[Leica] Big SL Lens ( DIameter) explanation

Tue Jan 16 07:18:19 PST 2018

Nice real-world examples, Jeff.  The 24-90 seems to be the pick of the 
litter.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA

On 1/16/2018 1:11 AM, Jeff Moore wrote:
> 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
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>