Leica Leica SL2 - s

Lucy & Nutmeg ....

L1010936-2.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
As impressed as I was on the whole by the 40mm f/1.4, I have to agree that the 35mm f/1.2 is much more appealing: transitions, colours, just overall smoothness and balance. Very nice indeed.

M.
There's something about a wide aperture 35mm lens on FF. It's the one thing I miss as a m43 user. I've tried the CV17.5mm f0.95, but it still doesn't quite get there.
 
There's something about a wide aperture 35mm lens on FF. It's the one thing I miss as a m43 user. I've tried the CV17.5mm f0.95, but it still doesn't quite get there.

I think it has to do with how a 17.5mm lens on m43 has the same field of view as a 35 on FF but optically it still remains a 17.5mm lens. I think that's also why m43 has more depth of field: a wider lens has more dof than a tighter one.


@christilou how do you like the handling of the 35/1.2 on the SL?
 
I think it has to do with how a 17.5mm lens on m43 has the same field of view as a 35 on FF but optically it still remains a 17.5mm lens. I think that's also why m43 has more depth of field: a wider lens has more dof than a tighter one.


@christilou how do you like the handling of the 35/1.2 on the SL?

There's no getting away from the fact that it's quite large and heavy. Probably won't want to take it on a holiday. The SL2s is great with the M lenses but I don't think I'll be buying any other autofocus lenses for it. To me it replaced the Sony A9 just because the camera itself is much nicer to use. There's not a whole lot of difference image quality with the lenses I own but what there is is very subtle. Still pondering a small full frame with autofocus for travel purposes. The more I use the SL2s the less I want the bother of my M10 and it's manual focus. My eyesight aint what it used to be at age 63!
 
I think it has to do with how a 17.5mm lens on m43 has the same field of view as a 35 on FF but optically it still remains a 17.5mm lens. I think that's also why m43 has more depth of field: a wider lens has more dof than a tighter one.
I don't think the focal length alone is the issue. It's about the DOF, which is a combination of focal length, aperture, and sensor size. In theory, a m43 17.5mm f1 lens should render (all other things equal) the same as an FF 35mm f2 lens. But to get a m43 equiv of a FF 35mm f1.2 lens would necessitate a 17.5mm f0.6 - something that doesn't exist, and something I suspect would be very difficult to make.
 
There's no getting away from the fact that it's quite large and heavy. Probably won't want to take it on a holiday. The SL2s is great with the M lenses but I don't think I'll be buying any other autofocus lenses for it. To me it replaced the Sony A9 just because the camera itself is much nicer to use. There's not a whole lot of difference image quality with the lenses I own but what there is is very subtle. Still pondering a small full frame with autofocus for travel purposes. The more I use the SL2s the less I want the bother of my M10 and it's manual focus. My eyesight aint what it used to be at age 63!

Leica Q2 would match well with the SL2s for sure. The other compact options in L-Mount would be the Panasonic S5 (much smaller than the SL, but still a decent size) or the Sigma FP (very compact, but has its own quirks as a photo camera).

What I’d REALLY love to see would be a FF Leica CL or a FF Panasonic GX8/GX9. Either of those paired with the Sigma I-Series would make for excellent travel/family/street kits. Right now, my A7c gets as close to those as possible, but I’d be happy to move to either of those other cameras as overall usability would better match by preference.
 
Last edited:
I don't think the focal length alone is the issue. It's about the DOF, which is a combination of focal length, aperture, and sensor size. In theory, a m43 17.5mm f1 lens should render (all other things equal) the same as an FF 35mm f2 lens. But to get a m43 equiv of a FF 35mm f1.2 lens would necessitate a 17.5mm f0.6 - something that doesn't exist, and something I suspect would be very difficult to make.

Not to get too off topic, but focal length is the main differentiator, all others being equal. As @Lupin 3rd mentioned a 17.5mm lens is still a 17.5mm lens.

If you put the same 35mm FF L-mount lens on an SL2 and then on an APSC CL, the overall look will be the exact same on both cameras, just that the CL image will be “cropped” resulting it a tighter FOV.
 
Not to get too off topic, but focal length is the main differentiator, all others being equal. As @Lupin 3rd mentioned a 17.5mm lens is still a 17.5mm lens.

If you put the same 35mm FF L-mount lens on an SL2 and then on an APSC CL, the overall look will be the exact same on both cameras, just that the CL image will be “cropped” resulting it a tighter FOV.
I disagree, but let’s leave it there.
 
Leica Q2 would match well with the SL2s for sure. The other compact options in L-Mount would be the Panasonic S5 (much smaller than the SL, but still a decent size) or the Sigma FP (very compact, but has its own quirks as a photo camera).

What I’d REALLY love to see would be a FF Leica CL or a FF Panasonic GX8/GX9. Either of those paired with the Sigma I-Series would make for excellent travel/family/street kits. Right now, my A7c gets as close to those as possible, but I’d be happy to move to either of those other cameras as overall usability would better match by preference.

Yes, full frame CL would be good. Q2, not convinced that there's anything very characterful from that lens. Had the Sony RX1 with superb image quality, bought the upgraded RX1RII but didn't feel it had that same magic plus it really isn't all that pleasant to use, poor battery life too. Consider the Sony A7C but need a good vf I think.
 
Yes, full frame CL would be good. Q2, not convinced that there's anything very characterful from that lens. Had the Sony RX1 with superb image quality, bought the upgraded RX1RII but didn't feel it had that same magic plus it really isn't all that pleasant to use, poor battery life too. Consider the Sony A7C but need a good vf I think.
FWIW, I'd try the Sony. I had a brief time with the A7C and found the EVF quite usable, by far not as marginal as it was made out to be by the review crowd on YouTube - most of them'll find fault with a diamond if it wasn't the biggest in the world. That said, I think it might appear painfully small coming from the fabulous EVF on the SL2-S ... In fact, I myself feel spoiled by my Nikon Z FX (FF) bodies already; if I go back to the very solid Z DX models, the EVFs on those feel small and cramped by comparison. They're not, they're much bigger than many others (as I can prove to myself by picking up the E-M5 III or X-E3 - or V1!). It's this dangerous side-by-side thing - or, as we say in German: "The better is the enemy of the good."

I'd love a FF CL, too, btw. - the CL got many things right, but for the price, the tech just isn't quite there (yet, I hope). The CL's merits were the reason for me to pick up a X-E3 in the end: 100% Fujifilm, 85% CL (gestalt), very good in its own right with better AF and overall handling (not that the CL was that bad, mind). I almost traded the X-E3 for a A7C - but I'm done with E mount, I think. L mount appeals a lot more ...

I'm curious as to who'll be quicker: Nikon with a (FX) Z f or Leica/L mount with a RF style FF body; if the latter had I.B.I.S. as well, I'd be as good as sold ...

All these things aside, Christilou, I think you have put together a really magical combo there - I'd hang on to that, to be honest. The Sigma should handle okay on the SL2-S - it'd be a pain to handle on the A7C, that's for certain. For this type of rendering, I think it's the best super-fast AF solution I've seen. I personally adore my Z 50mm f/1.2 S, but the Sigma is the smaller lens with the more versatile FoV (and it sports a real aperture ring ...). Just my take, of course ...

M.
 
Back
Top