David Farkas Photography Blog

Red Dot Forum: My blog has a new home

2011-06-21T17:23:00.004-04:00

All my future updates and reviews will now be on www.reddotforum.com. Red Dot Forum will offer me a platform that is much more flexible, with categorized article pages, a discussion forum and blogs, both from me as well as other community members.

I've made an effort to move over all of my previous content from this site and used the original publication date to make referencing and searching easier.

I look forward to seeing you over on Red Dot Forum.

Best,

David

New Leica X1 v2.0 Firmware Released

2011-03-28T10:43:00.004-04:00

Leica Camera is finally releasing a new firmware update for the X1. Version 2.0 will be available from tomorrow, March 29. The update will be available as a download from Leica’s homepage at: http://en.leica-camera.com/photography/compact_cameras/x1/.

The new X1 firmware offers the following benefits:

A better monitor image enables better manual focus setting as the aperture is wide open.
Manual Focus improvement by implementing finer steps when turning the click wheel slowly.
2 Manual Focus speeds for more accurate and fast MF operation.
Manual Focus-setting lock implemented.
Manual Focus-scale display enlarged.
Depth of field scale displayed in Manual Focus.
Manual Focus setting memorized after turning the camera off.
Improved autofocus speed in low light condition and low contrast subjects especially when taking
photos of the same subject several times.
ISO-setting will be displayed in Auto-ISO.
Improved picture quality in JPEG.

Of course, like many, I would have wished for this update months ago, but what's done is done. I'm looking forward to downloading the firmware and trying it out tomorrow on my X1. Let's see just how significant the changes are.

Sophia’s Choice

2010-12-11T11:01:00.003-05:00

A few days ago, my almost-4-year-old daughter Sophia did something for the very first time: she asked me to take her picture.

For me this was a pretty big deal. Up until now, I've had to convince her to let me take her picture. But this was different. She dressed herself up in one of her ballet outfits, blinged it up with a tiara, necklace and pink sparkly Chuck Taylor All Stars, grabbed her doll Angel and marched up to me. She insisted that I take her picture. "Daddy," she started, "I want you to take your camera out of your bag and take a picture of Angel and me." So, I did. I grabbed my M9 and 50 Lux while Sophia sat herself down on the couch and smiled. She rarely smiles in pictures and almost never looks at the camera. Here, she did both. I think she might have even asked me what was taking so long as I got on my knees and focused.

I don't think my picture of her will win me any prizes, but the significance of her request to be photographed makes it important and special for me. And, almost immediately after snapping the shot, she jumped down off the couch and raced to see her likeness on the LCD. "I love it, Daddy!!" We shared a little moment, then she was off to play a different game. And that was that.

Just thought I'd share the experience.

First Impressions of the Leica APO-Macro-Summarit-S 120mm f/2.5

2010-10-07T06:13:00.008-04:00

1/500th @f/2.5, ISO 320, handheld

I received my first demo Leica APO-Macro-Summarit-S 120mm f/2.5 this week and couldn't wait to take a few test shots to see what this lens is really capable of on the Leica S2. Unfortunately, I've been so busy getting caught up after Photokina (still working on more updates, which I will be posting soon) that the most I could manage were a few snaps around the parking lot at the store.

The lens itself isn't that large or heavy. It is slightly longer than the 70mm Summarit-S and roughly equal in size and weight to the 35mm Summarit-S. Very manageable. Like all S lenses, the manual focus ring is well-damped and silky smooth. The S2 uses a clutchless system to override AF – just turn the focusing ring at any time and the camera switches temporarily to MF. For extreme macro work, some might prefer using MF, although I used AF for all of these test shots.

Compared to other medium format macro lenses, the Leica offers a much faster aperture of f/2.5 versus the standard f/4. A quick glance at the MTF charts also shows that the Leica lens resolves small details at much higher contrast than the well-regarded Hasselblad HC 120 Macro. The S lens resolves 40 lp/mm at 75% contrast and 20 lp/mm at 90%, wide-open! By comparison, the Hasselblad lens resolves 40 lp/mm at only 50% contrast at f/4, more than an f-stop slower. It doesn't even reach the Leica's f/2.5 performance by f/8. And in spite of being a stop and a half faster and weather-sealed, the S lens is both smaller and lighter than the HC equivalent.

Wide-open, this lens is just gorgeous. Crisp detail with extremely high contrast for in-focus areas with a smooth buttery fall-off for OOF areas. Just luscious, really. Great color and tone as well. I can immediately see the family resemblance to the 100mm APO-Macro-Elmarit-R, from which the 120mm S lens is based off of.

At closer to infinity (lovely picture of a neighboring business), the lens performs extremely well, due to the floating element design. In my discussions with Stephan Shulz, product manager for the S System, he explained that the 120mm isn't merely a superb macro lens. In his mind, the 120mm is an amazing all-around lens that happens to do macro extraordinarily well. He even went so far to say, due to its limited depth of field and smooth bokeh, it is the S equivalent of the Noctilux. At close focus and maximum aperture, the 120mm has less than 1mm DOF, less than the Noct!

1/180th @ f/8, ISO 160, tripod

100% crop (click to see full size)

Somehow, I was able to convince my beautiful wife Juliana to pose for me to see how the 120mm stacks up as a portrait lens. As you can see, the lens is ideal for portraiture. The focal length is just right for both working distance and perspective, resulting in a very flattering, pleasing result. Both the waist-up shot and the head and shoulders picture were taken at f/2.5, using a quick focus-and-recompose.

1/350th @ f/2.5, ISO 160, handheld

100% crop - extremely fine detail of shirt

1/500th @ f/2.5, ISO 160, handheld

100% crop

My plant subjects were not quite as cooperative as my wife. As I was attempting to capture them, the wind was really whipping up, making focus and sharpness a challenge. I shot the red flowers hand-held, then went back inside to get a tripod to shoot the fern.

1/250th @ f/4, ISO 320, tripod

100% crop

1/750th @ f/2.5, ISO 160, tripod

Almost everything I shot was wide-open, but I did figure I'd try to show the difference in look between open aperture and f/8 to give an idea of how much DOF can be attained at close-focus distance. The Dodge emblem wasn't blowing in the breeze, so we'll just have to imagine it is a pretty flower.

1/250th @ f/2.5, ISO 160, tripod

1/25th @ f/8, ISO 160, tripod

Lastly, I shot this picture of a nail for a certain individual who did the same using a Hasselblad 110mm f/2 FE on the S2 not too long ago. This illustrates a few things for me. One, I was able to use AF to nail focus (little pun there) on a very specific point. Two, I was able to hand-hold this at an average shutter speed. Three, the nail is sharp with no CA. And, four, it shows the insanely shallow DOF with the silky smooth bokeh, both front and rear.

1/350th @ f/2.8, ISO 160, handheld

100% crop

I'm sure I'll be taking the 120mm out on a proper date in the near future. And when I do, you can be sure of some more updates.

Photokina 2010: Day 3 - Pentax 645D and Fuji Finepix X100

2010-09-26T19:19:00.011-04:00

I headed into the show a little late on Thursday. I had a couple follow-up meetings at Leica and I wanted to see a few things in between appointments. Specifically, I was interested in two cameras that a lot of people have expressed an interest in, as well as been requested to go see. First, I headed to Pentax to see their medium format DSLR.

Pentax 645D

The new 645D from Pentax has really stirred things up in medium format land. A 40 MP, integrated medium format digital camera with many features taken from 35mm DSLRs, and at a price just a couple thousand above the top Nikons and Canons, the Pentax 645D offers a really interesting value proposition. I've downloaded raw files from the Internet and read about the camera, but this is Photokina – I wanted to see and try the camera for myself. So far, from raw images that I've processed, I haven't been blown away with the image quality. Yes, there are a lot of pixels, but to my eye, there is a mushiness in fine details and a haziness in the overall image. I know a lot of people really want the Pentax to be the first affordable medium format DSLR with the latest technology, but to date, the images do not give me the impression of MF. Even the sample photos in the booth, printed at 13" x 19" were extremely lackluster. The same blurred details and the same "looking through a dirty window" effect prevailed. Obviously, this is a young product, and the first of its kind for Pentax. Only time will tell if improvements are made to the camera so that it can compete image-quality-wise with the likes of Phase, Hasselblad and the Leica S2.

The design is what you might expect. It is a large version of a consumer/prosumer DSLR. Lots of buttons, knobs and dials… 27 to be precise. This particular design approach is not to my personal taste, but many must like it as most of the Japanese camera companies do the same. The majority of the camera body is a large elongated box housing the mirror, shutter and digital components, with a lens mounted on the front and a handgrip coming out of the side. Most would agree this isn't the sexiest camera out there.

On the rear of the camera there is a 3" hi-res LCD screen with 922K dots, surrounded by eight buttons, with access to menu, playback, delete, info display, WB, drive mode, flash control and picture styles. To the right there are four more buttons along with a four-way direction pad and a rear thumb wheel. The top of the camera is dominated by a large monochrome status LCD to the right of the tunnel-like viewfinder "tube" and a mode dial. There are also have controls for metering, focus mode, focus area, exposure compensation, and a row of four buttons that run along the edge of the camera's mirror box for SD card settings and bracketing. Metering mode and focus point selection are handled by two twist-type knobs than protrude out the back of camera, flanking the eyepiece. The menu itself has a lot of options and consumer regulars like D-range and picture styles for JPGs.

The 645D has 11 AF points, where most MF cameras have one or three at the most. Looking through the viewfinder to see the spacing, all 11 points are clustered together in the very center of the frame. Essentially, I would rather call this a large-area single point as I don't see this making much of a difference at all in real shooting. It is not like a 35mm pro DSLR that has points almost out the edges. I also found that at least in the show hall, the AF was hunting considerably and had some difficulty locking on to the Pentax rep behind the counter.

One of the features I find pretty cool and one I've seen on cameras like the Nikon D3, is a 2D virtual horizon which can be displayed on the rear LCD. A circle is displayed with a horizon line, like in an airplane. Along the x and y axes are bar indicators showing how far off level the camera is. Nice. I'd love for this to be implemented on the S2.

Dual SD cards allow for greater capacity and additional security. The choice to go SD is an interesting one for a MF camera where file sizes can be quite large. Current SD cards cap out at 32GB and my comfort level for SD cards is currently at 16GB. I use these on my Leica M9, but I don't even bother with SD cards on my S2. Instead, I use 400X UDMA 64GB CF cards. The difference between 20MB/s and 90MB/s is significant, both when shooting as well as downloading. A dual CF setup would have been much better in my opinion.

With a look through the viewfinder, I could tell that this was a medium format camera, but it was not as large or as bright as the competition. Phase, Hasselblad and Leica all seemed superior in this regard, but it is always tough to tell without a direct, side-by-side comparison.

An oddity that I discovered is that while the mirror is extremely well damped, the shutter appears not to be so. I tested this by placing the camera in mirror-up mode to feel the mirror and shutter separately. At the start and end of the shutter firing sequence, there was a definite pull that could be felt in your hand. It is always possible to lock up a mirror to eliminate vibrations, but if the shutter itself is the cause of vibration, this could rob the camera of any resolution advantage it might have over a Nikon D3x or Canon 1DsIII, especially in the vibration danger zone of 1/6th – 1/60th.

Another little niggle was the lens mounting. I removed the 55mm lens and remounted it to get a feel for the mechanics. Not smooth. The lens felt as if it was dragging against the mount. To see how this should be done properly, see the S2, where you get a sense that everything is made to tight tolerances and designed to fit together. I know it's minor, but ergonomics and feel are what a photographer will deal with every day, even before the shots are produced.

For professionals, there is no tethered support. Most amateur users and many pros won't need this feature, but high-end fashion, commercial and advertising photographers depend upon reliable tethering.

I would be very interested in getting a hold of 645D to test, producing my own files and doing a direct comparison to the S2.

Fuji Finepix X100

Next up was Fuji's "Development Announcement," the Finepix X100. I went by the booth to see the camera first-hand.

Fuji must really have seen some something they liked in the Leica X1. Their X100 concept camera borrows more than just the first two letters of the model name. With a similar 12.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor and the same fixed focal length lens of 35mm (equiv), the Fuji seems to be squarely targeting Leica on this one.

Reading from the brochure I see things like "Made in Japan is tentative. Production plans are not finalized." and "Sample photos are simulated images." But, to Fuji's credit, they did have two semi-functional (as long as you didn't want to take a picture) prototypes.

I can't report on the weight or feel in the hand for two reasons. One, the two prototype units were both very securely bolted down to display poles. Two, I was told there were no sensors or optics in them either. The image shown on the rear LCD and through the viewfinder were courtesy of a video feed provided through a cable. So, these were not exactly working prototypes, but rather a proof of concept. And a rather good one at that.

The build quality seemed to be pretty good and the design cues were very Leica-like, albeit more retro ones, with more design similarities to an M3 than an M9. The silver chrome top plate, built-in flash where the frame line illuminator would go, the placement of the shutter speed dial, the black leatherette, even the top engraving.

Something that I really liked was the manual aperture control ring on the lens barrel, along with a manual focus ring. Both had a really nice smooth, mechanical feel, not a plastic-on-plastic feeling. Along with the analog shutter speed dial and exposure compensation dial on the top of the camera, I'd feel right at home.

One of the main attractions of the camera is the super hi-res hybrid EVF. At 1.44 million dots, this will be the highest resolution EVF offered on any camera. At least using the demonstration video feed, the quality was amazing. I think (read: hope) within a couple of years this LCD technology will find its way into the majority of cameras.

Optical viewfinder

Electronic viewfinder

The Leica X1, with its excellent lens and 12.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor currently set the bar for image quality in a compact camera. We'll have to wait and see how the Fuji X100 stacks up image-quality wise when it eventually comes to market. Even the "sample" prints in the booth were not actually from the camera. With no sensor and no lens, it is kind of tough to take pictures, let alone compare image quality.

Still more Photokina updates on the way….

More Photokina 2010 updates on the way

2010-09-26T01:31:00.007-04:00

Cologne at night - shot with Leica S2 and 70mm Summarit-S ASPH
32 sec @ f/11, ISO 160

I am currently in Wetzlar, Germany attending the LHSA Annual Meeting. I left Cologne early on Friday and returned back to the show for several hours yesterday to catch all the areas I hadn't seen during the week.

I will certainly be posting the remaining updates on Day 3 and 5, but are attending some all-day programming and bus tours without Internet access. So, please be patient and stay tuned. There is some pretty exciting stuff coming.

I'd recommend following my Twitter feed to be alerted to updates posted on my blog.

Thanks,

David

Photokina 2010: Day 2 – A look at other medium format offerings

2010-09-23T07:21:00.010-04:00

With all day yesterday spent at the Leica booth and with Hasselblad's announcements today, I figured I'd try to check out the S2's main competition.

Phase One

First on the tour was Phase One. Their booth was much smaller and more basic for this show than they had in the past. Not too much product, not a lot of visitor space, mostly meeting tables. There was a live photo area with a model sporting biker wear and attitude, as well as a still life setup. The new Schneider 120mm T/S was being shown, but not the newly announced autofocus 120mm Macro or 35mm D. The main attraction seemed to be the V-Grip Air vertical grip for the Phase One 645DF (Mamiya 645DF). Sporting a serial number of C00001, I'm assuming this is the first one of its kind, but not the only one.

The grip feels to be made out of the same plastic and rubber material as the DF body and does match nicely with the camera. It is wide and tall, with a sharp recess for your fingers in the front. They've done a nice job of cutting out resting finger positions on the front as well as the rear for your thumb. I did find it a bit odd and non-ergonomic that the rear thumb dial and AF/AE button were placed so far to the right of your resting thumb position. Given the weight of the camera and torque exerted when holding the camera in vertical, you would lose your balance by moving your thumb out of the rear groove to the outside of the grip in order to access these controls.

The front shutter button placement is good, with a little function button accessible on the underside of the front of the grip which you can activate with your middle finger.

On the rear of the V-Grip are controls for switching the camera power source from the lithium battery inside the grip or the AA batteries inside the riser portion. This marks the first time that 645DF users can use the same battery type to power the camera as they do for the back, without having to carry AA cells. But of course, for those still yearning for nostalgia and extra weight and bulk, the AA option remains. I didn't notice if the camera top status LCD had a battery status, but I do think it would be a smart idea if the V-Grip/DF body could auto switch between battery types. When I picked up the camera with the grip on, the back was powered on, but the camera wouldn't turn on. There were no AA installed, but the selector switch was in the AA position. The camera powered on after the switch was flipped over to Li+, but this seems an unnecessary step to take, especially if there is no indication without physically removing the V-Grip from the camera to check for batteries.

To the right of the power selector switch is the thumb dial for attaching the unit to the base of the camera. Standard issue and no surprises here. To the right of that is a switch allowing for either standard or fast Profoto Air Sync.

On the left-hand side is a flip-out access door, under which the lithium battery goes in. Also there is a dial control for the Air channel from 1 to 8 as well as off. A mini-USB port provides the user, for the first time, the ability to upload firmware to the camera without having to send the body in to service.

The particular unit I had powered the camera, but the shutter release would not activate. I was instructed to use the camera's main release button instead and that this was just trade show quirkiness.

Holding the camera by the grip felt okay, but the camera is quite top-heavy in horizontal which is fine, but when rotated, exerts a fair amount of left-pulling torque on your right wrist. It is a similar feel to holding a Hasselblad H body with a heavy lens mounted. Fine for a short duration, but could start to be a strain if shooting for extended periods of time. For the price ($1290), the grip feels a bit plastic, but it does offer 645DF owners a good way to rid themselves of AA batteries, offers the unique Profoto Air triggering, and the ability to perform body firmware updates themselves. If previous Phase One marketing strategy holds true, I'm sure it will end up being bundled with a standard camera, back and 80mm lens for much less than if purchased separately.

I didn't shoot with the 120mm T/S lens or see the quality it produced, but I did hold it in my hands to get an idea of the size and weight. As mentioned previously, the lens is extremely large but very, very light. For those needing such a lens for field work, the weight will not be a problem, but some might find the bulk to be a factor. I'll be interested to see what kind of results this lens is capable of.

Hasselblad

Leaving Phase, I ventured onward and headed over to the Hasselblad booth. These guys always have a great stand at Photokina and this year is no exception. It also was a bit smaller than the one in 2008, but the size was compensated by the presence of a sweet Ferrari convertible and regularly scheduled runway models mugging for cameras. Compared to Phase, there were a lot more people packed into the booth looking at a lot more product. Hasselblad had no shortage of display product or helpful people to answer any questions.

I handled the H4D-40, 50 and 60, which are all basically the same, except for the sensor inside. I've used most of the HC lenses before and I am very familiar with the H3 body, so no surprises here. The main difference between the H3 and the H4 is True Focus, which is Hasselblad's clever way to compensate for focus shift during focus-and-recompose using accelerometers to record camera rotation during reframing and compensating focus on the fly before taking the picture. I think that Hasselblad should be applauded for bringing some ingenuity to the medium format party.

I was very curious on the H4D60 to see how the "double-res" LCD looked, both relative to the "single-res" screen on every other H back or the same-sized S2 LCD. The new LCD offers some improvement in terms of resolution, but I still feel that the color saturation and contrast of the screen is lacking. It still looks a bit hazy, not as much as the Leaf Aptus II LCD, but not nearly as clear and nice as the Leica S2's screen. I read and hear a lot of complaints about medium format LCD quality, yet strangely, the manufacturers are still unresponsive to this request. Phase One seems to be the worst of the bunch, still offering an LCD that looks like it came from a Nikon D70 c. 2004.

I was also interested to see playback speed and zoom on the rear LCD of the H4D versus the S2. Preview images display in 1-2 seconds, so this is pretty quick. Hassy has certainly made some significant speed improvements on this latest generation of backs, but there is still about a 5-6 second delay when zooming in to 100% to check focus. The S2 by comparison zooms in to the image in real time, without delay.

Hasselblad announced some new products for Photokina today. The first is a "new" camera, the H4D31. This is a new entry-level kit that combines the exact same back as the H3DII-31 with the latest H4 camera with True Focus. They are looking to sell this kit for 10,000 EUR, which should translate to about $13,000 USD, but US pricing hasn't been set yet.

The HC 50mm f/3.5 and the HC 120mm f/4 Macro have been redesigned. Both lenses look identical to the previous (current) models, except for the "II" designation in the name. All of the changes are internal. The 50mm brings an increase in resolution and corner performance, while the 120mm Macro improves color performance, eliminating axial chromatic aberration. As digital sensor increase in resolution and physical size, more and more demand is being placed on the lenses. It is nice to see Hasselblad focus on optical improvement rather than a software correction approach.

They also announced a 200MP virtual resolution camera, the H4D50MS. The MS stands for multi-shot, meaning that while remaining perfectly still, the sensor shifts in microscopic increments to introduce more information. The process of shooting six exposures takes about two minutes. Applications for this would be things like artwork reproduction where the subject, camera, and illumination source all remain consistent. Not so well suited for any subject which moves or where lighting can't be controlled precisely.

And, for lovers of the V system, Hassy has a got a new back, the CFV50 featuring the same Kodak sensor found in the H4D50. This should be nice as the sensor is physically larger than the CFVII-39, giving some more utility to wide-angle lenses like the 40mm CFE-IF.

Last, but not least, Hassy is introducing a special edition Ferrari camera. Painted in Ferrari Red and limited to 499 pieces, price is "available upon request." I didn't request it. See, Leica isn't the only company offering special edition cameras.

I also had never tried the 35-90 lens and I have been hearing good things about it. It's really, really huge. Not as bulky as the 50-110, but big. I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be carrying this around all day.

Leaf

From Hall 2.1 where Leica, Hasselblad and Phase One are located, I ventured to Hall 9 where I will be going tomorrow to look at lighting, supports, and other photo accessories. Amidst the sea of photo accessories and off-brand monlolights was the Leaf booth. I honestly couldn't believe this booth wasn't packed. The Leaf Aptus-II 12 has set a new level of resolution with 80 MP in a full-sized 645 chip, but the booth was quiet.

I spoke to product manager Yair Shahar, who couldn't have been nicer. He recognized me from my photo online and the two of us have crossed paths on online photography forums many times. It was nice to finally put a face to a name.

