Is 24mp the sweet spot of 36x24 format?

[jaapv]

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Wel, it works perfectly for me. I am an old M user and habitually focus-recompose. I find it more useful to move the focus point in AF and lock. 
 

As I only use a selftimer on a tripod it is wholly irrelevant to me where the control is situated. 
 

Personally I prefer the Leica UI over others with exception of Panasonic with its fantastic top dials Nearly analog. I've used Canon and Sony - the control salad of both drove me bonkers. 

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[padam]

47 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Wel, it works perfectly for me. I am an old M user and habitually focus-recompose. I find it more useful to move the focus point in AF and lock. 

The biggest mirrorless benefit is that I can focus a Summilux 75/1.4 or Canon LTM 85/1.5 perfectly, which I was never able to do on M (especially off-center and subjects very rarely stay still). But I suspect that even fast wides wouldn't be that forgiving, I have to take care with a 28/2.8 LTM with certain scenes, a bit glowy wide-open off-center and difficult to judge in-camera, it was easier on a rangefinder. Maybe I need to develop skills to judge distance, since longer focus throw also enables more precise angling.
Good software and hardware implementation would help me do to this as quickly, seamlessly and intuitively as possible.
I can still do it, just not like that which hurts sometimes, as I can see that all that is needed has been there for a while to make this easier.
But that does not mean that I can't do more myself, so I am done complaining.

The silver SL2 really is beautiful (especially with the 85/1.5 mounted on it) it and its heft and weight distribution (funnily enough, improved further with a half-case I kept from the previous SL2) makes it a rock-steady platform. Not sure if I could repeat it outside in the cold, but I was able to take a 1 sec exposure handheld, fully sharp - on 85mm...


I can give the NEX-5N as an example, which was the camera I had when I bought an M6TTL 35/1.4 pre-FLE and 75/1.4 v3 with a full Focomat IIc set thrown in as well
(not a Leica deal I am even going to top ever, wish I wasn't forced to sell the first two and get the 75 for free, since an M6TTL still worth 3 times more and I Loved using it...)
It has a (capacitive!) touch screen with a small, mediocre quality view thanks to the wrong 16:9 ratio (that would be perfect for video, if the quality was better, yet camera makers are shy of using it in fear of making them more usable against cinema cameras...) but at least it is tilting, swivel hype wasn't in full swing them.
And yet, I touched an area, and it punched in precisely, and I could focus and take the picture very quicky. No buttons, no joystick, nothing.
On a comically tiny body without much controls interacting perfectly with manual lenses... That's the sort of quick easy (and fun!) way of focusing I lost moving to an A7 FF.
They could have kept all the fun in there - but no...
Not sure if there are mirrorless cameras with tilt screens, where this can work the exact same way.
If an SL3(-S) could Work like this, I might actually consider it. Things like this are more important to me than megapixels.
For tripod work, no video, etc. I can understand that there are other priorities.

Edited December 12, 2024 by padam

[jaapv]

It is interesting how much the experience of photographers differs. I had ( still have) a Sony NEX 7 - for backup on wildlife photography. Obviously manual R lenses My most hated camera for its grotty  EVF, awful focus peaking* and -to me- abysmal user interface.
 

* It managed to completely “red-out” the EVF on a herd of Zebra… On the lowest setting. 

[padam]

Yes I forgot to mention no peaking needed either if there is a better method. Funnily enough, it was only the timing that made me get a 5N, the one and only model with this function, and I only had a kit lens, so I never knew it would work like this, until I got a manual lens, so it really was an accident. It was a smartphone-like camera with a big sensor, interchangable lenses and better controls, like an actual shutter button.
Basically like this, only better and cheaper 
Yes I agree the interface was bad - but don't remember the need to use it, it wasn't that feature rich even compared to an M9 - which was already two years old at that time with far superior image quality, Leica had the lead in high-end compact cameras, which was probably the inspiration for the RX1 and the beginning of the era of "premium compacts", evolving into mirrorless.

[jaapv]

Depends - basically peaking indicates DOF. With long lenses it is very practical to "walk" the peaking to put the eye of the animal (for instance) precisely in the middle of the zone of the peaking. Like any focus aid it has a learning curve.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

When it comes to EVF’s there’s three real modes (stills shooting). AFS, AFC and playback.

I have the SL2, SL3, R5, A7R5,, A1, X2D and GFX100ii and more I can compare directly.

In AFS the GFX100ii wins. Easily. Very easily. Great EVF excellent optics. 1.0 magnification. It’s like a vast screen in front of you. The rest are a wash. Better EVF in some vs better optics in others.

In AFC the A7R5 and GFX100ii lead. Resolution does drop in all of them but these two keep up the best. SL3 does struggle here but I don’t use this camera in AFC often, so I live with it. There’s a good reason Nikon only uses a 3.76MP EVF in the Z8. You don’t notice a drop.

For playback I really like the SL3 and X2D. You can punch into 100% and evaluate easily. The Fujis and Sonys seem to need to be zoomed out.a step or two. I think it’s software thing. Leica and Hasselblad gets this right. The X2D is better than the GFX despite the superior experience with the GFX when shooting. Canon is in the middle somewhere, as usual.

They all have pros/cons. None are perfect. All are workable.

Gordon

[FlashGordonPhotography]

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8 hours ago, padam said:

.

Canon R5/R6 series have infinitely better and more controls crammed into a smaller area. It is not at all convoluted. Whatever Leica purists say, I simply don't think it's true.
 

