Just picked this combo up and haven't shot with a RF in a while...
I've included a general test shot for sharpness and a 100% crop (no processing other than raw to jpg). I've also included two shots of a favorite subject that are anything but sharp but I was having fun and I don't have a flash yet. The second in particular shows the tonal range that this beast is capable of.
This camera is quite something...I can't wait to get it on the street.
(Edit: I don't think the 100% crop is showing up properly here, so here is a link (it's quite impressive): http://tinyurl.com/ke9bm9y )
Sample image 1
Seeing eye dog.
Such atmosphere and tone...and storming off the set!
Abram - It's only money... You know, you only live once, etc...
glowrider - Congrats! I'm sure you'll love it. Check out Allen's street work here with the same combo. AKA airfrogusmc.
Ryan - looks pretty decent. I've only briefly tried one of the other Perars (don't remember which) and didn't find it all that special, other than being tiny.
I got the X as I was looking for a camera that could deliver the image quality of a DSLR and yet have the size/weight of a mirrorless system without getting a 2nd lens system. It also gave me the excuse to get a Leica that is made in Germany.
I would recommend this camera to anyone with the same goal as I have.
I come from using a Canon DSLR system of nearly a dozen years shooting wildlife/sports and will be writing about it from that perspective. I have minutes in experience with a RF so I cannot compare the X to that.
I selected the silver/brown X (which a friend mistook for a Hermès M9-P) and bought a third party brown leather case from Amazon. It looks and feels great and photogs only notice it is a third part case when they see the branded logo. Even then no one gives it any mind. I find the screw that connects the case to the body is a 1-2mm too wide.
While shooting on the streets of Chinatown in Manila a lot of people kept glancing at my camera either because of the red dot or because of the superb industrial design. Those shooting film do mistake it for RF asking which M I am shooting with. This is both a good/bad thing depending on the situation. Next time around I will shoot with this camera with the red dot covered.
Out of the box it operates like a large point & shoot which got a bit getting used to since the last one I extensively used was a Canon G9 but it is much more simplified from what I could remember.
That changes when I was able to try my friend's Visoflex Typ 020 EVF that made shooting a bit more like an SLR but with liveview. I wish the EVF was integrated with the X and would trade it for the the built-in popup flash. I have it on order in the Leica Manila Store after shooting with it during a birding sortie.
All the images posted are straight out camera JPEG resized to 2048px on the longest side with watermark added only. Hotlink images are further resized by flickr to 1024px. I am told by friends who own a Leica M9/M240 that shooting in DNG/RAW is largely pointless as you are buying a Leica for the Leica in-camera post processing aesthetic.
I love shooting with the X in B&W High Contras and is my preferred setting. I cannot get that aesthetic in any Canon camera I've ever owned and I am only able to do so in Google's SilverFX Pro at great effort and time.
Some images have the the focus ring set to MF at infinity in my first attempt at zone focusing. As expected keeper rate wasnt all that good. I did so because I wanted to get the motion blur of the dragon dancers with a slow shutter while panning without the camera hunting for a focus lock.
If you are traveling to HK you could get a grey market unit there for as little as 11,400 HKD. This is nearly the cost of an official FujiFILM X100T, the only other fixed lens compact camera with a large sensor to be announced at 2014.
I got the X through official channels due to time constraints. The 3 year warranty somewhat softens the blow.
Other than the EVF that should be built into the X these are features that would be nice to have at the same price point.
- built-in WiFi (if not then better integration with EyeFi WiFi SD cards)
- built-in GPS
- better battery life beyond 400+ exposures
What Leica appears to have missed is that people buying this camera want to share their photos on the Internet without going through a computer.
dolina wrote:
I am told by friends who own a Leica M9/M240 that shooting in DNG/RAW is largely pointless as you are buying a Leica for the Leica in-camera post processing aesthetic.
Can't say I agree with your friends on this point dolina. Although the JPGs are quite good, I have found that DNG is much better for processing and to get the end results I desire. I would rather have control over the PP process as opposed to the camera. DNG is also much better for making those large prints (that I never make). Thanks again for sharing your insight with the X.
Oh the Monochrom is sinfully delightful. That's as high a compliment as I can give her.
Such pleasure at such a cost is worth it to this shooter, methinks. Especially since I happened to have the Voigtlander close focus M-->Sony adapter so I don't feel like I've totally relegated my old and future M lenses to a black and white only future.
(BTW, since when did shooting in JPEG without raw become acceptable for anything other than sports/wedding? Spend so much on bodies and lenses and people are taking snap shots and relying on permanent processing by the camera...)
Paolo, thanks for the writeup! I agree the X would appeal more to me if it included an integrated EVF. Maybe they could release a 'more serious' version for advanced photographers while leaving the non-EVF for those looking more for P&S bling-style camera. In this product segment my feeling is Leica is somewhat frustrating (more than usual) because of the likely intended target of affluent casual photographers, so they sacrifice some features that would be valued by advanced photographers. Good points too about wifi making it a lot easier to immediately share images. Seems to be a really slow realization for a lot of camera makers, at least with their higher end gear.
Regarding RAW vs. Jpeg: the way I interpret your Leica friends' point is that SOOC images tend to be the least distorted when it comes to preserving aspects of image character typical of Leica cameras and lenses. And more so with the M9, there seemed to be a pretty strong Leica signature to the tonality/color of the files. Some speculate this was to intentionally mimic films such as Kodachrome. But this is less the case, IMO, with the M240. Once you run a typical file through post, you're probably going to do a lot with contrast, clarity, etc., that may significantly alter the inherent qualities attributable to equipment, particularly lens character. That said, there can still be benefit to processing RAWs for color, exposure and WB while being careful not to disturb lens character.
I'm not sure if you remember, but I used to spend most of time on the Canon board. I still shoot extensively with Canon, but no longer exclusively. There's an aspect of Leica that appeals to my gear lust, but I've also found it a strangely logical addition to my equipment kit. If you have the chance, try one of the rangefinder cameras. It might totally not work out for you (especially all the wildlife stuff you do), or it might, based on what you're posting here.
Fun to watch the light change as the clouds passed by:
The jpg vs raw argument was settled ages ago. It's like putting a generic UV filter on the front of your new $5000 lens.
Any arguments to the contrary are bunk.
---
Practicing my zone focusing indoors at 2.8 on the dog and a shot at 8 out the window. The detail and tonality...just remarkable...sometime today or tomorrow I will have more time to get out...For now, learning the ins and outs.
Looking at your EXIF it appears you are shooting with a 90mm lens. My friend with a film Leica claims it is very difficult to focus with 90mm or 135mm lenses. Is this true with a digital RF?
The Leica D-Lux Typ 109/Panasonic LX100 does have a built-in EVF not to mention 4K resolution video, WiFi and NFC. I almost went with that but the smaller 4/3rd-inch image sensor (by 6.7mm diagonal) and zoom lens put me off.
I would recommend it over say a 1-inch image sensor Sony RX100 Mark III unless pocketability is a main draw.
I am anxiously waiting for the M Monochrom replacement to be announced/shipped. This is the RF I am most interested in as it is the most unique full frame camera one could buy. For the price it should be.
glowrider,
I understand the JPEG vs RAW arguments and shoot mostly RAW in my Canon system but if I expose and focus properly images from a Canon/Leica then a SOOC JPEG is pretty much "good enough" especially when all I am plan to do is resize, watermark and upload.
In the case of the Leica I tend to err towards JPEG because I'm paying the Leica premium for that "look".
I understand the JPEG vs RAW arguments and shoot mostly RAW in my Canon system but if I expose and focus properly images from a Canon/Leica then a SOOC JPEG is pretty much "good enough" especially when all I am plan to do is resize, watermark and upload.
In the case of the Leica I tend to err towards JPEG because I'm paying the Leica premium for that "look".
"Good enough" is the key phrase in that statement. The Leica "look" is from the lens and sensor - not the processing engine. There is so much malleability in these files that shooting jpeg really locks you in on a shot. If you're happy, then I'm happy. However, I grew up in chemical darkrooms and have had the privilege of helping to set features and test several digital darkroom programs so it's just second nature for me to treat a raw as a film frame and process it as such.
Just my opinion on the matter. That said, I did get my ass out to rock the body due to the building collapse. I'll post some photos from the scene a little later.
Even though I shoot raw exclusively I can understand the jpg point of view. As Ron said, the M9 had a signature color that got lost almost completely with adobe's interpretation of the raw files, but that was present in the camera jpgs. The M240 files are less special, but LR/ACR destroy the subtle color nuances and render a very flat lifeless file that needs a lot of PP, while the jpgs look very usable ooc. Imo Leica has no excuse not to have its own raw converter based on the camera processing parameters and it seems even when they partnered with C1 the colors were much much better than with Adobe.
edwardkaraa wrote:
Even though I shoot raw exclusively I can understand the jpg point of view. As Ron said, the M9 had a signature color that got lost almost completely with adobe's interpretation of the raw files, but that was present in the camera jpgs. The M240 files are less special, but LR/ACR destroy the subtle color nuances and render a very flat lifeless file that needs a lot of PP, while the jpgs look very usable ooc. Imo Leica has no excuse not to have its own raw converter based on the camera processing parameters and it seems even when they partnered with C1 the colors were much much better than with Adobe. ...Show more →
That's the great thing - you're not stuck with Adobe and ACR for these files. There are a dozen or more processing engines. Personally speaking, I prefer a flat file out of the camera so I can work it myself. I very much understand that the in-camera processing engine gives a "look" that is very pleasing and ultimately saves you the PP time.
But, I suggest the need to put into perspective that the "Leica Look" has been around for far longer than personal computers and digital in-camera processing.
You know, you only live once, etc... 
