Camera reviews as an art form. Never has it been so intentionallu explored or so brilliantly executed. Never before I have been brought so close to tears by a man, talking about a camera.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. For many reasons just what I needed to hear right now - not just from the point of view of making a camera purchase - but for your incidental overview of the sweep of history and the ebb and flow of light in the 20th century and beyond. For reasons I won't bore you with right now, it was just what I needed to hear. With deep gratitude for your intelligence, effort and attention to detail.
Spectacular. The most competent, heardfelt, passionate and emotional review of all time. You are simply the best! Said by a former Sony aficionado, A6000 A7s, A7r, A99ii (thanks Jason L.) and short term Fuji X-Pro 9 guy (thanks GX Ace), turned Q2 owner (thanks MrLeica) who just bought an SL, because of you, Hugh! Thank you!
I have no realistic tangible interest in any Leica Camera, but I have subscribed, and will watch a ton of this channel's videos just for the story telling and narration values. Excellent!
I own the sl and the 24-90 along with other smaller m mount lenses. Hugh your assessments and thoughts are wonderful. Personally I use the 24-90 about a third of the time, because of its size. However using an M lens and this system is very easy to carry and small. What i can add is that the leica/voigtlander lenses are incredible and with the SL there is a image that is not seen by any other manufacturers. The color and look of the Leica are extraordinary, perhaps as you mentioned tweaking from other systems will get you closer. I own or have owned all modern cameras in the exception of pentax and medium formats. The sl is an ergonomic dream and its operation is simple. FWIW the leica 24-90 is large and heavy variable aperture lens because Leica does not compromise on its lenses in that by definition of F stop as it relates to diameter size Fstop (n) = Focal Length/Diameter of entrance pupil: The large light gathering element of the 24-90 ensures that lens is delivering what you paid for. The range of this lens is really the one solution walk around piece. Video, lets talk for a moment about that. Yes video exists on the SL, yes having to by a part to adapt to have headphone and mic is insane. I have not purchased that piece. Yes many other cameras fill the video end better... but hold that thought... higher end video cameras you know the ones that are not intended for consumer use that use high end video and codecs are iso 800 native with push to 1600. To be fair its really in more recent times when Arri and Reds can push the ISO limits higher, lighting is critical. Oh and Arri I believe really started into 4k in 2014 or so. Lets just ponder that for a moment. When you reflect for a moment vlogs and family vidoes the use consumer grade codecs and autofocus is more appropriate. The SL not as an after thought has has leica branded PL mounts and and PL Leica glass. Its bitrate and 4k and dare say full HDMI out is more handi for semi-professional use. The camera has the video chops for higher end production but yet still maintains the ease of use for filming you dog while playing in the park. Its an observation on the capabilities and the broader audience to which its targeted. The SL is compromised video imaging device because I don't think it is intended to be a consumer based product intended for vloggers. It was never build with that intention. But here is most mind boggling omission from the video side, there is no way to power the camera from mains, you have to use Leica batteries. This is where I need the duct tape to hold my brain in. Why Leica in all of creation you made a video camera of this caliber that has no ability to be powered externally. AGHHHHH. So I cant use it in production anyway. The SL uses a sensor system that is unlike others and designed to handle M mounts. Many people can tell in addition to myself that M lenses especially wide angle and Sony don't get along very well with smeared corners and odd color shifts. The camera when your out and about is always a conversation starter, so many people have never even heard of it and I live in LA! I always get asked ... do you like it... would you recommend it. If you are a photographer and can work a camera, absolutely this is an incredible piece of gear. The image essence that you get from it is stunning, the draw, color and depth of the images are unlike anything more commercially available. To be fair its not a Sony Nikon Canon Olympus Panasonic, Fuji or Pentax. Its a Leica, its build and imaging are Leica its compromised in the vision of Leica and not defined by another brand and what they offer......its like apple of many years ago - think different.
Wow, with that awesome presentation and smooth, charismatic voice, you could have been talking about doing your laundry and I would still have been mesmerized. If I were rich I would buy you one of those cameras just because of this video. Well done!
Your videos are amazing products! Is like watching a well made movie! From the technical aspects, to the order of information and technique used to provide that information to the viewer. Stellar!!!!
Just like the X1D, I've never seen reviews done like this. A little history lesson, a little experience, incredible context, and a calming voice to put it all together makes me look forward to anything you have an opinion on. I love this format.
Wow, I really want to get the SL now; you have rather verbosely romanticized the camera and yet appealed to our intellect; you spoke with heart and head. spirit and truth. Thank you.
thank you for an honest and wonderfully put review on this piece of art. i actually left and sold off all my sony gear and GM lenses to make thw switch to the SL about a month ago. the deal maker for me is hands down color and tonality. sony is years and years behind, and i understand why leica does not buy sony sensors for their cameras after 12 years of using sony bodies. yes, i lose out on AF, resolution and some other things, but the images i get out of the system takes about 10% of the post processing time my sony images did, and i always get better, more natural results in the end. and what it all comes down to for me, is the end. i have taken more WOW images in a month of leica than i have in the last 6 years of sony bodies. and that is what motovates me and keep me going. the shortcomings of the leica sl compared to the sony a7rii is something that in ordwr to overcome, i have to evolve as a photographer. and it has made me a more prepared and better photographer alltogether. 🙂
Excellent review and one of the best you tube uploads I have seen in a long long time, thank you for spending the time and effort..great job..I have been using the SL now for almost 18 months or is it 2 years..i chose to stick with my M lenses as I moved from the M9..I use the camera for work, either for travel gigs where i need to travel light or for clients that I like, are prepared to wait a little longer for me to do the shoot or for shoots that mean something a little bit more, your video made me realise i need to use it tomorrow for my shoot..i missed it...almost 4 weeks not used..heading to Thailand later this week..was going to take the M9...thanks to you my SL will be neatly packed..thanks for the motivation...sometimes in life we need a gentle prod..yours was a most enjoyable one..Thanks
Holy cow! This is one brilliant review. Rich in detail, a super clear voice - it never gets boring watching [listen to] the whole video. Very professional. Thank you, Hugh.
So much of this epic review is pure dribble -but in the basketball sense! it's a dedication to fundamentals and patient execution of craft that is truly artful! great talks man, love 'em.
A bit late but as a dedicated photographer, as a proud and thankful Leica user, as a lucky owner of both the SL and it's gorgeous 24-90 kit lens... I just want to thank you for this magnificent and emotional review of what I consider to be one of the most beautifully made camera on earth. This thing as soul, it is something magical happening between the glass and the components, I mean at a quantum level. This machine is full of imperfections indeed, which gives it charm, character, exclusiveness. Being able to put legendary M optics front of this sensor, thus giving back the feeling of using an M body with a the convenience of a 21st century platform... man, despite all buzz and whistles from competitors, this experience just can't be matched. Yes this is a bulky piece of equipment and it feels heavy on the wrist at the end of the day... yes it's creepy expensive for an outdated chipset, yes... it is irrational. If you can't afford to buy a new one, I'm sure there's plenty of second-hand opportunities that worth the money. A Leica camera is something special, you don't buy it with your brain, but with your heart... Your last comparison with a beautiful woman floating in the middle of a luxurious hotel lobby is perfect... she is not unaccessible, she only needs commitment to give the best of herself :)
Oh yes man, please do a Leica CL review. This would be awesome. I love your videos, they are hypnotizing and I calm down when watching, thanks so much.
Superb 4-part series! And even more interesting to watch, now that the SL2 has addressed the IBIS situation. And there are some primes available. I loved the talk on history as well. It's too big for me to want to schlep around, but I do agree that the SL is a moment, taking Leica unfettered into the 21st Century. I'm still an M guy, but I certainly appreciate the SL. Thankfully, Leica still makes both. Nicely-done, thank you.
I love this series. Please do more like this. It's fantastic with the history, tech info, etc mixed in. There's something for everyone in this camera series.
Watching this entire series has been the highlight of my day. You have an awesome gift as a storyteller. It’s so intriguing to hear the history of Lecia, in the context of the geo-political and humanitarian considerations. Thank you for your stellar efforts!
Hugh, thank you producing these videos. It’s as though I’m reading a classic novel and I can’t put it down. Brilliant! As for the SL, it has been and remains my primary camera. Along with the native telephoto lenses, I also find it very rewarding to use manual primes, both modern and vintage. Your review was spot on, your delivery is unmatched. Cheers.
A Great review and comment. I love the story telling experience. How I agree and understand , is the difference between a pure breed moody Arabian horse and a tempered faithful Appaloosa. Thou an expensive Appaloosa.
I used the two lens combo and SL during the Mosul operations for weeks and it was the perfect camera. Fast and durable - and the situations were not the bests when I was embedded with the Peshmerga then the Iraqi army. My best decision was when I turned to Leica from an other brand.
