> Overall, the body wins on style, not function; It pains me to admit it, but I'm with Cotty on this one.
B > -----Original Message----- > From: PDML [mailto:pdml-boun...@pdml.net] On Behalf Of Godfrey > DiGiorgi > Sent: Thursday, 19 November, 2015 2:07 PM > To: PDML List <pdml@pdml.net> > Subject: Re: GESO 2015 - First Pix with Leica SL - GDG > > Hi Alan, > > That question got lost, sorry. > > I haven't done detail comparisons, but the K-01 sensor is quite good, and > comports itself well. Both the FA43 and DA21 lenses perform very well on the > sensor, with lovely drawing qualities, excellent sharpness and contrast, etc. > The sensor has excellent dynamic range and very good sensitivity, with the > in-body stabilization it is easy to get very sharp images even at quite long > exposure times. > > The K-01 body … Some thoughts: > > - It tends to underexpose by 0.3 to 0.7 stops for raw capture, so I'm always > dialing in a bit of + EV compensation. > - The menu driven controls are a bit hard to remember what is what, so I > tend to leave the camera in one setup and work with the raw files. > - Ergonomically, it's a chunky little thing that works well with the 21 and 43 > lenses, with my optical viewfinder accessories. Longer or larger lenses > wouldn't work as well as there's insufficient body to hold onto for best > handling. > - I find it somewhat difficult to focus manually with it, for whatever reason. > So I tend to leave it on AF most of the time, with center spot selected > because in Face Detect mode where it focuses in a scene is somewhat > unpredictable. With center spot selected, it's easy to target what I want, > lock > the focus, then frame and capture. The screwdriver AF drive is quite noisy, > which can distract both photographer and subject. > > Overall, the body wins on style, not function; the lenses are excellent; and > the picture quality is excellent. How do the images compare to what comes > out of the SL? Well, that's a function of the lens-sensor match (which is > good), the lens quality (which is excellent), and whether you can get the shot > despite the body's shortcomings (which depends on the situation). By and > large, for the kind of casual, fun, no-pressure shooting that I envisioned > using > the K-01 for, what comes out of it is on an equal footing with similar focal > length lenses on the SL. Some of the lenses I have for the SL are a grade > upstairs from the FA43 and DA21 on technical qualities, but they're all good > enough to produce pro-grade image quality and each has its unique > rendering charm. > > I bought the K-01 kit more as a fond remembrance of my Pentaxian days > than as a serious shooter, but I enjoy carrying and using it now and then; it > is > capable of making excellent photographs. I have to say that the Leica X typ > 113 is a more functional casual shooter for me in the same format, due to its > faster focusing, quieter operation, simpler controls, and outstanding lens > quality—and despite that it has only the one lens option. It's also a bit > lighter, > and the shape of the body gives more space for fingers to hold and work > controls, and the X's manual focusing is outstanding for when AF can't lock in > what I want. > > Neither of these cameras is in the same class as the M-P or SL when it comes > to responsiveness, speed, and ultimate picture quality; these high end > beasts simply have much more capability to offer: the larger format nets > more focus zone control, the lens quality as I mentioned is a grade beyond, > and their handling permits taking photos that the K-01 and X alike would pose > barriers to. Both are bigger, heavier, and more to carry—meaning they take a > larger commitment to get the most out of. > > The right equipment for the right situation and intent, that's all. I don't > drive a > Ferrari to go to the grocery store, and I don't take the Toyota family car to > group meets to swoon over the sound of their engines at full chat, or cheer > the driver on their negotiation of a difficult corner. > > (BTW: doing lens testing with the SL, I made several hundred shots with the > camera on a tripod. The incredibly soft, competent, "snick-snick" of the > shutter does nearly get a camera gearhead like me swooning after a hundred > clicks or so. ;-) > > G -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
