Just got this info from Tony at popflash.com. It appears Leica is changing the covering on the black M9 and the black and chrome M9-P due to the fact that the vulcanite covering is no longer available. It is being changed from a vulcanite to a “leatherette” which is more smooth.

Not sure if the photo above of the new Olympus OM-D is legit or not (I call fake, but maybe not) but I have to say that if the camera looks like the one above I will be in heaven…and I think that the rendering above is pretty damn accurate to what we will be seeing in a few days. This will be the camera to replace my PEN for all of my Micro 4/3 lenses and I have no doubt that this will be the best Olympus to date.

It’s no secret that I love the Oly Micro 4/3 cameras, namely the E-P series. The OM-D IS IN FACT that “Pro Pen” many of us have been waiting for. Weather sealed body, 16Mp sensor, built in EVF, classic OM looks with a modern flair, speed, speed and more speed, manual dials and buttons, swivel LCD….this one seems to have it all for $1200. The big “official” announcement is less than a week away and I am sure that pre-ordering will be available that same day.

2012 is already gearing up to be the year of the camera. NEX-7′s are starting to ship, the Fuji X-Pro 1 is coming soon, the new Pentax I posted about yesterday is also arriving soon and now the Olympus OM-D. Wow. We haven’t even heard from Leica yet but my senses tell me they are planning something soon. I mean, they have to be. If they sit back much longer they will be losing more and more of their X1 customers who will move on and buy one of these bad boys. Time will tell!

Oh and Kenko-Tokina also announced a new 300mm f/6.3 mirror lens for Micro 4/3 and I must say, it is looking mighty fine on the white E-P3…

I want to share my short sudden trip to Kuala Lumpur on 30-31st Jan 2012..

Since I suddenly be called to comes there..

Only pack 1 ransel to go , shirt for 2 days.

I only bring my GF2 and Pannie 25 mm F1.4..

After the long meeting.. I had 1 chance to travel arround for just few hours..

I decided to try learning how to shoot in the real street… in a place I never been before..

This is my first time to Kuala Lumpur and without any preparation … since everything is so sudden.

I grab my little bag , containing my passport , some cash and GF2 + Pannie 25 mm F1.4 for warm up.. I shot a nice gentleman that is so serious doing text messaging in hotel lobby … then off I go , by myself,

I didnt even know where to go … I just said to the driver.. I want to see their traditional market..

He took me to this street called Petaling street..

then I wonder around in that street from 6 – 8 PM… before it rains….

I strengthen myself to take pictures in places I am not familiar with then trying to interact to people with different languages and culture.

After 2 hours wandering arround in Petaling street, it start to get raining so I went back to hotel to rest since I got very early flight the next day..

I want to share my first experience shooting in the real street… close to all the people.. since I got the 25 mm Pannie only…

Thank you for encouraging advices that I learn from this site from all the wonderful people.

I wish I will keep growing in capturing the moments through the glass

Sincerely

William

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A new GXR camera unit featuring a 3.5x optical zoom lens (24-85 mm)

and an APS-C size CMOS sensor

Tokyo, Japan, February 2, 2012—Ricoh Co., Ltd. today announced the development and release of RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5, the fifth camera unit in the GXR interchangeable unit camera system. First introduced in December 2009, the GXR is a revolutionary interchangeable unit camera system in which lenses can be changed by mounting camera units that integrate lens, image sensor, and image processing engine into a single unit.

The new RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5 brings together a newly developed 24-85 mm wide-angle zoom lens, an APS-C size CMOS sensor, and the proven Smooth Imaging Engine IV to create a unit with high image quality, high power of expression, and high flexibility.

Main features of RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5

1) Newly developed 24-85 mm wide-angle zoom lens with an APS-C size CMOS sensor with approximately 16.20 million pixels

· This newly developed lens features a 9-group, 11-element configuration. The utilization of three double-sided aspherical lenses as well as high-refraction lenses effectively reduces various types of distortion across the entire zoom range. The result is high resolution and imaging power from edge to edge.

· The configuration of nine rounded aperture blades enables both highly precise aperture settings and beautiful bokeh.

· This camera unit features a 23.6 mm×15.7 mm (APS-C size) 16M CMOS sensor. In combination with the image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine IV, this image sensor makes it possible to shoot high-quality images with smooth tonal gradations, as well as low noise and high-resolution.

2) Diverse shooting functions and high operability

· Dynamic range compensation reduces overexposure of highlights and underexposure of dark areas. For backlit and high-contrast scenes that cannot be handled with exposure compensation, doing the dynamic range compensation in specific portions of the image makes it possible to shoot the subject at a brightness level close to that seen by the naked eye.

· ISO sensitivity can be set in 1EV or 1/3EV steps.

· With the new ISO bracketing function, the photographer can shoot and record three images with different ISO sensitivities.

· When the new function for maintaining the same shooting settings is set on, by keeping the shutter release button pressed halfway after taking a picture, the photographer can continue to shoot with the same settings (focus, exposure, white balance, etc.).

· The function for recording a JPEG image simultaneously with the RAW image has been expanded so that it is now possible to record only the RAW image. This is suitable for a work flow based on the premise that image finishing is to be done on a PC after shooting. Since a JPEG file is not simultaneously recorded, this option is also useful when the photographer wants to increase the number of images which can be recorded on the memory card.

· It is now possible to turn ON/OFF the white saturation display that shows areas where bright portions will be rendered white and where color shade gradations will be lost.

· The tilt indicator function has been enhanced. In addition to the conventional horizontal indicator, this function can now also detect camera movement direction tilting.

· Copyright information such as the photographer’s name can be entered and written to the image Exif data. The recorded information can be checked on the playback screen detailed information display.

3) Highly precise focusing

· For the AF area size for spot AF, either normal or pinpoint can be selected.

· A focus-assist function has been included in an effort to raise the accuracy of manual focusing. The photographer can select from two modes and check the focus by strengthening outlines and contrast.

· The shooting screen can be magnified for convenience in focusing. The magnified area can be displayed in the center or across the entire screen. In addition, the image quality for 4x and 8x magnification has been further enhanced. The area to be magnified can be moved using the direction pad.

4) The power of expression that is a hallmark of the GXR series

· Picture settings for image quality and color can be customized with nine levels for easy creation of a diverse range of images.

· My Settings enables the settings for a wide range of shooting functions to be recorded in advance and specified in an instant when needed. For the setting storage, now six patterns can be stored in the body’s My Settings Box and six patterns can be stored in the SD card. This expands the world of photo expression by enabling GXR users to exchange their shooting settings.

· B (bulb) and T (time) can now be selected as the shutter speed in manual exposure mode. With “B,” the exposure continues while the shutter release button is pressed, and with “T,” the shutter release button is pressed to start and end the exposure. For both, the exposure is forcibly ended when 180 seconds have elapsed.

· New scene mode options have been added for the easy enjoyment of a wide range of photo expression. The five new options are soft focus, cross process, toy camera, miniaturize, and high contrast B&W. The photographer can create a unique image by just pressing the shutter release button.

· An image flag function has been added to enable the quick display of specific images from among those in the camera. Up to 20 images can be flagged.

· It is possible to shoot 1280 × 720 pixel HD movies.

* Note: When shooting movies of 1280×720 size, the use of an SD/SDHC memory card with an SD speed class of Class 6 or higher is recommended.

5) New options added

· A newly designed lens hood (LH-2) especially for this camera unit.

· A lens cap (LC-3) that opens and closes simultaneously with the movement of the lens. It does not need to be removed when shooting.

· A wrapping sheet (WS-1) that can wrap the GXR when the camera unit, external viewfinder, and other options are attached.

RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5 options

Product Model

Lens Hood LH-2

Self-retaining Lens Cap LC-3

Wrapping Sheet WS-1

All of the focal lengths in this release are converted to the equivalent values for a 35 mm film camera.

LH-2 and LC-3 are new options being introduced at this time.

Functions when the GXR body is attached

RICOH LENS A16 24-85mm F3.5-5.5 Major Specifications

Effective pixels:

Approximately 16.20 million

Image sensor:

23.6 mm × 15.7 mm ＣMOS sensor (total pixels: approx. 16.50 million pixels)

Lens:

Focal length: f=15.7～55.5 mm (35 mm camera equivalent: 24-85 mm)

Aperture (f-number): f/3.5 – f/5.5

Focus range: Approx. 25 cm – infinity (from the front of the lens)

Construction: 11 elements in 9 groups (3 aspherical lens elements with 6 surfaces)

Filter diameter: 55 mm

Zoom:

Optical zoom: 3.5x

Digital zoom: 4.0x (3.6x for movies)

Auto resize zoom: Approx. 6.8x (VGA)

Focus Modes:

