It's always a cycle. People chase new technology, and go back to retro every a few years. Eventually technology move on, especially for professional work where efficiency is highly important. On the other side, the leftover technology used and loved by people will still be used and loved by some people, just less of them. It's amazing to have the camera industry producing reliable and long lasting products that allow us to use products made in 1950s or even earlier in 2022. It's one of the rare doors that lets you touch and feel the history.
I remember looking through my father’s Pentax dslr when I was a little boy. The OVF really fascinated me… even more than the photos it produced. Still to this day, there is a satisfaction in composing images through ground glass pentaprisms vs an LCD. I feel like it’s more “real.” LCDs may technically be more advantageous, but still doesn’t have the same satisfaction of a prism. Perhaps I am too old school. 😂
Man oh man, I "upgraded" to mirrorless two months ago. It has no soul. And composing is weird with EVF. It has its perks though, but I think I am getting a new DSLR soon.
I have finally found my dream DSLR camera: The Pentax K3 Mk. III ! The haptic, the build quality and the results are just fantastic! I am sooo absolutely happy with this camera :-)!
The D850 is my favorite camera of all time. I sold it off for the X100V, cried about it for a about a year and ahalf......and went back to repurchase a D850.
I started doing photography kinda recently (in the lest few years) and I was attracted to mirrorless cameras from the get go. To me, being able to see your exposure in real time was a huge advantage as a beginner, and the shorter flange distance meant that you could adapt pretty much any vintage glass to it, even Leica M stuff. To me, there was no drawbacks and almost only advantages to get a good mirrorless camera. And I still feel that way ! My first camera that I would consider to be worth anything was teh Fuji X-T1, I since upgraded and do most of my work on the X-T2 and those cameras are a joy to use. BUT there was something missing. See, when you press the shutter on a mirrorless, you have the sound of the shutter curtain, no much movement of the camera, and that's where I found that something was missing. I remembered as a kid, playing with my dad's cameras, the biggest fun factor for me was pressing the shutter, hear that mechanical sound of the mirror flipping up, shaking the whole camera, and I can't really describe it, but it felt like camera had a soul. It was clunky (definitely more than using a modern EVF) but it had a very good fun factor that I don't think any mirrorless camera could achieve, even today. I started shooting with my old man's DSLR, and soon after ordered one for myself, a 2008 Nikon D700 and really I'm just like a kid everytime I pick up that camera again. I'm not going to leave mirrorless as I still think those are the best cameras in terms of ease of use, performance and size, but I'm fine with having both systems, and using those for different things !
Glad I found this video which has mirrored my experience. I started in film shooting SLR in highschool the 80's, then went to Leica for a bit when I started working, then went to digital SLR cameras, re-joined the digital Leica bandwagon, and now back to shooting DSLRs being my first love. My Leica gear is now sitting "gathering dust" in my dry box. Nothing quite beats the SLR form factor for me.
No offense, but this build quality argument re. leicas sounds a bit unfair to me. There is nothing wrong with the build quality of a D850 or 5D or K3...they are all strong as Fort Knox. It's just that the 'builds' are different. Just my opinion.
Literally, sturdy =\= quality, I don’t currently mirrorless digital but my F6 and Df are considered the best Nikon builds and they don’t hold a candle to a real Leica
I am so grateful for this video, I was complaining all time for not having the money for leicas but I have nice Nikon gear (including manual AIS lenses mint condition). Seen you circling back to Nikon DSLR tod me real loud "just go use the gear you have". Thank you
That is so wonderful to hear man! Thanks for sharing and glad to be of a positive influence to you! And thanks for the donation :-) All the best to you!
The first real digital camera I got coming from a Minolta was a Nikon D60. Stuck with that system through to the D750 and honestly loved all of them that I had, never understood all of the Nikon bashing even back in the day. (especially 5D II days 🤣) Loved this whole video and conversation. After I stopped shooting weddings, I sold my SL2 system because as much as I enjoyed the experience, that's a lot of bread to not be bringing any in with 'em. You know raising a family costs way more than these cameras. Hahaha
I shot Minolta film camera and Minolta digital and man the bashing I got from Nikon and Canon shooters! It was insane then I started with Sony A-mount and the same thing! I still shoot with all three plus I adapt the lens to my A1! Maxxum 9, Maxxum7 and 7D, Sony A900 and A99m2!
Haha! You know it Matt✌️Congrats to the new addition to the family by the way! I forgot to mention this in my video but my son actually loves being photographed by big cameras. He rarely smiles or acts infront of my phone or smaller cameras. But the moment he sees me with the DSLR he wants to touch it. Cheers to a fellow Ex-SL shooter hehe. Out of all the Leica‘s I had (digital) I think I liked the SL the most. But it still felt like a niche system to me. Images and experience were awesome though👍
@@351linzdoctor One day people will realize how amazing those Maxxum 7 and 9 were. I was lucky enough to find one in a thrift shop and once I started learning about them I realized how lucky I actually got.
@@vega35mm76 Wow a Maxxum 9 in a thrift shop! Well I had a similar experience with my second Maxxum 9 I had a guy who didn't think his Maxxum 9, Minolta 35mm F2.0 ,Minolta 100mm F2.0, Minolta 28-70 F2.8G lens weren't any good and he sold it to me for only $350.00 so he could buy a Nikon! At the time the lens were worth over a thousand dollars each!🤯🤯
Really appreciate your journey. One of the reasons I sold my D850 + Lens combo, it was over 2.5KG and I found I wasn't taking my camera out as much anymore and the size and weight was more of an obstacle. Leica really showed me another side of photography, slowing down, not just randomly snapping 100's of shots etc. That's just for me personally. You can't go wrong with the D850 though, it's a solid camera and sensor.
Awesome but you could also say similar with using fuji not that I do, I'm still stuck on sony a6000 🤣 it just works but also looking at upgrading to FF shortly 🤷
I have all mirrorless cameras now - but I do miss using a DSLR for many of the same reasons you mentioned. I recently picked up my old Nikon F100 and just looked through the viewfinder - the size, clarity and brightness of the scene as viewed directly through the lens was just impressive. And you are correct about using manual focus - it is really a lot easier than people think - especially with a nice bright diopter correct viewfinder.
I've got a Nikon D850 I've blacked the logo off with black tape similar to you and I've put a Nikon 28mm 2.8 AIS lens on it. much more compact. and find it's just wonderful for street photography. When I want to be discreet, I tilt the screen up and put the camera on silent and tap the screen to take my shot. Perfect!. I don't even need to press the shutter. and most people know or 'think' DSLRs make a shutter sound but the D850 can shoot silently. If you get the shot that sensor resolves so much detail its amazing. There is a learning curve but I'm getting better. more and more keepers now I'm getting more proficient .
Great hearing your thoughts on Leica, your trusty Ricoh GRs and your Nikon D850 . . I started using film SLRs in 1973 and transitioned into DSLRs when the Nikon D100 arrived, and shot many important events and prominent people on it e.g. Prime Ministers and visiting royalty. . even now when I have to shoot a fast moving event professionally, I find myself relying on my Nikon DSLRs, but for street or casual days out, I find my little Sony NEX 5T hard to beat, and in fact shot my best selling print on it thru its 18-55mm kit lens, which backs up that old adage “The best camera is the one you have with you!” . . . so I think you hit it all right on the head regarding your view on the Leica legacy. Great viewing as I find all your stories. Thanks and keep them coming. Ian
i am just a hobbiest photographer, but i’ve been a music producer for 20+ years. the greatest beats i’ve made have been using a computer, but at the moment, i’m back using older drum machines. it’s just refreshing using a simpler piece of a equipment, rather than having everything at my disposal with a computer. it helps me think differently. my main film camera is the leica m6, and i enjoy it so much more than any other slr. but when it comes to digital, i really enjoy using fuji cameras, or even my newer sony cameras. i also really like having the options of different gear, music or camera related. it just depends where my headspace is at the moment. lens adapters also help with mixing old with the new.
Hi. I do agre with your opinion. (concerning Leica). I am a hobbyist on photography. I remember before, whenever, I take pictures of my beloved wife Becca, she becames irritated/impatient, due to the long wait, when I do manual focusing on my old Nikon F2as camera. (in the early '80s). So , when I decided to come back to photography ( in 2018, using a Nikon D700) everything was easy, with the new technology of auto focus in your hand. Photography is an, expensive hobby, as they say. So, I am taking my time acquiring slowly good lenses. Thank you so much for your video and in sight on you experience, in photography: being open, honest & down to earth. Keep on shooting. God bless.
I am old. I bought a new M3 when I was in the army in West Germany for $280. It was a terrific camera for the time. I had been thinking about selling it years later because of its inflexibility for lenses other than the ones that had frame lines in the viewfinder. Fortunately it was stolen and I had a series of dlsrs after that enabled new ways of seeing.. I was very disillusioned with at one point when they remetered and relabeld a $250 Minolta and sold it as a Leicaflex for about 5 times the price of the Minolta. All that Leica mystique just went away. Happily shooting with Fujifilm now which, in my opinion, improved on the image quality of my D800. You are right about the grips though.
@@borisnemet You might find it hard but with the current technology the blur between APS-C and Full Frame is closer than ever. One example is the Fujifilm X-H2S beating or matching the Sony A7Siii in Dynamic Range. The "Full Frame Look" is just another term for a Shallower Depth of Field which can also be said the same with the "Medium Format Look" which even has shallower DOF than Full Frame.
In the same boat , gave my D700 to my brother who is learning photography and went with Sony A6700, instantly regretted the purchase , tried to use it for 4-5 months but the controls the buttons OVF and the experience of taking s picture is not there with Sony . Its a fantastic camera but not my cup of T. Sold it, took a loss :s and now hunting for a used D850 , found 2 rarely used ones under 5000 clicks LOL , will finalize in 2 days !!!!….
Sam, I made a mistake... not only do I watch too many of your videos, I bought a Nikon F6 - why did I do that?!!! 😂 I'm not a photo pro, just an amateur who likes to travel, a family man. I photographed with Nikon for a long time, in the 90s with my F3 (which I still have), when our son was born the D200 came and was then replaced by a D800 and I was always satisfied with a Nikon camera. Then came the Fuji x100 and I was in love. At some point the Nikon went and then came the x-pro2 and the x-t3 from Fuji, along with some lenses. Then came the idea, what would it be like if I shot with Leica? I inherited an M6 from my father and then my Fuji equipment had to go and I got an M262, which I have since replaced with an M10. But I was missing a camera for my big hands, maybe with autofocus... I now have an SL2-s and am (actually) super happy with it - especially with the small M lenses. But somehow it's not like it was with the D800 back then... I went through my pictures in Lightroom and realized that the results of the Nikon were really good, even those of the D200 - and now the F6 comes into play. I just love having this camera in my hand! Yes, it's big, it's not as cool as a Leica, but who cares! For a few days now I've been rummaging around on eBay and the like for a secondhand D850, a companion to my F6. Oh man... why does everything always have to be so complicated 🤪?! Thanks for your videos, I like your authentic and honest way of getting the content across, please keep it up!
I have Nikon D850, Z7, Z7II, Leica M10P, M10M and bunch of Nikon SLR and Leica M film cameras. None of them can be replaced by the others. That all have their own pros. I still keep using all of them.
Picked up my Pentax full frame K-1 after shooting almost all Fuji mirrorless these part two years and gosh it feels good in the hand, enjoying the optical viewfinder direct view of the scene and great ergonomics. Such a enjoyable photographic tool and so robust. But big and heavy.
Oh cool! I have never tried the K-1 (grew grey hair waiting for it when I was still a Pentax Shooter) but I heard good things about it. Curious to know, what made you pick one up?
