[Leica] Big SL Lens ( DIameter) explanation

[jbmmllug at jbm.org (Jeff Moore)]

I like the SL enough that for two years running I've rented an SL and
at least one of its official lenses to cover the annual WFMU
Fundraising Marathon.

It's pretty heavy (the body is really an exceptionally dense block of
metal) and the lenses are just not anything like compact...  but I had
a really high hit rate, an unusually high percentage of technically
good photos (so my edit time included less technical culling and more
just choosing favorites) shooting with the SL and those lenses.

For 2016 the SL lens I rented was the 24-90 zoom:

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/jbm0/albums/72157665752167155

In 2017, I rented the SL 50mm Summilux:

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/jbm0/albums/72157677882464254

(There'll also be M240 pictures and SL pictures with other lenses
mixed in there, but the named lenses were used for the bulk of each
year and the EXIF data will tell you which).

My observations:

    I really like the SL as a picture-taking machine, but I can't at
this time justify buying it or carrying it around every day.  I expect
to continue to rent one for high-picture-volume events.

    I'm not in general a fan of zooms, and I have prejudice against
variable-maximum-aperture zooms;  but I came to like the 24-90/2.8-4 a
lot.  It's definitely the lens I got the highest proportion of keepers
with.

    I like the look of the pictures with the 50/1.4, but I definitely
had more technically-imperfect pictures shooting with it than with the
24-90.  And it's nearly as big and heavy!

-Jeff

On Mon, Jan 15, 2018 at 10:15 PM, Robert Adler <rgacpa at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Don,
> I tried the SL with my M lenses and the Leica SL-M adapter. I had a very
> hard time getting quick focus with that. Emphasis on quick. I used various
> methods: having the SL save a jpeg BW file which put the viewfinder in BW
> mode, different colors to highlight in focus areas(focus peaking I think
> it's called), view enlargement, etc. No love. Just couldn't do it as fast
> as a rangefinder for critical focus (on eyes) at low apertures. And the
> autofocus, though it worked marvelously was difficult for accurate wide
> open focusing on moving subjects (dog, grands, even others who simply may
> have moved their heads).
>
> I do think the SL is a fantastic travel kit. Putting that 90-280 on your
> belt in a lens case and resting the SL with the 24-90 on it would be a
> fantastic travel kit! But alas I don't travel that much to warrant the
> system. I find the M much more to my liking (even with an old Nocti glued
> to it). Very simple and the M glass seems particularly well mated to the
> sensor. I did not feel that way about M glass on the SL. Something was very
> different IMO.
>
> But I'm no pro like Tina, so this is just my personal impression.
> Best,
> Bob
>
>
> Bob Adler
> www.robertadlerphotography.com
> *"Capturing Light One Frame At A Time"*
>
> On Mon, Jan 15, 2018 at 10:10 AM, Don Dory <don.dory at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> They are using stepping motors so more alike the focusing Sony uses on
>> their G series or like Zeiss used on their autofocus camera that moved the
>> focal plane.  Quicker, quiet, and extremely precise as they stop
>> immediately for all practical purposes.  If you go back to the Lensrental
>> blogs you can see how single focal length glass is better with lower
>> individual unit deviation, so I am glad that the major optical houses are
>> offering really good single focal length glass.
>>
>> Really, with the M adapters you have your choice; small light and M glass,
>> or autofocus and a much larger lens of "equal" optical quality.  Other than
>> price who is against choice.
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 15, 2018 at 12:26 PM, Frank Filippone <red735i at verizon.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Marketing gibberish
>> >
>> > Translation:  We did not try to make it smaller, we tried to make it
>> > better,
>> > therefore the size didn't matter.
>> >
>> > The rack and pinion type of focusing that the picture shows is atypical
>> of
>> > AF lenses... most use rotary motors.
>> >
>> > Frank Filippone
>> >
>> > Red735i at verizon.net
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+red735i=verizon.net at leica-users.org] On
>> > Behalf
>> > Of Robert Adler
>> > Sent: Monday, January 15, 2018 9:15 AM
>> > To: Leica Users Group
>> > Subject: Re: [Leica] Big SL Lens ( DIameter) explanation
>> >
>> > But it says all this was done to, "to preserve the compact dimensions of
>> > the
>> > lenses"...
>> >
>> >
>> > Bob Adler
>> > www.robertadlerphotography.com
>> > *"Capturing Light One Frame At A Time"*
>> >
>> > On Mon, Jan 15, 2018 at 6:58 AM, Frank Filippone <red735i at verizon.net>
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> > > We have been talking about how fat the SL lenses are in comparison to
>> > > M lenses..
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Leica just announced the 75 and 90mm SL lenses.  In the intro
>> > > information is a picture of what the lens looks like INSIDE..
>> > >
>> > > It will explain a lot about the diameter issues..
>> > >
>> > > Please have a look..
>> > >
>> > > http://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-SL/SL-
>> > > Lenses/Prime-Lenses/APO-S
>> > > ummicron-SL-75
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Frank Filippone
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Red735i at verizon.net
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
>> > > Leica Users Group.
>> > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> > >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Leica Users Group.
>> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Leica Users Group.
>> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Don
>> don.dory at gmail.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information