Contrast AF-based multi and spot AF; MF; Snap; infinity (focus lock and AF-assist)

Shutter speed:

Photographs: 1/3200 – 180 s , bulb, time (upper and lower limits vary according to shooting and flash mode)

Movies: 1/2000 – 1/30 s

Exposure control:

Metering: TTL metering in multi (256-segment), center-weighted, and spot metering (TTL metering with auto exposure lock)

Mode: Program AE, aperture priority AE, manual exposure, shutter priority AE, target-move function

Exposure compensation: Manual (-4.0 EV to +4.0 EV in increments of 1/3 EV or 1/2 EV), auto bracketing (-2.0 EV to +2.0 EV in increments of 1/3 EV or 1/2 EV)

ISO sensitivity (Standard Output Sensitivity):

AUTO, AUTO-HI, ISO-LO, ISO200, ISO250, ISO320, ISO400, ISO500, ISO640, ISO800, ISO1000, ISO1250, ISO1600, ISO2000, ISO2500, ISO3200

White balance:

Auto / Multi-P AUTO / Outdoors / Cloudy / Incandescent Lamp 1 / Incandescent Lamp 2 / Fluorescent Lamp / Manual Settings / Detail; white balance bracketing

Flash (when GF-1 is used):

Method: TTL, manual, external auto

Flash mode: Anti Red-eye, Flash On, Flash Synchro, Manual

Firing timing: 1st/2nd curtain sync

Shooting mode:

Auto / program shift / aperture priority / shutter priority / manual exposure /scene (movie, portrait, sports, landscape, nightscape, skew correction, miniaturize, high contrast B&W, soft focus, cross process, toy camera) / “My Settings”

Continuous mode:

Number of pictures shot in Continuous (Picture Size: RAW):

Noise Reduction off: 3 pictures

Noise Reduction on: 2 pictures

Number of pictures shot in M-Cont Plus (1 set):

HI (1280 × 856): 30 pictures (30 frames/sec.)

LO (4928 × 3264): 14 pictures (2.5 frames/sec.)

Picture quality ※１:

FINE, NORMAL, RAW (DNG) ※2

Image size (pixels):

Photographs:

16:9 4928×2768, 3456×1944

4:3 4352×3264, 3072×2304, 2592×1944, 2048×1536, 1280×960, 640×480

3:2 4928×3264, 3456×2304

1:1 3264×3264, 2304×2304

Movies:

1280×720, 640×480, 320×240

File size (approx.):

RAW:

16:9 NORMAL: 23,445 KB/frame, FINE: 25,703 KB/frame, VGA: 20,508 KB/frame, RAW only: 20,332 KB/frame

4:3 NORMAL: 24,443 KB/frame, FINE: 26,795 KB/frame, VGA: 21,405 KB/frame, RAW only: 21,181 KB/frame

3:2 NORMAL: 27,603 KB/frame, FINE: 30,265 KB/frame, VGA: 24,139K KB/frame RAW only: 23,937 KB/frame

1:1 NORMAL: 18,383 KB/frame, FINE: 20,147 KB/frame, VGA: 16,105 KB/frame RAW only: 15,929 KB/frame

L:

16:9 NORMAL: 2,901 KB/frame, FINE: 4,999 KB/frame

4:3 NORMAL: 3,041 KB/frame, FINE: 5,226 KB/frame

3:2 NORMAL: 3,415 KB/frame, FINE: 5,889 KB/frame

1:1 NORMAL: 2,288 KB/frame, FINE: 3,927 KB/frame

M:

16:9 NORMAL: 1,481 KB/frame, FINE: 2,514 KB/frame

4:3 NORMAL: 1,579 KB/frame, FINE: 2,668 KB/frame

3:2 NORMAL: 1,749 KB/frame, FINE: 2,974 KB/frame

1:1 NORMAL: 1,192 KB/frame, FINE: 2,008 KB/frame

5M:

4:3 FINE: 2,293 KB/frame

3M:

4:3 FINE: 1,479 KB/frame

1M:

4:3 FINE: 818 KB/frame

VGA:

4:3 FINE: 202 KB/frame

Battery life:

Based on CIPA standard, DB-90: approx. 400 shots※3

Dimensions (W × H × D):

Camera unit only: 71.4 mm × 70.5 mm × 93.3 mm

(according to CIPA guidelines)

When mounted on the GXR body: 113.9 mm × 74.7 mm × 98.5 mm

（according to CIPA guidelines）

Weight (approx.):

Camera unit only： Approx. 350 g

When mounted on camera body: Approx. 550 g （battery and SD memory card included）

Operating temperature:

0 °C to 40 °C

Operating humidity:

90% or less

Storage temperature:

–20 °C to 60 °C

*1) The picture quality modes which can be set vary depending on the image size.

