[Voe]

I can't help my self when I look at images taken with Leica lenses. The colors the unique warmth cast, the image detail in every level. Qualities that even my beloved FA Limiteds can't match.
On many occasions I was seeing myself selling every lens and camera I have in order to fund for a Leica M8.2 (or maybe M9).
I feel sometimes that I get confused by having too many lenses. With Leica I would probably have only three (wide, standard and short tele), and it would be enough. It will give me a small and light package with superb quality and less confusion with lenses.

I was wondering is there anyone else on this forum having similar thoughts?

[fractal]

Voe, I don't own a Summicron. I'll just leave it at that and never come back to this thread

I have to suppress that dream. Although, I can still remember the feel of that 50mm Summicron you lent me.

[Ben_Edict]

I spent a couple of weeks in Iceland just with an older Leica rangefinder and three lenses: 35/1.5, 50/1.0 and 75/1.4. Despite their aperture the whole kit was small and quite lightweight. Yes, that would be something I would like to use again and add to my kit. But no way it would replace the SLR s. So, as I wouldn't sell anything of my current kit, a new Leica outfit is too expensive for me.

Pentax makes some excellent lenses with unique character and you could uss the Limiteds. Coupled to the Kx, it is nearly as small a kit as a M8/9.
Ben

[Digitalis]

I will point out that range finders aren't anywhere near as versatile as SLR cameras are, I use a M3,M6 TTL,M7,M8 and a Konica hexar RF. I think the most important ability that a rangefinder has is that you are able to see a greater FOV than the lens will capture, so you are more spatially aware of what is around you.

The M9 isn't a great performaer as far as High iso is concerned, the k7 has a quieter shutter and it is able to be used with studio strobes without you ending up with a synch cable hitting you on your forehead.

sure Leica have some fantastic lenses, I own many of their greatest lenses and I enjoy using them. I'll point out to you that the pentax 43mm f/1.9* matches the summilux 50mm f/1.4 at f/2.8 I'd say the 43's bokeh is superior. In any case the 43 beats the voigtlander ultron 40mm f/1.4 at the same aperture.

*I own the M-mount version in silver, I wish Pentax made the 77mm and the 31mm in Leica M mount, that would certainly make leica photographers sit up and pay attention...

[kevinschoenmakers]

How much of what you're seeing is the M9's fullframe sensor and good PP, and how much is really because of the lenses' IQ?

[Henrik Kristensen]

I don't mean to bad-mouth Leica, they are fantastic but...

Is this perhaps just another case of "grass is always greener..." ?

In 98% of the shots, would for example DA 15, FA 31 & FA 77 not give you just about the same result (a lot depend on PP anyway) ??

I too would love a small Leica and their great lenses, but I honestly don't think it would change much in my pictures

[Voe]

The M9 isn't a great performaer as far as High iso is concerned, the k7 has a quieter shutter and it is able to be used with studio strobes without you ending up with a synch cable hitting you on your forehead.

sure Leica have some fantastic lenses, I own many of their greatest lenses and I enjoy using them. I'll point out to you that the pentax 43mm f/1.9* matches the summilux 50mm f/1.4 at f/2.8 I'd say the 43's bokeh is superior. In any case the 43 beats the voigtlander ultron 40mm f/1.4 at the same aperture.

*I own the M-mount version in silver, I wish Pentax made the 77mm and the 31mm in Leica M mount, that would certainly make leica photographers sit up and pay attention...

I'm not really concerned about high iso quality of the Leica M8 or M9. From what I've seen it's good enough for me. What I like is the extemely small lenses and also camera size and great IQ you get.

As far as 43mm f/1.9* matching summilux 50mm, do you mean the latest aspherical version or the previous version? I know for a fact that the 43mm is a very sharp lens as I have it in Pentax, but what I'm fascinated about is the colors from the Leica lenses. I'm pretty sure it's the lens and not the camera as I don't see the same rendering with Voigtlander lenses for Leica.
I like the rendering of the FA Limited better than any other SLR lens, but the rendering ffrom Leica is different, kind of warmer but still with unique colorful look.

How much of what you're seeing is the M9's fullframe sensor and good PP, and how much is really because of the lenses' IQ?

It's hard to say, but in most Leica photos made by different photographers I see the same Leica rendering, so I don't think I'm fooled by someones PP skills.
Looking at this thread is an example of what I like about Leica rendering. You tell me if it's a PP thing: 35 Summilux Aspherical in Iran ..... (imgs): Leica Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review.

I don't mean to bad-mouth Leica, they are fantastic but...

Is this perhaps just another case of "grass is always greener..." ?

In 98% of the shots, would for example DA 15, FA 31 & FA 77 not give you just about the same result (a lot depend on PP anyway) ??

I too would love a small Leica and their great lenses, but I honestly don't think it would change much in my pictures

I have the Leica R Summicron 50mm and the color rendering is completely different when I compare it against my other Pentax and non-Pentax 50s.

I don't think PP can achieve a Leica look. At least I don't know how. The below thread shows what I mean: 35 Summilux Aspherical in Iran ..... (imgs): Leica Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

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Last edited by Voe; 05-23-2010 at 08:03 AM.

[Aegon]

I feel sometimes that I get confused by having too many lenses. With Leica I would probably have only three (wide, standard and short tele), and it would be enough.

I sold all my lenses and went to 31, 50, 77 under a similar theory.

It doesn't stop LBA. You'll still want other lenses. There is no cure.

[Voe]

I sold all my lenses and went to 31, 50, 77 under a similar theory.

It doesn't stop LBA. You'll still want other lenses. There is no cure.

I would probably refrain from LBA in Leica world as the pain in the pocket is too great. But I might compromise if finance permit to max 4 lenses
I've read a few cases of people moving to Leica from SLR and being cured of their lens buying addiction. So I hope I will be one of them.

[RawheaD]

Not so much the body, but certainly the lenses (coupled to the fact that they're designed to be used with a rangefinder).

Noctilux--obviously.

Biogon 21/2.8--once you use a non-retrofocus wideangle lens, you just can't unsee it. I've felt it with my Hasselblad Super Wide C. I'd probably feel the same with this.


I would like a "full size digital camera" to use these two lenses with. Yes, if I could afford it, I'd buy the M9, just to use these two lenses with.

But I can't. Not now.

[Pentaxor]

I thought of the same as well. it's too bad that they don't make a universal mount adapters for those damn M-lenses. much so the Voigtlander lenses exclusively for Leica. and Yes, some M-lenses have great IQ resolution from wide open, but that doesn't mean that all Leica lenses are created equal. on a few occassions, some Pentax, Voigtlander lenses, and other 3rd-party lenses are better than some Leica lenses in a designated focal length. I do however have some Leica lenses in mind, but those have got something to do with focal length IQ needs and rendering.

[Pentaxor]

having said that, maybe we could petition and ask Novoflex to create and adapter for the M-mount lenses. I know that those M-lenses may have some lens incompatibility with the Pentax mount, but it might work with the newly contructed mounts of the NX10 or NEX-5 ?

[Bart]

Leica M9 + Summilux-M 1.4/50mm Asph + APO-Summicron 2.0/90mm Asph + Elmarit 2.8/28mm Asph = 12 260 EUR over here

This better should cure your LBA

[Voe]

Yeah, it's a big chunk of money. Though I think buying from BHPhoto might be cheaper.
I calculated that I have close to $7K worth of gear that I can sell. And if I save for another year I might be able to buy body and 3 lenses. I might go with used M8.2 instead of M9. But this is still all hypotethical.

[Voe]

As the title says, I'm dreaming