Masterful series. Thank you for the great mini documentary on Leica and your unique storytelling way of doing a review. Personally, I love the SL and shoot with it as my workhorse camera.
I wanted to add that I so greatly enjoyed this series, especially the 4th part so much, that I listened to it in full 3 times, on my drives to/from work. There is something nostalgic, romantic, and ultimately inspirational in the way you tell your story and review the SL. Full disclosure: I love Leica and shoot with many of their cameras. You point out the shortcomings of the SL vis-a-vis its competition but still have the emotional pull that makes you want one. I just love the dream you describe at that end, where you are imagining your younger self sitting at an old world European hotel and this unbelievable woman comes in. She is unattainable, yet you realize you don't need her and all is still right with your world. Many cameras today are so good that ultimately, choosing a camera today is an emotional decision. I love the SL because I love the minimalist, modernist industrial design and smooth handling of this machine. I am fortunate that I have many cameras that perhaps on paper out-spec the SL - Phase One XF100, Hasselblad X1D, Nikon D5, D850, etc. But the two cameras I get the most joy and inspiration when I pick up are the SL and Monochrom. Back in college, I read the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values. There is a passage from that book which resonates with me, especially in regards to this - "The test of the machine is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn't any other test. If the machine produces tranquility it's right. If it disturbs you it's wrong until either the machine or your mind is changed."
What a lovely, generous and thoughtful contribution. I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance many, many years ago. Thank you for joining in the conversation!
Good evening, you now what, i am from germany and live in South-Africa, my english is very bad......... but i love your words , not only what....much more how you say and see the "things"......... i also fall in love with the SL, sometimes i wish the new SL2, but its like allways in live, to stay with the older staff is not the greatest mistake ;-) A.P. Haller
People who want a stunning and intuitive camera with a vintage workflow can buy a Leica film camera. In digital few cameras inspire sufficient love to retain the passion beyond the next iteration. That suggests Leica users are like everyone else, but their dalliances cost more.
Fantastic review series! I love the history in the beginning of the series, how you broke everything down, the pros and cons and all the other options for much less money. I shoot an X-Pro 2 that I love and really thought of Leica as a status symbol. Too much money for specs that are bettered by much less expensive cameras. Then on my birthday last year, I was gifted a Leica X Vario. It was way more expensive than my Fuji, had less megapixels and a much slower lens than my Fuji 18-55. Then I shot it and I just smiled. I loved the image quality and the colors! As I shot it more, I appreciated the simple controls and the basic menu. I love my Leica and use it as my vacation or going to a special place camera. I finally understood why Leica.
In The long run , i expect Leica will survive through the relationship with Panasonic. Leica gives Panasonic insight into the art of photography, and high Quality lenses. Panasonic supplies volume manufacturing, and video expertise. My FIxed lense Superzooms FZ1000,Fz2500, do far better than many people expect because of the tuned Leica glass and a matched sensor combination. I really enjoy the passion in this review.
Have been using the camera for 2 years with M lenses. Returned the 24-90 due to excess weight. Patiently waited for the 16-35, and it is a fabulous combination. My involved landscape work for automotive advertising requires my shooting with two Canon bodies (5D MKIII & 5Ds) in tandem with the SL. My only complaint is the SL requires frequent use to remember the button macros and work flow.
So well done throughout the series and we didn’t even need any unboxing or walk-arounds. What you say resonates with me. I love Leica, and the SL is such an awesome idea...on paper. And it feels so good...in hand. But I can’t imagine lugging that thing around all day, so alas it isn’t for me. That ending though, summed it up for me poetically!
Interesting to look back on this review given the recent SL2 launch and price changes. So if in 2018 an SL body was $6,000 and now in mid 2020 its $2600 and a CL body is now $1500 what is the better choice for a Leica M user wanting to extract more mileage from the range of M glass, frame size notwithstanding?
Your point about Leica treatment it’s customers and employees well is important. If they do those two things the price for the cameras is a fair. Most other camera builders are going down the sinkhole of our consumer and workers be dammed culture.
What a lovely 4 part review of Leica and a bit about the SL, Although I have handled the SL nice as it is I did go down the X1D road and have had so much negative comments about going that way, But I just love the way that cameras work flow and experience. I think that is what I get from your review is it a system you love to use. Thank you for your thoughts and I look forward to watching more of your content. John
A fun watch again after 4-years when this popped up and gave it another look. Appreciate all the detail technical data and comparisons even if now in 2023 maybe like the original SL, not ‘up-to-date.’ But, after getting a used SL about 3-years ago, and actually using it, all these numbers and the size-thing have become unimportant. I didn’t have a second thought when I first handled the camera when it came out in 2015, just not my style coming from Leica RF (film and digital), and yes the size was just too much. How things changed when the used prices made it the best deal in Leica digital cameras and I gave it a try. In 2023; the still great EVF does the job, its design style is beautiful and superb build quality is the best, and the TowerJazz custom 24MP sensor is enough and gives excellent files. The original unlabeled 4-button layout gives instant menu access to it’s features (I think Leica may have ‘compromise’ with the newer SL2 and SL2-S to make the layout familiar to their RF cameras users). And, yes that GPS is a hump, but does something useful. I use the SL with manual focus M-series and older Takumar lenses and it just works. And as for the weight and size thing…, The perfect designed strap over one shoulder and across the chest, camera to the side, takes the weight off and out to way, easy to pull up to use. (And I have to admit, I look at it as a tactile satisfying ‘brick-tool’ much like my Rolleiflex and not a compact camera) It does everything I need it to do, Leica quality, nice in the hands, very cool look, well thought out, and fun to use. The fact that used prices have come down to affordable for me make it one of my favorite cameras of all time.
I love your ability to marry tech and emotion on such a visceral level. Frankly, Leica cameras have no appeal to me but your reviews certainly do. I'm wondering how many of you are familiar with Paul Fusco. A magnum photographer that lived in Mill Valley when I was growing up. I had a few opportunities to meet and talk to him as his daughter and my sister were best friends. Sadly he passed away a few days ago....one of my personal favorite photojournalists.
I absolutely share your passion for this camera. I do think its pointless to try to compare it to mirrorless cameras by other manufacturers, especially with the newest models (I am writing this in 2020), that beat the SL on almost every specification, weight and price. But competing with other mirrorless digital cameras is IMO not the purpose of the SL. It is a mirrorless version of a digital Leica M, fine tuned to accept Leica M lenses and to be able to focus them via the stunning built-in EVF with the help of focus peaking and magnification. As a bonus, with an EVF, the days of Leica M rangefinder misalignment are over. Even the current Panasonic S1 series cameras or a Sony A7 with an adapter, cannot exploit the special quality of M lenses in the way the SL can. With an M mount lens attached, the SL becomes a manual focus camera. I am a firm believer in the philosophy that a camera which slows you down and invites you to think more about focus and exposure parameters, helps with the creative thought process. When the camera does everything automatically, it encourages laziness. Of course there are many uses such as sports photography where autofocus and a fast burst rate are a must-have. Leica aims at artists and people who document the news and the happenings of everyday life, from the extreme to the banal. About cost and value for money. I still have a working Leica Digilux 2 that I bought new in 2004. Its still a surprisingly good camera with an amazing lens despite its mere 5mp output. My guess is people will be using the SL in many years to come and those who use it regularly will feel it was money well spent.
Love these videos on the SL. Photography (and gear) is much more than just specs. You can compare it (the Leica feeling) to the feeling when you touch the dashboard (yes, both are plastic) of a German or Korean car... I´ve got several Leica Ms and Rs and much more other (great) cameras. But when holding (and using) a Leica in your hand, you feel like beeing at home. But, as we all know, you can get amazing results with any camera... Haven´t got the SL, too large for me. From the price standpoint, if you are a Pro, you need, what you need. As an amateur, you need what you can afford, or like. I like to invest in cameras, which might serve my children well. So, film cameras are top of my list. Nevertheless, thank you so much for your videos! Really enjoyed it!
hi, would like to know your thoughts on 6850$ Leica M10 manual Rangefinder + Crons & Luxs ? .... esp. when compared to A7III, ... or ... A7R3 & D850 (i know, twice resolution, than M10), ... or ... X-H1 ... or ... cheapest yet amazing M43 (4:3 aspect ratio) Olympus EM10iii + Pana-Leica Primes like 15mm f/1.7 & 42.5mm f/1.2 or M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8 ? of course M43 body is cheap, not its lenses. I am not in love with the boring & faulty 3:2 ratio where there's a need to crop out negative space either from top or bottom, ... or from either side, left or right. It is neither good for landscape nor portrait, but a compromise for both. Ideal for Cinematic shots or Videos is 16:9, and 4:3 for Portraiture. So, 3:2 doesn't fit in, in either of the two main categories of photography, namely landscape/cinematic/scenes, and portrait.. Squarish format (not perfect square), is best suited for portraiture. Thanks.
