Toronto Photography Meetup Group

So I just received an email from Vistek about the announcement of the new Leica S2 Medium Format DSLR. This thing looks insane, costs as much as a car and it's tiny!

All the details can be found at:

http://www.vistek.ca/store/ProPhotoMedi ... black.aspx

I'm interested to hear some feedback on Leica's newest monster of a camera.

I'll be happy with an M9

Unless you need weather-sealing you can get more camera with a Mamiya 645AFDIII/PhaseOne 645 and a P40+ back for pretty much the same money

I agree. The speculated price for body only is around 35K CAN ... and with few more good lenses (you won't be using any cheap glass on this camera) this will break the 50K mark. I would stick with Mamiya and PhaseOne and go on a nice 3 weeks vacation.

It's target market is pros. It's not uncommon for commercial shooters to charge 50k for a shoot.

Ill reserve judgement on IQ until the camera id released.

Unfortunately, Leica has a fairly well deserved reputation for mediocre service levels although they've been trying to rectify that. I don't really see many pro's buying the S2 when they can get proven systems with proven support levels for similar or less money. By and large Pro's don't take risks on equipment. And rental agencies don't stock what Pro's won't rent.

I expect IQ from the S2 to be good. I also expect the primary market to be well-heeled amateurs as well as landscape photographers for whom the size, resolution and weather sealing will outweigh the drawbacks of uncertain support and high cost.

Leica does not seem to have made a camera for the working pro, aside from landscape photographers traveling light. The AF speed and low frame rate compared to high-MP 35mm FF cameras writes off much of the fashion market, the ISO limitations write off even high-buck weddings and high-MP backs on 645, RB/RZ67 or technical cameras offer more capability in the studio or on supported locations.

I agree with mawz as Leica has always been a good brand but from everyone I know who has had any recent Leica has hated their service. They may be nice but they are all for people who want to have the most expensive/newest thing rather then for people who want proper high quality gear. This camera seems a little bit pricey for such a basic set of specs. We wont know until they are all released, but from what I can tell its just not worth it.

Quality of service is in large part a function of being in Canada. The Canadian market is small and the pro market, smaller and many manufacturers have not invested in an on-the ground service team. For example, for many years Mamiya repairs use to be sent to the US.

I'm not arguing that the S2 will be the be all and end all of MF systems, just that it's price, although high, is not really a big issue for the majority of the intended market.

I'm no Leica fan boy, have never bought anything new of theirs and will probably never do so (even if I could get the pennies together). Their service has been a problem here but I will reserve judgment there are user reports on the S2 (IQ and service) rather than speculate.

I'm not commenting on Canadian service, Leica's reputation for mediocre and slow service is a world-wide thing.



I've only got 2 issues with the S2. One is design-related, the lack of standard shooting controls (the Nikon D40 has more access to shooting controls at eyelevel than the S2) and the second is market positioning. I don't see a viable market for the S2 the way Leica is positioning it because I simply don't see the pro market even looking at it. Leica seems to be relying on their brand's reputation for premium performance to appeal to pros while forgetting that Hasselblad has a very similar reputation and unlike Leica also earned their reputation in the market in question. And Hasselblad has a professional support system already in-place.