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Nikon's mirrorless is a gentle wake up call for Leica

Godfrey

Well-known member
Godfrey, I think your comments are great. I totally agree.

I'd also like it to be available in black paint and silver chrome from day-one. No need for a sapphire LCD cover ($$$).

It would also be great if it used the same battery as the M8/M9.
Actually, I'd like the sapphire glass LCD cover unless I can CLOSE the LCD to protect it. I've got some scratches/marks on the GXR LCD which came from being bunged about on the neckstrap. First time I've had LCD damage ... mostly because this is the first camera I've had that is actually comfortable to use a neckstrap with in a very long time. Another "good ergonomics" issue ... :)
 

D&A

Well-known member
sensor moving... sounds like what Yashica tried with the Contax AX SLR -- moving the film plane to autofocus manual focus lenses. I remember it not being very well received.
Agreed...the Contax AX SLR wasn't well received but oh, what a camera for certain applications. I was able to use the body to convert all the (my) great Pentax SMCT screw mt lenses (many which could stand up to Zeiss glass) to autofocus lenses without doing a thing except mounting it on the camera. In addition, I had what was at the time some high end Tamron glass (300 f2.8 and 400 f4, and they too became autofocus with the Tamron contax adaptall mount. The body worked as advertised and was impecably built. Something like this on a smaller scale might work...re: sensor moving.

Dave (D&A)
 

Braeside

New member
When I tried the GXR the M mount was not even on the radar screen, so I look forward to trying my friend Ashwin's ;)

The NEX-7 better be great because we all have high expectations of it.

Shooting the NEX-5 with the screen tilted up, held near waist level reminds me of shooting a Rollieflex and also allows for some candid photography.
Ah OK Brad! - Let us know how you get on with Ashwin's GXR.

Yes, if Leica had come out with something like the GXR by now I would probably have bought it, but I suspect it would have been a bit more expensive which is also a consideration here. As it happens I got the GXR to compliment my M8 and I am loving it. :thumbs:

@Godfrey - Better put a screen protector on that GXR pronto. I got a GGS one, good protection, but a lot of glare (though I use the EVF mainly in those conditions).
 

jonoslack

Active member
Here's my prediction:
  • APS-C sensor
  • New proprietary mount with adapters for M and R lenses
  • New range of small autofocus primes which are designed by Leica but produced overseas
  • Basic controls like a Leica M with the possible exception of aperture control, which may be in the camera
  • Integrated high quality EVF
Hi Amin
I'm inclined to agree with you - I actually think that's probably the right way forwards as well.

Brad's original description may be like the Ricoh, but surely it IS a description of the NEX 7
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
@Godfrey - Better put a screen protector on that GXR pronto. I got a GGS one, good protection, but a lot of glare (though I use the EVF mainly in those conditions).
although I normally dislike these things, I have to agree for this camera. Looks like the GGS is also marketed as the ACMAXX .. Is that correct?
 

Braeside

New member
I don't think they are the same Godfrey. Have used GGS on my A900 and my wife's FZ38 as well, seem fine. Have not tried ACMAXX. Incidentally they can be removed if needs be. I fitted mine and didn't like the reflections, so removed it (It sticks onto the body not the LCD cover). I then decided I had better put it back on again because the LCD AR coating was so easily damaged apparently. So you can get a couple of goes if you want.
 

Braeside

New member
Brad's original description may be like the Ricoh, but surely it IS a description of the NEX 7
Hi Jono,

A but, the GXR is available now and the NEX-7 not quite yet. The GXR A12 mount was designed for Leica M mount lenses, perhaps the NEX-7 was not, we will see. Interesting times.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Hi Jono,

A but, the GXR is available now and the NEX-7 not quite yet. The GXR A12 mount was designed for Leica M mount lenses, perhaps the NEX-7 was not, we will see. Interesting times.
Yes indeed - and I guess that the Ricoh has done something so that wide angles work well?
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
... screen protectors

I don't think they are the same Godfrey. Have used GGS on my A900 and my wife's FZ38 as well, seem fine. Have not tried ACMAXX. Incidentally they can be removed if needs be. I fitted mine and didn't like the reflections, so removed it (It sticks onto the body not the LCD cover). I then decided I had better put it back on again because the LCD AR coating was so easily damaged apparently. So you can get a couple of goes if you want.
Well, they're cheap enough. I ordered one of each, will see how they compare or if they're the same thing. :)
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Yes indeed - and I guess that the Ricoh has done something so that wide angles work well?
I spent three days doing a bunch of real-world captures with the CV Skopar 21mm f/4 lens on the GXR+A12-M, examined them thoroughly last evening. I see no corner-edge smearing ... clean resolution all the way to the corners.

Shooting a scene with a peripheral flat white wall netted what looked like some color shifting (see the Ricoh GXR threads, can't remember which one, for the "Too Many Bears" photos), but the main illumination in that case was the television and it doesn't pose a satisfactory test due to all the weird lighting from that and the sunlight from the windows. I'll have to rig up a more rigorous test.

