Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

That's obvious due to the size and weight of the bloody thing..........

when I look at the leicacS70 files which is smaller than the SL 50mm but if the same FL the bouquet is far superior on the S lens

Neil, my cron-50-M's bouquet is fantastic, I think ...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

I think that they were going to speed up the AF after Photokina, before the lens shipped, so we must presume that they have done so. The lens comes with a sticker saying that you should use the latest firmware and the lens was released on the day that the firmware shipped.

firmwear can't cure the ugliness :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think that they were going to speed up the AF after Photokina, before the lens shipped, so we must presume that they have done so.  The lens comes with a sticker saying that you should use the latest firmware and the lens was released on the day that the firmware shipped.

Yes, jrp, I used the SL-50 in the Leica Store Sydney before the firmware upgrade and it was very slow, and general thinking then was it's because of the firmware. But magic didn't happen then.

Link to post
Share on other sites

firmwear can't cure the ugliness :)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

As I just said, Neil — no magic was detected later lol

But good wear can disguise ugliness, ask your better part hahaha

Edited by meerec
Link to post
Share on other sites

Bouquet is in the eye of the beholder, but it also tends to be better (in any lens) a stop or two down, and highly dependent on camera-subject and subject-background distances (obv.).

 

For those looking for portrait images:  http://jarlehagen.no/proof-of-performance-images

 

These images were already highly critiqued and criticised on the net for being badly focussed.

Besides, I think, if you give me a strobe I can make any image / portrait look good.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Holy Moly.

If this guy does not see that focus is off in all of his pictures, he could have saved himself a lot of money. Any 50mm M lens of the last century would do the job for him just fine.

He should have used a camera with IBIS. Although, it seems he used a tripod. He needs a tripod with IS.

 

 

I just realised that Leica uses these photos on their official website... and no, not for advertising the Sofort.

Edited by anickpick
Link to post
Share on other sites

I think that they were going to speed up the AF after Photokina, before the lens shipped, so we must presume that they have done so. The lens comes with a sticker saying that you should use the latest firmware and the lens was released on the day that the firmware shipped.

It's slower to focus than the zooms but totally acceptable and it doesn't hunt even in low light when there is contrast. Rarely, in low light situations it starts hunting even when there is enough contrast. Then one needs to point it to a target that is easy to focus on and it starts to lock on quickly again to everything one points it at. That's a bit frustating but happens rarely and in very low light environments. I've taken plenty of pictures at night and in very dark situations and it finds finds the target fast enough and locks on acurrately. Very pleasant to use. Edited by Chaemono
Link to post
Share on other sites

Fully true. The 90-280 is superb and fast.

 

 

No they will not. Talked to the Leica store manager, that's what it is.

It's a slow ugly beast.

 

 

And how would the Leica store manager have any knowledge of this?

From experience, I know more than the average Leica store manager...and thats not saying much.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm sure you guys are all aware... but coming from Nikon... the 24-70 VR and new 70-200 VR are blazing fast when it comes to AF. All the 1.4 primes... even the newest 105 are much slower to focus.

 

I think that's just the way the 1.4 primes are... including Leica.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I am a bit disappointed. At the moment I am trying to make the SL "work for me". I enjoy the range of the 24-90 but the 2.8-4.0 f-stop drives ISO higher than I like in lower light. I do use manula M lenses for those lower light situations, but thats not for what I bought the SL.

 

Now comes the 50/1.4SL,

I do like the images I saw posted quite a bit, but then its big, heavy, very expensive for a standard lens, and now I read also slow to focus.

WHat about focus accurancy, do you use 1 point or face detection with the 50?

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Many are asking for an opinion on focus speed and only accepting the ones they choose. We have people saying the 50SL is fine, others say it's slow.

 

The consensus is the 50 is slower than the zooms, which is expected. It's the same with Nikon, where the trilogy lenses (14-24, 24-70, and 70-200) are quite a bit faster than many of the shorter primes. That said I didn't have any issues with focus speed with what I shot the shorter primes for. For high speed stuff the zooms were good, as were the 200f2, 300f2.8, etc.

 

Go test it out before buying, or buy and return if it doesn't meet your needs. Reading the same subjective analysis of the focus speed won't make a difference if you have your own needs that differ from those posting here.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The zoom is actually quite zippy ....... even at low light levels......  95+% of the time......  with single point AF.

 

It is however more intolerant of low contrast subject matter than the other zooms ...... with a tendency to hunt or just sulk and give up with flat featureless surfaces, especially close up, and I suspect this is a result of it using AF wide open at 1.4 and with a much narrower DOF. 

 

Shifting to 'Field' focussing substantially increases the 'lock' rate but is a little bit slower. 'Zone' ditto ...... but I have never seen the point of this as it never chooses what you want .....  :rolleyes:

 

None of this comes as a surprise ....... and with single point AF you soon automatically just use the nearest contrasty thing that you know will lock focus and work around the potential problem situations. It is plenty fast enough for most that you will encounter. 

 

As for those who have 'trialled' the lens ...... this is usually in camera shops with crappy lighting and not a lot of suitable subject matter to try on ...... particularly in the typical black and red gloomy Leica boutique with staff all done out in black, so if there ever was a situation more unsuited for testing AF lenses I have yet to find it. Leica Mayfair is even worse as it is in a narrow glorified alley with b*ugger all outside you can photograph apart from bins (if you are lucky)...... or the occasional Bentley (parked illegally) when one of the  Peers of the Realm comes to collect his repaired Leica ....... and the staff ignore the common unwashed proles like myself ......

Edited by thighslapper
Link to post
Share on other sites

My 1.4 g lens is super fast on the D5

 

Yes, but it's not a great lens wide open.  The bokeh of the 58m f1.4 is very particular, but is also not great wide open (compared with the Leica lenses or, I assume the likes of the Sigma Art or other modern, bulky, f1.4s).

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

It's a fantastic lens wide open......... in the right hands[emoji41][emoji3][emoji41][emoji3][emoji41][emoji3]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to post
Share on other sites

I owned the Nikkor 24, 35 and 58 all 1.4 lenses. They where all ok or good from 2.2 up but below very soft - to say it in nice words.

It makes no sense buying expensive 1.4 lenses when you have to close aperture to get proper iq. So I sold all my Nikon gear and switched to SL - I can´t wait to get my SL Lux.

In addition to the SL I bought the Q as a walk around camera and I´m very impressed what that lens delivers at 1.7!   Hey Nikon, Canon .... it´s possible to build lenses that can be used wide open.

 

Best,

Peter__

Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

I'll repeat what I said above....... it all depends if you know what your doing....... obviously not [emoji30]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...