*2) A JPEG file is also recorded (the JPEG file may be a FINE- or NORMAL-quality file with the same dimensions as the RAW file or a VGA file 640 × 480 pixels in size). RAW files use the standard DNG format promoted by Adobe Systems Incorporated.

*3) For reference only; actual number of shots varies greatly according to how camera is used. We recommend that you carry spare batteries when in use for extended periods.

(Shooting capacity was measured using CIPA-standard parameters. These are only estimates; performance may vary depending on usage conditions.)

The new Pentax K-01 Mirrorless Camera – Bringing Sexy Back…NOT

SO this morning was the official announcement of the camera we already knew was coming thanks to the “rumor sites” where manufacturers leak their products. But now it is official, and Pentax has entered the mirrorless camera market with one funky looking camera. Coming in with a super quality APS-C sensor the Pentax K-01 promises superb image quality and the cool part is that you will be able to use your K mount lenses on this little beast.

B&H Photo is already taking pre-orders for the Black, Tonka Toy Yellow and White.

The sensor is the same sensor being used in the lovely K-5, Nikon D7000 and Sony NEX-5n. Basically, the best APS-C sensor made to date. 16 Megapixels and superb low light performance. This is awesome.

The mount is the new KAF2 mount and will launch with a line of new “SX” lenses. BUT you will be able to mount your fave K mount lenses WITHOUT an adapter. This is nice as we will not have to go around buying adapters for the camera to use those rocking lenses like the Pentax 77 limited or even better 31 limited. The camera also sports a pop up flash.

Some people on the web are going gaggagoogoo over the design. Me, I find it a little on the ugly side. It’s fat and tonka toy like, especially the yellow one. Some are calling it vintage but I do not recall seeing a camera looking like this back in the day. The fatness of it from the top reminds me of the old Leica Digilux 1, but also more like something Fisher Price would design. Different strokes for different folks I guess. My only issue with the camera, besides its design, is the fact that there is no EVF. Pentax could have put one in quite easily but I guess they will do that in the K-02. The K-01, what we have right now, is selling for $749 for a body only and $899 with a 40mm f/2.8 kit lens. 

Ugly jokes aside, this appears to be a camera that will deliver beautiful files, especially for those who have some of those great Pentax lenses. Think of K-5 performance but without the viewfinder or weather sealing…then again…FOR $1199 you can buy a K-5, which is and will be the better camera, but it is a DSLR.

The sensor is fantastic, the lenses are fantastic, the video recording capabilities appear to be fantastic and the price is right so I am sure this will be a hit for Pentax. I also bet it will look better in person, and knowing Pentax this little bugger may hook me once I get a hold of one to try it. On one hand, the more I look at it the more I am interested in giving it a whirl. Still, wish it had an EVF! On the other hand, is Pentax giving this little guy an oddball design to make us think it’s super cool? If it had a more normal design would there be less buzz about it? Probably. Only time will tell if it will be a hit or suffer the same fate as the Q.

As soon as I get a hold of one I will do a complete review, hopefully with some limited lenses as well. Stay tuned!

The details….

Large 16 megapixel APS-C sized CMOS image sensor with low noise image capture and multiple aspect ratios.

Bright, high resolution 3 inch LCD with 920,000 dots.

Full HD 1080p video capture at 30 FPS with h.264 compression (60 FPS at 720p) features outstanding video capture flexibility.

Flexible ISO range of 100-25600 ensures gorgeous noise-free imaging in any lighting condition.

Mirrorless body design is compatible with 25+ million PENTAX K-mount lenses spanning decades.

Sensor-shift PENTAX Shake and Dust Reduction system is compatible with every mounted PENTAX lens.

Fast 6 FPS burst mode is ideal for fast-action photography.

Shutter speeds from 1/4000 to 30 seconds and bulb with a silent shutter action.

Shooting modes include P, Av, Tv, and M, as well as powerful automatic modes, creative filters, and finishing options.

Focus peaking mode provides fast and accurate manual focusing for critical focus applications.

Captures JPG still images as well as open standard DNG RAW.

In-camera HDR mode combines bracketed user-specified exposures into a single, perfectly blended still image.

Built-in popup flash and external hotshoe compatible with modern PENTAX digital flash units.

Durable machined aluminum frame.

Contemporary styling by world renowned designer Marc Newson.

The Ancient – M9, 35 Summilux ASPH II, ~f/2.8, 1/350s, ISO 160

USER REPORT: Landscape Photography with the M9

Aravind Krishnaswamy

I am a nature photographer. For several years that meant I mostly photographed Avians and Wildlife with some Landscapes thrown in for good measure. I recently started moving away from Avians to concentrate more on Wildlife and Landscapes. I have a backpack filled with a 5D Mark II and Zeiss lenses for my landscape photography and I’ve generally been happy with the images that kit generated.

However, I wanted something more compact which could also do double duty while traveling and also early last year my interest in the Leica M9 got piqued.

The River Rushes – M9, 28 Elmarit ASPH, ~f/22, 1.5s, ISO 160

I got an initial M9 kit with just a couple of lenses and started doing some shooting. The image above is one of the first images I made with the kit and immediately both the delight and the challenges became apparent, especially since I photographed the same scene with my Canon kit. One of the biggest challenges when working with an M9 on a tripod is framing. With my 5D Mark II, I use Live View extensively to get perfect framing and my depth of field precisely the way I want it. However, upon looking at and comparing the files later, it was clear that the M9 was producing accurate colors requiring little adjustment as opposed to the images from my Canon kit (You can see and read more about the difference on my blog post on the subject: http://blog.akimagery.com/2011/07/goin-leica.html).

Lonely House – M9, 50 Summilux ASPH, ~f/6.7, 1/1500s, ISO 160

One of the advantages of having accurate colors (and generally good color separation) is that it improves tonal separation in black and white images. I like making black and white images when I want to use the color information in an image to manipulate the tonal relationships in an image that would otherwise not be possible if it remained color. This only gets better with the fact that the M9 images withstand a lot of abuse in post processing.

The M9 is in many ways well suited for landscape photography. There’s no mirror to cause vibration and I do use a remote cable release for those times when the camera is on a tripod. I have found that there aren’t too many regular repeating patterns in landscape work to cause moire or aliasing which can in other photography be an issue due to the lack of an anti-aliasing filter. I’ve also observed that the 24″x36″ prints I’ve made from the M9 have as much if not more detail than what I’ve produced with the 5D Mark II.

Summer Storm – M9, 50 Summilux ASPH, ~f/6.7, 1/250s, ISO 160

Generally speaking, I’m not that fond of tripod photography as I have found that it keeps me from exploring interesting angles, but I’ve usually stuck to tripods for my landscape photography. As time progressed, I found myself spending more time making images with the M9 handheld rather than affixed to a tripod. I can’t be sure for the reason, perhaps its the difficulty in framing when on a tripod or perhaps its just because the kit’s diminutive size makes it so comfortable in the hand that I feel like wandering a scene and making images.

Aged Branches – M9, 18 Super Elmar, ~f/13, 1/250s, ISO 160

Late last year I had the chance to pick up the 18mm Super Elmar right here in Steve’s buy/sell which I’m using for the wide work. Of course, accurate framing in this case requires the use of an external viewfinder but I’ve found that I’m not that fond of them. I made the image above without the external finder but just approximating the framing and taking a lot of test images. It ended up working out as the result you see is an uncropped file.

One of the things that really becomes obvious after working with some of Leica’s finest lenses is how superb the optics really are. My favorite lenses are landscape photography are the 18 Super Elmar, 28 Elmarit, 35 Summilux and 50 Summilux. All of these lenses when stopped down are exceptionally sharp across the frame regardless of focus distance and all have very pleasing color reproduction. I have generally found that the amount of color post processing working I have to do with my M9 images are significantly less than with my other cameras.

Clearing Storm over the California Coast – M9, 28 Elmarit ASPH, ~f/8, ISO 160

I typically use a lot of filters in my landscape photography, particularly graduated neutral density filters. I find that trying to get the dynamic range down to control at capture time saves a lot of hassle when it comes to post processing. However, with the M9 using filters is tricky since you can’t visualize directly through the lens and hence I don’t use my graduated neutral density filters (though still use the circular polarizer). In scenes where the dynamic range is high, I’ve had to resort to capturing multiple exposures and fusing them together in post (such as the one above). One thing you have to be careful about is getting false colors on high contrast edges, so I’ve found that its important to set all sharpening to zero when exporting the individual exposures to whatever HDR software you use (I use Photomatix and almost exclusively the Exposure Fusion option for the more realistic results it produces).