Thanks for a good review. I still have my Leicaflex SL made in the early 70s. Wishing Leica will resurrect that same or similar body & form for digital in the future.
Enthralling- never thought I'd watch a 37 minute camera review. I'd be interested in your take on the Monochrom and the M-D 262. I always wanted a Leica since I was a teen. Part of it was seeing the work of the greats, such as Winogrand and Bresson, part was the Bauhaus industrial design, and the quirks of a rangefinder (parallax, being able to see outside the frame lines, the tiny lenses) were all part of the mystique. Two years ago I finally got one, the M Typ262. The beauty of that camera is, it has fewer specifications. Only 3 controls: shutter speed, aperture, focus. It is an exercise in purity and restraint, something I admire and love.
Extremely enjoyable series. Rare that I would sit and watch a half-hour video without FF'ing at least some of it. Thanks for the longest, but best, best camera review ever seen on Y/T. The tech talk and references to other marques got me thinking. I shoot mostly film these days; a lot in the street. I'm going to Australia (from the UK) later this year to do just that. I have two F3s and an owned-from-new Pentax ME Super (as well as a small stable of digital gear, of course). It made me think that if you get caught up in today's digital race it's easy to feel left behind in just a few years as sensors, connectivity, AF, frame rates and the rest move on. When you shoot film with manual lenses that doesn't happen. The youngest of my film cameras is 25 years old. I love using them and I don't feel a desire to replace them with something newer or 'better'. (Well, ok; I'd like to at least try an M6, to see what the fuss is about.) In that sense, film is timeless and I'm sure I'll be as happy still using the same gear in 10 years; 15 if I last that long. Shooting is very satisfying and pleasurable and comes with the benefit of never experiencing camera-envy (and a very affordable entry cost). Then again, I'm also a firm believer that it's the photographer, not the gear, that makes the image. Apart from my Lumix lx-100 my other digital stuff is at least 9 years old with nothing more than 12MP. But that's because what I have meets my needs very well. If I were a sports or wildlife or perhaps wedding specialist earning at least some of my living from photography then I may well need and appreciate the latest and greatest advances in the tech I mentioned above to make the job of capturing that image easier and more likely. As it is, that's a race I'm happy not to enter for.
Mark Keohane Thanks so much for contributing to the conversation. It’s interesting - “yes, it’s about the gear but no it’s not about the gear it’s about the people:” Cartier-Bresson shot with the Leica because it was so much smaller, lighter and faster than something like the Speed Graphic, but it was his immersion into crowds, his world view, his early years as a painter, his later years as a world traveler, his ability to find connection with just about anyone, that determined what he shot and how he shot it. I’m guessing he never shot above 400 ISO; I bet he rarely shot wider than f/8... Other than workflow, I’m intrigued at the thought of returning to film myself. But my IIIa is not the camera with which to do it.... hmmm....
Well Hugh, on your thought about return to film I got my ME Super serviced (amazed it still worked after 25 years in a camera bag under the bed) and returned to film because I wanted to slow down and think more. I wanted to get out of the habit of looking at the lcd and taking far too many shots. I like to think I do my chimping through the 'finder now, BEFORE I release the shutter. And I resist taking more than a single shot of the same scene without good reason. I have to trust I got it. Like this: www.flickr.com/photos/markkeohane/19080074253/in/photolist-v53nkt And I now adopt the same approach when shooting digital (though I will freely admit it is useful to be able to double check for camera shake in marginal light). I realised it's easy now to have film processed and scanned, providing me with images I can edit and share with ease instead of a stack of 6x4 prints. In returning to film I guess I stepped off the technology escalator. But as I practised the art over the last six years I came to arrive at the philosophy expressed in my post. I've come to believe it's rare than someone looks at a good photo (interesting subject, story, well composed) and said it could have been improved by having better resolution. I look at shots taken using my 12MP equipment and can't see any reason for more, with the photography I do. And so I happily load my ME Super and the Nikon F3s I bought more recently, attach some manual focus glass and go forth and enjoy the pleasure of 'not knowing what you got' but at the same time being confident that you got it (I have a higher proportion of 'keepers' with film). The F3s are a particular joy to have, hold and use; even just look at.
Mark Keohane absolutely wonderful image - and even better story! I’ve got a lot on my plate at the moment, but I’ve got two rolls of black and white and a couple of cameras calling me...Thanks again for sharing!
Hi. Again I want to thank you for sharing these videos. It's true that maybe other cameras can have the same or even better performance, but I think Leica is not about that. I think the first concern is the quality of the equipment in all its elements and finishes. And in the case of leica SL they have achieved a profesional and very versatile camera together with the image quality that distinguishes the brand and that poetry that surrounds it. Years ago it was unthinkable to be able to attach lenses from other manufacturers to a leica ... Among other aspects. 3 years after its launch demonstrates leica's respect for its audience and its products. They do not need to be moving the market 2 or 3 times a year with products that repeat themselves and do not add anything new and are just a marketing screen. Thanks again, I deeply admire your videos. Greetings from Argentina!!!!
Three Blind Men and An Elephant Productions I'll be waiting anxiously for the saga of the leica cl! There is a lot of history behind that model also given that it was inspired by a historical model of the brand. And it is very well associated with the sl system !!! Regards...
I have a Leica SL with the Summilux 50mm and love it. It's built and sized like a tank but the image straight out from the camera is gorgeous. All I need is the 16-35, can't wait. Used to own Nikons but I have to say I'd rather have less glass.
great review and love your approach and honest analysis. I just picked up an SL and 24-90 after the SL2 drove down the price a bit. Looking forward to putting it to the test very soon. But yes.. The weight has me concerned. So a proper strap is in order, since Im mostly likely adding the Vertical grip shortly.
Very nice words. Indeed the Leica output is very special and unique. I love the M8's colors and processing the DNGs is very fast and easy to get perfect results (=the images I have seen through the finder when taking the photographs). For me the Leica system perfectly complements my bread and butter Nikon/Kodak system. After getting the M10 somewhere in the future the SL might also be a great alternative to get into a mirrorless full frame system but I am not really an autofocus person.
I switched from Nikon F2/F3 AI and AI-S Lenses about 30 years ago to my first Leica R4 with a 50/2.0. Today I have a full set of Leica R lenses some older than me and I've never regret it. BTW when I used my Nikon I only used it outside coz I always found the image quality way worse than my Hasselblad 500CM, once I switched to Leica I was using it everywhere.
I loved this 4 part review. I love your 'Jeff Goldblum' style, haha. (Please take that as a compliment) I am currently in pre production on a doco about one of these famous Leica wielding film pro Photojournalists, Tim Page, who's work in Vietnam gave him critical acclaim. I have thought about approaching Leica about shooting it on all Leica gear. Many thanks for your amazing historical journey through Leica. ✌🐸🤘
@@3BMEP The only downside i have is the muted or dull colors on the EVF.... I switched the color science to sRGB and to adobe RBG to see if i can make the colors of the EVF look more saturated but NOPE. Any tips?
I wonder if we'll see a time where we can design and order our own camera bodies, like we would design our PC case?How would your camera look? What functionalities would it have? What dials and where? What size, what batterylife? what file formats?
we are there, the Leica 'T' has this touch interface that the apple products use and at a similar level of usability; if without any stylus or apple pencil usability ( not redally available information), BUT as far as apples new tech {the iPad Pro} a very essential adaption to the touch screen experience, wish Leica could include this on their next iterations of M and T, etc. product lines. :))
August 2020 and I'm selling an A7r2 with Voigtlander primes and a BMPCC 4K with 12-60mm to buy a used SL in excellent condition. I will match it with a set of Canon FD L-series primes and a Novoflex adapter. I am old school. Shooting for 50+ years. I think and hope this will be my last camera. Arriving in a few days. Fingers crossed. Thanks Hugh, I watched all four parts. You are too cool.
Love the four part series. My own first photography guide was the a Leica guide from 1950 something. You got me thinking about an SL but I have just purchased an A7iii after buying an A7ii about a month before. You are a poet and don't know it :-). Sorry, couldn't resist. I've noticed that most Leica owners seem to be Asian. The SL is very expensive.
I must stop listening to your excellent videos before I am bankrupt. The deed is done. I have swapped my Leica X113 and T plus an outrageous quantity of my cash for a brand new Leica TL2 with a 23mm Summicron-TL. It's the prefect partner for my Panasonic GX9. Must go buy some bubble wrap tomorrow to pack up the old cameras. Gosh I am excited. It's official I am a Leica addict. No I don't want to look at the 60mm Macro; well not for a while ;-)
Leica DNA, , Panasonic partnership, tactile, simple and small. Fixed fast lens and a Micro 4/3 with a fabulous sensor. Your thoughts, on the back of your SL journey, on the Dlux 7?
You can use it for video, absolutely - though if you were to vlog with it, I'd recommend the smallHD Focus monitor -- perfect complement to the immovable rear panel LCD. OR: you could just use the smartphone app!
