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Focused on the Leica M, plus Leica S2 and select Leica R lenses
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LEICA M Typ 240
Leica M Typ 240 In Use
Overall design and behavior.
- Leica M240 — Intro New!
- Leica M240 — Press Release with Commentary New!
- Sensor Aliasing (Checkerboard) New!
- Usability: Live View and EVF New!
- Auto Exposure with 'Advanced' Metering New!
- Usability: Variety New!
- Usability: Bottom Plate and Tripod Mounting New!
- New Game: Leica M240 + 50/0.95 Noctilux New!
- Noise and ISO: Leica M Typ 240 vs Leica M9P New!
- Leica M Typ 240 Dynamic Range New!
- Leica M240 — Reader Comments New!
Leica M Typ 240 Compared To Other Cameras
Resolution, focus shift, aliasing, etc.
- M240 vs M9 (Propane Tank) New!
- M240 + 50/2 APO ASPH vs Nikon D7100 + Sigma 35/1.4 DG HSM New!
- M240 at 28mm vs Sigma DP1 Merrill: Native Resolution New!
- M240 at 28mm vs Sigma DP1 Merrill: Matched Resolution New!
- M240 at 28mm vs Sigma DP1 Merrill: Downsampled Resolution New!
- M240 + 50/2 APO ASPH vs Sigma DP2 Merrill New!
- M240 + 50/2 APO ASPH vs Sigma DP2 Merrill (Bottles) New!
- M240 + 50/2 APO ASPH vs Nikon D800E + Zeiss 50/2 Makro-Planar New!
Leica M Typ 240 With Alternate Lenses
With Live View and EVF, non-M-mount lenses become feasible.
LEICA M Monochrom
Leica M Monochrom
Ultimate resolution in black and white.
Leica M Monochrom In the Field
Field shooting the Leica MM, and comparisons.
- Examples: Initial
- Examples: Pine Creek Tungsten Mine and Environs New!
- Shadow Noise and Highlight Detail at ISO 320
- Noise Behavior with 'Push' of ISO 320 (Dolls)
- Leica MM vs Leica M9P (Dolls)
- Leica MM vs M9P (Saddlebag Overlook, Yosemite)
- Leica MM vs Nikon D800E (Dolls, Downsampled)
- Leica MM vs Nikon D800E (Dolls, Upsampled)
- Leica MM vs Nikon D800E (21mm, Pine Creek Tungsten Mine)
- Leica MM vs Nikon D800E (28mm, Pine Creek Tungsten Mine)
- Leica MM vs Nikon D800E (35mm, Pine Creek Tungsten Mine)
- Leica MM vs Sigma DP1 Merrill (Dolls)
POST PROCESSING
LEICA M9
User’s Guide and Review of the Leica M9
High resolution digital rangefinder
- Leica M9 Main page
- Leica M9 Long Term Findings
- Ergonomics and Usability
- Introduction to Rangefinders
- Composing with a rangefinder
- Sensor Bifurcation issue
- Sensor Defect: Bad Pixel Column
- Sensor Specular highlights issue
- Sensor Highlight Posterization
- Infrared sensitive?
- Noise
- Conclusions
- Where to buy the Leica M9 and lenses
Focusing with the Leica M9 Rangefinder
Focusing issue
Live View (not), Rear LCD, Image Review
Modern digital features lacking with the M9.
Ray angle and Color Shading With M Lenses
Off-center color casts, off-center sharpness.
- Color uniformity and Lens Correction
- Ray Angle From Lens Exit Pupil
- Color Shading General Discussion
- Color Shading for M-Mount lenses on Sony NEX-7
- Color Shading for M-Mount lenses on Sony NEX-5N
- Color Shading for M-Mount lenses on Leica M9
- Color Shift Stopping Down (Sony NEX-7)
- Lens Correction Examples (mostly for Zeiss)
Considerations in choosing a lens.
Focal lengths, color, weight and travel considerations.
Data Sheets.
Technical specifications from the manufacturer.
LEICA M LENSES
Leica 16-18-21mm f/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH
Leica’s ultra wide angle zoom lens.