@@SamuelStreetlife I mean I picked up my old Pentax K-1 which I had from when it was first released. I just put it aside for a while since I was seduced by the cute Fuji X-E series for street and discrete. I appreciate the benefits of an EVF but I had also tried Olympus OM-D for a bit but but particularly with the Olympus I feel too distanced from the scene with the EVF and enjoy the immediacy, the connection with the scene through traditional OFV. I am torn as both offer different benefits and pleasures for the photographer. I hadn’t used the Pentax in a while, it’s a robust, fully featured DSLR that feels great in the hand (just AF isn’t as fast as the competition) and when I went on a event shoot with it, it just felt like I was coming home.
I did the exact same thing. It's a wonderful camera, the image quality and lenses are beautiful. For me the K1 provides a more authentic experience than a Fuji mirrorless pretending to be a manual 'analog' camera. Proper manual focus and aperture if you want it. (Although I still think Fuji is great and still have my XT3)
@@SamuelStreetlife I also have one, bought a year and half ago for 900€, like new. It is heavy and autofocus is not that fast but I find limited trio with screw drive or da* 300mm with hsm very nice in that regard. As you said in the video, Leica is concerned about making premium expensive products and it feels quite distant from photographer. Pentax on the other hand feels so friendly, no bulshit with changing mount and no bulshit with weather resistance and stabilization. Even star tracer and gps. It is just there.
I feel you. Being a purist, shooting film for a few years, now not having time, space for developing film and making prints and still want to shoot I bought a full frame DLSR. At this moment trying to buy a Manual lens(Voigtlander 40mm) I miss the experience shooting film. I’ve been there and enjoyed it. I agree, it’s time to move on
Great Video.. I have also been rediscovering the pleasures of shooting an old Nikon D3S, I have been a Leica user for many years with M3 - M9 & R9 and I agree with everything you said, I was considering a Leica Q2 but will not buy one now. The old Nikon feels just right.
I'm also using a digital body and manual focus lens, although I went the mirrorless route because of the focus peaking ability of EVFs. My Lumix S1R has the best EVF I've ever seen, absolutely huge and hella sharp. I use the EVF in Monochrome and the Focus Peaking in bright red, so I can always see where the focus plane is and with my fast lenses (1.4, 1.8 etc) it's super handy. I can go worked fast even at f2 or 2?8, just having my subject go red and then BAM shutter. If I wanna critically focus I can punch in 20x (although that's really extreme, 8x is more than enough) but being able to do this at just the press of a single button is so nice I can really shoot as fast as my friends with Canon AF lenses without any compromises, but with my old Zeiss lenses I bought from all over Europe. So yeah, MF lenses on digital bodies rock ! I hope to see more of your photography with that D850
Niiice! EVF's as nice as the S1R are a joy to use with manual focus lenses. Never had a camera with a EVF that great but I remember how fast and easy it was to manual focus with my Fujifilm X-H1 and doing the same as you with monochrome and focus peaking on :) I got tired of it eventually because I could sill see the individual pixels and it wasn possible to toggle off focus peaking with a simple push of a button.
On my Ninon Z6 manual focussing is a lot easier than on the D850. As well as focus peaking, the focus square changes colour to green for confirmation. Which means I don’t have to simultaneously compose and check the in-focus circle at the bottom of the DSLR viewfinder.
I just got back into photography after several years off. I’m shooting with a Nikon N8008 and a D700 and I’m loving it. My cameras are ancient compared to today’s tech but I don’t care. I’m having fun and producing great images. I appreciate your philosophy and perspective.
I bought an old 24x36 Sony A850 DSLR few months ago, with some great cheap dream used lenses (Zeiss lenses : 24mm F2, 50mm F1.4 and 135mm F1.8), and I'm very happy with this choice ! The body is simple (no video, big optical viewfinder), solid (build like a tank), and the lenses are very great (I can have the famous full frame bokeh if I want it). It free my mind, I have efficient tools for photography, paid much less than recent mirrorless cameras. All in a compact shoulder bag, and I take great pleasure to photograph.
The beauty of a DSLR such as the D850, is that you can shoot just about anything, in any situation, and get very good to great results. The lens selections feel "endless".
I have a Canon R5 but when shooting for pure pleasure, I use a Leica M or even go back to the old and trusted Canon 6D (love that camera). Shooting mirrorless feels like a first person shooter video game.
Hi, would like to ask if you would still consider using the 6D instead or do the advantages of the R5 still outweighs it for you (besides more MP). Thanks in advance if you find the time to answer me
@@mdbedelsohn4307 I had to do a pro gig where I couldn’t use mechanical shutter (I was an on-set photographer on a feature film). The R5 is a wonderful camera that could do what I couldn’t have otherwise. But, to be fair, I don’t really enjoy it the same way I enjoy the 6d. And I use it regularly still. Part of the charm is that it’s simple enough and I know it like the back of my hand. I hope this answers your question.
@@mdbedelsohn4307 the evf speeds up the process because you get a live feed of all the changes in the settings. The downside, I feel, is you might get less creative: there’s less space for thinking ahead of what you want to achieve because what you see is what you get. Optical viewfinders force you to use your imagination and think about the end result before seeing it. I don’t know if it’s clear enough but I feel more free with an ovf than an evf.
After doing and watching many reviews of people owned Nikon D700, I bought one myself in Mint Condition. I just fell in love the way how this Panasonic Sensor 12megs Renders the Color is Unique. The Jpeg and Raw files come out of this camera are Outstanding, I'm speechless. I carry D700 in the street when it snows and rains to take photos and this camera can Handle ALL weather Condition. Btw, I don't have any issues with the Weight actually it feels REALLY GOOD in my hands. The other reason why I want to get back DSLR cause of Optical View Finder just like Samuel has mentionned. Btw, I also have Nikon Z6II mirrorless but I can't stand of EVF lags seconds and it looks weird. I don't like it.
Interesting topic. I switched from Nikon to Leica. I had a D850 and D4 for 6 years and did a lot of studio work with them, but I started to have trouble with the D850 (error codes). It started to happen more often. The photo quality was good and I didn’t miss the focusing. However, the error codes frustrated me over time. I tried out the Leica SL2 and loved it. Solid, strong, good focusing. I found the image quality and color rendering a little bit better in the Leica. I performed several side by side comparisons. Yes, Leica is more money, but I got a little frustrated and embarrassed in front of the customer and needed to change. Good luck, I am sure you will like it.
Excellent video, I am 100% with you. I am using old Sony DSLRs for years (A100/A700) with great old minolta lenses...I love them so much that I decided to experience the NIKON DSLRs too.I bought a D700, a D300 and D200 (for the CCD rendering) almost new for very small amount of money (200euro/120 euro and 80 euro). Image quality at the top like ergonomics and build quality. Mirrorless are probably great for some specific usages like video+photo reportages or super low light photography and also autofocus speed capabilities....but their main advantages is to allow photographers with smaller budget to access superb photography tools: classic DSLRs.
Is just nice as always hear you talking, sharing ideas and clarifying our minds. Or just even sharing your expirience. I am always waiting for your videos because i finish them feeling so good haha. Good job as always Samuel!
Great video. I agree completely. My DSLR is the Pentax K-1. Great ergonomics, weather sealed, LED lights, tilting screen, terrific dynamic range and a built in astrotracer. Yeah, it’s heavier, but it feels like a camera should IMHO. And I can easily use all the Pentax and Takumar vintage glass.
You bet, the Pentax-M 1.7/50 is such a nice lens for me on the K-1 Mark II, and I bought the lens in perfect shape for... $40!! Take that Leica. Hahah.
@@andrewlossing2349 Hey that was actually my first lens I ever bought :) Even kept using it when I switched to canon to do video productions with it for clients :) And I think I paid half of what you paid lol. How is that not awesome, right?
@@SamuelStreetlife I hope you do! Yes, the Nikon D850 and Canon 5D M 4 are terrific DSLRs. But at $1,000 less, the K-1 is a great camera that almost nobody talks about. That is a shame.
Totally agree re: Leica. I own an M9 and the M9M only because 1) I love CCD sensors and 2) it’s for when I want that walkabout experience. I never use them at home with my kids - I can’t function at light speed. My X100V is a great substitute for that. I also have a Nikon DF that I adore and can go stupid high on ISO in low light. I think we live in a time of incredible availability of camera options that don’t have to cost the same as a small car. I can’t ever see myself justifying a modern Leica when comparing against all the other options out there. That M9 monochrome though…
14:40 a beeping focus warning sound system oils have been perfect. It’s also possible to install a split screen in the camera. I did it on a older CCD Nikon and it works very well
@@SamuelStreetlife cheers! Yep. Extremely versatile! The voigtlander on my 750 is a fave. Quite light and easy to carry. I'll go traveling on my bike with the d500, a zoom and a 300, and I can get great pics for anything from landscape to birds in flight.
I still use my Nikon F100 as my main camera. The experience of a mirror slapping can never be beat. Also been looking at the D700 for a digital alternative.
I love my Nikon D780! I just love working with the optical viewfinder. Funny thing, it's a great camera for just about anything BUT street photography. People literally duck the thing. For street photography I use my Ricoh GR III and my Nikon Z fc. D780 is still great for street photography with the 50mm lens (as long as people aren't dodging it). With other lenses I much prefer to use it for event photography! And landscapes. And animals. And...
Haha I had good experiences so far with using my D850 for street! But people definitely notice you a mile away. It forces you to be bolder and shoot like you dont care :D just act like a tourist ;)
This is really interesting. I have an M6 and I got it basically because of it’s near silent shutter for being on the street. It’s beautiful and functional, but it’s just about the least dexterous camera I have ever used. Unless I’m going out to shoot candid stuff, I always find myself picking something else up. I got it at a good price for the market, but I genuinely believe I could use something a tenth of the price and get good results. However ultimately, I believe the gear fascination a lot of us have is a distraction anyway. Or maybe that’s just how I feel about myself and I should stop projecting in comment sections lol
The Leica commentary is dead on. You took the words right out of my mouth. I too went back to DSLRs very recently with the purchase of my own D850, [God what an amazing camera and build] for the very same reasons as you. I started with SLRs then DSLRs, all Nikon btw, then went to mirrorless for ten years (Fuji, Sony and last year Nikon Z5). In that time my photography was all about the camera and what it "could" do even if I didn't need or use it. I spent Thousands of $ on these systems but now I am back to a familiar friend and it feels like home... and practical. It has everything I need, want and use efficiently with a LOT less money spent. I don't have to worry about eye fatigue looking at a mini TV screen in the eye piece, having to buy and change batteries every 300 shots, having to adapt my old F mount lenses with bulky and ugly adapters... I can do that with my D850 because I can natively use any of my lenses dating back to the 1970s. I think we get to caught up in the hype of technology, the brand loyalty and what it looks like to others using certain brands. The only thing that should matter is what a camera does for our photography experience and we have to take a hard hard look at ourselves to answer that.
I just shot a wedding last week and I used my Nikon D610. One guest was shooting with Canon R5 and said... as a photographer I was expecting you guys shooting with Nikon Z9 and Sony A1. Last night the couple posted some of the pictures he took and honestly it's mediocre at best.
@@gaarax0x ngl id be nervous if the photographer at my wedding was using some old dslr but I guess the difference isn’t a big deal. Mirrorless cameras just show you the exposure live so you’re not guessing and focus faster and better.
Pentax DSLRs have AF confirmation beep and AF point illumination even for vintage lenses. For vintage lenses, you get the centre point AF illumination and beep. For newer lenses, you have all focus points that can illuminate so you know exactly where you are focused.
Interesting timing on this video! I just picked up a mint black Nikon DF with a 50mm for 800 a few days ago. Like you, I also went through the Leica black hole and have gone through several mirrorless systems ever since it’s introduction. I agree with everything you said, I guess I tend to go against the herd as well haha.