He told me about the new Dalsa sensor in the Aptus-II 12. The sensor has a 5.2 µm pixel pitch and features next-generation imaging performance. They worked closely with Dalsa to develop this sensor and I get a sense that Leaf, and by association, Phase One, will have some period of time of exclusivity on the technology. Already, Hasselblad lagged for almost two years behind Phase One's P65+ with their H4D60, which has just recently come to market (even though it was announced at the last show). I expect to see a similar situation here. I asked about smaller sensors being offered with the 5.2 µm pixels. Yair seemed to feel that the goal has always been getting to full frame and that they should stay there.

We looked at some images on a computer screen from the new 80MP back. They do look like multi-shot images I have seen and that is Leaf's claim. The sample was a picture of a bunch of fabrics and there was no moiré. Every time I moved the image to scroll around, it Leaf Capture software would have to re-render that new section and the system was clearly dragging. Yair said that the support for the back is still in beta and he feels this is just an early software glitch. I was wondering if these kind of files were just too unwieldy for the iMac to handle.

I do wish that Leaf would put more effort into updating the camera interface, speed of operation, battery life and the quality of the LCD. They were one of the first companies making medium format digital backs and have made some significant technological advances. Faster processing, better LCD and more robust battery life would all be welcome by Leaf shooters. In the case of the new back, the LCD, interface and battery life remain the same as the rest of the lineup. This is not anything new for medium format backs and is not exclusive to Leaf. You could change the sticker on any Phase P back and impress your friends and clients – they'd never know your five-year old P25 isn't really a P65+.

Leica – Something new

I stopped in at the Leica booth as I had some follow-up meetings. I saw a small still life diorama in a box with an S2 pointed at it, which was tethered to an adjacent PC, looking very much like a science fair display. The young lady who was running the demo is a student at Cologne University of Applied Science. Leica works closely with this school to develop both algorithms and talent. Many of the top engineers and product managers came from the school.

So, what was the science project about? High Dynamic Range, more commonly referred to as HDR. This got my interest, so I requested the full demo.

Working with a modified version of Leica Image Shuttle, a new HDR tab has been added. With a single click, the camera will first shoot one or two shots to analyze the scene and determine how many shots and with what exposure parameters are required to deliver the entire luminance range of the scene, then actually fire off the sequence automatically. Once the button was clicked, the camera went into autopilot and shot six frames with three stop spacing. Sure, anyone can do exposure bracketing then blend the resulting captures in Photoshop or Photomatix, but here is the best part of all: the resulting file is a 24-bit per pixel DNG file. Yes, 24-bit raw file with the same handling of any DNG from the S2. After the sequence was completed, a progress bar showing "merging" completed. We opened the file in Photoshop's ACR window and the image didn't look artificial as so often happens with tone mapping. We were able to white balance, adjust exposure sliders, etc. The scene had a clear light bulb in it with an exposed filament. The resulting photo had detail on the filament as well as detail in the dark patches of the color card. No user intervention was required. This tech rocks!

I spoke to the two people in the R&D department about my excitement with this technology. They said that it might be possible to add this technology into the firmware, so that all sequencing and processing is handled in camera. They wanted to know if I thought this would be a worthwhile addition. Let's just say that I voted emphatically YES.

More to come tomorrow…..

Photokina 2010: Day 1 – Leica S System

2010-09-21T22:28:00.015-04:00

Another Photokina has begun. Walking up the steps into the Koelnmesse and into Photokina felt great. Not only was it a beautiful day this morning, but the sheer amount of photo goodies awaiting you inside can boggle the mind and cause even the most seasoned industry veteran to get a little giddy with anticipation.

My first stop, naturally, was Leica. Coming down the escalator into the usual spot of hall 2.1, the Leica booth was buzzing with activity and excitement. The M counter was swamped. The S counter was swamped. Hordes of people swarmed around the compact camera islands. Journalists were queued up to gain access to the press area. Leica employees (the ones with the red dot lapel pins) were manning their posts and obviously enjoying Leica's somewhat newfound popularity.

After a few quick greetings, I made a beeline for the S system counter. I wanted to see the 120 macro again and see what else might be waiting to be discovered. Well, I was satisfied on more than one account. There were plenty of 120 Macro lenses to go around as well as the newly released multifunction handgrip.

The most I'd ever seen of the grip was a solid block mock-up. The grips that were on the cameras here were most certainly not mock-ups. I was surprised by the weight, or rather lack thereof. Made of aluminum and magnesium alloy, the grip is solid and sturdy but extremely lightweight. The textured rubberized covering is the same as that of the S2 itself. Somewhat of a surprise to me was the change from the one-handed quick release attachment method to the more tried-and-true screw-in approach with a large thumb wheel. I found out later that when putting the lever solution through quality assurance, Leica engineers were not satisfied with the security and reliability of the locking mechanism. They went back to the drawing board and redesigned the grip with a more robust solution. At first I was disappointed as this was always such a cool concept, but I suppose I would take a more mainstream approach rather than have my S2 fall to the ground while I was shooting vertical. Gotta have priorities, right?

The base of the grip has two tripod mounting holes, ¼"-20 and 3/8", both with corresponding anti-twist holes. Also on the base in a somewhat unusual position is the switch to enable or disable grip control. It is recessed nicely and I highly doubt the possibility of any accidental switch flipping.

On the left-hand side is a battery compartment door, with a nice metal turning latch. The door reminds me of the battery cover on the Nikon D3, except much finer construction and more sturdy. When you turn the release, the door flips down and reveals the battery, which sits flush in the case. Next to the battery is a metal push button, with releases the battery with the same clever safety feature of the camera's main battery. The cell pops out about a quarter of an inch and requires a short, soft inward press to fully release. This keeps batteries from inadvertently falling on the floor, or off a cliff (if you so happen to venture near cliff edges while changing batteries). The S2 will pull power from the battery in the grip first, then switch to the battery in the body. In Leica's testing, they found that the combined battery life with the grip was over 5,000 shots. Not bad!

On the right side of the grip are the shooting controls, similar to those on the S2. On the front, the same metal shutter release button. On the rear, the same clickable scroll wheel with a AE-L/AF-L button just to the left of the wheel. In the hand, the grip feels great for vertical shooting. The balance is just about perfect and in landscape orientation, with the extra volume on the base of the camera adding a nice steadiness. Also, with the grip attached, you can use the new hand strap. Very comfortable. I want one.

At the counter, I had a nice chat with Wanja Szypura, who is an image processing engineer in the R&D division at Leica. This is one of the best parts of Photokina. You will often find that the people showing you products at the counters are not sales staff, but rather those that are deeply involved with the design of the equipment itself. In addition to writing image processing algorithms for the S2's firmware, Wanja is the point person for the collaboration with Adobe. He verified for me that Adobe does in fact have two S2s systems, one is in California for the tethering team to work with and the other is in Seattle for the image processing team to work with. Just in our brief chat, it is quite clear that the relationship between Leica and Adobe is a strong and important one for both companies. He also mentioned that Leica will probably offer users ICC camera profiles for Capture One and Adobe will roll out lens profiles for ACR and LR most likely in the next release. All good news for S2 users.

For further S2 enlightenment, I joined S2 product managers Stephan Schulz and Toni Felsner in the S2 studio inside the press area. Professional photographers were carrying out shoots in Leica's trade-show studio. Leica again partnered with German studio lighting company Briese to build and equip the studio.

Amidst the shoot, Stephan demonstrated the new Leica Image Shuttle software, which introduces a preview function. Click the little eyeball icon under the FPS button in Shuttle and a second free-floating window appears. In this latest version of Image Shuttle, a 2 megapixel image is sent over the USB connection immediately after the shot is taken. After about 1.5 seconds, the image pops up in the review window. While not high enough resolution to check critical focus, it is sufficient to judge lighting, expression (for people shots), exposure and color. The previewed image is extremely close to the final color rendering and looks pretty good. Stephan took my picture to demonstrate. Ideally, Leica is working towards allowing the user to use Image Shuttle for camera control and rapid preview, but still allow the direct tethering connection into Lightroom for DAM and image processing. I think this is a great solution, as the integrated design of the S2 allows Shuttle to control every setting in the camera remotely. Used combined with Key Lock, this could be a digital tech's best friend on a fast paced shoot. Then, combined with the speed increases and imaging tools in LR, the photographer or tech has a great tool.

On the subject of speed, one of the features we have been clamoring for is a compressed DNG. Well, the soon-to-be-released 1.0.1.0 S2 firmware allows the user to select losslessly compressed DNG files. This is not the same square root compression algorithm used on the M8 and M9, but a newly developed one that is 100% lossless.

The S2's Maestro image processing chip allows the camera to execute much more advanced algorithms than possible using the M9's generic DSP. File size will vary between 35-50MB depending on subject matter. I didn't settle in for a timed test, but watching the photographer shoot and seeing the image display on the monitor, I think there was a speed increase. So, now we get slightly faster tethering with image transfers averaging 2.5 seconds per image as well as reduced storage demands on hard drives and CF cards.

The new firmware also has some substantial improvements in other areas as well. Here's a breakdown of what I have seen so far:

Option for compressed DNG files (explained above)
Storage mode changes from External to Internal Sequential if USB cord is removed from the camera mid-session. Currently, the camera will remain in External storage mode. The new firmware automatically switches the camera from External to CF or SD internal storage.
The new Clipping Definition menu option allows the user to define the thresholds for highlight and shadow warnings. You can set the shadow level from 0-20 and the highlight level to 200-255. Neat feature.

When in Bulb setting on the shutter speed dial, by pressing the thumbwheel in, a control displays on the rear LCD allowing shutter speeds from 8 sec to 125 sec to be dialed in. This is really cool.

Now the rear thumb button can be controlled more finely. Currently, in MF mode, the rear thumb button activates AF, but only in AFc. This can now be adjusted to be AFs or even add AE-lock at the same time. Good addition.

Added electronic focus confirmation for use with adapters and manual focus lenses
Refined autofocus (again), by making the AF active area dynamically larger for closer distances and smaller for further ones. This should help isolate subjects even when a background is just a few feet behind them when at middle distances.
Added support for handgrip

Some hardware goodies, besides the grip and strap, were some real, honest-to-goodness CS lenses. No, I'm not kidding. I even got to shoot off a few frames with one. Stephan explained that they are tweaking the timing of the focal plane shutter and central shutter to coincide very close to each other. This will reduce the mirror/shutter blackout to a minimum. When asked when these will be available, I was told "Spring 2011".

A physically small, but functionally big item was a split image/microprism focusing screen. Wow. This was perhaps the brightest, easiest-to-nail-focus screen I have ever used. The standard screen in the S2 is incredible, but can be challenging for manual focus. This one makes manual focus a dream. You can immediately and positively see the exact point of focus. I took a picture through the S2 viewfinder, but it doesn't quite do it justice.

Saw the Pro Charger in action. Small, light, multivoltage with quick charging of two batteries, each with its own digital charge readout.

After the show and tell, we moved on to discuss lenses. Leica is putting an obvious emphasis on wide angle lenses for the S2. Adding to the brilliant 35mm f/2.5 will be a 24mm f/3.5 and a 30mm f/2.8. The decision to go with a 30mm when there already is a 35mm lens might seem a bit odd, but after Stephan explained the approach, it made good sense to me. The 30mm will be equivalent to a 24mm for full frame 35mm. The 35mm is a 28mm. Classically, photographers tend to choose either a 24 or a 28 for their wide angle work. They plan to leverage the existing design of the 35mm lens with some repositioning of the elements. What this will mean is that the 30mm will also be offered in a CS version, making it a great choice for wide-angle fashion shots. The 24mm, as discussed last summer, will be equivalent to a 19mm ultrawide. I haven't seen one at the show, and I don't really expect to. I do expect the 24 and the 30 to be available sometime next year.

In other lens news, Leica is in the process of designing adapters for other medium format lenses. Stephan confirmed that they have made some early prototypes of a Hasselblad V to S2 and a Pentax 67 to S2. There might be others in the works, but only the V and P67 adapters were confirmed. Things are looking up for the S system on all fronts it would seem.

In one of my meetings during the day I had the opportunity to try out the M9 Titan. The camera is really a work of art and looking through the viewfinder and its bright red frame lines, I felt like I was targeting a missile or the like. I took a picture through the viewfinder for good measure. I'm a bit tired to go into too much more detail on the M9 Titan right now, so for now, these photos will have to suffice.

Until tomorrow…..

Photokina 2010: Leica Design Preview Event – Unveiling the M9 Titan

2010-09-20T22:39:00.002-04:00

I arrived in Cologne early this morning. The weather is amazing, with clear blue skies and temperatures hovering around 70 deg F. After the usual two hours sleep on the plane, I took a three-hour nap in the hotel. Usually, this is a sure-fire way to prolong jet-lag, but with the Leica Design Preview event later in the evening, sleep was a good thing. If the S2 VIP event was any indication, it'd be a late night. And in fact, it still is.

I arrived at the Palladium event hall around 8:30pm, found myself "on the list" and proceeded in to the main event space. Lots of people mingling, copious amounts of food and beverage, mood lighting galore, a beautiful car or two for good measure… all in all, the makings of a solid Leica event. I encountered several familiar faces and we caught up until the projection screen lit up with an intro video, teasing the big surprise.

German film actor Kai Wieisinger took to the stage and introduced Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, owner and Chairman of Leica Camera AG. Kaufmann joined Weisinger on stage and proceeded to talk about the new compacts to be introduced at Photokina tomorrow: the D-Lux 5, V-Lux 2 and a black X1. But….. he had bigger news. Another introduction, this time Walter de Silva, the head of design for the Volkswagen Group. De Silva ventured onto the stage and proceeded to wax about the collaboration with Leica and what a nice change it was to work on cameras instead of cars. Kaufmann, for his part, explained the long-standing Leica heritage of special and limited edition cameras. And it's true. As much as some would lambast Leica for rolling out another limited edition camera for collectors, the tradition is a long-standing one. I have a great reference book with every Leica product made from the very first Ur-Leica to about 2004. There are A LOT of limited edition cameras through the years dating back to the 1950's, with some notable ones like the original MP, the Millennium M6TTL, the Titanium M7, and more recently the MP3. Truthfully, Leica has always been highly successful with these, selling out in record time. And the collectors who are passionate about Leica appreciate the care that goes into these models, as well as the rarity that is imposed by offering limited quantities.

After Kaufmann's little teaser, a video explaining de Silva's design process played overhead and the M9 Titan became official: a Walter de Silva designed M9, made out of titanium, with a matching 35mm Summilux ASPH. 500 of these sets would be made.

Stefan Daniel, product manager of the M system joined the others on stage and gave a little more detail on the camera. They wanted to create something different and new. De Silva and his team dictated the styling cues while Stefan and his team at Leica tied to make the engineering side of things work. All the visible metal parts of the camera are milled from solid titanium, which is a very expensive and time-consuming process, due to the hardness of titanium. In order to place the ever-famous red Leica dot directly centered over the lens, the frame line illuminator window had to go away. A fixture on M cameras since the very first M3 in 1954, the M9 Titan uses red LED illumination to project frame lines through the viewfinder. The frame lines themselves are still created the old fashioned way, with a mechanical frame line mask assembly. I'd love to see Leica move in this direction for future M cameras and hopefully implement the next logical step – LED illumination with LCD electronic frame lines. This way, 6-bit lenses could pull up the correct frame lines and theses frames could be adjusted more accurately for parallax and coverage variance at different distances. Obviously, what I want and what Leica plans to do are not necessarily the same thing. If I have the chance, I will see if I can get Stefan's input on this concept.

Other obvious changes are the addition of a sapphire glass LCD cover, the redesign of the rear thumbwheel and multi-direction pad, the lack of a cable release socket on the shutter button, the lack of a left-side USB plug (hooray), the disappearance of the strap lugs and frame preview lever, as well as the use of Audi seat leather for wrapping. As far as special editions go, this one is more than just a different leather wrapping – it is an entirely redesigned housing and very divergent look. Stefan even admitted in jest that he was worried early on in the design process, but felt confident after seeing the first round of designs. Redesigning an icon like the Leica M takes a lot of guts. Change is difficult.

To complete the party on stage, the new Leica CEO Alfred Schopf got up to participate in the official group unboxing. Seeing the camera for real, I have to say that it really is quite beautiful and most certainly a modern, yet timeless take on the original iconic M. Like many things Leica, I'm sure the M9 Titan will be a highly polarizing force and a lightning rod for any disappointment some might feel. The reception at the event was overwhelmingly positive and everyone involved seems genuinely pleased.

After 20 minutes of interviews, pictures, videos and general schmoozing, Kaufmann again spoke to the crowd. Another long-standing Leica tradition is the gifting of significant serial number cameras to artists, celebrities, and dignitaries. In this case, he would be presenting the 4 millionth Leica camera to a special individual. Not a celebrity outside of photo circles, but most certainly deserving of the honor, Steven Sasson was selected to be honored and joined Kaufmann at the podium. Sasson invented the portable digital camera in 1976 while working at Eastman Kodak. It featured a 100x100 pixel CCD array capable of 2-bit B&W imagery, which was recorded on an audio cassette tape. The whole contraption weighed a fair amount and was powered by a fleet of AA batteries. But…. It was portable, battery powered, and featured removable media. Sasson's invention has come a long way in the past 34 years, and clearly the M9 is a product of his work. I had the pleasure of hearing Sasson speak at an LHSA annual meeting three years ago in Rochester at the George Eastman House. He still has the original prototype and actually brought it with him show and tell. Truly, a great choice by Leica to honor this photographic pioneer.

With the presentations over, all that was left was some delicious food, cold Koelsch and a rock band from Hamburg. I helped myself to all three. To cap off the evening, my wife Juliana and I (yes, she joined me on this trip) had our picture taken in the entry hall. This wasn't your run-of-the-mill event photography. Lit by Briesse packs and shot with a Leica S2. A closer look showed that it was indeed a 120mm Macro mounted on the front to boot. Perhaps this is a good indication of things to come tomorrow. (Please keep in mind the image posted here bears only a likeness to the original - I photographed the print given to us with a D-Lux 4 in my hotel room by the light of a single desk lamp)

Stay tuned and be sure to send me any questions you may have. Photkina starts for real in the morning...

Stay Tuned for Full Photokina 2010 Coverage

2010-09-09T23:00:00.002-04:00

Photokina is the world's largest photo industry trade show. So large, in fact, that it is only held once every two years. With only two weeks before Photokina 2010 opens its doors, I am once again preparing to make pilgrimage to Cologne, Germany to blog about all the photo gear goodness I can get my hands on. I'll do my best to blog daily and provide the most accurate and in-depth information available online. No cut-and-paste press release filler here - I’ll have plenty of hands-on photos and gather information directly from product managers and engineers.

Photokina is really too big to see everything, so I will be focusing on what I think are the most interesting products. Of course, being the Leica nut I am (and one of the largest Leica dealers in the USA), I will spend a considerable amount of virtual ink covering any announcements or new products at the Leica stand. I will have my trusty Blackberry with me and will be monitoring comments and emails on the show floor. If there is any specific product I should look at or questions I can answer, please send them my way and I will do my best to do so.

So, stay tuned!

Lightroom 3.2 Now Available: Support for Direct Tethering with the Leica S2

2010-08-31T02:01:00.006-04:00

Well, this was a pleasant surprise. I launched Lightroom a little while ago and was greeted with an update available message. Upon checking out Adobe's Lightroom Journal, I see that the final 3.2 version now has direct tethering support for the Leica S2. This is pretty big news and I plan to put tethering to the test in the morning.

LR 3.2RC already added a custom color profile for the S2 (Adobe Standard) as well as making some pretty decent reductions in noise at higher ISO settings. Now, with the addition of direct tethering, Lightroom becomes even more of a go-to software for S2 users than ever. The only thing lacking right now is lens profiles, but I'm sure given the close relationship of Adobe and Leica, these too will come in future LR updates.

For now, fire up LR and let the updating commence.

GQ Taiwan Shoot with the Leica S2 - Nic Roldan as the Prince of Polo & Elsa Benitez in Summer Night Obsession

2010-08-30T01:28:00.018-04:00

Back in early May, GQ Taiwan contributing editor and photographer Chiun-Kai Shih expressed an interest in using the Leica S2 on some upcoming shoots he had down in South Florida. A mutual friend put us in touch and we (Dale Photo & Digital) were happy to provide him the camera and be on set to give support as digital techs.

Two weeks later Josh and I showed up at the house he was staying at in Miami Beach. Before shooting a GQ spread, Chiun-Kai wanted a little practice to get familiar with the S2. So, in preparation he used the camera for some model testing around the house. Chiun-Kai shoots fast and maintains an extremely high energy level on set. He's used plenty of digital medium format cameras, as well as 35mm DSLRs and questioned us as to how far he could push the camera. We told him to just shoot the heck out of it and not even think about it.

Putting the Camera Through Its Paces

After about five hours of fast-paced available-light, hand-held shooting and filling 160GB of memory cards, Chiun-Kai couldn't believe that he hadn't had to change batteries. In fact, the indicator on the top OLED screen was still showing about 30% battery remaining after 1,900 captures. No other medium format camera had even come close to this level of battery life in his experience. He stressed how important it is to be able to keep shooting without breaking the flow of the session and lamented that this is an always-present factor with other medium format systems he has used. On the S2, he could throw in a 64GB card and get 850 shots without having to worry about stopping to change batteries. Another comment from his first experience with the S2 was how comfortable the camera was to hold and use all day. Chiun-Kai is primarily a hand-held shooter and likes to explore different angles around his models mid-session, so ergonomics play a huge part in achieving his photographic style.

After some perusing of the day's efforts in Lightroom, he was extremely pleased with the quality of the files and the accuracy of the autofocus even when moving quickly. We walked through the features and menus with him, then headed home to rest up for the real deal the following day.

The Shoot

Nic Roldan has been playing Polo since he was five, turned professional at 14, then became the youngest player ever to win the US Open Polo Championship at 15 less than a year later. Today, at 28, he is currently the highest ranked Polo player in the US with a 9-goal rating. In February, Nic was signed by Wilhelmina Models in New York and has appeared in Vanity Fair, Hamptons Magazine, GQ and other publications. This GQ Taiwan shoot with Chiun-Kai would be a solo feature on Nic and Fall fashion for the August issue.

Nic's Wellington, Florida home quickly transformed into a full-fledged set and by the time we arrived with Chiun-Kai, two large racks of designer clothes and several rows of shoes had overtaken his kitchen. Top NY stylist Yahaira Familia and her assistant had the steamer going full blast and were getting the wardrobe prepped. Nic's garage had been turned into a lighting and grip staging area with C-stands and Profoto 7b backs getting double-checked by local Miami assistant Thomas. While Josh and I set up our 27" iMac in the dining room, the groomer J. Patrick was getting Nic prepped in his guest bathroom. Nic's agent from NYC was on set as well, making sure his client was kept happy. Chiun-Kai wasted no time and started coordinating with his assistant Cassie to scout out locations and talk about page flow for the editorial spread.

For the first shot, he set up in Nic's bathroom. Chiun-Kai really liked the raw concrete walls of the shower and wanted to play off the textures. This location was especially challenging considering the small size of the space, the fact that the walls were dark gray, and that there was a wall of glass between the photographer and the model. Two Profoto Pro-7b heads were set up outside with the heads shooting in through the window and another head was used in the shower. Because of space limitations and reflections, a C-stand just wouldn't work and Thomas ended up holding the light at arm's length in his hands. Due to some less-than-stellar LCD screens on MFD backs he had used in the past, Chiun-Kai would have had to shoot tethered or pull the CF card and run to a computer to check the lighting and whether or not the glass was a problem. Keep in mind that the entire crew was huddled on the floor trying to stay out of view in the glass, with the groomer and stylist jumping in and out between shots to fix and primp the model. This was not a place to shoot tethered – there wasn't even enough room for a light stand. He was delighted that in this case, he could quickly and easily see every detail and trusted the S2's LCD for every setup thereafter. The time savings afforded by not having to break pace and check and recheck made the shoot that much smoother. Besides battery life, the LCD quality was the biggest plus for Chiun-Kai.

After the bathroom, the shoot moved into the bedroom and worked similarly. Tight space, lights in the room and outside coming in through the windows, everyone crouched on the floor or off to the sides. Between setups, I imported the last set from the CF card into Lightroom. Chiun-Kai was curious to see how Lightroom would perform on set, as he wasn't that familiar with the program – they usually use Capture One for on-set previewing and Photoshop for final conversions and retouching. He was immediately pleased with the results popping up on screen, even before edits. We did some quick selects, then I asked if he wanted to see any changes in color, contrast, lighting, etc. "What can you do?" he asked. I replied that anything was possible, and I'd be happy to show him. So, based on his direction, we came up with a rough "GQ" look in about two minutes, saved it as a preset, and instantly applied it to all the photos from that setup. I also showed him how we could do some localized adjustments like gradient blends or selective dodging and burning straight to the RAW file. Needless to say, he was very impressed as these kinds of edits usually had to be done well after the shoot was already over.

We kept up the same pattern: setting up, shooting, then quick editing. After Chiun-Kai had shot five looks in under three hours at the house, he told everyone to pack up. We were heading to Nic's stables. The computer was left behind, meaning that we'd have no way to check the images between setups. Chiun-Kai was comfortable with this, especially having seen the reliability of the rear LCD compared to what he saw coming into LR on the 27" iMac screen. So, with lights, wardrobe, talent, and crew all packed up, we all drove over to Nic's incredible stables and practice field.

Chiun-Kai quickly got his first shot lined up, which was Nic standing in front of some of the horses, holding a saddle. The hardest part of this shot was getting all the horses heads out of the stalls at the same time. Members of the crew shook feed bins in front of each horse to get them to poke their heads out. Meanwhile, Nic struck perfect poses, without missing a beat. With that shot in the bag, Chiun-Kai saw the sun starting to go down and raced to catch some magic light on the other side of the stables' inner courtyard. With a quick wardrobe change and just a single reflector, he captured a beautifully lit image of Nic leaning on a railing. With the light fleeting, Chiun-Kai quickly moved everyone outside to the practice field and had Nic pose with one of his ponies, both in the saddle and alongside the horse. The S2 was able to keep up with quick movements both from horse and photographer. It nailed accurate focus even when shooting Nic on horseback, with the sun directly behind him. And, when the sun finally did set, Chiun-Kai called the shoot a wrap. We headed back to the house to pack up and head home.

It's a wrap

Overall, the shoot went extremely well. The crew had produced ten looks in five hours, with a full location move. This was a great pace and Chiun-Kai was very pleased. The S2 never slowed down the tempo, rather, he felt the Leica was faster to work with than other systems he had worked with in the past. Josh and I had brought an extra S2 body as backup, but we never had to use it. The camera performed flawlessly throughout the entire shoot with nary a hiccup. While we and Chiun-Kai would have liked to have had other lenses besides the 70mm Summarit-S, the photographer never once felt limited or that he couldn't accomplish his goals for the project. One camera body, one lens, one battery, one photographer and a lot of great images.

Check out the behind-the-scenes video from the shoot:

Another Day, Another Editorial Spread

The following day, Chiun-Kai had another project planned. He was shooting one more editorial spread for GQ Taiwan, this time focused on designer swimwear. His concept was to shoot at night, mixing ambient light and strobe. Here, a tripod was a necessity as were clean long exposures, with an extensive dynamic range and low noise. The models, Bart and Elsa, were tasked with standing as still as possible while Chiun-Kai fired off shots ranging from two to eight seconds. The long exposures were necessary to capture the landscaping around the pool, while a single Profoto beauty dish provided crisp and perfectly exposed subjects. The shoot progressed smoothly, with the S2 handling the assignment with ease, and again, never needing a battery change.

The female model for the shoot was Mexican supermodel Elsa Benítez who has graced the covers of Vogue, ELLE, Glamour, Mademoiselle, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She has modeled for various ad campaigns for brands such as Macy's, Dolce & Gabbana, I-N-C, J. Crew, Oscar de la Renta, Nine West, Valentino, Jones New York, and Victoria's Secret. She is currently the host of Mexico's Next Top Model.

Before the night shoot, Chiun-Kai wanted to make the most of his time with Elsa, whom he was very excited to work with. He shot some portraits of her and even invited Nic back to pose with Elsa. These shots weren't for the magazine, just for his personal work.

By the time the evening shoot got started, it had already been a long day with the crew starting work at 10AM. Chiun-Kai set the pace and kept everyone's energy level as high as his and by around 2AM shooting wrapped for the day. The entire crew was exhausted, but gratified in knowing that solid work had been accomplished. Of course, having a 5:30AM call time the next morning meant there was no time for rest. The following day was an Ocean Drive shoot using the same team. You can see the results of that shoot, also shot exclusively with the Leica S2 by Chiun-Kai Shih, here.

The S2 as a Professional Tool

Over the course of three separate high-profile magazine assignments shot in three consecutive days, the Leica S2 was rock solid. No quirks, no freezing. The camera just plain worked without any surprises, which is what a top pro like Chiun-Kai demands. At this level of photographic gear great image quality is expected. What was a surprise was the ease and comfort of handling, the reliability, the speed of operation, the superior quality of the LCD screen, and the never-ending battery life. No longer do pros have to sacrifice these aspects to achieve ultimate image quality. I'm positive that as more professionals get an opportunity to use the S2 for their jobs, the camera will make significant inroads in high-end fashion editorial and commercial work.

Leica S2 Video Manual from Dale Photo and Digital

2010-07-18T16:04:00.007-04:00

I'd like to introduce Josh Lehrer, a relatively new addition to our team at Dale Photo and Digital. He is a recent graduate of RIT in commercial photography and had been working in New York City as a photo assistant, consultant and retoucher before moving to South Florida. Josh has extensive experience with all current digital systems, and holds digital tech certifications in Phase One, Leaf and Hasseblad.

Josh and I were talking a few weeks ago how there seems to be a fair amount of confusion with the instruction manual that comes with the Leica S2, as well as some misconceptions of those who haven't yet had an opportunity to actually try out the camera. So, we made a series of short videos, explaining every feature and menu option on the camera in a simple and easy-to-understand approach. This way, anyone buying, renting, or just wanting to know more about the operation of the S2 can have a clear and concise overview.

We hope that these videos prove to be helpful and informative, and will definitely be working on some more video content about the S2 in the near future. As always, comments and feedback are always welcome.

If you are interested in following our future video content, you can access the Dale Photo and Digital YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/DalePhotoAndDigital

Taking the Leica Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5 ASPH and the S2 for a spin around the neighborhood

2010-07-02T02:27:00.013-04:00

View from my balcony at sunset
Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/250th at f/5.6, ISO 160
100% Crop

The long-awaited Leica Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5 ASPH lens is finally shipping, with the first units going to customers this week. Many have hoped this lens would be one of the best wide-angle offerings for medium format digital and I can attest that it doesn't disappoint. I had the opportunity to briefly test the 35mm for a weekend. Without the time to travel someplace "nice", I just took the S2 and 35mm for a walk around my neighborhood here in Hallandale Beach, Florida, then over to neighboring Hollywood Beach.

Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/350 at f/9.5, ISO 320
100% crop

Off-center focus-and-recompose
Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/125th at f/3.4, ISO 160

Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/180th at f/5.6, ISO 160

The design for the new lens is based off of the stellar 19mm Elmarit-R, but the 35mm Summarit-S adds an aspheric element in the front group to reduce aberrations and improve performance. It's also worth noting that the Leica 35mm Summarit-S is the fastest wide angle lens ever made for medium format, sporting an f/2.5 maximum aperture. Physically longer than the standard 70mm Summarit-S by about an inch (29mm), the 35mm Summarit-S is slightly heavier, weighing in at 2 lbs (930g) vs. the 70mm at 1.6 lbs (740g). Compared to the Hasselblad HC 35mm f/3.5, the Leica lens is both smaller and lighter even though the Leica offers a full stop faster aperture. I found that it balances in the hand almost perfectly, with the focus ring falling between my thumb and forefinger.

The 35mm balances nicely in the hand with the focusing ring in just the right spot

Leica 35mm f/2.5 next to Hasselblad HC 35 f/3.5

While getting any depth-of-field has been a challenge for me with the S2 and the 70mm, the 35mm definitely delivers broad depth of field and is perfectly suited to landscape photography (as I had hoped it would be). This may seem rather obvious as the new lens is a wide-angle, but the point is that with diffraction setting in at around f/13 on the S2's CCD (this is a function of the physics of pixel pitch), I really don't want to stop down too far to gain depth of field at the expense of fine detail sharpness.

Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/500th at f/6.8, ISO 160
100% Crop

Leica S2 with 35mm, 8sec at f/8, ISO 160, tripod

Hand-held shooting is very easy on the 35mm due to the wider angle of view (equivalent to a 28mm). I was able to get reasonably sharp pictures at 1/30th of a second with a little mindfulness and thanks to the S2's well damped mirror and shutter, but I'd recommend 1/60th or 1/90th as a realistic everyday minimum for sharp results. Going to 1/125th or 1/180th guaranteed critically-sharp images.

Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/180th at f/3.4, ISO 160
100% Crop

Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/125th at f/4.8, ISO 160

This lens is quite crisp wide-open at f/2.5. It even produces some decent bokeh as well. This is not a "typical" medium format wide-angle offering that must be stopped down to f/11 and beyond just to get some corner-to-corner sharpness. Looking at the MTF charts for the lens shows that in the center of the frame, it is already resolving 40 lp/mm at 75% contrast wide-open (and a really impressive 90% contrast for 20l p/mm). The corners are not perfect wide-open, dropping to about 30% contrast. In reality, this should only be visible at the very corners as it represents only the last 10% of image height on the MTF graph. By f/5.6 performance is really astonishing and only the very extreme corners have a small drop in contrast (50%). When I look at the images I shot with the lens, real life results echo the published specs and bring home just how exceptional the 35 really is.

Testing the lens wide open with off-center focus-and-recompose
Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/2000th at f/2.5, ISO 160
100% Crop

Testing wide-open at close focus
Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/1000th at f/2.5, ISO 320
100% Crop - Notice the small hair in the paint

Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/250th at f/5.6, ISO 160
100% Crop from center 100% Crop from lower left corner

I ended up manually setting focus for my landscape shots on a tripod and would probably recommend similar technique. Why? Due to the larger DOF when stopping down, it is better to set the focus slightly forward of infinity to yield the sharpest details over the frame. I would really welcome either a DOF readout on the rear LCD or top OLED, or even better, a custom function that would preset the lens to hyperfocal distance given a set aperture. That would be really sweet. My method essentially turned the S2 into a point and shoot. I set my focus to between 5m and ∞ and without any refocusing I was able to shoot at f/11 and get most everything sharp front to back and corner to corner.

After sunset
Leica S2 with 35mm, 32sec at f/8, ISO 160, tripod
100% Crop

Leica S2 with 35mm, 32sec at f/13, ISO 160, tripod

Distortion is almost non-existent. I was able to put horizon lines at the edges of my frames and have flat horizontals . Tall buildings remained straight rather than curved. Considering the angle of view, this is impressive. Of course, the lack of distortion comes courtesy of cutting-edge optical design, not post-processing lens corrections. At infinity the 35mm has just -1.2% distortion and -1.8% at close-focus of 0.55m. In practical use, with a properly leveled camera, the visible distortion is marginal and the lens should be well-suited to architecture and interior photography.

Leica S2 with 35mm,
8sec at f/11, ISO 160, tripod
100% Crop from lower left 100% Crop from lower right corner

This shot demonstrates a straight horizontal line towards the edge of the frame, but shows the effects of keystoning due to the lens being pointed up at an extreme angle.
Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/250th at f/8, ISO 160

Same shot with perspective correction applied in LR3 (vertical adjustment of -38)

If I had any nit to pick regarding image quality it is that on very high contrast subjects (sunlit white building against deep blue sky, for instance), there is a trace of what appears to be magenta-red fringing. My first impression was that what I was seeing was lateral chromatic aberration, but there was no corresponding cyan-green edge on the opposite side. The effect appears most readily against blue skies (lots of UV, which can exacerbate fringing) and is most likely a result of either a small amount of sensor blooming or imprecision in LR’s demosaicing algorithm. Either way, the fringe is quickly fixed with a -15 red/cyan correction in Lightroom’s Lens Correction palette, along with Leica’s recommended setting of Defringe to “All Edges.” I’d expect the forthcoming profiles from Adobe and Leica to include this correction automatically as a lens profile.

Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/180th at f/11, ISO 160
100% Crop

These three 100% Crops were taken from the above file. This first one has Defringe turned off in LR3.

This next one shows the effect with Defringe set to "All Edges." There is a decent improvement, but the effect is still present.

The last image here shows the effect with Defringe set to "All Edges" and the Red/Cyan control in Chromatic Aberration set to -17. The red edge is completely gone.

I believe that this latest offering for the S2 shows the real potential of the S system. After the 120 Macro is released, Leica has already indicated that the next lens to come from Solms will be a 24mm f/3.5 (19mm equiv). If the same level of quality of design is achieved, that new lens could be just as physics-bending as this one and really set a one-two punch precedent for non-view camera wide angle lenses for medium format digital. Wide angle lenses have been a traditional weakness for other medium format manufacturers and Leica is smart to focus on bringing innovation in this area early on. If the Leica 35 was an f/3.5 or f/4 lens that turned in better performance than the competition it would be one thing, but this lens is fully weather sealed, a full stop faster than its peers, and offers sharper results with no digital lens corrections and without the need to be stopped down past the point of diffraction to get a sharp image. I have a feeling that with each subsequent S lens introduction, we will be seeing a similar trend, with Leica setting the bar higher and higher.

Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/350th at f/4, ISO 160

Leica S2 with 35mm, 1/750th at f/5.6, ISO 160
100% Crop

Bottom line: the Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5 ASPH delivers the goods. Now if Leica can just make enough to fill the demand…

Tech note: I processed all of the images posted here using the latest release of Adobe Lightroom 3 and exported to sRGB JPGs for web display. As I'm making the transition to LR 3 from LR 2.7, I'm finding that the new rendering (2010 version) is superior in most cases, but that for some images the old rendering (2003 version) is actually more detailed and less prone to moiré. I'll continue to experiment with more images and optimize LR 3 processing.

The Leica S2 meets Hasselblad V lenses

2010-05-27T15:22:00.007-04:00

More to come....

Using the Leica S2 at the LHSA Spring Shoot 2010 in Savannah, GA

2010-05-02T02:55:00.010-04:00

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/180th at f/4.8

Two weeks ago I attended the 2010 LHSA Spring Shoot in lovely Savannah, GA. I've gone to almost every meeting since going to my first one four years ago. The LHSA (Leica Historical Society of America) has about 1200 members worldwide and is focused on everything Leica. If you love Leica, the LHSA is the closest you will come to a full-fledged international Leica club. I highly recommend joining and if you do, definitely come to the meetings. Besides great programming and good company, you will also get some great pictures. The next meeting is in Wetzlar, Germany, the birthplace of Leica, on the tail end of Photokina (Sept. 23-29) and I will be there.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO Pull 80, 8 sec at f/13, tabletop tripod
100% Crop

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/4

Before heading to Savannah

Leading up to the trip, I went through my usual mental turmoil of deciding what gear to bring along. And, because I had never been to Savannah before, I really didn't know what kind of shooting needs I'd have. Heading to a new photo destination is always fun, but can be a bit tortuous as well, as I try to figure out what to bring and what to leave behind when preparing for the trip.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/90th at f/2.8, tabletop tripod

On several occasions in the past I've used more than one system when traveling. I used to carry a full Leica R9/DMR kit as well as a full M8 kit when venturing to a shooting destination. My secret was to never use more than one system on any given day. I'd pack two separate shoulder bags, one for R and one for M. When en route, I'd use a rolling photo bag, like a Tenba Roadie or Kata OC-84, take out the photo insert along with all the dividers and padding, then put my two camera bags inside. All the chargers and cables and whatnots went in as well. This was my overhead-sized carry-on.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/1000th at f/3.4

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/750th at f/4.8

I did this for a few reasons. One, I don't like to hump gear in airports while trying to catch connections. Two, airlines limit you to one carry-on item and one personal item. If I didn't take the roller approach, I would have two camera bags and a laptop bag, none of which I would be crazy enough to check, so consolidation is key. Three, I like to work out of shoulder bags for quick lens changes and backpacks are not my style. Lastly, I am also not crazy enough (or buff enough) to carry two complete systems in one huge bag.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/180th at f/4

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/4
100% Crop

Well, that was life with the DMR and M8. Fast forward a couple of years and I am happily working with just the M9. I've settled on a kit with five (sometimes six lenses) that work for me. My biggest changes these days aren't lenses, but bags. I transitioned from my trusty Crumpler 5 Million Dollar Home to a Tenba Black Label Medium Photo Satchel so I could carry five lenses instead of four. Then I discovered the Artisan & Artist* ACAM-1000, which I dub the "Clown Car" due to its ability to hold way more than you'd expect. The bag is smaller and lighter than my Tenba, yet fits: two M9s (I only have one), six M lenses, a Leica table-top tripod (don't leave home without one), two extra batteries, two external finders, an X-Rite ColorChecker Passport, a hot shoe bubble level, a couple of pens, some business cards… and a recently acquired iPad! And… the strap is ridiculously comfortable even fully loaded.

Okay, so I was all set for my trip to Savannah... if not for the Leica S2.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/4

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/180th at f/4.8

To bring or not to bring (the S2)… that was my question.

I had been hoping that the 35mm and 120mm S lenses would be available for me to test on the S2 while in Savannah, but the timing didn't work out, especially as a volcano (whose name I can't pronounce or spell) in Iceland spewed volcanic ash in the general direction of the European continent halting all air traffic. No cargo shipments out of Frankfurt meant no lenses for yours truly. I didn't even have a 180mm as all the ones we received went out to customers and I haven't been able to put one into our S2 rental program yet. So, the question was, do I bring the S2 with just a 70mm lens, or do I use my M9 with lenses from 18-90mm and leave the S2 at home?

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/250th at f/4
100% Crop

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/250th at f/3.4

I decided that because I only had the one lens, I didn't really need another bag and it wouldn't really be that much more to cart around. I'd try to see what would happen if I carried the M kit as usual and just slung the S2 over my free shoulder as another option. Would I use the S2? Which would I pick when shooting around the city?

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/250th at f/3.4

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/3.4
100% Crop

What happened when the rubber hit the road

As a result of this experiment, an interesting thing happened. An unexpected thing. Regardless of having the M9 draped around my neck with some of the most choice M glass laying in wait in my A&A bag, I kept reaching for the S2 on my left shoulder. The grip, the viewfinder, the sound of the shutter, and the resulting images on the rear LCD kept me going back for more. The poor M languished and I felt guilty. My last LHSA outing was in Seattle in October, where the M9 was utterly brilliant. I couldn't believe the kind of pictures I was able to capture with it. Yet, here I was snubbing one of the best camera systems I've ever used for, well, the best camera system I've ever used.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/180th at f/4

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/25th at f/11, tabletop tripod
100% Crop

A question popped into my mind.

Could I be happy with just one lens on the S2 versus an array of M lenses on the M9?

The resulting answer surprised me, especially as I felt a bit limited when testing out the S2 last summer in Germany due to there being no wide angle lens available. But, there in Savannah, the S2, 70mm and I clicked. Almost every shot I'd take felt right. I'd shoot the same scene with the M9 and a 24mm (I usually love this focal length) and the wider view didn't seem to work. I tried 28mm. Same thing. I never abandoned the M9 and carried it with me the whole time. I think I probably got the most use out of it with the 18mm Super-Elmar, which I was trying in order to compare with my trusty WATE (which I left at home).

