leica VE 24-90mm L & the Leica VE 90-280mm L & filled in with several Sigma DG DN L mount prime lenses: 24mm f3.5, 45mm f2.8 , 65mm f2, 85mm f1.4 & Sigma 105mm f2.8.

A great range!  On my side I've started with an all Leica lineup of 16-35, 35, 50, and then added Sigma 24-70 followed by Sigma 28-70.  The 28-70 has an exact size of an APO prime and is much lighter, while the 24-70 feels in the same ballpark as a prime.  I keep both Sigma zooms for now since the 24 end is handy at kids events.  28-70 is better for hikes.  The 16-35 is amazing for landscapes and the APOs are awesome of course when you shoot out of a bag that's traveling in a car.  But the 90/2.0 was such a puff of fresh air that I'm seriously interested in getting a smaller kit and seeing where it'll go.  

IMHO, a possible mistake on Leica part was to treat SL as an evolution of S, with the same audience as S -- studio photogs.  The original 4-button design was S, the on/off switch too (without CS position of course), the top wheel etc, all a shrunk S.  The heavy APO primes were slightly shrunk and standardized S primes.  There weren't any compact primes.  If Leica'd put out smaller primes, we'd see a completely different character of a system, like street Nikon.  And many would love it.

Also, the magnetic lens caps are something else.

Edited October 31, 2021 by setuporg

[setuporg]

So I'm seriously tempted to get the 35 and 65 DG DNs now too.  Any pro/cons?:)

[michali]

8 minutes ago, setuporg said:

So I'm seriously tempted to get the 35 and 65 DG DNs now too.  Any pro/cons?:)

The Sigma 65mm f2 is a fantastic lens, reasonably compact, very well built, sits nicely on the SL2, also has an aperture ring & excellent IQ. Probably one of my favourite prime lenses. I can't think of any cons.

Forgot to mention that I also have the Sigma 14-24mm L, another excellent lens.

Edited October 31, 2021 by michali

[setuporg]

For a small 50mm, I'm leaning to rather forego the Sigma 45/2.8 but get a Panasonic 50/1.8.

[Jeff S]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have no reason to duplicate what an M system does perfectly well.  For me the SL(2) is a complementary system that does things the M cannot.  Leica also has to consider the CL and Q as compact alternatives and, maybe one day, an M (or whatever they call it) with EVF.  A balancing act, and one that only Leica can judge based on actual and projected sales and earnings.

Jeff

[setuporg]

3 hours ago, Jeff S said:

I have no reason to duplicate what an M system does perfectly well.  For me the SL(2) is a complementary system that does things the M cannot.

 Thought so too, but AF and video have its uses, eg shooting kids parties and Halloween parades.  Also street photo of Halloween people — easier to snap a good one with a 90mm!  I was impressed and am looking forward to renewing my appreciation of the SL2 two years after I got it with a few small Sigma/Panasonic primes.

[ajmarton1]

Can you post some of the Halloween pics you took with the 90mm?  I tend to go with a wide lens - like a 24mm when in crowds for street photography so I’m curious.  

[FrankX]

I have the Sigma 24-70 and 85 1.4 DN. The weakest point in my opinion is the AFC, especially of the 85 1.4. The LUMIX 50 1.8 is faster quite significantly.

I don’t own Leica AF lenses so far. Can anyone tell me how much faster a Summicron-SL is regarding AFC?! Thanks.

BTW, I am using an SL2.

Edited November 1, 2021 by FrankX

[frame-it]

16 hours ago, setuporg said:

IMHO, a possible mistake on Leica part was to treat SL as an evolution of S, with the same audience as S -- studio photogs.

when and where did leica do / say that?

[Slender]

S-Lite.....

[Simone_DF]

19 hours ago, setuporg said:

I've just received a 90mm/2.8 Sigma lens and went about shooting Halloween people in San Francisco.  I must say the camera feels much lighter than with an APO prime and looks like a reasonably normal street one.  I've been enjoying the Sigma 24/3.5 and am now adding a Sigma 24/2.0 and a new Panasonic 50/1.8.  I'd seriously consider letting heavy lenses go and using the much lighter kit.

I'm keeping both lines with a little overlap. Sigma 24 & 45 for small / street, Leica 50 + 90 for everything else. I'd consider selling the 50 if Sigma comes up with a 50mm F2, but I'll definitely keep the 90mm.

[Simone_DF]

10 hours ago, Jeff S said:

Leica also has to consider the CL and Q as compact alternatives

But the Q is limited to 28mm. For sure a, say, compact 90mm lens won't affect the Q sales and viceversa.

And the CL line appears to be dead, with no Leica lens released in years (hopefully it's not)

[Kim Dahl]

4 minutes ago, Simone_DF said:

But the Q is limited to 28mm. For sure a, say, compact 90mm lens won't affect the Q sales and viceversa.

And the CL line appears to be dead, with no Leica lens released in years (hopefully it's not)

I can definitely recommend CL which allows for different focal lengths.  But no one (or only Leica) knows if apsc will continue.  I hope so.The existing CL and TL2 are still good cameras.  CL more traditional and the use of M optics is good. The existing CL and TL2 are still good cameras.  CL more traditional and the use of M optics is amazingly good.  M lenses fit so well in the size of the CL.

[Jeff S]

1 hour ago, Simone_DF said:

But the Q is limited to 28mm. For sure a, say, compact 90mm lens won't affect the Q sales and viceversa.

And the CL line appears to be dead, with no Leica lens released in years (hopefully it's not)

More reasons for Leica to consider CL and Q (and M) strategies, in addition to the SL line. 

Jeff

[BernardC]

2 hours ago, frame-it said:

when and where did leica do / say that?

They didn't. The SL uses many of the S design elements, of course, but you would expect that since they are both SLR-style cameras from the same brand.

Neither the SL or the S were designed as studio cameras either. The S was designed as a field-ready competitor to existing digital medium format systems (Hasselblad and Mamiya at the time, although PhaseOne bought-out Mamiya's 645 platform since).

19 hours ago, setuporg said:

The heavy APO primes were slightly shrunk and standardized S primes.

I don't agree with that. They are mechanically and optically very different. The Summilux-SL is the only SL prime that is reminiscent of an S lens, but the Summicrons are all much smaller and AF-optimized (lightweight focusing groups).

Edited November 1, 2021 by BernardC
fixed typo

[Simone_DF]

1 hour ago, Kim Dahl said:

I can definitely recommend CL which allows for different focal lengths.  But no one (or only Leica) knows if apsc will continue.  I hope so.The existing CL and TL2 are still good cameras.  CL more traditional and the use of M optics is good. The existing CL and TL2 are still good cameras.  CL more traditional and the use of M optics is amazingly good.  M lenses fit so well in the size of the CL.

I'm not interested in the current gen, but I'd buy an hypotetical CL2 if it ticks all the boxes and if Leica will also show more commitment by releasing new lenses. I'd also buy a Q with interchangeable lenses. 

[Kim Dahl]

+ 1 the same here.  🤞🏻 for there will soon be a sign from Leica that apsc continues. 

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[setuporg]

Here's an SL2+Sigma 90/2.8 shot, LR export of OOC import, no edits. 1/160s, f/2.8 (wide open), ISO 3200.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited November 2, 2021 by setuporg