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Should I cancel my MM order?


Agent M10

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I have been going back and forth about whether I should cancel my MM order. I want just one M and it's an MM or my M9-P. Steve Huff just posted this on his site which isn't helping.

 

Daily Inspiration #363 by Luiz Paulo – B&W with his M9 | STEVE HUFF PHOTOS

 

As one commenter put it, the MM's dynamic range does appear to render things a bit harsher, which is a big consideration.

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Why let one review bother you. Steve Huff was just singing praises to that camera wasn't he? Look at all of the posts here, Everyone seems to be loving the camera.

 

Whatever camera you decide to get, get it because you can shoot it and be passionate while doing it. Don't buy it because of Mega pixels, rendering, processing, etc.

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I have been going back and forth about whether I should cancel my MM order. I want just one M and it's an MM or my M9-P. Steve Huff just posted this on his site which isn't helping.

 

Daily Inspiration #363 by Luiz Paulo – B&W with his M9 | STEVE HUFF PHOTOS

 

As one commenter put it, the MM's dynamic range does appear to render things a bit harsher, which is a big consideration.

 

My two-bits worth: if you are happy with the outcome of your M9-P in terms of the greatest task you demand from it - perhaps large B&W prints, then the M9-P is serving you well and the MM will not show any improvement. If you are accustomed to using channels or any other means of enhancing selective colors before converting to black and white, then IMHO, the MM will disappoint you. Even if you use color-contrast filters over the lens on the MM, you will probably find the outcome inferior to what you can do with color manipulation from the M9-P.

 

If you are not happy with the outcome from the greatest you demand of the M9, then you have to ask just how much better can the MM perform. Have you mastered post-processing? (It is unlikely unless you have a great deal of experience).

 

Some will counter with arguments supporting the MM's higher ISO, greater resolution, but that matters little if you don't like the basic kind of rendering the MM achieves compared to the M9 for your purposes.

 

So, my hunch is that you should cancel the order and spend the money on something else, or save it.

Edited by pico
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Guest WPalank

Cancel the order immediately. If you feel that SH is the ultimate photographer/post-processor, just wait another month to when he sells the MM and buys his "next big thing".

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There are photographers and then there are shoppers. The MM is for me a quantum leap over the M9 for B/W. Steve Huff is, with all respect, nothing more than a minor gearhead with absolutely no clue about photography. The only people who pay him any attention are shoppers.

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The post on Steve Huffs site only proofs what i already knew. Digital B&W is more about processing skils than about the camera used. I see great examples from the M9 and horrible examples from the MM and vise versa. I also see great B&W work fom non Leica digital cameras now and then.

But please do not take Steve Huffs site to serious;)

Edited by j. borger
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Sheesh, tough crowd.

 

My reference to Steve Huff's post was about the beauty of Luis Paulo's M9's B&W photos, not Steve's mastery of all things Leica. I've read a large number of reviews and posts about the MM like everyone else, and also have examined a lot of MM photos (not prints). While people have hooted about the high ISOs and resolution, I've heard very little about the actual rendering of the sensor (Pico, kudos to you, and to you borger for admitting seeing horribles from the MM) compared to the M9.

 

There are those few who say they prefer film to digital because of the way film renders a scene (digital, they say, is too harsh). As one of Steve's commenters put it, "Lovely images. I think the m9 has a softer, nicer more film look the the MM which kind of goes into HDR with it’s sharpness…but then looking at the web and not using the MM….and now there is the choice of M9, MM and upcoming M-E, M. Choose what suits you…..but from what I have seen the M9 is superior in look (soul) even though the MM has better ISO. Anyone else agree…?"

 

Has anyone, besides Steve's lone commenter and maybe Luis Paulo, had any thoughts along these lines? Personally, I don't see where wanting to limit myself to just one M makes me a "shopper."

Edited by pcsmythe
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PC - Tony's asked a good question -- do you only shoot in black and white? If you don't, then the MM is not your "one M" camera.

