Leica S2 - Exclusive Preview by the British Journal of Photography

http://www.bjp-online.com/
British Journal of Photography was invited for an exclusive preview of the Leica S2 camera at the Leica store in Mayfair, London. BJP's reviewer and medium format camera expert Adam Woolfitt gives his first impressions after a two-hour stint with the 37.5 million pixel resolution camera.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• BJP
• camera
• Leica
• S2
• Leica S2
• London
• preview
• test

[phototristan]

I bet he thinks If he says enough good things about it he will get it for free.

[backindauk]

@backindauk

Also, it will be good not to have to take the laptop and associated connection boxes around anymore.

[backindauk]

@cliklab

my main work is location portrait photography. I could have upgraded my P1 back (Currently a H25) but the cost was 10k on top of the S2 ( for the P45+ & V series/Mamiya adaptors). I can compromise on image quality (of a P45+) for a gain in usability with the S2. If it doesn't work i can always sell it. It's still plenty better than Canon/Nikon gear and better than my H25

The local distributor of Alpa (and Phase One) gear want megabucks plus it's not much good for my work style.

[cliklab]

@backindauk . If comfort governs your decision (as a photographer) and determines what camera you will use on a shoot, and technical spec is not the main consideration, then why would you insist on medium format?

Since you have a Carte blanche equipment budget, why not consider the ALPA 12 system w/ LEAF Aptus-II 10R digital back.

Leica stuffs a medium format into a DSLR body? Ummm.? No thanks.

In the end, this is an ugly idea. DSLR's are big, heavy, intrusive, and obnoxious.

[cliklab]

@backindauk. You're full of shit.

[backindauk]

I own Nikon, Canon, Hasselblad (V- film) and Mamiya (phase one back + film) + Leica M system cameras .

The Leica S2 is probably the most comfortable out of all MF digital to use and the image quality is spectacular. Worlds above anything from Canon or Nikon and on par with Phase One/Mamiya camera + back.

I have never held a camera that feels as good as the S2. I am a photographer and that matters far more than technical specification.

How many of you actually own the camera? I just ordered.

[nainladen]

@number1Schumacherfan

Thats COMPLETE Bull..S**t

the sensor is slightly larger than a 35mm dslr "30 x 45mm"

but way smaller than a real medium format 40.4 x 53.9

i tried it myself and was left unimpressed

Real pros shoot on modular mamiyas/phaseones/contaxes 645

not a non modular camera with an horribly outdated amateur 3:2 aspect ratio

protip: If you want to spend your money in an intelligent way.. don't do it on that piece of c**p buy an hasselblad instead

[number1Schumacherfan]

@nainladen You don't know what your talking about if you think a Mamiya is a better camera than the S2. And BTW the sensor is gigantic, much larger than a comparable medium format DSLR.

[nainladen]

@sharpanator

the mamiya is about the same weight as the s2, has a better sensor and can accept phase one backs. the so calles "pro sensor" of leica is smaller than a med format

making it useless for serious pro shoots.

it's just an overhyped piece ofkit with a leica badge

saying all of that because i had the chance to test it in london on it's launch

don't be fooled by the price.. you are paying for the badge nothing else..

do you remember the s1? so expensive and so useless nobody brought it

[sharpanator]

@nainladen so in which ways the Mamiya outperformes the S2 ? Just curious. Everything has its price and that means your Mamiya will not be as good as a S2. How fast is the AF os this camera, how heavy is it? how much MP and most important Image Quality?