Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2017/01/07

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Subject: [Leica] SL redux, day1
From: tmanley at gmail.com (Tina Manley)
Date: Sat, 7 Jan 2017 12:35:26 -0500
References: <2918313.2500.1483810114691@elwamui-rustique.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

Those are all spectacular!!  Feathers and all details are sharp as a tack.
I love the bokeh, too.

The one with the pomegranate is probably my favorite.  The colors are
wonderful.

Tina

On Sat, Jan 7, 2017 at 12:28 PM, Doug Herr <wildlightphoto at earthlink.net>
wrote:

> 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
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>



-- 
Tina Manley
www.tinamanley.com
tina-manley.artistwebsites.com
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photography/3B49552F-90A0-4D0A-A11D-2175C937AA91/Tina+Manley.html


Replies: Reply from lluisripollphotography at gmail.com (lluisripollphotography) ([Leica] SL redux, day1)
In reply to: Message from wildlightphoto at earthlink.net (Doug Herr) ([Leica] SL redux, day1)