adamdewilde wrote:
Ron - I agree.. I'm wondering if the people using the S-system are just technical snobs I think from a cost to gain standpoint the adapter makes sense. I have quite a few C645 lenses left. So really I'm gaining a lot of variety. Although, I sold a lot of my backup Contax645 gear before I came to L.A., and have a few buyers lined up to buy more of the stuff (most of my non-backup lenses) when I get back to SG in April. So I might just get rid of all the remaining Contax gear and pickup another S-lens (I might keep one C645+80/2).
I think if I had purchased an S-007 (still not available). I would be more willing to buy into the S-system. Since the ISO right now is a pretty limiting factor, add slow AF and the camera buffer/review is a bit slower then I'd like. It makes me wary of spending the money on S-lenses with the S-006 body.
If I bought this system for work, I'd need two bodies, and be tossed between 35/70/120 or 45/100 (which means I'd probably end up with all of them). But for now, it's being used as a supplementary work/play camera. So sticking with one lens is fine (or two, since I now have the macro).
Also, at the price point, it gets increasingly hard to justify a system like this for work. Especially when an M240kit/5D3kit/D750kit/A7kit is just as usable if not more so. It's a lot easier for zhangyue to justify these purchases then it is for me from a strictly business standpoint. And although the same could be said for the M-system.. I do get a lot more joy out of using a rangefinder then I do any other camera system on the market. And the M240 is more then enough for my work needs.
So this isn't a 120mm photo (will post some soon), but another with the 70mm. This time I took out my colorchecker and made a profile for the S-system before I took this image. So the image is corrected as per the colorchecker's standards. Does anyone feel this photo has better colors then previous images I've posed?
Adam - color looks good. Skin tone has a nice luminosity and balance between yellow and magenta. It seems natural to me, if very slightly magenta biased. But then, maybe that's her natural skin color? Your previous image is also really clean, if slightly yellow biased to my eyes. Shadow values have a slight sooty, slightly desaturated feel to them. The only other similar indoor against white image I found feels kind of harsh compared to the recent ones. Skin tone highlight values are not as nicely and delicately retained as today's. Difficult to say with your outdoor photos since I think you did some filter effects to some. Nothing really wrong with them, since I never assumed accuracy was an objective.
Yeah, the S system is proportionally more painful to set up as a dual camera, multi-lens kit, if going for the 007 or buying everything new. Considering the used prices I've seen for some of the more common lenses, like the 35 and 70, it seems like there is some inevitable loss down the road, if buying new. Mind you, M glass is probably back to reality in normal B&S markets like here on FM now too. And with all the used and demo M240s out there, I kind of wonder how realistic $7K is for the next M...?
I hear you about making business sense... Other than the sports I shoot, I could probably get by with a decent APS-C based system for a few grand. But I also do this for fun. Both for having fun on the job, and for personal work, and using gear I enjoy is a big factor.
Mescalamba wrote:
Didnt you use VSCO before? Otherwise I count colors of this image as very nice (pretty accurate they seem).
I have all the VSCO actions. I rarely use them. This was just done with a colorchecker passport and the software. Basically, I made a profile of the camera using the colorcheker then when I opened the image in LR, I just clicked on my custom profile and then adjusted the WB to the WB card from the image where she's holding the colorchecker. Then I did -25 to the blacks AFAICR.
Ron - Accuracy isn't ever really an objective of mine.
The wife has been willing to pose for daily images. So I've been toying with getting the skin tones perfect. I asked her about the slight redness vs the slight yellow, and she thinks its different brands of foundation/luminizer, and says you have a good eye.
As for the "harsher" image, that was shot in a different room of the house, the light is a little less forgiving and the overhang is yellow so it tends to tint half of the images (that area is under renovations now anyway, so I won't be shooting in such conditions after the reno is done.. Actually most of the house is under reno right now).
You know, I feel the S-system gives me joy as well, but the drawbacks of the system make it difficult to justify in my mind, especially when the M-system is my true joy system. And agreed I could also get away with APS-C or even the Panasonic M4/3 setup. A photographer I know is doing 90% of his professional work with one!
Spent a more leisure day with the 120APO since I had to be out of the house. I still hold that the bokeh is a bit plastic, but I think I've taken some images I'm happy with.
Ron, thank you for your comments and suggestion. Totally agreed that street shooting especially in daylight, requires a more neutral lens so that the drawing style doesn't overpower the subject. I really like your latest set. Beautiful compositions and the colors are just gorgeous. 1,2,4 and 6 are my favorites.
Adam, I think the colors look just about right, though Ron makes some very valid observations. It would be interesting to compare to a non color profiles version (with the camera embedded profile).
Havent been shooting nor posting much lately, busted up my hand a couple of weeks ago and finally got the stitches out Friday. Tried to shoot a little yesterday but I think it will take another week before I can hold the camera properly. But I headed out to the beach yesterday to get some air and shot this on the M240 and the CV12. Pretty much SOOC, didnt really adjust anything but the shadows. It kinda suprised me how it came out.
edwardkaraa wrote:
Very nice Ryan, and sorry about your hand. You need two hands to shoot with a Leica
Thanks! This has been the only time in a long time, that I was wished for a camera with autofocus! Another few days, and hopefully everything will be back to normal.