DSLRs are just crazy fast, I recently made a video about the nikon D2X (released in 2005) and it's just crazy quick and responsive. Compared to the fuji x-pro 1 I'm currently testing (released in 2012) the nikon D2X is blazingly fast. DSLRs are just a lot simpler technologically and give you an instant response for anything you do.
I got a Leica M240 a little while ago. I was using a Canon 5D mark 1, and I thought that a Leica M camera would be a final destination, after which I could stop dreaming of other cameras. I ended up not liking the experience for the same reasons you mentioned. I sold it to buy a Leica Q-P instead, and while it's definitely better for me than the M240, I still secretly prefer my 5D (which I thankfully still have), also for the reasons you mentioned.
I'm still using my Canon eos 5d classic and 5d mark III. I also have an olympus e-m10 mk III as a small mirrorless camera. These 3 cameras are absolutely all I need. I think if money is no object then a Leica would be nice to have but I would be hesitant to use it due to how much it costs in case it broke or got stolen. With my cameras, it's not the end of the world if one eventually breaks or worst still, someone stole one of them. They could easily be replaced at a reasonable price. Also, I have some wonderful L lenses which are fantastic and so cheap these days.
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I feel that so much. Some time ago I wondered why my pictures actually always follow the same pattern and why I could photograph so much more versatile and sometimes much better motifs 10 years ago. The M reduces the spontaneous possible but sometimes very much and you are so nailed to a certain imagery, especially if you want to do street photography in Germany, because it often remains only f8 and hip shooting. I now use a D800 again much more. Unfortunately, it's more conspicuous, but I guess you have to face that.
I think it actually makes sense to chop and change. I don't think I've used a single camera / camera type for more than 3 years before I trade it in and try something else. Any given system will have advantages over any other given system, and it makes sense to try things out. I'm also considering going "back" to a DSLR for a while, just to shake things up.
I was also very fond of the OVF of my X100V that I sold recently. The reason was the awful manual focusing experience, I really dislike the focus by wire technology. I'm now waiting for a Nikon DF to arrive, I'll re-buy the DK-17M and I'll be happy again. I have some cool Ai-S lenses with me. Love Nikon.
Samuel - I love seeing you share your wisdom in such a calm unpretentious and humble way. A lot of your thoughts resonate with me and many others Im sure. I wish people in their 20’s understood how much their perspective will change when they are in their 30s and 40s. I wish they were a little more humble and had a little more respect for others perspectives. And I’m not speaking about photography here.
Hi Samuel, great videao! Thanks a lot! I use a Nikon D600 and a Leica M9 and for me, I love both of them. The Nikon is great, you get wonderful lenses like the AF 50/1.4, the AF 105/2.8 Macro or the AF 180/2.8 at a begain price used. I grew up with SLR and owned a Nikon F3 with great manual focus lenses. But some years ago I decided to get my dream come true and I sold all my analogue stuff to buy a used digital Leica M9 with 50 and 90mm lenses. After a while I realised the lack of focus speed and I bought the used D600. Now I am happy with this combination, as it is. The Nikon DSLR is perfect for speed, e.g. when I'm shooting our dogs = when I want to be shure to match the focus. And the Leica M9 is about concentration, perception, training the own view. And honestly the Leica lenses and the sensor of the M9 are increadibly pefect. At the bottom line these are two systems you can't compare. I love them both and decide frome time to time witch one to use.
Simply love and admire your viewpoints here. Honest and open. Certainly prices from all camera manufacturers and second hand resellers, are out of control! Additionally, I find there is with regard to camera gear, quite a bit of elitism displayed in the TH-cam space, as well. My two cents of course. Not that anyone asked. Thank you.
D1X (CCD color is unlike anything from the modern CMOS) matched to the amazing 35mm f/2 AF-D. Tough, fast, reliable, familiar. Mirrorless is for gearheads and pixel peepers. Leica is for the jet set, more money then sense types.
I am an active photographer that started making images in 1949. My first serious camera was a pre-ww2 voightlander given to me in 1951. .after that a 4X5 speed graphic, a rolli, and finally a 35mm Nikon in 1963. All manual. Photography changed for me when I got a Nikon D200. I now use a D850 and several fuji cameras. Do I yearn for the good old days? Not anymore than I want to drive my first,car, a' 1939 Plymouth.
You got it right with the 'do I really need the latest?' question. Comparing an entry level Pentax DSLR with an entry Panasonic mirrorless, I found that it has less programs and filters, the video quality is sub-standard, only a fixed screen, short battery life etc. I bought a 2nd hand Panasonic GX8 with only 50 (!) pictures taken. Using this camera from 2016, there is no need to upgrade anything, it has a magnesium-alloy body and is water resistent. It is smaller and lighter, therefore less intrusive, than any DSLR. Especially in black. You can get great and small/light 2nd hand M43 fixed focal lenses. Keep it up...
Nice rant on Leica. I own an M10-D and an M10-P (white edition no less) and I'm a total poser. Had a Q2 that was infinitely better at "just getting the shot" and ran into your video looking at GRIII reviews. Looking cool is getting old when I miss half my shots.
Leica is a different league. It is not about performance/price ratio, but a photography lifestyle that is meant for a niche. It is not a smart decision to have Leica, but maybe the only decision that will make some of us happy. I had only one DSLR and I wouldn't see myself going there again after shooting with mirrorless cameras. In the end, it is what makes us happy. Congrats on taking this path.
Leica has been and always will be a niche product. There's really no benefit to limiting yourself to the access that technology provides us for the sake of appearances or brand loyalty. Good for you for being honest about what works for you and the way you shoot.
I own 2 DSLR’s. Pentax KP and K3 MK3. Awesome cameras. Awesome not just for image quality but also ergonomics. Weight can be an issue if you don’t plan. I sometimes carry a maximum of 2 lenses and they’ll probably be similar lengths like 21mm and 35mm. I’ll design the shoot around the lenses.
Hi Samuel, you are actually the person who influenced me to buy a Canon 5D mark 1 last year. It was kind of a just-for-fun camera but lately it's been my main camera for street and pretty much everything else! The colors of the JPG files are amazing for me and the RAW files process really nicely as black and whites. I also started photography using DSLR's so it's so nostalgic to be using them again! Thanks for sharing your content Samuel, stay safe!
The 4 things that happens to new cameras. 1. We convince ourselves we really need it 2. They get used until the next one comes along 3. It ends up in a drawer 4. It gets sold
Hi Samuel, what a brave man you are, saying out loud what, I think, most people think about Leica. Don't get me wrong I would have, most likely gone done that rabbit hole as well if I had the money. But no. Over the last few years I have thought many times Samuel, you bought a what??? I have enjoyed watching your journey through the minefield of camera choices. So I think I've settle on my camera gear. After buying and selling my x100F, X-E3, xPro 3 and K5 pentax, I WILL keep my x100V and Pentax KP and lens I have acquired over the years. As always, thanks for your thoughts and views.
So far after researching most brands and lenses on Flickr in the search for the next SLR style camera and lenses to buy….. Jesus Christ the Sony GM lenses are easily the top choice. The sharpness and clarity is unmatched. Absolutely unreal quality. Just wish they didn’t stop making cameras without optical viewfinders. The D850 is a phenomenal camera.
Nikon's Z lenses are better - and Fuji's APS-C lenses are excellent too and Canon's FD and... then there's a ton of exquisite F-Glass in camera dealers' secondhand stock. No need for Sony fanboys to infest a streetphotography video ;-)
So, there's a few directions I can think of for the "mirrorless OVF" that are possible, depending on what you want out of it. Fundamentally, a truly mirrorless camera with an OVF that sees through the lens is impossible, but if you're willing to compromise on one of those two things... If you just want to get rid of mirror slap, but are fine with the bulk and the flange focal distance of having a mirror, pellicle mirrors are an option (and were used in the film days on some Canon and Nikon sports-oriented SLRs), and can see through the lens. The biggest downside to them is that they reduce the amount of light that makes it to the film (or sensor in a digital), and *also* have a significantly darker viewfinder than a SLR with a conventional mirror. Unfortunately, the only digital cameras using pellicle mirrors are the Sony SLTs, and they only send light upwards for autofocusing, and use an EVF instead. (AFAIK, their main advantage over early mirrorless cameras was that they could do phase-detect autofocus, but once phase-detect pixels were put on sensors, they became kinda pointless.) If you're fine with not seeing through the lens and having parallax error... that's a rangefinder. However, rangefinder doesn't have to mean *Leica*-style - consider the Contax G1 and G2, which had autofocus and a zooming viewfinder. (Also, if you don't care about seeing focus through the viewfinder, plenty of point-and-shoots had viewfinders that were solely for framing. Sony even sold a non-zooming accessory OVF for their early mirrorless cameras, intended specifically for 16 mm lenses on APS-C.) And then there's the absolutely ridiculous option, that would give SLR-style focusing, but without seeing through the lens: could always make a twin-lens mirrorless. (Can't call it a TLR because there's no reflex mirror.) It'd be bulky, ungainly, expensive (two lenses coupled together), you'd need additional optics behind the ground glass to re-flip the image or have to deal with an inverted image, and have worse parallax error than the rangefinder, but...
If you miss the DSLR feel and you love Leica -- you may be missing out by not checking out Panasonic Lumix. Both their M3/4 and full frame mirrorless bodies retain the old DSLR feel and they actually have Leica designed lenses. It's the most underated camera system on the market for sure.
M43 is basically a « full frame system » as the lenses are designed for its specific sensor and fill its frame. This is what « full frame » actually means
I think you just saved me a whole bunch of money Samuel. I've been lusting after an M camera for a while now but in reality my Sony and Fuji cameras do everything the Leica can, and probably do it better. You just bought me back to earth, very timely, thanks. Now to find an OVF SLR lol.
I am very happy that you are happy and go out and shoot again.This is the only think that matters.A photographer have to shoot with the camera make him happy and most important have to shoot.Keep shooting,be happy.
You think there is big improvement with d850 regarding sensor? I feel they kinda hit the ceiling with this bayer filter technology and that there should not be noticeable difference.
@@patio87 I read a lot online and they say that d850 is improved in many ways but image quality just a tiny tiny bit. It is 45mp instead of 36mp and it has base iso at 65 instead of 100. We have reached the peak of bayer filtered sensors. They should start developing something akin to foveon sensor that takes all the info and not just 1/3 as with the beyer filter.
I have shot on a Nikon F, D7000, D7200, D500 and D850 as well as a Fuji X-T4. The D500 and D850 are the best cameras that Nikon has ever produced, and I will never sell mine until I have a replacement with less wear. The viewfinder of the D850 is darker than the D500, and the limitations of the AF points compared to the D500 is a bit disappointing, but I have never seen a camera with the same image quality and dynamic range as the D850. There is simply nothing better in a DSLR. Video is easier on the X-T4, particularly being able to remotely start the recording. I also wish the D850 had focus peaking, as manually focusing is a bit hit or miss. There are a load of functions that you should look through to make the most of that body, some of them come in handy. I personally have my Nikons all set up to do several things with the Function Buttons. I have one button set up to toggle the Auto ISO setting on and off. I have one set up to scroll through the Image Area options so that I can crop in for a tighter field of view or change formats (3:2, 1.2x, DX, 5:4, 1:1), and I have one button set to disable flash when I am using that, so I can switch to a no-flash shot without having to turn off the flash unit. The fact that you can set up two different AF settings for the AF-ON button, and the AF joystick button means you have a choice as to how the camera focuses without entering menus. I hope you get a lot of use out of yours.
I had a Fuji XE3 and whilst I loved it, all the lenses I wanted were really expensive. Literally the price of some old full frame DSLRs. So I tried both a Canon 6D (insane bargain, even has WiFi!) and a D750. Gonna keep the D750 and pair with a 50mm 1.8. People forget just how well established DSLR systems are whilst mirrorless has only *started* to get good in recent years.
I recently went back to Nikon after being a sony mirrorless hound for a few years. I picked up a D850 with 80k clicks for something like $1400 bucks. The d850 is the king of DSLR's.
Well thanks a lot!! Two weeks too late! I’ve been Nikon shooter since Nikon N2000 and had D800 the day it was released. Never got into mirrorless etc but two weeks ago I ordered Leica Q2 Monochrom. Where was this video two weeks ago? Just kidding. I know what the Q2M is - but glad you discovered DSLRs - and and Nikon!
FYI, i do have *very* sensitive, delicate eyes. I do shoot since 87 via 35mm SLR, also few rangefinders, but not Leica. Besides, *always* i get eyestrain, headaches and swindel, with *any* EVF. It's a odd color (my gear only does have 2.36 Mill dots) and all kind of flickering, edge distortions, CAs, etc. Current EVFs are great, but i do always prefer a 100% all glas pentaprism viewfinder (OVF). Same goes for night photography - never had any issues, via Tripod. Besides, i've had a bad experience with my CLE - try to shoot with your (polarized sunglasses) through the OVF, and focus on a small island at the lake, which does have 100's of small branches & leaves, you won't see sh*t inside the viewfinder, with the mediocre small rangefinder inside the viewfinder, mission impossible. Only chance - focus to infinity directly. With any split prism 35mm SLR, or any DSLR - even into the blazing sunlight, absolutely no issues, ever.
I can relate to this very much. I switched to a Nikon Z6 from Canon DSLRs and I'm really missing the optical viewfinder. The Z6 is a really good camera, but it's just not as fun.
Not going to fight you on this at all! 😂 I actually made the same “transition” lately. I reinvested into DSLR systems again and have gone all the way back to Canon 1D mk ii and Nikon D200. I found the aesthetic the images that come from those older sensors (ccd even) is great straight out of camera. My current daily is a D700 but the images are 😙🤌🏽 and the experience of using the OVF, limited (albeit fast) AF for chasing my kids…just works for me right now. I almost found them simpler because I’m not worrying about what film sim to put. I’m just shooting 😄
I feel ya. I was shooting SLR/DSLR mostly, then jumped to the mirrorless bandwagon (with FujiFilm X-E1) when it became the hype. It was like a step back in the beginning, however I learned to like mirrorless, the almost silent shutter and even the EVF (after I put it in BW-mode). However all that changed in 2021 when PENTAX K-3 Mark III came out, it felt very much like coming home, as you said in the video. Everything on that camera is perfect, its size & weight, the ergonomics, and the OVF is magnificent!
I recently got the Pentax K3-3 I'm still learning the camera at this time i still prefer my Pentax K3-11 but for action and wildlife the K3-3 is a much better camera.
@@scrptwic This is perfectly normal, Mark III is very complex and the new menus need to be learned. I still have my old K-3 in the bag but prefer to use Mark III.
I kind of feel the same way that you do. Although I never used a Leica, I was already using a Nikon D810 and when everyone started switching to mirrorless, I actually added another D810 with very low shutter count for a really sweet price. I can't think of photography without an OVF. BTW, I love my Pentax K-1 too :) Lovely video.
One of the best reasons to use Nikon Dslr's is just how good and wide the range of Nikkor optics are from AI and AIS onwards as pre AI whilst they can work on some later systems were not even supported when Nikon changed from fM and FE to FM2 and FE2 models in film some of the later more pro or semi pro Nikon bodies do support pre AI with some limitations but generally Nikon has awesome Lense compatability compared to most SLR or DSLR systems, Mirrorless is a different story though. Ergonomics can be the real game chager though when it comes to Camera Bodies and thankfully there are pretty much options for everybody out there
I no joke just hours before seeing this video bought a used canon 5d mark iii so I can buy cheaper ef canon telephoto lenses to shoot sports while also being able to use it for casual stuff. Felt like the best option on my limited budget right now so I totally agree with you. And I used to own a sony a7 iii but building up a kit was too much money for me to justify it.
I have a Canon 6dmkii and bought an olympus for the opposite reasons. I love my dslr when I'm explicitly going to shoot something, but I want to shoot more day-to-day life as I'm out and about living abroad so felt the need for something lighter and compact. I do love picking up older used L lenses for cheap though. Insane value if you don't mind the weight and maybe a little slower AF than the latest mirrorless cameras. Something just feels great though about canon ergonomics and every dial and switch can be found and adjusted without removing your eye from the vf
@@karikaru That is totally fair I have a fuji x70 at the moment which is kind of my fun travel digital, but I want the griiix for that 40mm focal length I'm such a sucker for. So I will probably eventually sell my x70. I also feel like people get hung up on AF so much the somewhat older dslr cameras have maybe slightly slower but more reliable auto focus in my opinion at least. Maybe I will end up changing my mind after a few months the the mark iii lol. In my experience the mirrorless autofocus is great but there just seems to be little issues that would bother me when I had my a7iii so either way no AF is instant or perfect and I don't ever think it will be at least in the recent future. The mark iii also has the same auto focus system as the 1dx which is known as one of the better focusing systems in the older bodies so I'm excited to see what I can make with the old thing :)
Thats a great reason to pick the 5D MkIII! I see a lot of my photographer friends who shoot sports or events recently buying DSLR's (like 5D's) because they just get the job done :)
@@Mike_Wazowski_z nice, I really wanted a Fuji but the prices were steep and the Olympus E-m5 mk Ii was attractive to me because it has ibis and I was wanting to do a little handheld documentary type videography to show friends and family day to day life where I'm living. So I just got a used 35mm equivalent and I'm treating it like a poor man's x100f just one prime all day everyday. Its maybe a little bulkier and heavier than maybe I would have liked a canon m200 with a pancake or something or I think I might miss the 4k but then I'd lose the IBIS and I don't really know what's more important since I'm new to video. That's the nice thing about buying used though - you're not losing a ton of value on a 7 year old camera vs a 9 year old camera and if I change my mind, I can probably swap into something else. The 5dmkiii is legendary though and a real workhorse, so I'm sure you'll be able to make some incredible images with it. Also great that it's a pro tier model so you get the dual card slots.
I always used the Nikon d700, made a switch to fuji xpro1-xpro2 and xpro3. But the cameras felt a little bit to small for me, just made the switch to the Leica SL and I'm so happy!
I think it’s familiarity of the M system. I am so used to M system and the workflow as I practised quite a bit on the Leica film camera previously, I am lazy to change to new system. Especially when my kids are young, it’s time consuming to learn another system. Also kudos to you and Lukasz for keeping photography pure.
Hehe in that case of course you use what is most comfortable to you! Leica M's are straight forward and I appreciate that about them. Once you "master" them it really is like learning how to write or type fast on a keyboard. Something that is hard to unlearn.
I shot Canon DSLRs from 2002 to 2013 when I went primarily mirrorless. First with Panasonic, then Olympus and Fuji. I still have my mirrorless gear but lately I’ve been enjoying shooting personal work on a 2005 Canon 5D dslr. The optical viewfinder is nice, and with over a decade of Canon shooting it’s like coming home. The 5D files look great, even with limited dynamic range and only 12 MP!
Hi, I have been doing wedding photography for over thirty years. I have photographed with a lot of machines and formats. In the last 10 years I have used a Nikon D800, although very noisy and very heavy, it may be one of the best DSLR. I've had the Ricoh GR2, the GR3, which are wonderful. Last year I bought a Leica Q2, now it's the one I use for one hundred percent of the reports. None of the five reasons you give would be good for my experience. I've never had as much fun with a camera as I have with the Q2, it has everything I need... I know, it costs a fortune but in my case it's worth it. This is Sergio Larrain's letter to his photographer nephew. The first thing is to have a machine that one likes, the one that one likes the most. Because it is about being happy, with the body, with what one has in one's hands. The instrument is key, for those who make a trade. And let it be the minimum, the essential and nothing more. A machine that is good is a pentax with a 1:1 macro. (Panchito has one I think, look at it) ,,,
I like both OVF and EVF. Different experiences! As for ergonomics, my Canon R5 has DSLR ergonomics, it's probably the only mirrorless to me that felt a lot like using a DSLR on steroids. I also use a Canon D30 from 2000 which is kinda fun, it's so paired back but still feels so modern. Highly recommend playing with one of those if you can find one.
I really enjoy your videos because you share your opinion from a user perspective and not a TH-camr if that makes sense. I agree that as technology improves we are more and more shooting with a computer in our hands. Film cameras take us back to the basics and although old, some things from the past are still relevant. Its great to have options and for many of us we can have a variety of cameras to use. Love my Leica and the manual focusing and on my nikon slr. Don't even try that on my fuji. The more cameras you use the more you learn what works for you. Really good video!
I like Samuel's attitude to be honest. If it's not working he can adjust and try new things. We've watched him change over cameras and styles. I switched from DSLR, to mirrorless to compact camera. Mainly because my use is to document my everyday life. I like how he encourages if whatever you're using works then stick to it. I could never afford the top DSLRs or Leica but compacts work for me. No one cares what camera I use, I don't take myself out of the moment, I don't have to baby my gear knowing that I could replace it if something bad happened.
![PURPEECH - นี่ฉันเองคนที่... (It's me) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/NuhHd0hOOg8/mqdefault.jpg)
It's always a cycle. People chase new technology, and go back to retro every a few years. Eventually technology move on, especially for professional work where efficiency is highly important. On the other side, the leftover technology used and loved by people will still be used and loved by some people, just less of them. It's amazing to have the camera industry producing reliable and long lasting products that allow us to use products made in 1950s or even earlier in 2022. It's one of the rare doors that lets you touch and feel the history.
Well said. How privileged we are to have access to all these amazing tools from the past to present.
Like the violence of Commist *hina towards Taiwan - an endless cycle starting in the 1940s...
This how u can make new TH-cam videos
Most professional cameras will be replaced by smartphones in the next 5 to 10 years
Five to ten years… By far way enough into future, that really no one cares about if your assumtion had become true or false 🎉
Went through something similar too... switched back to a DSLR, and am strictly using manual focus and vintage lenses.
I took my D750 out shooting street a few nights ago and Id forgotten how great it is. Then I saw this video. Awesome video.
I remember looking through my father’s Pentax dslr when I was a little boy.
The OVF really fascinated me… even more than the photos it produced.
Still to this day, there is a satisfaction in composing images through ground glass pentaprisms vs an LCD. I feel like it’s more “real.” LCDs may technically be more advantageous, but still doesn’t have the same satisfaction of a prism.
Perhaps I am too old school. 😂
Man oh man,
I "upgraded" to mirrorless two months ago. It has no soul. And composing is weird with EVF. It has its perks though, but I think I am getting a new DSLR soon.
I have finally found my dream DSLR camera: The Pentax K3 Mk. III ! The haptic, the build quality and the results are just fantastic! I am sooo absolutely happy with this camera :-)!
You are the only person I know spreading the gospel of DSLRs. All I need in life is a D600 and vintage lenses!
D600 here with a Nikon 85 f1.4 ais. Preach!
The D850 is my favorite camera of all time. I sold it off for the X100V, cried about it for a about a year and ahalf......and went back to repurchase a D850.
I started doing photography kinda recently (in the lest few years) and I was attracted to mirrorless cameras from the get go. To me, being able to see your exposure in real time was a huge advantage as a beginner, and the shorter flange distance meant that you could adapt pretty much any vintage glass to it, even Leica M stuff. To me, there was no drawbacks and almost only advantages to get a good mirrorless camera.
