alfaflash

I always bought Leica optics, but never Leica bodies. The lenses are unbeatable, but the bodies are behind the times and don't offer the features of a NEX or a FF Canon. I'm getting great results from a NEX 7 with a Leica Macro-Elmar-M 90mm f/4, and Metabones adapter. The best part is that I will be able to upgrade to the next generation body without having to sell a kidney. I think people who get goofy about Leica bodies are just looking for recognition for having cool equipment.

Sorry to say, but the first and seond place photos are about the most trite images possible of a Jaguar automobile. Both by the same photographer, they are essentially the the same image from two different angles, and do nothing to convey the essence of a Jag

The rules do state "No HDR nor composites"

Please allow more than 75 entries. With such an open-ended challenge you need to allow at least 200 entries. Thanks

Just another challenge that trivializes the DP Review website. DPR has to get an handle on the bizarre rules, and the political messages that are being promulgated by some of the challenge hosts.

Hard to believe that there are only 12 entries going into the last day for submissions. Didn't anyone go to Mardi Gras this year?

Totally useless article. Who cares what a bunch of pros think of a camera they have not used? It's just self serviing publicity for four working pros. We need hands,-on real world feedback.

This is not an impartial challenge, so to hell with it. Not worth the trouble.

Steve - Thanks for the comment. Cars are made to be driven and, I think, look better in motion than just sitting.

I plan to buy an SD-1 when it becomes available on the market at the new lower price. However, the frustrations with the old SD-14 are still a vivid memory, and I want to learn from the experience of others as to the weak points and idiosyncracies of the SD-1. I believe that the IQ problems reported by some people relate directly to the Sigma lenses not having the performance necessary to use the capabilities of the sensor, and I plan to convert the lens mount to take Leica R glass. Any info concerning problems with the processing engine, camera lock-up, or any other similar problems would be much appreciated.

I cannot remember a time when there were so many great cameras coming to the market. It is going to be very tough to chose which one is going to get my money. I have an SD-14 which finally frustrated me to the point where it got thrown into a closet It wasnt't the sensor which let the camera down but the firmware and the 1990's design. At the new price for the SD-1, I am willing to give the Foveon another chance.

Probably the lack of entries is reflective of the large US audience for DPreview. No US GP means very few entries from the US. It's also reflective of a generally boring year in F1. The Abu Dhabi F1 was interesting only because of the fights going on in the middle of the pack, but no one was going to risk it all when the championship had been decided long before.

Even this shot is out of focus.

this photo does not comply with the rules of the competition.

I believe the rules ask for the best shot of the 2011 F1 season, which I take to mean that photos of 2011 F1 cars or scenes from a 2011 F1 race. This is a shot of a Tyrell F1 car that dates from 1972 which does not meet the intent of the rules

Limiting this competition to one submission is not enough. How about 5 per entrant? Also, this is one of the most photographed sports events in the world and it would be more interesting to have the pros (who can wander around and pick the best spots) in a separate category from us poor amaturs who are restricted to shooting from their general admission seats.

I am confused about the intent of this challenge. Is to show how an old lens performs on a digital camera body or is just for any image taken with any camera at any time that has been scanned digitally. This is a web site devoted to digital photography, so I assume the challenge is for pre-digital lenses used on a digital body.

Hi Harvey,

Thanks again for the very kind comments. The eye is in focus, however the bird moves very quickly so the shutter speed is just a tad too slow to freeze the motion completely. Camera was a Sigma SD-14 set on Aperture Priority in order to use the Leica MR Telyt mirror lens' fixed aperture of F8.

Harvey, thanks for the very positive comments, it's much appreciated. There is annular bokeh in the full frame photo which has been cropped out. As mentioned in the first entry, the fixed F8 aperture makes the viewfinder very dark, even in bright sunlight and the Leica MR F8 Telyt mirror lens has a very shallow DOF which makes accurate focusing a matter of luck rather than skill. It is, however, an incredible lens that rewards those having a bit of patience and a high tolerance for frustration. The lens was mounted on a Sigma SD-14 body with the Foveon sensor which gives terrific color in strong daylight. Thanks again. Richard

What a work of art. It's so good, it doesn't look real, more like a painting than a photograph. I noticed that the focal length of the photo is listed as 425mm, yet the lens is listed as a 300mm, f2.8. Does this mean a tele-converter was used?