Ian L. Sitren
pro member
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.
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.