And I still feel that way ! My first camera that I would consider to be worth anything was teh Fuji X-T1, I since upgraded and do most of my work on the X-T2 and those cameras are a joy to use. BUT there was something missing. See, when you press the shutter on a mirrorless, you have the sound of the shutter curtain, no much movement of the camera, and that's where I found that something was missing. I remembered as a kid, playing with my dad's cameras, the biggest fun factor for me was pressing the shutter, hear that mechanical sound of the mirror flipping up, shaking the whole camera, and I can't really describe it, but it felt like camera had a soul. It was clunky (definitely more than using a modern EVF) but it had a very good fun factor that I don't think any mirrorless camera could achieve, even today.
I started shooting with my old man's DSLR, and soon after ordered one for myself, a 2008 Nikon D700 and really I'm just like a kid everytime I pick up that camera again. I'm not going to leave mirrorless as I still think those are the best cameras in terms of ease of use, performance and size, but I'm fine with having both systems, and using those for different things !
Glad I found this video which has mirrored my experience. I started in film shooting SLR in highschool the 80's, then went to Leica for a bit when I started working, then went to digital SLR cameras, re-joined the digital Leica bandwagon, and now back to shooting DSLRs being my first love. My Leica gear is now sitting "gathering dust" in my dry box. Nothing quite beats the SLR form factor for me.
No offense, but this build quality argument re. leicas sounds a bit unfair to me. There is nothing wrong with the build quality of a D850 or 5D or K3...they are all strong as Fort Knox. It's just that the 'builds' are different. Just my opinion.
Literally, sturdy =\= quality, I don’t currently mirrorless digital but my F6 and Df are considered the best Nikon builds and they don’t hold a candle to a real Leica
@@hanfei6871 Toyota Land Cruiser and Porsche quality are different , you are comparing two enterily different consumer segment.
@@hanfei6871Lecia is show off these days and Nikon is serious business.
I am so grateful for this video, I was complaining all time for not having the money for leicas but I have nice Nikon gear (including manual AIS lenses mint condition). Seen you circling back to Nikon DSLR tod me real loud "just go use the gear you have". Thank you
That is so wonderful to hear man! Thanks for sharing and glad to be of a positive influence to you! And thanks for the donation :-) All the best to you!
"Why are we using technology that is hindering the results?" Thats the line right there. Using the right tool for the job! The video came out nice!
The first real digital camera I got coming from a Minolta was a Nikon D60. Stuck with that system through to the D750 and honestly loved all of them that I had, never understood all of the Nikon bashing even back in the day. (especially 5D II days 🤣)
Loved this whole video and conversation. After I stopped shooting weddings, I sold my SL2 system because as much as I enjoyed the experience, that's a lot of bread to not be bringing any in with 'em. You know raising a family costs way more than these cameras. Hahaha
I shot Minolta film camera and Minolta digital and man the bashing I got from Nikon and Canon shooters! It was insane then I started with Sony A-mount and the same thing! I still shoot with all three plus I adapt the lens to my A1! Maxxum 9, Maxxum7 and 7D, Sony A900 and A99m2!
Haha! You know it Matt✌️Congrats to the new addition to the family by the way! I forgot to mention this in my video but my son actually loves being photographed by big cameras. He rarely smiles or acts infront of my phone or smaller cameras. But the moment he sees me with the DSLR he wants to touch it. Cheers to a fellow Ex-SL shooter hehe. Out of all the Leica‘s I had (digital) I think I liked the SL the most. But it still felt like a niche system to me. Images and experience were awesome though👍
@@351linzdoctor One day people will realize how amazing those Maxxum 7 and 9 were. I was lucky enough to find one in a thrift shop and once I started learning about them I realized how lucky I actually got.
@@vega35mm76 Wow a Maxxum 9 in a thrift shop! Well I had a similar experience with my second Maxxum 9 I had a guy who didn't think his Maxxum 9, Minolta 35mm F2.0 ,Minolta 100mm F2.0, Minolta 28-70 F2.8G lens weren't any good and he sold it to me for only $350.00 so he could buy a Nikon! At the time the lens were worth over a thousand dollars each!🤯🤯
I use a d750 too and it's the best camera for me.
Really appreciate your journey. One of the reasons I sold my D850 + Lens combo, it was over 2.5KG and I found I wasn't taking my camera out as much anymore and the size and weight was more of an obstacle. Leica really showed me another side of photography, slowing down, not just randomly snapping 100's of shots etc. That's just for me personally. You can't go wrong with the D850 though, it's a solid camera and sensor.
Awesome but you could also say similar with using fuji not that I do, I'm still stuck on sony a6000 🤣 it just works but also looking at upgrading to FF shortly 🤷
Yeah and now u can brag u have a Leica every min lol
I have all mirrorless cameras now - but I do miss using a DSLR for many of the same reasons you mentioned. I recently picked up my old Nikon F100 and just looked through the viewfinder - the size, clarity and brightness of the scene as viewed directly through the lens was just impressive. And you are correct about using manual focus - it is really a lot easier than people think - especially with a nice bright diopter correct viewfinder.
I've got a Nikon D850 I've blacked the logo off with black tape similar to you and I've put a Nikon 28mm 2.8 AIS lens on it. much more compact. and find it's just wonderful for street photography. When I want to be discreet, I tilt the screen up and put the camera on silent and tap the screen to take my shot. Perfect!. I don't even need to press the shutter. and most people know or 'think' DSLRs make a shutter sound but the D850 can shoot silently. If you get the shot that sensor resolves so much detail its amazing. There is a learning curve but I'm getting better. more and more keepers now I'm getting more proficient .
Great hearing your thoughts on Leica, your trusty Ricoh GRs and your Nikon D850 . . I started using film SLRs in 1973 and transitioned into DSLRs when the Nikon D100 arrived, and shot many important events and prominent people on it e.g. Prime Ministers and visiting royalty. . even now when I have to shoot a fast moving event professionally, I find myself relying on my Nikon DSLRs, but for street or casual days out, I find my little Sony NEX 5T hard to beat, and in fact shot my best selling print on it thru its 18-55mm kit lens, which backs up that old adage “The best camera is the one you have with you!” . . . so I think you hit it all right on the head regarding your view on the Leica legacy. Great viewing as I find all your stories. Thanks and keep them coming. Ian
i am just a hobbiest photographer, but i’ve been a music producer for 20+ years. the greatest beats i’ve made have been using a computer, but at the moment, i’m back using older drum machines. it’s just refreshing using a simpler piece of a equipment, rather than having everything at my disposal with a computer. it helps me think differently. my main film camera is the leica m6, and i enjoy it so much more than any other slr. but when it comes to digital, i really enjoy using fuji cameras, or even my newer sony cameras. i also really like having the options of different gear, music or camera related. it just depends where my headspace is at the moment. lens adapters also help with mixing old with the new.
Hi. I do agre with your opinion. (concerning Leica). I am a hobbyist on photography. I remember before, whenever, I take pictures of my beloved wife Becca, she becames irritated/impatient, due to the long wait, when I do manual focusing on my old Nikon F2as camera. (in the early '80s). So , when I decided to come back to photography ( in 2018, using a Nikon D700) everything was easy, with the new technology of auto focus in your hand. Photography is an, expensive hobby, as they say. So, I am taking my time acquiring slowly good lenses. Thank you so much for your video and in sight on you experience, in photography: being open, honest & down to earth. Keep on shooting. God bless.
I am old. I bought a new M3 when I was in the army in West Germany for $280. It was a terrific camera for the time. I had been thinking about selling it years later because of its inflexibility for lenses other than the ones that had frame lines in the viewfinder. Fortunately it was stolen and I had a series of dlsrs after that enabled new ways of seeing.. I was very disillusioned with at one point when they remetered and relabeld a $250 Minolta and sold it as a Leicaflex for about 5 times the price of the Minolta. All that Leica mystique just went away. Happily shooting with Fujifilm now which, in my opinion, improved on the image quality of my D800. You are right about the grips though.
Fujifilm gfx? Because I find it hard that apsc sized sensor can beat full frame d800.
@@borisnemet You might find it hard but with the current technology the blur between APS-C and Full Frame is closer than ever. One example is the Fujifilm X-H2S beating or matching the Sony A7Siii in Dynamic Range. The "Full Frame Look" is just another term for a Shallower Depth of Field which can also be said the same with the "Medium Format Look" which even has shallower DOF than Full Frame.
Sold my Canon 5D MK 4 and bought a Fuji X100 VI.Really regret selling it,so i sold the X100 VI and went back to the 5D MK4.
Can you share with us the reasons that made you do this
In the same boat , gave my D700 to my brother who is learning photography and went with Sony A6700, instantly regretted the purchase , tried to use it for 4-5 months but the controls the buttons OVF and the experience of taking s picture is not there with Sony . Its a fantastic camera but not my cup of T. Sold it, took a loss :s and now hunting for a used D850 , found 2 rarely used ones under 5000 clicks LOL , will finalize in 2 days !!!!….
We all go through different phases in life. Fun and honest video Sam!
Sam, I made a mistake...
not only do I watch too many of your videos, I bought a Nikon F6 - why did I do that?!!! 😂
I'm not a photo pro, just an amateur who likes to travel, a family man.
I photographed with Nikon for a long time, in the 90s with my F3 (which I still have), when our son was born the D200 came and was then replaced by a D800 and I was always satisfied with a Nikon camera. Then came the Fuji x100 and I was in love. At some point the Nikon went and then came the x-pro2 and the x-t3 from Fuji, along with some lenses. Then came the idea, what would it be like if I shot with Leica? I inherited an M6 from my father and then my Fuji equipment had to go and I got an M262, which I have since replaced with an M10.
But I was missing a camera for my big hands, maybe with autofocus... I now have an SL2-s and am (actually) super happy with it - especially with the small M lenses. But somehow it's not like it was with the D800 back then... I went through my pictures in Lightroom and realized that the results of the Nikon were really good, even those of the D200 - and now the F6 comes into play. I just love having this camera in my hand! Yes, it's big, it's not as cool as a Leica, but who cares! For a few days now I've been rummaging around on eBay and the like for a secondhand D850, a companion to my F6. Oh man... why does everything always have to be so complicated 🤪?!
Thanks for your videos, I like your authentic and honest way of getting the content across, please keep it up!
I have Nikon D850, Z7, Z7II, Leica M10P, M10M and bunch of Nikon SLR and Leica M film cameras. None of them can be replaced by the others. That all have their own pros. I still keep using all of them.
Picked up my Pentax full frame K-1 after shooting almost all Fuji mirrorless these part two years and gosh it feels good in the hand, enjoying the optical viewfinder direct view of the scene and great ergonomics. Such a enjoyable photographic tool and so robust. But big and heavy.
Oh cool! I have never tried the K-1 (grew grey hair waiting for it when I was still a Pentax Shooter) but I heard good things about it. Curious to know, what made you pick one up?
@@SamuelStreetlife I mean I picked up my old Pentax K-1 which I had from when it was first released. I just put it aside for a while since I was seduced by the cute Fuji X-E series for street and discrete. I appreciate the benefits of an EVF but I had also tried Olympus OM-D for a bit but but particularly with the Olympus I feel too distanced from the scene with the EVF and enjoy the immediacy, the connection with the scene through traditional OFV. I am torn as both offer different benefits and pleasures for the photographer.
I hadn’t used the Pentax in a while, it’s a robust, fully featured DSLR that feels great in the hand (just AF isn’t as fast as the competition) and when I went on a event shoot with it, it just felt like I was coming home.
I did the exact same thing. It's a wonderful camera, the image quality and lenses are beautiful. For me the K1 provides a more authentic experience than a Fuji mirrorless pretending to be a manual 'analog' camera. Proper manual focus and aperture if you want it. (Although I still think Fuji is great and still have my XT3)
@@SamuelStreetlife I also have one, bought a year and half ago for 900€, like new. It is heavy and autofocus is not that fast but I find limited trio with screw drive or da* 300mm with hsm very nice in that regard. As you said in the video, Leica is concerned about making premium expensive products and it feels quite distant from photographer. Pentax on the other hand feels so friendly, no bulshit with changing mount and no bulshit with weather resistance and stabilization. Even star tracer and gps. It is just there.
