[LRflex] Thoughts on DSLRs wanted

  • From: H&ECummer <cummer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 16:26:14 +0800


From: Chris L <speleo_karst@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [LRflex] Thoughts on DSLRs wanted

Of course I'm tempted by the idea of getting a DSLR (free shooting, immediate results, etc.), but the choices which fit my needs are limited. I'd love to hear some thoughts, especially from people who have actually used them.

Basically, I'm looking for a full-frame DSLR to use my R-lenses on (and Rolleiflex & M42 ones too, if possible). While most focal lengths are covered by my R lenses, I still like to use the other lenses for various reasons.
Non full-frame isn't the way to go for me (love my wides!).
Dust on sensor may be a big problem for me (I change lenses often & in bad conditions).

The current and foreseeable choices are:

A) Canon full-frame with adapters.
Pros: Can use R, Rolleiflex & M42 lenses with adapter. Up to 24 Mbit resolution. Sensor cleaning on latest model. Relatively affordable. Cons: Must file mirror to use my favourite wides. Manual aperture only. Focussing not optimized for MF. Many/most functions wasted for my uses. I hate Canon... ;-)

B) Leica R10
Pros: No manual aperture only & MF problems. Probably a nice body which I would feel more comfortable with. Cons: Not out yet (if ever). Probable (unaffordable) price!!!!!!!!! Won't use my Rolleiflex & M42 lenses.

C) Stick with film (at least for some time yet).
Pros: No money spent on expensive DSLR. Probably more & cheaper alternatives in the future. Possibly better aesthetic results (more careful shooting) Cons: Film & development costs. Waiting for results. Lower high-ISO performance.

Ideas are welcome & especially feedback from Canon DSLR + adapter users.

Chris



Hi Chris,
First I must apologize to Luggers who have already seen the pictures and some of the commentary set out below.
You have two alternatives to go in addition to the above.
1.) the Panasonic G1. With the proper adapters it can take both R and M (yes M) lenses. I have an R > M adapter and an M > 4/3rds micro adapter and have been having a great time using R and M lenses on the tiny G1.

Here is the M > Micro 4/3rds adapter

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/RayQualLM-to-M4_3rds-adapter.jpg.html

http://tinyurl.com/7wkvbr

Here is part of my posting to the LUG about using M lenses on the G1 (which I posted on the Leica Reflex list on Dec 29)

The EVF is better than I remember it at Photokina. Under fluorescent lights there is strobing in the viewfinder but with daylight or other lighting the EVF works quite well. A Leica rangefinder viewfinder it isn't but still it is usable. You have to set the G1 to fire the shutter without a lens on the camera and that takes some digging through the instruction
book to find the menus within menus.
What is very appealing is that in manual focus you touch the left arrow of the control wheel on the back and that brings up a 10X magnification box. You can move the box over the area you want to enlarge and then push the set button in the center of the control wheel to enlarge that section. You have to be quite fast to fix focus because the magnification shuts off in about 3 seconds. It is easiest to use with wide angle lenses because the magnified camera shake is not so great. For telephotos like the 90 Cron and the 135 Elmar - the shaking of the hand held camera is so magnified that it is hard to fix focus before the magnification turns off. {A firmware upgrade has been announced to allow the user to extend the timing
of the magnification}.

As you can see from the pictures it performs pretty well - although we did notice that white balance when set to auto
fluctuated quite a bit from shot to shot.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/M+Lenses+to+Micro+4-3rds/

http://tinyurl.com/9bh9zx

Here's my Heliar 15mm on the G1 - accurately focused on my son Russ who is on his way back to Tokyo today. It really enhances the value of the Heliar when you don't have to guess at its focus.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/M+Lenses+to+Micro+4-3rds/Russ15HeliarBw.jpg.html


http://tinyurl.com/7rdsg5

I put my 15 Heliar on the M8 and then via adapter on the G1 and snapped a couple of photos of my lovely wife Esther going over the
Christmas bills.

1.http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/M+Lenses+to+Micro+4-3rds/L15Heliarw.jpg.html

http://tinyurl.com/72jdep

2.http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/M+Lenses+to+Micro+4-3rds/P15Heliarw.jpg.html

http://tinyurl.com/8ap65q

The photos don't prove much except that both cameras work reasonably well with the 15 Heliar and the cropping
difference from the different sized chips is evident.

Not to leave out the R lenses that you want to use

I just got a 19mm Elmarit R (Version 1) (the version which doesn't catch the mirrors of full frame digital SLRs) and with a borrowed novoflex R to M adapter (thank you Ray) I have mounted the Elmarit with the novoflex adapter via the Ray Qual adapter in the G1. Please see:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/M+Lenses+to+Micro+4-3rds/19ElmaritRonG1w.jpg.html
http://tinyurl.com/aytn89

You might ask why would anyone want to do that? Well, the simple answer is because one can! :-)

and penultimately

The venerable 19mm Elmarit on the M8 and the G1 - both shots at f8.0, ISO 160,
White Bal sunshine. Both cameras on a sturdy tripod.

Focusing by screen on the G1, by depth of field (infinity at f8.0 on the depth of field scale of the 19E when on the M8)

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/M+Lenses+to+Micro+4-3rds/G1Elmarit19w.jpg.html

http://tinyurl.com/9rzh27

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/M+Lenses+to+Micro+4-3rds/L8Elmarit19Croppedw.jpg.html

http://tinyurl.com/8n8zj4

No processing done - just resizing the M8 image to be the same crop as the G1.

Full screen on my 24" i Mac - the M8 records a warmer image but the G1 seems a tad sharper in the centre but the M8 corners (in the cropped image) are perhaps sharper.
Whether this is from accurate focusing or other factors, je ne sais pas.

And lastly, finally

please see:

<leitax.com>

I am switching the bayonets of my remaining R lenses from R to N bayonets (the reason why I just got the 19 R Elmarit Version1) and I will use the lenses on my Nikon D700 (which I much prefer to my {now sold} Canon 5D). This change is reversible should Leica ever come out with an R10 that I like and can afford. But in the meantime I can use R lenses on my Nikon which has wonderful performance up to ISO 6400 and whose controls I really like.

Some food for thought, I hope.
Cheers
Howard

























Other related posts: