Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/08/12

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Subject: [Leica] 3200 asa on the leica d700
From: robert.rose at mac.com (Robert Rose)
Date: Tue Aug 12 00:23:30 2008

I have been giving the D700 a workout with the new 24-70, the 70-200, and a 
Zeiss 50 f.4.  I have also tried the 14-24.

Well, as others have mentioned, this is a hell of a camera.  Shots at ISO 
5600 and f/2.8 with no bothersome grain and beautiful color.  I will be 
posting some soon.

The Zeiss lens has almost Leica build quality.  The reviews have suggested 
some focus shift, but I have not seen it.  The Zeiss is easier to focus on 
my D300 which has a Katz split screen, but the D700 has a focus assist that 
helps with focus on the standard screen.

In terms of image quality, the 24-70 beats anything I have seen, my Leica 
lenses included, even wide open at f/2.8.  Just knock your socks off.  Of 
course, it is heavy and rather big.  The Zeiss does not beat it, unless you 
use Live View, zoom in to focus, on a tripod.  Then the Zeiss is slightly 
better, but not visible on day to day stuff.

The 14-24 is also big and heavy, but just unbelievable performance.  At 14 
there is no distortion, and the color and contrast are beautiful.

The rumors are that a new set of primes for the D700 will come at Photokina. 
 If that is true, I would hold off buying any more Zeiss lenses, because a 
set of primes with the quality of the 14-24 and 24-70 might be coming, with 
auto focus.  With the 14-24 and 24-70 so good, you have to have a reason to 
buy anything else.

MEANWHILE, the rumors are also around that Leica is coming out with a FF 
Kodak chip.  If you put the D700 chip in an M camera, then I would be in 
photo heaven.  

Save your dollars, you are going to need them.

Bob Rose

Replies: Reply from alal at duke.poly.edu (A. Lal) ([Leica] 3200 asa on the leica d700)