As an R5 owner I have to disagree with you. Not only is it convoluted, setting up the buttons is a terrible experience IMHO. Only Fuji is worse.

Gordon

[padam]

4 hours ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

As an R5 owner I have to disagree with you. Not only is it convoluted, setting up the buttons is a terrible experience IMHO. Only Fuji is worse.

Gordon

I don't have it anymore (but it is just about depreciate into that tempting midrange territory where an SL2 also sits).
Yes, I would have liked it more, if it was more customizable, and it took a while to figure it out.
But in absolute terms, it was by far the best camera to alternate between taking photos and videos or access most things quickly, and here is why:
I can configure the C3 mode just to record video from photo mode in an instant. Works very well.
I can Limit the amount of shooting modes I want to use: I can make four modes for each, C1-C3 (+A mode) for photos and the same (+M mode) for videos, I get rid of all unecessary modes. I can lay everything logically, much easier and quicker than setting up user profiles.
The Menu system is much more logical despite being extensive. In many cases, no need to press the Menu multiple times to get to where I want.
I have favourites for photo and video, starts from there, or if I was diving deeper, it remembers the sub-menu where I was, not resetting like Leica. Neat.
Moreover, the M-Fn button can be assigned to switch between photo and video (default setting is fiddly) - and it goes where I left them, so I can go to C3 photo to C2 video etc. on lesser models this is not as seamless. In newer models this has been moved to the left, which is unfortunate for viewfinder usage, the power button was in a similar place to the SL2, which is perfect.
I can set three AF modes for the three buttons at the back, all nicely positioned. No need to fiddle with single-AF or whatever, I just focus with the button that is appropriate for my needs, I can have it follow the selected AF point or just randomly focus on the frame or just use single-AF if I don't want it to track.

I think the only frustrating thing about it was that I could not set drive mode on the SET button in a way that it changes with the rear wheel. This has been fixed with newer models like the R6 II. And sometimes, it didn't want to back to roll back to Auto-ISO just by the wheel, unless I pressed some button that "woke" it up. And probably some other quirks I don't remember. (Lack of AWB Lock is a problem with video, it is nice of Leica to provide it, if a bit fiddly to use.)
I wrote a post here about comparing it against the SL2 when I was debating between them and imho the main strengths of the R5 is not only the sheer amount of power, but the fact that most of it is quite easily acessible in a smaller, lighter body.
The real weakness for me are that it's not made to be used with vintage lenses and I don't like the swivel screen (well, still more useful than a fixed one...). Still works, just not nearly as good as it could be and the sensor smears (probably a lesser problem than I make it out to be).
And of course the images look different, which is most subjective.

Again, I want to stress that I get why Leica put buttons in specific places. They prioritised clean design over practicality.
I am more annoyed about software-related things. that aren't done well and not improved at all with the SL3.

Just peeking into the German section in this forum, I don't think I am alone with this assesment. I also accept that others see the opposite, but nevertheless it is easy to see why the majority of people use what they use (even if they have the finances). Of course that keeps Leica in a position where it is unique for exactly that reason, people bored with other brands can switch to it and be delighted with the changes.
(at least some see it that way, while others say it's just an expensive mirrorless camera with lesser features, support, reliability, and all that)

 

Edited December 12, 2024 by padam

[SrMi]

8 hours ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

As an R5 owner I have to disagree with you. Not only is it convoluted, setting up the buttons is a terrible experience IMHO. Only Fuji is worse.

Gordon

As an R5 and R5 II owner, I concur with Gordon. The UI is convoluted and generally not a good experience.

[Vincent-Bretagne]

Pour un Capteur plein format 24X36, 30-40 MP est souvent le « sweet spot » : suffisamment détaillé pour des impressions ou recadrages sans trop sacrifier la sensibilité et la gestion de la diffraction. La diffraction limite la résolution effective lorsqu'on utilise des petites ouvertures ( f/16 et plus )

Des résolutions plus élevés sont justifiables si vous imprimez très grands ou recadrez souvent, si vous disposez d’objectifs haut de gamme et maitrisez parfaitement la prise de vue (stabilité, lumière, etc.). Le 50 MP et plus est réservé au cas où le détail est essentiel et nécessite un workflow adapté.

 

Edited December 16, 2024 by Vincent-Bretagne

[Jeff S]

41 minutes ago, Vincent-Bretagne said:

Pour un Capteur plein format 24X36, 30-40 MP est souvent le « sweet spot » : suffisamment détaillé pour des impressions ou recadrages sans trop sacrifier la sensibilité et la gestion de la diffraction. La diffraction limite la résolution effective lorsqu'on utilise des petites ouvertures ( f/16 et plus )

Des résolutions plus élevés sont justifiables si vous imprimez très grands ou recadrez souvent, si vous disposez d’objectifs haut de gamme et maitrisez parfaitement la prise de vue (stabilité, lumière, etc.). Le 50 MP et plus est réservé au cas où le détail est essentiel et nécessite un workflow adapté.

 

Translation..

“For a 24X36 full-frame sensor, 30-40 MP is often the "sweet spot": sufficiently detailed for printing or cropping without sacrificing too much sensitivity and diffraction management. Diffraction limits the effective resolution when small openings are used (f/16 and more)

Higher resolutions are justifiable if you print very large or often crop, if you have high-end lenses and have perfect control of shooting (stability, light, etc.). The 50 MP and more is reserved for the case where the detail is essential and requires an adapted workflow.T”