Leica Q - First Test Shots

My X2 and a couple M lenses are now on the chopping block to pay for the Leica Q. Superb little camera and an excellent successor to the X series.

I've only had the Q for a day now. Here's a selection of my first few shots around the house and office.

Click to enlarge:

 

"Detail Oriented" vs. "Perfectionist Gearhead"

So...I preordered the Sony A7r. 

A friend asked why I needed a camera with such a big sensor and high pixel count, which is a very good question. My answer wasn't just "because I'm a gearhead"...though that is partly true and would have helped me avoid a lot of typing.

I have a pocket camera I have with me every day that has a 12.1MP 1/1.7" MOS Sensor paired with a 28-200mm equivalent zoom and I find its output quite acceptable for most things...especially considering it really does fit in my pants pocket! (Most "pocket cams" are HUGE.)
The sensor size limits its dynamic range, noise floor, low light capability and DOF rendering but it's still fine for a good third of the kinds of things I like to photograph and its easy to always have with me.

But if I'm going to climb to the top of a volcano in Hawaii (next February) to capture amazing vistas or go trekking through a temple in Belize to discover the ancient Mayan genius loci, which is on my "to do" list, I'm bringing the best camera I have paired with the best glass I have because I want the best dynamic range, the lowest noise floor and highest detail possible. You can always downsample, resize or crop if you want but you can never "add back" what isn't there in the first place. I figure, hey, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing to the best possible result.
 
The critical thing for me right now is I want the sensor to resolve slightly better than the lens, which is no small task considering I have some superb glass right now.

Admittedly, over a certain density, say 20MP or so, the number of pixels is unimportant - especially if the pixel size is too small! That new 40mp smartphone can only produce 5MP images that aren't a smeary mess - the rest are for oversampling but, hey, consumers think "more megapixels are better" - definitely not true for small sensors.

The new Sony A7r looks about right for my needs based on the full-size images I've looked at - plus it's about five thousand dollars less than the Leica M 240 which, until the A7r came around, was my only upgrade path from my Leica M9.
If I had a different set of lenses, the Nikon D800e would probably appeal to me for the same reasons.
The A7r's tiny flange distance is also great because it means I can use ALL my glass, including current Leica, Voigtlander and MS Optical M-mount lenses as well as legacy lenses like my vintage Carl Zeiss Jena wide-angles (20mm, 25mm & 28mm) and the venerable Minolta MC Rokkor 58mm f/1.2 (best bokeh ever).

The largest prints I currently have made is 12"x18" though I've only done a dozen or so that size...at least so far. There's a few images of mine I'd like to print really big say 2'X3' but we'll see.

The Leica C (Panasonic LF1) Is The Perfect Pocket Camera!

As much as I love my Leica M9-P, I can't carry it with me 24/7...and that's where the Panasonic LX5 used to come in. The main problem was that it was not exactly "pocketable" (even less so with the EVF attached) but more of a "big coat pocket camera". The venerable LX5 had seen a lot of use and was getting a bit long-in-the-tooth. I'd been looking for a replacement and had been looking carefully at the Panasonic LX7 and, when it was introduced a few months ago, the Panasonic LF1. At the time, the most striking thing about the LF1 was the reach it had for something that size - 28mm-200mm (full-frame equivalent)!

When Leica announced their version of the LF1 recently for a $200 mark-up, it was a no-brainer as the body style was much nicer and I needed a copy of Lightroom 5 (which is normally about $150 by itself). Plus, I preferred a warranty through Leica rather than Panasonic as they've been so very helpful over the years with my M8, M9 and M lenses, often going that extra mile for me.

Though it only arrived today, I've been having a real blast with the C! In my opinion it is certainly a step up from the LX5 in terms of telephoto reach and photo quality. It's no M9 obviously but, turned off with its lens collapsed, it is exceedingly tiny and really can live in my pants pocket 24/7. Being able to tether it to a tablet or phone is also a welcome bit of utility that I'm sure I'll use.

I love the macro capabilities, the decent low-light ability, the RAW file capability and the presence of a EVF on something this tiny. For what it's worth, the EVF won't win any prizes but it certainly does the job in bright light and that's all I need it for.