Ops Sorry previous post was with wrong language. Leica, a perfect example of German photographic engineering. Thank you for sharing. To add to the post, I believe their main focus is not video, however it’s still good!
Strange - I like the German language. But since I can only count to three and ask where the bathroom is, thank you for the translation. And yes, certainly: the first priority for a Leica is photographs. But would you agree that the SL is a very specific response to the growing interest in video? In any event, Danke for watching and contributing to the conversation.
@@3BMEP I am listening to you and tbh . I only understand about 1% of what you are saying , such is my lack of my understanding of photography ...but I purchased a Sigma 55 diameter 1:2.8 lens for my Leica SL on your advice ....I am able already to get some great images from the camera ...and in fact the SL itself works as a kind of tutorial ...I am just soo happy that I am able to use such a cool pro level camera ....Thank you....please keep sending these reviews.
A final PS: We have been on this same technological journey before if you like music and are as old as me. Back in the 70s and 80s music was moving from analogue to digital. The technology improved daily at a dizzying rate but it was horrible; sound sounded brittle, harsh and dead. Why couldn't digital match analogue? That is when the journey began spearheaded by such splendid publications as The Flat Response. Audiophiles pared everything down to basics and by a process of trial and error as much as logic developed a design philosophy that started to achieve fantastic results; at first by refining analogue turntables and then applying the same ideas to digital. Eventually digital approached analogue in quality. The principle that audio adopted was called the Order of Precedence and is based on the logic of rubbish in rubbish out. Any system can only achieve a result approaching the signal it is fed, it can never improve on it. So the answer is to take that signal and pass it on to the next phase with minimal processing or damage. So the music player is most important, the amplifier is of lesser importance and the speakers are of least importance of all. Feed an expensive speaker with a rubbish CD player and the noise is unbearable. That was how 70s audio was; cheap CD players with "perfect sound", feeding a cheap transistor amplifier into huge expensive speakers; it was awful. That is where photography is now Photography is now at the beggining of this journey, ruining the lenses for strange fashion reasons, imagining that the best sensors produce the best images and producing high tech cameras. WRONG WRONG WRONG!!! The most important component in a camera is the lens; the image thrown on the sensor is the best quality in the system. Next comes the shutter, if that isn't perfect the image is blurred. Ask anybody with a GX7 and a 14-140mm lens, its shutter shock. The image is cast on a silicon diode array which does nothing more than record the light variation. The size and sensitivity of those detectors determine dynamic range and nothing else. How well you can deliver that signal depends entirely down to the quality of the preamps and digital converters, they must cause minimal damage and noise. Finally comes the processing engine which can make or break the image. Best image has little processing as it is always best done in post (Panasonic knows this well, they back off noise reduction in the GH5 as their ambassadors prefer to deal with it in post), mechanical image processing is a blunt instrument. So that is where we are, people are noticing the images from classic lenses have more soul or some hippy term. They cant put their finger on it but think it may be to do with film. No film cameras just have better lenses, better corrected more organic rendering. What we need is those choices being put into modern lens design and it will come. Modern lenses suck big time and they are being asked to produce the primary image, from that point on the image is ruined whatever technology does to the camera; the horse has already bolted ;-)
I remember the day my teenaged daughter came home and asked if I had a thing called "records." Of course! Thought about what would be her first experience listening to vinyl. Pulled out Zeppelin II, maybe (I don't recall which Zeppelin album it was). We got out the AKG headphones (flat response) and listened to the vinyl, then the CD. I was surprised at how much more information was in the vinyl - revelatory.
Exactly and that is what grass roots photography is now discovering. Its amazing how we heaped derision on cheap Russian primes in the 70s (its like the bottom of a bottle, has it got water in it?), now those lenses are highly prized as they are copies of Zeiss and Leica primes and give 3D pop. They really werent that good but, they have a property missing from most modern formulations; simple corrected designs with few glass elements. Modern technologists dont like things like vignetting and soft corners so design them out, after all the modern fashion is for flat images, contemporary photographers live in a world projected onto a screen 2 inches thick. The extra glass reduces contrast and destroys the microtones that give 3D pop. As I say the designs are good and to the designers brief, the design objectives are fashionable and stupid. Myself I want maximum depth of field and i want an image so real I can walk around in it. I only get such an image from my Leicas and my Panasonic with a simple prime. I think we will see a change coming as artists realise what they have lost and will demand the older lens properties made with better glass and modern coatings. It will drive a sea change in photographic style as people realise what they have been missing as the world suddenly pops back into their images. I believe the Sony 50mm f1.8 is a simple design based on the Zeiss Planar and has had appreciative reviews, so the drip drip of change has started. I think i will not buy a TL2, I will keep the T for my classic lenses and go backto using my X113, its my first digital love he he
What a load. CDs didn't come out until 1982. You could listen to a Telarc CD and and hear the benefits of low noise and high dynamic range of the music. They use a very simple miking technique. Companies like DG put out awful CDs due to their poor recording techniques. The problems were masked by the noise of the vinyl. Modern lenses from Zeiss, Sigma, and even the Sony GM series have a wonderful rendering. The great modern Sony sensors bring out the best or worse qualities of the lenses be they modern or classic glass. Classical lenses can have unique looks but it is your photographs that have soul. There is nothing "organic" about these lenses. There are no "hippy" terms to adequately describe them either. They have their flaws. I use them on my Sony A7RIII. You can see a difference in the lens designers philosophy. Some lenses give you a slightly different mood to your shot. I like to use them for street photography. The modern lenses I use with my Sony give a medium format type look. They remind me of using my Fujica SW 690, the Texas Leica. This camera, the Leica SL, has some wonderful qualities but it is not magical. Just like people found out that the M series or the Leicaflex didn't make them better photographers today's user must make their camera choice based on whatever camera fits their needs and not be swayed just by a red dot. More people would be better photographers by sticking with the cameras they have and taking some photography courses.
Camera reviews as an art form. Never has it been so intentionallu explored or so brilliantly executed. Never before I have been brought so close to tears by a man, talking about a camera.
Rip my spelling.
@@Slayer1111111111able Amen Brother Amen
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. For many reasons just what I needed to hear right now - not just from the point of view of making a camera purchase - but for your incidental overview of the sweep of history and the ebb and flow of light in the 20th century and beyond. For reasons I won't bore you with right now, it was just what I needed to hear. With deep gratitude for your intelligence, effort and attention to detail.
You are so welcome, Michael. So happy that you found it helpful.
Spectacular. The most competent, heardfelt, passionate and emotional review of all time. You are simply the best! Said by a former Sony aficionado, A6000 A7s, A7r, A99ii (thanks Jason L.) and short term Fuji X-Pro 9 guy (thanks GX Ace), turned Q2 owner (thanks MrLeica) who just bought an SL, because of you, Hugh! Thank you!
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I have no realistic tangible interest in any Leica Camera, but I have subscribed, and will watch a ton of this channel's videos just for the story telling and narration values. Excellent!
one of the best Narrations i've heard on YT
I own the sl and the 24-90 along with other smaller m mount lenses. Hugh your assessments and thoughts are wonderful. Personally I use the 24-90 about a third of the time, because of its size. However using an M lens and this system is very easy to carry and small. What i can add is that the leica/voigtlander lenses are incredible and with the SL there is a image that is not seen by any other manufacturers. The color and look of the Leica are extraordinary, perhaps as you mentioned tweaking from other systems will get you closer.
I own or have owned all modern cameras in the exception of pentax and medium formats. The sl is an ergonomic dream and its operation is simple. FWIW the leica 24-90 is large and heavy variable aperture lens because Leica does not compromise on its lenses in that by definition of F stop as it relates to diameter size Fstop (n) = Focal Length/Diameter of entrance pupil: The large light gathering element of the 24-90 ensures that lens is delivering what you paid for. The range of this lens is really the one solution walk around piece.
Video, lets talk for a moment about that. Yes video exists on the SL, yes having to by a part to adapt to have headphone and mic is insane. I have not purchased that piece. Yes many other cameras fill the video end better... but hold that thought... higher end video cameras you know the ones that are not intended for consumer use that use high end video and codecs are iso 800 native with push to 1600. To be fair its really in more recent times when Arri and Reds can push the ISO limits higher, lighting is critical. Oh and Arri I believe really started into 4k in 2014 or so. Lets just ponder that for a moment.
When you reflect for a moment vlogs and family vidoes the use consumer grade codecs and autofocus is more appropriate. The SL not as an after thought has has leica branded PL mounts and and PL Leica glass. Its bitrate and 4k and dare say full HDMI out is more handi for semi-professional use. The camera has the video chops for higher end production but yet still maintains the ease of use for filming you dog while playing in the park. Its an observation on the capabilities and the broader audience to which its targeted. The SL is compromised video imaging device because I don't think it is intended to be a consumer based product intended for vloggers. It was never build with that intention. But here is most mind boggling omission from the video side, there is no way to power the camera from mains, you have to use Leica batteries. This is where I need the duct tape to hold my brain in. Why Leica in all of creation you made a video camera of this caliber that has no ability to be powered externally. AGHHHHH. So I cant use it in production anyway.
