[Leica] R-Series Reality

[imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser)]

Great summary Leonard.

I can only add that I don't agree that the DMR or M8 were sub-optimal when 
they arrived.
The DMR remains the only and therefore optimal digital choice for using R 
lenses in their fully operational modes.
And of course, while the M9 has replaced the M8 as optimal in the use of M 
lenses in digital capture;
the M8 was optimal before the M9's arrival; and remains a very viable and 
capable tool.

Regards,
George Lottermoser 
george at imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com/blog
http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist





On Oct 6, 2010, at 10:06 PM, Leonard J Kapner wrote:

> George,
> 
>> From my perspective, that of an "affluent amateur", I concur with your 
>> practical, sensible conclusions.
> 
> I've been a Leica rangefinder photographer since the mid-50s and a reflex 
> photographer since the early 80s. Over this period of time, I have 
> assembled a nice range of lenses for both systems and have used them 
> more-or-less successfully for my fine art photography.
> 
> When the M8 arrived in the marketplace, I concluded it was a sub-optimal 
> solution and chose not to purchase, preferring to continue using film in 
> my Ms. With the release of the M9, I bit and I bought. I've owned the M9 
> almost a year and I am 100% satisfied with it - a beautiful translation of 
> Leica rangefinder ergonomics to the digital domain. I've kept the M7 but 
> the M6 is now history.
> 
> When the DM-R arrived in the marketplace, as with the M8 I considered it 
> to be a sub-optimal solution and so chose to "wait", continuing to use my 
> film R8s with my suite of lenses. Along the way, I purchased a Canon 5D 
> Mark II to "test" my Leica R glass with a full-frame CMOS body, and found 
> it to be a cumbersome, fussy, incomplete solution, particularly for the 
> wide-angle primes.
> 
> Next, I briefly modified several of my R lenses with Leitax adapter kits 
> so that I could mate them to a Nikon D700 owned by my wife. Although most 
> of the lenses I own are apparently convertible and usable, their 
> functionality is severely hampered by the lack of focus features, a 
> well-known limitation. And once modified, they can't be used on my R8s!
> 
> With some anticipation then, i awaited Leica's presence at Photokina, as 
> the "underground" was buzzing about a full-frame EVIL solution that might 
> preserve R series lens full functionality. After having read the 
> translated remarks of Leica executives at the press conference, I am not 
> encouraged that there is likely to be a digital solution for R Series 
> customers in the near to medium term.
> 
> What to do? After reading the LUG diligently and thinking about this 
> matter for some time, I've concluded that the best decision is to DO 
> NOTHING! 
> 
> If I'm compelled to shoot digital by convenience, cost and ease of use, I 
> have the 5D Mark II and a small but nice range of Canon "L" prime glass 
> that seems to me the near equivalent of my Leica lenses. 
> 
> I also have a 4,000dpi transparency scanner that keeps staring me down 
> every time I light up our photo computer. And I have my R8s and an under 
> counter fridge with more than a year's worth of E-6 of various brands. So, 
> the reality for me is this:
> 
> When I need digital capture technology, I have a good system at hand that 
> is easy to use and produces reliable, technically excellent images when 
> used properly. When I want that special "Leica look" that's available with 
> lenses like the magnificent 19mm, the incredibly sharp APO Macro 100mm and 
> the unbeatable 180mm - I'll shoot film and be grateful there are still 
> many fine labs that can process the E-6 for me. Just as I have for 50+ 
> years, I can certainly wait patiently for the few days it takes to process 
> and return my transparencies. And when and if there's a worthy image that 
> appears in my work, I'll scan the transparency and print it big, so that I 
> can really enjoy it!
> 
> Now, if Leica surprises me with a proper R series digital solution 
> sometime in the future, I'll look carefully and if it's the right thing to 
> do, I'll probably buy, to extend the usable life and value of my lenses. 
> Instead of complaining about how long it took them, I'll express my 
> gratitude for remembering all of us out here beyond the Solms city limits 
> who invested hard-earned funds to acquire and use the best tools 
> available, with the expectation that the excellence of Leica's legacy 
> customer support, across the board, would be at least equal to their 
> optical engineering, still the standard of the photographic world.
> 
> Thanks for your patience... now let's get out and make some photographs!
> 
> Len Kapner
> 
> ---
> 
> On Oct 6, 2010, at 6:13 PM, George Lottermoser wrote:
> 
>> If and when the DMR dies I will not consider using R lenses on the 5D as 
>> my main professional tools.
>> I'd have to move to a new system. Either adding Canon Primes or Moving to 
>> Nikon.
>> While I'm told that the live view on the 5D II makes fine focusing 
>> possible;
>> I have a hard time imagining working this way for portraits, action, etc.
>> 
>> My only real hope is that the current or future Cmos chips begin to 
>> perform as well as the DMR CCD;
>> and that C or N develop a view finder as bright and clear as the R8.
>> 
>> These systems are designed as systems
>> and while it's fun to hang every sort of glass from each
>> and other systems on our C, O, P and N bodies;
>> and just because we can;
>> it's not a practical solution for professional production work IMO.
> 
> 
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