Leica S2: the new paradigm for post-modern photography?

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by tml

Stovall, after all, they are from the same lineage! I guess am not a serious Leicaphile yet! BTW, did you know that even Leicas do not come with a part called "sphincter pupillae?" You will not find this definition in the Leica Lens Compendium, only in Gray's Anatomy... Be nice, Stovall,s will you? Tri.

Leica has a long tradition of changing optical formulas but not the name of the lens. The 35 'Cron has had 4 changes to its optical formula you only know which is which by serial number. The same applies to filter sizes and lens hoods for some lenses. That is why Puts' book is invaluable when buying used gear.

You'll make Uber Leicaphile yet. Oh, also get a copy of Laney's "Leica Collector's Guide 2nd ed." I've wore the spine off mine.

[msk2193]

Originally Posted by PeteQ

Yes, the charts show that Leica builds wonderful lenses, but my point is, and it was already pointed out from another MR article above, is that in most cases the differences in today's glass is much smaller and affects overall IQ much less than in the past and is rarely an issue and can almost never been seen in the final print.

I would agree that this is the case on anything you view on screen, but print an image that was shot with the lens wide open and you will be dazzled by the difference. I believe my Nikon 28 f/1.4 is a superb lens but comparable images shot with the Leica 24 f/1.2 do show a huge difference.

Additionally, the lack of a low-pass filter on the sensor adds a considerable bit of sharpness to the raw file.

[johnastovall]

Originally Posted by tml

Stovall, after all, they are from the same lineage! I guess am not a serious Leicaphile yet! BTW, did you know that even Leicas do not come with a part called "sphincter pupillae?" You will not find this definition in the Leica Lens Compendium, only in Gray's Anatomy... Be nice, Stovall, will you? Tri.

Google "sphincter pupillae leica" use one to see one.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

You'll make Uber Leicaphile yet. Oh, also get a copy of Laney's "Leica Collector's Guide 2nd ed." I've wore the spine off mine.

I was looking at a Leica book at B&N a while back. A friend of mine was with me, and he was pretty amazed at the historical facts I was sharing with him as I perused the pages. A lot of good pictures in the book as well.

[PeteQ]

Originally Posted by msk2193

I would agree that this is the case on anything you view on screen, but print an image that was shot with the lens wide open and you will be dazzled by the difference. I believe my Nikon 28 f/1.4 is a superb lens but comparable images shot with the Leica 24 f/1.2 do show a huge difference.

Additionally, the lack of a low-pass filter on the sensor adds a considerable bit of sharpness to the raw file.

And I would argue that I could put 10 prints on a table from various lenses and 99% of photographers would not be able to correctly match a description of the gear with the images. IMO that's the primary reason folks online preface their shots with their equipment listing, hoping that the gear will somehow ad to the likability of the image. Having been to a print competition or two I can say that I have never seen the presenters ask about the equipment before the prints were judged. To that end I would bet that most judges couldn't tell you from looking at a print what camera or lens was used. They could probably get pretty close with a guess as to focal length and aperture, but not the glass and they do it daily.

It depends on what someone is hoping to highlight, their gear or their images. Heck, the pretentiousness isn't limited to Leica or any other brand. Every club or maker has those that worry more about their gear than their image. I frequently see people drop $1500+ on a lens and wonder why things are blurry. Well, f/1.2 at 8 feet with an 85mm is a whole lot harder to pull off correctly than f/8.

And I do think there may be a difference when the equipment is used in your daily work. To me as a full time photographer, these are tools. Back when it was a hobby the lens lust was a lot harder to resist. Now, it's a business decision and I approach it differently and that fine, to each his own. Maybe someday I will again pick up a rangefinder and think, "Man I gotta have one of these!" but not right now.

Thank goodness there are lots of choices to suit everyone's taste and wallets.