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The Leica T - Impressions and Images

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Bummer. Ah well, back to the drawing board...Again!:facesmack:
Yeah non Leica lenses aren't supported in the M bodies although you can choose lens profiles to be applied in camera. Some work better than others and it's really not quite as big of a deal for lenses 50mm or longer. For the wides though your only choices to select would probably be the WATE or 18SE that's close to a 15mm. You could choose a different lens profile in LR theoretically if supported such as a Rokinon 14 or a Zeiss 15 in Canon/ Nikon mount theoretically. Don't know how well that would work though.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I'm actually more interested in the T lenses than this body. I'm hoping a body will be developed that has a proper internal EVF in the left corner.
I would be very careful in buying APC size lenses as that paints you into a corner on usage. You can't use them on full frame. Here I would be buying M lenses with the adapter as you can take M lenses in any direction. m bodies, Sony bodies or whatever you can bolt them onto. APC lenses at these costs is a little dangerous as in this case you only get a T camera out of them. These lenses are priced fairly high and you could probably do better buying used M lenses in the same equivalent focal lengths.
 

bradhusick

Active member
So they put the usual and slightly old in the tooth 16MP Sony aps-c sensor into an Apple inspired soap bar shaped Aluminum unibody and borrow Samsung`s touch screen controlled UI to call it a USD 1900 Leica body sans EVF. Where is the technological innovation, Leica? The one we enjoyed with the M9, the first FF compact, the X1, the first aps-c jacket pocket solution?

Now one thing I have to give to Leica. The pre-launch activities and beta-product testing period with this camera seems to be very well thought out and far from the rather clumsy Leica XV product positioning attempts.
The touch screen interface is light-years ahead of the Samsung Android mess. Someone actually thought about UI on the T rather than slapping a phone on the back of a camera. The T is very innovative - the unibody, the fact there are no buttons on the back, the M adapter with 6-bit, the strap system, etc.

I, for one, like the results I see with the AA-less Sony sensor combined with Leica glass.

It is cheap compared to other systems? No. Is Leica EVER going for that position? Nope.
 

Armanius

New member
Hmm, if Jono is an ultracrepidarian, what does this make me? What's even more so on the scale?

BTW, I find that "reviews" written by people who are photographers much more informative than ones that are full of technical detail; it's much easier to get a handle on things—especially as in my part of the sticks there are no anyway local Leica dealers. Thanks, Jono.
I had to look up "ultracrepidarian"!!!
 
J

JohnW

Guest
Kirk, not one of the cameras I own has an optical+EVF viewfinder and yet I love shooting with them. Personal choices.
That's how I felt until I recently got an X Pro1. Sure is nice to be back on an OVF. Like cleaning dirty glasses. I didn't realize how much I missed that after several years of EVF only. If anyone should offer an OVF, it would be Leica. But that's obviously not a necessity of this camera's target market.

John
 

sandymc

New member
Jono, one function that you and Sean Reid really can serve is to keep Leica's marketspeak from running away from engineering reality (and also photographer's reality). I recall in the M8 days Leica was extremely reluctant to explain how their files were compressed (lossy, by a simple algorithm that was quickly identified by a Russian blogger). This time around, Leica is saying to all who ask that they correct distortion optically, not in software, but Sean Reid (with Sandy McGuffog's AccuRaw software) finds this is not true. The 23/2.0-2.8 prime does correct some quite visible barrel distortion in software. The lovely m43 PanaLeica 25/1.4 also has considerable barrel distortion which must be corrected in software, so maybe this isn't terrible. It will, however, mean that once again the choice of raw conversion software that is used will introduce important variations in the results with the T.

Another interesting aspect that Sean exposes in his review is that the 23 TCron focuses incredibly close, but with an interesting restriction -- the maximum aperture starts changing from 2.0 at 0.5m and drops as low as 2.8. 0.5 meters! Modern Leica RF lenses stop at 0.7 m for obvious reasons like parallax error, and the 35/1.4 FLE uses its FLEs to get there without focus shift problems. But how close does the new effective 35mm focus on the T and how do you like the results?

All that grumbling aside, I viewed Andreas Kaufmann's Zen meditation video, and the 45 minute conceptual art piece on polishing a machined block of aluminum with a mixture of horror, amusement, and admiration. That's the style!

scott
For those interested, I've put up a blog post about the Leica T's DNG format. It does indeed contain lens correction data, in the form of DNG opcodes:

ChromaSoft: Leica T (Typ 701) raw file (DNG) analysis

Sandy
 
Jono, I really enjoyed reading your impressions on the T. I also enjoyed your images as well - all 90 of them.

I very glad that Leica makes the effort to put the camera in the hands of photographers such as yourself well in advance to help sort it out. You make a good Alpha tester and I venture to bet that some of your feedback made it into the final camera and some other bits may come in future firmware updates. You are a good choice for Leica to use as an Alpha tester because you use (at least for a little while) a lot of different cameras and have a good feel for what works. You always have a pleasant demeanor in the forums not matter how much bashing is directed toward you or your review/opinion. I don't know how you maintain your cool so well. It hasn't been bad for the release of the T, but that can't be said for other releases.
 