 

But as to the question of whether the MM, as a digital camera, renders scenes too harsh, as you wonder, I offer the following photo, taken with the MM, as a possible answer. Not trying to show off, just trying to answer your question. As a print, it obviously looks different from what can be rendered at the Forum's resolution limit, but perhaps you'll find your answer here. Also, there's a gallery of Monochrom shots in the Zenfolio site linked below.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

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How long have you had the MM?[

 

Pico, I have had one for ten days, leant by Leica. I have made a couple of thousand exposures and about 50 prints. Enough for me. There are a few images posted on the MM monochrom photo thread at the top of the M9 thread. I was just showing prints to another photographer this afternoon, and his response was that they had the look of silver prints. Much as I love the M9, the MM is noticeably superior in BW.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited by gjames9142
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I was just showing prints to another photographer this afternoon, and his response was that they had the look of silver prints. Much as I love the M9, the MM is noticeably superior in BW.

 

Superior for who? Depends on your own imaging preferences surely? If the look of silver B&W is your ultimate goal, well buy an MP instead.

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I've posted examples with the Monochrome since I got it last week. (none of my images posted have more than 30 seconds of pp. I'm not proud of that. I am just saying the image quality is spectacular if exposed even remotely right..try to underexpose and you will be amazed)

 

Can't say enough good things. It's a game changer for me. But maybe not for everyone..it depends what you want and what you do.

 

But the files are a joy to work with to say the least.

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Yep, agree with pico and James. What is wrong with your current setup? If the answer to that isn't at least partly "the ability to shoot colour" then cancel the order directly.

 

I looked at the few pix on Huff's site as well as the linked-to LFI gallery. While they're nice I must say I found the photos taken by Jerren's son much better.

 

Post-processing can be applied to any image and M9 files can be made to look like those on Huff's site. Reminds me of this article on The.me about "streetshooter presets".

 

Bottom line, however, is not to base purchase decisions on images viewed on the net.

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There are photographers and then there are shoppers. The MM is for me a quantum leap over the M9 for B/W. Steve Huff is, with all respect, nothing more than a minor gearhead with absolutely no clue about photography. The only people who pay him any attention are shoppers.

 

I want to disagree with you but can't.

 

The Monochrome is for me a quantum leap. I can't overstate how much so. Does that mean I can't use an M9 or X2 and get amazing results. No of course not.

 

But the files are very easy to work with. the amount of detail you can pull from the shadows is incredible..truly incredible...the ISO performance is fantastic.

 

Obviously I am smitten and biased but it's based on using this camera and coming home most days and being astounded at some results..

 

I haven't even hit my stride with the Monochrome yet.

 

It's just that good. I see you posted since I quoted you...Could not agree more..and to those who don't have the camera well you can't really know until you see it for yourself in my opinion.

 

Attention shoppers..this isn't the camera for shoppers..it's for those who just know what they want and need. sorry if that sounds elitist..but the Monochrome is not for everyone..Game changer and yes feels MF to me too.

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Superior for who? Depends on your own imaging preferences surely? If the look of silver B&W is your ultimate goal, well buy an MP instead.

 

James, Obviously I am talking for myself, subjectively. As a photographer, I have worked for years with 8x10 and MF. I have worked for a couple of years with the M9, and find the MM to be superior in BW. It has something to do with the noticeably higher resolution -- a kind of MF look -- and the beautiful tonal scale that may have something to do with a sensor that measures pure luminescence. I have no doubt about this -- for myself. Truth is, although I have worked in B/W as a photographer for 40 years, I never found the M9 to be able to produce really good monochrome prints. Perhaps it is my lack, but with the MM, the game has changed for me.

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Guest WPalank

God is it just me? As I see these grey, sterile, flat, lifeless images touted by their creators as masterful, I just don't see it!

 

Then I open "The Sahel" by Salgado or look at the recent work by Aue Sobol....

 

finally, going to the Flickr site of this LUF member:

Actor Ray | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

(and I really don't want to embarrass him, but look at all the comments on any of his images)

 

...then all is right in the world once again.

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