Pismo Pier – M9, 35 Summilux II, ~f/4, 8s, ISO 160

Neither the M9, nor the M lenses are weather sealed. When working in an area such as beach, it can be a little distressing when you realize how much money you’ve got in your hands so close to electronics destroying water or spray. I just tend to be extra paranoid in such situations, I’m not sure there’s much else you can do there. Since I mainly work with prime lenses, I’ve found that its important to visualize an image at a scene before putting the camera out and attaching a lens. To that end, I’ve picked up Voigtlander’s 15-35 zoom viewfinder which is compact and useful for this purpose.

Light Portal – M9, 50 Summilux, ~f/4, 1/30s, ISO 160

Landscape photography with the M9 certainly has its challenges. The rewards however are the exceptional image quality delivered by M glass and the fact that my full kit fits in a small shoulder bag. If a future M10 adds Live View and a better screen on the back I don’t see why I wouldn’t switch to M system for most of my landscape photography work. I say ‘most’ because I still use tilt/shift lenses and there are currently no such offerings for the M system, though if Leica does add Live View it might then make sense for them to develop such lenses.

The wonderful thing about the M system is not just that I use it for landscape photography but also as a general travel and family photography kit. The same lenses are use for making 24″x36″ landscape prints can be used for photographing people in low light and best of all no one gets freaked out or self conscious when someone is pointing an M at them as opposed to a large SLR. This combined with its small footprint is why the M9 is becoming my go to camera and why I stick with it in spite of the challenges.

Pre Order the Fuji X-Pro 1 NOW! If you missed out last time Amazon had  these up for a couple of hours, and want this camera, don’t miss this shot! $1699 body only, same price as when they posted it last time.

The Fuji X-Pro 1 lenses are also now available for pre-order!

The workshop attendees shoot the SLR Magic 50 LM T0.95 Hyperprime on the M9 and NEX-5n

Since I am now back home at my desk I can go over more images that were shot at the workshop using the new SLR Magic lens. These were shot by me and a few others at the workshop, credits will be before the photos…enjoy! Oh, and just for fun I threw in a shot taken with the 50 Noctilux ASPH. Which one is it? Check out the two from Jay Bartlett below and see the difference. ALL shots below are wide open and the title shot above of Max was taken by Ashwin Rao with the 85 Zeiss Sonnar on his M9. 

First, A few more snaps of the gang from me.

Stephen, the resident male model of the workshop shot at 0.95 – click image for larger and sharper view

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Below: Andrew from SLR Magic talking with Max on Sunday during our Lunch at El Cholo

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…and speaking of Max Klimov, he shot some GORGEOUS shots with the Hyperprime – look at the rendering of the model shots

and one of his street shots as well…

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Jay Bartlett took these at 0.95  - but one is from the Noctilux ASPH – one from the SLR Magic! Which is which? I can tell…can you?

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BELOW: Ashwin Rao snapped this amazing shot while we ate dinner at the Yardhouse on Saturday night. It was DARK!

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BELOW: Dave Grady tried his hand with the Hyperprime on the M9  - The 2nd shot has some CA (which the Noct ASPH has as well)

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BELOW: Judd Weiss tried the Hyperprime on his NEX-5n

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BELOW: Our awesome host, Todd Hatakeyama shot the next couple with the Hyperprime and his M9

I will be shooting with the lens for a few weeks/months and will be posting a full review down the road with many images, full size and comparisons with other lenses. I plan on flying down to Seattle to hang with Ashwin and do a thorough shoot out between this one and the Leica Noctilux ASPH. We may be able to even throw in the Voigtlander Nokton 1.1 in the mix as well. Should be a blast. Also look for a post this week with a wrap up on the LA Workshop including everyones fave images from the weekend. As for the SLR Magic hyperprime, it is a special lens and I am eagerly awaiting pricing info. When I find out, I will post the news here.

FAST FACTS and why this lens is pretty exciting:

The SLR Magic 50 LM (Leica Mount) T0.95 Lens has 12 Lens Elements, 12 aperture blades and focuses to .7 meters (also the equivalent of an f/0.92 aperture at T0.95)

The Voigtlander 50 f/1.1 Nokton has 7 Lens Elements, 10 aperture blades and focuses to 1 meter

The Leica Noctilux ASPH has 8 elements, 9 aperture blades and focuses to 1 meter

SLR Magic REALLY IS Magical…the LM 50 T0.95 ROCKS

WOW! So today was the last day of the workshop in Los Angeles and I have to say that this was the most amazing workshop to date. It was a jammed packed weekend with lots of cool guest speakers, many amazing passionate attendees and lots of shooting in the studio and on the street.

Today we had an education when uber talented Elizabeth Wang Lee gave us a detailed and thorough talk on street photography. This was an amazing presentation and we all learned from her detailed explanations and samples. THANK YOU ELIZABETH!

Actor/Comedian Jeff Garlin also popped in to deliver a hilarious talk on street shooting, and at the same time informed us all that he is producing a documentary on Chicago street photograoher Vivian Maier. So cool! Jeff was a RIOT and everyone had a blast, so THANK YOU JEFF!

Me and Jeff, Shot with the iPhone 4s and the Tadaa app!

and of course, more of THE SLR MAGIC MAGICAL EXPERIENCE

Andrew from SLR Magic was with us yet again and he gave everyone a chance to shoot with the new 50 LM T0.95 Hyperprime Leica M mount lens. I will put this out there right now…THIS LENS IS THE REAL DEAL FOLKS. Flat out AMAZING. It is not just me saying this, but everyone who shot with it this weekend was ready to plunk down their cash for this lens NOW. I am hoping to post many samples from everyone who shot with it soon, not just my samples. Samples from the NEX system look amazing as well so stay tuned for those…

I will also be shooting with this lens for the next few months so I can give it a thorough testing and review. I was able to bring home a special “stealth” edition of the lens which means it has a BLACK ring instead of the day glow green YES! (this black ring will be an option when ordering, and the ring you see below is not the final production ring)

All I can say now is that this lens blows away (yes, strong words but true) the Voigtlander 50 1.1 and is on par with the Leica Noctilux ASPH with some of the workshop attendees preferring the rendering of the Hyperprime. My feeling is that it is just as sharp at equal apertures but the Hyperprime gives a teeny but more of a classical look, but at the same time it is mixed with the sharpness of the Noctilux ASPH. The look you prefer will be up to YOU.

From what myself and many others have seen this weekend, this lens is a real giant killer in regards to image quality. Wow. There are differences but they are slight. The bokeh is “fatter” with the SLR Magic due to the larger rear element. The SLR Magic also focuses to .7 meters compared to 1 meter of the Noctilux ASPH and yes, the Hyperprime appears to have much less CA than the $11k Leica.

The Hyperprime is a 12 element non aspherical lens.

Shot wide open at T0.95 – look at the 3D effect – straight from camera – M9-P – and shot through a coffee shop window Sunday morning while buying coffee for the group. 

Like the Noctilux, this lens is a BEAST, even more of a beast than the Noctilux f/0.95. In reality, the Hyperprime is actually faster than f/0.95 so it appears this will now be the fastest lens for 35mm in production. How amazing is that?

In build, I am sure the Leica is built better but the SLR Magic is built just as solid, and is slightly heavier and larger. It is a solid lens and nothing like the old Noktor Hyperprime that I was NOT a fan of.

THIS IS NOT THE $1000 M4/3 or NEX NOKTOR LENS RELEASED 1-2 YEARS AGO!!!

This is NOT the old Noktor lens. PERIOD! So many people are confusing this with the old $1000 lens and this is an all new, built from the ground up LEICA M mount lens. It is insanely better, larger, beefier and with superb quality glass and construction.

In fact, over the past 9-10 months SLR Magic has been sending me samples from prototypes for this new M mount lens and I have been telling them “NOT GOOD ENOUGH, I WOULDN’T BUY IT”  - so they kept re-designing and finally they ended up with what we have here today. The only question you and many others have now is…how can I  get one?

BELOW: Shot by Ashwin Rao at T0.95

SLR Magic has some cool touches up their sleeve that I won’t spill the beans on just yet but they plan on officially releasing the lens in September. A long way off but there will be a few testers of the lens until then to make sure it is solid, dependable, and high in performance. The 1st ones to get a crack at the lens were those who attended the LA Workshop so hopefully this lens will make it to a few more shooters soon for more real world tests.

HOW MUCH WILL THIS LENS COST?

