spylaw4 Posted November 4, 2006 Share #1 Posted November 4, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) As I have indicated in one or two threads recently I have managed yesterday to briefly try a new D3. This was in addition to trying V-lux on Thursday and an L-1 a couple of weeks or so ago. When I tried the L-1 I was less than impressed - it seemed very bulky and heavy and the view finder was not that good. I have since put the latter aspect down to poor light as it was in a not very brightly lit shop on a dull day. Yesterday I found the D3 a completely different camera. It seemed solid and well put together, not too bulky or heavy and certainly IMO much more attractive than the unrelieved black of the L-1. All this I can only ascribe to the quite large amounts of chrome on the D3. I felt that the body was possibly smaller in height and width than the D2, but it was thicker (I haven't looked at the dimensions). It was very comfortable in the hand. The controls and lens action was as one might expect for a Leica. The viewfinder was bright and clear and it was easy to focus. Autofocus was swift. There is a comprehensive settings display panel in the viewfinder to the right of the image. I didn't find the shutter too noisy. I did not have time to use live-view. There are (or will be shortly) a couple of shots in the Photo forum (Other) and some will no doubt recognise the location! I was told that this was a pre-production sample and that delivery was going to start in "a couple of weeks". This delay was allegedly due to firmware adjustments following Panasonic's recent upgrade. It was also more or less confirmed that there will be a converter to enable the use of R lenses. What's the best W/A? Although my time was very limited due to another appointment I did take a couple of RAW shots and I've placed these with the in-camera JPEG here: http://idisk.mac.com/spylaw4-Public. These are untouched and I'm sorry but I don't know and forgot to ask what the camera JPEG settings were. The date was certainly wrong! If a username and password are needed they are Public and LeicaD3 respectively. On the basis of all the recent brief trials, I'm saving my pennies for a D3. I did toy with getting a V-lux, but IMO the build quality is not as good and it does seem to me to be a bit more P&S, albeit a quite advanced one. Although there is that long lens......! I'll probably have another go when a production one surfaces. I hope that other who try out the D3 will add to this thread with their impressions. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 4, 2006 Posted November 4, 2006 Hi spylaw4, Take a look here D3 initial impressions. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
cbretteville Posted November 4, 2006 Share #2 Posted November 4, 2006 Brian, I could log in, but not view the JPEGs. - C Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spylaw4 Posted November 4, 2006 Author Share #3 Posted November 4, 2006 I've removed the password protection for now so that the files can now be got at more easily. There is an arrow on the right for downloading the files. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
miami91 Posted November 4, 2006 Share #4 Posted November 4, 2006 Brian, Thanks so much for your impressions and the images. I'm eagerly awaiting my pre-ordered D3. And after asking you in the other thread yesterday about expected delivery, I had an email exchange with my dealer (Park Square Photo), and he also indicated two weeks. So let's hope that timetable holds, or perhaps an "under promise, over deliver" scenario! Regards, Jeff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fboyd Posted November 4, 2006 Share #5 Posted November 4, 2006 I had to reply because I see the much appreciate enthusiasm for the M8, but everyone is missing out on a really great camera, the D3. I have been a professional freelance photographer for years, and have photographed countless concers, sporting events, news stories and weddings. I have been very blessed to receive excellant fees for this work. In the past I have mostly used Canon EOS Digitals and L series glass for my digital work. I have also purchased a Leica D1 & D2 when they came out. I liked both cameras, even with their flaws for snapshots and to carry around. But I have purchased the Panasonic DMC-L1 ( I was couldn't wait for the D3, and I couldn't justify the cost differance), and I can enthusiastically say I LOVE THIS CAMERA, AND THE IMAGES IT CREATES. I have used it for paying jobs the last two weeks and I love it. I love the lens and I love the available lens that can be purchased with it. I also purchased a domo 7-14 mm from Adorama's Pro Department and I am going to buy the 35-100 2.0 in the next week or so. I have always heard that Leica fans like wide angle photography and a photojournalistic or street reportage photos, well try wait till you an effective 14mm to 28mm zoom. Awesome. The supplied Leica lens is incredible, I have been hand holding shots down to 1/4 with sharp results. Let's do the financial math. L1 body and lens $1750.00 + $1350.00 for 7-14 + $2000.00 for 35-100 total $5100.00. This also gives me a focal range of 14mm-200mm in 35mm equiz, and there is no Leica M combination that will ever come close to this range with only 3 lens and for ~$5000. And the optics are outstanding. I am reaping this praise because I have been a Canon shooter and was only going to buy this camera as a Stopgap until the M8 started to ship, but now as much as I like the thought of a M8, I can not see a need for it. The D3 will be the foundation for a great camera outfit. Yes the Canon is better for a very fast moving sporting event, but other that that I will go with the L1, I have not used a Canon anything since I purchased the camera. I did the firmware update and now I shoot only in Raw mode on the L1. I convert using the supplied software, which is very good or Camera Raw in PS. I have heard som people grumble about image noise, and I had to laugh, have they ever used 1600 iso film? I shot at the Air Force Museum hand held at 1600 to test and it came out great. Yes, there was noise, I am a Canon User also, so I know about noise free images. But after I converted from Raw and applied the Noise Ninja profile that I had already created noise was not an issue in the Finished print. I will attach the file. Images at 100-400 ISO noise is not even an issue and on images that are exposed properly. From a technical, quality, value and image quality standpoint this camera is hard to beat. I understand that if someone has Leica glass that they want to use, then the M8 is the way to go. But other than that I would chose the D3 or L1, to build a system on. If someone need examples of images I will be happy to post. BTW, I have NEVER had a paying customer mention IMAGE noise or ask what camera did I use, if the image was captivating. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spylaw4 Posted November 5, 2006 Author Share #6 Posted November 5, 2006 Interesting comments Fred, thanks. Sounds like the sort of outfit that ultimately I would be aiming for. Nice to hear that the upgraded firmware produces even better results than the samples so far. Let's see more good-sized images particularly using the wide-angle! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enrique Santa Posted November 5, 2006 Share #7 Posted November 5, 2006 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thank you for your first impresions Brian. I´m waiting the calling of my shop to put my hands in one......will you put a link to the picture forum here? Fred, I will be very glad if you show us some pics of ypur cam at 400, 800iso. Thank you very much both. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fboyd Posted November 5, 2006 Share #8 Posted November 5, 2006 I have posted 400-800 ISO images. Keep in mine that all images were shot hand helded and ususally around 1/4 to 1/8 shutter speed. So if they are not as sharp as they should I couldn't hold my breath long enough for the shot. LOL. Yahoo! Photos - flbdig's Photos Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spylaw4 Posted November 6, 2006 Author Share #9 Posted November 6, 2006 Fred, the images are good but they all come out too small on my screen. Would it be possible for you to post a selection in the appropriate section(s) of the Photo Forum? Enrique the link that I think you want is this http://www.leica-camera-user.com/other/8627-d3-initial-shots.html. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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