Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/12/03

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Subject: [Leica] Leica Long Lenses on Digital Canon SLRs
From: nathan.wajsman at planet.nl (Nathan Wajsman)
Date: Fri Dec 3 10:05:38 2004
References: <c5fdcdc5a48b.c5a48bc5fdcd@planet.nl> <F841B00E-4518-11D9-A4B1-000A95C33F68@dodo.com.au>

Rick,

The way I decided whether putting Leica lenses on a DSLR was very 
similar to what you suggest. A friend with a Canon 10D was visiting me 
in the summer, and I looked through the viewfinder with his Canon 100mm 
lens attached. I concluded that I could focus at f2.8, f4 and f5.6 with 
relative ease, and that therefore the Leica 100mm macro and a Canon 
would be a viable combination for me.

I feel like I can have the best of both worlds now: with the Canon 
lenses (which are very good and quite inexpensive) I can have the 
convenience of autofocus, and frankly, that is what I use most of the 
time. But when I want to photograph nature and enjoy that Leica glass 
magic, I just put the Leica lens on the Canon.

I played with the R8+digital back at Photokina and did not like the 
ergonomics. The back is quite thick, so to get my eye reasonably close 
to the viewfinder I had to squish my nose and mouth against the back. It 
felt awkward and uncomfortable. For that kind of money I would rather 
have one of 1-series Canon DSLRs.

Nathan

Rick Dykstra wrote:
> OK, I see.  Thanks Nathan.  Most of my nature shots are taken wide open 
> too, or one stop smaller, to keep the shutter speed up.
> 
> If I wanted to gauge how the viewfinder would look with Leica lenses 
> attached would it be reasonable to just go the camera store and look 
> through a digi Canon with a Canon lens attached, stopping down too to 
> simulate stop down metering and focussing?  The answer's 'Yes', I'm sure.
> 
> Leica's marketing position is that the DMR plus a new R9 will be less 
> expensive than a top line Canon digi body.  If still true in about a 
> year when DMRs should be freely available the lack of work-arounds could 
> make it attractive.  One thing's for sure - it's going to be good to 
> read user reports on the DMR here.
> 
> Did I read that someone on the LUG got their hands on one for a play?  
> Sorry, I mean some serious prototype testing.  :)
> 
> Rick.
> 
-- 
Nathan Wajsman
Almere, The Netherlands

General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com
Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com



In reply to: Message from nathan.wajsman at planet.nl (nathan.wajsman@planet.nl) ([Leica] Leica Long Lenses on Digital Canon SLRs)
Message from rdcb37 at dodo.com.au (Rick Dykstra) ([Leica] Leica Long Lenses on Digital Canon SLRs)