Shooters.

Another year goes by. There was hardly a day, when I didn’t take at least one picture. Looking through all the images I realise, it’s been quite a European year. Didn’t cross an ocean in the last 365 days physically and didn’t miss it.
Looking through the images I also realise, how many cameras I’ve been using this year. Some were cool (actually most of them were), some I couldn’t really relate to or get warm with and with some I fell in love as far as love for cameras can go.

I haven’t been writing a lot recently as you know. The reason is, after all that testing and reviewing I needed to take care of my photography instead of cameras and lenses. I found myself doing test-images and forgetting about the primary goal of this blog: the everyday, reallife-use of photographic equipment. I’ve been actually testing quite a few cameras and lenses in the meantime, but with an emphasis rather on their fun-factor than on their high ISO-performance or technical image quality. I’ll give you my impressions of such things as the Canon EOS 60D or the Sony SLT A55 in the next days.

For now I’d like to give you a short summary of which cameras caught my heart or mind and which ones didn’t. (Read on after the break!) weiter lesen

Next up for a review are two cameras and one amazing little (and quite affordable) lens – at least for Leica price standards:

The Panasonic GF1 and the Sony Nex-3, both with the Leica Summarit-M 35/2.5 lens. The lens is part of Leica’s “low-cost”- or “nice-price”-line of lenses and can be found for EUR 1.350,– new and for EUR 1.150,– used.

I already did a few shots with it on Panasonic’s GF1 recently and was quite impressed of its sharpness and brilliance. So I decided to give it a real try, not only on the GF1, but also on Sony’s Nex-3. I will use the whole week to test the two small combinations quite extensively and let you know my findings immediately afterwards.
From what I saw on the first pics in a 3 meter radius around my desk, this little Leica lens seems very competent with the Sony Nex (click to enlarge).

^Sony Nex-3 with Leica Summarit 35/2.5 (via Kipon adapter)

^Sony Nex-3 with Leica Summarit 35/2.5 (via Kipon adapter)

^Sony Nex-3 with Leica Summarit 35/2.5 (via Kipon adapter)

A couple of days ago I had the chance to use the least expensive Leica 35mm lens, the Leica Summarit 35/2.5 on the Panasonic GF1.
I’d like to provide you with just a couple of images I got out of this very nice combination. Most people are put off by the very high price of Leica lenses. Yes, they are expensive but you also get a good resale value.
I personally can’t imagine buying a new Leica lens. Neither my bank account, nor my credit card nor my wife would allow it. And in most cases you’re better off to buy a used one anyway. But if you’re looking for a relatively affordable new Leica 35mm-lens, this may be the way to go.
All pictures at f2.5, from RAW, PP in Lightroom 3
(Click on the images to enlarge)

The Summarit 35 is sharp, provides a nice bokeh and before all is really small and a nice companion for a micro 4/3 camera. I have yet to do some testing of how it behaves on APS-C sensor Smaccs (Small competent cameras) like the Sony Nex. In a view days I should have some results.