[Leica] SL redux, day1

[jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols)]

Very nice work, Doug.  All of the shots are great, but, I agree with 
Tina, the best shot is the one with the pomegranate.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA

On 1/7/2017 11:28 AM, Doug Herr wrote:
> Yesterday was my first full day with the SL and 90-280mm zoom.  The SL is 
> unchanged since I first tried it a year ago, what's new (for me) is the 
> lens.  Given the storms and family obligations for the next several days 
> it will probably be another week or more before I can use the camera more.
>
> Recapping my initial thoughts about the SL: the solid construction, 
> responsiveness, file richness, the simple, configurable, no-nonsense 
> control layout, and viewfinder (with one exception) continue to delight me.
>
> I'm still annoyed by the inability to make the viewfinder's exposure 
> preview mode permanent; it's enabled by a half-press of the shutter switch 
> or can be configured to be activated by the fn button (where the DOF 
> preview button is on Leicaflexes).  The viewfinder reverts to automatic 
> brightness after each exposure.  If the subject and background are similar 
> tones, no big deal.  OTOH if there's much difference between the subject 
> and background tones it can be very distracting particularly when using 
> spot metering and the subject is dancing around the field of view, as 
> avian subjects often do.
>
> The 90-280 is spectacular, nearly as good as the 280/4 APO.  I haven't 
> seen any color fringes either spherochromatic (color fringes in OOF 
> high-contrast objects) or laterally.  This lens would do well with a 
> higher-resolution sensor.  Much higher.  Which brings up a problem: 
> aliasing and moire.
>
> Feather detail, a very sharp lens and a sensor without AA filter can be a 
> difficult combination to work with.  Moire-reducing software and 
> occasional cloning out scrambled pixels become necessary for the best 
> quality files.  This is less a problem with the Sony a7II which has a 
> similar-sized sensor and an AA filter.  I still see some color aliasing 
> when using the 280/4 APO on the Sony but not nearly as much as the 90-280 
> on the SL.  Combine the Sony with the Canon FD 500mm f/4.5 L and color 
> aliasing is never a problem, in part because the lens has some lateral 
> chromatic aberration, correctable with software.
>
> My test subjects were familiar birds in my yard, lured within range of a 
> 280mm lens with seed, water and fruit.  This was my first opportunity to 
> try the SL's AF in the field.  I found that the most reliable use of this 
> feature was single-point manual focus, which means that a touch of the 
> joystick focusses the lens at the focussing point.  The SL's AF is quick 
> and quiet and assuming it locks onto the right target its accuracy leaves 
> nothing to be desired.  No micro-adjustment ever required.
>
> As I expected, the AF system focuses on the nearest point within its AF 
> area meaning the bird's shoulder or wing and not necessarily its eye.  
> Manual fine-focus is possible by pressing the lower-left key on the 
> camera's back, with brings up 3x or 5x magnification in the viewfinder in 
> two steps.  I find that 3x is an excellent compromise that allows critical 
> focus over a significant area of the image.  I wish the Sony offered this 
> option instead of jumping directly to 5x.  I also wish the SL would offer 
> the 3x option with the joystick button when using non-electronic lenses.
>
> When using a native lens the lower-left key is the only option for 
> bringing up viewfinder magnification, so I have to take my left hand away 
> from the focussing ring, move it to the camera's back to press the key, 
> then back to the focussing ring.  Not the most effective technique.  Maybe 
> I can train my nose to press the key.  The 90-280 is a focus-by-wire lens; 
> the zoom is mechanical.  Both rings rotate smoothly and the resistance of 
> the two rings is identical.  When using manual focus the focusing ring is 
> sensitive to the rate of turning the ring: quick rotation = large changes, 
> slow rotation = small changes.  Very nice.
>
> The lens's optical stabilization works well, probably better than the 
> Sony's sensor stabilization, but subject motion is the limiting factor 
> more often than the stabilization technology.  In practical use the Sony's 
> stabilization would have done just as well.
>
> Enough words, show some pictures!
>
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/temp/L1000046_crop.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/temp/L1000065_crop.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/temp/L1000091_crop.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/temp/L1000108_crop.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/temp/L1000116.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/temp/L1000131_crop.jpg
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com/temp/L1000206_crop.jpg
>
> Doug Herr
> Birdman of Sacramento
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com
> http://doug-herr.fineartamerica.com
>
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