Doesn't the Pentax use the same sensor from the D850?
I feel you. Being a purist, shooting film for a few years, now not having time, space for developing film and making prints and still want to shoot I bought a full frame DLSR. At this moment trying to buy a Manual lens(Voigtlander 40mm) I miss the experience shooting film.
I’ve been there and enjoyed it. I agree, it’s time to move on
A video like this has been needed for a LONG time. Thank you.
Hey Daryl that is great to hear :) Thank you for watching and commenting!
Great Video.. I have also been rediscovering the pleasures of shooting an old Nikon D3S, I have been a Leica user for many years with M3 - M9 & R9 and I agree with everything you said, I was considering a Leica Q2 but will not buy one now. The old Nikon feels just right.
that's good to hear! Things feeling just right is a rare thing nowdays so hold onto that if you can :)
I'm also using a digital body and manual focus lens, although I went the mirrorless route because of the focus peaking ability of EVFs. My Lumix S1R has the best EVF I've ever seen, absolutely huge and hella sharp. I use the EVF in Monochrome and the Focus Peaking in bright red, so I can always see where the focus plane is and with my fast lenses (1.4, 1.8 etc) it's super handy. I can go worked fast even at f2 or 2?8, just having my subject go red and then BAM shutter. If I wanna critically focus I can punch in 20x (although that's really extreme, 8x is more than enough) but being able to do this at just the press of a single button is so nice I can really shoot as fast as my friends with Canon AF lenses without any compromises, but with my old Zeiss lenses I bought from all over Europe.
So yeah, MF lenses on digital bodies rock ! I hope to see more of your photography with that D850
Niiice! EVF's as nice as the S1R are a joy to use with manual focus lenses. Never had a camera with a EVF that great but I remember how fast and easy it was to manual focus with my Fujifilm X-H1 and doing the same as you with monochrome and focus peaking on :) I got tired of it eventually because I could sill see the individual pixels and it wasn possible to toggle off focus peaking with a simple push of a button.
@@SamuelStreetlife Didn‘t you own the Leica SL?
It has a great EVF for manual focused glass.
On my Ninon Z6 manual focussing is a lot easier than on the D850. As well as focus peaking, the focus square changes colour to green for confirmation. Which means I don’t have to simultaneously compose and check the in-focus circle at the bottom of the DSLR viewfinder.
I just got back into photography after several years off. I’m shooting with a Nikon N8008 and a D700 and I’m loving it.
My cameras are ancient compared to today’s tech but I don’t care. I’m having fun and producing great images.
I appreciate your philosophy and perspective.
I bought an old 24x36 Sony A850 DSLR few months ago, with some great cheap dream used lenses (Zeiss lenses : 24mm F2, 50mm F1.4 and 135mm F1.8), and I'm very happy with this choice ! The body is simple (no video, big optical viewfinder), solid (build like a tank), and the lenses are very great (I can have the famous full frame bokeh if I want it). It free my mind, I have efficient tools for photography, paid much less than recent mirrorless cameras. All in a compact shoulder bag, and I take great pleasure to photograph.
The beauty of a DSLR such as the D850, is that you can shoot just about anything, in any situation, and get very good to great results. The lens selections feel "endless".
Exactly. This is why I wanted one because I grew tired of using cameras that dictate the style of photography I am doing.
You can say that about almost any mirrorless too. They can use all old lenses wit an adapter.
This video was so informative, really enjoyed hearing you share your perspective!
I have a Canon R5 but when shooting for pure pleasure, I use a Leica M or even go back to the old and trusted Canon 6D (love that camera). Shooting mirrorless feels like a first person shooter video game.
Haha yes it does.
Hi, would like to ask if you would still consider using the 6D instead or do the advantages of the R5 still outweighs it for you (besides more MP). Thanks in advance if you find the time to answer me
@@mdbedelsohn4307 I had to do a pro gig where I couldn’t use mechanical shutter (I was an on-set photographer on a feature film). The R5 is a wonderful camera that could do what I couldn’t have otherwise. But, to be fair, I don’t really enjoy it the same way I enjoy the 6d. And I use it regularly still. Part of the charm is that it’s simple enough and I know it like the back of my hand. I hope this answers your question.
@@guillaumebouqueau thanks for your answer! And besides the silent function, do you feel the EVF is important to you today in your professional work?
@@mdbedelsohn4307 the evf speeds up the process because you get a live feed of all the changes in the settings. The downside, I feel, is you might get less creative: there’s less space for thinking ahead of what you want to achieve because what you see is what you get. Optical viewfinders force you to use your imagination and think about the end result before seeing it. I don’t know if it’s clear enough but I feel more free with an ovf than an evf.
After doing and watching many reviews of people owned Nikon D700, I bought one myself in Mint Condition. I just fell in love the way how this Panasonic Sensor 12megs Renders the Color is Unique. The Jpeg and Raw files come out of this camera are Outstanding, I'm speechless. I carry D700 in the street when it snows and rains to take photos and this camera can Handle ALL weather Condition. Btw, I don't have any issues with the Weight actually it feels REALLY GOOD in my hands. The other reason why I want to get back DSLR cause of Optical View Finder just like Samuel has mentionned. Btw, I also have Nikon Z6II mirrorless but I can't stand of EVF lags seconds and it looks weird. I don't like it.
Thanks for this video. Helps me to not feel like a dinosaur still preferring my dslr. Thanks for the support!😁
Interesting topic. I switched from Nikon to Leica. I had a D850 and D4 for 6 years and did a lot of studio work with them, but I started to have trouble with the D850 (error codes). It started to happen more often. The photo quality was good and I didn’t miss the focusing. However, the error codes frustrated me over time. I tried out the Leica SL2 and loved it. Solid, strong, good focusing. I found the image quality and color rendering a little bit better in the Leica. I performed several side by side comparisons. Yes, Leica is more money, but I got a little frustrated and embarrassed in front of the customer and needed to change. Good luck, I am sure you will like it.
Excellent video, I am 100% with you. I am using old Sony DSLRs for years (A100/A700) with great old minolta lenses...I love them so much that I decided to experience the NIKON DSLRs too.I bought a D700, a D300 and D200 (for the CCD rendering) almost new for very small amount of money (200euro/120 euro and 80 euro). Image quality at the top like ergonomics and build quality. Mirrorless are probably great for some specific usages like video+photo reportages or super low light photography and also autofocus speed capabilities....but their main advantages is to allow photographers with smaller budget to access superb photography tools: classic DSLRs.
Is just nice as always hear you talking, sharing ideas and clarifying our minds. Or just even sharing your expirience. I am always waiting for your videos because i finish them feeling so good haha.
Good job as always Samuel!
Great video. I agree completely. My DSLR is the Pentax K-1. Great ergonomics, weather sealed, LED lights, tilting screen, terrific dynamic range and a built in astrotracer. Yeah, it’s heavier, but it feels like a camera should IMHO. And I can easily use all the Pentax and Takumar vintage glass.
Pentax K-1 and limited lens all the way!!
You bet, the Pentax-M 1.7/50 is such a nice lens for me on the K-1 Mark II, and I bought the lens in perfect shape for... $40!! Take that Leica. Hahah.
@@andrewlossing2349 Hey that was actually my first lens I ever bought :) Even kept using it when I switched to canon to do video productions with it for clients :) And I think I paid half of what you paid lol. How is that not awesome, right?
Wow everyone using K-1's here :) nice! I need to try a modern pentax now and see for myself.
@@SamuelStreetlife I hope you do! Yes, the Nikon D850 and Canon 5D M 4 are terrific DSLRs. But at $1,000 less, the K-1 is a great camera that almost nobody talks about. That is a shame.
Totally agree re: Leica. I own an M9 and the M9M only because 1) I love CCD sensors and 2) it’s for when I want that walkabout experience. I never use them at home with my kids - I can’t function at light speed. My X100V is a great substitute for that. I also have a Nikon DF that I adore and can go stupid high on ISO in low light. I think we live in a time of incredible availability of camera options that don’t have to cost the same as a small car. I can’t ever see myself justifying a modern Leica when comparing against all the other options out there. That M9 monochrome though…
14:40 a beeping focus warning sound system oils have been perfect. It’s also possible to install a split screen in the camera. I did it on a older CCD Nikon and it works very well
I can really recommend checking out the D700. Insanely good colors, small RAW files and perfect built. Plus you can get them for quite cheap
Yes amazing camera The Legend !
Mine broke down. Otherwise I'd still be using it...
@@krisceuppens5273 how did you manage to break a D700? 😅
@@vincentb7865 the shutter died on me... After 7 years... As I also have a d810 I didn't pay for the repair....
5D 1mark! MAGIC of color and low price
Love. My d850 and z8 for different reasons. But the 850 is a wonderful camera experience❤
I am rocking a d500 and d750 combo and loving it. I don't want to change anytime in the near future.
That’s great👍 solid set :)
@@SamuelStreetlife cheers! Yep. Extremely versatile! The voigtlander on my 750 is a fave. Quite light and easy to carry. I'll go traveling on my bike with the d500, a zoom and a 300, and I can get great pics for anything from landscape to birds in flight.
I still use my Nikon F100 as my main camera. The experience of a mirror slapping can never be beat. Also been looking at the D700 for a digital alternative.
You will not regret getting a D700. Fantastic.
I love my Nikon D780! I just love working with the optical viewfinder. Funny thing, it's a great camera for just about anything BUT street photography. People literally duck the thing. For street photography I use my Ricoh GR III and my Nikon Z fc. D780 is still great for street photography with the 50mm lens (as long as people aren't dodging it). With other lenses I much prefer to use it for event photography! And landscapes. And animals. And...
Haha I had good experiences so far with using my D850 for street! But people definitely notice you a mile away. It forces you to be bolder and shoot like you dont care :D just act like a tourist ;)
This is really interesting. I have an M6 and I got it basically because of it’s near silent shutter for being on the street. It’s beautiful and functional, but it’s just about the least dexterous camera I have ever used. Unless I’m going out to shoot candid stuff, I always find myself picking something else up. I got it at a good price for the market, but I genuinely believe I could use something a tenth of the price and get good results. However ultimately, I believe the gear fascination a lot of us have is a distraction anyway. Or maybe that’s just how I feel about myself and I should stop projecting in comment sections lol
The Leica commentary is dead on. You took the words right out of my mouth.
I too went back to DSLRs very recently with the purchase of my own D850, [God what an amazing camera and build] for the very same reasons as you. I started with SLRs then DSLRs, all Nikon btw, then went to mirrorless for ten years (Fuji, Sony and last year Nikon Z5). In that time my photography was all about the camera and what it "could" do even if I didn't need or use it. I spent Thousands of $ on these systems but now I am back to a familiar friend and it feels like home... and practical. It has everything I need, want and use efficiently with a LOT less money spent. I don't have to worry about eye fatigue looking at a mini TV screen in the eye piece, having to buy and change batteries every 300 shots, having to adapt my old F mount lenses with bulky and ugly adapters... I can do that with my D850 because I can natively use any of my lenses dating back to the 1970s.
I think we get to caught up in the hype of technology, the brand loyalty and what it looks like to others using certain brands. The only thing that should matter is what a camera does for our photography experience and we have to take a hard hard look at ourselves to answer that.
Beautifully said! And congrats on your own D850! It‘s an amazing tool. Thanks for your comment and all the best with your photography👍
@@SamuelStreetlife Thank you, and thanks for this video and opening a discussion on this subject. It' is very much needed.
I just shot a wedding last week and I used my Nikon D610. One guest was shooting with Canon R5 and said... as a photographer I was expecting you guys shooting with Nikon Z9 and Sony A1. Last night the couple posted some of the pictures he took and honestly it's mediocre at best.
@@gaarax0x ngl id be nervous if the photographer at my wedding was using some old dslr but I guess the difference isn’t a big deal. Mirrorless cameras just show you the exposure live so you’re not guessing and focus faster and better.
@@definingslawek4731 photographers used DSLRs before mirrorless cameras :) no need to be nervous.
Ich habe mehrere Kamera Systeme, aber es ist eine Freude für meine Augen ,durch den optischen Sucher meiner Pentax DSLR zu schauen.
Pentax DSLRs have AF confirmation beep and AF point illumination even for vintage lenses. For vintage lenses, you get the centre point AF illumination and beep. For newer lenses, you have all focus points that can illuminate so you know exactly where you are focused.
Interesting timing on this video! I just picked up a mint black Nikon DF with a 50mm for 800 a few days ago. Like you, I also went through the Leica black hole and have gone through several mirrorless systems ever since it’s introduction. I agree with everything you said, I guess I tend to go against the herd as well haha.
Well congrats then for coming out of the black hole haha. One day I need to try a Nikon DF. I always liked the look of them.
Where in the world did you find that deal???
@@hotshot5231 good ol OfferUp
DSLRs are just crazy fast, I recently made a video about the nikon D2X (released in 2005) and it's just crazy quick and responsive. Compared to the fuji x-pro 1 I'm currently testing (released in 2012) the nikon D2X is blazingly fast. DSLRs are just a lot simpler technologically and give you an instant response for anything you do.
I got a Leica M240 a little while ago. I was using a Canon 5D mark 1, and I thought that a Leica M camera would be a final destination, after which I could stop dreaming of other cameras. I ended up not liking the experience for the same reasons you mentioned. I sold it to buy a Leica Q-P instead, and while it's definitely better for me than the M240, I still secretly prefer my 5D (which I thankfully still have), also for the reasons you mentioned.
I'm still using my Canon eos 5d classic and 5d mark III. I also have an olympus e-m10 mk III as a small mirrorless camera. These 3 cameras are absolutely all I need. I think if money is no object then a Leica would be nice to have but I would be hesitant to use it due to how much it costs in case it broke or got stolen. With my cameras, it's not the end of the world if one eventually breaks or worst still, someone stole one of them. They could easily be replaced at a reasonable price. Also, I have some wonderful L lenses which are fantastic and so cheap these days.
I feel that so much. Some time ago I wondered why my pictures actually always follow the same pattern and why I could photograph so much more versatile and sometimes much better motifs 10 years ago. The M reduces the spontaneous possible but sometimes very much and you are so nailed to a certain imagery, especially if you want to do street photography in Germany, because it often remains only f8 and hip shooting. I now use a D800 again much more. Unfortunately, it's more conspicuous, but I guess you have to face that.
I think it actually makes sense to chop and change. I don't think I've used a single camera / camera type for more than 3 years before I trade it in and try something else. Any given system will have advantages over any other given system, and it makes sense to try things out. I'm also considering going "back" to a DSLR for a while, just to shake things up.
I was also very fond of the OVF of my X100V that I sold recently. The reason was the awful manual focusing experience, I really dislike the focus by wire technology. I'm now waiting for a Nikon DF to arrive, I'll re-buy the DK-17M and I'll be happy again. I have some cool Ai-S lenses with me. Love Nikon.
Samuel - I love seeing you share your wisdom in such a calm unpretentious and humble way. A lot of your thoughts resonate with me and many others Im sure. I wish people in their 20’s understood how much their perspective will change when they are in their 30s and 40s. I wish they were a little more humble and had a little more respect for others perspectives. And I’m not speaking about photography here.
I could see the honesty in your face.
I appreciate it my friend.
Me too am a dslr shooter.
Sold my Leica 2 years ago and never looked back.
And I appreciate your comment :) Thanks for watching!
Hi Samuel, great videao! Thanks a lot! I use a Nikon D600 and a Leica M9 and for me, I love both of them. The Nikon is great, you get wonderful lenses like the AF 50/1.4, the AF 105/2.8 Macro or the AF 180/2.8 at a begain price used. I grew up with SLR and owned a Nikon F3 with great manual focus lenses. But some years ago I decided to get my dream come true and I sold all my analogue stuff to buy a used digital Leica M9 with 50 and 90mm lenses. After a while I realised the lack of focus speed and I bought the used D600. Now I am happy with this combination, as it is. The Nikon DSLR is perfect for speed, e.g. when I'm shooting our dogs = when I want to be shure to match the focus. And the Leica M9 is about concentration, perception, training the own view. And honestly the Leica lenses and the sensor of the M9 are increadibly pefect. At the bottom line these are two systems you can't compare. I love them both and decide frome time to time witch one to use.
Simply love and admire your viewpoints here. Honest and open. Certainly prices from all camera manufacturers and second hand resellers, are out of control! Additionally, I find there is with regard to camera gear, quite a bit of elitism displayed in the TH-cam space, as well. My two cents of course. Not that anyone asked. Thank you.
D1X (CCD color is unlike anything from the modern CMOS) matched to the amazing 35mm f/2 AF-D. Tough, fast, reliable, familiar. Mirrorless is for gearheads and pixel peepers. Leica is for the jet set, more money then sense types.
I am an active photographer that started making images in 1949. My first serious camera was a pre-ww2 voightlander given to me in 1951. .after that a 4X5 speed graphic, a rolli, and finally a 35mm Nikon in 1963. All manual. Photography changed for me when I got a Nikon D200. I now use a D850 and several fuji cameras. Do I yearn for the good old days? Not anymore than I want to drive my first,car, a' 1939 Plymouth.
You got it right with the 'do I really need the latest?' question.
Comparing an entry level Pentax DSLR with an entry Panasonic mirrorless, I found that it has less programs and filters, the video quality is sub-standard, only a fixed screen, short battery life etc.
I bought a 2nd hand Panasonic GX8 with only 50 (!) pictures taken. Using this camera from 2016, there is no need to upgrade anything, it has a magnesium-alloy body and is water resistent. It is smaller and lighter, therefore less intrusive, than any DSLR. Especially in black. You can get great and small/light 2nd hand M43 fixed focal lenses.
Keep it up...
Nice rant on Leica. I own an M10-D and an M10-P (white edition no less) and I'm a total poser. Had a Q2 that was infinitely better at "just getting the shot" and ran into your video looking at GRIII reviews. Looking cool is getting old when I miss half my shots.
Leica is a different league. It is not about performance/price ratio, but a photography lifestyle that is meant for a niche. It is not a smart decision to have Leica, but maybe the only decision that will make some of us happy. I had only one DSLR and I wouldn't see myself going there again after shooting with mirrorless cameras. In the end, it is what makes us happy. Congrats on taking this path.
Leica has been and always will be a niche product. There's really no benefit to limiting yourself to the access that technology provides us for the sake of appearances or brand loyalty. Good for you for being honest about what works for you and the way you shoot.
I own 2 DSLR’s. Pentax KP and K3 MK3. Awesome cameras. Awesome not just for image quality but also ergonomics. Weight can be an issue if you don’t plan. I sometimes carry a maximum of 2 lenses and they’ll probably be similar lengths like 21mm and 35mm. I’ll design the shoot around the lenses.
Hi Samuel, you are actually the person who influenced me to buy a Canon 5D mark 1 last year. It was kind of a just-for-fun camera but lately it's been my main camera for street and pretty much everything else! The colors of the JPG files are amazing for me and the RAW files process really nicely as black and whites. I also started photography using DSLR's so it's so nostalgic to be using them again! Thanks for sharing your content Samuel, stay safe!
Same here! Great combo with the 40mm pancake
@@codyallen3729 exactly what I’m using! 😅 I’ve always been a 28mm guy but this setup converted me to 40 haha!
Oh that makes me so happy to hear! The 5D has amazing colors. Cool to hear you are using it! Happy shooting man :)
@@SamuelStreetlife same here with an old but still going strong Canon 6D Mk i … 2012 tech but still very good colours and rendering for portraits
The 4 things that happens to new cameras.
1. We convince ourselves we really need it
2. They get used until the next one comes along
3. It ends up in a drawer
4. It gets sold
Hi Samuel, what a brave man you are, saying out loud what, I think, most people think about Leica. Don't get me wrong I would have, most likely gone done that rabbit hole as well if I had the money. But no. Over the last few years I have thought many times Samuel, you bought a what??? I have enjoyed watching your journey through the minefield of camera choices. So I think I've settle on my camera gear. After buying and selling my x100F, X-E3, xPro 3 and K5 pentax, I WILL keep my x100V and Pentax KP and lens I have acquired over the years. As always, thanks for your thoughts and views.
So far after researching most brands and lenses on Flickr in the search for the next SLR style camera and lenses to buy….. Jesus Christ the Sony GM lenses are easily the top choice. The sharpness and clarity is unmatched. Absolutely unreal quality. Just wish they didn’t stop making cameras without optical viewfinders.
The D850 is a phenomenal camera.
Nikon's Z lenses are better - and Fuji's APS-C lenses are excellent too and Canon's FD and... then there's a ton of exquisite F-Glass in camera dealers' secondhand stock. No need for Sony fanboys to infest a streetphotography video ;-)
So, there's a few directions I can think of for the "mirrorless OVF" that are possible, depending on what you want out of it.
Fundamentally, a truly mirrorless camera with an OVF that sees through the lens is impossible, but if you're willing to compromise on one of those two things...
If you just want to get rid of mirror slap, but are fine with the bulk and the flange focal distance of having a mirror, pellicle mirrors are an option (and were used in the film days on some Canon and Nikon sports-oriented SLRs), and can see through the lens. The biggest downside to them is that they reduce the amount of light that makes it to the film (or sensor in a digital), and *also* have a significantly darker viewfinder than a SLR with a conventional mirror. Unfortunately, the only digital cameras using pellicle mirrors are the Sony SLTs, and they only send light upwards for autofocusing, and use an EVF instead. (AFAIK, their main advantage over early mirrorless cameras was that they could do phase-detect autofocus, but once phase-detect pixels were put on sensors, they became kinda pointless.)
If you're fine with not seeing through the lens and having parallax error... that's a rangefinder. However, rangefinder doesn't have to mean *Leica*-style - consider the Contax G1 and G2, which had autofocus and a zooming viewfinder. (Also, if you don't care about seeing focus through the viewfinder, plenty of point-and-shoots had viewfinders that were solely for framing. Sony even sold a non-zooming accessory OVF for their early mirrorless cameras, intended specifically for 16 mm lenses on APS-C.)
And then there's the absolutely ridiculous option, that would give SLR-style focusing, but without seeing through the lens: could always make a twin-lens mirrorless. (Can't call it a TLR because there's no reflex mirror.) It'd be bulky, ungainly, expensive (two lenses coupled together), you'd need additional optics behind the ground glass to re-flip the image or have to deal with an inverted image, and have worse parallax error than the rangefinder, but...
If you miss the DSLR feel and you love Leica -- you may be missing out by not checking out Panasonic Lumix. Both their M3/4 and full frame mirrorless bodies retain the old DSLR feel and they actually have Leica designed lenses. It's the most underated camera system on the market for sure.
But it still has an evf
M43 is basically a « full frame system » as the lenses are designed for its specific sensor and fill its frame. This is what « full frame » actually means
I think you just saved me a whole bunch of money Samuel. I've been lusting after an M camera for a while now but in reality my Sony and Fuji cameras do everything the Leica can, and probably do it better. You just bought me back to earth, very timely, thanks. Now to find an OVF SLR lol.
I am very happy that you are happy and go out and shoot again.This is the only think that matters.A photographer have to shoot with the camera make him happy and most important have to shoot.Keep shooting,be happy.