BTW: These are all raw captures processed in Lightroom, so whatever in-camera image processing to correct issues might do I can't say ... I haven't even looked at that yet, but I believe it works only on the in-camera JPEG outputs.

I've tried the GXR+A12-M with several lenses now: the Skopar 21mm, the Skopar 35mm, and the Nokton 40mm all seem to work very nicely with it. I fitted a mount adapter and took a couple of exposures with Nikkor 85/1.8 and Micro-Nikkor 55/3.5 lenses ... they also performed very nicely. Today I'm fitting the Skopar 50mm f/2.5 for some testing, after which I'll test the M-Rokkor 90/4 and Ultron 28/2.

Overall, whatever Ricoh has done in the technology, I think they've done an excellent job. I hope (and expect!) Leica to do even better. :)
 

Braeside

New member
@Godfrey, will be interested in your findings with the two screen protectors.

@Jono - As Godfrey wrote, they do seem to have addressed the wide angle performance on the GXR, I tried the CV 15/4.5 and it is sharp in the corners.
 

saxshooter

New member
As to the new Nikon mirrorless... remember the Pentax 110? Cute system, interchangeable lenses... but it was a teeny 110 neg.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
As to the new Nikon mirrorless... remember the Pentax 110? Cute system, interchangeable lenses... but it was a teeny 110 neg.
I remember it well! Very cool system but yeah, 110 negs are hideous. Then again, so was the Disc and APS-C.

I started shooting 127 (or was it 126?) as a kid while my parents shot 110. I was looking to "get a real camera" and the Pentax Auto 110 and Disc cameras caught my eye... Ended up on the Chosen Path of 35mm. Whew!

Maybe it's this early exposure to tiny formats and using a 1.6x crop camera (Canon D30) that's turned me off to these tiny sensors. Honestly, I have little interest in anything short of 1.3x to full frame these days.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I remember it well! Very cool system but yeah, 110 negs are hideous. Then again, so was the Disc and APS-C.

I started shooting 127 (or was it 126?) as a kid while my parents shot 110. I was looking to "get a real camera" and the Pentax Auto 110 and Disc cameras caught my eye... Ended up on the Chosen Path of 35mm. Whew!

Maybe it's this early exposure to tiny formats and using a 1.6x crop camera (Canon D30) that's turned me off to these tiny sensors. Honestly, I have little interest in anything short of 1.3x to full frame these days.
My first 'real' camera was a Rolleiflex TLR. 35mm was that "tiny format stuff" with poor quality. I've come to prefer smaller formats over the years, but smaller than FourThirds format is too constraining on lens choices for good focus zone control. I wouldn't bother with an interchangeable lens camera with a smaller format than that.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
My first 'real' camera was a Rolleiflex TLR. 35mm was that "tiny format stuff" with poor quality. I've come to prefer smaller formats over the years, but smaller than FourThirds format is too constraining on lens choices for good focus zone control. I wouldn't bother with an interchangeable lens camera with a smaller format than that.
Hehehe. I'm going in the opposite direction, clearly. :p

But I agree - these tiny things are not my bag either.
 

bradhusick

Active member
"Honestly, I have little interest in anything short of 1.3x to full frame these days."

YES! We didn't spend big money on Leica glass to only use the center 1/3 of the lenses! We love shallow depth of field and creamy bokeh.
 

saxshooter

New member
I actually dipped my "toe into the water" of micro 4/3 earlier this year because of one lens.

The Panasonic 20mm 1.7.

I found a second hand Olympus EPL-1 on craigslist for $225 and mated with the Olympus VF-2 viewfinder (it's great) and that small Panny lens -- you've got a relatively compact kit and a fast lens that when shot full aperture, you actually get some nice pop and separation.

It's my weekend digital walkabout. After I saw the quality compared to the point and shoot Lumix LX-3, I sold the Lumix the next week and never looked back.

I think that Panasonic 20mm 1.7 turned a lot of heads towards the m4/3 format because of it's speed, size and optical attributes.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
YES! We didn't spend big money on Leica glass to only use the center 1/3 of the lenses! We love shallow depth of field and creamy bokeh.
You know, I'm not sure if you're being facetious or not... :p

But either way - guilty. :D

I know in the case of DSLRs, peeping a crop VF is like looking down a tunnel. And of the tiny sensor cameras I've tried, the images were noisy, especially at higher ISOs - not to mention they were like driving a brick on a racetrack.

But, what the hell do I know? I love "antique" Leicas and Hassys. :loco:
 

jonoslack

Active member
Well, the Pentax 110 and the APS/c film cameras would barely produce a decent 7x5 print, let alone A4.
I'm willing to bet that the Nikon will manage splendid 24" prints in decent light - bringing up the subject of these antediluvian film mistakes is disingenuous IMHO.

I don't want one - but I think it looks like a splendid move, and I suspect it'll be very popular; the camera may be expensive, but the lenses look sensibly priced.

I think it's a welcome industry shake up . . . . . . .

but I'm not cancelling my NEX 7 order!

all the best
 
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