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Help with SL lens choice(s)


leicableguy

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Yes, I mean AF-S and Single-field.

Trust me, I've tried - with adapter and M-Lens it will always turn on Zoom, no matter what you opt for manual drive.

The only viable solution for me is to go with "Continuous High Speed" as the camera doesn't have the capability to redo AF and exposure in the small time-window. 

I've noticed this before on the Q2 and lost quite a few shots before I knew what was going on. Coming from an M I always measure exposure (central weighted), half press the shutter to expose and then frame. As I do some street shots, usually do 2-3 actuations so I'll do that in continuous. M9 and M10 did that perfectly.

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I have just ordered a used 75 SL (from Leica UK) to add to my 35 SL - I blame all of you especially Rob!

 

Does anyone leave the pre-focus (Focussing / AF Setup / Pre-Focus) on while in AF-S mode?  I cannot work out the use case for the option, AF-S it is not needed, AF-C why would it not be on?  I feel I am missing something.

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Congrats on the 75mm - I also have one although quite rarely use it.

I can only add that I turned off the pre-focus because it noticeable drains battery whilst not bringing any noticeable (to me) advantage in AF-S mode. Perhaps a little quicker to lock onto a face than without it.

Good question on AF-C, but I don't really use it. I assume that without pre-focus then AF-C is only activated when shutter is half-pressed.

Edited by hoolyproductions
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This thread has been so helpful to me, so thanks to everyone who has commented. Here is what I’ve learned thus far…

1. In my haste to test out this system, I clearly had no idea what I was doing with respect to setting up an AF camera and should’ve waited to post my initial findings. Reading these last few comments, I think I know what I was doing wrong and why I thought the only way to “fix it” was to customize the joystick deep within the menu.  

2.  My initial aversion to the size and weight has diminished significantly, mainly because the ergonomics of the body make it very easy to handle.  
 

3. 50mm is “my” focal length.  I shouldn’t have let my dealer talk me into the 35mm, but now I know for sure having demoed a 35, 50, and 75 all at once.  Hit me up if you want a deal on a new open-box 35mm APO SL 🤣
 

4.  The comment clarifying that the APO 2.0 lenses render like a 1.4 in terms of DoF, *not* in terms of bokeh is spot on.  As such, I will probably want to add an M Summilux or Noctilux at some point for a more artistic look. 
 

5.  I guess I need to make sure “pre-focus” is switched off as the battery life was abysmal in my first outing. I set a timer to test each lens for 20 mins, and I only made it to 40 mins before the battery was dead. Also, I’m assuming that battery life is much improved when shooting an M-lens?

Thanks again everyone, and happy New Year. 
 

-Chris

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Hi,

Re setting uptake camera: the manual (PDF) is very useful, bur you can also view a couple of youtube videos by experienced Leica experts, for instance"

 

He also has videos on this made earlier that can be valuable to view.

 

There is also:

It is rather long but useful, they also have some earlier episodes that may be useful 

 

A third one would be:

He too has earlier episodes that may be useful

 

-----------------

As to the rendering wide open and bokeh and such: photographing wide open is no more 'artistic' than photographing at f/64 — yes, using an 8 by 10 inch or 11 by 14 inch view camera with lenses closed to f/64 was common. Not everybody likes their portrait made so the eye lashes are just so, so crisp and their nose and ears so, so blurry. All those madras, be that it to be f/8 and be therefor always shoot wide open, are just simplistic rules.

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18 hours ago, leicableguy said:

5.  I guess I need to make sure “pre-focus” is switched off as the battery life was abysmal in my first outing. I set a timer to test each lens for 20 mins, and I only made it to 40 mins before the battery was dead. Also, I’m assuming that battery life is much improved when shooting an M-lens?

I'm also a "50mm guy" - the main reason I don't use my 75mm much (but I will not sell it unless I would have to).

For battery life I have been pretty/very happy with the SL2, I guess you know that setting the EVF and LCD to "EVF extended" will also significantly extend the battery life (I anyway shoot with EVF and find the LCD distracting e.g. when shooting music). Thought I would mention it (you can shortcut this setting in your favourites menu). In the EVF extended setting you shoot with the viewfinder (LCD will be off) but when you access Menu or Playback then the LCD activates. Of course if you like shooting with the LCD this does not help :)

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3 hours ago, John Smith said:

I could go through my library, but you'd get a better idea of the Lux "look" if you look at the gallery at LFI. There, you can narrow the search down to a specific lens. 

I did not know about this website and that search function.  Wow, thanks a bunch.  It really shows the differences in the bodies and lenses.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Update:  It took me a few weeks, but I'm starting to really love this SL2S.  As mentioned, there was more of a learning curve than I expected having only ever used an M body, but eventually I got it set up as necessary for the camera to finally "get out of the way."  After that, I started to appreciate just how great the SL2S is with its great ergonomics, amazing EVF, and especially, the sensor which is a noticeable improvement from my M240 in a number of ways, e.g. color accuracy, white balance, etc...  

I also got more accustomed to the significantly larger body and AF lens, however I kept wondering about a "hybrid" setup with an M lens.  Alas, I ended up even further down the rabbit hole as I was offered a discounted price on the new limited edition SL2S Reporter version, bundled with an M-L adapter, 50mm Summilux 1.4 ASP, and even an extra battery. 

Seeing the diminutive M lens next to the huge AF SL lens reminded me of just how compact the M lenses really are.  I can't imagine seeing it next to the even larger SL Summilux!

I set up the new camera so I could compare them side by side, and also compare the two lenses.  Initial impression is that I am probably as fast (or faster) at focusing the manual lens as I am with the AF, assuming the subject is still.  Perhaps most surprising to me is that I didn't miss the M rangefinder at all.  Manual focus with peaking through the EVF still gave me the same feeling of interaction that I had with my M240.

Next, I took some test shots with each lens.  I need some more time, but they are less different than I would have guessed.  The Summilux certainly has a softer, smoother, more "dreamy" look to my eye, however the detail and bokeh of the Summicron are equally impressive.  When I took a few test shots outside however, I could barely tell the difference between the two in terms of detail or bokeh.  Hmmm.  

I'm definitely keeping the M as I think it really is a best of both worlds setup with the SL2S, but I'll have to decide if it makes sense to also keep the 50mm APO SL.  

 

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I need to set up identical shots for a proper comparison, but here is a shot of each setup taken with the other one.  

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