Hasselblad X1D II 50C Medium Format with 45mm f/4 P Lens Kit Closeout Sale - Worth Considering to compliment my SL2-S gear?

[jaapv]

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Actually I did a Safari using medium format once:  Mamiya 645 E lenses up to 500 mm and 2xTC, using slides.  It was not  a succes. The system was a pain to carry, too lumpy for dynamic shooting (including animal portraits) and the super-shallow DOF was an image-killer. I returned next year with an R7, Apo-Telyt 280/4.0 and both Apo-extenders. That was immeasurably more pleasant and successful..

Take an image like this; even on FF it was a real challenge to get nose and horn tip reasonably sharp whilst keeping up shutter speed and ISO in bounds.

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On 12/4/2024 at 6:36 AM, FlashGordonPhotography said:

I’m doing another safari next July and taking the GFX100ii, 250 and 500mm lenses with the TC. As well as my Sony A1ii kit. The Fuji should make for some epic wildlife portraits

 

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[FlashGordonPhotography]

3 hours ago, jaapv said:

Actually I did a Safari using medium format once:  Mamiya 645 E lenses up to 500 mm and 2xTC, using slides.  It was not  a succes. The system was a pain to carry, too lumpy for dynamic shooting (including animal portraits) and the super-shallow DOF was an image-killer. I returned next year with an R7, Apo-Telyt 280/4.0 and both Apo-extenders. That was immeasurably more pleasant and successful..

Take an image like this; even on FF it was a real challenge to get nose and horn tip reasonably sharp whilst keeping up shutter speed and ISO in bounds.

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No the same thing, now.

A GFX100ii and 500 f5.6 weighs about the same as an SL3 with SIgma 500 f5.6. The AFC on the GFX is better. It’s a 33x44mm sensor so DoF differences are about 2/3 of a stop. Burst rates are the same as the SL3. The 1.4x allows full functionality with an effective FL of 700mm. You can shoot at ISO3200, or more,  all day long so no shutter speed issues. I expect no more issues than using a SL3 or Canon R5 (original with mechanical shutter).

The differences are 16 bit capture and the 102MP files. I want to do some very very large monochrom prints. As close as possible to life size for the big cats. Maybe somewhat smaller for buffalo, hippo and elephant but still over 2 meters on the long edge.

I’ll also be taking a Sony kit. A1ii, A1 and a set of lenses. I’m not taking any risks.

Gordon

[jaapv]

Well, fingers crossed. Interested to hear about your results. I won’t be copying you, though. 😅 My next one is planned for May 2026 as I want to work in the Green Season. The parks of Malawi. Good to excellent game in Liwonde and Majete and few to no tourists. Other reserves are quite interesting as well with some unique habitats. SL2S, SL 601 and S5ii with Sigma zooms and TC will do me fine. The Sable Antelope was shot at full reach of 840 mm IIRC and fully handheld on the S5ii. In Kuti Game Reserve. 

[Archiver]

On 9/11/2023 at 10:57 AM, lencap said:

So this weekend I took the SL2-S kit with me to visit with some friends that I don't see often.  I wanted to capture candid moments, and was surprised that I found myself fiddling with the controls instead of shooting.  I've not invested the time to learn the nuances of the various modes - P/S/A/M - and six pages of menu choices, and couldn't easily get the settings I wanted as quickly as the M platform allowed. 

That's when I wondered if the Hassie kit was a search for greater image quality/handling, or an attempt to shoot more directly with fewer controls.  Gordon added to my confusion with the insightful post suggesting that the 907X is my real target, mimicking a the V form factor that I enjoyed when shooting film.

And that's when I realized why I'm having problems.  I've accepted that my eyesight is compromised, and that the M platform is more challenging to use than in years past.  But despite my "head" telling me that the SL2-S platform is the best tool for the job, my "heart" still loves the M body simplicity and immersive experience.   Despite knowing that the newer platforms are technically superior, and that post-processing tools are able to provide all the flexibility I'd ever need, the real world use case still comes down to more complexity and the steep learning curve of hundreds of camera settings combinations, and many more times that for Lightroom/Photoshop. 