- Notes: 16-18-21/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH
- MTF @ 16mm: 16-18-21/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH
- MTF @ 18mm: 16-18-21/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH
- MTF @ 21mm: 16-18-21/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH
- MTF Compared: 16-18-21/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH
- Distortion: 16-18-21/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH
- Vignetting: 16-18-21/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH
- 16 vs 18 vs 21: 16-18-21/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH (Alpine Canyon)
- 16 vs 18 vs 21: 16-18-21/4 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH (Tiled Rooftops)
Leica 18mm f/3.8 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
Leica’s widest prime lens.
Leica 21mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
Leica’s fastest and widest lens.
- Notes: 21/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- MTF: 21/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- Distortion: 21/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- Vignetting: 21/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- Comparison: Leica 21/1.4 Summilux-M vs Zeiss 21/2.8 Distagon on D3x
- Examples: Leica 21/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- Examples: Leica 21/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH (Bristlecones)
- Comparison: Leica 21/1.4 vs Leica 21/3.4 (Interior)
- Comparison: Leica 21/1.4 vs Leica 21/3.4 (Rockfall)
- Comparison: Leica 21/1.4 vs Leica 21/3.4 (Water Tank)
- Comparison: Leica 21/1.4 vs Leica 21/3.4 (Ashford Mill)
Leica 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
Leica’s best-performing 21mm.
- Notes: 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
- MTF: 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M ASPH Updated!
- Distortion: 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
- Vignetting: 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
- Examples: Leica 21/3.4 — Color Uniformity on M9P
- Flare: Leica 21/3.4
- Aperture Series: Leica 21/3.4 — Cottonwood
- Aperture Series: 21/3.4 — Tile Rooftops Aerial
- Aperture Series: Leica 21/3.4 — Miner’s Cabin Interior
- Aperture Series: Leica 21/3.4 — Rancher’s Cabin Exterior
- Aperture Series: Leica 21/3.4 — White Mountain Aspens in Deep Shade
- Leica 21/3.4 vs Zeiss ZM 21/2.8 (M240, Picnic Table) New!
- Examples: Leica 21/3.4 — Silver Canyon Contrasts
- Examples: Leica 21/3.4 — Snow Biking in Cottonwood Canyon
- Examples: Leica 21/3.4 — White Mountains Snow Day
Leica 24mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
Leica’s fast wide angle.
Leica 24mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH
A discontinued but excellent 24mm.
Leica 24mm f/3.8 Elmar-M ASPH
Leica’s best-performing 24mm, and with a flat field.
Leica 28mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH
Leica’s widest lens utilizing built-in frame lines.
Leica 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH
Leica’s smallest and lightest M lens with superlative performance.
- Notes: 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH
- MTF: 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH
- Distortion: 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH
- Vignetting: 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit-M ASPH
- Examples: 28/2.8 Elmarit — Environmental and Outdoors
- Aperture Series: 28/2.8 Elmarit — Tile Rooftops Aerial
- Examples: 28/2.8 Elmarit — Focusing Error Case Study
Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH (2010 FLE)
Leica’s superlative and most natural lens for the M.
- Notes: Leica 2010 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- MTF: Summilux-M 35mm /1.4 ASPH (2010 FLE)
- Distortion: 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- Vignetting: 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- MTF: Prior version vs 2010 Summilux-M 35mm /1.4 ASPH
- Aperture Series: 35/1.4 — Tile Rooftops Aerial
- Aperture Series: 35/1.4 — Tile Rooftops Aerial (NEX7)
- Examples: Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH (Yosemite)
- Aperture Series: Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH — Bristlecone
- Aperture Series: Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH — Mining Cabin
- Compared: 35mm f/1.4 Summilux vs 35/2 Summicron vs Zeiss 35/2 Biogon
- 35/1.4 Summilux vs Zeiss 35/2 Biogon (M240, MTB) New!
Leica 35mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH
Leica’s f/2 35mm for the M.