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/8th at f/5.6, tripod

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 3 sec at f/13, tripod
100% Crop

Looking at my picks from the three days of shooting, I find it fascinating that all of these different types of shots were accomplished with one lens. Some feel like macro while others have a wider, more expansive air to them. Regardless, I am very pleased with the results.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/4.8

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/750th at f/9.5

Always mindful

Having experience with the S2 helped a lot. I was ever conscious to keep my shutter speeds above 1/250th and my aperture at about f/5.6. While a 1/250th isn't necessary, it does pretty much guarantee very sharp results for hand-held shooting. And, even though the 70mm Summarit-S lens is tack sharp wide-open at f/2.5, the depth-of-field with the larger sensor is razor thin. I was attempting to balance decent DOF for urban landscapes with high enough shutter speeds for hand-held shooting, all the while jumping between ISO 160 and ISO 320 in order to maximize dynamic range and minimize noise. Looking at the files after the fact, I should have just left the camera on ISO 320 as there was very little difference between them with regards to image quality.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/500th at f/2.5
100% Crop

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/2.8
100% Crop

More observations

Even though I wasn't out to review a new camera, but rather just use it for myself, I did take note of a few things:

The rear LCD is excellent, even in bright sunlight. Compared to the M9 screen, it is just sharper, more vibrant and brighter. The top OLED display washes out, but honestly, this never bothered me. Not once. Most of the time I was looking at exposure info through the viewfinder. Settings like EV comp and ISO I changed through the rear LCD.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/6.7

The camera really isn't that large or heavy in practical use. The fact was that my M gear weighed more than the S2. The stock strap on the S2 is actually pretty good. It is a curved stretchy neoprene job with anti-slip rubber on the underside. I did find that it was infinitely more comfortable hanging on one shoulder than around my neck, though. When strolling along, especially with obstacles and in crowds, I placed my hand naturally on the lens while I walked to prevent the camera from swinging. I never once felt tired from holding, using, or carrying the camera.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/250th at f/4.8

Auto white balance worked almost perfectly. Really. When processing my pictures, I only had to tweak a small handful of images. Most I never changed the WB from what the camera selected. This was not that case with the M9, unfortunately, which was thoroughly tricked by the large amount of green foliage and wide expanses of shade in Savannah. Easy to fix, sure, but the S2's WB algorithms ultimately made for less post processing work.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/250th at f/5.6
100% Crop

Exposure metering was also better than the M9. Most of my files required no exposure adjustment in LR.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/750th at f/5.6
100% Crop

The autofocus worked brilliantly. I did have a fair amount of experience using the S2, so I knew what to focus on for best results, but the AF just worked. No hunting or missed focus points. Unfortunately, the new firmware 1.0.0.16 was released a few days after I got back and I didn't have a chance to really put it through its paces. (So far, the AF speed seems a fair amount faster with the new firmware. It wasn't lacking before, but the speed improvement is noticeable.)

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/250th at f/9.5
100% Crop

The S2 viewfinder is amazing. It's just so big and clear and bright. Truly the finest viewfinder I've ever used. I still wish ISO was displayed in it, but that's my only complaint. The fact that it's only 97% coverage doesn't bother me in actual shooting. I'm not always perfectly straight in framing, especially shooting hand-held, so getting a touch extra allows me to rotate a few degrees in LR and not cut anything important out of the frame.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/350th at f/4

Mirror and shutter bounce is extremely soft. I shot a fair amount of the pictures posted here with the Leica table-top tripod. Some were at danger-zone speeds like 1/8 and others were mutli-second exposures. I didn't have the cable release with me so I just used the 2 second self-timer. For a few of the higher-angle pictures I used my lightweight travel tripod with the same technique. My Gitzo GT1541 with GH1780 head only weighs 3 lbs (that's including the head) and is a full height tripod. Conventional wisdom holds that you should use at least a 3-Series Gitzo and beefy head when shooting medium format digital, but I can't see any lack of sharpness and I was able to carry my little pod quite easily in my padded Gitzo bag, samurai-style on my back. Although, I will concede that there was no wind to speak of and a larger tripod would handle breezy conditions better.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/1500th at f/4
100% Crop

The S2 gets out of the way when shooting. It's simple to operate, quick to respond, and fun to use. How a camera handles and makes you feel when you are shooting with it are just as important with the image quality it produces. Ergonomics, solidity, shutter sound, etc. have always been essential to me. Back in the day (before I went 100% Leica), I preferred the Nikon D2x to the Canon 5D for just those reasons. The Nikon just felt better. Even though the Canon was full frame and took great pictures I couldn't bring myself to use it because I just couldn't fall in love with the shooting experience. This is what makes the S2 so appealing. Everything just feels great to use. The shutter sound is lovely. The body exudes solidity and ruggedness. Leica truly has a knack for designing functional yet elegant products.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/1000th at f/2.8

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/4.8

The bottom line is that this trip gave me some pause. I knew that the S2 would be a great studio camera, as well as a great landscape tool. What I didn't expect is that it would makes such a great travel camera, usurping my close-at-hand M9, the previously uncontested ultimate camera for travel photography (at least for me). I could probably cover 90% of my shooting needs with the S2 and three lenses (35, 70, 120 Macro). Ultimately, when compared to my M kit, this won't be too much larger or heavier.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 12 sec at f/11, tripod, manual fill flash
100% Crop

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 8 sec at f11, tabletop tripod, manual fill flash
100% Crop

I will say, though, that once night came, handheld shooting was out. The M9 excels at this type of photography, especially with fast Crons and Luxes. The X1 that my wife was using on the trip also did quite nicely in low light, with very clean results up to ISO 1600. Hopefully, we'll see some improvements in future firmware for higher ISO performance on the S2, but even still, with the need for higher shutter speeds and the fastest S lenses being f/2.5, it still is not a viable low-light hand-held option. Now, with a small tripod, though, the S2 rocks! Perhaps my ideal scenario in the future is a three lens S2 kit with an M9 and a 35 or 50 Lux.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 8 sec at f/11, tabletop tripod

I absolutely love the S2, but I just don't think I can ever give up the M9. So, going forward, they are just going to have to play along nicely with each other. And to that end, I will probably end up going back to the two bags in a roller approach. Oh goody!

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/125th at f/4

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/12th at f/9.5, tripod
100% Crop

On a technical note, all the files posted above were processed in Adobe Lightroom 2.7 from DNG to sRGB JPG and sized down for web.

Details on S2 Firmware Update 1.0.0.16

2010-04-22T10:06:00.005-04:00

Today, Leica released a new firmware update for the S2, which addresses a wide variety of issues and adds additional functionality. I would have like to have this firmware a week ago, when I was at the LHSA Spring Shoot in Savannah (look for an update in the next few days), but I'm glad to see it now. A lot of these updates were the direct response to user and tester feedback since the camera started shipping in January of this year.

I personally gave feedback on several of these issues when I first tested the S2 back in August, then again in November of last year.

Here is a rundown of all the changes in the new firmware (my comments are in italics):

1. Consistent, continuous image numbering

The camera automatically numbers new images sequentially. The numbering sequence is continued when a new or formatted memory card is inserted into the camera (following on from the highest previous image number). If the memory card already contains an image with a higher number, the numbering continues from this number on. If the current folder on the card contains the image number “9999,” a new folder is created and numbering begins again from “0001”. On reaching folder number“999” with an image number of “9999,” a warning is displayed on the monitor and numbering must be reset.

This is a biggie. Although Lighroom automatically renames files, it is a pain to have the entire numbering sequence reset with each new CF card. So, I'm really glad to see this.

RESET resets the numbering memory and the sequence begins again with “0001.”

2. Correction of an error when using memory cards not formatted in the camera

Memory cards formatted with a computer or other devices must be reformatted in the camera before they can be used. If this is not the case, a new folder will be created.

I recall discovering this issue back in November, when a customer of mine was trying the S2 side-by-side with his Phase One. We switched the CF card back and forth and quickly found out that the images were inadvertently getting deleted. So, while not a common problem, nice to know it's fixed for those short on cards and big on different camera systems.

3. Improvement of data transfer speed for computer-tethered photography

The speed of the saving and transfer procedure for tethered photography has been increased.

Of course, this is a biggie. I need to run some tests to see how much improvement is offered or how this speed increase has been achieved. I'll post an update if I find out more.

4. Simplified image review operation

A short press of button 1.20 (upper right-hand button next to monitor) calls up normal review mode. You can begin to scroll through the images with the click wheel as soon as an image is displayed on the monitor. Press the click wheel to enter the zoom mode (enlarged image segment).

This was a one of my big requests, and I'm sure others wanted to see this change as well. Previously, playback defaulted to zoom mode. The new way (same as the rest of the world) makes a lot more sense.

5. Improved image review quality

The image review quality in the monitor has been improved

Hmm.... the image review quality was never lacking before. I'll try to quantify the improvement here, but better is better, right?

6. Increased functional reliability when changing exposure modes

The exposure modes (program, shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual modes) can be selected by a combination of rotating the shutter speed dial and pressing the click wheel (please refer to the camera instructions, pages 38–39). The operational mode of the click wheel can be adjusted in the camera menu to prevent accidental changing of the exposure mode.

The following settings are available:

_ Change exposure mode with a short press of the click wheel

_ Change exposure mode with a long press of the click wheel

Another big request for myself and other testers. So happy to see this. Previously, an accidental tap on the click wheel would take you out of M mode into T mode and really mess things up. Having the option of a long press makes inadvertent mode changes highly unlikely.

7. Correction of an error when using LEICA Image Shuttle software

Exposure settings (shutter speed or aperture), set in LEICA Image Shuttle software are no longer reset by pressing the shutter release button. If the shutter speed has been set in LEICA Image Shuttle, or is different from the speed on the shutter dial, it is displayed in blue on the top panel display. As soon as the shutter speed, aperture, or other settings are altered with the camera control elements, these new settings have priority!

Again, good to see Leica prioritizing tethered operation.

8. Optimization of JPEG image quality

Internal JPEG image processing has been optimized with regard to detail, sharpness, and noise characteristics.

I have never used the JPEG output of the S2 and probably never will, but I'm sure some will appreciate the higher-quality files.

9. Additional functions
The camera now has the following additional functions:

9.1 Additional white balance preset HMI (Hydrargym Medium Arc Length Iodide)

The additional white balance preset, HMI, has been added.

Not one of my requests (I prefer short duration strobes), but I can see how fashion pros can appreciate this, especially with more convergence between stills and video.

9.2 Additional viewfinder information: exposure compensation

Exposure compensation values are now indicated in the viewfinder’s light balance.

Whoo hoo! So happy to see this one. While there was always the little +/- triangle in the viewfinder to warn you that Exp comp was set, there was no display of how much was applied.

Example: Exposure compensation +1.5 EV

9.3 Custom settings for depth of field preview button

For particularly fast handling, the functions of the buttons 1.21, 1.23, 1.24 (the buttons surrounding the rear LCD), and 1.3 can be customized to provide immediate access to your most important or frequently needed menu functions. To do so, the buttons are first customized by defining which of the menus’ functional groups should be called up with the quick access function. From now on, the function of the depth of field preview button 1.3 can also be customized as desired.

Nice thinking on this one. When shooting with the S2, I rarely use the DOF button, but I do wish I had another programmable one.

9.4 Selectable top panel standby time

The standby time of the top panel display can now be selected in the menu.

9.5 Control element lock

A new function has been implemented with which the control elements for exposure setting (shutter speed dial and click wheel) can be locked to prevent accidental changes. The control element lock can be activated and deactivated in the menu or defined as a quick access option (refer to 9.6).

Awesome. This goes even further than the long click option on the click wheel. When shooting quickly in studio, accidents happen. I had even said in my initial S2 review that I'd like to see a shutter/aperture lock like Nikon has. Well... here it is.

9.6 Extended custom functions

For particularly fast handling, the functions of the buttons 1.21, 1.23, 1.24, and 1.3 can be customized to provide immediate access to your most important or frequently needed menu functions.

To do so, the buttons are first customized by defining which of the menus’ functional groups should be called up with the quick access function. Immediate access is activated by a long press on the respective button.

The following functions have been added to the user-defined button programming options:

_ formatting (formatting memory cards)

_ control element lock

10. Improved lens performance

Lens performance has been improved further.

I'll try to get more details on this one, but I'd guess that this has to do with AF performance.

11. Automatic detection of interchangeable focusing screen types

Interchangeable focusing screen types (e.g. ground glass with grid) are detected automatically. More information about “interchangeable focusing screens” can be found on page 19 of the camera instructions.

Cool. I'm looking forward to the grid screen myself.

All in all, this is a nice list of improvements and enhancements. I'm glad to see Leica taking user suggestions seriously and implementing changes quickly. This is one benefit of bringing all firmware development in-house.

Now, I'm back to work on my posting about how the S2 did in Savannah... stay tuned.

Square-pegging: Shooting action with a Leica S2

2009-11-25T20:34:00.010-05:00

Leica sent us a final production S2 for our studio event and demo day this past weekend. So, I took the opportunity to head down to South Beach for some hometown shooting. I'm not quite sure why, but I decided to put the S2 into a shooting situation it just wasn't designed for - beach volleyball. The sand wasn't my concern as the camera and lenses are completely sealed. What I was worried about was how well the S2 could keep up with quick-moving action.

Leica S2 with 180mm, ISO 320, 1/1000th at f/8

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/3000th at f/3.4

100% crop

Please keep in mind that I am not a sports shooter. This was just a test of how well the S2 could handle a subject suited more for a 35mm DSLR than a medium format system. Essentially, I was trying to put a square peg into a round hole and wasn't really expecting too much. What I ended up with wasn't too bad.

Leica S2 with 180mm, ISO 320, 1/4000th at f/4

The S2 has more shutter lag than a D3, which was obviously expected. When I first started shooting, I was waiting for the decisive moment. By the time I reacted, pressed the shutter release, and the camera fired, the ball was out of the frame. But once I got the timing down and shot when I saw the ball approaching a player, I was able to catch the ball in the frame. This would have been easier with a D3, but at least it was doable on the S2.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/3000th at f/3.4

Focus was the other big question mark. The S2 was able to nail focus accurately, but being a center-point-only focus system, I couldn't get good focus and good composition and catch the action. By the time the camera would lock on and I would recompose, the shot was long gone. So, I found the best success using manual focus. The large, bright focusing screen and perfect drag on the lenses make manual focus very workable.

Leica S2 with 180mm, ISO 320, 1/4000th at f/4

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/3000th at f/3.4

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/4000th at f/3.4

Another snag I ran into was one that I talked about in my S2 review. The rear thumb dial is too easily pushed in when not meaning to. So, while most of my shooting was done in T mode (shutter priority), I did inadvertently push the dial in, activating P (program) mode. I was shooting in T to get the highest possible shutter speed to stop the action, which is 1/4000th. In order to keep this high speed and get a little DOF, I opted for 320 ISO, which worked great. In broad daylight at 320 ISO there was no loss of DR or detail and no noise. So, I was able to pick up a little free speed there. Anyway, when the camera switched to P, it decided to balance my exposure a bit and chose 1/1000th at f/8, which would have been perfectly fine had I not been shooting action. What I found was that at 1/1000th (and even at 1/4000th in some cases) the subjects would show motion blur at 100% view. It is pretty slight, but there nonetheless. The lack of perfect sharpness could also be my human focus error.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/3000th at f/3.4

Leica S2 with 180mm, ISO 320, 1/4000th at f/3.5

What did impress me was how well the S2 files held up in such harsh lighting. The sun was backlighting many of the players, yet the S2 was able to capture detail in the shadows very well and the sand was well exposed without blowing out. I do attribute some of the fill-in effect to the reflective nature of the sand itself, but the camera did an admirable job with the high-contrast, difficult lighting. Skies even stayed blue without getting completely washed out.

Leica S2 with 180mm, ISO 320, 1/4000th at f/4

Leica S2 with 180mm, ISO 320, 1/1000th at f/8

After shooting two matches over the course of about half an hour, I was pretty pleased with the results. I’ll probably never attempt this again, but it was fun to put the S2 (and myself) into a challenging situation. And, even though it was akin to hammering in a finishing nail with a sledge hammer, it actually worked. I’d still suggest a D3 or 1DmkIII for this kind of work. The S2 is resolution overkill for most live action sports and the AF, shutter lag, and frame rate just aren’t designed for sports.

Fashion shooting, both in studio and on location, are an entirely different matter, though. For more on that, check back for updates.

Leica S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/3000th at f/4.8

100% Crop

Leica S2 Review: Test Shooting in Germany

2009-11-08T22:42:00.043-05:00

If you read my M9 review, you already know that I traveled to Germany in mid-August to test both the M9 and the S2. I was invited as part of a group of online journalists, consisting of myself, Michael Reichmann of Luminous Landscape, Sean Reid of Reid Reviews, and Phil Askey of DPReview. We had unprecedented access to key managers at Leica, an all-access pass behind the scenes at the factory in Solms, and of course, cameras to test in real-life shooting conditions.

The Leica S2 has been somewhat of an obsession of mine since it was announced last year at Photokina. I was in attendance at the VIP launch event on the eve of the show when Leica owner Dr. Andreas Kaufmann revealed the new flagship product. And, over the past year, I have done my best to provide the most up-to-date and complete information on the S2. If you've read my blog, you probably know a fair amount of details on the S2 already. Don't worry. Now that I've shot with the S2, I have plenty more to share. It is one thing to handle a prototype/mock-up and gather technical information at trade shows, and quite another to actually get a fully functional camera in your hands and shoot it.

Over the course of two days with the S2, I took about 700 pictures. The first day was half in studio and half outside. The following day was all outside. I shot mostly handheld as well as on a tripod, during the day and at night. I did my best to test out as many different shooting scenarios as possible to get a feel for the capabilities and limits of the system.

Eisenmarkt
S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/750th at f/5.6
View 100% crop

Disclosure, disclaimer, and a few notes

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has issued new guidelines for online journalists and bloggers regarding full disclosure. This law goes into effect as of December1, 2009 but I figure it couldn't hurt to abide by it a few weeks early. Here goes.

I was invited by Leica to be their guest in Germany along with three other journalists in order to test out the M9 and S2. I paid both my own airfare and hotel bill. Leica was kind enough to pick up the tab for most of the meals, which were all at local restaurants (nothing extravagant). I was not compensated in any way and had to give back all the gear I was loaned for testing (sadly). In addition to being a Leica blogger, I am also a Leica dealer. My wife and I own and operate Dale Photo & Digital in Hollywood, FL.

I provide my blog mainly as an information resource for other photographers. In addition to Leica, I also sell Nikon, Canon, Mamiya, and Zeiss, along with many other related accessory brands. You will notice, though, that I primarily write about Leica. I personally use and am passionate about Leica gear and believe me, it is far easier to write about what interests you than something that doesn't inspire you.

Please keep in mind that the S2 that I shot with in Germany was a pre-production model with pre-production firmware. As such, in order to shoot with the camera, I had to agree to not publish DNG files. I know that many would like to play with the files, but I can't provide them, even after the camera comes to market.

Lastly, I acknowledge that many of the pictures presented here are very boring. I selected most of these shots as they demonstrate something about the camera I'd like to show. Please consider them as real world test shots, rather than works of art. Where meaningful, I have provided links to 100% crops. All images used in this article were processed in Adobe Lightroom 2.5, converted from DNG to 8-bit sRGB JPGs. If your web browser isn't profile-aware, you may want to save the larger files to your hard drive and evaluate them in a color-managed application like Photoshop.

A look at medium format digital

Before delving fully into the my experiences with the S2, let's take a stroll down memory lane and back again to present day to see why the S2 is such a significant step, not only for Leica, but for medium format in general.

Every medium format digital system on the market (except the S2) still traces its origin back to film. In the early days of digital, the concept of the digital back seemed to make perfect sense. Pros had extensive existing MF systems which they wanted to continue to use. They had multiple film backs and Polaroid backs, so why not a digital back? MF systems at first used scanning backs, only suitable for still life subjects like product shots and artwork duplication, and had to be connected to a computer to function. Later generations like the Phase One H series and the Leaf Valeo line still had to be tethered, but could capture a single frame exposure.

Phase One H25 digital back - circa 2003

Even these (then) state-of-the-art units lacked onboard CF storage and LCD displays. Meanwhile, in the 35mm world, fully integrated digital systems became the norm. Nikon, Canon, Kodak (remember those days), etc. came out with all-in-one bodies. So, at the same time that medium format was lacking even a basic LCD for image review, Nikon and Canon both had fully integrated pro-level cameras with (somewhat) useable LCD screens, decent battery life, quick shooting and CF card storage. It wasn't until Phase One came out with the P25 in late 2004, that such conveniences made their way to medium format digital.

PhaseOne P25 - 2004

Even today, many photographers complain about the low quality of LCD screens on their digital backs. I still remember a location shoot a few years ago where a friend of mine using the Leaf Aptus 75 (about $35K at the time) had to run from the beach into the bushes to see anything on his LCD screen. And, when your entire camera operation is touch screen like the Aptus, you have a little bit of a problem when it is invisible in daylight. On that same shoot, there was a photographer who was working with an Imacon back on his Hasselblad 501 C/M. Brave soul as he was, he was shooting low-down, lying on his stomach within striking distance of the Florida surf. Sure enough, a large wave came tumbling in and his camera got wet. After that heart-stopping experience, he just watched the rest of us. Turns out the back was fine after it dried out for a few hours, but the shoot was over for him.

MF backs have always been big on quality (at low ISO), but lacking in terms of creature comforts. Users of high-end gear seemed to accept that in order to get the ultimate in image quality they would have to give up nice LCD screens, quick image review and zooming, weather sealing, fast autofocus, easy handling, rapid shooting, and good battery life. Was protecting legacy formats really that important?

The H3D-31 - 2006

Hasselblad made quite a few waves at Photokina 2006 when they announced that they were closing their H system off to the rest of the world. The H2 (discontinued soon after) would be the last Hasselblad H body to take third party backs and the newly announced H3D was only going to work with Hasselblad backs. This was a first step towards integration, but not a popular one among Leaf and Phase One back owners who enjoyed the H system, with its leaf shutter lenses. It certainly didn't go over very well with the digital back manufacturers either and forced Phase One to seek out a partner in Mamiya, lest they be left with no camera system for their backs to mount onto. After all, they weren't a camera manufacturer. Neither was Leaf and they attempted to work with German firm Franke & Heideke to OEM the new Hy6 camera platform as the Leaf AFi. Hasselblad was certainly ahead of the curve here, having merged with Imacon and being the first vertically-integrated medium format company.

The ill-fated Sinar Hy6 (aka Leaf AFi) - 2007

When Leica approached the concept of making a larger-than-35mm DSLR, they decided to start from scratch. Without a legacy format to adhere to, Leica engineers were free to create a new format, which would allow for top quality imagery on a larger sensor, while at the same time, fitting into a compact and easy-to-handle body style. What they came up with was the Leica Pro Format or 30x45mm. This allowed for an imaging area 56% larger than full frame 35mm and only 7% smaller than the common 33x44mm medium format sensor found in backs like theH3DII-31, P30+ and P40+. The classic Leica ratio of 2:3 was retained from 35mm and I'm sure will create some level of debate, but the more rectangular sensor dimensions allow the S2's mirror and camera height to be much smaller than competing systems.

The decision to move forward with the S2 was made between December 2006 and April 2007, but I'm sure the concept was on the table at Leica before that time. During Photokina 2006, I had a discussion with Maike Harberts, then product manager of the R System. She hinted strongly at a larger than full frame (24x36mm) sensor in the next reflex camera. At the time, I interpreted this next camera to be the R10. Everything becomes clearer in hindsight and Maike was really talking about what would ultimately become the S2, or project AFRIKA, as it was known then. After the decision was made to move forward with AFRIKA, Leica worked closely with Meinzer Design of Dortmund, Germany, the same firm that designed the Leica R8. Many have noticed a less than coincidental likeness, I'm sure.

Two years later, at the S2 launch party, Maike gave me a little more insight into the conceptualizing process for the S2. Basically, the team at Leica challenged themselves to come up with what the ultimate professional camera would offer. They looked at competitors and outlined a punch list. What did they like about those systems? What did they think needed improvement? And, what did they think they could do better (or much better)? Between concept sessions, Leica designers talked to top professional photographers around the world, from Berlin to New York, to have a dialog both on Leica's ideas as well as features the photographers requested. This process crystallized the S2 concept.

The approach certainly yielded an extraordinary result. Here is what I believe their goals might have been looking now at the final product:

Combine medium format quality with 35mm size and handling
Have a simple, intuitive, yet highly-customizable control concept
Offer on-the-fly selection of focal plane shutter for fast, available light shutter speeds or central shutter for high-speed flash sync
Have better battery life than existing MF systems
Provide more robust construction and extensive weather and dust sealing, both on body and lenses to take medium format out of the studio and into the field
Increase camera responsiveness and shooting speed
Improve focus accuracy
Allow for DSLR conveniences like dual memory cards, HDMI output, Wifi capability, manageable presets, etc.
Create a new benchmark in optical performance across the entire range of lenses, while offering faster maximum apertures and not requiring software correction

Ultimately, I believe Leica did a great job in breaking out of the medium format mold. If you compare the S2 to either the Phase One 645 or Hasselblad H3DII system you'd see that the S2 gets higher marks in just about every category. Yes, traditional medium format digital backs offer the flexibility of being used on a technical camera, as well as theoretically allowing a photographer to upgrade only one component of his or her system. I say theoretically because in most cases, in order to get all the new features of a camera or digital back, you are forced to upgrade the other components as well.

As I write this, Hasselblad has just announced the H4D and Phase One has announced the 645DF, both of which are camera upgrades. The H4D is due out sometime by Q1/Q2 2010 and the 645DF is promised for Q4 2009. Both of these cameras are essentially incremental upgrades. The Hassy brings only one new feature (as far as I can tell from the press release), but it is admittedly a pretty cool one. They are using a 3D accelerometer in combination with focus lock functionality to compensate for center point focus and recompose back-focus error. I have to hand it to Hasselblad for bringing something truly innovative to the table. Unfortunately, many had expected the next H camera to offer a focal plane shutter option, which the H4D doesn't. This means that the Hassy is still limited to 1/800th of a second, not so good for outdoor shooting at wider apertures. The viewfinder is dark as it is without a 2 or 3 stop ND filter in front of the lens. Perhaps the camera should have been called the H3DIII as this is quite a small upgrade.

Mamiya 645DF (same as PhaseOne camera), shown with long-awaited vertical grip

Phase One, for their part, is promising faster operation, compatibility with new Schneider-designed leaf shutter lenses (the ones they said were coming for the last two years and which bear an uncanny resemblance to the same Mamiya-designed LS lenses), and a 1/1600th flash sync (when using the P40+ and P65+ only). The new leaf shutter lenses offer a 1/800th sync, meaning the extra stop is achieved on the CCD sensor by some means of electronic timing. Usually, this kind of capability is only available on interline CCDs, like the ones used in video cameras and digital point and shoots. Full frame CCDs (nothing to do with physical size) aren't usually able to do this. So, either DALSA was able to pull a rabbit out of the hat or something else is going on. Of course, to get this new high-speed sync, users will have to get the new camera, new lenses, and the latest generation back. Not exactly a modular upgrade path. Of course, if someone just wants a camera that is as fast as it should be in the first place and intends on keeping their existing legacy back, the $6000 upgrade might be worth it. Yes, that's $6,000 for a camera that still uses six AA batteries (welcome back 1994). Those who purchased a 645AFDIII do get a special trade-up deal of only $1,500, so all is not bad, except for the ancient batteries and bulky form factor. The lenses do seem nice, though and will offer legacy back owners 1/800th sync, providing they purchase the new body to go with the new lenses.

The S2 in review

For those not keeping tabs on the S2 developments or those that have lost track, I'll outline the major points so we're all on the same page.

At the heart of the S2 is latest generation 6µm pixel architecture Kodak CCD sensor. The 37.5 MP KAF-37500 is similar to the 50MP KAF-50100 used in the Hasselblad H3DII-50, but features the addition of microlenses for both enhanced corner quality with wide-angle lenses and one stop greater base ISO sensitivity. If the CCD sensor is the heart of the S2, the Leica Maestro processor is the brain. This dual core, low-power chip was designed especially for Leica by Fujitsu (not the same company as Fuji as some think). It is capable of churning through over 120MB of data per second. Ask your nearest computer nerd just how fast that is. In fact, it is about 50% faster than the Nikon D3x, which is no slouch in the speed department. The Maestro also has the ability to generate on-the-fly JPEGs, for immediate on-screen previews and/or for storage. This hardware JPEG engine built into Maestro is rated at 160 MP per second. This means it can render four S2 files to JPEG in one second! Yeah, that's jackrabbit quick.

Leica Maestro

The body itself is roughly the size of a Nikon D700 or Canon 5DmkII, which is quite a feat considering it is housing a sensor 56% larger than full frame 35mm. The S2 is the first and only fully weather sealed medium format system. Leica claims the S2 actually exceeds pro-DSLR cameras like the Canon 1Ds in this regard. While the tech specs say, "sealed against splashes and dust," remarks from certain engineers make me think this is quite the understatement. In fact, in our interviews, we were told that you could shoot in a rainstorm where the rain is coming at your horizontally. I'd say that qualifies as inclement weather. In a past issue of LFI, stories of the Leica QA department testing the S lenses in a dishwasher reinforce the idea that the S2 is designed to go into conditions that no camera has before.

S2 and D3x

For storage we've got both Compact Flash and SD, as well as USB for tethering and support for future WiFi compatibility. On the back is a nice, bright 3 inch LCD with 460K pixels (360x480 – same as the iPhone) with four buttons surrounding it. The only other rear controls are an on/off switch (which also serves as the shutter selector), a thumb dial, and an AF button. That's it. Simple. On top is the first ever color OLED (Organic LED) status screen, the shutter dial (I love analog shutter dials) and the shutter release. On the front is the lens release and a depth-of-field button.

OLED and analog shutter speed dial

Simple, elegant and intuitive. Okay, now that everyone is caught up, let's move on.

Back to the factory

On Tuesday morning, one day after our first outing with the M9, we headed back to the Leica factory in Solms for production tours and interviews with key department heads involved in S2 development. We split into two groups, donned our lab coats and hair nets, and proceeded to see how the world's finest photo gear is made. I won't go into the tour right now, but I will say that if you ever have the opportunity to visit the factory, do yourself a favor and arrange a tour.

In the clean room with the S2

Once all the touring was done, we all congregated in the conference room and settled in for a solid afternoon of interviews. First up was Peter Karbe , head of the optical design department. You can check out Michael Reichmann's video to see much of this interview for yourself, if you'd like. I'm the voice coming from right beside the camera that keeps asking questions. Michael is to my left, Sean is to my right, and the muted Phil (who requested not to be recorded) was sitting directly across from me. Peter is one of the greatest minds (and artist) in optics today. He joins a pantheon of great chief optics designers before him, yet has taken modern lens designs beyond where any of his predecessors may have even dreamed going.

Peter Karbe

S Lenses

Not to get ahead of myself, but the S lenses are probably the finest optics I have ever had the pleasure of shooting with. Keep in mind that I am used to the wonderful Leica M glass in my current system, and previously used the best R glass for my R9/DMR. The S lenses are better. Many of the designs for the S lenses originated with R designs. The 35mm f/2.5 Summarit-S ASPH is based on the 19mm Elmarit-R (a lens that I loved on my DMR), but includes an asphere in the front optical group to reduce aberrations. The 120mm f/2.5 APO Macro-Summarit-S used the incredible 100mm APO-Macro-Elmarit-R as a foundation, but incorporated a floating element to optimize performance at all distances from close-focus to infinity (and increased maximum aperture by 1/2 a stop to boot). The 180mm f/3.5 APO-Tele-Elmar-S owes its heritage to the legendary 180mm APO-Summicron-R. Contrary to the other three lenses, the 70mm f/2.5 Summarit-S ASPH is an entirely new design, but has a similar signature Karbe modified double gauss design like the 50 Summilux-M ASPH. Of course, the 70mm is better. As Peter explained, the S lenses are the best lenses that Leica has ever made, for any system. Strong words for an optics designer who is typically measured and conservative in his statements.

Many didn't want to buy into Leica's claims of perfect optical performance which require no software correction. Leica spoke of lenses with no vignetting, no visible distortion, sharpness across the frame, no CA, no spherical aberrations, no coma, no astigmatism, and usability at any distance and at any aperture. Then, to top it all off, they'd offer beautiful Leica-like rendering as well. These lofty claims seemed too good to be true. Well, after my testing, I can safely say that the claims are all true and there wasn't any exaggeration whatsoever. The lenses really are that good. Better than anything I've ever shot with. I'm amazed at the crisp rendering of foreground details with perfect, buttery bokeh in the background. Leica's optics designers have truly achieved a balance of technical perfection and exquisite character, which is not an easy task.

Testing the corner/edge performance of the 70mm wide-open.
Autofocused on the upper left corner and recomposed
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/1500th at f/2.5
View 100% crop of corner

One of my first questions for Peter related to the future of the S System. Was Leica planning on a larger sensor down the road and would the lenses accommodate such a sensor? The answer was that no, the Leica Pro Format of 30x45mm was the limit, as the lenses only have an image circle of 54mm. This got me to wondering (and asking) why the lens mount is so large and what the limits are with 30x45mm. The lens mount is as wide as it is in order to allow for faster aperture, exotic lenses. The teaser here was that the 100mm portrait lens might actually be f/2 or even f/1.8. Not too shabby for a medium format lens. Of course, Hassy had their 110mm f/2 FE lens that is still sought after today. Now imagine what a modern Leica ASPH and/or APO design could accomplish. Yum.

Check out the sign on the brick pillar in the lower right-hand side
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/1500th at f/4
View 100% crop

With the 6µm pixel pitch of the S2's sensor the lenses need to be able to resolve 83 lp/mm and I inquired if this was a challenge. This wasn't my first time conversing with Peter. I should have known better than to ask him a question like this. He got that "are you joking?" look on his face, grinned and said in no uncertain words that 80 lp/mm is not a problem, even at full aperture. He pointed out that the S lenses are capable of resolving 40 lp/mm at 80% contrast, wide-open, and estimated that 80 lp/mm could be resolved at about 60% contrast. So, the lenses clearly outresolve the current sensor. What about future generations? Where is the practical pixel limit for 30x45mm? Many have postulated that the next big advance in CCD sensor tech will be a 5µm pixel architecture with a close-to 100% fill rate. This would result in a 54MP sensor at 30x45mm, but with this pixel size, the lenses would need to resolve 100 lp/mm. Will the S lenses be up to the task? Again, Peter flashed his signature grin and casually said that 100 lp/mm would be no problem. In fact, he felt the S lenses could resolve around 50% contrast at this frequency. No small claim, to be sure. My mind had already moved on to the next inevitable question. What exactly is the resolution of the S glass? Peter answered that he didn't know the exact figure, but guessed that the number would be between 200-300 lp/mm. That's a big number and a whole lot of detail.

Wire fence
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/1500th at f/4.8
View 100% crop

The primary goal for the S lenses was quite literally to design a new standard in optics. While other companies are looking to software to "fix" images in post processing, Leica wanted to achieve superior quality with fewer aberrations and without relying on digital processing. Take one look at the published MTF charts of the new S lenses and you can get an idea of just how good they are. But, technical perfection and high-resolving power weren't the only criteria. Peter explained that pleasing bokeh was also a key design goal. Spherical aberrations, coma, decentering, and aperture blade configuration all affect bokeh, so eliminating or reducing aberrations actually make for smoother, more pleasing bokeh. I found this interesting as popular opinion usually identifies modern ASPH designs as "clinical" while older designs, with more aberrations, are valued for their delectable bokeh. While many might argue this point to death, I can't disagree with empirical evidence. After shooting the S lenses wide open, I think it's safe to say that Peter has a pretty good idea what he's talking about – the out of focus areas are exquisite.

Cafe
S2 with 180mm, ISO 160, 1/3000th at f/3.5
View 100% crop

Grinning again, he actually made a point to tell us that we should only shoot his lenses wide open. Stopping down is only for increased depth-of-field. In fact, Peter projected (using the Pradovit-D 1200) some photos he took with the S2 back in the Spring while on a walk through the woods to illustrate his point. Aside from being an authority on optical design, Peter is a formally trained photographer and knows how to use his products pretty darn well. Phil joked that Leica should come out with a Noctilux f/0.95 with no aperture ring that only shot wide-open. Peter loved this idea and went on to explain how light control could be achieved using two circular polarizing filters inside the lens. And while I sincerely doubt such a lens ever coming out of Solms, we all got a kick out of Peter's enthusiasm and passion.

Lamp post, wide-open
S2 with 180mm, ISO 160, 1/1000th at f/3.5

Green fern
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/180th at f/4

Digital imaging expertise, now in-house

After Peter took his leave, Dr. Volker Zimmer joined us in the conference room. Dr. Zimmer is the head of the Digital Imaging Division at Leica. He was on the team that developed the S1 back in 1996 and was the product manager for the very popular Digilux 2. In January 2008, Dr Zimmer and his growing team started work on the S2. Consisting of 17 people, four members focus on mechanics and electronic hardware, one is the liaison to Panasonic and Fujitsu, and twelve programmers work on firmware development. Zimmer discussed the Maestro collaboration with Fujitsu. Leica knew they wanted some serious horsepower for the S2 and found Fujitsu able to fill their needs. A spec was developed early on and the first Maestro processor was delivered to Solms in May 2008. The Maestro is a dual processor chip featuring both a DSP and a RISC engine. It supports up to 1GB or RAM, two SD interfaces, a CF interface, and a hardware JPG engine. Pretty impressive specs for something so small and power efficient. To speed up development time, Fujitsu supplied the code for all the hardware drivers like USB, SD, and CF. This allowed the Leica team to focus their efforts on image processing, camera control and user interface.

Dr. Volker Zimmer

At around the same time, the digital imaging team, along with the optical department was finalizing the spec for the Kodak CCD sensor. The unique offset microlens structure was engineered by Leica and provided to Kodak. Even the cover glass was a Leica spec. One single piece of IR absorbing glass, multicoated on both sides, this 1mm thick filter is part of the optical design of the lenses. One advantage of creating an entire system from the ground-up in a vertically-integrated approach is the ability to control all aspects of image quality. I'm sure many will find the level of expertise exhibited by Leica in the digital realm to be quite surprising. This is no longer a company unable to compete in the digital age.

A woodpile shot with the 180mm, handheld at a distance
S2 with 180mm, ISO 160, 1/750th at f/4
View 100% crop

I was surprised to learn in this interview that pixel binning would not make it into the final S2. The concept was that by combining four smaller pixels (2x2) into one larger one, higher ISO sensitivities could be achieved with low noise results. Phase One and Dalsa have implemented this on the P40+ and P65+ backs. Some have questioned whether just reducing to 1/4 size during output would yield the same result. Ultimately, Leica decided not to implement pixel binning as they felt the quality wasn't high enough. There is a possibility of adding this feature in the future by a firmware update, though.

The Kodak KAF-37500 CCD is a quad readout chip. The sensor isn't merely broken up into four quadrants, but rather the four channels represent the left and right sides, and every other row. When the ISO gets raised above base, the gain is boosted, signal to noise drops, and visible noise increases. The tricky part for engineers is to match the output for each of the four channels to each other while at the same time using algorithms to reduce noise. If not done properly banding can occur. With less readouts, balancing is easier, but data is read out slower (think serial vs. parallel).

Kodak KAF-37500 CCD

Quad readouts

The CCD reads out at a frequency of 24Mhz, which, when breaking the signal into four parts, allows the S2's impressive 1.5 fps continuous shooting rate. Dr. Zimmer explained that you can actually increase signal to noise (SNR) by reducing the rate at which data is read from a CCD. If they were to change the rate from 24Mhz to 12Mhz, a full stop of ISO performance could be realized. I was fascinated by this, as it was new information for me (not being a PhD in electronics and all). I asked if it was possible to change the readout rate of a sensor or if it was possible to change the number of readouts. Apparently, the Maestro allows for on-the-fly changes to both. What this means is that there is a possibility that the S2 might be able to offer higher ISO performance with less noise, via a firmware update. The trade-off is shooting speed. My opinion is that if a Hi 1 and Hi 2 mode were offered as options with frame rates of 0.75 fps and 0.37 fps respectively, those that need ISO 2500 or ISO 5000 will make that sacrifice. And, contrary to pixel binning, the entire 37.5MP resolution is maintained. To go one step further, if the rate is dropped, the sensor is switched to two-channel mode, and pixel binning could be implemented, we might see ISO 10,000 (or perhaps really clean ISO 5000). Something to think about, at least.

Lots of texture and detail in the whites
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/5.6
View 100% crop

Before our interview was over, we also learned about the camera's output capabilities. Conforming to the UDMA 6 spec, the S2 can achieve CF write speeds of 50MB/sec . While not up to the full 90MB/sec, this is faster than just about any other camera on the market right now. I'd seriously consider using 300X cards at a minimum and preferably 600X for most efficient workflow.

Porsche 911
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/2.8

In the studio

On Wednesday morning , we headed over to the Digital-Fotogroup studio in Sinn-Fleisbach, about half an hour west of Wetzlar. The studio was amazing. Fully outfitted with top-of-the-line Broncolor and Elinchrom equipment, the studio is used for commercial product shooting by top photographer and owner Michael Koch. For our purposes we were primarily focusing on fashion and portrait shooting. Our model for the day was the lovely Katerina, who actually works in the accounting department at Leica in Solms. Even though she hadn't done much modeling, Katerina did a great job and was a good sport.

S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/125th at f/11
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Stephan Shulz, S2 project manager, and Andreas Wahlich, S2 marketing manager, were on hand to dole out coveted S2 bodies and lenses. After we each got hooked up with an S2, Stephan gave us a group walkthrough of the camera, which only took a few minutes. Then, Amy Kosh, S2 specialist from Leica USA, got set up with her Macbook Pro to offload our CF cards as we each took turns shooting. Leica QA wanted to see all of our pictures, so she compiled all of our shooting onto a portable hard drive. I had wanted to test out the Leica Image Shuttle tethering and camera control software on my laptop, but was told it wasn't quite ready yet.

Stephan Shulz

Just as I was about to shoot I ran into a little glitch. My S2 decided that it didn't want to recognize any CF card that I put in it, so I sat out the first setup while Stephan called in to the software team and attempted to troubleshoot. Meanwhile, Michael and Sean seemed to be enjoying themselves shooting Katerina on a red Vespa. I didn't have to wait too long, though. Stephan's team emailed over a firmware update which took care of the issue. I got my camera back and I went to work.

As expected, the S2 was right at home in the studio. Focusing by the modeling lights was fast and accurate. By turning the AF mode to Off, the rear thumb button automatically goes from being the AF lock to the AF-On control. This was my preferred method of shooting. I'd press the AF button with my thumb, recompose, then fire with the shutter release. I should take a moment here to discuss the auto focus. At first I thought I might be encountering one of those infamous pre-release firmware bugs because the AF seemed to be behaving strangely (at least in my initial impression). I would center the crosshairs in the viewfinder on the model's eye and press the rear AF button. The lens would focus as expected. Then, out of years of habit, I'd press the AF button again to make sure the camera nailed focus. Nothing happened. I pressed again. Nothing happened. Hmmm. So, I pointed the camera at the ground and refocused it. It worked. Then, back up to the eye. Same pattern. Worked the first time, then nothing. I decided to just get through the set and check the results on the computer. Well, every single shot was tack sharp. And I mean really, really sharp. Michael even made the comment to be careful, lest we cut ourselves on the monitor.

S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/125th at f/11
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So, I tried to figure out what was going on. On every other AF DSLR I've used, going back to my old Nikon F4s (great camera, btw), I'd double or triple-press the AF and each time I'd get a slightly different result, even if the camera to subject distance hadn't changed. As I'd find out later, in working on a recent review of the Lens Align for Digital Photo Pro magazine, this effect is called a spurious auto-focus event. Basically, the fuzzy logic and inherent "slop" in AF systems results in different focus results even in controlled test situations. I shot one test series of the Canon 100mm Macro on a 1Ds mkIII using the Lens Align at the recommended 8ft with the camera on a tripod focusing on a black and white, high-contrast focus target. First shot was front focused, second shot was back focused, and the third was dead on the money. It is really hard to adjust a lens when you are chasing the actual result. Canons are notorious for this. Nikon a little less so, but still a problem. So, what was going on with my S2?

My guess is that the auto focus system works the way an auto focus system should. You pick a target and it locks on. If you tell the camera to focus again on the same spot, it already knows it's achieved optimum focus. This (correct) logic, developed in-house at Leica, combined with the calibration data coded into each S lens, makes the focus among the most accurate that I've ever used. Strong words I know, but it just worked. Every time. Each lens is tested and calibrated in the factory. I saw the testing apparatus during our tour, but wasn't allowed to photograph it. The aperture is measured at different settings to see what the real, measured aperture value is vs. the intended, displayed value. Why is this important? Well, every lens suffers, to varying degrees, aperture-related focus shift. It is a normal occurrence found in even the best lenses. So normal, in fact, that the focus shift is easily calculated if given the aperture value and the distance to subject. By measuring the aperture, Leica has one key data point in the focus equation. The other variable is how far from ideal the focus alignment is. Leica manufacturing tolerances are extremely tight, but will nevertheless exhibit some variability, no matter how minor. So, each lens is measured for variance and calibrated to provide accurate distance information to the camera's AF system. The result is that the camera knows the precise distance to the subject, the actual aperture value, and ultimately, the correct offset to achieve perfect focus. Bottom line is that it works.

The viewfinder image was large and bright making composition straightforward and pleasant. Compared to a Hasselblad H3DII, I'd estimate that the S2 finder is about one to two stops brighter. The other notable difference is the complete lack of color cast. The H3DII finder has a green/yellow tint that I personally find distracting. By comparison, the S2 finder is completely uncolored. There is also no light falloff toward the corners. Suffice it to say, the S2 viewfinder is probably one of the finest out there. Large, bright, clear, uncluttered. Those familiar with the R9 viewfinder will feel right at home.

