SL2 -> M10-R : anyone did the switch ?

[proenca]

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Hi there,

So here is the thing - I've been a M shooter since ages ( read : film days :)) 

I had pretty much every iteration of M digital cameras : bought a M8 on launch day, M9 on launch day, M10 had a few ( P , MD ) and in the interim had a SL - nice but very slow, sold it.

So I sold few M digitals ( kept the M9 because is heavy brassed and so many memories with it ) for Sony's A7RIII then IV then A1 and while they were magnificent ( G lens and AF is incredible )  - damn they felt soulless so I switched back and bought a SL2 and 35SL APO and 90SL APO, since my vision and I was getting used to AF and eye focus.

Happy pictures, sharp as "#!3(& , its perfect - but missing the rangefinder experience - and the M9 ( still have it ) its a dog sh... on ISO above 400 or trying to pull something from the shadows.

My eyes are not the same ( wear glasses ) and while with the M's, sometimes focus is missed a bit ( like to shoot lens wide open ) , SL2 is hit or completely miss because AF is a bit dodgy at best; seems that with the M with the pre-focusing on what was going to happen was a better experience than a clunky - albeit precise - AF.

So I've been offered a trade for my SL2+35SLAPO+90SLAPO for M10-R chrome ( my favorite ) + 35FLE ( my favorite focal length ) or M11+35FLE for a small change.

I truly believe that the SL APO lenses are the pinnacle of Leica - they are flawless - but I do quite a bit of travel photography and the SL2 and two APO's is just a bit... cumbersome. So I usually take the SL2+35SL APO and that's it - which is not bad, I'm a bit of one lens guy - but the SL2 size and weight, sometimes do get in a way a bit, apart from loosing a bit the "stealth" factor a M

Leaning towards the M10-R ( rather than the M11, which had a bit of terrible start, plus the 40mp of the M10-r are good enough and the sensor being comparable to the SL2, seems fine, plus has the lower removable, which I'm a bit snob and prefer it ( call it old film guy stupid things ). The M11 for me has better battery, the addition of Visioflex for critical focusing ( but then again I might be left with the SL2 and that's it ) and not much more ) - but having seconds thoughts.

Anyone did the SL2 -> M10R or M11 route and regreted it ? Really on the fence here. ( sorry, cross posting with the M11 subforum ) 

[Harpomatic]

I have been using Leica Ms for years and have transitioned into professional photography during such years. 
I did get into the Sony system with two A9s and they are just stunningly fast and have flawless performance, but I never enjoyed them. 
I went the SL2-S route and Summicron Asph (not APO), the 50mm one, plus Lumix 24 and 85 1.8. Great size and I absolutely loved the system, but back button focus is just an afterthought and badly implemented on AF Leica cameras and AF itself is…good enough.

At the end I simply went back to my M10r and added an M10 for teaching travel/doc/street photography abroad and in UK and for weddings. I love it.

And packing for travelling is just a joy: my two bodies and two lenses plus one spare lens (I shoot everything with a 50mm and a 28mm) take so little space that it makes it just a breeze. I add a flash and a stand plus continuous light (Rotolight Neo sized) for weddings and I’m set. Brilliant!

For me the transition back to M was not only right for my style but also liberating!

Hope this helps.

Flavio

Edited September 17, 2023 by Harpomatic

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[bherman01545]

I've owned the SL2 and SL2-S multiple times and enjoyed them, but somehow, I always ended up going back to the M system. Completely different cameras for different use cases. For some photographers, they could need both. Different tools for different use cases.

First of all, if you are a Pro sports or wildlife shooter, there are better choices than the SLx for sure. Faster and more accurate autofocusing, advanced metering, faster processing, etc. Also, If you are looking for a camera with a great Speedlight system, there are also better choices. The SL2x is also one big kit - It is larger and heavier than many pro-grade DSLRs or Mirrorless cameras.

The M is an entirely different shooting experience. As @proenca had mentioned, focusing the M in low light is a bit difficult. Solution - learn how to zone focus, use Live View with focus peaking on the LCD or use a Visoflex. I also own a Q2 for those times when I just need a grab-and-go autofocus camera, but it too is a slightly different shooting experience than shooting with an M, but similar in many ways.

I've tried and/or used pretty much every camera system. There are cameras that now incorporate AI into the mix and you would be hard-pressed to take a 'technically' awful photo.

As I had mentioned before, it has been said (and proven) countless times that Leica has outstanding optics and fabulous German industrial build quality, but as great as these features are, I also gravitate towards Leica just as much for 'what it's not' - simple menus, more analog feel, not a million buttons to distract you from your shooting experience. Just the photographer, a simple, easy-to-use camera, and your subject.

I used to shoot wedding receptions for many years with two Leica M6s, and zone-focused for the majority of shots and I don't think that anyone ever mentioned that my pictures were out of focus. 

There are many great cameras out there that will enable the photographer to take some really nice pics, but if the camera becomes an extension of how you work, how you think, and doesn't get in the way, then you've found a really great system.

 

[hepcat]

On 9/12/2023 at 10:06 AM, proenca said:

Hi there,

So here is the thing - I've been a M shooter since ages ( read : film days :)) 

I had pretty much every iteration of M digital cameras : bought a M8 on launch day, M9 on launch day, M10 had a few ( P , MD ) and in the interim had a SL - nice but very slow, sold it.

Anyone did the SL2 -> M10R or M11 route and regreted it ? Really on the fence here. 

I've shot Leica M cameras since 1974 when I first began using them in photo school.  From '08-'15,  I had an M8 anti-panda and an M9-P black paint which I sold when I couldn't see the focusing patch well enough to focus them critically shooting weddings and portraits.  I sold all of my M gear and tried a variety of auto-focus gear including the Phase One XF and Leaf Credo 40 digital back.  I used those for eight or nine years.   I feel into a set of a half-dozen Leitz R lenses (and a couple of Leicaflex bodies) a couple of years ago.  I was looking seriously at the SL2 to use the R glass on, but being relatively brand agnostic AND "frugal" (read cheap) I ended up with *gasp* a Panny Lumix S1 and S5 bodies for a third the cost of a single SL2.   I recently bought an M3 out of nostalgia and found that I can focus it because of the larger rangefinder... and THAT led to an M10-P which I can also focus well.  I also fell into an M5 and I have a couple of Summicron 50s, but my lenses of choice are LTM-M adapted 1950s vintage chrome and brass Canon Serenars on the M10-P.

In addition to the R glass (I've added a few since my original purchase) I also have a 24-105 and 85 f/1.8 Panny AF lenses.

I mention all of this because they're different tools for different kinds of jobs, but if you shop well you can play in both the M and L worlds simultaneously and still enjoy the best of both worlds without having to mortgage the house.