I'll be putting the Leica C through its paces with more rigor very soon but, in the meantime, I'm very pleased with the results!

Click for larger images:

Still Loving The X2!

For its size, the Leica X2 is an absolutely stunning performer. Now, six months after getting mine, I'm still loving it! The photo quality rivals and, in some instances, exceeds that of my best cameras, including the M9! The vibrant color and sharpness of the images right out of the camera is still so uncanny. The RAW files just seem to have a ton of dynamic range!
The X2 has also been a real winner on family trips and vacations - lugging the Canon 5D mkII and lenses across the Pacific was a pain-in-the-ass due to its bulk and weight so it was a great relief to just take the X2 the second time around!

This is my X2 decked out with the Rainbow Imaging half case, filter adapter tube and hood:

My previous X2 article can be found here.

The Leica M9

Okay, I admit it, I was driven to check out the Leica digital rangefinder cameras because of the great time I've been having and the excellent photos I've been taking with their little X2 point-and-shoot! (See my X2 review if you'd like.)

The rangefinder paradigm is admittedly not for everybody but if you ever fell in love with shooting 35mm film on a Contax or a Zeiss Ikon, the M9 might be just the perfect digital camera for you!

The body is solid and the build quality is unequaled. A perfect fit in the hand with just the right amount of heft, it's great to know that highly engineered objects of this kind of precision and quality are still being made! You'd be hard pressed to find any plastic on this camera! Let me just get this out of the way now: The Leica does indeed cost a bundle but is worth every penny. Also, for what it's worth, the new M-E version is $1500 cheaper than the M9 though it is, for all intents and purposes, identical. Used M9s are even better deals, especially if you find one with a low shutter count.

I shot Canon gear for years and finally, after some considerable time hands-on with Leica rangefinders, I've completely liquidated my 5DmkII and a bunch of Canon "L" lenses. The M9, a spare battery and three lenses all fit in a tiny camera bag that only weighs a few pounds! Compared to the bag I used to lug my DSLR and lenses around in, this is practically effortless, plus it's much more discrete to carry as well as shoot. The compactness of the M9 is unrivaled. People don't react in the same way to the M9 as they did to my huge DLSR - they're more relaxed and comfortable. This thing just doesn't look that imposing. ;)

The Leica M lenses are simply phenomenal! They're extremely sharp, even in the extreme corners (where my Canon L glass didn't fare so well). These lenses are sharp and contrasty even when shot at wide open apertures and that even applies to the wide-angle lenses! The 50mm Summicron and 35mm Summilux have been excellent partners for this camera, though my favorite is the 21mm ultra-wide Elmarit as it's helped me to capture stunning landscapes and seascapes in contrast and clarity I could only dream of before.

The CCD sensor in the M9 and the new M-E buck the CMOS trend of most modern digital cameras and certainly affords the Leica a unique image signature that is absolutely lovely. Overall, I've found it to be very film-like. From my own experience, I've noticed that the M9's files require much less post-processing than my Canons or any of my other cameras.

If size and image quality are paramount, and you like the rather considered process of using a rangefinder with a manual focus lens, then maybe the Leica M9 or M-E is a good fit for you. It's certainly worth trying as it is so radically different to a DSLR. Though a good photographer can take a great picture with just about any camera, a superb one like this certainly makes it a lot easier to get the results and consistency I want.

Rent one, see if you like it, and if you do, save up and buy a used one from a reputable dealer like I did. :)

I've attached a few images below - click on them for larger versions:

The Leica X2

I had been looking for a fun/elegant/simple camera for when I didn't feel the love of lugging my large and heavy DSLR kit around. The decision finally came down to a choice between the Leica X2 and the Fuji X100. I chose the X2 for the color balance, image sharpness and overall quality build...I wasn't really convinced by the X100.

A fixed lens combined with simple, elegant aperture and shutter speed controls make for an engaging and compelling connection with the photo-making process reminiscent of a 35mm film camera.

Having used it for almost a week now, I'm honestly blown away by the quality of the experience...and the pictures! The images require almost no post-processing at all. Gorgeous right out of the camera!

Please click on the images for larger views: