Why Leica/ Leitz at all?

[Brian]

The Leica M5 is the biggest failure- so bad that Leica users rebelled and the M4 was placed back into production.

On the Leica M9 and Leica M Monochrom- they are what sets Leica apart. The original CCD used Schott S8612 glass, which was epoxied onto the CCD. Schott had a problem- the S8612 glass will corrode in the presence of humidity. Schott normally makes a sandwich of the S8612 between layers of more stable glass. The S8612 is very efficient in cutting IR and passing Visible light, 10% more visible than other available IR cut filters. Schott coated and sealed the glass using material that failed. Leica and On-Semi developed a replacement CCD using BG-55 glass, also required new Dye to be used in the revised KAF-18500-BG55. Leica replaced the CCD for cameras long out of warranty free for a few years, then at a cost of $1000- which included a full CLA and 1-year warranty. My M Monochrom had the CCD replaced for free, several years out of warranty. The M9 was $950, 7 years after buying it.

I've done first hand tests of many Zeiss and Leica lenses side-by-side. I'm always happy to see other people do direct comparisons. Very few people have gone to the length of actually comparing two lenses made decades ago to determine which produces a better image. I have.

https://rangefinderforum.com/threads/ninety-years-of-sonnars-from-the-carl-zeiss-jena-5cm-f2-to-the-the-5cm-f2-bertele-sonnar.4815091/

As far as "Why a Rangefinder", something else I've tried to think through.

https://rangefinderforum.com/threads/optical-viewfinder-and-rangefinder-trade-offs.4808866/

 

[Brian]

From my thread on RFF, repeated here- RF trade-offs.

Advantages of Optical Viewfinder/Rangefinder:

You can see things outside the frame. This makes it easier to compose the shot. This also makes it easier to follow a moving subject.

The Viewfinder does not black out when the shutter is released. This makes it easier to make a sequence of shots, For moving subjects, makes it easier to pan and focus.

Optical viewfinders are bright. If there is enough light for your eye to see it, your eye will see about the same level of brightness through the viewfinder. The RF patch is at least as bright.

Lower Latency with all-mechanical shutters. The shutter is closed while viewing and focusing. All-Electronic shutters are also low latency.

No power draw. The viewing and focus mechanism is opto-mechanical and does not require battery power.

No latency when viewing the image. EVF introduces "Digital Delay" between the sensor acquiring the image and the image being displayed. Higher resolution EVF requires a higher data rate and faster processing, which increases power draw.

Disadvantages:

Requires Precise mechanical calibration between the Camera body and the lens. This is expensive to implement. Maintaining precise calibration is difficult.

Not “What you see is what you get”. The photographer’s view is not through the lens.

Precise agreement between the Rangefinder and Lens varies depending on lens aperture and filter used. “Focus shift” due to spherical aberration and chromatic aberration cause disagreement between the rangefinder and lens. Apochromatic and Aspherical lenses that minimize these problems are very expensive. Attempting to correct the issues mechanically would be very complex, and have not been done.

Maximum "practical" focal length is 135mm.

Requires add-on External Viewfinders for focal lengths longer or shorter than supported by the viewfinder built into the camera.

Requires Eyepiece "Magnifiers" to accurately focus longer focal length lenses from the 85mm range through to the 135mm range used wide-open. Not required when stopped down to F5.6 or so. The same magnifiers are useful for 50mm lenses faster than F1.4 used wide-open.

Maximum Practical minimum focus is about 2feet, 0.7m. "Absolute Kludge" devices allow close-up work.

Most manufacturers are switching to EVF designs that use the Sensor for viewing. This is a direct replacement for SLR viewfinders. EVF viewfinders with 3.7Mdot range and higher and with focus assist are a direct replacement for SLR viewfinders. The main disadvantage is power draw when compared to an SLR. The "age-old" comparisons made between SLR and RF still hold true comparing EVF and RF.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Problems to look for when buying Used that apply to Rangefinder Cameras.

Deteriorated silver/gold in the prisms and beamsplitters.

Cement Separation in the prisms and viewfinder optics.

Mechanically worn down parts that prevent proper calibration of the RF.

Shifting of the prisms and beamsplitters, causing problems in the RF image. Contax is infamous for this.

Gummed up or weak Return Springs for the RF Cam Follower and Frameline Selection, usually fixed with a CLA

MYSELF: I have seen every one of these problems, mostly in cameras 50+ years old.

 

[mga010]

Because they have - since day one - been the best photography equipment made. I don't believe there is anything built better or that have better lenses. For example, I took these last week in Tokyo between day shoots - handheld, without tripod, at night with no IBIS. Leica CL.

And why do you think those images could not have been made with another camera? At half the price?

 

[LeicaMan]

And why do you think those images could not have been made with another camera? At half the price?

You can make them with any camera you like. However, looking at them on a 30"+ monitor will likely answer your question. My images are generally displayed at least 30" x 40" which means I prefer actual detail and crispness that cheap won't produce. Again, you can use whatever floats your boat. As I stated in my post, those were taken while not working and just walking around Tokyo at night.

 

[Brian]

The problem with responses such as "it's the best since day 1" is that they are unqualified and cannot be backed up. It leads to the popular opinion that Leica users are all about fashion, not photography. Just because the camera has "Leica" on it does not make every photo from it a work of art. That takes work. I've been shooting rangefinders since 1969 and Leica for 25 years. The attitude of some Leica owners is just an embarrassment.

Ken Rockwell Review

Ken Rockwell- I rarely go there, but his entry captures all that is wrong with many Leica users.

 

[Bashir Lunat]

Over the years I managed to "collect" several Leica lenses, I sold many but still hanging on to Elmar 135 F4 M, 180 f3.4 R and 280 F4 R both Apo Telyt,despite I had sevaral chances to sell those I decided to keep them ! Sold my WATE but kept MATE,sold one of two Noctiluxes F1 but I prefer SLR Magic 50mm T0.92 M mount. This SLR MAGIC created some controvercy some years ago.

 

[Brian]

I remember the SLRMagic lens- the controversy was in the use of Loctite, and the weight of the lens causing problems with the short focus throw- according to one early owner. It got ugly, with the owner o the company joining the forum and fighting it out with a lot of name calling. I'd be interested to see some pictures taken with the SLRMagic lens. I've picked up several inexpensive Chinese M-Mount lenses, much better than the reputation. I found the TTArtisans 50/0.95 is best on the M Monochrom, using a Y2 filter. So- the M9 gets the 50/1.0 Nokton.

 

[Bashir Lunat]

Hello Brian, Iwill get it out again as I havent used it for sometimes. Here are some jpegs. This time mounted on Sony A7R with supplied M to E mount adapter. ( All at T 0.92).

I remember the SLRMagic lens- the controversy was in the use of Loctite, and the weight of the lens causing problems with the short focus throw- according to one early owner. It got ugly, with the owner o the company joining the forum and fighting it out with a lot of name calling. I'd be interested to see some pictures taken with the SLRMagic lens. I've picked up several inexpensive Chinese M-Mount lenses, much better than the reputation. I found the TTArtisans 50/0.95 is best on the M Monochrom, using a Y2 filter. So- the M9 gets the 50/1.0 Nokton.

• SONY - ILCE-7R
• ----
• 1/400 sec
• Pattern
• Auto exposure
• -0.3
• ISO 50

• SONY - ILCE-7R
• ----
• 1/125 sec
• Pattern
• Auto exposure
• -0.3
• ISO 50

 

[jaiyenyen]

The problem with responses such as "it's the best since day 1" is that they are unqualified and cannot be backed up. It leads to the popular opinion that Leica users are all about fashion, not photography. Just because the camera has "Leica" on it does not make every photo from it a work of art. That takes work. I've been shooting rangefinders since 1969 and Leica for 25 years. The attitude of some Leica owners is just an embarrassment.

Ken Rockwell Review

Ken Rockwell- I rarely go there, but his entry captures all that is wrong with many Leica users.

I couldn’t agree more. The camera/lens is the tool that performs the function but if the person controlling it doesn’t know how to use the tool no camera can improve the shot, technically or artistically. However I have to say that when I get it right, the image from my Leica would be better than the same shot taken on my Nikon. It’s hard to define but the image seems to have more “life”