MB100

New member
Hello all, I got a chance to play with the Leica T-Type today at the Leica Store Soho in NYC, I made a quick overview showing off this camera in the flesh and how it functions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDsnB_bS5Lo

If you head over to my website (linked in the video) you will soon (within the hour) be able to see sample images from the camera as well.

Best,
BH
 

jonoslack

Active member
Jono, I really enjoyed reading your impressions on the T. I also enjoyed your images as well - all 90 of them.

I very glad that Leica makes the effort to put the camera in the hands of photographers such as yourself well in advance to help sort it out. You make a good Alpha tester and I venture to bet that some of your feedback made it into the final camera and some other bits may come in future firmware updates. You are a good choice for Leica to use as an Alpha tester because you use (at least for a little while) a lot of different cameras and have a good feel for what works. You always have a pleasant demeanor in the forums not matter how much bashing is directed toward you or your review/opinion. I don't know how you maintain your cool so well. It hasn't been bad for the release of the T, but that can't be said for other releases.
Thank You Mark
I'm very flattered. As for keeping my cool, as you say, this time it's been easy, but not always. I learned that the only way to keep my blood pressure down was to remain pally and cheerful. I'm ashamed to say that I do resort to a bit of irony sometimes :). It's actually quite a good lesson in life.

To be fair though-if you go and look at comments sections in newspapers etc. the amount of stick I've had is really very very minimal!

all the best
 

Paratom

Well-known member
Hi Jono,
thanks for the great write up!
I do like the images I see on your site and on others from the T.
Small question: How is autos implementation? Is it possible to set 1/125 or 1/250 as longest shutter time in auto iso?

As someone liking riding the bike and going to the beach and goin on hikes I also agree biggest downside for me would be that its not weatherproof. I just have used my pentax k5iis on the beach without being afraid, but I might be afraid when doing the same with the T. Not so much about water/moist but more about dust/sand/dirt.

The 2 lenses offered would cover 85% of my needs. The 2 announced zooms (wide and tele) and then we just need a portrait prime (I am sure there will be one one day).

The interface....I would have preferred an interface ala X-Vario but think have to have the camera in my hands to see if it could work for me or not.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Hi Jono,
thanks for the great write up!
I do like the images I see on your site and on others from the T.

The interface....I would have preferred an interface ala X-Vario but think have to have the camera in my hands to see if it could work for me or not.
Hi There Tom
I'm afraid that, knowing you, you are completely doomed - you might as well just place the order now, it'll avoid waiting later on when you've got one in your hands.

I've been out shooting today with the 23 f2 and no EVF - just snapping away. the interface really rocks for this especially - and the images are just good (whatever the technical shortcomings might be).
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Jono & Tom,

I of course had no chance to handle the T so far, but I do like what I see. Many thanks Jono for your (as always great) review (or should I better call it thoughts :))

Must say after first restraints I finally am getting impressed and start lusting for this beautiful system. Have no doubts IQ will be great and AF will be on par with Fuji (which I can live with). But only the Leica offers that cool design and so this might easily become my go to camera for everyday use!

I am struggling to find the info about the 2 planned zooms mentioned somewhere in this thread, so could you send pointers please? Sorry if I missed it.
 

Paratom

Well-known member
Hi There Tom
I'm afraid that, knowing you, you are completely doomed - you might as well just place the order now, it'll avoid waiting later on when you've got one in your hands.

I've been out shooting today with the 23 f2 and no EVF - just snapping away. the interface really rocks for this especially - and the images are just good (whatever the technical shortcomings might be).
I don't know why I am such a foolish Leica fanboy...but often hard to resist their products for me. I still believe most of their cams/lens combinations produce the best color for my taste. Something with pop/saturation but still looking natural.
And they have normally user interfaces which are simple which is good for me.

However in this case I wish they would also offer a weatherproof rubberized version besides the apple-audi-shiny version. If I get one then I want to use it, and not just on sunny sunday afternoon city walks.

Guess I could become weak anyways ;(
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I don't know why I am such a foolish Leica fanboy...but often hard to resist their products for me. I still believe most of their cams/lens combinations produce the best color for my taste. Something with pop/saturation but still looking natural.
And they have normally user interfaces which are simple which is good for me.

However in this case I wish they would also offer a weatherproof rubberized version besides the apple-audi-shiny version. If I get one then I want to use it, and not just on sunny sunday afternoon city walks.

Guess I could become weak anyways ;(
I think you can get the nice rubberized covers in all different colors, so this would at least solve the weatherproof problem partly. But maybe Leica will bring a weatherproof version anyway later.
 

gmack

New member
Long time lurker....I hope you won't mind me participating in this discussion.

I'm quite concerned about the aluminum body. Aluminum is a terrific thermal conductor and will match the temperature of its surroundings rather quickly. Yet, because of the mass of this block of aluminum, it will exhibit some thermal hysteresis. So, should you take the camera from an air conditioned hotel room outside to a warm humid atmosphere, it very well may become slippery and noticeably moist in the hand. I can imagine water condensing on the surface of the body. Moreover, in a cold environment, it might feel like holding an ice cube and you might even experience a frosty surface.
 
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