The SL uses a sensor system that is unlike others and designed to handle M mounts. Many people can tell in addition to myself that M lenses especially wide angle and Sony don't get along very well with smeared corners and odd color shifts.
The camera when your out and about is always a conversation starter, so many people have never even heard of it and I live in LA! I always get asked ... do you like it... would you recommend it. If you are a photographer and can work a camera, absolutely this is an incredible piece of gear. The image essence that you get from it is stunning, the draw, color and depth of the images are unlike anything more commercially available. To be fair its not a Sony Nikon Canon Olympus Panasonic, Fuji or Pentax. Its a Leica, its build and imaging are Leica its compromised in the vision of Leica and not defined by another brand and what they offer......its like apple of many years ago - think different.
If a camera review could ever be elegant and inspiring, this was it! Much appreciated!
Keith Davis Thanks so much!
Wow, with that awesome presentation and smooth, charismatic voice, you could have been talking about doing your laundry and I would still have been mesmerized. If I were rich I would buy you one of those cameras just because of this video. Well done!
Your videos are amazing products! Is like watching a well made movie! From the technical aspects, to the order of information and technique used to provide that information to the viewer. Stellar!!!!
Just like the X1D, I've never seen reviews done like this. A little history lesson, a little experience, incredible context, and a calming voice to put it all together makes me look forward to anything you have an opinion on. I love this format.
Welcome to the channel!
Wow, I really want to get the SL now; you have rather verbosely romanticized the camera and yet appealed to our intellect; you spoke with heart and head. spirit and truth. Thank you.
thank you for an honest and wonderfully put review on this piece of art.
i actually left and sold off all my sony gear and GM lenses to make thw switch to the SL about a month ago.
the deal maker for me is hands down color and tonality. sony is years and years behind, and i understand why leica does not buy sony sensors for their cameras after 12 years of using sony bodies.
yes, i lose out on AF, resolution and some other things, but the images i get out of the system takes about 10% of the post processing time my sony images did, and i always get better, more natural results in the end.
and what it all comes down to for me, is the end. i have taken more WOW images in a month of leica than i have in the last 6 years of sony bodies. and that is what motovates me and keep me going. the shortcomings of the leica sl compared to the sony a7rii is something that in ordwr to overcome, i have to evolve as a photographer. and it has made me a more prepared and better photographer alltogether. 🙂
hRs1337 I LOVE this! Thanks so much for sharing!
Leica does use Sony sensors, just not for their full frame camera's. The CL and TL series use Sony APS C sensors.
Excellent review and one of the best you tube uploads I have seen in a long long time, thank you for spending the time and effort..great job..I have been using the SL now for almost 18 months or is it 2 years..i chose to stick with my M lenses as I moved from the M9..I use the camera for work, either for travel gigs where i need to travel light or for clients that I like, are prepared to wait a little longer for me to do the shoot or for shoots that mean something a little bit more, your video made me realise i need to use it tomorrow for my shoot..i missed it...almost 4 weeks not used..heading to Thailand later this week..was going to take the M9...thanks to you my SL will be neatly packed..thanks for the motivation...sometimes in life we need a gentle prod..yours was a most enjoyable one..Thanks
Holy cow! This is one brilliant review. Rich in detail, a super clear voice - it never gets boring watching [listen to] the whole video. Very professional. Thank you, Hugh.
So much of this epic review is pure dribble -but in the basketball sense! it's a dedication to fundamentals and patient execution of craft that is truly artful! great talks man, love 'em.
Admit it, you may have turned away from that beautiful woman you saw across the room in the European hotel, but you remember her for the rest of life.
Enjoy your articulated review and the conclusions describing the feel for this camera. 👍
A bit late but as a dedicated photographer, as a proud and thankful Leica user, as a lucky owner of both the SL and it's gorgeous 24-90 kit lens... I just want to thank you for this magnificent and emotional review of what I consider to be one of the most beautifully made camera on earth. This thing as soul, it is something magical happening between the glass and the components, I mean at a quantum level. This machine is full of imperfections indeed, which gives it charm, character, exclusiveness. Being able to put legendary M optics front of this sensor, thus giving back the feeling of using an M body with a the convenience of a 21st century platform... man, despite all buzz and whistles from competitors, this experience just can't be matched. Yes this is a bulky piece of equipment and it feels heavy on the wrist at the end of the day... yes it's creepy expensive for an outdated chipset, yes... it is irrational. If you can't afford to buy a new one, I'm sure there's plenty of second-hand opportunities that worth the money. A Leica camera is something special, you don't buy it with your brain, but with your heart... Your last comparison with a beautiful woman floating in the middle of a luxurious hotel lobby is perfect... she is not unaccessible, she only needs commitment to give the best of herself :)
Manuel Espagne I love this - thank you so much for sharing! ❤️❤️
Oh yes man, please do a Leica CL review. This would be awesome.
I love your videos, they are hypnotizing and I calm down when watching, thanks so much.
An extraordinary approach to camera reviews. Thanks for making this!
Superb 4-part series! And even more interesting to watch, now that the SL2 has addressed the IBIS situation. And there are some primes available. I loved the talk on history as well.
It's too big for me to want to schlep around, but I do agree that the SL is a moment, taking Leica unfettered into the 21st Century. I'm still an M guy, but I certainly appreciate the SL. Thankfully, Leica still makes both. Nicely-done, thank you.
I love this series. Please do more like this. It's fantastic with the history, tech info, etc mixed in. There's something for everyone in this camera series.
João Silveira Thank you!
I am speechless, just wonderful - like the sl itself. Thx
Watching this entire series has been the highlight of my day. You have an awesome gift as a storyteller. It’s so intriguing to hear the history of Lecia, in the context of the geo-political and humanitarian considerations. Thank you for your stellar efforts!
Richard Bonine, Jr. Truly my joy - thank you!
I agree. I wish they would create a mini-me SL. It’s the camera I dream of.
Great video as always. Have a nice day.
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Wow! Absolutely love this series on the Leica SL. What a completely inspiring review. Thanks Hugh!
Harv Greenberg so glad you enjoyed it!
Bravo for all four parts!
what a fantastic review! passionate, meaningful, skilfull and honest.....rare!
Hugh, thank you producing these videos. It’s as though I’m reading a classic novel and I can’t put it down. Brilliant! As for the SL, it has been and remains my primary camera. Along with the native telephoto lenses, I also find it very rewarding to use manual primes, both modern and vintage. Your review was spot on, your delivery is unmatched. Cheers.
Thank YOU!
A Great review and comment. I love the story telling experience. How I agree and understand , is the difference between a pure breed moody Arabian horse and a tempered faithful Appaloosa. Thou an expensive Appaloosa.
I used the two lens combo and SL during the Mosul operations for weeks and it was the perfect camera. Fast and durable - and the situations were not the bests when I was embedded with the Peshmerga then the Iraqi army. My best decision was when I turned to Leica from an other brand.
Would love to see some of your work. Do you know Ben Lowy?
How can you not trust a man sitting in Aeron! Well done review, it captures the exact feelings I have about this camera.
Though a bit too posh for me mi do enjoy your videos, ESPECIALLY because you don‘t cut out breathes or interruptions. Cheers
Masterful series. Thank you for the great mini documentary on Leica and your unique storytelling way of doing a review. Personally, I love the SL and shoot with it as my workhorse camera.
I wanted to add that I so greatly enjoyed this series, especially the 4th part so much, that I listened to it in full 3 times, on my drives to/from work. There is something nostalgic, romantic, and ultimately inspirational in the way you tell your story and review the SL. Full disclosure: I love Leica and shoot with many of their cameras. You point out the shortcomings of the SL vis-a-vis its competition but still have the emotional pull that makes you want one. I just love the dream you describe at that end, where you are imagining your younger self sitting at an old world European hotel and this unbelievable woman comes in. She is unattainable, yet you realize you don't need her and all is still right with your world. Many cameras today are so good that ultimately, choosing a camera today is an emotional decision. I love the SL because I love the minimalist, modernist industrial design and smooth handling of this machine. I am fortunate that I have many cameras that perhaps on paper out-spec the SL - Phase One XF100, Hasselblad X1D, Nikon D5, D850, etc. But the two cameras I get the most joy and inspiration when I pick up are the SL and Monochrom.
Back in college, I read the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values. There is a passage from that book which resonates with me, especially in regards to this - "The test of the machine is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn't any other test. If the machine produces tranquility it's right. If it disturbs you it's wrong until either the machine or your mind is changed."
