[Leica] 1Ds Mk II at ISO 3200 & 20D

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

B. D. Colen said:
Subject: RE: [Leica] 1Ds Mk II at ISO 3200


> Something to consider for those who would dismiss various DSLRs because
> their viewfinders are not up to the standard set by the R8/9 - or, for
> that matter, the Nikon F5 and Canon EOS1v - <<<,,,

Hi B.D.,
I'm sure some of the "viewfinder digital negatives" people are making are 
without actually using the equipment listed. But making their comments on 
the dinky toy digi cams used by many of the happy snap people of the new 
found digital world.

As far as negative comments about "dim viewfinders and 3200?" I shoot 2-3 
basketball games a week with the 20D and prior to that struggled with the 
Digilux 2 and still came up with high jump action shooting at the basket. 
Yes the Digi 2 did a good job once you "learned how to make it work without 
any lags!" Not spectacular, but not bad either.

But the 20D has a good viewfinder using the Canon 50mm f 1.8 lens on "auto 
focus!" I know blasphemy! ;-)  "NO LAG AND 5 FRAMES A SECOND MOTOR DRIVE!" 
of great action capture. Is it a better in focus hit rate than the R8? Dang 
right it is! And I can attest to that with any number of years shooting 
university, pro and Olympic basketball games with a motor driven Leica SLR 
camera of some kind.

I believe some negatives are being made by people thinking 3200 used in a 
coal mine at midnight, like really really "dark!" ;-) But that isn't the 
case and once again I go back to my Hawaii shoot of last month using the 20D 
shooting 3200 evening street scenes hand held with the 10mm-22mm Canon zoom 
lens. Spectacular images! Hell I'd have never got the print quality with any 
colour film at 3200. Granted the R8 view finder would've been brighter, no 
question, but not by much. But the lousy quality capture of 3200 film 
negates all the R8 pluses.  For now!!!

However, until I see the quality difference ( I expect the Leica digi-back 
to be amazing quality.) And the cost factor for the Leica R8-9 back (scary 
thought!)  But I have no hesitation using the 20D, Canon lenses and 
certainly no hesitation whatsoever of using LEICA GLASS with the 20D! 
Working them into more of the shooting daily. Why not, I've got 3 of them 
with 20D adapters for quick use and change. But I hate changing lenses. ;-)

Dang, it's the same old thing when any digital question comes up, "people go 
by the damn numbers and not by eye sight!" Sure we all know the higher the 
number the better the quality should be, that's a given. But why is it 
people want to shoot down the cameras being used by pros and advanced 
amateurs without the commentator ever actually taking say, a 20D, a 2 gig 
card and shoot their brains out taking pictures first? Then make their 
comments, good, bad or ugly. But oh no they have to yap on using the techie 
number crap!

And what really drives me crazy are those who shoot down what we users are 
saying about the quality we're capturing with ours.  Come see, don't tell me 
what I can't do without seeing finished high quality prints first.

OK that's a wrap!
ted