Auto everything

[chris_tribble]

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I don't normally shoot the M9 in A mode + Auto ISO + Auto WB (), but with the new firmware it can be a very useful resource.

 

Working last night as part of a long term documentation of a friend who's also a photographer and used Auto ISO during a meal. Some shots at 2500 are (IMHO) a remarkable testament to how good things are now with the M9 + Lightroom 3. Full frame and 100% crops of shadow and highlight areas straight out of the camera below. NO Luminance NR applied. If you want to smooth this out (which I wouldn't for this shot) then LR Luminance NR reduction renders this remarkably well.

 

There's been a lot of noise around re problems with the camera. I thought I'd post this to re-assure that things can go OK. This image was made using my almost one year old M9. I'll post a link to a celebratory M9 one year on selection on 09/09/10. Might be amusing if others were thinking about making a selection to share too...

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[piero]

I agree.

period.

[Ario Arioldi]

+1

Cheers,

Ario

[wparsonsgisnet]

+1 I use auto about 90% of the time. It never worked this well on the M8.

[250swb]

If I have my 'documentary head' on I often set my M9 to Auto ISO and Auto Exposure, it works fine nearly all the time.

 

Steve

[efftee]

Some shots at 2500 are (IMHO) a remarkable testament to how good things are now with the M9 + Lightroom 3.

 

Hi Chris, do you have C1v5? How does it compare to LR3? I have C1v5 and wondering if I should upgrade to LR3 too. Thanks.

[chris_tribble]

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Hi Chris, do you have C1v5? How does it compare to LR3? I have C1v5 and wondering if I should upgrade to LR3 too. Thanks.

Efftee - I never got on with C1, so only have the comparison with LR2. I do know that some (like Jono Slack) swear by Aperture, but as I'm a PC user, it's not available to me.

 

As you can download an evaluation version of LR3, I'd recommend doing this, comparing results and then make your decision. From where I stand, LR3 has had a huge impact on image quality (it's also great on M8 images...). Hope you enjoy your decision!

[Ecar]

Agree. Those are the settings I use most of the time for street/documentary.

LR3 allows me to be more liberal with the Auto-ISO upper limit, knowing that noise is not an issue anymore, as long as the exposure is "about right".

 

Now, let's hope Leice re-introduces the S mode on any future M9.2 or M10.

...

Just joking:D

[Rick]

Really nice example. I'll have to experiment more with auto and higher ISO. By the way, is that noise in the white salad bowl or just grated beats?

[efftee]

Efftee - I never got on with C1, so only have the comparison with LR2. I do know that some (like Jono Slack) swear by Aperture, but as I'm a PC user, it's not available to me.

 

As you can download an evaluation version of LR3, I'd recommend doing this, comparing results and then make your decision. From where I stand, LR3 has had a huge impact on image quality (it's also great on M8 images...). Hope you enjoy your decision!

 

Hey Chris, thanks. I will download the trial LR3 and check it out.

[menos I M6]

Hey Chris, thanks. I will download the trial LR3 and check it out.

 

Make sure, you read into what exactly do the many noise reduction and sharpening sliders in LR3 before stumbling into it.

 

For just starting with Lightroom, I find all these controls a bit cryptic

 

After some time though, the result in moving which slider in which direction and the combination of them are second nature.

 

Careful - every setting influences most other settings in LR3 when it comes to the sharpening and noise module + the diverse settings, which influence contrast.

 

Use the option key pressed down, while adjusting things in the sharpening module, to see a direct effect in a 1:1 zoom, WHILE doing the adjustment.

[animefx]

May I ask what lens you were using? Noise looks a LOT better than the 40D I had before I had my 5D Mark 2. To me it looks like the M9 is almost an equal to the original 5D when it comes to noise, but without the banding and better color.

 

I don't normally shoot the M9 in A mode + Auto ISO + Auto WB (), but with the new firmware it can be a very useful resource.

 

Working last night as part of a long term documentation of a friend who's also a photographer and used Auto ISO during a meal. Some shots at 2500 are (IMHO) a remarkable testament to how good things are now with the M9 + Lightroom 3. Full frame and 100% crops of shadow and highlight areas straight out of the camera below. NO Luminance NR applied. If you want to smooth this out (which I wouldn't for this shot) then LR Luminance NR reduction renders this remarkably well.