- Notes: 35mm f/2 Leica Summicron-M ASPH
- MTF: 35mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH
- Distortion: 35mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH
- Vignetting: 35mm f/2 Summicron-M ASPH
- Examples: 35mm f/2 Leica Summicron-M ASPH
- Comparison: Leica 35/2 Summicron-M vs Zeiss ZM 35/2 Biogon
- Comparison 2: Leica 35/2 Summicron-M vs Zeiss ZM 35/2 Biogon
- Comparison 3: Bitingly-sharp Zeiss 35/2 Biogon vs Leica 35/2 Summicron
Leica 35mm f/2.5 Summarit-M
Leica’s Budget 35mm lens.
Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH
World’s fastest 50mm full-frame lens.
- Notes: 50/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH
- MTF: 50/0.95 Leica Noctilux-M ASPH
- Distortion: 50/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH
- Vignetting: 50/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH
- Leica 50/2 Summicron vs Leica 50/0.95 Noctilux
- Shootout (Aerial): Leica 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH vs 50/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH
- Shootout (Controlled): Leica 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH vs 50/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH
- Examples 1: 50/0.95 Noctilux
- Examples: 50/0.95 Noctilux (Misc)
- Examples: 50/0.95 Noctilux (White Mountains Snowy)
- Examples: 50/0.95 Noctilux (Yosemite)
- Examples: 50/0.95 Noctilux (Wide Aperture Landscapes)
- Examples: Noctilux 50/0.95 Focus Series 15-frame “movie”
- Examples: 50/0.95 Noctilux Aberrations
Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
Leica’s superlative normal lens.
- Notes: 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- MTF: 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- Distortion: 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- Vignetting: 50/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
- Examples: 501.4 Summilux-M (Variety)
- Examples: 50/1.4 Summilux-M (White Mountains)
- Examples: 50/1.4 Summilux-M (NEX-7, Portraits)
- 50 Summilux vs 50 Noctilux (Joshua Tree)
Leica 50mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH
The world’s best 50mm lens is outstanding, but with some limits.
- Notes: 50mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH
- MTF: 50mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH
- Distortion: 50mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH
- Vignetting: 50mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH
- 50/2 APO ASPH Flare New!
- Focus Shift with the 50/2 APO ASPH (Dolls) New!
- Focus Shift with the 50/2 APO ASPH (Pellegrino Bottles) New!
- Focus Study (Leica M Monochrom, Dolls) New!
- Color Bokeh (Secondary Longitudinal Chromatic Aberration, Dolls) New!
- Focus Shift with Color Filters on M Monochrom New!
- 50mm 4-way Comparison (M240, Wagon) New!
- 50mm 4-way Comparison (M240, Fruit Platter) New!
- Aperture Series (M240, Onions and Ginger) New!
- Examples, Various (M240) New!
Leica 50mm f/2 Summicron-M
Leica’s compact low-distortion normal lens.
Leica 50mm f/2.5 Summarit-M
Leica’s Budget 50mm lens.
Leica 75mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH
Leica’s medium tele for Leica M.
Leica 75mm f/2.5 Summarit-M
Leica’s Budget 75mm lens.
Leica 90mm f/2 APO-Summicron-M ASPH
Leica’s longer tele for Leica M.
Leica 90mm f/2.5 Summarit-M
Leica’s compact 90mm for the M.
ZEISS ZM Lenses
Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon
Notes and examples.
Zeiss 18mm f/4 Distagon
Compact high performance, ultra low distortion.
Zeiss ZM 21mm f/4.5 C-Biogon
Zero distortion ultra-wide.
Zeiss 25mm f/2.8 Biogon
Compact wide angle with brilliant contrast.
Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 Biogon
Compact wide angle.
Zeiss 35mm f/2 Biogon
All around razor sharp performer.
