Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2016/02/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I've read a lot of comparisons and reviews that were not nearly as clear cut in pointing out strengths and weaknesses. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Jim Nichols Tullahoma, TN USA On 2/29/2016 9:55 PM, Doug Herr wrote: > The SL has been in my possession for about a month now so I've gathered a > few of my thoughts about this camera, and how it compares with my current > equipment, the Sony a7II. > > General impressions: the SL is a very solid, well-made camera. It's > significantly heavier than the a7II, and it fits the hand extremely well > especially when wearing gloves (which I cannot say for the a7II). The > viewfinder is outstanding, with one complaint which I'll get to. The > camera overall is very responsive and reasonably quiet, the files have > rich full color and will take a lot of abuse without falling apart and the > noise at higher ISO settings is manageable. The noise pattern, unlike the > a7II, is quite pleasing. > > The stuff I don't like: the viewfinder's default mode is 'automatic > brightness', which can be overridden temporarily to 'exposure preview'. It > always reverts to 'automatic brightness' after each exposure. I'd much > prefer the 'exposure preview' mode to be sticky. This is how I've set up > the a7II; this way I can use the entire viewfinder as an exposure meter in > manual mode. It makes spot, full-field and matrix modes look primitive and > IMHO is among the really big advantages of an EVF. Leica needs to do a > firmware update to fix a few other issues notably lens profiles so I hope > they fix this as well and SOON. > > My biggest complaint about the SL: no sensor stabilization. I'm smitten > with the a7II's sensor stabilization. I can use all of my old lenses, > stabilized. It's allowed me to push a lot of boundaries while my muscles > have weakened with age and abuse, and are no longer as steady as they used > to be. The Leica SL doesn't have sensor stabilization. In good light when > I use a big Series 5 Gitzo my FD 500mm L is brilliant on the SL. Gorgeous > colors, easy to focus, and with software correction for lateral chromatic > aberration it's sharp sharp sharp sharp sharp. > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/anatidae/anas/gwteal04.html > > Using the lens on the a7II, I can brace the lens against my truck's window > frame in sh!tty rainy light with wind shaking the truck and the images are > nearly as good as with the SL in good light on the Gitzo. The Sony's > colors aren't as rich, the files don't take as much abuse, but they're > sharp in conditions that don't work with the SL. > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/accipitridae/circus/noharr14.html > > I can partially compensate with the SL's excellent high-ISO capabilities > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/sphyrapicus/rbsaps03.html (ISO > 3200) > > but... the Sony's stabilization makes magnified focussing with the 500mm > lens much easier, and fast shutter speeds mean I don't show rain streaks > like I can with the Sony's slower shutter speeds (i.e., the Northern > Harrier photo above). > > What the SL can do the Sony can't touch: the camera is quick and > responsive at all shutter speeds. I can make the a7II adequately > responsive by enabling electronic first shutter curtain but with my > mechanical lenses it's good only up to 1/1000 sec. At faster shutter > speeds I get uneven exposure. The SL is quick, quiet and responsive at > every shutter speed. > > The Sony is a sturdy, reliable camera, the SL will take a beating that > would destroy most other cameras. > > The SL's LCD doesn't show nose prints. I tried to deliberately make nose > prints. Can't do it. > > There are numerous little differences that come down to personal > preference, for example the SL allows me to change shutter speeds while in > magnified view, with a dial that's almost a real shutter speed dial. The > Sony's dial moves the magnified box. > > The Sony leaves a lot more stuff in my wallet. Aside from the purchase > price, spare batteries don't cost $250 each and I can get them at Fry's. > I'm struck by a comparison of the a7II with the Canon FD 300mm f/4 L and > the SL with the 280mm f/4 APO-Telyt-R. Either lens can be used on either > camera but this is an extreme for illustrative purposes. The a7II + FD > 300 L is a decent camera; the lens now, with digital image processing not > available in 1990, is better than when it was new. It's not an APO-Telyt, > but quite good. The a7II+300L is about 2 kg. The SL+280 APO is about 3 > kg, 50% heavier than the a7II combo. > > Did I mention the Sony leaves a lot more stuff in my wallet? There's an > order of magnitude difference in the entry ticket. An ORDER OF MAGNITUDE. > Is there an order of magnitude difference in the output? An order of > magnitude difference in image sales potential? Given sales lately I'd > have to answer an emphatic NO to the last question, which leaves the > subjective and unquantifiable differences. Not to mention being able to > say "oh shucks" and head over to eBay if I drop the camera in the ocean > instead of panicking about the expense of repairs and the months of > downtime when the 280 develops a sticky aperture. > > Except for two features the SL is much more enjoyable to use. The first > is the SL's #%@! automatic viewfinder brightness default. Please Leica, > make the 'exposure preview' mode a sticky option! The second is the > a7II's sensor stabilization. This is where I see the biggest differences > between the SL's output and the a7II's output. This feature on the a7II > pushed me off the buy/wait fence. > > Both of these cameras have numerous capabilities that I haven't begun to > try, but for my uses the Leica SL isn't quite "there", and I say this as a > die-hard Leica user for the last 35 years. A firmware update with an > option to make the 'exposure preview' mode sticky would be a serious > threat to my wallet; given a hardware upgrade with a stabilized sensor, > resistance would be futile. > > For a first-generation product it's outstanding and with the two fixes > I've mentioned I'd be ecstatic. As it is when I grab a camera to head out > the door it's most likely the a7II for the lower weight, the stabilized > sensor, the exposure preview viewfinder and the much lower worry about > loss or damage. > > > Doug Herr > Birdman of Sacramento > http://www.wildlightphoto.com > http://doug-herr.fineartamerica.com > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >