dimon Posted July 2, 2008 Share #1 Posted July 2, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) hi all: I was dragging behind technology pace for a longest time - it's 2008 already and I still don't own digital camera. The reason is that I'm so hooked on slides, that even growing inconvenience of purchasing the film, sending exposed rolls out, waiting and then scanning selected ones hasn't proved to be a PITA for me - I'll still be doing it, but... as I said it's already 2008. And even having a superb projector doesn't really help, I'm keeping it though :-) I have accumulated a small collection of R lenses, and the last thing I'd ever do - sell my four lenses. Since my budget won't allow M8 outfit or DMR (photography is a hobby, nothing more) I'm looking for some input from you guys; how do I handle this? I'm keeping my lenses, and was wondering what others are up to? Adaptor ring to Canon, Nikon? Which model? I don't want to spend a lot, would rather buy another lens I have my eye on! Would you mind sharing experiences? I need some feedback from pros to start doing my own homework and settle on something eventually... thanks forehand Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 2, 2008 Posted July 2, 2008 Hi dimon, Take a look here going digital and need some help. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wparsonsgisnet Posted July 2, 2008 Share #2 Posted July 2, 2008 D, Welcome to the Forum. I would say that if you can't or won't buy a Leica, then you should buy a Canon. Before I got my Digilux-2 four years ago, I got a Canan G5 to get my feet wet. This was/is a great camera (for Canon). I would suggest the now current, G9 for your first camera. Others on the Forum have said nice things about this camera. The G5 has a completely manual mode, so the G9 must also. This allowed me to treat it like an RF camera. Canon did a great job with this model set. Raw is an option, as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobtodrick Posted July 2, 2008 Share #3 Posted July 2, 2008 Unfortunately you're probably going to get 10 different opinions here. I, like you, held off on digital for a long time...just last fall purchasing the predecessor to the G9 (the G7). I like it...it really hooked me on digital. But I quickly found, as I think you will to (assuming your love of slides) that the limitations of the small sensors can be huge. Noticeable noise above 400...heck, maybe even 200ISO. Limited dynamic range compared to film and to the larger sensors. As much as I came to love the workflo associated with digital (as I progressed thought post processing), I was really becoming dissatisfied with contrast and color ranges. Then I discovered the Digi 3. So much better...I feel like now I'm really starting to approach what I used to expect with K64. I'd suggest you look into the adapters for the existing R lenses you've got. You can find lots of feedback (mostly very positive) on the 'net extolling the virtues of the Leica R lens/Canon body combo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jimmy pro Posted July 2, 2008 Share #4 Posted July 2, 2008 Cut to the chase and get yourself a Canon 5D. There around $1800 new right now. They might close out for a little less in a coupla months when the replacement is out, but prolly not much. After that you'll be stuck with paying at least another grand for the replacement, or buying a used 5D which prolly will have a lot of miles on it. The full frame will let you get as much as you can out of the R lenses in terms of no crop factor, and a bigger, brighter viewfinder than the cropped bodies, remember you'll need to focus manually. Then once you get started, try out (like used from someplace you can return them) the fixed focal lenses from Canon that are closest to your R lenses. If you can see a difference, then keep the R lenses and fiddling with the manual aperture and stopdown metering will be a worthwhile tradeoff. If you don't see a difference and I'm betting you won't unless your R lenses are one of the newest APO's, then you can use the EF lenses and take full advantage of what the 5D has to offer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted July 2, 2008 Share #5 Posted July 2, 2008 Just to echo Jimmy's comments. With an adaptor it's easy to use most R lenses on the Canon 5D. I used R lenses on Canon dSLRs for a few years. There are issues with some lenses, mainly the very wide angle ones. You are of course limited to manual focussing and stop down metering, but it would be a way using your R lenses and not having to buy a set of new AF lenses. There are some sample R lens / Canon 5D shots here... Miscellaneous Snaps - 2006 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted July 2, 2008 Share #6 Posted July 2, 2008 I would recommend Digilux 2 as a good starting point because it's simple, Leica, great lens and the workflow with JPG's is easy to understand and get results with. That camera can (only) be bought secondhand, typically around 700 - 1000$. Canon or Panasonic with an R adaptor could also be an idea, possible higher resolution. Less love than the Digilux 2, but still a Leica solution with high image quality. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingerprinz Posted July 3, 2008 Share #7 Posted July 3, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) If would definitely go for the Canon 5D if you would like to capitalize on your fine R lenses. Together with an adapture you have a full frame camera that just works perfectly with you lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roguewave Posted July 3, 2008 Share #8 Posted July 3, 2008 Panasonic DMC-L1. This is the Panasonic version of the Digilux 3. It gives you all you want with the R glass via a $20 adapter. I love this camera for the low light captures and great color. It also opens up all the less expensive 4/3 lenses from Olympus and others. If you look carefully, you can pick one of these up for just around $1,000 US or less. Lot's of used ones for about $600-500 as well. This makes much more sense to me. The Canons are ok, but the colors aren't as good, nor is the wonderful gradient you get with the Digilux/Panasonic L1. I bought one for my son & he loves it. Hard to tell the difference with my Digilux 3. Good luck. Keep those R lenses. The future of Leica is the R system.& it's progeny. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASpes Posted July 3, 2008 Share #9 Posted July 3, 2008 hi all:I was dragging behind technology pace for a longest time - it's 2008 already and I still don't own digital camera. ... I have accumulated a small collection of R lenses, and the last thing I'd ever do - sell my four lenses. Since my budget won't allow M8 outfit or DMR (photography is a hobby, nothing more) I'm looking for some input ... IMO you have a couple of choices ... one is to wait for the new R10 from Leica sometime later this year (hopefully) and just add it. Flip side is first we do not know how it will integrate with what you have, second is that I expect it to be on the expensive side, at least in the M8 or DMR range. Mind that all this is just a wild guess of course as we actually know nothing about it at the moment. A more affordable and softer path to a full digital workflow is just to add a digital body that can use your lenses. Many cameras can do that, and won't go into debating them, let's say they're all good, but given your experience/background the best solution is a Leica Digilux 3 (or the sister Panasonic L1). Besides "feeling at home" with the traditional layout you are accustomed to, thus making for an easier transition, a simple adapter will let you use all your lenses in manual mode and the Leica "kit" lens that comes with it is oustanding. I won't go into saying this is the best camera around, as the best is always a compromise between features and our needs, anyway it's really a unique camera in today's market and the quality of both the hw and of the results is pretty high, and if you shop around a bit you are likely to find pretty good bargains. At a later time if you want to expand your system, you can fish in the Leica/Panasonic and Olympus range for all levels of price, but not missing on quality, or you can just stay put with what you have and enjoy your results while waiting for better times and experience that will justify different solutions. Just my 2 (euro)cent of course. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamey Posted July 4, 2008 Share #10 Posted July 4, 2008 Welcome to the forum Dimon. Like you I still shoot slides and loving it. But having a digi cam can be very handy, I chose the Canon G9, it's small and campact. The images are quite good and sometimes excellent. Of course it's not in the same class as the M8, or the price It really depands what you want to do, for me I am not interested in blowing up pictures to poster size. All I wanted is to just get the shot and then view it on my computer screen Send the images to friends or print them to 10x15 cm and place them in the album, you don't need a super digicam for that. There is planty of Digital models out there that will do the job for you. I have said on a few occasions on this forum my digicam pacifies me untill I finish and get my slides back. I cannot foresee it replacing my slides totatally and since I have been taking electronic images it's contrary to the flow It has actually made me more enthusiastic In taking slide shots. Whenever I can, I try to take both shots on the two mediums, slide first of course then Electronic and remember you can always scan your slides into an electronic medium IMHO be wery about expensive digicams, they WILL NOT replace your transparant and Tangible images. So unless you can recover your cost get something cheap that will do the job for you. Good Luck Cheers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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