Forum Replies Created
I'd sure like to see a lower base ISO too, even 35 as in the IQ180. Shooting with the S lenses wide open often requires an ND filter at ISO 160 because of their superb speed — definitely an annoyance for landscape work. As broad an ISO range as is practically possible would be great!
Dave
Somewhere down the road I hope to see a mirrorless S body with a somewhat smaller form factor. No mirror slap, enabling sharper images with long lenses such as 350mm and no advantage for a CS lens. Right now, it'd likely take a major feature such as that to have me set aside the S2 and lay out the required funds for a new body…
Dave
David Duffin;1421 wrote: Marc,
I'd like to get a handheld setup for the S2/SF58 combo similar to yours. Which radio remote do you use? Is the handstrap a Leica model?
Thanks!
Marc,
No need to reply — I found the details on one of your prior posts on l-camera forum…
David
fotografz;1417 wrote: Georg, my advice based on a lot of experience would be to be careful with the Fong diffuser. The SF58 will constantly flop forward due to the weight of that diffuser and it likes to fall off at the most inopportune times. Plus, it really wastes a lot of light by scattering it all over the place including behind you … okay in very tight quarters, but wasteful otherwise. You can add accessories to throw more light forward, but it adds even more weight to the unit.
With the S2 you cannot afford to waste any light from the SF58.
A couple of additional considerations:
The Metz bounce for shooting landscape oriented group shots that I mentioned above:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/706726-REG/Metz_MZ_58235_Bounce_Diffuser.html
And for general shooting indoors with Tungsten lighting where you just tilt the flash head at 45º and shoot. It helps with the color balance issue using daylight flash in a Tungsten environment … not great for long distance shots, but excellent at normal and close distances like at a reception and dancing shots.
Personally, I find all these to be compromises for shooting people and now use a 12″ softbox on my SF58 when ever I can … either directly on-camera, or using a Nikon cord and Lowel grip to provide directional quality to the light:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/621560-REG/Interfit_STR104_STR104_Strobies_White_Interior.html
Speaking of off-camera … that is the single most productive thing you can do creatively … I frequently use a radio controlled set-up with the SF58 set on A, and shoot one-handed which requires the use of a hand-strap. (see attached).
Not trying to get complicated, just sharing alternative thoughts beyond just the OPs request, just in case anyone is interested in the possibilities with the Lighting and the S2,
-Marc
Marc,
I'd like to get a handheld setup for the S2/SF58 combo similar to yours. Which radio remote do you use? Is the handstrap a Leica model?
Thanks!
Stuart Richardson;1253 wrote: Why wouldn't you just take a photo and then delete it? It seems like it would accomplish the same thing, only without any buttons or special features.
Stuart,
The whole point of this would be to avoid having to delete images, either from the card or from hard disk after import. A new button would not be required — the function would either be assigned to one of the five existing buttons, or alternatively whichever button you have assigned to EV might be used. (In the latter case, activating the shutter while the EV button is pressed would take a test shot, convert to jpeg for display on the LCD, generate a histogram etc. but skip the write cycle).I'm always reluctant to delete images in the camera because of prior experiences with file structure corruption on the card. At least for me, such a function would be a timesaver.
allegretto;1228 wrote: what a wonderful idea! 😉
Not so sure. An evaluation mode might be more practical where the shutter would be used simultaneously with another assigned “do not store” button. A resulting test image would be displayed on the LCD without a timeout so that histogram, focus, framing could be evaluated in the usual fashion without the image being written to the card.
It seems a shame to clutter the S2's relatively clean user interface with additional functions that may not see mainstream use. But I think I'd use such a feature often to ensure that EV is set satisfactorily, especially in conditions where the light is subject to change.
How about a true RAW histogram that actually tells us what we are shooting pre-shot?
Of course the shutter must activate to capture a raw for analysis — do you envision this action being assigned to a function button?
Mark,
A beautiful shot! Nice work with the colours. It's interesting how the combination of pollution and overhead cloud can produce those browns in the sky — we see it here occasionally but not often.
My first post here.
I'm a retired engineer — an extremely fortunate one, as I have an M9 with several lenses, an S2 with all four lenses plus a 30mm on order, and an Alpa SWA with IQ180 and Schneider and Rodenstock optics. In all, the S2 gets used for about 80% of my images! The other two rigs now each get used maybe 10%.
But I can't see myself giving up any of the three. The speed of the 24/1.4, the 35/1.4, and the speed and rendering of the 50/0.95 make the M-series irreplaceable for low-light shots. The rise capability of the Alpa and the superb resolution of the IQ180 can't be beaten for landscape shots when time and light conditions permit.
The S2 gets by far the most use in normal light because the sensor resolution is all that's usually needed, the battery life is great, it's weather-sealed, rugged, easy to focus, and the lenses are incomparable. As near-perfect a camera system as I've found. The only minor annoyances occur during my frequent lens changes when having to dismount and remount the bulky lens shades instead of retracting them and the seemingly constant difficulty getting the front lens caps properly seated without close inspection. Simple slide-on aluminum lens caps would be better.
Don't get me wrong, the S2 system is superb as-is, but nevertheless I do have a wants list:
1. A Leica-quality 70-200mm equivalent zoom
2. Delivery of long-awaited microprism focusing screen
3. Brighter indications of aperture, ISO, and EV settings in viewfinder
4. Improved response when tethered
5. Elimination of “beyond-infinity” manual focus travel on the lenses
6. Improved and extended high-ISO performance
