Leica M11 Sony Sensor - Doesn’t have the “Leica Look”

[Kwesi]

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I only shoot Leica M cameras for my personal work. Have been doing so since around '95. I didm't start out looking for a "Leica look". Quite frankly I couldn't tell you what it is if it actually is.

I buy my M's for the Leica feel. Always will.

 

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[lct]

I have met 3 Leica looks since the seventies: pre-Mandler, Mandler and Karbe. All depending on lenses. Pre-Mandler: less contrast, less saturated colors, more flare. Mandler: mode contrast, more saturated colors, less flare. Karbe: ditto Mandler with more acutance (micro contrast).

[anickpick]

Are there actually still people who believe that the Leica look is real?

Edited May 20, 2022 by anickpick

[FlashGordonPhotography]

1 hour ago, Alberti said:

I do not agree, sorry. The way a sensor handles the capture, the RAW processing, so much is going on in rendering, so many choices made. Over time I have come to like my M8 look (only with the IR filter) and M240 look very much. Others (like you) like their M9. It is for a specific quality. And that quality is a deliberate concoction. I note newer camera's tend a bit to coolness; oh well 🥲. One has to learn how to handle that.

• If there is no Leica-look to a camera, to the images created, what is Leica for on the market?

The RF, size, handling, discretion, build quality, tactility, lack of extraneous features etc...

A look is influenced by everything in the exposure pipeline including camera lens and software. You won't get anything better from a Leica. Just subtly different. And also subtly different from other Leicas.

Gordon

[hdmesa]

The Leica Look is the glare I get from the wife when yet another new Leica lens arrives at the door.

Edited May 21, 2022 by hdmesa

[Guest]

1 minute ago, hdmesa said:

The Leica Look is what I get when yet another new Leica lens arrives at the door.

The Leica Look is what my wife gets when yet another new Leica lens arrives at the door.

[hdmesa]

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Just now, Studienkamera said:

The Leica Look is what my wife gets when yet another new Leica lens arrives at the door.

Lol. That's what I meant to say and had just edited my post 😂

[Ko.Fe.]

Kodak made sensor for first digital Ms. And crapped out as digital  business. Not worth on film for my film Leica, either, IMO.

So, with Kodak been between Tarakantino on film and in dust on digital, what we have left on digital? ....

Well... these days it is easier to tell who is not using Sony sensors and EVF by now.  

Yes, I'm not too impressed by Sony (it just a Sony, after all) sensor on M11. Color rendering is typical CMOS, but not as ugly as Sony A7 series.

Leica took  Sony sensor and gave it normal WB, not Sony orange/else terrible WB shifts. And on top of it, LCAG optimized Sony sensor sharpness. It is good on M11 with M lenses, Sony on Sony can't match it with any lens.

Relax, let it go and enjoy. 

[Photoworks]

Back in the days of the Leica look the lenses didn't have all the micro contract that we find now in modern lenses.

It was explain to me that Leica achieved their look by not having a flat field of focus, if you would put the subject in the center the background direct behind the subjects would fall out of focus quicker then on the sides, creating a more 3D pop feeling.

I have tested Summicron R lens 50mm lens from the 60’s and compared with APO SL 50mm. To my surprise the rendering of focus and out of focus area was the same. Different was the resolution, and details.

 

I don't think the camera had anything to do with it. Most photography was still BW film back then.

 

[jaapv]

The Canon and Nikon lenses of the RF era had more "Leica Look" than the Leica lenses of the time IMO. 

[frame-it]

13 hours ago, Summilux-asph said:

There’s a depth and a combination of this depth of saturation and contrast combined with a dreamy quality that I never got with my Fuji cameras

easy to get with the 50 summilux-M on a fuji GFX

[frame-it]

2 minutes ago, jaapv said:

The Canon and Nikon lenses of the RF era had more. "Leica Look" than the Leica lenses of the time IMO. 

especially the canon 50mm f1.4 LTM, and nikkor 50mm HC LTM

[jdlaing]

1 hour ago, Photoworks said:

Back in the days of the Leica look the lenses didn't have all the micro contract that we find now in modern lenses.

It was explain to me that Leica achieved their look by not having a flat field of focus, if you would put the subject in the center the background direct behind the subjects would fall out of focus quicker then on the sides, creating a more 3D pop feeling.

I have tested Summicron R lens 50mm lens from the 60’s and compared with APO SL 50mm. To my surprise the rendering of focus and out of focus area was the same. Different was the resolution, and details.

 

I don't think the camera had anything to do with it. Most photography was still BW film back then.

 

They had every bit of the micro contrast as in modern lenses. The recording media back then did not.

[Dennis]

W/ an M11, you must use Light Lens Lab (LLL) to reproduce the Loyal Leica Look (LLL)

Edited May 21, 2022 by Dennis

[frame-it]

5 minutes ago, Dennis said:

W/ an M11, you must use Light Lens Lab (LLL) to reproduce the Loyal Leica Look (LLL)

hilarious

[Photoworks]

1 hour ago, jdlaing said:

They had every bit of the micro contrast as in modern lenses. The recording media back then did not.

Sure you are talking from experience !

I did a test and I can see what you are saying..

https://photos.alexkroke.com/TESTS/Summicron-R-1965-vs-Summicron-SL-50/n-n9s7Wh/

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!

I think you can guess vintage and modern at 100%

[frame-it]

13 hours ago, Summilux-asph said:

Yes. There are many posts on the internet on how to get the “Leica look” with any camera. 

So yes, I think the Leica Look is indeed a thing. Same as “Zeiss Pop”

I’d much rather carry a small Leica M than a GFX though!

IMO, THIS is the Leica L

at a certain "sweet-spot" distance between the camera and the target, almost any lens f4 and lower will give that 3d-pop  look

[hdmesa]

1 hour ago, frame-it said:

at a certain "sweet-spot" distance between the camera and the target, almost any lens f4 and lower will give that 3d-pop  look

The restricted MFD of the M system and typical ≤90mm lenses generate a better dimensional rendering with f/2.8 or wider apertures, IMO.

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[frame-it]

16 minutes ago, hdmesa said:

The restricted MFD of the M system and typical ≤90mm lenses generate a better dimensional rendering with f/2.8 or wider apertures, IMO.

whatever...but my point was more about the distance between the camera and the target, the context of the post to which i replied was lenses, not only M bodies.

[hdmesa]

9 minutes ago, frame-it said:

whatever...but my point was more about the distance between the camera and the target, the context of the post to which i replied was lenses, not only M bodies.

This is literally and exactly what you said:

2 hours ago, frame-it said:

at a certain "sweet-spot" distance between the camera and the target, almost any lens f4 and lower will give that 3d-pop  look

Me pointing out that f/2.8 is more relevant an aperture is not "whatever" given this is a Leica Forum, and M11 sub-forum, and a thread about the Leica Look.