[Leica] SL redux, day1

[Aram]

Thanks for the report.  Not knowing what you are actually looking for in the 
feather detail, these shots look amazing to my eye.  I would be very 
satisfied with them.  Not sure if you had to do a lot of post to get them 
that way, but they look great.  Looking forward to your next report.

Aram

Aram Langhans
(Semi) Retired Science Teacher
& Unemployed photographer

“The Human Genome Project has proved Darwin more right than Darwin himself 
would ever have dared dream.” James D. Watson
-----Original Message----- 
From: Doug Herr
Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2017 9:28 AM
To: lug at leica-users.org
Subject: [Leica] SL redux, day1

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