SHARP AND COLORFUL

When comparing this interloper hybrid- camera to true medium- format models, one of the key things to look at, naturally, is image quality. And image files we captured with the S2 during our two-day shoot, in comparison to other medium-format images, held up extremely well, particularly when it came to sharpness and color.

DNG files we captured with the S2 and 70mm f/2.5 lens were so sharp a Leica product specialist had to vigorously clarify to us that no in-camera sharpening had taken place. Indeed, every strand of stubble in Noam's beard could be discerned as could every pore and blemish on his skin. Make-up artists will likely need to be retrained when the S2 hits the streets.

There was also great three dimensionality of color straight out of the camera. The thick coils of Noam's hair, dense with mixed brown tones, had shape in the S2 images and there was much detail in the dark areas.

As a point of comparison, we used a Canon 5D Mark II as well, and RAW files from that camera looked noticeably flatter with less dynamic range. Granted, some of that could be improved in Photoshop but with the S2 files, they were ready to go straight away.

DNG files from the 37.5-megapixel S2 came out as 72 mb compressed and opened to 104 mb files in Photoshop. Though there may be some who say when you blow up a 60.5-megapixel Phase One file to billboard size you're going to have more detail than the S2, that's one of the few instances where that's going to matter. (If it really does matter.) Otherwise, the S2 impressed in the studio.

As a more casual, field camera, I'd have more trouble recommending the S2 against a DSLR. While it would be an excellent choice for environmental portraits or doing posed shots at a wedding, if you're used to shooting with a regular DSLR, the slower-than-DSLR speeds for frame rate and focusing will disappoint you.

Also, though the ISO range is 80 (pull) to 1250, this is not by any stretch of the imagination a high ISO camera. Stick to ISO 400 tops, or you'll see tons of noise. Like the M9 and many medium-format cameras, the S2 does not use an anti-aliasing or blur filter which increases sharpness but makes the camera more susceptible to noise.