Member PebblePlace

Hi David – Have you had a chance to try to the 28 Lux?

Hopefully the Leica M Type 240 firmware update 2.0.1.5 resolved this issue for you?

The 50/2.8 Elmar didn't do much for me. I found its wide open sharpness lacking, contrast slightly washed out (at F2.8) and some CA. For a F2.8 lens, I expect it to be quite good wide open.

My vote goes for the 50 Lux ASPH. Once an expensive lens, but now with a $8000+ 50 APO above as well the Noc ASPH, now the 50 Lux ASPH looks like a…[Read more]

Marc, with regards to your S' repairs, you might try a new Type 006. There are some good deals on new bodies and it comes with a 3 year warranty. I find the AF markedly better. The S2 was accurate, but mine hunted and stalled alot. The Type 006 is much better – even with the 120S. Also, at ISO 100 the noise pitch is less. It's not…[Read more]

Cool – I was wondering if it was listed 5.4 and I just hadn't noticed.

I decided to pull out all the Leica S lens entries to see if there was a pattern to the date string. The date string appears to be a serial number and lenses are added/updated in batches. Each lens does NOT have its own unique date stamp. Leica R and M lenses shared the…[Read more]

Hi Doug – it takes some digging, but if we go back to the Leica S2 introduction when Leica was first talking about the lens line-up, the 100/2 was pictured. The 100/2 appeared to be sized larger than the 70S, but definitely shorter than the 120S. The lens barrel shapes shown in this old picture have changed, so the 100mm shown here may not be…[Read more]

Well, that stinks. With Ricoh putting the 645Z on the street for $8495, it's kind of difficult to believe that the new CMOS S is costing more to make than the Type 006. I realize that Leica may be opting for a CMOSIS sensor (or someone else's) instead of Sony. But geesh…

The Mamiya 300mm F2.8 APO is very good performing lens – nice 3D feel to its images. I don't see them on Ebay much anymore. They typically sell for $2000-$3000 US depending on condition. I like the lens on S2, but it's a big set-up. I think the lens weighs around 6.5 pounds. F2.8 imaged attached (taken with the S2).

Attached files

The CMOSIS sensors has its plus' and minus'. My recent cameras have included – Canon 1Ds Mark III, Phase One P65+ and Leica S2. The M-240 has the most dynamic range (at base ISO) and the shadows are very clean. When it comes to sharpness and definition, the M-240 is well defined at 100% views, but something happens in the down-sizing process…[Read more]

I was not blown away by the 180S. That's not the same as saying it is a bad lens, just that I found it underwhelming given the price tag. In hindsight, for my uses, the 120S probably would have been a more practical choice.

I also used the Mamiya 200mm F2.8 APO on the S2 via the Leica S / 645M adapter. I think the Mamiya 200mm F2.8 APO is…[Read more]

A flock of pigs just buzzed our house! LOL Thank you for the info.

Hi Josh – did Leica add a custom function in the Leica S firmware to change the direction of control wheel for changing aperture values?

Hi Josh –

My review wish list:

1) S dynamic range at ISO 100 vs the S2 at ISO 160
– How the highlights roll off
– Noise pitch in the shadows
– Noise pitch comparison in blue skies at base ISO

2) Color response
– Any changes in the Lightroom profile for the S2 vs the S
– Auto white balance…[Read more]

I think the challenge with the off-center auto-focus points is that the light gets diverted with a sub-mirror and that mirror is quite small, so light can be dispersed only so much, thus the “outer” focus points get very little light and do not perform as well. Assuming that AF point spread of something like the Canon 1Ds3 is about as wide as it…[Read more]

I'd love to have a True Focus type mode on the S or any dSLR. It's one of those ideas that is so simple, that you wonder why it was Hasselblad to do it first.

Whether one will like using non-S lenses on the Leica S will probably depend heavily on one's predisposition to using adapters. The draw backs have been noted here – mostly related to speed. When it comes to focus speed, using the microprism (in the S2) is faster than the S2's auto-focus, so I find manual focus a non-issue. I have been very…[Read more]

I was hoping to see an option to set the direction of the thumb wheel. Is this the last firmware update for the S2?

Leica is probably struggling to figure out how to actually administer the program:

— What to do with the incoming inventory?
— What stays at the dealer level vs what comes back to Germany?
— Do lenses sent back to Germany get reconditioned and re-cert'd?
— What if the lens is in well-used condition?
— How fast can they liquidate…[Read more]

Well, the lenses do physically exist – they are shown here in David's picture from PhotoPlus – Photo Plus Expo Post. I know that doesn't answer your question or resolve the situation, but it's something.