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Leica S3 and the 35SL.

aDam007

New member
So I spent the late afternoon chatting with Stephan Daniel (nice guy) and playing with the S3 and 35SL lens.

Few takeaway points keep in mind my track record with Leica and the fact that I don't pull any punches so this is an honest assessment coming from someone who's used every system and almost every current lens on the market.

One, the S3 is KILLER!! Seriously this was a prototype so I couldn't use my own memory cards but I have to say images on the back screen looked great. Great colours, great auto white balance. Grain at 25,000 ISO looked pleasing and minimal and skin tones just on the back screen were accurate/nice. The AF was very fast, I don't get it, it was so fast I don't even know how the camera moved the lens elements that fast. Oh and I went into a dark area (think f/2.5 125th ISO 6400 and beyond) and the camera focused quick and accurately. This definitely makes me wanna get back into the S-system and for sure makes me regret selling my S lenses. The viewfinder felt better than I remember it to be (sold my S-006 and S-007 cameras a while ago) bright and big and made me confident that Leica was doing the right thing by not going mirrorless with the S-system.

The 35SL was also a prototype, they still needed to fix a few things optically. But from the testing I did, it's already better than any other autofocus 35mm lens I've used. Yes I can understand the need for improvements but at this point they were just nitpicking because it's a great lens. So after they fix the issues which I was told has already been worked out optically (mostly concerning bokeh smoothness) it'll be ready for prime time. Oh and it was fast and accurate, even more so than the already fast and accurate 75/90 SL lenses I own. So very exciting things coming.

Well.... I guess I know where my money is going come 2019 but SHOOOT I was really planning on NOT spending in 2019 because so far nothing has really swayed me (after testing both Canon and Nikons mirrorless offerings I decided to stick with my aging SL, M, CL, X1D bodies and possibly maybe buy the X1D 80/1.9 lens but now I'm not sure if I want to invest in the X1D anymore because S is back).
Oh and estimated delivery is probably spring/summer for these items but will DEFINITELY be worth the wait, trust me.

Don't really know if I can answer any questions about the items I played with since I was only using them for an hour or so, but just wanted to share for anyone considering either buying or ditching their SL or S systems.
 

Shashin

Well-known member
Adam, I would be interested in your impression of the weight, size, and handling between the S3 and X1D...
 

bab

Active member
Your comment on the AF is encouraging but as for the 35mm judging the AF I personally would have been more interested on a 100mm lens (or something close) to see how it behaves in not only focusing on the eye lashes with strobe or normal light but as you mention in a low light situation. Really interested in the images you tried a 3fps.

Thanks
 

aDam007

New member
Your comment on the AF is encouraging but as for the 35mm judging the AF I personally would have been more interested on a 100mm lens (or something close) to see how it behaves in not only focusing on the eye lashes with strobe or normal light but as you mention in a low light situation. Really interested in the images you tried a 3fps.

Thanks
I didn't try 3FPS as I don't shoot my cameras that way. I was using the 70S on the S3 and the 35SL on the SL body. Focusing accuracy and speed was good. For the 35SL the comment on speed was that it was beating out the 75/90 that are already fast lenses.
I too would have liked to have been using the 100S, but one wasn't available at the time. The 100S is my go-to lens on the S-system though I like all the S-lenses.

Hope this clarifies things.
 

aDam007

New member
Adam, I would be interested in your impression of the weight, size, and handling between the S3 and X1D...
The X1D is smaller and lighter and is the one camera I've been able to handhold all day with a wrist strap and NEVER fatigue. It's probably the most ergonomic camera in hand that I've ever used. But hand size varies so probably will someones opinion. Generally I go out with the 30 or the 90 XCD lens. But I've used the 120XCD out and about before too.

The X1D w/heaviest lens is still smaller/lighter than the S-system. Though for some reason when I use to own the S-system and use it frequently it became very easy for me to bring out all day and shoot with. I didn't like it around the neck so to speak, but hand holding all day wasn't too difficult if I was taking breaks (coffee shop stops etc).

I think AF goes to Leica and the bugs have been all ironed out and the camera just works well. The X1D is still a bit buggy and difficult but I do love it and would be hard pressed to sell it off so I can purchase back into the S-system.


Hope this helps.
 
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