What is the Leica look?

[PilsnerLiam]

Hi all,

Is the leica-look possible to duplicate on our Canons? Is it as easy as mounting a Leica lens on or a certain pp required to make the photo Leicaliciousness? Anyone?:dunno:

 

[avsquare]

Hi all,

Is the leica-look possible to duplicate on our Canons? Is it as easy as mounting a Leica lens on or a certain pp required to make the photo Leicaliciousness? Anyone?:dunno:

not exactly possible. but you can have some of it's look.. you can always check out which Leica Summicron-R lens will work on your camera body and try yourself.

 

[cks2k2]

Some say the distinctive look is partially due to how close the glass gets to the film/sensor - which pretty much cancels out SLRs.
Also lack of AA filter on the digital Leicas.

But what exactly is the Leica look???

 

[avsquare]

Some say the distinctive look is partially due to how close the glass gets to the film/sensor - which pretty much cancels out SLRs.
Also lack of AA filter on the digital Leicas.

But what exactly is the Leica look???

I think generally, the colour looks richer, the picture looks more 3D, like "popping out" to you. Depends on how you see it also.

 

[attap seed]

只可意会不可言传

 

[zixaw]

Not possible, the combination of Leica glass, CCD sensor rather than CMOS and no AA filter makes it impossible to get the Leica like look with a Canon.

You can get some of it by using Leica R lenses but that is only 1 out of 3 things and the big ones are really the sensor and the lack of an AA filter.

 

[attap seed]

very interesting question.

sometimes when i know a pic is taken w leica, indeed, the picture will look more crisp and clear (or clean or whatever).

however, when i open a National Geographic (the standard i (personally) use to judge photography) and look at the pic, i will have absolutely no idea if its nikon, canon, leica or any other brands.

 

[doodah]

Usually, when someone talks about 3-D appearance, film look, Leica look etc etc, I will simply dismiss them. No one has yet been able to show two side-by-side photos taken at the same time and place with the same controlled settings to convince me these 'looks' actually exist.

 

[An drew]

not exactly possible. but you can have some of it's look.. you can always check out which Leica Summicron-R lens will work on your camera body and try yourself.

Not possible, the combination of Leica glass, CCD sensor rather than CMOS and no AA filter makes it impossible to get the Leica like look with a Canon.

You can get some of it by using Leica R lenses but that is only 1 out of 3 things and the big ones are really the sensor and the lack of an AA filter.

Agree, can only be M. Now I know why it is called M, M for money.

 

[avsquare]

Agree, can only be M. Now I know why it is called M, M for money.

:bsmilie:

I can't find any reason to disagree :bsmilie:

 

[BraveHart]

As someone pointed out earlier - the close proximity of the rear element to the film/sensor plane already puts the (D)SLRs one notch down compared to rangefinders. This applies not only Leica but even when compared to an entry level Voigtlander Bessa or a 40 year old Canonet.

The Leica Look commonly heard is a mix of this characteristic and the bokeh and internal lens flare which are characteristics of certain Leica lens (esp the super expensive ones).

 

[cks2k2]

very interesting question.

sometimes when i know a pic is taken w leica, indeed, the picture will look more crisp and clear (or clean or whatever).

however, when i open a National Geographic (the standard i (personally) use to judge photography) and look at the pic, i will have absolutely no idea if its nikon, canon, leica or any other brands.

The early NatGeo shooters were probably on Leica (Luis Marden comes to mind) though pretty sure the current crop are shooting Canikonpha SLRs.

 

[attap seed]

i recall a relatively recent article of the Untouchable of the hindu caste system being shot on leica, and a search confirmed it.

Untouchable @ National Geographic Magazine

perhaps shooting in the dim environment using kodakchrome 25 really warrant the super fast M primes.

maybe such is the irony of top end gear. they may not be totally for pictoral excellence but rather to pull off pictures when lesser (slower) gears cant. thus going beyond looks alone.

if its about making pic at f8, then i think most shots made w most gear are indistinguishable.

 

[eleveninth]

you want to know what the leica look is?

spend a few k and get one.