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A different alternative for using R lenses.


farnz

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Since the sad news that there will not be an R10, like many others I'm left wondering how to use my R lenses with a digital camera.

 

While there are adaptors available for using them on Canon cameras and replaceable mounts for using them on Nikon and Pentax cameras, I'd heard good things about the Foveon sensor that's now owned by Sigma and I'd wanted to try it for myself.

 

Thanks to another thread on this forum posted by Andy Barton I've managed to acquire a Sigma DP-14 modified with a Leica R mount, which will take virtually all of my R lenses.

 

For those who aren't familiar with the Foveon sensor, it's completely different to all other sensors because it reads all the colour channel information at different depths in the same photosite (pixel). Different colours (wavelengths) of light travel through the same medium at different speeds and will therefore reach different depths in the same medium at the same moment. (This happens inherently in glass, which is why APO lenses were designed to compensate.)

 

The attraction of the Foveon sensor (for me) is that it doesn't need an anti-aliasing filter and it doesn't need a Bayer array to split the colours because true, natural colour information is separately captured in each photo site. The SD-14's sensor a 4.6 MP Fovean sensor that Sigma rates as a 14.1 MP sensor because all 3 colours are read from the same photosite.

 

I was astounded at the vibrant colours in the Sigma's raw files, which are so different from the typically drab colours in raw files from conventional sensors that are covered with Bayer arrays.

 

I've included below three photos I took with the Sigma SD-14 and my 90 f/2.8 Elmarit-R. The photos were converted from raw and have had no colour saturation during post processing. I only converted them into LAB colour space, adjusted exposure slightly and sharpened for the 'web.

 

Comments are welcome.

 

Pete.

 

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Some great looking pictures there. The colour is really astounding. Although I've not made use of such a combination, I've only heard good things about them. A Flickr contact of mine, Leicamensch uses such a combination and I've been continuously impressed by his images. There's the three dimensionality you would get from film and R series lenses with the convenience of digital. But as many have pointed out, Sigma make "photographer's" cameras (i.e. they are light on the consumer menu systems and conveniences one would get in a canikon).

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Those are very nice shots. Did you increase saturation, or is this the default processing?

 

I too have acquired a Sigma 14 with an R mount and have taken a few shots. Reminds me of the older Kodak back and the Kodak SLRc For the latter I use with a canon to R adapter.

I usually use a MF for travel but really like the R lens look. Coupled with the Foveon, the colors are more film like and saturated. For florals, it seems a great choice.

 

 

I am sure there WILL be a Leica with R adapter not the S2 more likely a cut dowm S2-like SLR (with AF lenses). But the assumption is that there would be an R adapter.as long as the registry distance allows.

 

In the meantime these alternatives will give significant life to these. I also have a DMR and do not miss the extra MP, too much :-)

 

In a few days I will share another appraoch, one that has a 60MP Leica "R" (NOT stiching)

 

regards

Victor

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Richard, 'Story', and Victor, thanks for your kind compliments.

 

 

Richard,

 

Your friend has some very nice shots on Flickr - and a shed-load of lovely lenses! :D

 

 

Victor,

 

I used no saturation during the post processing (I didn't need to! :)) I just pulled the raw .XF3 files into LAB colour space to increase the available gamut, slightly adjusted the exposure and sharpened for the web. The shot were taken at ISO 50 to maximise signal to noise ratio from the sensor, which may have helped to produce the vivid colours and the film-like look you mentioned.

 

Incidentally, I've found that pulling SD14 raw files into Photoshop with Adobe Bridge is MUCH quicker than using the painfully slow proprietary PhotoPro software. <Smaaash! as the Photo Pro disk hits the waste basket.>

 

The 60 MB Leica sounds interesting - a Leica S1 perhaps?

 

Pete.

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And who is converting Sigmas into R lens mounts? Or is this something Sigma offers (I thought they were Nikon mount cameras)?

As Charlie says, it's Sigma Cum Laude in California, which is run by Luis Guevara who seems knowledgeable on Sigma cameras in general and Lieca-R lenses. His site contains other examples shot with combinations of SD-14, SD-9, Leica, Zeiss, Schneider and Rodenstock lenses.

 

Pete.

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Richard, 'Story', and Victor, thanks for your kind compliments.

 

 

 

 

Victor,

 

 

The 60 MB Leica sounds interesting - a Leica S1 perhaps?

 

Pete.

 

No,

The bad news is that you get SOME vignetting..

 

The good news, is that the center is pretty good..

 

This is the Leica "R" Modular 800mm with Phase P65+ and a LOT of RRS 'optical bench-like' arrangement to cut vibration.

I'll post a pix when I can

 

Victor

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oops sorry. forgot it was Prophoto rgb! (I forgot to go to sRGB) so color is WAY off :-)

but you get the idea.

this is a 250k jpg from a 350MB !!! file this is VERY printsable. The shot was 150 feet away. You get 800mm equivalent in the center and ok, only about 40MP usable, but heck I;ll take a 40MP "R" camera anyday, and I don't have to wait or even buy an S2. :-)

 

Ok when I get the image you will see that this is, I am told a UNIQUE camera (there beingt one so far) put if you have a back and "R" lenses and want to get lots of MPs working, I'll tell you how,

It ain't cheap, but about 1/10 the price of an S2.

 

regards

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oops sorry. forgot it was Prophoto rgb! (I forgot to go to sRGB) so color is WAY off :-)

but you get the idea.

this is a 250k jpg from a 350MB !!! file this is VERY printsable. The shot was 150 feet away. You get 800mm equivalent in the center and ok, only about 40MP usable, but heck I;ll take a 40MP "R" camera anyday, and I don't have to wait or even buy an S2. :-)

 

Ok when I get the image you will see that this is, I am told a UNIQUE camera (there beingt one so far) put if you have a back and "R" lenses and want to get lots of MPs working, I'll tell you how,

It ain't cheap, but about 1/10 the price of an S2.

 

regards

 

would be interesting to see the S2 crop lines on this vs FF35mm lines..

I am thinking that one day the S2 lenses may be fit via a rollei type lens adapter to a tech camera with the 65 or equivalent back..that would be awesome.. less falloff but great image quality.

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With a 1.7 crop, every lens is a sports tele lens!

 

I wonder if the solution for R lens users is the next Sigma model, full frame, with an R mount? Focus confirmation is nice.

Rick,

 

The next Sigma flagship model, I believe, is the SD-15, which uses the same Fovean X3 sensor but has introduced a new parallel processor with 3 individual cores, one dedicated to each colour channel to speed up processing. While this seems like a good idea, the information I have is that particularly when shooting in bursts the 3 cores do not synchronize well and vertical striping artifacts occur. This has already been noticed in the DP2, Sigma's pocket camera, which uses the same processor, and uptake has been slow.

 

I'vw not heard of plans by Sigma to go FF at this stage although, now that it owns the Fovean technology, who knows which way it'll go.

 

Pete.

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Does anyone know the burst speed for this body?

I only shoot raw so I haven't used it in burst mode but the SD-14 manual states:

 

High mode: 3 frames per second for 6 frames

Medium mode: 3 frames per second for 12 frames

Low mode: 3 frames per second for 24 frames

 

(Jpeg) Resolution is:

 

[super high: 4608 x 3072]

High: 2640 x 1706

Medium: 1776 x 1184

Low: 1296 x 864

 

Pete.

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