View through the viewfinder

Unfortunately, there is no ISO readout in the viewfinder. Displayed are the exposure compensation indicator, metering mode, flash ready symbol, exposure mode, aperture, meter readout, shutter speed, and focus confirmation. The focus confirmation works very much like the Nikon system. There are two arrows which indicate which direction to turn the focus ring on the lens and a circle that shows when accurate focus is achieved. I started wondering why would Leica have manual focus aids on a non-legacy AF system. One reason seems obvious, to help photographers who prefer to manually focus their Leica lenses. The other option is that perhaps we might see adapters for other lenses in the future. I certainly don't have confirmation of this hypothesis, but it does appear to be a possibility.

My one concern when shooting in studio was that there is no lock functionality for the thumb dial. More than once, my thumb bumped the dial and changed the aperture, especially as I was holding the camera vertically. I made the suggestion to Stephan to implement a lock like Nikon has on the D3x. With a large shutter speed dial on top, the chance of inadvertently changing shutter speed is highly unlikely, but the thumb dial is an easy target. I would assume that using the vertical grip would also address this concern, but having the ability to lock in a manual aperture setting for studio sessions would be nice.

S2 with 120mm Macro, ISO 160, 1/125th at f/11
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While I was shooting in the studio, Michael had headed outside for some scenics and Sean had gone to the factory to help with some M9 issues he had spotted the day before. Suddenly I found myself all alone with a nice, big studio all to myself. This was not planned, but who was I to complain? I set up a few different shots, aiming for simplicity and using mostly soft light. My first setup was a 74" Elinchrom Octobank for a main light and a 3' x 4' softbox directly behind the model for a pure white background. The 70mm worked extremely well here, allowing for a very close working distance. In fact, it focuses down to 0.5m, resulting in a reproduction ratio of almost 1:4. And, thanks to the floating element design, looks as sharp close up as it does at infinity.

S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/125th at f/8
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My next setup was using a Broncolor Para FB as a main and two strip lights for side lighting. A large overhead lightbank provided fill. I used the 180mm for full length shots, meaning I was sitting on the floor and about 30 feet away from the model. I again trusted the AF system, pointed the crosshair to the eyes and hoped for the best. At this distance, I couldn't really make out her eyes. Surprisingly, or maybe not so much, the camera nailed the focus on every single shot. As Katerina was standing and I was shooting a full length, I had to focus and recompose significantly. Again, no problem.

S2 with 180mm, ISO 160, 1/125th at f/9.5

Finally, I went for extremely simple. One 2x4 strip soft box to the side and kept the overhead light bank for fill. I got in close with the 70mm and was again blown away by the detail. Razor sharp. I also noticed that I had been shooting for a few hours, hand-holding the camera the entire time, and I wasn't the least bit fatigued. This is an important point for studio shooters who work long hours and go from one setup to the next. With easy handling and small size, the S2 never felt bulky or got in the way of the session. It just became a very natural extension. When the studio staff came in to tell me that the catered lunch had arrived, I politely passed and decided to keep on working. After all, I'd have to wait another couple of months until I could get an S2 back in the studio (which I will as soon as I get a production S2 in my hands).

Heading Outside

After saying our goodbyes to the friendly, helpful, and talented studio staff, Christian drove Michael and me to the neighboring village of Greifenstein, which like many German villages, had a nice castle for us to use as a backdrop for some outdoor portraiture. Katerina followed us over in her car and we got right to work. The sun was very intense, so we opted to find some shade. The S2 allows you to use up to 1/4000th which lets you open up that gorgeous S glass and shoot wide open if you want. I found that f/2.5 resulted in a little less depth-of-field than I wanted for portraiture, so I stopped down to f/4.

Portrait with strong backlight, shot wide-open
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/250th at f/2.5
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Even at f/4, the background was thrown out into a pleasing blur. Focusing was just as easy outside as in the studio. The camera was confident of its AF decisions and never hunted for me. Even with the dreaded focus and recompose, my shots are tack sharp. The combination of extreme sharpness and creamy softness is very appealing for these kinds of portraits. Highlights held well, even with our model's blonde hair in direct sun. Where her hair was blown out, it was done gracefully.

Portrait in shade
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/250th at f/4
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Portrait with strong backlight and no fill
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/125th at f/4.8
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To conclude our photo session we all sat down at the café at the base of the castle and had some beers. This break gave the first real moment of reflection and I had concluded that the S2 was easy as any camera to use outside for this kind of work. I also got to thinking how much I don't like direct sun with no fill. When the central shutter lenses come out shortly after the camera, I will be heading out on location with the S2 and battery powered lighting to see how it handles a real-life fashion shoot, rather than just casual ambient light portraiture.

Katerina holding the S2

How about some landscape shooting?

Michael and I both wanted to give the S2 a shot at some landscape shooting, so we piled back into Christian's car and headed out in search of a good roadside spot. Just outside town, we found a field of wildflowers at the edge of a wooded area. Not Yosemite, but it would do for our purposes. After a few casual shots in the field we made our way over into the trees. The S2 was right at home traipsing through the woods.

Field of widlflowers
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/125th at f/9.5 (hand-held)
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Discovering the excellent self-timer

Wanting to do some longer exposures on the tripod, I discovered that the mirror would automatically pre-lock when using the self-timer mode. So, when you put the camera in either 2 second or 10 second self-timer and depress the shutter release, the mirror immediately moves to a lock-up position, the LCD displays the countdown "Releasing in (x) seconds", then fires. The actual shutter sound is quieter than that of the M9. It sounds more like an electronic shutter from a point and shoot than a large medium format (or even 35mm DSLR). I was amazed at how well the mirror was damped and how silent the shutter was, all resulting in very low vibration. And better yet, if you are working off a tripod for long periods of time, you will appreciate that you don't have to manually lock up the mirror before each shot. As long as you stay in self-timer mode, the mirror will lock up before each shot. This is a really nice touch for landscape shooters. I've received questions about this feature and whether the mirror can stay locked up while you shoot multiple shots. Unfortunately, the mirror return is part of the re-cock sequence, so this is not possible.

Autofocused on the flower stem and the S2 nailed it. Also notice the round out-of-focus highlights.
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/2.8
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On the road again

Road sign
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/2000th at f/2.5
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After getting our fill of shady woods, we decided to see how the S2 handled city shooting. Could the camera really be a practical handheld travel camera? While not exactly a torture test, we were going to find out exactly how well it handled on a walkabout. Christian had to run some errands before dinner, so he deposited Michael and I on the side of the road 1.5 km outside of Braunfels.

The start of our trek in Braunfels
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/3000th at f/2.5

To our right was a cornfield and in the distance was Braunfels Schloss. It was about 90° F (32° C), which was unseasonably hot for Germany. We agreed to meet in the main square at the entrance to the castle in an hour and a half. Plenty of time to shoot. With no camera bags to carry, Michael took the 180mm for his S2 and I opted to stick with the 70mm for mine. While Michael likes soft, diffuse light under overcast skies, I prefer full, angular light and our walk was very much to my liking.

Corn stalk, wide open
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/1500th at f/2.5
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As I meandered down Teirgartenstrasse toward town, I was able to really give the S2 and 70mm Summarit a workout. I tried different apertures and subject distances. Shooting handheld outside in changing light is very different than working in the controlled studio. I took quite a few pictures wide open and I was rewarded with beautifully silky bokeh and smooth transitions. Even at f/8, you can get significant focus separation from the background. The flip side of this is that achieving good depth of field could be a challenge with any non-flat subjects, especially at close working distances. This is very much the case with any medium format system and the same holds true for the S2.

Wheat (I think). Shallow depth-of-field, even at f/8
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/8
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Perhaps Leica could address this issue by implementing a method of determining hyperfocal distance (without laminated look up tables, thank you). Only focus distance is shown on the lens, with no markings for depth of field. Stephan and I discussed this (back in March, actually) and came up with the idea to either use the LCD as a "virtual DOF" analog scale or use the top OLED to indicate DOF by displaying the near focus and far focus boundaries. Ideally, you would activate this function using the DOF preview button on the front of the body. As I write this, I'm thinking there might be another way. Perhaps a menu option could be added to have a hyperfocal function, which would automatically set the focus based on the aperture to achieve maximum DOF. For example, if I chose to shoot at f/11 and activated the hyperfocal mode, the camera might focus to 6ft, resulting in DOF from 4ft to infinity (these numbers are only for illustration, not real DOF calculations).

Cornfield
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/750th at f/4
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Tree
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/6.7
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The fields quickly faded away as I meandered into a residential community. The late afternoon light made for some challenging contrast ratios, which the S2 handled with ease. While I was concerned about proper exposure at the time of shooting, I found out two things immediately when I pulled the shots into Lightroom. One, the S2's evaluative meter is usually very accurate, and two, that the amount of dynamic range is extraordinary. Highlights hold remarkably well and shadows have almost too much information. On almost every shot I've posted, I've opted to pull the shadows down on the Tone Curve in LR (in addition to using the Medium Contrast preset). I personally prefer a little snap and punch in my pictures, but those that are looking for a little flatter file will be happy as well.

Wooden fence shot wide open
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/1000th at f/2.5
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S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/1000th at f/3.4

Another challenge that was ever present on my mind was keeping a high enough shutter speed. The previous day, Michael was recounting his experiences with the Phase One system and how fastidious one must be in order to extract the full quality out of medium format digital. Heavy tripods, 3x viewfinder loupes, long mirror pre-delays, and gigantic geared heads all entered the conversation. I was a little spooked by this and was doing everything I could to keep up my shutter speeds. I had a pretty good idea that the S lenses would deliver great quality at wider apertures so I pretty much lived there. You may notice a large number of shots between f/2.8 and f/5.6. That's one reason. The other, of course, is that it is at these apertures that the S2 differentiates itself from the medium format pack. Most MF glass just isn't optimized for wider apertures. I found that I was able to get sharp results reliably with the 70mm at 1/125th and really, really sharp results at 1/250th. Yes, I had some nice images at 1/60th, but I will concede that while I am rock steady with the M9, the S2 proved to be a little more of a challenge, especially at close focus range where movement is magnified. The other caveat was that my loaner S2 unit had somewhat of a sticky shutter that required me to press a bit harder than I normally would. I'll be curious to see how well a production S2 will work in this regard. I'd like to see where the limits of hand-holding really are.

Lamp post shot wide open
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/180th at f/2.5
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With the help of some very friendly locals, I eventually found my way to the main square. Michael had arrived a few minutes earlier and was enjoying a cold beer outside at one of the restaurants. I joined him and we compared notes before Christian retrieved us for dinner.

Testing for diffraction
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/250th at f/13
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House with Truck
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/1000th at f/5.6
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A late night for the S2

After an enjoyable dinner with the gang at the Burgerhof, I grabbed the S2 and trekked down to the Lahn for some night shooting. One of the benefits of venturing out at midnight to go shooting is that the streets are somewhat deserted. On the other hand, the few people you do run into are all either very drunk, very curious as to why you are taking pictures in the dark, or better yet, both. A few guys stumbling out of a bar chatted me up for a while, then I ran into a group of kids down in Eisenmarkt who looked vaguely familiar. Turns out I photographed them two years earlier, while on the Leica Akademie/Porsche Club trip.

Night shooting out of my hotel room window
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 24 sec at f/4.8, tripod with 2 sec self-timer
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I managed to take a few shots at the waterfront, before heading back to the hotel for the night. One, in particular stands out for me. I used the 180mm to get a tight shot of the stone bridge. A few things really impress me, but do require a little lead-up. I ended up checking my Gitzo tripod bag at MIA on the way over. Despite Lufthansa's best efforts, my tripod did not arrive alive. My GT2541LVL leveling tripod had its leveling column lock snapped off (yes, the 3/8"steel screw snapped in half) while in the loosened position. This made it impossible to tighten the center column and it flopped back and forth. My head, a Gitzo GH1780, was still mostly functional despite having a good bit of its finish scraped off, but had its pan lock snapped off. In order to turn the camera in a vertical position, I had to lift and turn the entire tripod as I couldn't rotate the head's base.

My broken Gitzo GH1780 head with CF card for scale

So, just to recap, I was shooting a medium format 37.5MP camera with a 180mm telephoto lens on a half-broken 0.6 lbs 1 series travel head (the one I use for M8/M9 shooting), mounted to a lightweight 2 series tripod with a loose, wobbly column. I was tired and still getting over my tripod trauma, okay? The result was quite surprising. With just a 2 second self timer and no cable release, the 24 second exposure is tack sharp. Considering it was shot at f/5.6 and ISO 160, we are talking about EV 0, pretty dark. Which makes the fact that I used autofocus and auto exposure even more impressive. So, in the dark, with a poor excuse for a tripod, the S2 delivered, and after the commensurate 24 seconds of dark frame noise reduction, I was rewarded with a totally clean result.

The stone bridge at night. Shot on a broken tripod and head.
S2 with 180mm, ISO 160, 24 sec at f/5.6, tripod and 2 sec self-timer
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Right now, the S2 is limited to a 120 seconds maximum exposure, but I'm confident that this could be extended to much longer times. Given the pre-production nature of this camera and no noise whatsoever at 30 seconds using dark frame subtraction this shouldn't be a problem. Personally, I'd be happy if Leica could increase this to either 30 minutes or 1 hour. Most photographers won't ever use this length of exposure. In fact, the longest I normally go, even with 10 stop ND filters, is 2-3 minutes.

Another day to shoot

Michael and Sean headed home on Thursday morning. I had booked some extra time just in case Leica was willing to let me continue to test the S2. Well, I got lucky and got one extra day to use the camera. I left the hotel with S2 in tow, and proceeded to wander around Wetzlar's old town, as I had done with the M9 just a few days earlier.

Wetzlar Dom - The wire mesh keeping the pigeons out is usually prone to moire, but not here, even wide-open
S2 with 180mm, ISO 160, 1/2000th at f/3.5
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The S2 was a very different experience. Obviously, there was a lot more detail in the files, but the M9 did have the advantage of more lens choices, specifically in wide angles which I was missing with just the 70 and 180mm lenses. I'm very curious to see how the 35mm Summarit will do in this regard, as well as the upcoming 24mm Elmar (or maybe Super-Elmar?).

Scarves - no CA on the metal hooks
S2 with 180mm, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/3.5
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Half-timbered house - nice curtains
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/750th at f/5.6
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I was able to test out the 180mm a little more (not having to share the lens pool). I shot it mostly at either f/3.5 (wide-open) or f/4 and the results were nothing less than phenomenal. I can see why Michael was so taken with the lens. The 180mm is about as close to perfection in a lens as possible. It is shooting at its peak from wide open on, until diffraction kicks in around f/11-f/13. No CA, no distortion, no anything, just flawless from edge to edge. The 70mm is very, very good, to be sure, but I'd give the edge in absolute performance to the 180mm. And while it's tough to put into words, I might argue that the 70mm has a little more "magic" than the 180mm. Obviously, both lenses are extremely solid performers with sharp details and smooth OOF areas. The choice of lenses will ultimately come down to shooting needs. I did shoot some "brick wall" tests with the 70mm wide-open at f/2.5 and was amazed at the sharpness into the corners.

Testting corner sharpness on the 70mm wide-open
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/2.5
View center crop | View corner crop

Changing lenses in the field was no problem and I quickly got used to working with the two lens combo. For my shooting style, I could see myself carrying a three lens kit with the S2, consisting of the 35, 70, and either 120 or 180. I only got to use the 120mm Macro in studio very briefly, which was an early prototype, and look forward to the opportunity to test it further to see which telephoto I would go with. As amazing as the 180mm is, I might go with the 120mm for its added versatility as a dedicated macro lens.

Bridge detail
S2 with 180mm, ISO 320, 1/750th at f/3.5
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After shooting with the camera for two solid days, I got a pretty good feel for what the camera could do. Of course, true mastery of a tool comes with time, and I will need more to get completely comfortable with the S-System.

Guitars
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/250th at f/3.4
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Hospital Chruch (yes, that's the name of the church)
S2 with 180mm, ISO 160, 1/2000th at f/4
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In the hand

The S2 feels great. A lot of attention has been given to ergonomics, and it shows. My hand just felt right at home wrapped around the camera's substantial grip. The cutout for my thumb was perfect and I was totally comfortable dangling the S2 at my side as I trekked up and down hills. Neither Michael nor I were given a neck strap so we were relegated to carrying the camera in hand the entire time. Even in 90 degree heat, with sweaty hands, the S2 remained firmly within grasp.

Michael Reichmann carrying his loaner S2 with 180mm lens sans strap. This was shot with the 70mm, and represents an insanely tight crop from a much larger shot

The lenses, while admittedly large, do provide a very stable grip for your left hand and don't feel that heavy. The rear buttons are within easy reach of your thumbs. The command dial and rear AF button are well placed and can be operated naturally. The large viewfinder eye-piece has nice eye relief and a circular diopter, which can easily be adjusted.

Me, holding the S2 with 180mm lens

The body is solid and extremely well-built. The S2 has a shape and feel that make you want to pick it up and use it. Of course, durability was a key design goal and the body and lenses are thoroughly sealed against dust and moisture. Gaskets abound for both lenses and body. Lenses have unique hydrophobic coatings on the front elements to allow water to sheet off. The newly designed lens mount is large and provides a very snug connection between lens and body without a hint of wiggle. Part of the reason for so few buttons and dials was to minimize possible entry points for water or dust. The 70mm Summarit-S was extended to accommodate the normal focus movement and seal it inside one unmoving tube. Every element was thought out and tested for durability. The only thing that was a bit disappointing for me was the use of plastic instead metal for some of the control elements, like the buttons surrounding the LCD. Considering the care that went into the design, I can only assume that the material choice was a utilitarian one and not a cost-saving issue.

Me, holding the S2 and 180mm. This combo is actually smaller than a 5DmkII with 70-200L

The 4-Button Approach (plus a multifunction thumbwheel)

The S2, similar to Phase One backs, uses a four button control concept. Around the 3" LCD are four soft buttons. When the upper right button is pressed, the camera goes into playback mode, displaying the last picture taken. Press any of the other three buttons and the camera shows the info screen, split into four quadrants. The upper left quadrant shows camera functions, like metering mode, focus mode, advance mode, exposure compensation and flash sync (1st or 2nd). The lower left zone shows image settings, like ISO, resolution, file type (DNG/JPG),color management (for JPG) and white balance. In the upper right, real-time readout of focal length, shooting mode (P, A, S, M), shutter speed, and aperture are displayed. The soft key for this zone is Play, which is the behavior for this key without the screen active. All the other buttons show a color-coded label matching the zone's function. So, if you want to change the WB, you'll see that the current WB is displayed in the Image zone. Press the button and you jump directly to that section of the menu, which is also color coded to match the button labels.

When you are in the menu screens, the button labels stay the same, with the exception of the upper right button. This one switches from Play to Exit, getting you out of the menu. You can also just depress the shutter release half-way and the screen will go blank. By having the buttons active in the menu, you can jump from one area to another without having to scroll through all the options. If you prefer to scroll, the S2's menu allows for this as well, rolling from one menu section to the next.

Overall, this approach works nicely and most users will understand the logic almost immediately.

Menus

You can move between menu items with the thumb dial. To change a menu item setting, depress the dial. This takes you to a very short, very simple submenu with a few choices. Use the dial to select your desired choice and another press of the dial takes you back to the menu. The menu looks very similar to the M9 menu with a similar light grey and white alternating motif. The hi res LCD makes the text very readable and clear. The currently selected option shows as white text on black with a red stroke around it. Only in the submenus that use a black background does this get a little confusing. We made the suggestion that Leica may want to consider changing the background color to a dark gray in the submenus. This way the black highlight won't get lost visually.

Custom Functions

Because the four buttons surrounding the LCD are soft buttons, with no dedicated function, they can be assigned to custom functions in the menu. The upper right button cannot be user-defined, as it is always dedicated to Play (or Exit when in the menu). You can choose from ISO, file format, WB, color management, user profile, off (no custom function), drive mode, focus mode, exposure metering, exposure compensation, exposure bracketing, auto slow sync, flash sync, and mirror up.

When the camera is in normal shooting mode, just press and hold a button for about 1-2 seconds. The custom function will pop up on the LCD and you can make changes to the setting with the wheel. I found using the ISO, drive mode, and EV compensation the best combination. Menu-less, direct access to EV comp and ISO are a no-brainer and drive mode will give you easy access to the self timer mode for MLU.

User Profiles

Another interesting feature is the ability to manage user profiles. Especially useful for the rental market is the option of saving and loading profiles to or from an SD card. For photographers renting an S2, either as a primary camera or as a backup, personal settings can be loaded with just a few menu clicks. For rental studios, cameras can be easily reset to a studio default. Kudos to Leica for thinking about the professional market here.

Playback

In playback , the image takes up almost all of the LCD, which is nice. A thin black banner runs along the top of the image and shows shutter speed, aperture, ISO, a count (ie. 34/67), and whether the image is stored on the CF card or SD card.

To enter the playback mode, just press the upper right button next to the LCD. By default the camera puts you into the zoom view. A white box shows up in the lower right corner, representing the current zoom view. Turn the wheel to the right and you zoom in to the image. The navigation box will show as a black box with an increasingly small white rectangle inside of it. The white area represents the area of the image you are looking at.

To enter scroll mode and move around the zoomed-in picture, depress the thumbwheel again. Now, a red double-ended arrow is shown in the navigation box running horizontal. When the thumbwheel is turned, you move sideways in the image. To change the scroll mode to vertical, press the upper left button, which has a vertical label displayed next to it. Now, the thumbwheel moves you up and down in the image.

If you zoom out beyond the full fit-to-screen, you will get to a thumbnail view, first showing four, then nine images. After you zoom out past the thumbnail view, you can actually select which card you want to view by selecting the icon for either CF or SD.

To switch to the image selection mode, depress the thumbwheel with the image zoomed out to fit (the first screen you see when you enter playback). The white box will go away from the lower right corner and if you turn the thumbwheel in this screen you will move to the next or previous image depending on direction. Then, to zoom in on a particular image, switch back to zoom mode by depressing the thumbwheel again.

