M7+K64 vs M8 : Will the M8 have the "look"?

[snaggs]

One thing the M8 will definately do, is reafirm its film sales. I could quite happily buy a MP, knowing that should film vanish one day, I can buy a M8 and my lenses will all work etc.

My next thought is.. we know digital has more actuance, less noise and hence can sometims look sharper.. but we also know that the big thing about Leica lenses and film was the microcontrast, tonality etc, which is hard to quantitise.

Will the M8 have this? Or will a film Leica still be required for that look.. and the M8 will esentially be a competent digital camera? Is the M8 16bit?

If somebody has a DMR and a M6/7 etc, maybe they could do a comparo for us?

Daniel.

[lightpainter]

quite an interesting question, and I think that only time will tell; in my humble opinion, it will be much harder for Leica to transport the quality of their lenses to a chip than to an emulsion whose resolution is (to my belief) still superior; one example: at the moment, not a single digital photograph can go successfully without a profound treatment with photoshop concerning colour, sharpness and other parameters; I bought the Epson R-D1, but sold it again later because I hated the hours of work in front of the computer and went back to me my M6/M7 with Ektachrome and Agfa Scala

[Bob Ross]

If you are after the film "look" then you have to start with a color profile of the film. Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Velvia, Agfa....etc. all had color signatures that we got used to. When that isn't present, we get disturbed, but if we know what it is, we can alter the digital file. After color mods come the tonal profiles that slides presented in their narrow DR. The present generation of sensors will look more like color negatives. Think Porta 160/400 for the M8. To get the tranny look from a negative means you have to compress the DR and profile the color.
For B&W, you have to find the color response of your favorite emulsion to feed into color mixing and get the noise out of the shadows, where it looks very un-film-like.
Leica lenses on digital sensors shouldn't be a problem base on my using R lenses on my E-1 (similar sensor). The out of focus gradients are there, but you have to be careful with the sharpening, if you want to preserve them. I bought the E-1 on the basis that the images "looked familiar" and the few glimpses from the M8 so far, give me the same impression. We have to look deeper than "looks familiar" to make a bridge from film to digital.
BTW, Capture One has a one click "Ektachrome" effect.
Bob

[jrgeoffrion]

Originally Posted by lightpainter

quite an interesting question ...at the moment, not a single digital photograph can go successfully without a profound treatment with photoshop concerning colour, sharpness and other parameters...

Interestingly, one of the main reason I moved from my two Canon 1Ds Mark II was the lesser amount of post-processing I had to do with the DMR -- the files are practically perfect straight from the raw converter (noise aside). On the other hand, my 1Ds Mark II files required a lot more post-processing work to achieve the right tonalities (this also applied to the Nikon D2x).

[pascal_meheut]

Same for me and less post-processing with the DMR files than with a scanned film too.

[AShearer]

Originally Posted by jrgeoffrion

Interestingly, one of the main reason I moved from my two Canon 1Ds Mark II was the lesser amount of post-processing I had to do with the DMR -- the files are practically perfect straight from the raw converter (noise aside). On the other hand, my 1Ds Mark II files required a lot more post-processing work to achieve the right tonalities (this also applied to the Nikon D2x).

This is very interesting. Rarely do you see anyone eschewing the mighty Canon, especially in favor of a camera most people have never heard of. And to take it a step further, you seem to be saying that the M8 should/will perform like the DMR, and give us images that require less photoshop time?

I hope so. I shoot a Nikon D200. While it takes great images, I still prefer film in my Leica MP for the quality, texture and contrast. But, the M8 is coming. I hope it outshines the current crop of DSLR's.

Your website if fascinating.

[jrgeoffrion]

Originally Posted by AShearer

This is very interesting. Rarely do you see anyone eschewing the mighty Canon, especially in favor of a camera most people have never heard of. And to take it a step further, you seem to be saying that the M8 should/will perform like the DMR, and give us images that require less photoshop time?

I hope so. I shoot a Nikon D200. While it takes great images, I still prefer film in my Leica MP for the quality, texture and contrast. But, the M8 is coming. I hope it outshines the current crop of DSLR's.

Your website if fascinating.

Based on the tech specs alone, I'm expecting the M8 to do, *at least* as good as the DMR. In reality, I believe it will be better but *as good* would be good enough.

I've had two D2x for a while and the DMR is no comparison for its micro details and subtle tones... The dynamic range is also much greater. I'm sure you'll love your M8.

Thanks for the kind words about my work.