- Notes: 35mm f/2 Zeiss ZM Biogon
- MTF: ZM 35mm f/2 Biogon
- Distortion: ZM 35mm f/2 Biogon
- Vignetting: ZM 35mm f/2 Biogon
- Examples: Lee Vining Canyon Zeiss ZM 35/2
- Examples: White Mountains ZM 35/2
- Examples: Abandoned Mining Site
- Examples: Zeiss ZM 35/2 Miscellaneous
- Examples: Zeiss ZM 35/2 Forest (NEX-7)
- Focus Accuracy of Zeiss 35/2 Biogon vs Leica 35/1.4 FLE (Dolls)
- Zeiss ZM 35/2 Biogon vs Leica 35/1.4 FLE (Dolls, Focus adjusted Biogon)
Zeiss 50mm f/2 Planar
Pleasing and relatively inexpensive normal lens
Zeiss 85mm f/2 Sonnar
Ultra high performance (discontinued)
Voigtlander M-Mount Lenses
Voigtlander 50mm f/1.1
A slightly slower, but smaller and lighter alternative to the Noctilux, at 1/10 the price.
- Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.1 Overview
- Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 Ergonomics
- Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 Image Quality Summary
- Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 — Flare
- Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 — Field Curvature (Towers)
- Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 — Field Curvature (Pond)
- Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 — Shooting at f/1.1 in Daylight
- Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 Aperture Series: MTB
- Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 Aperture Series: Bridge
- Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 Aperture Series: Mossy Trees
- Voigtlander Nokton 50/1.1 Examples
LEICA R APO Lenses
Leica 90mm f/2 APO-Summicron-R ASPH
Compact lens for portraiture or similar.
Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO-Macro-Elmarit-R
Superb all-around macro and general-purpose lens.
Leica 180mm f/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R
World’s best mid-range telephoto lens.
- Introduction: 180mm f/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R
- Converting to Nikon F Mount New!
- MTF: 180mm f/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R
- Vignetting: 180mm f/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R
- Distortion: 180mm f/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R
- Examples: Nikon D4 + 180/2.8 APO-Elmarit-R (Zoo)
- Examples: Stitched Panorama (San Francisco)
- vs Sigma 180/2.8 APO and Voigtlander 180/4 APO (D800E, Dolls) New!
- vs Sigma 15/2.8 APO, 180/2.8 APO, Voigtlander 180/4 APO, Nikon 70-200 VR2 (D800E, Rulers) New!
- vs Sigma 180/2.8 APO (D800E, Mosaic) New!
Leica 280mm f/4 APO-Telyt-R
Compact and ultra high performance long telephoto.
LEICA S2
Leica S2 37.5 Megapixel Medium Format DSLR
How does Leica’s medium format entry measure up in ergonomics, image quality, etc?
- Leica S2 Main page
- Precision for Maximum Resolution
- First Impressions
- Field Shooting the S2 in Yosemite
- Malfunctions of Camera and Lens
- Shooting Tips
- Usability: Buttons, Menus, More
- Usability: Image Review
- Auto Exposure
- Color Bokeh
- Axial Color (Purple Fringing)
- Diffraction: Optimal Apertures
- Moire and Aperture
- Software Correction vs Other Brands
- Reader Comments
- Alternatives: DSLR Without Anti Aliasing Filter
- Alternative Systems to the Leica S2
- Leica S2 User comments
- Conclusions
Examples
Examples and comparison from the various lenses
- Examples from Yosemite High Country
- Examples: Day 1 Experiments
- Examples: Golden Gate Bridge
- Examples: High ISO
- Autofocus Backfocus at Close Range
- Assessing Autofocus in the Field
- More Autofocus Errors
- Autofocus vs Manual Focus Accuracy (Mosaic)
- Comparison: Leica S2 vs Nikon D3x (3D)
- Comparison: Leica S2 vs Nikon D3x (Mosaic)
- Comparison: Leica S2 vs Nikon D3x Deconvolution Sharpening
- Leica 180mm f/3.5 APO-Elmar-S — Asymmetry
ALLVIEW CAMERAS
ALLVIEW— Any Lens Live View Camera
Eliminating the camera body barrier— any kind of lens with Live View EVF and LCD, and especially Leica M-mount.
HISTORICAL, please see Guide to Mirrorless.
ALLVIEW Cameras
Terrific backup bodies or even primary body for M-mount lenses.