By Heinz Richter
The Leica M cameras are generally considered to be less than ideal for fast action and sports photography. As a matter of fact, if this were one of my main types of photography, I would have invested in the Leica SL system. However, as I have stated in the past, after owning and using several Leicaflex and Leica R cameras, I have always gravitated back to the Leica M.
The M cameras in general are limited to the rangefinder coupled M lenses. Not only that, but they also offer only very limited close-up photography.
To overcome those limitations required the Leica Visoflex II or III. They essentially converted the M camera to a single lens reflex camera. But they added considerable bulk and weight, and they were not exactly convenient to use.
It wasn’t until the introduction of the Leica M 240 that a substantially easier and more convenient solution became available, an electronic, add-on viewfinder. It attaches to the accessory shoe and offers unrestricted viewing and focusing with any lens attached to the camera.
No more restrictions of long lenses and close-up photography. It essentially converts any Leica M camera from the M 240 to the current models to a mirrorless camera. No autofocus though, which is the very reason why it still cannot compete completely with the Leica SL line of cameras.
But that hasn’t kept me from doing action and sports photographs.
On those occasions, I will use the rangefinder coupled lenses when they are able to do the work well. Beyond my 135mm f/2.8 Elmarit, I use a 200 and 400mm Novoflex lens. They have proven to be equal in performance to equivalent Leica lenses but are substantially easier to focus because of their pistol grip type focusing instead of a standard focusing ring or even the trombone type focusing of the 400 and 560 mm Telyt. I also added a Leica 2x extender. Especially with the 200mm Novoflex it makes for a very convenient 400mm lens. As a matter of fact, it is so easy to use that now I only use the 400mm Novoflex with the 2x extender when I need the 800mm focal lenght.
If I had to do action and sports photography more frequently in the future, I would probably add one of the Leica S cameras to my system. It is good to know that this would not necessarily mean the necessity of adding a whole new line of lenses. The Leica S cameras will accept Leica M lenses with an adapter. However, until then ...
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Isn't it kind of ill prepared to go to a car race, at night, with Kodachrome 25?
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is. This was a situation where going to the race was a late, unplanned decision and I just happened to have nothing else with me than the Kodachrome 25 in the camera. Obviously, the Noctilux saved the shot.
DeleteThere is a lot more to sports photos than what is shown here and most of it is better done with cameras other than a Leica M.
ReplyDeleteThat's right and it is exactly what I said in the erticle.
DeleteThis is a classic case of either a lack of reading comprehension or commenting on an article without reading it.
Delete