p.1 #1 · From Leica M11 to Autofocus: What’s the Ideal Companion Camera?
Hi everyone,
posting this in the Sony forum as I'm currently leaning (perhaps?) towards the A7 system. But open to Nikon, Canon and (less so) other brands.
I’m looking for some advice on choosing a full‑frame camera with autofocus as a supplement to my current setup. I’m a long‑time Leica user (currently Leica M11) and mainly shoot with 35 mm, 50 mm, and 75 mm lenses (Summicron, Summilux, Voigtlander). I love the rendering, the simplicity and the tactile experience of the M‑system, but there are situations where I miss reliable, fast autofocus, especially for moving subjects or when I want to work more intuitively.
I’m therefore considering adding a full‑frame autofocus system to complement the M11. The most important aspects for me are still image quality, good color reproduction, solid build quality and ergonomics that make the camera comfortable and intuitive to use over longer sessions.
I'm looking for a camera/lens combo within my budget, starting with a 35mm f/1.8 or faster.
A few key points about what I’m looking for:
Video features are not important. To be more precise: I don’t shoot video at all.
Autofocus performance is a priority, both in daylight and in low‑light situations.
The camera should feel good in the hand and be intuitive to operate (as far as possible!).
Resolution from 24 megapixels and up
Access to high‑quality prime lenses in the 21mm to 50mm range
Budget is around 3500 USD for camera and lens, and I’m happy to buy used. I have no problem going for a slightly older, “sweet spot” body if the price‑to‑performance ratio is right.
If anyone has recommendations or experiences that might fit these preferences—especially those who also shoot Leica M but keep an autofocus system alongside it—I would really appreciate your insights.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
p.1 #2 · From Leica M11 to Autofocus: What’s the Ideal Companion Camera?
Sony A9 with a 35GM. You could do worse. It's going to deliver on everything you asked for and it'll leave room in your budget for all the little things.
p.1 #3 · From Leica M11 to Autofocus: What’s the Ideal Companion Camera?
I’d get a Nikon Zf or Z6III. I prefer the ergonomics over Sony, but more importantly with the right adapters you can use your Leica M lenses with amazing manual focus aids and/or autofocus.
p.1 #4 · From Leica M11 to Autofocus: What’s the Ideal Companion Camera?
@patashnik Your requirements are split across objective specs (AF performance, resolution, etc) and subjective ones like "feels good in hand" or "intuitive to operate".
From the objective/specs perspective, the major brands (Socanikon) all deliver reliable AF, enough resolution, and offer good primes in your range. So it comes down to your subjective preferences for what's intuitive or ergonomic. Personally, I lean towards Sony for three reasons:
1.Under the same constraints, their body+lens combos tend to be lighter and smaller than competition.
2.Their ergonomics favors physical dials and de-emphasizes reliance on LCDs, which scratches a huge analog itch for me. For example, all of their G/GM lenses have aperture rings and their bodies have an extra dial vs Nikon or Canon.
3. Superior power management. I don't do spare batteries.
p.1 #5 · From Leica M11 to Autofocus: What’s the Ideal Companion Camera?
You might consider a Leica Q/Q2. Obviously not a system camera, but it will be familiar to you and have decent AF. The Q2 will provide decent MP to crop to 50mm.
If you want to dip into Sony, you can use your existing Leica lenses using a Techart Pro (TAP) LM-EA9 adapter. I use it with the Voigtlander 40/1.2 VM on Sony. There are some caveats with this approach--the adapter is not as quick as native Sony lenses and works best in the center of the frame, but eye-AF works well in this sweet spot. An A7CII would be a nice match for this approach.
p.1 #7 · From Leica M11 to Autofocus: What’s the Ideal Companion Camera?
I made that switch about 4 years ago. In my case I sold my Leica gear as I could no longer manually focus well enough.
Today I have an A7CR used mostly with two short Sony zooms (16-35 and 24-50). I do have other lenses -- it was hard to kick the prime habit, coming from Leica M -- but these zooms work very well. With today's NR, image stabilisation and cropping from high megapixel originals, I get nearly all the shots I want and the pics look great.
For specific uses I have a Batis 85 and 135, and a Batis 25 I still love so wont let go in a hurry. Would consider a wide aperture prime, but more for shallow DOF than for low light as the LRC NR is now so good. 35GM is very good indeed -- probably better than any Leica lens I have used -- but I sold mine because I was not using it enough and the IQ differences were marginal in practice.
General experience. This kit feels like an AF version of my M kit. It fits in my existing photo bags and packs for travel just like the Leica did. Small, compact and easy to carry around all day. I use the same wrist strap. The AF is astonishing. The sensor is astonishing (for some reason better than the one in the Leica, IMHO).
Beyond that, you are stepping well away from the Leica world. There is no Leica 'white glove' service. The gear comes in coloured cardboard boxes like you get from Amazon. The menu system is horrendous, not at all intuitive. You need to set aside several days to master it at the start. Even then, if you occasionally change something without realising, you have to get out the manual and figure out how to reverse it. Prices are laughably cheap if you are trained to Leica price levels. My first 5 lenses (Sony and Zeiss) cost less altogether than my APO-Summicron 50mm.
And overall the resultant pictures are better than anything I could achieve with any Leica equipment, manual or AF. They are sharper, partly for being in correct focus all the time, and the DNGs will stand up to a massive amount of PP without breaking up. When I scroll through my LRC catalogue the difference is noticeable. I sent some Christmas photos to friends last week and one of my friends, himself a keen photographer, asserted "these are some of the best pictures you have ever sent me."
I am also glad I chose Sony over Nikon or Canon. Sony's system is more open to third parties so you are spoiled for choice, and their DNA still trends towards "small is beautiful" as Leica's once did.
p.1 #9 · From Leica M11 to Autofocus: What’s the Ideal Companion Camera?
patashnik wrote:
Hi everyone,
posting this in the Sony forum as I'm currently leaning (perhaps?) towards the A7 system. But open to Nikon, Canon and (less so) other brands.
I’m looking for some advice on choosing a full‑frame camera with autofocus as a supplement to my current setup. I’m a long‑time Leica user (currently Leica M11) and mainly shoot with 35 mm, 50 mm, and 75 mm lenses (Summicron, Summilux, Voigtlander). I love the rendering, the simplicity and the tactile experience of the M‑system, but there are situations where I miss reliable, fast autofocus, especially for moving subjects or when I want to work more intuitively.
I’m therefore considering adding a full‑frame autofocus system to complement the M11. The most important aspects for me are still image quality, good color reproduction, solid build quality and ergonomics that make the camera comfortable and intuitive to use over longer sessions.
I'm looking for a camera/lens combo within my budget, starting with a 35mm f/1.8 or faster.
A few key points about what I’m looking for:
Video features are not important. To be more precise: I don’t shoot video at all.
Autofocus performance is a priority, both in daylight and in low‑light situations.
The camera should feel good in the hand and be intuitive to operate (as far as possible!).
Resolution from 24 megapixels and up
Access to high‑quality prime lenses in the 21mm to 50mm range
Budget is around 3500 USD for camera and lens, and I’m happy to buy used. I have no problem going for a slightly older, “sweet spot” body if the price‑to‑performance ratio is right.
If anyone has recommendations or experiences that might fit these preferences—especially those who also shoot Leica M but keep an autofocus system alongside it—I would really appreciate your insights.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions. ...Show more →
Sony A7CII or A7CR with Sigma i Series 35/2.0 or Sony 35/1.4 GM. You might also look at the Sigma i Series 45mm f2.8, one of the best-endering lenses I have ever used.
