Category: Photography

We are now entering the stage where professional mirrorless cameras are becoming a thing.

Now I am not getting into the debate of, what is a professional camera. For a street artist that might be a little Ricoh GR compact, or a Leica M Monochrom. For a studio worker its likely a big old slow medium format camera. No here we are talking about good all round professional system cameras that can take a beating and get a job done. Whether its snaps of a rapidly unfolding news event, a simple portrait, sports or wildlife. The good all round camera that we then to call open for these duties is the Pro DSLR. Here we think about the Canon EOS 1D and the single digit Nikon’s ie the current Nikon D6.

Many would say we are here already and have been for a while with cameras such as the Olympus OM1.

The current model is quite a beast and I would agree it is a pro level camera with good system support.

As is the Leica SL and some would say the Fuji; but its only when Canon and Nikon step up that many people take notice.

So now we are starting to here rumours about the Nikon Z9, which is believed to be a mirrorless D6. This would make it close to a 50 MP camera, 8fps, and its rumoured to have 8k video support in a pro body.

For these wanting high megapixels there will also be a Z8 which will share its sensor with the D850 replacement.

Interesting times ahead.

Range finder options are few and far between. If your want to use film there’s quite a selection to use. I enjoy using my old Leica M4, but film is not for everyone. I have an old digital M8+ and Epson had their RD1/2.

If you want something modern Leica has been the only option until now, with the PIXII. Its an interesting take and a little like a more modern interpretation of the Leica M-D.

I like the M-D its very like film like, has no screen but you can use your phone. The new PIXII is very similar.

No rear screen but you use your phone and an app. At nearly €3000 its half the price of the Leica, it has a cropped DX sensor so has pro’s and cons, but is another option.

Leica Glass – Made in Germany

It is unfortunate when politics gets in the way of photography, but then photography can be a political statement.

The USA has placed an additional sales tax onto German lens hitting Leica, so Leica who also have production facilities in Portugal are now producing lens there to ship direct to the USA mitigating the sales tax.

It is a shame these cheaper lens cannot be purchased here. I would like a 75mm or 90mm Summicron.

So while washing up a bird of pray appeared outside the kitchen window, having only a few moments before it flew off, I grabbed the nearest camera and fired off a few shots through the glass window.

A Leica M10 with 50mm lens is not the best choice of cameras but it was all I had to hand and so, as the old adage goes, – the best camera is the one with you.

I know a few professional photographers who have the Leica CL as their carry everywhere camera, with its DX cropped sensor, taking the L mount and with adapters just about any other lens available, its a very flexible camera.

I know I go on a lot about how good Fuji, Leica and several other of the smaller camera companies are at supporting there products but it is definitely something to consider if your the sort of person who keeps a camera for a long time.

Well Leica have just announced version 4 of their firmware for the Leica CL. When Leica released the recent Q2 they revamped the user interface and have been rolling out this together with other newer features to their other cameras. Now these features reach the old CL. Many people have been expecting the CL to be replaced shortly so some were surprised by this; thinking the new interface changes and features would be in the CL2 when released, but no, CL users have got them now.

Mirrorless cameras have a number of advantages, the best being able to use most lens available with the use of a suitable adapter.

In an age where modern lens are getting closer to closer to being perfect when combined with software correction, sometimes people want a more unique look.

There is now a growing interest in older lens of character and a number of older designs have come back into production.

A company is now making an adapter to enable the use of Leica M mount lens on the mirrorless Hasselblad medium format camera. The results are striking and if you have a mirrorless Haselblad and some M glass you should really give it a try.