The Leica T - Impressions and Images

[k-hawinkler]

This was posted on Sony Rumors. Is this true about the sensor.

and I quote

ell, Leica knows how to make ane exclusive camera! They just announced the Leica T APS-C mirrorless camera ($1800 here at BHphoto). It has the same 16 Megapixel sensor of the $398 NEX-3n. But the NEX-3n comes with a lens while the Leica T does not. And the (slow!) Leica T kit zoom costs another $1750.

Thanks. I finally tracked down the reference. Here it is.
What happens if you put a Sony sensor inside a block of aluminum? You will get a $1800 Leica camera | sonyalpharumors
or here
What happens if you put a Sony sensor inside a block of aluminum? You will get a $1800 Leica camera Foto News | Foto News

If this rumor this incorrect then Leica needs to publicly state so, me thinks.

When Hasselblad did a similar play IIRC they chose to work off the Sony NEX-7.

Well, for now I think I'll stick with my NEX-5N, NEX-7, A7R and a few other cameras like E-M5, E-M1, M-9, and D800E. The new Lytro Illum though looks interesting, but they need to be forthcoming with more details.

 

[thompsonkirk]

To turn me on, it needed an optical+EVF viewfinder like X100s. So I don't plan on reading any more posts about it.

Kirk

 

[bradhusick]

Kirk, not one of the cameras I own has an optical+EVF viewfinder and yet I love shooting with them. Personal choices.

 

[animefx]

After viewing several initial impressions and sample photos today, I was impressed and just I pre-ordered mine. Looks like I'll be getting the 23mm f/2 Summicron ASPH, M mount adapter, EVF, and the Leica T camera itself.

I always thought the X Vario had better color than the M240. There is also nearly as good ISO and a nice crispness there. This camera basically has interchangeable lenses, but faster more accurate autofocus, and a better design in my opinion.

I can't see this replacing the M8 as my favorite camera, but I think it's definitely going to be special and change the way new cameras are designed in the long run.

 

[retow]

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.

 

[ptomsu]

Well I of course did not handle one, but even without while comparing to for example Fuji XT1 and standard zoom I am disappointed by the Leica. I had hoped for more if it is roughly 2x the price of the Fuji - and just haptics and feeling does not do it for me alone.

At least they could have gone with a state of the art sensor with PDAF and also better high ISO. Or even they could have gone with a FF model.

Also the price of the lenses is ridiculously high - a 2/23 (35 equivalent) for 2k - this mimics a 2/35 Summicron - come on this is not really making me excited. At least I had expected a 1.4 version for that price - even if it is Leica!

I will handle one as soon as I have the opportunity but cannot imagine I will get inspired to buy one .....

 

[Elderly]

............... but 6 months testing a camera and sounding off to Leica about the things that should be changed (you should see some of the emails) ...........
!

That's a very flattering and privileged position to be in, the ultra ultracrepidarian endorsement .
Did L make any software changes during your test period and do you think/ know that they will introduce modifications because of your (and other testers?) input?

 

[jonoslack]

That's a very flattering and privileged position to be in, the ultra ultracrepidarian endorsement .
Did L make any software changes during your test period and do you think/ know that they will introduce modifications because of your (and other testers?) input?

Hi Ian - I"d like to think that I get the cameras because I'm such a great photographer, but I think it's more to do with being ultracrepidarian! :ROTFL:

I've had three different bodies (hardware changes) and infinite firmware revisions, and it is unquestionably true that changes are made because of the tester's feedback (including mine) - Sometimes they don't get done until a firmware revision, sometimes they get done with the released firmware.

Leica really do listen - more so these days - but it isn't simple, as one man's obvious requirement is another man's anathema - and they're trying not to make it complicated.

It's fascinating, but it is also hard work!

all the best

 

[Robert Campbell]

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.

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

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

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

....
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 beta test period effort for the T seems like exactly what was done to make the M[240] launch relatively trouble-free. And there was some of that happening in the M9 pre-launch period, although it seemed to get jumbled up with an effort to collect celebrity endorsements that time. (Remember Seal?)

scott

 

[Elderly]

Hi Ian - I"d like to think that I get the cameras because I'm such a great photographer, but I think it's more to do with being ultracrepidarian! :ROTFL:

Duh :loco: I must read what I write more carefully!!!!

I meant to say the "Ultimate anticrepidarian" - Sorry. :can't find the embarrassed smilie:

 

[Steve P.]

This may prove to be the first genuinely viable alternative for those of us who choose to shoot wider M lenses on the Ricoh GXR-M and, for various reasons, prefer not to shoot on a Leica M body. It'll probably be cheaper than the Sony A7s, body only, always assuming that camera will produce better wide angle M lens results across the board than it's A7 stablemates. Good news I reckon.
And isn't it nice to see a straightforward camera launch, devoid of the sort of deceptive marketing hype that so unnecessarily accompanied the introduction of the X-Vario. Well done, Leica.

 

[lambert]

This may prove to be the first genuinely viable alternative for those of us who choose to shoot wider M lenses on the Ricoh GXR-M and, for various reasons, prefer not to shoot on a Leica M body. It'll probably be cheaper than the Sony A7s, body only, always assuming that camera will produce better wide angle M lens results across the board than it's A7 stablemates. Good news I reckon.

Sure it will. But then your wides are no longer very wide. A 21mm is cropped to 32mm, for example.

 

[Steve P.]

And a 15mm voigtlander is cropped to 22.5mm. Plenty wide enough for me.

 

[iiiNelson]

And a 15mm voigtlander is cropped to 22.5mm. Plenty wide enough for me.

I don't think profiles for non Leica lenses will be supported.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Never going to happen not while they are trying to sell T lenses they won't

 

[Paul_Kerfoot]

I guess for me it is all about user interface. As Jono has pointed out in his write-ups a good camera to me is one that you can pick up after a period of time and there isn't a learning curve over and over again. My Leica M's were like that and after that the Fuji's have come closest. I own and Olympus and I feel like I'm starting from scratch every time I pick it up.

So, a body can have all the functionality in the world and still be a fail to me.

Exactly so. I am about to replace an ancient Panasonic G1 with a newer M4/3 body. Given that any M4/3 lens will mount on any M4/3 body and the differences in IQ are not all that great, THE USER INTERFACE IS THE DEAL BREAKER/MAKER. I'm tired of re-reading the user manual.

Paul

 

[Steve P.]

I don't think profiles for non Leica lenses will be supported.

Bummer. Ah well, back to the drawing board...Again!:facesmack:

 

[HeavyDuty]

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.