Over the years I've grown very accustomed to having dedicated zoom controls (be it a wheel for Leica or buttons for Nikon) and a four-way direction pad to move around an image once zoomed in. The DMR, M8, and M9 controls make a lot of sense and are perhaps more intuitive than how the S2 operates in this regard. Of course, after using the camera for just a short period of time, I got the hang of it. I understand that Leica wants the S2 operation to be minimalistic and uncluttered and I applaud that choice. Too many cameras today have buttonitis, sprouting buttons, knobs, and dials in the most peculiar places. Leica engineers went with a simple and unified design approach that is very appealing, but I still miss my four-way direction pad.

While Leica may have abandoned the four-way direction pad, they did keep the playback info screen largely untouched. Here you have the image reduced to fit in the lower left, with a histogram readout above it. The right side is clear to show the date and time, metering mode, exposure compensation, lens, flash compensation, white balance, resolution, file type, user preset, and full file name. The standard exposure information is still displayed in a black bar on the top of the LCD. You can still zoom in on the image just like the M9 and histogram will update to read out only what is shown in zoom view. This is very handy for judging critical exposure in the field.

Performance and Speed

The S2 performs extremely fast in all areas of operation. The camera turns on immediately and is ready to shoot without delay. Focus is quick and accurate. The shutter release is responsive with an extremely short shutter lag. The mirror blackout feels about as short as a top 35mm DSLR, which makes it worlds better than just about any other medium format system that I've ever used. The mirror itself is very well damped, resulting in very little vibration in the body. Don't expect the classic THUD-CLUNK here with corresponding camera shake. And, of course, the Maestro processor makes easy work of image processing and display. After taking a shot, the image is displayed on the LCD faster than you can take your eye away from the viewfinder. As I mentioned earlier, the display speed comes courtesy of the hardware JPG engine built in to the Maestro chip. Capable of chewing through 160MP/sec, the engine renders a 37.5 MP DNG into a full resolution JPG preview in less than a quarter of a second. Yeah, that's really fast. So, when you zoom in, the image is already rendered at full size.

Stone wall
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/3.4
View 100% crop

Church bell tower
S2 with 180mm, ISO 160, 1/1500th at f/4
View 100% crop

Computing power (not in camera)

The S2 turns out very large files, 72MB apiece to be exact. You really need to be running the fastest machine you can get your hands on if you want to be doing anything besides sitting and waiting.

On this trip, I brought along my recently acquired Dell Precision M6400 mobile workstation, running Windows 7 64-bit. I was the only one on the trip that didn't have a MacBook Pro, but I'm okay with that. I won't get into a Mac vs. Windows debate because I do have a lot of praise for the Mac and I actually used Macs exclusively for a decade. I just find, personally, the PC to be better for my needs right now. Let's leave it at that for now.

When gearing up for the S2, I knew that I'd need some serious computing power, but wanted some degree of portability. This didn't leave too many choices. The Dell offers some unique advantages on the hardware side. It comes with an Intel Extreme quad-core 2.53 Ghz CPU, holds up to16GB RAM in four slots, uses the fastest mobile video card, the Nvidia QuadroFX 3700M with 128 graphics cores and 1GB of DDR3 VRAM, holds two hard drives with on-board hardware RAID, a slot-load optical drive (up to BluRay writer) and offers lots of connectivity options with ExpressCard 54, eSATA, Firewire, Display Port, and plenty of USB ports. It also features an RGB-LED 1920x1200 LCD screen capable of displaying 100% AdobeRGB color gamut (most laptop displays only show about 70% sRBG). In my particular unit, I upgraded to two 256GB SSDs (solid state drives), configured in a RAID 0 (striped) array which is extremely fast, totally silent, and completely shock resistant. My 500GB "drive" reads and writes at over 300MB/sec. Of all the performance enhancements, SSDs will make the most noticeable difference. For the best info on SSD, I'd suggest checking out the computing site AnandTech.com.

Crucial SSDs

HD benchmark on my laptop using 2x SSDs in RAID 0 - Yes, that's over 300MB/sec

I have a Delkin ExpressCard 54 CF reader, which uses the PCI Express interface to get read speeds over 50MB/sec and which sits almost flush inside the EC slot. Combined with my 2x 256GB SSD RAID 0 array and quad-core CPU, I was able to download a full 16GB CF card into LR in 6 minutes, and render full previews in just under another 2 minutes. Granted, I was using Transcend 300X CF cards, not the newer 600X cards at the time, but it is still quite fast. What you don't want to do is use a USB reader, a slow computer, or have too little RAM. If you want to stick to Mac, I'd suggest either a 15 or 17" MBP with 8GB RAM, and a non-Apple SSD like the OCZ Vertex or Crucial 256GB models. Because of the large file sizes, I'd stay away from smaller drives in the 80-120GB range. You'll be relying on slow, spinning, external drives too much for working image storage.

On the desktop side, I'd recommend either an 8-core Mac Pro with lots of RAM or a Core i7 PC system. Make sure to get a fast video card because Adobe is starting to implement CUDA hardware acceleration for their latest applications. CS4 makes some use of video card acceleration, but I'm sure the upcoming CS5 will go even further. My other recommendation is to use the best display possible. I use Eizo monitors, which provide the highest-level of color accuracy.

Brick building
S2 with 70mm, ISO 320, 1/500th at f/4.8
View 100% crop

Battery Life

The S2 uses a proprietary lithium ion battery which has a capacity of 7.4v 2150mAh and which yields a CIPA rating of 1000 shots. There is no battery door like on other systems. You flip the metal switch on the bottom of the camera to release the battery, then press up (in towards the camera body) lightly to take it out. This second light press on the battery itself keeps your expensive proprietary power cell from falling to the pavement. Pretty clever system actually. Loading the battery couldn't be easier. Just push a new battery in and it locks in place with a nice click. I didn't have much practice changing batteries as the charge lasted a really long time. Not Nikon D3 long, but much, much longer compared to say a Hassy or Phase camera.

S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/2.8

During my shooting, one battery lasted for about 600 shots, which means that somewhere in the neighborhood of 50GB of data moved through the camera on a single charge. There was a good amount of night shooting in there as well, with lots of 10 to 30 second exposures. This is usually a sure-fire way to drain a battery in a hurry, but the little battery indicator on the top OLED didn't seem to move much. I'd say for most people two batteries would cover just about any amount of shooting. For those going on extended trips into the wilderness, four batteries would do nicely to cover an entire week's worth of heavy shooting. And because the batteries are very small and light, I don't see this as an issue. Just be sure to carry the twelve 16GB CF cards you'll need to store all the images.

Wetzlar's stone bridge over the Lahn
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/750th at f/4.8
View 100% crop

For those shooting extended studio and location fashion sessions, the Pro Charger makes some sense. It can charge two batteries simultaneously in the same time that the standard charger can recharge a single battery. Set one of these up in the studio and you are good to go, regardless of how fast you fire away.

Street scene - loads of detail and dynamic range
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/6.7
Crop 1 | Crop 2

ISO Range

The S2 offers an ISO range of 160 to 1250, with a Pull 80 setting. Using the Pull 80 setting will cut your dynamic range by one stop as the camera is really overexposing by one stop and clipping the highlights. So, for maximum quality, use ISO 160. As Dr. Zimmer discussed, there might be firmware updates in the future that extend the useable ISO range either by enhanced algorithms or by on-the-fly hardware changes. Our test cameras displayed an ISO range from 100 to 1600 and we were encouraged to only use 100 and 200. In reality, 100 corresponded with 160 and 200 was actually 320. The reality was that the early version of firmware that we were using didn't feature any high-ISO noise reduction, so shooting higher than these settings would tell us very little anyway. And while I didn't see any noise at 100 (160) or 200 (320), actual noise tests will have to wait until the camera is out with final firmware. Medium format digital has never excelled at high-ISO, so it will be interesting to see what the S2 will be able to do here.

And, let's not forget the very well implemented Auto ISO. Just like on the M9, you can set you maximum ISO value and minimum shutter speed. The camera will attempt to maintain your chosen shutter speed by ratcheting up the ISO until you hit your max ISO setting. In the S2, the minimum shutter value has been extended to 1/500th from the M9's 1/125th, which I think will prove useful for getting sharp, handheld shots.

Image quality

In my M9 review, I wrote that the per-pixel look of the M9 was very similar to the M8, which makes sense considering the M9 uses the same sensor architecture and the same lenses as the M8. Before I shot a single frame with the S2, my hope was that the images would have the same level of quality of my M8 or DMR, just with four times as many pixels. Well, this wasn't the case. The reality is that the S2 files don't look anything like M8, DMR, or M9 files on a per-pixel level. They look much, much better. While the M9 is a really great image maker, the S2 blows it away with regards to image quality. I don't mean that the S2 just has twice as many pixels as the M9. I mean to say that if you took an 18 MP crop from the S2 it would put the full capture of an M9 to shame. Yes, really.

Goose
S2 with 180mm, ISO 320, 1/500th at f/3.5
Crop 1 | Crop 2

The S2 files are crisp and clean. There isn't the faintest trace of murkiness in fine details. CA is almost non-existent. Edges are clearly defined with no softness or haziness. Diagonals are precise with no stair stepping. Gradients are smooth. There is a complete lack of noise at low ISO, even into the shadows, but the files have amazing texture and subtlety to them. Yes, details are razor sharp, but transitions are just so gentle and graceful. Skin is rendered beautifully. Leaves on trees in the distance are clear and defined. Textures are perfectly rendered. Out of focus areas are buttery smooth.

Iron gate
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/250th at f/2.8
View 100% crop

Am I gushing too much? The S2 files are really quite marvelous to look at. I lost quite a bit of sleep on my trip, staying up late, just to ogle the images at 100% in Lightroom. It was actually a little addictive. Over two months later and I still find myself sneaking pixel peeps when no one is looking. Perhaps I need help. Or, maybe I just need an S2.

Nice dynamic range and great texture
S2 with 70mm, ISO 160, 1/1500th at f/4
View 100% crop

Final Words (for now)

The S2 represents the first high-end digital camera system designed totally from the ground up. Without the need for legacy support and 100% digital from the start, Leica was free to maximize image quality and minimize body size. The lenses, which have been optimized for the sensor and don't require special software corrections, are arguably the best that Leica has ever made. When compared to other medium format systems, the S2 is faster, with better ergonomics and lighter weight, a superior LCD, a wider range of professional features like dual memory cards and WiFi capability, more rugged construction, and a more advanced and accurate AF system. It represents the first and only MF system to be completely weather sealed. Due to its flexibility, the S2 is as much at home in the rainforest capturing waterfalls as it is in the studio on a high-paced fashion shoot. The bottom line is that the S2 delivers on what it promises, which is to provide medium format digital quality with 35mm DSLR size and handling. To put it simply, the S2 offers ultimate quality with no sacrifice.

S2, shot with S2
S2 with 180mm, ISO 640, 1/250th at f/3.5

Leica S2 Sample Shot

2009-09-10T17:07:00.009-04:00

Now that I'm done with my M9 review, I'm getting back into S2 mode. In about a week, I should be postng a similar in-depth, hands-on review of the S2, from my time with it in Germany. To hold you over till then, I'm providing one of the studio shots I took with the S2 during my test.

Please keep in mind that this is on a pre-production camera with pre-release firmware (the camera read v0.0.0.0). Also, posting the full size JPG wouldn't be practical as it was 38MB, so, I've downsized the full image to 1500x1000 and provided a 1250x1796 pixel 100% crop as well. Enjoy. More to come!

UPDATE: There were some comments made that the images I posted yesterday were oversharpened and that there was noise in the shadows. Upon checking the file on an Eizo monitor today, I wholeheartedly agree. I had previously worked on this image only on my laptop.... good reason to use an Eizo for this type of work. I also thought the color saturation was too high and the image was quite warm. So, I reprocessed the image in Capture One and finished it in Photoshop. Getting a useable conversion out of C1 was very, very difficult without a profile, so the file did require a lot of adjustments in PS to get the colors right. So, please check these new files out and forget I ever posted the other set yesterday. Thank you.

Leica S2 with 70mm Summarit ASPH, ISO 100, 1/125th at f/11

100% Crop (1 pixel on screen is one pixel from the sensor)

Leica M9 Review: Shooting in Wetzlar, Germany

2009-09-10T10:16:00.023-04:00

The Leica M9 could very well be the most anticipated Leica M ever. With film users holding out for a full-frame digital M before making the switch, the tens of thousands of existing M8 users waiting to upgrade, and photographers new to Leica waiting patiently for a camera that wowed them, the M9 has generated an unbelievable response. One of the most frequent questions I've received over the last six months has been, "When will Leica come out with an M9?" My honest answer has always been that I didn't know, just that the M9 was a top priority for Leica. What we didn't know was that they have been quietly working on one since April of last year. Then, back in July I was invited to make a pilgrimage to Germany and get a rare opportunity to test out the S2. No I didn't just make a typo. Yes, this is an M9 review.

Wetzlar's Old Town
M9 with 35mm Summicron ASPH, ISO 160, 1/500th at f/5.6

If you've been reading my blog you have a pretty good idea of how much I've been looking forward to the Leica S2. I had been at the VIP Launch Event in Cologne on the eve of Photokina when the S2 was unveiled. The following days at the show I spent countless hours exploring the camera and gathering information from patient Leica employees. Back in March, I headed out to Las Vegas to get some more answers directly from the S2 product managers and give an update on the status of the camera. All along, I've tried to provide the most in-depth coverage of the S2. Then, I was offered the chance to actually shoot an S2.

How could I refuse such a unique opportunity? I cashed in the frequent flyer miles, cleared my schedule, and prepared for some serious fun. Little did I know that there was more in store for me. Not only would I be working with a production-level S2, but I'd also be shooting with the P864, known more commonly these days as the Leica M9. In this first installment, I'll be covering my experience with the M9, as it seems to really be the main focus at this time and the camera is already en route to dealers around the world. In about a week, I'll be putting up part 2, that focuses in-depth on the S2.

M9 with 35mm Summicron ASPH, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/5.6

In addition to shooting over 1800 pictures with the two cameras over the course of four days, I also got an all-access pass behind the scenes at the factory in Solms. Typically, the factory has a no photography policy (ironic when you think about it). But, I was allowed to shoot both still images (all with the M9, of course) as well as video. This was quite a treat and I even got to don the quintessential white lab coat, complete with light grey check pattern and red Leica dot. Unfortunately, I didn't get to keep it as a souvenir. Following all my camera reports, I'll have a factory tour post.

This trip wasn't done solo. Three other journalists were invited as well: the insightful Michael Reichmann, of Luminous Landscape fame, Sean Reid, the esteemed reviewer of Reid Reviews, and the precocious Phil Askey, creator of one of the largest photo sites on the planet, DPReview. The four of us obviously approach things from different perspectives and I felt fortunate to be among such a venerable crowd. Whether out shooting or just shooting the breeze over good German beer, you couldn't have asked for better companions. We've all enjoyed each other's writing over the years and it was fun to put faces to Internet bylines. Our hosts from Leica were Christian Erhardt, the always likeable and cheery VP of Marketing for Leica Camera USA and our new friend Amy Kosh, S2 product specialist for the US.

Christian Erhardt
M9 with 50 Summilux ASPH, ISO 160, 1/1400th at f/2

Midday on Sunday, August 16th, we all met up in the hotel lobby to take a stroll around Wetzlar's old town. Christian played tour guide and showed us the major sights. For the others, it was their first time. This was my third time there and I always enjoy coming back. If you haven't been to Wetzlar, it is certainly worth a visit. Very friendly people, excellent food, great beer, charming winding cobblestone alleys amongst half-timbered (and some very crooked) houses, all leading down to the river Lahn with a classic arched stone bridge and flanked by lush public parks with shady walking paths. Really nice place. The LHSA Annual Meeting for 2010 is tentatively scheduled for Wetzlar. I attended the last meeting held there, in September 2006 and had a wonderful time. So, if you like Leica and you want to visit its birthplace with a group of like-minded photo enthusiasts, I highly recommend checking it out.

M9 with 24mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/5.6

Getting an M9 in my hands, finally

We got an early start on Monday morning, August 17th, and headed over to the Leica Akademie in the neighboring hamlet of Altenberg . Ralph Hagenauer of Leica was there to present each of us with a loaner M9 (err.. P864) for use during our entire stay. We had our pick of lenses as well, but I had already brought a full set. I had the Wide Angle Tri-Elmar 16-18-21mm f/4 ASPH (known to many as the WATE), Summilux 24mm f/1.4 ASPH (was really curious how this would do on full frame), Summicron 35mm f/2 ASPH (my go-to lens on the M8.2), the always amazing Summilux 50mm f/1.4 ASPH, and my trusty Elmarit 90mm f/2.8 (why did they stop making this one again?). I did opt to borrow a Universal Wide Angle Viewfinder (known to some as the Frankenfinder, although not to me), as I usually just use a Zeiss 21mm external finder on the M8.2 for my WATE.

After removing all my IR filters and stowing them away (hooray!), we headed out on the Akademie's grounds for half an hour or so just to get familiar with the camera. This proved to be quite easy as it felt and sounded just like my M8.2. The body is the exact same with a cosmetic change to the top plate. The circular frame counter and battery status LCD has been removed and the end now features a stair-step rounded cutout. Leica felt that this makes the M9 feel less blocky and look more like the M7 (sans rewind crank, of course).

M9 with 90mm Elmarit, ISO 160, 1/125th at f/2.8

So, while on this topic, what exactly are the changes from the M8/M8.2 to the M9? Starting with the cosmetics, the top plate is shaved down a bit on one side, as I mentioned above, the Protect button on the rear is now the ISO button (see, Leica was listening), the black dot that used to be a red dot is now a red dot again and the black hot shoe that used to be silver is silver again as well. What we ultimately end up with is a black paint original M8 with a profile like an M7 and Vulcanite covering like an M8.2. Confused? Oh, and let's not forget the addition of the steel grey paint finish option, which looks pretty sharp. It has a smooth surface, almost identical to the black paint, just differing in color and featuring the "smooth sandpaper" finish of the original M8. Ah, and there is one more thing. In order to make the M9 more affordable, there is no more Sapphire Glass LCD screen. I actually like this feature on my M8.2, and Leica has stated that it might be offered as an optional upgrade at a later point. The actual LCD is improved, though. Still 235,000 pixels, the screen is now visible in bright sunlight. After using the M9 for several very bright summer days I can attest to Leica's claim. The screen is extremely good outside.

M9 in Steel Grey with Silver Chrome 50mm Summilux ASPH

Now, under the hood. The M9 is packing the Kodak KAF-18500 CCD, which is an 18.5 MP full frame (24x36mm) sensor. It features a new offset microlens structure, revised 0.8mm IR cover glass, and new red filter in the Bayer color filter array. The sensor is capturing 14-bits per pixel, and supports an ISO range of 80-2500 (base of 160), with the promise of 1-1.5 stops of improved high ISO performance. In order to accommodate 80% more data throughput, Leica is now sporting twin DSPs and upped the RAM to accommodate nine shots with almost double the pixels in the buffer . The main PCB board and image processing algorithms are still developed by Jenoptik, the same partner as the original M8.

Many had thought (including myself) that the M9 would feature the Maestro ASIC chip, but Leica felt that in order to expedite development, staying with the same partner and building on the existing framework of the M8 would be a better approach. Some things were taken from the S2 project, like the algorithms for high-ISO optimization, which were shared with Jenoptik. Leica has branched out to the academic community as well, working closely with some talented image processing experts from the University of Cologne for noise reduction algorithms. With the amount of talk on high-ISO, you can see that Leica has placed a large emphasis in this area.

Meeting with Stefan Daniel

After departing the Akademie with gear and goodies, we headed over to the factory in Solms for a meeting with Stefan Daniel, Product Manager for the M System and super-nice guy. That day was actually Stefan's 25 year anniversary with Leica. He started as an apprentice in the machine shop when he was just 16 years old, and has now worked his way up to manage Leica's largest product family. Additionally, Stefan has the added responsibility of overseeing all products (not just M) as the Director of Product Management.

Stefan Daniel
M9 with 50mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 250, 1/180th at f/1.4

Stefan gave us the lowdown on all the changes and improvements, as well as some of the thinking behind the M9 development. We also discovered (later at dinner) the origin of the P864 moniker. P stands for project (kind of obvious) and 864 is the product of 24 and 36 (not as obvious, but clever nonetheless). Funnily enough, the name was cryptic enough that certain journalists (we won't mention names...protect the innocent...all that) couldn't keep the numbers straight, so everyone just started changing the name at random, until finding one we all really latched onto to: the B-52, or "bomber." Close enough. But my experience with the camera tells me that the M9 will be anything but a bomb.

The two most significant advances from the M8 are pretty obvious: it offers a full-frame 24x36mm capture and doesn't suffer from IR sensitivity. So, no crop factor and no IR filters, precisely what the Leica community has been hoping for. Leica has been telling us for quite some time that both of these items were near impossible obstacles to overcome. So, what happened? The first step was to go further with offset micro lenses. In the Kodak KAF-18500 CCD, the pixel spacing is increased towards the corners to accommodate even greater offsets. The second step was to increase the thickness of the IR cover glass from 0.5mm to 0.8mm, which, combined with a new type of IR-absorbing glass, eliminates IR bleed and still preserves red channel information into the corners. With a new red color filter in the Bayer matrix, the red channel performance is improved further, increasing accuracy and tonal range.

No green reflections from an IR filter
M9 with 50mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/1.4

6-Bit coding and manual lens selection

Even with the revisions to the sensor and cover glass, cyan drift is still an issue in the corners due to the steep angle of incidence. A brief trip back to high school geometry and the Pythagorean Theorem teaches us that the light rays striking the corner of the sensor travel a greater distance through the IR filter than the light rays striking the center. As such, the M9 uses 6-bit coding data to correct for both vignetting and cyan drift. Don't have a 6-bit coded lens? No problem. Leica has finally implemented a manual lens selection option. This has been on the most-requested feature list for quite some time, and, with new firmware development, could finally be implemented on the M9. Apparently, retrofitting the M8 firmware with this option wasn't a practical possibility. With 36 different manual lens selection options (yes, I counted them), every lens from the WATE at 16mm to the 135mm APO-Telyt are covered. Lenses are organized by focal length, then maximum aperture and include Leica model numbers for easy identification.