What a lovely, generous and thoughtful contribution. I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance many, many years ago. Thank you for joining in the conversation!
What an amazingly skilled and artful presentation. Fascinating and imaginative, elegant, and exquisite.
Delighted that you found it so!
I’ve just watched these four about Leica and the SL. Brilliant in every detail - I loved it.
Simon Tasker Hey, Simon! So glad you enjoyed the work.
This is a review on its own class,just GOLD,superb work🔥🔥🙌🙌
Good evening,
you now what, i am from germany and live in South-Africa, my english is very bad......... but i love your words , not only what....much more how you say and see the "things".........
i also fall in love with the SL, sometimes i wish the new SL2, but its like allways in live, to stay with the older staff is not the greatest mistake ;-)
A.P. Haller
Fantastic again. And yes! Please take a look at the CL!
It's on my to-do list, just don't know how quickly I can make that happen.
A review and monologue worthy in itself of this beautiful Leica.
Colorfield Media so appreciate your comment - thank you!
People who want a stunning and intuitive camera with a vintage workflow can buy a Leica film camera. In digital few cameras inspire sufficient love to retain the passion beyond the next iteration. That suggests Leica users are like everyone else, but their dalliances cost more.
Fantastic review series! I love the history in the beginning of the series, how you broke everything down, the pros and cons and all the other options for much less money. I shoot an X-Pro 2 that I love and really thought of Leica as a status symbol. Too much money for specs that are bettered by much less expensive cameras. Then on my birthday last year, I was gifted a Leica X Vario. It was way more expensive than my Fuji, had less megapixels and a much slower lens than my Fuji 18-55. Then I shot it and I just smiled. I loved the image quality and the colors! As I shot it more, I appreciated the simple controls and the basic menu. I love my Leica and use it as my vacation or going to a special place camera. I finally understood why Leica.
In The long run , i expect Leica will survive through the relationship with Panasonic. Leica gives Panasonic insight into the art of photography, and high Quality lenses. Panasonic supplies volume manufacturing, and video expertise. My FIxed lense Superzooms FZ1000,Fz2500, do far better than many people expect because of the tuned Leica glass and a matched sensor combination. I really enjoy the passion in this review.
Martin Horowitz Thank you for joining the conversation. I think you’re right.
Have been using the camera for 2 years with M lenses. Returned the 24-90 due to excess weight. Patiently waited for the 16-35, and it is a fabulous combination. My involved landscape work for automotive advertising requires my shooting with two Canon bodies (5D MKIII & 5Ds) in tandem with the SL. My only complaint is the SL requires frequent use to remember the button macros and work flow.
So well done throughout the series and we didn’t even need any unboxing or walk-arounds. What you say resonates with me. I love Leica, and the SL is such an awesome idea...on paper. And it feels so good...in hand. But I can’t imagine lugging that thing around all day, so alas it isn’t for me. That ending though, summed it up for me poetically!
So glad you enjoyed it - I had so much fun doing it!
Interesting to look back on this review given the recent SL2 launch and price changes. So if in 2018 an SL body was $6,000 and now in mid 2020 its $2600 and a CL body is now $1500 what is the better choice for a Leica M user wanting to extract more mileage from the range of M glass, frame size notwithstanding?
Exactly, wonder what would be the conclusion today (2000$ USD in Feb 2022)!
Your point about Leica treatment it’s customers and employees well is important.
If they do those two things the price for the cameras is a fair. Most other camera builders are going down the sinkhole of our consumer and workers be dammed culture.
I agree with your four part review, that why i love my SL and keep my Monochrome as a little +
What a lovely 4 part review of Leica and a bit about the SL, Although I have handled the SL nice as it is I did go down the X1D road and have had so much negative comments about going that way, But I just love the way that cameras work flow and experience. I think that is what I get from your review is it a system you love to use. Thank you for your thoughts and I look forward to watching more of your content. John
John Hughes Welcome to the conversation, John! “To each his own” - if you are happy with the X1D, I’m happy for you!
AWESOME VIDEO LIKE ALWAYS!!!!! YOU ARE THE ORACLE OF CZcams!!!!!
You so eloquently describe what really matters with camera choice and how it's different for everyone.
A fun watch again after 4-years when this popped up and gave it another look. Appreciate all the detail technical data and comparisons even if now in 2023 maybe like the original SL, not ‘up-to-date.’ But, after getting a used SL about 3-years ago, and actually using it, all these numbers and the size-thing have become unimportant.
I didn’t have a second thought when I first handled the camera when it came out in 2015, just not my style coming from Leica RF (film and digital), and yes the size was just too much. How things changed when the used prices made it the best deal in Leica digital cameras and I gave it a try.
In 2023; the still great EVF does the job, its design style is beautiful and superb build quality is the best, and the TowerJazz custom 24MP sensor is enough and gives excellent files. The original unlabeled 4-button layout gives instant menu access to it’s features (I think Leica may have ‘compromise’ with the newer SL2 and SL2-S to make the layout familiar to their RF cameras users). And, yes that GPS is a hump, but does something useful. I use the SL with manual focus M-series and older Takumar lenses and it just works. And as for the weight and size thing…, The perfect designed strap over one shoulder and across the chest, camera to the side, takes the weight off and out to way, easy to pull up to use. (And I have to admit, I look at it as a tactile satisfying ‘brick-tool’ much like my Rolleiflex and not a compact camera)
It does everything I need it to do, Leica quality, nice in the hands, very cool look, well thought out, and fun to use. The fact that used prices have come down to affordable for me make it one of my favorite cameras of all time.
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Great series and well presented. Easy listening and viewing. Great information and entertaining.
David Robinson delighted you enjoyed it!
what a lovely chat.
I love your ability to marry tech and emotion on such a visceral level. Frankly, Leica cameras have no appeal to me but your reviews certainly do.
I'm wondering how many of you are familiar with Paul Fusco. A magnum photographer that lived in Mill Valley when I was growing up. I had a few opportunities
to meet and talk to him as his daughter and my sister were best friends. Sadly he passed away a few days ago....one of my personal favorite photojournalists.
I absolutely share your passion for this camera. I do think its pointless to try to compare it to mirrorless cameras by other manufacturers, especially with the newest models (I am writing this in 2020), that beat the SL on almost every specification, weight and price.
But competing with other mirrorless digital cameras is IMO not the purpose of the SL. It is a mirrorless version of a digital Leica M, fine tuned to accept Leica M lenses and to be able to focus them via the stunning built-in EVF with the help of focus peaking and magnification. As a bonus, with an EVF, the days of Leica M rangefinder misalignment are over.
Even the current Panasonic S1 series cameras or a Sony A7 with an adapter, cannot exploit the special quality of M lenses in the way the SL can.
With an M mount lens attached, the SL becomes a manual focus camera. I am a firm believer in the philosophy that a camera which slows you down and invites you to think more about focus and exposure parameters, helps with the creative thought process. When the camera does everything automatically, it encourages laziness. Of course there are many uses such as sports photography where autofocus and a fast burst rate are a must-have. Leica aims at artists and people who document the news and the happenings of everyday life, from the extreme to the banal.
About cost and value for money. I still have a working Leica Digilux 2 that I bought new in 2004. Its still a surprisingly good camera with an amazing lens despite its mere 5mp output. My guess is people will be using the SL in many years to come and those who use it regularly will feel it was money well spent.
Love these videos on the SL. Photography (and gear) is much more than just specs. You can compare it (the Leica feeling) to the feeling when you touch the dashboard (yes, both are plastic) of a German or Korean car...
I´ve got several Leica Ms and Rs and much more other (great) cameras. But when holding (and using) a Leica in your hand, you feel like beeing at home. But, as we all know, you can get amazing results with any camera...
Haven´t got the SL, too large for me.
From the price standpoint, if you are a Pro, you need, what you need. As an amateur, you need what you can afford, or like. I like to invest in cameras, which might serve my children well. So, film cameras are top of my list.
Nevertheless, thank you so much for your videos! Really enjoyed it!
Just so. Nice to have you here, welcome!
hi, would like to know your thoughts on 6850$ Leica M10 manual Rangefinder + Crons & Luxs ? .... esp. when compared to A7III, ... or ... A7R3 & D850 (i know, twice resolution, than M10), ... or ... X-H1 ... or ... cheapest yet amazing M43 (4:3 aspect ratio) Olympus EM10iii + Pana-Leica Primes like 15mm f/1.7 & 42.5mm f/1.2 or M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8 ? of course M43 body is cheap, not its lenses. I am not in love with the boring & faulty 3:2 ratio where there's a need to crop out negative space either from top or bottom, ... or from either side, left or right. It is neither good for landscape nor portrait, but a compromise for both. Ideal for Cinematic shots or Videos is 16:9, and 4:3 for Portraiture. So, 3:2 doesn't fit in, in either of the two main categories of photography, namely landscape/cinematic/scenes, and portrait.. Squarish format (not perfect square), is best suited for portraiture. Thanks.