So, until I can fully come to terms with whether or not the head or heart should be the reason for owning a Leica system, adding another body/brand/format seems to be skirting the true issue: Have I come to peace with leaving the M experience in the past? 

A few days with the SL2S and explanations of PASM would have made all the difference, even for a lifelong M shooter. There is simply no need to bother with hundreds of camera setting combinations once you set up the camera to closely mimic the M shooting experience, and this goes for most cameras.

Just consider: what is the operational essence of shooting with a M body? Control of shutter, aperture, and ISO/ASA, with either hyperfocus/zone focus or finely tuned manual focus. Set up the SL2S for this and everything is much more simple.

P is as close to full auto as the SL2S gets, but a M shooter doesn't want that. A is aperture priority, which we're familiar with via the M7. S is shutter priority that in the SL2S lets the aperture adjust to accommodate exposure. M is what the MP, MA or M3/5/6 give us - control over shutter and aperture. For a M shooter who is familiar with shutter speeds and aperture settings, M is the most viable setting. The control wheels will adjust those accordingly. If you're a M7 shooter that prefers aperture priority, put the SL2S in A, set the aperture with the appropriate dial/wheel, and let the shutter and ISO ride up and down according to exposure.

ISO being the third part of the exposure triangle, set that to Auto with 1/3 increments.

Focus is the last thing: for portraits and candids, set the SL2S for single area autofocus in the centre, with or without face detection. Don't bother with moving the focus point, just focus centrally and recompose like using a M body. Use face detection if you want more precise focus on the face. If you're using adapted M mount lenses, activate Focus Peaking and spend some time experiencing how the in-focus areas light up in the excellent EVF; this is a matter of practice, like all things.

As far at Photoshop/Lightroom is concerned, this is greatly simplified by finding a preset or two that give a general look that one likes, and applying them to all the raws. A quick google search for lightroom presets will yield a lot of options (avoid vastly overpriced preset packs). Then you can take the time to learn to tweak the images to your taste, while still enjoying the initial files.

[lencap]

Thanks to everyone for reviving this dormant thread.  No, I didn't buy the Hasselblad kit, and still regret that decision.  I made it because it seemed that adding an entirely new kit when I hadn't spent the time to master the one I already have wasn't a very well thought out plan.  

In the interim I put myself on the wait list for the Q3 43, expecting that would do most/all of what I typically use the SL2-S for.  The more I thought about it the more I realized that despite my initial post over a year ago, I've still not taken the time to learn the gear and see how far it will take me.

Archiver's post above seemed to address everything I'd posted in several threads, reminding me that acquiring any skill requires a training process to achieve success.  And after considering the most recent comments from everyone I cancelled my request for the Q3 43, and began to appreciate my current kit with fresh eyes.  My extended family visited on Thanksgiving and I decided to take some pictures.  While I began with the iPhone I realized how crazy that was and pulled out the Leica kit.  I was playing with it, and found that I hadn't used it in some time, and without fully understanding the controls I was frustrated that I couldn't just shot to get the image I wanted.  Now the path ahead seems clear.

I bought the Leica kit because I believed it was the best Leica tool for creating the images I want to create, allowing me to overcome the effects of aging and still enjoying the haptics and usability that Leica provides to a greater degree than anything else I considered.  So, by Christmas I'll be "trained", using Archiver's "cheat sheet" and will once again appreciate that I already have the tools I need.  I'm reminded of Dorothy in the Wizard of OZ - "There's no place like home" also applies to the gear I already have!   I'll miss GAS.

Thank you everyone.  Your timing on reviving this thread is impeccable.

Edited December 6, 2024 by lencap

[JoshuaR]

@lencap, I empathize with your SL2-S experience. I bought an SL2-S a couple of months ago and just didn't enjoy it! I'm mainly an M shooter and just didn't gel with the AF experience after so many years of shooting manual focus. (I was using the 24-70.) The camera has a lot of options and is very high-tech, and although I'm very tech-literate that just isn't what I enjoy in a camera. At the same time, I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful EVF for my longer lenses; I have bad eyesight and sometimes find 50mm and longer to be a little tough on an M, especially wide open in low light.

So what I've done is use the camera entirely in manual focus. My setup is:

• 50 Summilux-M ASPH or 50 Noctilux f/1.2 mounted semi-permanently on the camera.
• Everything in manual mode
• ISO on the back dial, and magnification mapped to pushing the dial in
• Shutter speed on the big dial
• Exposure comp on one of the tiny front buttons
• Enhanced EVF on the other tiny front button
• EVF set to Vivid
• Drive mode in single
• DNG + a preset for Lightroom import
• Literally nothing else on the camera changed—I never go into the menus.

I can't believe how much I'm enjoying this setup. I keep the lenses at f/1.4 and with the shallow DOF I hardly ever have to magnify to see what's in focus. There is nothing displayed in the EVF at all—I keep the finder totally clear, like a window. I keep shutter speed where I want it (usually 125 or 200) and adjust the ISO manually. If it gets dark and the EVF becomes laggy I jump into Enhanced EVF. If I'm moving a lot between light and shadow I just go into Auto ISO with the back wheel and move exposure comp down a stop.

It's like having a big, heavy M3 with an amazing EVF. Just a wonderful experience. I still shoot my Ms almost all the time, especially when I'm out and about moving around, but at home the SL2-S has really taken over, especially with 50mm lenses. I hope you find an equivalent setup that delivers simplicity and joy with the camera!

 

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[lencap]

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Now that I’m reviving my SL2-S love I can’t help noticing the remarkable bundle discounts at some very well known online Leica dealers.  I just saw new SL2 cameras offered at $2995, and a bundle including that camera and the SL-Summicron f/2.0 35mm ASPH for $4,295!

At those prices, including full new camera warranty, I wonder how people can pass on such a remarkable value?  My SL2-S f/2.0 50 mm ASPH kit, heavily discounted at the time, was $4,595!  The current bundle is $300 less than I paid, and the 35mm lens is $200 more while the SL2 body was $1400 more than the SL2-S!  If you know anyone looking for a great deal this would seem to be it!

[FlashGordonPhotography]

Rumors suggest this is a clearance for the SL3-S. No one has proven info that I’ve seen yet, though.

Gordon

[jaapv]

12 hours ago, JoshuaRothman said:

@lencap, I empathize with your SL2-S experience. I bought an SL2-S a couple of months ago and just didn't enjoy it! I'm mainly an M shooter and just didn't gel with the AF experience after so many years of shooting manual focus. (I was using the 24-70.) The camera has a lot of options and is very high-tech, and although I'm very tech-literate that just isn't what I enjoy in a camera. At the same time, I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful EVF for my longer lenses; I have bad eyesight and sometimes find 50mm and longer to be a little tough on an M, especially wide open in low light.

So what I've done is use the camera entirely in manual focus. My setup is:

• 50 Summilux-M ASPH or 50 Noctilux f/1.2 mounted semi-permanently on the camera.
• Everything in manual mode
• ISO on the back dial, and magnification mapped to pushing the dial in
• Shutter speed on the big dial
• Exposure comp on one of the tiny front buttons
• Enhanced EVF on the other tiny front button
• EVF set to Vivid
• Drive mode in single
• DNG + a preset for Lightroom import
• Literally nothing else on the camera changed—I never go into the menus.

