EXCERPT page containing first few paragraphs. 2024-05-10 08:47:17
UA_SEARCH_BOT_compatible_botmozilla/5.0 applewebkit/537.36 (khtml, like gecko; compatible; claudebot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com) @ 3.141.202.187
For full access, subscribe here. Or click title to login.

Leica S2

First Impressions

I did not read the manual for starters— intentionally. I wanted to see how I could use the camera right out of the box— a key test of design principles.

In some ways my experience was very good— on the physical side of things, and for some basic settings. Beyond that, the usability is problematic.

Feel and heft and general operation

The camera and 70mm lens feel much like carrying a Nikon D3x or Canon 1Ds Mark III— big, but not too big, and settling nicely into the hand. Leica’s supplied strap is the best OEM strap that I’ve seen yet, but I added my usual OpTech strap, which was perfect for the S2.

I would have liked a popup flash for convenient fill flash, as with Hasselblad cameras, but Nikon and Canon don't have that on their pro bodies either.

Article continues for subscribers...

Diglloyd Medium Format is by yearly subscription. Subscribe now for about 33 cents a day ($120/year).
BEST DEAL: get full access to ALL 8 PUBLICATIONS for only about 75 cents a day!

Diglloyd Medium Format covers medium format camera systems, including the Hasselblad X1D and Fujifilm GFX.

These systems are hugely expensive, so make the right choice for your own needs (full frame vs medium format).

In-depth lens evaluations covering behaviors not likely to be found anywhere else, based on real-world field shooting.
How to configure menus and buttons and best operating practices, gotchas and how-to.
Real world examples with insights found nowhere else. Make sharper images just by understanding lens and camera behaviors.
Jaw-dropping image quality found nowhere else utilizing Retina-grade images up to 100 megapixels filling up to 5K display, plus large crops.
Aperture series from wide open through stopped down, showing the full range of lens performance and bokeh.
Optical quality analysis of field curvature, focus shift, sharpness, flare, distortion, and performance in the field.