Thanks for a good review. I still have my Leicaflex SL made in the early 70s. Wishing Leica will resurrect that same or similar body & form for digital in the future.
Enthralling- never thought I'd watch a 37 minute camera review. I'd be interested in your take on the Monochrom and the M-D 262. I always wanted a Leica since I was a teen. Part of it was seeing the work of the greats, such as Winogrand and Bresson, part was the Bauhaus industrial design, and the quirks of a rangefinder (parallax, being able to see outside the frame lines, the tiny lenses) were all part of the mystique. Two years ago I finally got one, the M Typ262. The beauty of that camera is, it has fewer specifications. Only 3 controls: shutter speed, aperture, focus. It is an exercise in purity and restraint, something I admire and love.
Jonathan Delighted you enjoyed it! Looking forward to doing more Leica reviews in the future, definitely want to get an M or two on that list!
Extremely enjoyable series. Rare that I would sit and watch a half-hour video without FF'ing at least some of it. Thanks for the longest, but best, best camera review ever seen on Y/T.
The tech talk and references to other marques got me thinking. I shoot mostly film these days; a lot in the street. I'm going to Australia (from the UK) later this year to do just that. I have two F3s and an owned-from-new Pentax ME Super (as well as a small stable of digital gear, of course). It made me think that if you get caught up in today's digital race it's easy to feel left behind in just a few years as sensors, connectivity, AF, frame rates and the rest move on. When you shoot film with manual lenses that doesn't happen. The youngest of my film cameras is 25 years old. I love using them and I don't feel a desire to replace them with something newer or 'better'. (Well, ok; I'd like to at least try an M6, to see what the fuss is about.) In that sense, film is timeless and I'm sure I'll be as happy still using the same gear in 10 years; 15 if I last that long. Shooting is very satisfying and pleasurable and comes with the benefit of never experiencing camera-envy (and a very affordable entry cost).
Then again, I'm also a firm believer that it's the photographer, not the gear, that makes the image. Apart from my Lumix lx-100 my other digital stuff is at least 9 years old with nothing more than 12MP. But that's because what I have meets my needs very well. If I were a sports or wildlife or perhaps wedding specialist earning at least some of my living from photography then I may well need and appreciate the latest and greatest advances in the tech I mentioned above to make the job of capturing that image easier and more likely. As it is, that's a race I'm happy not to enter for.
Mark Keohane Thanks so much for contributing to the conversation. It’s interesting - “yes, it’s about the gear but no it’s not about the gear it’s about the people:” Cartier-Bresson shot with the Leica because it was so much smaller, lighter and faster than something like the Speed Graphic, but it was his immersion into crowds, his world view, his early years as a painter, his later years as a world traveler, his ability to find connection with just about anyone, that determined what he shot and how he shot it. I’m guessing he never shot above 400 ISO; I bet he rarely shot wider than f/8... Other than workflow, I’m intrigued at the thought of returning to film myself. But my IIIa is not the camera with which to do it.... hmmm....
Well Hugh, on your thought about return to film I got my ME Super serviced (amazed it still worked after 25 years in a camera bag under the bed) and returned to film because I wanted to slow down and think more. I wanted to get out of the habit of looking at the lcd and taking far too many shots. I like to think I do my chimping through the 'finder now, BEFORE I release the shutter. And I resist taking more than a single shot of the same scene without good reason. I have to trust I got it. Like this:
www.flickr.com/photos/markkeohane/19080074253/in/photolist-v53nkt
And I now adopt the same approach when shooting digital (though I will freely admit it is useful to be able to double check for camera shake in marginal light).
I realised it's easy now to have film processed and scanned, providing me with images I can edit and share with ease instead of a stack of 6x4 prints.
In returning to film I guess I stepped off the technology escalator. But as I practised the art over the last six years I came to arrive at the philosophy expressed in my post. I've come to believe it's rare than someone looks at a good photo (interesting subject, story, well composed) and said it could have been improved by having better resolution. I look at shots taken using my 12MP equipment and can't see any reason for more, with the photography I do.
And so I happily load my ME Super and the Nikon F3s I bought more recently, attach some manual focus glass and go forth and enjoy the pleasure of 'not knowing what you got' but at the same time being confident that you got it (I have a higher proportion of 'keepers' with film). The F3s are a particular joy to have, hold and use; even just look at.
Mark Keohane absolutely wonderful image - and even better story! I’ve got a lot on my plate at the moment, but I’ve got two rolls of black and white and a couple of cameras calling me...Thanks again for sharing!
As always...Hold That Thought"
Hi. Again I want to thank you for sharing these videos. It's true that maybe other cameras can have the same or even better performance, but I think Leica is not about that. I think the first concern is the quality of the equipment in all its elements and finishes. And in the case of leica SL they have achieved a profesional and very versatile camera together with the image quality that distinguishes the brand and that poetry that surrounds it. Years ago it was unthinkable to be able to attach lenses from other manufacturers to a leica ... Among other aspects. 3 years after its launch demonstrates leica's respect for its audience and its products. They do not need to be moving the market 2 or 3 times a year with products that repeat themselves and do not add anything new and are just a marketing screen. Thanks again, I deeply admire your videos. Greetings from Argentina!!!!
Well said - and: welcome, Argentina!
Three Blind Men and An Elephant Productions I'll be waiting anxiously for the saga of the leica cl! There is a lot of history behind that model also given that it was inspired by a historical model of the brand. And it is very well associated with the sl system !!! Regards...
I love the calmness of these videos.
Thanks - too much excitement and I start popping blood vessels. :)
beautiful ending
I need to learn to be calm too :)
Breathe. :)
My wife keeps telling me this...
I have a Leica SL with the Summilux 50mm and love it. It's built and sized like a tank but the image straight out from the camera is gorgeous. All I need is the 16-35, can't wait. Used to own Nikons but I have to say I'd rather have less glass.
Just so!
I don't give a crap about AF on the SL I just wanted one so I could use M mount lenses with it. They are a good buy used in 2021
Yes, they are.
Yesssss! This! Haha.
great review and love your approach and honest analysis. I just picked up an SL and 24-90 after the SL2 drove down the price a bit. Looking forward to putting it to the test very soon. But yes.. The weight has me concerned. So a proper strap is in order, since Im mostly likely adding the Vertical grip shortly.
Very nice words. Indeed the Leica output is very special and unique. I love the M8's colors and processing the DNGs is very fast and easy to get perfect results (=the images I have seen through the finder when taking the photographs). For me the Leica system perfectly complements my bread and butter Nikon/Kodak system.
After getting the M10 somewhere in the future the SL might also be a great alternative to get into a mirrorless full frame system but I am not really an autofocus person.
I understand. Welcome to the community!
I switched from Nikon F2/F3 AI and AI-S Lenses about 30 years ago to my first Leica R4 with a 50/2.0. Today I have a full set of Leica R lenses some older than me and I've never regret it. BTW when I used my Nikon I only used it outside coz I always found the image quality way worse than my Hasselblad 500CM, once I switched to Leica I was using it everywhere.
Superb series of videos. Thank you
Thank you for the encouragement - so glad you enjoyed it!
I wonder if Leica took any hints from this? They weren't too upset because it is posted on their corporate website.
In a sea of garbage on CZcams...The cream always rises to the top.....Bravo & thank you for this review.
Benjamin Fargen 🙏🏻
I loved this 4 part review. I love your 'Jeff Goldblum' style, haha. (Please take that as a compliment)
I am currently in pre production on a doco about one of these famous Leica wielding film pro Photojournalists, Tim Page, who's work in Vietnam gave him critical acclaim. I have thought about approaching Leica about shooting it on all Leica gear.
Many thanks for your amazing historical journey through Leica. ✌🐸🤘
Sounds like a great project! Please keep me posted!
I really appreciate your channel. It´s hard to find a youtube channel without hyperbole and immature screaming...
Mikkel Örstedholm Thank you, Mikkel.
July 2020 and i still LOVE my SL!!!!!
David Tufino Photography Comtinue to enjoy!🖖🏻
@@3BMEP The only downside i have is the muted or dull colors on the EVF.... I switched the color science to sRGB and to adobe RBG to see if i can make the colors of the EVF look more saturated but NOPE. Any tips?
Leica, ein perfektes beispiel für deutsche fotografisch Ingenieurwesen. Danke für das teilen
Well worth the watch. Thank you.
Fauxtaku Lounge Thanks for watching!
You dont have an SL?! Its the best camera on Earth! To me. 🔝
Love ya Hugh! Your reviews are wonderful!
🙏🏻😊🖖🏻
HELLO. VIDEO QUALITY IS VERY GOOD. WHAT CAMERA DID YOU USE TO RECORD THIS VIDEO ? WAITING ANSWER. THANK YOU.
