[Leica] Photo Expo 2012

[alal at poly.edu (A. Lal)]

Just got back from a very interesting day at PhotoExpo 2012.

I was very interested in the new Typ 240 and the R to M adaptor. According 
to sales staff  the Typ 240s on display were prototypes where focus assist 
in live view did not work well. An 80 Summilux R was available to test with 
the R adaptor. It was very hard to focus the 80 with the external electronic 
finder.  By way of comparison I find it easier to focus an AI Nikkor 
manually on my D800E. Perhaps production bodies will be improved with regard 
to electronic focus assist, but as of now I certainly would not call this a 
'satisfactory' solution.

The R adaptor is simply a (well made) tube with a female R mount at one end 
and a male M mount at the other. The tripod socket is non-detachable. The 
old 2228 tube or one of the Novoflex R to M adopters ought to function 
equally well. Lack of  diaphragm stop down is disappointing. On the plus 
side live view focussing (or what passes for it) at working aperture will 
eliminate the effects of focus shift.   On the next model Leica needs to go 
over to a hybrid electro-optical finder so that live view does not require 
an external attachment, and they need to find a way to get better resolution 
in live view to make focussing easier.

Overall, I came away with mixed feelings about the Typ 240. Focus with live 
view was not as easy as I would have liked; of course, with M lenses if was 
just fine. The M system and its lenses are so much smaller than full frame 
DSLRs like the D800E that I really want to get one. Let's hope production 
cameras offer better live view operation.

 BTW, I stopped off at Novoflex and enquired about M mount adaptors. 
Novoflex do offer Canon FD and EOS to M and Nikon  F to M, so the big two 
are covered. No Contarex or Alpa Reflex to M adaptors are contemplated as 
sales would be too low.  I was also told that old Novoflex Follow-Focus 
lenses can no longer be repaired or updated due to lack of optical cells 
which were made for Novoflex by Agfa - I would never have guessed Agfa in a 
million years.

CZ had an example of the new 135/2.0 in EOS mount. On a 5DII manual focus 
was straightforward, even with the default screen. Two examples of the new 
high resolution 55/1.4 were on display and they are huge for their 
specification,  about the size of a Hasselblad 50/2.8 lens. A wide angle, 
perhaps 28mm, and a short tele will follow. The sales rep claimed that they 
would do justice to the new generation of high MP sensor from Nikon and 
Canon.

Nikon had the new 70-200/4.0 zoom on display. It is significantly lighter 
than the 2.8 zoom and handled very well on the D800E. This lens really 
impressed me. I may well sell off my 70-200/2.8 VRII and get this one in its 
place. Deliveries are expected to begin in late November.

Regards,
Akhil