M9 with Wide-Angle-Tri-Elmar @16mm, ISO 1250, 1/10th at f/6.3, handheld

I must admit to a bit of user error here. Shooting inside the Wetzlar Dom, I used the manual lens selection to set my WATE at 16mm when I noticed the camera didn't prompt me like the M8 does. Then, after I changed lenses and headed back outside, I forgot to set the camera back to Auto. So, I have a good number of shots that are meta-tagged as 16mm that were really shot on my 35 and 50 lenses. Incidentally, the correction being done is so non-aggressive that I don't see any real problems (red corners, etc) with these files. I found out later that in Auto mode, when the WATE is mounted, the 18mm setting is selected by default as it works well for all three focal lengths.

M9 with Wide-Angle-Tri-Elmar @16mm, ISO 1600, 1/30th at f/5.6, handheld

A suggestion that I made to Stefan later than night was to have an option or default behavior that would either alert the user when a non-matching 6-bit coded lens was mounted in Manual mode or just reset it back to Auto. Personally, I'd prefer the latter option as I'd want any 6-bit coded lens to be recognized when I forget to reset the menu (similar to Nikon's handling of Non-CPU lenses). Currently, the selected lens is retained even when switching between Manual and Auto and back again. With the failsafe, this behavior could be kept. We may see some slight tweaking to this functionality in future firmware releases, but as it is, most users will be extremely happy.

I won't bore you with all the manual lens selection menus, but there are 36 lens choices available

A closer look through the viewfinder (rev. 3)

The M9 uses the same viewfinder from the M8 and M8.2, with a 0.68x magnification. The thickness of the body, which is the exact same as the M8, dictates that the eyepiece have a negative magnification. This also allows for greater eye relief, nice for eyeglass wearers like myself. Of course, with a larger sensor comes larger frame lines. For me, the 35mm lines are already close to the periphery, while the 28mm lines are out of view unless I look side-to-side and up-and-down. I'd say that the 28mm lines on the M9 are further out than the 24mm lines on the M8. I thought that perhaps the new 18mm viewfinder might be a nice solution for me, allowing me to have a small, compact viewfinder for my WATE, while also providing the inner (M8) frame lines for use with my 24mm Lux. The other two options which I'm considering are the Universal Wide-Angle Viewfinder or the 21-24-28mm Vario Finder. Either way, for eyeglass wearers who want to shoot wide angle lenses on the M9, I think that external viewfinders are going to be a fact of life.

Tight wide-angle framing: Spicy Mini
M9 with 24mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 160, 1/180th at f/2

With the elimination of the 24mm lines and addition of the 135mm frame, the alignment has changed as well. On the M8, we had wildly inaccurate framing set for a distance of 0.7m. Then, the M8.2 brought salvation with a distance setting of 2m. Apparently, perfect at 2m and beyond wasn't good enough. The M9 now has its frame lines calibrated for 1m, somewhere between the two previous attempts. How was rev. 3? Well, not too bad. Close-up was perfect, medium distance was very close and infinity gave just a bit more than I saw. All-in-all, this wasn't a step backwards for me. Leica felt that the 1m distance was a decent compromise and allows for more accurate framing for close quarters shooting, and I have to agree. Maybe the next round could be 1.5m, just to cover the whole gamut, or maybe 1m really is the sweet spot. The M7 and MP are set at 1m, and I never had any issues when shooting with these.

Framing is accurate enough for my brick wall test
M9 with 35mm Summicron ASPH, ISO 400, 1/125th at f/4

Bigger frame, different meter

Another consequence of increasing the sensor size was accuracy of metering. If the M8 meter was kept, it would be less center-weighted and act more like a spot meter, given the larger capture area. So, Leica went again to the M7 for inspiration. The M9 uses an elliptical-shaped center-weighted meter, very similar to its film brethren. To accommodate the larger active area, the shutter blades above and below the white-striped center blade are colored a middle grey tone. This mixture gives the M9 a feathered, center-weighted pattern which proved to be very accurate in my test shooting.

M9 with 50mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 160, 1/250th at f/5.6

No top LCD, new Info screen

For styling purposes, Leica changed the top plate. For usability reasons, they removed the top deck, circular status LCD screen. Truthfully, with a lack of illumination, limited accuracy of battery life indication, and a three digit limit on the frame counter, the LCD had some shortcomings. Some people had thought that the top-deck color OLED of the S2 might find its way onto the M9. Well, this didn't happen and while the OLED is very cool, the clean design of the M9 is welcome in a very digital world. In lieu of a top-deck LCD or OLED, Leica opted to use the Info button and provide a new status screen. In regular shooting mode, just press the Info button to activate it. On the rear LCD, you get two horizontal bars, one for battery life and the other for SD memory card capacity, with green to indicate level remaining and red to show amount depleted. The bars are broken into 25% increments, with an additional marking at 10%. Actual MB remaining on the SD card is displayed directly below the visual indicator bar. Directly under this is a remaining pictures counter, a live shutter speed readout (when the meter is active), and a display of what lens is on the camera. The lens is either read through the 6-bit code in Auto mode or shows the current manual lens selection. The display is easy to see at a glance, with good use of color and the combined analog-style bar-charts and digital counter readouts. I did have to catch myself on multiple occasions though. Out of habit, I'd lightly depress the shutter release and glance down at the top of the camera to see battery and CD card status. Even after a few days with the M9, I continued to do this, but was able to train myself to use the Info button instead.

The M gets bracketing

The M9's auto bracketing feature is really, really cool. In the menu, you select the number of frames, either 3, 5 or 7, the sequence (-/0/+ or 0/-/+) and the EV steps (0.5, 1, 1.5, or 2EV). In the SET menu, you have the option to turn bracketing on or off. Just turn this option to On and press the shutter release, or do as I do and use the 2 sec self-timer. The camera automatically shoots the bracketing sequence just by varying shutter speed. I did notice, though, that when shooting at night, the camera opted to shoot a sequence one image short. I discovered that the last shot would have required a shutter speed longer than 32 seconds, which is the maximum in A mode. So, I don't classify this as a bug, just something to be aware of.

M9 with 50mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 160, 1/2 sec at f/5.6, tripod and auto bracketing

M9 with 35mm Summicron ASPH, ISO 160, 1 sec at f/5.6, tripod and auto bracketing

Also note that all of the EV steps aren't always available, depending on your settings. The bracketing range is +/- 3EV, meaning that if you chose to shoot 7 frames, you won't be able to use 1.5 or 2EV steps, only 0.5 or 1EV. For 5 frames, you could go up to 1.5EV steps and for 3 frames, you can utilize 2EV steps. I found the auto bracketing feature extremely useful for night shooting on a tripod. While it does create a fair amount of extra data, you don't have to be so precise in tricky lighting situations.

Soft release and/or discrete... choices, choices

A new feature introduced on the M9 is the really nice soft release option. The shutter release button has multiple activation points as you press down. The very first press activates the meter and wakes the camera from a power-saving sleep. The second position usually enables AE lock and the third releases the shutter. Some users felt that pressing down the entire way created unnecessary movement on slower shutters speed (ie. The stabbing effect). Leica responded to this by having the camera fire when you get to the second shutter release spot, requiring very little pressure and consequently allowing for smoother triggering. When you combine the Soft option with Discrete advance, you get the ultimate stealth machine - a hair trigger and a separate advance.

At first the Soft mode felt too sensitive, so I just used the camera in my usual Discrete mode. But, after a short period of trying out the Soft mode again, I felt it gave me a real advantage for hand-holding at slower speeds and I started using it for all my shooting. If you give this option a chance, I think you'll have a hard time turning it off. The only drawback is the loss of the AE lock, which is solved by the ever-so-sweet revised Exposure Compensation.

Soft release helps
M9 with 24mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 640, 1/30th at f/2.8, handheld

Really sweet Exp Comp options

In the M8.2, Leica added the ability to half-press the shutter and turn the rear wheel to effect an EV change which you could see in the viewfinder. This sounded so nice in theory, but in practice just never worked for me. The touch had to be just right on the shutter release and the contorted position my hand took trying to keep light pressure on the button, while attempting to spin the thumb wheel, just wasn't very comfortable or natural. A new option in the M9's menu made me a very happy shooter. You can now select EV comp through the menu only (like M8), using the thumb wheel only (called setting ring in menu), or the wheel plus shutter release (Like M8.2). That middle option is one of the best improvements on the M9. Seriously. Look through the viewfinder and lightly spin the thumb wheel. EV compensation is displayed clearly in the viewfinder and no right hand acrobatics are necessary. The thumbwheel adjustment proved to be a valuable asset for my shooting style, especially when combined with the soft release.

Direct ISO control

I think I still hear the cheers on this one. One of the first things you notice is the ISO button on the left side of the LCD. Gone is the little-used Protect button (you can still access protect functionality in playback via the SET button, if you must). To change the ISO, just push the ISO button and turn the thumb wheel or use arrow keys to select. Options include Auto ISO, Pull 80, then 160 through 2500 in 1/3 stops, arranged in a three by five grid. Just like other menus, you can navigate by the thumb wheel or the direction keys.

Direct ISO control on a button

ISO menu in 1/3rd stops

Another new item is the Pull 80 ISO setting. The native sensitivity of the sensor is 160, not 80, so this setting is not going to improve noise or sharpness. In fact, the dynamic range will be slightly less as a result of the 1 stop pull. What’s nice, though, is the ability to shoot f/1.4 in bright daylight without an ND filter. And, in my testing, I found the ISO 80 setting to be very good quality. Get out those fast luxes.

M9 with 50mm Summilux ASPH, ISO Pull 80, 1/4000th at f/1.4

M9 with 90mm Elmarit, ISO Pull 80, 1/1000th at f/2.8

A few other odds and ends

Because we've all missed a shot or two by flipping the shooting mode selector switch to self-timer by accident, Leica has come to the rescue with a 0 sec self-timer menu setting. In other words, it disables the self-timer and makes the shutter release behave like it would in single shot mode. Just another example of working to address user concerns.

The addition of a Mass Storage USB mode should make Mac users happy (the three that are using USB anyway) as OS X had issues with the PTP protocol.

The histogram setup is revised, adding options for clipping settings. You can choose for the camera to warn you on over and underexposures, on just overs, or not at all. Other histogram features like single channel or RGB, and duration are unchanged. Zooming in on an image in Info Playback still changes the histogram to reflect the zoomed portion, which is helpful for challenging contrast ratios.

Did I mention that the S mode is gone from the shutter speed dial? Well, not on the dial at least. Leica buried it as the Snapshot Profile under Set User Profiles in the SET menu, for those special times when you really want to...hmm…. I actually can't think of any times to use it. Well, let's just rejoice in the fact that it's mostly gone and we gain 8sec on the dial, great for manual night shooting.

No "S"

And last, but certainly not least is the option to store either compressed 8-bit DNGs or uncompressed 16-bit DNGs. Hmm. Let me think about this one for a second to see which I'd recommend. Of course, if you are looking to get the most quality out of the M9, you should only shoot uncompressed DNGs. The DMR had 16-bit RAW files, then the M8 limited us to non-linear compressed 8-bit DNGs. While I certainly have no complaints about the quality of my M8 files, I have always wondered what I was missing out on. Now, I don't have to wonder anymore. With just shy of 1,000 M9 files under my belt and in my Lightroom Catalog I have a pretty good feel for what the files are capable of handling, which brings me conveniently to the real test - actual shooting. After lunch and an incident involving a wasp, a hat, a salad, and my lap, we headed back to Wetzlar for a change of clothes and five hours of wandering and shooting.

Shooting with the M9

Shooting with the M9 was a blast. It was so familiar coming from the M8.2, yet the subtle improvements were welcome. The revised LCD was so easy to see in the bright sun. The direct ISO button with 1/3 stop increments was convenient, as was the revised EV compensation control. Manual lens selection was good, but could potentially lead to a bit of user error (as happened with this user - see above). I could also immediately see that the M9 was holding more highlight detail in high-contrast, mid-day lighting situations. If I had to guess, I'd say that DR was increased by 1 stop in the highlights. So far, so good.

Better dynamic range - On an M8, this shot would be blown out.
M9 with 50mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 160, 1/1400th at f/4

Lenses on full-frame, again

Mysteriously (or not so mysteriously), the 50 Lux ASPH just kept finding its way back onto the front of my loaner M9. While the 35 Cron ASPH has been my go-to lens for the last couple of years on the M8, it felt much wider than I was used to. I had to literally relearn what focal lengths I liked on full frame, which is crazy considering I've been shooting film since I was 7 years old and only stopped four years ago.

M9 with 50mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 160, 1/710th at f/2.8

The 90 felt a bit short and I had wished that I borrowed a 135 APO-Telyt to try out. The WATE was really, really wide, but quite fun. And that 50 Lux ASPH was just marvelous as it stretched its legs on full frame again. I did end up finding a place for my initially neglected 35, and it served well as a moderate wide-angle, just as it was designed to do. In fact, I found the 35 Cron ASPH to be one of the sharpest lenses I used on the M9 with its characteristic color and snap that I love so much. Ultimately, this lens will stay in my bag, just serving a different role.

M9 with 35mm Summicron ASPH, ISO 160, 1/1000th at f/4.8

M9 with Wide-Angle-Tri-Elmar @ 16mm, ISO 160, 1/180th at f/11, Leica mini-tripod

The 24 Lux on the M9 behaved like the 18 on the M8, which is to say it felt very wide for me. I can see the new 21 and 24 Luxes being popular for low-light reportage photography and opening up some really interesting creative possibilities, but for most the 28 will probably become the most popular wide-angle lens choice. With the compact, distortion-free, and affordable 28 Elmarit ASPH and the stunning and not much larger 28 Cron ASPH to choose from, this won't be too much of a problem. 28 was another focal length that I wish I tried out during my test run with the M9, but unfortunately Leica didn't offer me a Sherpa to carry the entire arsenal of Leica M glass. I had to carry what I wanted to use, and I limited myself to five lenses, which is the limit of what I'd normally pack in my bag.

M9 with 24mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 160, 1/350th at f/8

I predict a fair amount of shifting around of lenses when people start really using the M9. I imagine many will once again adopt the 28, 35, 50, 90 pantheon. For some, the 35 will be the main attraction. For others, like myself, the 50 will shine. The wider lenses, like the 18, 21, and 24 will still find a place for full frame shooters. M9 users will reap the benefits of the recent focus on spectacular wide-angle lens options developed since the introduction of the M8, like the WATE, 18 Super-Elmar, 21 Lux, 24 Lux, and 24 Elmar. I'll be curious to see how lenses like the 75 APO-Summicron and 75 Summarit fare, as 75 will be 75 again, rather than 100. I could see those wishing to minimize going to a 35 and 75 combo, which was the equivalent of 28 and 50 on the M8. I'll be trying out more lens combinations as I start to use the M9 as my daily shooter.

M9 with 24mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 160, 1/710th at f/2

Performance and speed

Even though the M9 is pushing 80% more pixels, it does feel a little faster than the M8. By doubling the processing power and using twin DSPs instead of one, Leica is able to eek out a small performance gain. My camera had the latest (at the time) firmware version 0.912, in other words, a pre-release version. Stefan assured us that optimizations were still being done to improve image playback and review speed at 100% view. If I had to put a number to it, I'd say that the M9 felt about 25% faster than the M8 with this early firmware, which is certainly not earth-shattering, nor anywhere as fast as the S2. Unfortunately, this was a case of sticking with the tried and true in order deliver a full-frame digital M to market in a timely way. As I mentioned before, switching to the Maestro chip, while being much faster and more powerful, would have also meant much more development time. Had Leica gone this route, we probably wouldn't have seen the M9 till Photokina 2010, a full year longer. The other advantage of staying the course with regards to CCD sensor architecture, image processing and working with Jenoptik, is that the files coming out of the M9 look like M8 files with more pixels. This point is important. I've read so many comments online about wanting this exact result. The M8 is a phenomenal image maker. The quality of the files bests cameras with significantly higher numbers in the megapixel department. So, to have the M9 produce an almost identical per-pixel look and feel is great news for Leica digital shooters, especially considering the jump from 10 to 18MP.

M9 with 50mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 640, 1/125th at f/1.4

Battery life is quite good. I found that my battery life tracked my 16GB SDHC card almost perfectly on the info display. At a bit over 400 pictures on this card, it's not too bad considering the size of the images. And yes, the battery is identical to the battery used in the M8. This is excellent news for people like me who have a fair amount of extra batteries laying around.

Image quality

Yes, the image quality is excellent. No, there are no surprises. No IR issue. No green blobs. No freezing cameras. As Stefan put it, the M9 in the prototype stage is well ahead of where the M8 was at launch. They have learned quite a lot in the last three years.

I shot with the M9 over the course of a few days, shooting in bright sun, indoors, and at night. I used the ISO range from 80 to 1600. My impressions when looking at the files on my laptop in Lightroom over in Germany were very good. Now that I've had some more time with them and had a chance to make a bunch of 20x30 inch prints, I'm pretty confident in the conclusion I mentioned earlier, but I think bears repeating: The M9 files look almost identical to M8 images on a per-pixel level and when viewed in print up to 20x30.

M9 with 50mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 800, 1/125th at f/1.4

M9 with 50mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 800, 1/180th at f/1.4

There is a noticeable improvement in the ability to hold highlights and the high ISO performance is also improved, although not by a huge amount, in my initial opinion. I can't speak authoritatively on this topic quite yet. All my M8/M8.2 processing over the last three years has been in Capture One and all my M9 images are going through Lightroom, which was lacking cameras-specific profiles during my test. I'd hope that fully tweaked, the noise performance will be even better than what I've been seeing. While the current C1 v4.8.2 doesn't recognize M9 files for import, the previous v4.8.1 does (you can download previous versions from the archive). I played briefly with some ISO 1600 shots in both programs. C1 offers some more aggressive noise reduction adjustments and really cleans up shadows at the slight expense of fine mid tone detail. LR has more clumpiness in shadows, but the details and overall image look more natural and pleasing. I didn't go so far as to try specialized software like Noise Ninja or Nik Define. The bottom line here is that we're certainly not looking at Nikon D3 low light ability, but I think that with proper workflow (and expected profiles for the M9 from Adobe) as well as good exposure, 1250 ISO should be comparable to the 640 ISO we have on the M8.2 today. Proper exposure plays an important role. If your high ISO shots are even the tiniest bit underexposed, noise becomes a real issue when boosting exposure back up in post.

M9 with 24mm Summilux ASPH, ISO 400, 1/125th at f/5.6

Also, because of the pixel count increase, I didn't need quite as much enlargement for each given print size. I found some 20x30s I ran from ISO 1250 files looked every bit as clean and detailed from M8 prints shot at ISO 640. So, while you can get an overall feel for image quality by pixel peeping on screen, nothing will tell you the final print quality besides actually printing big and looking at it.

M9 with 35mm Summicron ASPH, ISO 160, 1/710th at f/5.6

Overall, the color tones and feel echo the M8, which is my basic point. The M9 produces M8 quality with more pixels, slightly less noise and more dynamic range. One caveat, though. With all this shooting, I never shot a single JPG. Not one. Considering that Stefan told us that the JPG output had been significantly improved over the M8, I really should have. The reality is that I shoot an all-RAW workflow and I believe most people looking to get the most out of the camera will do the same. Once I get my M9 in the next few weeks (customer orders come first, after all), I plan on experimenting with in-camera JPGs vs. LR-processed DNG files.

Conclusion

I fully expect the M9 to be a home run for Leica. Just about every user request made since the M8 came to market has been addressed and implemented. Full frame? Check. No IR filters? Check. Ability to use non-coded lenses? Check. Direct ISO button? Check. Better LCD? Check. Better ISO performance? Check. More megapixels? Check. Soft release? Check. It's all in there. If the M8 represented a pivotal move to digital, the M9 shows the full potential of what is possible in a digital M body. While not revolutionary, this natural evolution is exactly what 99% of M users have been waiting for. Taken as a whole, the Leica M9 is the most compact, highest quality image-making tool on the market, with a full frame sensor looking through gorgeous Leica M glass. And isn't that what it's all about anyway?

Official Tech Specs for the Leica S2

2009-08-14T14:43:00.006-04:00

I just received the official, final tech specs on the Leica S2. I'm actually traveling and don't have a lot of time to make this look pretty, so here it is. I will post more details later and some of my initial impressions, as well.

Camera type:
Digital single-lens reflex camera for use with Leica S lenses

Image sensor:
Low-noise Kodak CCD sensor. Resolution: 37.5 megapixels (7,500 x 5,000).

Size: 45 x 30mm, pixel spacing: 6µm. Aspect ratio: 3:2.

Dynamic range: 12 stops

Color depth: 16 bits per pixel

Low-pass filter: none (Moiré detection and suppression using digital signal processing)

Sensitivity range: ISO 80 to 1250 (manual or automatic control)

Data storage (format): DNG (approx. 75 MB per image), JPEG (basic or fine),

Memory cards: Compact Flash (up to 64 GB), SD cards (HC)

Maximum frame rate:
1.5 images/s, buffer memory: 1 GB (for a minimum sequence of 8 images in DNG format)

Control monitor:
3-inch TFT with 460,000 pixels, 16 million colors, cover glass: highly abrasion and scratch resistant sapphire glass (only with the LEICA S2-P)

Connections:
High-speed USB 2.0 (robust connection with strain-relief, cable included), HDMI, remote release, X sync, SCA3002

Exposure metering:
Multi-field metering (5 fields), center-weighted integral metering, spot metering (3.5%)

Exposure control:
Program mode (with Shift function), shutter priority, aperture priority, manual metering

Shutter:
Metal focal-plane shutter integrated in body: 1/4000 s to 32 s (B to 120 s)

Flash sync time: 1/125 s

Optional leaf shutter in selected lenses: 1/500 s to 32 s

Flash synch time: All speeds

Flash operation:

Metering method: TTL (multi-field, center-weighted, spot), TTL-HSS rapid synchronization up to 1/4000 s with focal plane shutter

Compatibility: fully compatible with LEICA SF 58 and devices with SCA3002 adapters

Auto Focus: Central crosshair sensor, focusing drive in lens

Operating Modes: AF Continuous, AF Single, MF, MF Override

Viewfinder:
High eye-point pentaprism viewfinder

Magnification: 0.86x

Viewfinder field: 96%

Diopter compensation: -3 to +1

Focusing screen: Matte with cross-hairs (interchangeable)

Power supply:
Li-Ion battery (7.4 V, 2150 mAh)

Housing:
Die-cast magnesium, resistant to dust and dripping/splashing water

Size (without lens): 6.29 x 4.72 x 3.15 in

Weight: 49.73oz (including battery)

Scope of supply Software:
Adobe Lightroom, Leica Image Shuttle, one battery, charging unit, USB cable