Godfrey
somewhat colored
I sold off a good bit of gear, including both of my long R telephoto lenses, to acquire the APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280 lens with the notion that its image stabilization would net more usage and better results for me than the long R lenses did. I haven't yet made any exposures worth of the name "photograph" with it, I'm still just experimenting to learn it and become accustomed to its size and weight.
I remain astonished with how effective the image stabilization actually is!
The following is a simple, casually made hand-held test snap at 1/50 second - image data directly out of camera as JPEGs.
Full frame downsized to 1200x800, above.
100% detail @ 1200x800 pixels, below.
Leica SL + APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm f/2.8-f/4
ISO 3200 + f/4 + 1/50 sec, hand-held
JPEG directly out of camera. IPTC data added with LR6.9.
Click either image to download full resolution image.
To be clear, that exposure is about six times longer than I would even consider shooting a non-stabilized 280mm telephoto at, and likely 12x longer than I actually would. I find its detailing and lack of camera motion absolutely remarkable for that long a hand-held exposure. This is exactly what I was hoping for... so I'm pretty darn pleased. Not to mention that the lens is otherwise a light-year ahead of my old R lenses with respect to overall performance from wide-open to f/16.
G
I remain astonished with how effective the image stabilization actually is!
The following is a simple, casually made hand-held test snap at 1/50 second - image data directly out of camera as JPEGs.
Full frame downsized to 1200x800, above.
100% detail @ 1200x800 pixels, below.
Leica SL + APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm f/2.8-f/4
ISO 3200 + f/4 + 1/50 sec, hand-held
JPEG directly out of camera. IPTC data added with LR6.9.
Click either image to download full resolution image.
To be clear, that exposure is about six times longer than I would even consider shooting a non-stabilized 280mm telephoto at, and likely 12x longer than I actually would. I find its detailing and lack of camera motion absolutely remarkable for that long a hand-held exposure. This is exactly what I was hoping for... so I'm pretty darn pleased. Not to mention that the lens is otherwise a light-year ahead of my old R lenses with respect to overall performance from wide-open to f/16.
G
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Godfrey,
I am not a zoom guy, but the IS in the 24-90 really impressed me.
It seems that in lens image stabilization is optimized and is more refined than in camera IS, and that in camera IS is kinda generic and not lens specific.
When Leica lent me the 24-90 for NYC Fashion Week I did a lot of "Circus Shots" meaning crazy long exposures hand held at night, and I was shocked that the results came out like tripod shots.
I made some prints that were really stunning, and shared the results from this remarkable lens via those prints at the most recent NYC Meet-Up. I'm talking urban night shots at 400 ISO at 1/20 and 1/15 second shutter speeds. I'm also talking zoomed to 61mm so it also was not taking advantage of shooting wide as an advantage or close focus. These shots were urban landscape and focus was about 30-35 feet away.
Anyways I eventually will have to get a 24-90 because it can do these "Circus shots." The lens is amazing for urban night shooting.
BTW don't tell the "Camera Facists," the "Camera Supremacists," or the Leica haters. LOL.
Cal
I am not a zoom guy, but the IS in the 24-90 really impressed me.
It seems that in lens image stabilization is optimized and is more refined than in camera IS, and that in camera IS is kinda generic and not lens specific.
When Leica lent me the 24-90 for NYC Fashion Week I did a lot of "Circus Shots" meaning crazy long exposures hand held at night, and I was shocked that the results came out like tripod shots.
I made some prints that were really stunning, and shared the results from this remarkable lens via those prints at the most recent NYC Meet-Up. I'm talking urban night shots at 400 ISO at 1/20 and 1/15 second shutter speeds. I'm also talking zoomed to 61mm so it also was not taking advantage of shooting wide as an advantage or close focus. These shots were urban landscape and focus was about 30-35 feet away.
Anyways I eventually will have to get a 24-90 because it can do these "Circus shots." The lens is amazing for urban night shooting.
BTW don't tell the "Camera Facists," the "Camera Supremacists," or the Leica haters. LOL.
Cal
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Thanks Cal!
I don't talk to those people anyway.
G
I don't talk to those people anyway.
G
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Thanks Cal!
I don't talk to those people anyway.
G
Godfrey,
I try to talk with them, but they only believe spec sheets. Seems like any correction or clarification for any misunderstanding gets ignored. Pretty one sided.
BTW Leica states that the image stabilization is somehow related to three stops of light. Don't know what to make of that or how to spin it. All I can say from personal experience is that the IS of the 24-90 allowed me to do some remarkable night shooting.
Brutal I say. The prints don't lie.
Cal
raid
Dad Photographer
I love the IS of my $99 camera (Olympus E-PL1 M 4/3). It also has a 10x focus assist. It is in the camera and not the lens.
Leica should have such features in all digital cameras/lenses.
Leica should have such features in all digital cameras/lenses.
Prest_400
Multiformat
I wrote about it but forgot the tab and dind't post:
Tried the EMD1 on an Olympus event set up where people can go and just try the machines, then get the shots on a gift memory card. All in a beautiful Modernist area but sadly inside a pavilion.
Went into some really dark (black tarp) room with some projection screens as the only light.
So it was down to 1.3s at f4 (mounted with a superzoom), jawdropping literally at that moment. Put a f1.7-2 prime on it and that thing is a princess of darkness (the king shall be full frame).
IS is a really great tech.
johannielscom
Snorting silver salts
Good taste in movies (Kubrick), less so in skirts
Enjoy the setup!
Enjoy the setup!
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Sadly, my $105 E-PL1 died on me. The IBIS system broke after a few years worth of use. I have an E-PL7 and an E-M1 as well. Both work very well and produce excellent image stability with their IBIS systems.
That said, I have no interest in Leica putting IBIS or OIS into the M. I'd prefer the M remain as simple as possible. The Leica M-D typ 262 is my favorite M digital, and quite possibly my favorite M of all.
The Leica Q has OIS and so do the SL24-90 and SL90-280 lenses for the SL. They've done an excellent job with both.
G
raid
Dad Photographer
I understand, Godfrey. The M system should stay simple.
Range-rover
Mentor
I saw the print's they were Stunning!
Range-rover
Mentor
Godfrey, that happen to my E-P3 as well, everything is going good and next
thing when I turn it on it goes Grrrr! for a few minutes and just stops and the
IS light just blinks, But at least I have image stability in my Pentax!