There is something special about the IQ of those D8XX files. Even my old D800 photos there is something amazing about them.
You think there is big improvement with d850 regarding sensor? I feel they kinda hit the ceiling with this bayer filter technology and that there should not be noticeable difference.
@@borisnemet Not sure about native iso quality but I'm sure the dynamic range and low light performance is vastly improved.
@@patio87 I read a lot online and they say that d850 is improved in many ways but image quality just a tiny tiny bit. It is 45mp instead of 36mp and it has base iso at 65 instead of 100. We have reached the peak of bayer filtered sensors. They should start developing something akin to foveon sensor that takes all the info and not just 1/3 as with the beyer filter.
I have shot on a Nikon F, D7000, D7200, D500 and D850 as well as a Fuji X-T4. The D500 and D850 are the best cameras that Nikon has ever produced, and I will never sell mine until I have a replacement with less wear. The viewfinder of the D850 is darker than the D500, and the limitations of the AF points compared to the D500 is a bit disappointing, but I have never seen a camera with the same image quality and dynamic range as the D850. There is simply nothing better in a DSLR. Video is easier on the X-T4, particularly being able to remotely start the recording. I also wish the D850 had focus peaking, as manually focusing is a bit hit or miss. There are a load of functions that you should look through to make the most of that body, some of them come in handy. I personally have my Nikons all set up to do several things with the Function Buttons. I have one button set up to toggle the Auto ISO setting on and off. I have one set up to scroll through the Image Area options so that I can crop in for a tighter field of view or change formats (3:2, 1.2x, DX, 5:4, 1:1), and I have one button set to disable flash when I am using that, so I can switch to a no-flash shot without having to turn off the flash unit. The fact that you can set up two different AF settings for the AF-ON button, and the AF joystick button means you have a choice as to how the camera focuses without entering menus. I hope you get a lot of use out of yours.
I had a Fuji XE3 and whilst I loved it, all the lenses I wanted were really expensive. Literally the price of some old full frame DSLRs. So I tried both a Canon 6D (insane bargain, even has WiFi!) and a D750. Gonna keep the D750 and pair with a 50mm 1.8.
People forget just how well established DSLR systems are whilst mirrorless has only *started* to get good in recent years.
I recently went back to Nikon after being a sony mirrorless hound for a few years. I picked up a D850 with 80k clicks for something like $1400 bucks. The d850 is the king of DSLR's.
Well thanks a lot!! Two weeks too late! I’ve been Nikon shooter since Nikon N2000 and had D800 the day it was released. Never got into mirrorless etc but two weeks ago I ordered Leica Q2 Monochrom. Where was this video two weeks ago? Just kidding. I know what the Q2M is - but glad you discovered DSLRs - and and Nikon!
FYI, i do have *very* sensitive, delicate eyes. I do shoot since 87 via 35mm SLR, also few rangefinders, but not Leica. Besides, *always* i get eyestrain, headaches and swindel, with *any* EVF. It's a odd color (my gear only does have 2.36 Mill dots) and all kind of flickering, edge distortions, CAs, etc. Current EVFs are great, but i do always prefer a 100% all glas pentaprism viewfinder (OVF). Same goes for night photography - never had any issues, via Tripod.
Besides, i've had a bad experience with my CLE - try to shoot with your (polarized sunglasses) through the OVF, and focus on a small island at the lake, which does have 100's of small branches & leaves, you won't see sh*t inside the viewfinder, with the mediocre small rangefinder inside the viewfinder, mission impossible. Only chance - focus to infinity directly. With any split prism 35mm SLR, or any DSLR - even into the blazing sunlight, absolutely no issues, ever.
I always think about investing on the D780 every time I hold it in my hands at any camera store.
Haha this is what I always did whenever I entered a camera store in Japan. It feels good. Snappy.
I can relate to this very much. I switched to a Nikon Z6 from Canon DSLRs and I'm really missing the optical viewfinder. The Z6 is a really good camera, but it's just not as fun.
Not going to fight you on this at all! 😂 I actually made the same “transition” lately. I reinvested into DSLR systems again and have gone all the way back to Canon 1D mk ii and Nikon D200. I found the aesthetic the images that come from those older sensors (ccd even) is great straight out of camera. My current daily is a D700 but the images are 😙🤌🏽 and the experience of using the OVF, limited (albeit fast) AF for chasing my kids…just works for me right now.
I almost found them simpler because I’m not worrying about what film sim to put. I’m just shooting 😄
I feel ya. I was shooting SLR/DSLR mostly, then jumped to the mirrorless bandwagon (with FujiFilm X-E1) when it became the hype. It was like a step back in the beginning, however I learned to like mirrorless, the almost silent shutter and even the EVF (after I put it in BW-mode). However all that changed in 2021 when PENTAX K-3 Mark III came out, it felt very much like coming home, as you said in the video. Everything on that camera is perfect, its size & weight, the ergonomics, and the OVF is magnificent!
I recently got the Pentax K3-3 I'm still learning the camera at this time i still prefer my Pentax K3-11 but for action and wildlife the K3-3 is a much better camera.
@@scrptwic This is perfectly normal, Mark III is very complex and the new menus need to be learned. I still have my old K-3 in the bag but prefer to use Mark III.
I kind of feel the same way that you do. Although I never used a Leica, I was already using a Nikon D810 and when everyone started switching to mirrorless, I actually added another D810 with very low shutter count for a really sweet price. I can't think of photography without an OVF. BTW, I love my Pentax K-1 too :) Lovely video.
Another fantastic video Samuel, I really appreciate your humor and candid style.
One of the best reasons to use Nikon Dslr's is just how good and wide the range of Nikkor optics are from AI and AIS onwards as pre AI whilst they can work on some later systems were not even supported when Nikon changed from fM and FE to FM2 and FE2 models in film some of the later more pro or semi pro Nikon bodies do support pre AI with some limitations but generally Nikon has awesome Lense compatability compared to most SLR or DSLR systems, Mirrorless is a different story though. Ergonomics can be the real game chager though when it comes to Camera Bodies and thankfully there are pretty much options for everybody out there
Excellent thought process, as usual.
Liked the Anthony Bourdain feel of this video.
The more culture and food, the better.
I no joke just hours before seeing this video bought a used canon 5d mark iii so I can buy cheaper ef canon telephoto lenses to shoot sports while also being able to use it for casual stuff. Felt like the best option on my limited budget right now so I totally agree with you. And I used to own a sony a7 iii but building up a kit was too much money for me to justify it.
I have a Canon 6dmkii and bought an olympus for the opposite reasons. I love my dslr when I'm explicitly going to shoot something, but I want to shoot more day-to-day life as I'm out and about living abroad so felt the need for something lighter and compact. I do love picking up older used L lenses for cheap though. Insane value if you don't mind the weight and maybe a little slower AF than the latest mirrorless cameras. Something just feels great though about canon ergonomics and every dial and switch can be found and adjusted without removing your eye from the vf
@@karikaru That is totally fair I have a fuji x70 at the moment which is kind of my fun travel digital, but I want the griiix for that 40mm focal length I'm such a sucker for. So I will probably eventually sell my x70. I also feel like people get hung up on AF so much the somewhat older dslr cameras have maybe slightly slower but more reliable auto focus in my opinion at least. Maybe I will end up changing my mind after a few months the the mark iii lol. In my experience the mirrorless autofocus is great but there just seems to be little issues that would bother me when I had my a7iii so either way no AF is instant or perfect and I don't ever think it will be at least in the recent future. The mark iii also has the same auto focus system as the 1dx which is known as one of the better focusing systems in the older bodies so I'm excited to see what I can make with the old thing :)
Thats a great reason to pick the 5D MkIII! I see a lot of my photographer friends who shoot sports or events recently buying DSLR's (like 5D's) because they just get the job done :)
@@Mike_Wazowski_z nice, I really wanted a Fuji but the prices were steep and the Olympus E-m5 mk Ii was attractive to me because it has ibis and I was wanting to do a little handheld documentary type videography to show friends and family day to day life where I'm living. So I just got a used 35mm equivalent and I'm treating it like a poor man's x100f just one prime all day everyday. Its maybe a little bulkier and heavier than maybe I would have liked a canon m200 with a pancake or something or I think I might miss the 4k but then I'd lose the IBIS and I don't really know what's more important since I'm new to video. That's the nice thing about buying used though - you're not losing a ton of value on a 7 year old camera vs a 9 year old camera and if I change my mind, I can probably swap into something else.
The 5dmkiii is legendary though and a real workhorse, so I'm sure you'll be able to make some incredible images with it. Also great that it's a pro tier model so you get the dual card slots.
I always used the Nikon d700, made a switch to fuji xpro1-xpro2 and xpro3. But the cameras felt a little bit to small for me, just made the switch to the Leica SL and I'm so happy!
I think it’s familiarity of the M system. I am so used to M system and the workflow as I practised quite a bit on the Leica film camera previously, I am lazy to change to new system. Especially when my kids are young, it’s time consuming to learn another system. Also kudos to you and Lukasz for keeping photography pure.
Hehe in that case of course you use what is most comfortable to you! Leica M's are straight forward and I appreciate that about them. Once you "master" them it really is like learning how to write or type fast on a keyboard. Something that is hard to unlearn.
I shot Canon DSLRs from 2002 to 2013 when I went primarily mirrorless. First with Panasonic, then Olympus and Fuji. I still have my mirrorless gear but lately I’ve been enjoying shooting personal work on a 2005 Canon 5D dslr. The optical viewfinder is nice, and with over a decade of Canon shooting it’s like coming home. The 5D files look great, even with limited dynamic range and only 12 MP!
theres something special about the 5d I look even to this day
Hi, I have been doing wedding photography for over thirty years. I have photographed with a lot of machines and formats. In the last 10 years I have used a Nikon D800, although very noisy and very heavy, it may be one of the best DSLR. I've had the Ricoh GR2, the GR3, which are wonderful. Last year I bought a Leica Q2, now it's the one I use for one hundred percent of the reports. None of the five reasons you give would be good for my experience. I've never had as much fun with a camera as I have with the Q2, it has everything I need... I know, it costs a fortune but in my case it's worth it.
This is Sergio Larrain's letter to his photographer nephew.
The first thing is to have a machine that one likes, the one that one likes the most. Because it is about being happy, with the body, with what one has in one's hands. The instrument is key, for those who make a trade. And let it be the minimum, the essential and nothing more. A machine that is good is a pentax with a 1:1 macro. (Panchito has one I think, look at it) ,,,
I like both OVF and EVF. Different experiences! As for ergonomics, my Canon R5 has DSLR ergonomics, it's probably the only mirrorless to me that felt a lot like using a DSLR on steroids. I also use a Canon D30 from 2000 which is kinda fun, it's so paired back but still feels so modern. Highly recommend playing with one of those if you can find one.
I really enjoy your videos because you share your opinion from a user perspective and not a TH-camr if that makes sense. I agree that as technology improves we are more and more shooting with a computer in our hands. Film cameras take us back to the basics and although old, some things from the past are still relevant. Its great to have options and for many of us we can have a variety of cameras to use. Love my Leica and the manual focusing and on my nikon slr. Don't even try that on my fuji. The more cameras you use the more you learn what works for you. Really good video!
The line about "this is sweet, reminds me of shooting with my sweet DSLRs" had me in pieces 😂
I like Samuel's attitude to be honest. If it's not working he can adjust and try new things. We've watched him change over cameras and styles. I switched from DSLR, to mirrorless to compact camera. Mainly because my use is to document my everyday life. I like how he encourages if whatever you're using works then stick to it. I could never afford the top DSLRs or Leica but compacts work for me. No one cares what camera I use, I don't take myself out of the moment, I don't have to baby my gear knowing that I could replace it if something bad happened.