SLR Magic has not announced pricing yet but I do expect it (of course) to be MUCH less  than the Leica Noctilux ASPH which now comes in at $11k. At the same time, I do not expect this to be some $1000-1500 lens either, as it is a specialty lens that will be hand made and calibrated, not mass produced. It is not constructed of cheap parts and the lens oozes quality when you hold it.

Many at the workshop who held it, and shot with it were guessing and afraid this lens would come in at $5500-$6k (goes to show what others who used it thought of the quality) but my guess is that it will come in lower than that. Hopefully we will see pricing soon. No one knows at this point so it is all speculation. All I know is  that if I had a choice of buying this or the Noctilux but could save something like $7,000 by buying this lens, I would. End of story. Of course we all want and dream of the Leica but for those of us who do not have $11k in our lens funds, something like this would make an excellent alternative.

The sharpness wide open is INSANE – Click image for larger view and full 100% crop at 0.95

It appears Andrew and all of those at SLR Magic are very proud of what they have created and I am glad I had a hand to get it to where it is today in the quality department. It is a lens they should be EXTREMELY PROUD of and if the build quality and dependability hold up over the next few months I am going to say that this is indeed a GIANT KILLER of a lens. But you won’t have to take my word for it, there should a few others writing about this lens soon. Keep your eyes peeled.

More to come…but for now a few more shots from this lens and the M9-P. I chose these simple shots because I feel it shows the many qualities of the lens. Enjoy!

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This was AT NIGHT and it was pretty dark. No flash required And all three of these guys wanted the Hyperprime and tried to give Andrew their order already. You can see Judd (far right) using one on his NEX-5n. Imagine the video capabilities of this lens…

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Smooth, silky but oh so sharp (click image for larger version)

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3D glasses not required

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The depth of field is insanely shallow at T0.95

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and one for fun…1st shot is with the Hyperprime at 1.4 in near darkness (hotel bar late night) and the 2nd is from the Leica 50 1.4 Summilux ASPH at 1.4. Bokeh is a little different here…”fatter” as some would call it.

CLICK EACH IMAGE FOR FULL SIZE 18MP FILE – STRAIGHT FROM CAMERA – ISO 1250 – LATE NIGHT LOW LIGHT SAMPLES

So here we are at Day two of the LA workshop and everyone is having a blast. The day started with an amazing talk and presentation  from Jay Bartlett  on studio portraiture. Everyone took to the studio with their M9′s, E-P3′s, Fuji X10′s and X100′s and even a GRD III. The results were amazing and everyone came away with some beautiful shots. Mostly due to the great lighting setup from Todd as well as our lovely model, Jade Corrin. The image above was shot by Ashwin Rao with his M9 and Zeiss 85 Sonnar, one of the most beautiful portrait lenses ever for  the M system. I decided to shoot a quick portrait with the SLR Magic 50 T0.95 Hyperprime and I fired off 3 shots and 3 shots only to see if this lens would be acceptable stopped down for portraits. The Results?

Click the image below for full size file. I cropped some off of the left and bottom but the is STRAIGHT from camera, processed as RAW. M9-P, SLR Magic 50 LM Hyperime T/0.95

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Not bad huh? Thats about as sharp as you can get and for a lens optimized for 0.95…what else can I say? Beautiful color and rendering. Everyone at the workshop who has shot with this lens wants one. Now.

Just for fun comparison – Bokeh wide open at minimum focus distance – Noctilux/Hyperprime

The following images are in no way scientific. We were at lunch and messing around with the Hyperprime and Noctilux and decided to do a quick “minimum focus distance” comparison, wide open. The Noctilux at f/0.95 and the Hyperprime at T0.95, which as you may know is FASTER than f/0.95. Add in the closer focusing capability and the depth of field is extremely shallow. The good news is that this lens performs amazingly well stopped down as well.

Many of us have been shooting the lens here in Los Angeles and no one has spotted any focus shift or lack of performance when stopped down which is pretty incredible when you think about it.

On to the “just for fun” comparison…click each image for the full size out of camera file.

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As always…more to come. Tomorrow is our full street shooting day here in Los Angeles…can’t wait!

one more to show how sharp this lens can be wide open. Focus was on the eye as you can see…

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A group of the Hyperprimes  - Notice the all black “stealth” version on my M9-P

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and finally a few more with the SLR Magic.

From left to right – Andrew from SLR Magic, me, and Ashwin Rao. Wide open!

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Once again, using the lens at the aperture it was meant to be used at. Testing low light and wide open performance at a distance…no problems. Oh and this image below was shot at ISO 2500.