rscheffler
Offline
Upload & Sell: Off
|
 Re: Could the rumored Leica SL 50 Lux II be M-like in rendering? | |
RustyBug wrote:
1bwana1 wrote:
RustyBug wrote:
retrofocus wrote:
SlowDriver wrote:
retrofocus wrote:
SlowDriver wrote:
It could potentially be an interesting direction for the SL.
It will be interesting to see what will happen to the SL series - maybe a fate like the S-series encountered (and the R-series before)?
You are forgetting the CL/TL2 series...  .
The SL is Leica's video solution. I don't see them exiting that market.
So far it is, this is correct. But imagine the EVF-M and SL lines merge in the future - it would make the SL itself redundant. All the SL gimmicks could land in some kind of future EVF-M - biggest culprit there is that the EVF-M currently doesn't have AF capability (and video is kind of already there with EVF/LiveView, software fix/addition!).
I think the days for the "pure" SL line are numbered especially now under new ownership. It doesn't take much to see where cost can be streamlined by merging EVF-M and SL. Both the EVF-M and the SL are not the biggest sellers currently, so bundling them up might be a wise business decision. And making the camera body smaller than the SL body is what Leica should have been doing years ago IMO! This way Leica would have actually a competitive MLC system compared to the bigger camera brands with smaller package size, capability to mount both M- and (in the future) AF-based lenses.
And, the IBIS absence ... would require a thicker M body ... ummm, not seeing that happening too soon (although, i've long wondered if the M240 body might be big enough for IBIS).
So, the conundrum is manual focus with IBIS either means a larger body M, or the SL with adapters. Either way, you need the engineering real estate for the additional functionality.
The other thing about a "small" EVF-M ... with AF / EVF / IBIS (or not) ... the real estate for heat dissipation and battery storage. I mean, the battery life of the EVF-M (read WITHOUT AF) already is a pittance of the M. Add AF and IBIS capability to that, and you'll get what ... 6 shots per battery (I joke, but the hit will be big against that small AAA cell size battery).
THAT was the Achilles heel to the CL. I really liked the CL, and the prospect of a FF size CL, that would include the option for AF / MF in the rangefinder location (i.e. TLC corner) is attractive in spirit, but the battery life of the CL was sweet when mounting my M lenses, and abysmal when shooting with AF glass.
I can't see anything but a repeat if you keep the M size and stuff EVF, AF and IBIS, etc. into it. Heat dissipation (video especially) and battery life are pieces of the puzzle very few folks consider when they start racking up their electronics "wish list" to be tucked into a tiny M package.
But IBIS is the most requested feature for the M cameras. It is absolutely in the feature list to be added. It will also not require a thicker body. The new sensor and processor are to a large extent being driven by this. The new sensor and new processor are being driven by the need for speed. This speed seems at first thought to be unessecary in a manual focus body like M. But it is required in order to have a fully electronic shutter. This will enable Leica to remove the mechanical shutter which makes room for IBIS in the existing M form factor amoung other things. Advanced focus aids in the EV-1 (and even in RF M), advanced features in SL.
It is all in Leica's future.
E-Shutter only ... no thanks. I've been through that scenario TWICE with adapting my M lenses onto my Hassy X1D II and X2D.
Granted, you can build it with "faster" e-shutters than the Hassy ... but, the thing is that part of the processing quality is inherent to the readout speed, lines read, etc. So, if you're still wanting they top tier quality of processing from the M ... an e-shutter only puts you into either a rolling shutter scenario or a reduced file IQ potential.
Sure, it's fine for lots of folks, but for those expecting the top of the mark file IQ from the top of the mark M ... yeah, e-shutter only doesn't get it for me ... those oval handballs just don't look right.
There are always tradeoffs but I'd argue the M system is not Leica's 'studio' camera. For me it has always been a camera for spontaneity and somewhat uncontrolled situations where technical perfection is already a challenge. Granted this is just me, but I would gladly take the tradeoff of slight (half stop?) noise penalty for a fast enough for 99% of anything ~1/200 e-shutter. IBIS would be icing on the cake for expanding the M system handholdability into significantly marginal shutter speed ranges that currently are (for me) difficult to achieve. It's one reason I'm really enjoying my IBIS equipped mirrorless system, regretfully at the expense of my M system.
As for this new 50 Lux ASPH II SL lens... I'm not optimistic that it will be a 'reference' type of halo lens. Rather I think it might be an SL version of the recently released 50 Lux non-ASPH M lens that is surprisingly close in performance to the original ASPH version, but with some tradeoffs/imperfections to enhance character. Yet actually isn't that much of a character lens because it's so modern looking. Unless Leica pull a 50 Cron APO ASPH-M and cram technical perfection into the smallest possible package.
|