I wonder if we'll see a time where we can design and order our own camera bodies, like we would design our PC case?How would your camera look? What functionalities would it have? What dials and where? What size, what batterylife? what file formats?
ookiemand wouldn’t that be something!
looks like i need SL 😊
we are there, the Leica 'T' has this touch interface that the apple products use and at a similar level of usability; if without any stylus or apple pencil usability ( not redally available information), BUT as far as apples new tech {the iPad Pro} a very essential adaption to the touch screen experience, wish Leica could include this on their next iterations of M and T, etc. product lines. :))
Great storytelling and analysis.
Thank you!
August 2020 and I'm selling an A7r2 with Voigtlander primes and a BMPCC 4K with 12-60mm to buy a used SL in excellent condition. I will match it with a set of Canon FD L-series primes and a Novoflex adapter. I am old school. Shooting for 50+ years. I think and hope this will be my last camera. Arriving in a few days. Fingers crossed. Thanks Hugh, I watched all four parts. You are too cool.
Enjoy, Steve!
Love the four part series. My own first photography guide was the a Leica guide from 1950 something. You got me thinking about an SL but I have just purchased an A7iii after buying an A7ii about a month before. You are a poet and don't know it :-). Sorry, couldn't resist. I've noticed that most Leica owners seem to be Asian. The SL is very expensive.
Andrew, you'll love the a7 III. So glad you enjoyed this series.
Three Blind Men and An Elephant Productions Thank you Hugh. Keep
up the good work.
I must stop listening to your excellent videos before I am bankrupt. The deed is done. I have swapped my Leica X113 and T plus an outrageous quantity of my cash for a brand new Leica TL2 with a 23mm Summicron-TL. It's the prefect partner for my Panasonic GX9. Must go buy some bubble wrap tomorrow to pack up the old cameras. Gosh I am excited. It's official I am a Leica addict. No I don't want to look at the 60mm Macro; well not for a while ;-)
Very enjoyable. Thanks.
John Armstrong-Millar Thanks for watching!
Nice conclusion!!!
Great info, thanks.
So what😂 l love it too!
Leica DNA, , Panasonic partnership, tactile, simple and small. Fixed fast lens and a Micro 4/3 with a fabulous sensor. Your thoughts, on the back of your SL journey, on the Dlux 7?
I want one too 😂
If this camera had a LCD tilt screen I would actually consider it.
I understand.
You can always view using your smart phone. Problem solved, and more.
Warning ......Theatrical photo-gear review at its best!
Is this a pic only cam or can i use for vids as my primary vlog camera?
You can use it for video, absolutely - though if you were to vlog with it, I'd recommend the smallHD Focus monitor -- perfect complement to the immovable rear panel LCD. OR: you could just use the smartphone app!
Thank you for getting back at me. Do you ever visit the Beverley Hills Leica store? What a an awesome artful space.
I'm East Coast - so, no. But sounds great.
Ops Sorry previous post was with wrong language.
Leica, a perfect example of German photographic engineering. Thank you for sharing. To add to the post, I believe their main focus is not video, however it’s still good!
Strange - I like the German language. But since I can only count to three and ask where the bathroom is, thank you for the translation. And yes, certainly: the first priority for a Leica is photographs. But would you agree that the SL is a very specific response to the growing interest in video? In any event, Danke for watching and contributing to the conversation.
Three Blind Men and An Elephant Productions You are definitely right!!
Great narration....made me just buy an SL1 body....I need to seek out a lens now .
Look at the Sigma I series primes!
@@3BMEP I am listening to you and tbh . I only understand about 1% of what you are saying , such is my lack of my understanding of photography ...but I purchased a Sigma 55 diameter 1:2.8 lens for my Leica SL on your advice ....I am able already to get some great images from the camera ...and in fact the SL itself works as a kind of tutorial ...I am just soo happy that I am able to use such a cool pro level camera ....Thank you....please keep sending these reviews.
@@saymyname218 enjoy!
Excellent.
A final PS: We have been on this same technological journey before if you like music and are as old as me. Back in the 70s and 80s music was moving from analogue to digital. The technology improved daily at a dizzying rate but it was horrible; sound sounded brittle, harsh and dead. Why couldn't digital match analogue? That is when the journey began spearheaded by such splendid publications as The Flat Response. Audiophiles pared everything down to basics and by a process of trial and error as much as logic developed a design philosophy that started to achieve fantastic results; at first by refining analogue turntables and then applying the same ideas to digital. Eventually digital approached analogue in quality. The principle that audio adopted was called the Order of Precedence and is based on the logic of rubbish in rubbish out. Any system can only achieve a result approaching the signal it is fed, it can never improve on it. So the answer is to take that signal and pass it on to the next phase with minimal processing or damage. So the music player is most important, the amplifier is of lesser importance and the speakers are of least importance of all. Feed an expensive speaker with a rubbish CD player and the noise is unbearable. That was how 70s audio was; cheap CD players with "perfect sound", feeding a cheap transistor amplifier into huge expensive speakers; it was awful. That is where photography is now Photography is now at the beggining of this journey, ruining the lenses for strange fashion reasons, imagining that the best sensors produce the best images and producing high tech cameras. WRONG WRONG WRONG!!! The most important component in a camera is the lens; the image thrown on the sensor is the best quality in the system. Next comes the shutter, if that isn't perfect the image is blurred. Ask anybody with a GX7 and a 14-140mm lens, its shutter shock. The image is cast on a silicon diode array which does nothing more than record the light variation. The size and sensitivity of those detectors determine dynamic range and nothing else. How well you can deliver that signal depends entirely down to the quality of the preamps and digital converters, they must cause minimal damage and noise. Finally comes the processing engine which can make or break the image. Best image has little processing as it is always best done in post (Panasonic knows this well, they back off noise reduction in the GH5 as their ambassadors prefer to deal with it in post), mechanical image processing is a blunt instrument. So that is where we are, people are noticing the images from classic lenses have more soul or some hippy term. They cant put their finger on it but think it may be to do with film. No film cameras just have better lenses, better corrected more organic rendering. What we need is those choices being put into modern lens design and it will come. Modern lenses suck big time and they are being asked to produce the primary image, from that point on the image is ruined whatever technology does to the camera; the horse has already bolted ;-)
I remember the day my teenaged daughter came home and asked if I had a thing called "records." Of course! Thought about what would be her first experience listening to vinyl. Pulled out Zeppelin II, maybe (I don't recall which Zeppelin album it was). We got out the AKG headphones (flat response) and listened to the vinyl, then the CD. I was surprised at how much more information was in the vinyl - revelatory.
Exactly and that is what grass roots photography is now discovering. Its amazing how we heaped derision on cheap Russian primes in the 70s (its like the bottom of a bottle, has it got water in it?), now those lenses are highly prized as they are copies of Zeiss and Leica primes and give 3D pop. They really werent that good but, they have a property missing from most modern formulations; simple corrected designs with few glass elements. Modern technologists dont like things like vignetting and soft corners so design them out, after all the modern fashion is for flat images, contemporary photographers live in a world projected onto a screen 2 inches thick. The extra glass reduces contrast and destroys the microtones that give 3D pop. As I say the designs are good and to the designers brief, the design objectives are fashionable and stupid. Myself I want maximum depth of field and i want an image so real I can walk around in it. I only get such an image from my Leicas and my Panasonic with a simple prime. I think we will see a change coming as artists realise what they have lost and will demand the older lens properties made with better glass and modern coatings. It will drive a sea change in photographic style as people realise what they have been missing as the world suddenly pops back into their images. I believe the Sony 50mm f1.8 is a simple design based on the Zeiss Planar and has had appreciative reviews, so the drip drip of change has started. I think i will not buy a TL2, I will keep the T for my classic lenses and go backto using my X113, its my first digital love he he
What a load. CDs didn't come out until 1982. You could listen to a Telarc CD and and hear the benefits of low noise and high dynamic range of the music. They use a very simple miking technique. Companies like DG put out awful CDs due to their poor recording techniques. The problems were masked by the noise of the vinyl. Modern lenses from Zeiss, Sigma, and even the Sony GM series have a wonderful rendering. The great modern Sony sensors bring out the best or worse qualities of the lenses be they modern or classic glass. Classical lenses can have unique looks but it is your photographs that have soul. There is nothing "organic" about these lenses. There are no "hippy" terms to adequately describe them either. They have their flaws. I use them on my Sony A7RIII. You can see a difference in the lens designers philosophy. Some lenses give you a slightly different mood to your shot. I like to use them for street photography. The modern lenses I use with my Sony give a medium format type look. They remind me of using my Fujica SW 690, the Texas Leica. This camera, the Leica SL, has some wonderful qualities but it is not magical. Just like people found out that the M series or the Leicaflex didn't make them better photographers today's user must make their camera choice based on whatever camera fits their needs and not be swayed just by a red dot. More people would be better photographers by sticking with the cameras they have and taking some photography courses.