I notice a little play in the lens and am thinking of sending it to leica before I go on holiday (6 may). Loose top is a known issue and I don't want it to come loose when I'm in the jungle.
Another think that bugs me with the lens is the aperturering. With all my other lenses the ring feels solid and click into place nicely. I can not move the ring except to the next aperture.
My 28 cron's aperture ring is much more loose. There is some play in the up and down direction and it sounds much more loud.
It was like this when I bought it new from the shop and when I sent it to leica together with my M8 for adjusting I asked them to look at it. They told me it was working fine.
So what I would like to know, how does the ring feel with your copy compared to other leica's? Maybe its part of the cron design but having used only my 35 cron for the last weeks it felt wrong to me when I grabbed the 28 cron yesterday.
I had a little play in my 28 cron and decided to tightening the screws that are right above the aperture ring after getting the advice here to do so, after that I have had no play at all.
It's hard to say something conclusive about the aperture ring compared to other M-lenses I own, pretty much the same. For me it's actually the 35 Summilux that has the worst aperture ring, at least the most noisy one.
Adam, Ron, I agree with you guys about justification about the S system, especially given the price/gain ratio. This is the system for professional shooting for fashion or studio controlled portrait session. (or rich hobbyist not me who is hobbyist with curious mind ) As I feel the system best is used for shooing stop down or shooting slow given lemon AF compare to 35mm system offering. I am just point out the issue and feasibility of the system, having said that, I am in love with the system. The lens draws extreme good with tons of detail without any harshness in the file. The file has very pleasing color and lots of latitude for process at base ISO.
At least this is the only option for Leica AF lens,(I don’t care about T or Panileica) it is still handy for some mid-long distance shooting which Manual Focus won’t work. It is an awkward love that mainly for heart than brain.
Also, I have found S file are extreme good under different light condition. Skin tone seems always match my vision or what I remembered in my mind with minimal WB adjust. Only D700 give me that over all the camera I have been used so far.
A few everyday life images from 70S WO, minimal PP
Robert, My 28cron has little bit play at top part, I haven’t tight screw or do anything with it yet. In terms of aperture ring, I don’t feel any different than other Leica I used.
Edward, I manage to verify the sunstar of Distagon for you. I get similar results as yours, I won’t post samples here as they are very boring: harsh sunlight, car window reflection. Interesting enough, the star can sometimes be perfect even at f5.6. but I do have similar sunstar as yours from f8, even f11 for some. Basically there are four or five reflection points with one of two have nice sunstar and others all looks like the ones you show. So I believe there is more to do than lens itself, also depend on the size, shape of spot, and frame location of the star.
I use this ZM35 for the past weekend. I have to say I like it. Even Bokeh is good IMO, won’t distract much most of time. I would say this is a good tool to earn a spot in my bag. What you guys think?
Here I post more samples from it under different condition to give you an idea about this lens’s rendering. It is a sharp lens and focus has been spot on my camera. This is not showcase of art work but passing information about this lens
some have minor pp, unless marked, all WO, low light night shot is about ISO640, 1/15 and +2ev in post
Robert - so far after a few years my 28 Cron hasn't loosened at the end, but the aperture ring always looks like it's very slightly tilted, and it definitely has some minor front/back play. Its clicks are consistent and relatively smooth, like most other Leica lenses I've owned. I think of my Leica lenses, the 90 Summarit had the best feeling aperture ring, with the best clicks. The worst is the 90AA... very mushy and sometimes feels like it's binding slightly. The Zeiss ZM lenses have a more positive 'click' feeling, as though the edges of the detents are sharper, while Leica always feels like the detents are rounded, if that makes sense. In some ways, the Leica action feels a bit silkier, but conversely comes across as slightly imprecise. I think it's less consistent across lenses than the ZMs.
Edward - yes, very nice with the Planar. The one of your wife is great!
Ryan - get well soon!
René - love the cloud!
Cal - congrats! It’s probably the best all-round UWA for M mount.
Adam - thanks, I spent years working prepress. There are definitely variations with foundations and other cosmetics, having seen this with my girlfriend’s choice of products as well as from event photography, such as weddings. Some seem to look different on-camera than in person, but can also be very dependent on light quality. It seems tungsten light is probably the most complimentary to skin tone, whether using makeup, or not… But probably the most telling is in photos where a woman’s face is one colour tint bias while her un made-up neck and chest is a different tint.
Michael - these are all really enjoyable images. I particularly like the third - of your son drawing/writing and your daughter at the piano in the background. The shapes of background objects is very pleasing. The Distagon seems to be a keeper, but do you feel it has the 'soul' of the 35 Cron v1? (Maybe you answered this already? I don't recall)
I think from a cost to gain standpoint the adapter makes sense. I have quite a few C645 lenses left. So really I'm gaining a lot of variety. Although, I sold a lot of my backup Contax645 gear before I came to L.A., and have a few buyers lined up to buy more of the stuff (most of my non-backup lenses) when I get back to SG in April. So I might just get rid of all the remaining Contax gear and pickup
