[Leica] New Monochrome results

Sun May 24 20:27:18 PDT 2015

Jay,
I didn't have a lot of luck using point and shoots for grandkids, I'm up to five of them, so I can speak with experience.

Interestingly, the automation works against you, as well as the low ISO performance.

I had pretty good luck with the Pentax Kr, especially with fast primes.

My M9 is also a good performer, but again the low ISO means slow shutter speeds, and stuff with kids often is not in well lighted areas.

The Sony A7s with articulated screen, and higher ISO and either good AF or ability to use my fast  Leica primes is great, especially with constant live view.  No lag...

I've been tossing around trading the M9 for an M, but the drawbacks of the current live view arrangement are not making me want the trade. 

I enjoy both the M9 and the Sony; each are great in their place, but I no longer see the M as a do-all camera, especially with grandkids.

from my iPad

Sonny Carter

> On May 24, 2015, at 9:48 PM, Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Bob,
> Why shoot moving grandkids with this stuff, it seems to be overkill. Just
> get a Fuji x100 or a Panasonic LX100 or something equivalent for that
> purpose!
> Cheers
> Jayanand
> 
>> On Mon, May 25, 2015 at 7:22 AM, Robert Adler <rgacpa at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi Ken,
>> 
>> The real issue with live view on the Leica is that it opens the mechanical
>> shutter when you start live view. Then, when you depress the shutter
>> release button, the Leica closes the mechanical shutter and then fires
>> (opens and closes) the shutter. It's a really big lag IMO. And it doubles
>> the shutter actuations
>> 
>> Here's my working theories:
>> 1. The rangefinder mechanism on MY M240 is amazing. That would be the
>> primary reason to get the MM 2 over the MM 1 (the second reason being the
>> noticeably smoother shutter: the M9 chassis has a noticeable shutter kick).
>> The M240's rangefinder is greatly improved over the M9 and has held its
>> accuracy for as long as I've owned the camera. It's spot on
>> 
>> HOWEVER.... When I shoot handheld wide open and close, even a slight
>> movement by my head will change the focal point, especially on the f/1 and
>> f/1.4 50mm lenses and the 75 f/2. So I geek: move my neck back and forth
>> while shooting trying to get it right. Especially hard with my moving
>> grandkids. Shutter lag simply defeats the accuracy of any type of focusing
>> with these apertures at close distance: using the rangefinder really helps
>> because of its tiny lag.
>> 
>> 2. With landscapes I tend to do the same thing with my M as I do with my
>> larger system. Focus as best I can, through the viewfinder (and sometimes
>> live view) and then fine tune by using the image review function where I
>> can move the magnified portion around on the screen. With my larger system,
>> I am looking at the RAW file: with the M I'm looking at the on screen jpeg.
>> 
>> Does that make sense?
>> Bob
>> 
>> 
>>> On Sun, May 24, 2015 at 3:58 PM, Ken Carney <kcarney1 at cox.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Bob,
>>> 
>>> Here is a Leica-rookie question.  I have seen numerous posts about users
>>> sending bodies and lenses back to Leica to calibrate, to avoid back and
>>> front focus issues.  Is this what live view is intended to avoid?  I know
>>> even my SLR's have focus issues if I don't calibrate the lenses with
>>> in-camera software.  If there is not an issue with matching bodies and
>>> lenses, yes I would prefer to have rangefinder focus (my last Leica long
>>> ago was an M3 with a 35mm Summicron, where it was difficult to make a
>> focus
>>> error though I succeeded at times).  Thx for some enlightenment.
>>> 
>>> Ken
>>> 
>>>> On 5/24/2015 5:29 PM, Bob Adler wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Honestly I find live view useless as implemented in the M240. Completely
>>>> useless because of the unbelievable shutter lag for non-landscape images
>>>> and inability to move the magnified area of the view around to check
>> focus
>>>> for landscape work.
>>>> 
>>>> For the decisive moment you will need to anticipate an additional 1/2
>> sec
>>>> or more in advance. For landscapes you will need to reframe after
>> focusing.
>>>> 
>>>> Sorry, but I never use live view. But I own no R  lenses which it may
>>>> actually be useful for per others' experiences I have read.
>>>> Best,
>>>> Bob-The -Grump
>>>> 
>>>> Bob Adler
>>>> Robert Adler Photography
>>>> www.robertadlerphotography.com
>>>> 
>>>> On May 24, 2015, at 12:32 PM, George Lottermoser <
>>>>> george.imagist at icloud.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Live view certainly is what keeps me dreaming about the "upgrade;"
>>>>> while feeling quite satisfied with the "high ISO" of the MM I.
>>>>> 
>>>>> a note off the iPad, George
>>>>> 
>>>>> On May 24, 2015, at 11:54 AM, Doug Herr <wildlightphoto at earthlink.net>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> The significant upgrade is live view.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Doug Herr
>>>>>> Birdman of Sacramento
>>>>>> http://www.wildlightphoto.com
>>>>>> http://doug-herr.fineartamerica.com
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> From: Robert Adler <rgacpa at gmail.com>
>>>>>>> Sent: May 24, 2015 8:51 AM
>>>>>>> To: Douglas Nygren <douglasnygren at yahoo.com>, Leica Users Group <
>>>>>>> lug at leica-users.org>
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Leica] New Monochrome results
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Good writeup here by Erwin Puts. Doesn't seem to be worth the $$...
>>>>>>> Better
>>>>>>> value with the MM-I
>>>>>>> http://www.imx.nl/photo/leica/camera/styled-50/
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> 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
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Bob Adler
>> www.robertadlerphotography.com
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
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> 
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