 

There's been a lot of noise around re problems with the camera. I thought I'd post this to re-assure that things can go OK. This image was made using my almost one year old M9. I'll post a link to a celebratory M9 one year on selection on 09/09/10. Might be amusing if others were thinking about making a selection to share too...

[jaques]

Agree. Those are the settings I use most of the time for street/documentary.

LR3 allows me to be more liberal with the Auto-ISO upper limit, knowing that noise is not an issue anymore, as long as the exposure is "about right".

 

Now, let's hope Leice re-introduces the S mode on any future M9.2 or M10.

...

Just joking:D

 

It's no joke: S mode is right there on the m9- it is just hidden in the user profiles.

[chris_tribble]

May I ask what lens you were using? Noise looks a LOT better than the 40D I had before I had my 5D Mark 2. To me it looks like the M9 is almost an equal to the original 5D when it comes to noise, but without the banding and better color.

 

Hi - I think this was with 28 cron asph. Othwerwise, 50 lux. You'll be noticing discussion elsewhere on this topic. re comparison of the 5D2 and M9 I think it's worth remembering that the value of high ISO really cuts in when you're using long lenses. For some kinds of performance work I regularly use 3200 so that I can keep shutter speeds above 1/125th or faster when I'm using a 300/f2.8 lens off a monopod. I cover the wide end of things with the M9 - rarely going longer than 50. Then 1600 ISO is nearly always more than sufficient.

 

As people have been saying on this forum for years, so much of the time it's to do with chosing the right tool for the job.

[Artichoke]

Hi Chris, do you have C1v5? How does it compare to LR3? I have C1v5 and wondering if I should upgrade to LR3 too. Thanks.

in comparing the two, I prefer C1 5 Pro as it seems easier for me to have more control of my files

my LR3 version is 64 bit & handles large files a bit better, but does not play well with my Intuos pad, so I use it mainly for my DX3 shots, with which I struggled with NX2 (very unstable software)

I use LR3 for some files from the M9, but prefer the interface of C1 5 for comparing & browsing files ...I like the ease of comparing versions of the same file in C1 5

I also find C1 5 Pro's color manipulation options outstanding, particularly for skin at high ISO on the M9

the differences between the output of both converters is probably not worth much as both do an excellent job

it boils down to which work flow you prefer

[Double Negative]

I shoot this way more often than not (save for Auto-ISO) - on both the M8 and M9. Never really had any major issue with it. Sure, sometimes the exposure needs adjusting (switch to manual, use EC or frame differently and use AE lock). Or sometimes the WB is whack (more so on the M8 I find)... But I shoot DNG. ONLY. So WB issues are non-starters. When I do use Auto-ISO, I've never had a problem. It does what it should. You have to tweak the settings to your liking, obviously.

 

'Dunno, the M8 and M9 always work fine for me. I must be doing something wrong.

[Rolo]

I shot Auto everything for some months, but decided that I preferred to retain control of the shutter speed, so that's back on manual. This way, I don't get surprised by a unwanted subject blur, or camera shake, and I've got control of the lens characteristics. I do shoot in some very low light venues and at events where image capture is essential. By setting the widest aperture I can allow, Auto ISO guarantees a photo.

 

Auto WB is fine for most subjects, but for batch processing, ie a selection from 1,000 images, I find it preferable to shoot in RAW with a Kelvin rating. This rather than letting the camera vary the WB by frame by frame in constant lighting conditions, even though the light temperature may change, with a change in location.

 

I regard the Auto ISO feature to be a significant advance.

[proenca]

Chris tanks for posting.

 

I used my M8 to the death and hated AUTO everything.

 

For work reasons, I'm not using my M9 as much ( not even near... I would have 50k more exposures now in my M8 time ) and I do not venture AUTO everything because I ( ironic mode one ) fondly ( ironoic mode off ) remember how it was on my M8.

 

Going to try with the M9, good results you have there ! thanks for posting !