I can't believe how much I'm enjoying this setup. I keep the lenses at f/1.4 and with the shallow DOF I hardly ever have to magnify to see what's in focus. There is nothing displayed in the EVF at all—I keep the finder totally clear, like a window. I keep shutter speed where I want it (usually 125 or 200) and adjust the ISO manually. If it gets dark and the EVF becomes laggy I jump into Enhanced EVF. If I'm moving a lot between light and shadow I just go into Auto ISO with the back wheel and move exposure comp down a stop.

It's like having a big, heavy M3 with an amazing EVF. Just a wonderful experience. I still shoot my Ms almost all the time, especially when I'm out and about moving around, but at home the SL2-S has really taken over, especially with 50mm lenses. I hope you find an equivalent setup that delivers simplicity and joy with the camera!

 

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

That is indeed one of the mistakes that people make when coming to these complex cameras, especially when coming from a camera with a limited user interface like an M. It is of course possible to shoot it one- handed with the manual in the left hand, changing the settings for each shor, but the most pleasant way to use them is to. Is to set the camera exactly like one wants and only make essential control changes whilst shooting 

[jaapv]

3 hours ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

Rumors suggest this is a clearance for the SL3-S. No one has proven info that I’ve seen yet, though.

Gordon

It appears to be a logical conclusion. 

[Guido]

Am 6.12.2024 um 03:10 schrieb Archiver:

Focus is the last thing: for portraits and candids, set the SL2S for single area autofocus in the centre, with or without face detection. Don't bother with moving the focus point, just focus centrally and recompose like using a M body. Use face detection if you want more precise focus on the face. If you're using adapted M mount lenses, activate Focus Peaking and spend some time experiencing how the in-focus areas light up in the excellent EVF; this is a matter of practice, like all things.

I've assigned one of the two function buttons at the front to "image magnification". EVF resolution is so good that I find it easier to zoom in/focus/zoom out rather than to rely on focus peaking. Indeed, not many people seem to care about how good the EVF, the diopter optics and the eye relief are on the SL2-S.

Speaking of function buttons, I find that most of the buttons (and the shutter button) on the SL2-S are quite flush with the body and don't have a good tactile feeling, especially with gloves and with numb fingers in general when it's cold. I've sort of fixed this by sticking small self-adhesive silicone bumper pads from Amazon onto various buttons. 

[hdmesa]

On 12/6/2024 at 7:31 PM, lencap said:

Now that I’m reviving my SL2-S love I can’t help noticing the remarkable bundle discounts at some very well known online Leica dealers.  I just saw new SL2 cameras offered at $2995, and a bundle including that camera and the SL-Summicron f/2.0 35mm ASPH for $4,295!

At those prices, including full new camera warranty, I wonder how people can pass on such a remarkable value?  My SL2-S f/2.0 50 mm ASPH kit, heavily discounted at the time, was $4,595!  The current bundle is $300 less than I paid, and the 35mm lens is $200 more while the SL2 body was $1400 more than the SL2-S!  If you know anyone looking for a great deal this would seem to be it!

CameraWest and B&H are also combining deals so that the $2,995 body-only price also includes the M-L adapter + battery combo from the $4,195 deal (minus the screen protector).

That essentially makes the SL2-S body $2,265 if subtracting the retail price of the adapter and battery.

[Jeff S]

On 12/7/2024 at 1:32 PM, Guido said:

I've assigned one of the two function buttons at the front to "image magnification". EVF resolution is so good that I find it easier to zoom in/focus/zoom out rather than to rely on focus peaking. Indeed, not many people seem to care about how good the EVF, the diopter optics and the eye relief are on the SL2-S.

 

I have the SL2, and have it set for BBF (joystick press) for AF, while a manual turn of the focus ring magnifies the image. Focus peaking is permanently off. A quick half press of the shutter release brings back full view. Works best for me.

Jeff

[JohnathanLovm]

If you want use X1DII, I suggest you use the new design of XCD lenses for more faster autofocus. The 45P is too slow.