Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2023/04/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Greetings to all. As many know I was at the LSI Spring meeting at the Leica headquarters in NJ. As usual Leica provides their latest gear on loan for a day. I had the opportunity to use the M11 Monochrome with my ASPH Summilux(s) and the 28 APO Summicron. I have to say that the sensor is way ahead of the lenses and your budget should include several of the APO lenses if you go to the M11 M. Another point, the existing plug in software doesn't properly recognize the M11M files so you are reliant on the built in Adobe features or possibly the Capture One that is offered with the M11M(James H.) would have more information on that. As an aside, I believe that the Japanese camera makers are proceeding in a different direction with software enabled lens correction. I know that the lenses I mount on high res Sony cameras all seem to deliver more detail than I could get out of the M11M with existing software. The information is there in the files so it is no fault of the camera but more that the files are currently not well supported. I had the chance to talk to a high ranking individual within the Leica organization at breakfast. The gist was that Leica was proceeding on an optical solution rather than a software enabled solution. Probably the better solution as if the information is there software can take it to an even higher level. However, it puts Leica on a cost effective curve that makes their products even more exclusive: also, it hurts production volume as some of their designs have very high defect rates by Leica standards. Obviously this drives an even higher price point. Last, one of the participants received a survey from Leica with one question about Japanese production of lenses at a (much) lower price point. So, Leica is aware of the pricing problem and is trying to work on it. Last, this Leica representative clarified the classic stool of any product: price, size, performance. You could have any two. I am currently weighing this as I own several of Sigma's most excellent lenses for the FE mount. Their performance is magnificent however the average weight is in the neighborhood of 1.5 kilograms compared to my 35 ASPH Summilux in the high 300 grams. The Sigma is a better lens but my shoulder and hand don't appreciate the weight as much as my eyes appreciate the image quality. On the positive side, Leica lenses still retain a significant resale advantage. -- Don don.dory at gmail.com