I had a chance to shoot with a Leaf camera

Last month I used a Leaf AFi-7 on a shoot. Now I only had the waist level viewfinder, but I found it a lot of fun. I did not shoot tethered.

Some brief observations...

The camera is easy to use and fun. The ergonomics worked just fine for me, grip etc. Auto focusing seemed very fast and very accurate. By the way, I was using the standard 80mm lens. Shooting speed was quick, I could certainly over run my strobes. The viewfinder is very bright.

Image quality is superb. Skin tones are almost too accurate, comparing skin side by side to a Canon 5D file, the Leaf files almost seem flat, but they are very real. Colors are much more accurate in the Leaf images. And I did shoot side by side with a 5D for comparison (and a little security; I was shooting assignments and had not shot the Leaf camera before).

The LCD is of course very big, but I am not much for looking at images as I am shooting anyway. I am pretty much as happy with the Phase LCD's which is smaller or even the Mamiya back which is only 1.8 inches as I recall.

Two downsides, battery life is short, maybe 100 frames. I would be sure to use a battery on the camera and another on the back at the same time. ISO is not good over 200. I don't know if I would even use 200.

I like the camera and would enjoy using it. Perhaps the newer versions have improved some of the shortfalls. The big issue is price as compared to what you can buy compared to the other manufacturers, Hassleblad, Mamiya, Phase or another body with a Leaf back.

I think it's very important to use tools that feel comfortable and capable, to the point where the tool becomes almost a prosthetic extension of you. There is something somewhat liberating about using a waist-level finder camera, isn't there? (My 50 year-old Rolleiflex and my Mamiya are joys to use with their w.l. screens.

In general, however, I just don't see a long future for medium format digital backs. Their raison d'être is shriveling each year. I do, however, see a future for larger-format digital backs that can better mate with view cameras. I think we'll see this occupying the (silly) price space that top-end mf backs occupy today. But that's not going to be a viable market for a while.

I do agree that the waistlevel viewfinder was "liberating". Good choice of words. It also rendered a very satisfying look at what I was shooting. However working simultaneously with the Canon was odd because of the image flip left to right. It did take some thinking.

However I do feel that the image quality in medium format and the backs is just superior and has a look I much prefer.

This is a full page print ad that came out of the shoot that day with the Leaf.

A WLF needs getting used to but to be honest once you are used to it, it's very hard to beat, the prism finders are after that so small

The AFi's are a very well thought out system in my opinion, I never run into problems with batteries because when shooting untethered I will have a larger pack under the back, when running everything from the grip battery life is short indeed.

The image quality of the Leaf backs is in my opinion still the best arround.

Guys,

Can we hear of any tests with other digital backs. what differences did you find that led you towards leaf and not Phase One or Sinar? Is it just the best deal at the time?

Asher

I'm sorry, but, are photographers shopping for MF cameras at 15 to $30K after the introduction of $2k alternatives from the 35mm camp?

(as owner of a p25 it would be good for me that the response is: IQ is yet to be equaled or pass....)

Hi,
The problem is that you cannot compare a MF system with a DSLR.
I own a RZ67ProII and Mamiya 645AFD/III both with the Leaf Aptus22 back but I also own a Canon 5DMKII

All the same resolution give or take a few pixels, but both TOTALLY different systems.
As long as the sensor size is different you can compare everything you want but you won't get a fair comparision.

I love my 5DMKII for speed, high ISO etc.
But I LOVE my MF system for color, depth, dynamic range and tethered shooting and most of all detail detail detail.
The Leaf files have MUCH more detail and sharpness than my 5DMKII.