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X-Vario JPG Settings


Don Morley

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Hi All, I have experimented at some length with my X-Vario whilst shooting DNG and Fine JPG's side by side, but found the JPG's so good I have decided to take the lazy way out via my opting to just shoot fine JPG's for most of the time.

 

However I do find I need to set the in camera JPG setting to Vibrant colour, and despite my doing numerous tests I cannot make up my mind as to if the resultant images are better or worse still if I also increase in camera sharpening by one step up from standard, and, or if I also increase film colour saturation up one step from standard as well? What does anyone else think? What is your favorite JPG setting?

 

Don:o

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Hi, I have set to Vibrant & everything else +1.. apart from a little cropping and maybe a touch of saturation I am happy as a sandboy.. Whilst PP is not a thing of the past I can show images SOOC.. During the day I use EV -1/3 just to substantiate the depth of color.. WB Auto unless it's night time.. the XV is a terrific camera. We are off to Monterey/Carmel next month, I cannot wait. Last time we went I used my X1, those results were amazing.. :cool:

Regards.. L.

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Guest DrPix

Why do people bother to shoot Jpegs with a camera like XVario is beyond me? XVario´s Jpegs (no matter what your settings are) will never ever come close to DNGs; even with simple/quick, if one wishes, development in LR you will get much better Jpegs! Completely different league/Galaxy. What´s the point of buying such an expensive and sophisticated camera and come up with rather mediocre, oversharpened and lifeless Jpegs (no "Leica-magic" there!). I´ll probably be crucified now:)

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Hello Don. I can't help you because I don't shoot Jpegs. But I would like to say how pleased I am that you now own an X Vario. It is a deceptive camera with hidden capabilities. I have used mine extensively these last ten months.

 

You are a highly experienced photographer, so I presume you must have a very good reason for not capturing your images in DNG format. I have always felt cheated by the amount of valuable data which gets discarded with Jpeg compression; every time a file is reprocessed, even more information is lost. I use Lightroom for processing (a licence comes free with the camera) and find the workflow logical, effective and highly rewarding. Furthermore, you can revisit any chosen file and make further enhancements or conversions without any loss of data. If you are unsure about a particular image, make a virtual copy and you have a non-destructive parallel solution. Now it sounds as if I am trying to convert you. :)

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:mad:

Why do people bother to shoot Jpegs with a camera like XVario is beyond me? XVario´s Jpegs (no matter what your settings are) will never ever come close to DNGs; even with simple/quick, if one wishes, development in LR you will get much better Jpegs! Completely different league/Galaxy. What´s the point of buying such an expensive and sophisticated camera and come up with rather mediocre, oversharpened and lifeless Jpegs (no "Leica-magic" there!). I´ll probably be crucified now:)

 

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply though it was not exactly the sort of input I needed or expected! Anyway it leaves me wondering if maybe you are just not a good enough photographer to get away with just shooting Jpegs? Either way may I respectfully point out it is MY choice. Don

Edited by Don Morley
Cool it down a bit!
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So … I have just set my XV to Vivid and upped the sharpening. The only detour from Standard tried previously was B&W - which gave super results in almost total darkness when using 'Auto everything' flash. I'll have to try the 'B&W High contrast' setting too.

 

Thanks

 

dunk

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So … I have just set my XV to Vivid and upped the sharpening. The only detour from Standard tried previously was B&W - which gave super results in almost total darkness when using 'Auto everything' flash. I'll have to try the 'B&W High contrast' setting too.

 

Thanks

 

dunk

 

B&W in high contrast, as Rodrigue Zahr's excellent images downward this blog :

 

The Leica XVarior: Leica X Vario Review after 3 delightful months of ownership.

 

 

Guy

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Re:- EV settings.. our eyes & not forgetting our monitor screens means we all see an image in slightly different ways.. I found EV -2/3 was a little harsh (to my eyes).. The main thing is we take pics and love our XV's.... Be Happy, Be Successful, Be Safe........ :cool:

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I'm using only EV - 1/3 and keep all the other adjustments as Standard.

 

But, Don, what disturb you to not using the menu proposal DNG + Jpeg? Why not use this setting, giving you the freedom to get both advantage of the two formats? You can always decide which world you keep or not. Storing cards and disk space are so cheap now!;)

 

Not very useful comment, only my use.

Have good day and pictures.:)

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Hi, the XV like any other camera is a tool, we all use them somewhat differently.

Why worry with Raw if Jpegs do it for you! The cost of the camera really does not come into that equation. I do appreciate others views and ideas, and with the XV Raw is a good route.

PP is now an art, not everybody wants to partake..

At one time I was fond of the Unsharp Mask

in Elements and maybe a touch of Saturation. Now I find my settings pretty much offer what I require. If in doubt, Raw is the best alternative..

Regards, L...

:cool:

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Guest DrPix
:mad:

 

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply though it was not exactly the sort of input I needed or expected! Anyway it leaves me wondering if maybe you are just not a good enough photographer to get away with just shooting Jpegs? Either way may I respectfully point out it is MY choice. Don

 

If I am a "good enough photographer" can be seen on my site. My reply was NOT meant for you, personally, but in general.

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Guest DrPix
Am afraid I had actually taken a look at your site just to check before posting my reply! Don

 

I have absolutely no idea what you mean by that.. and rest my case:)

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Re:- EV settings.. our eyes & not forgetting our monitor screens means we all see an image in slightly different ways.. I found EV -2/3 was a little harsh (to my eyes).. The main thing is we take pics and love our XV's.... Be Happy, Be Successful, Be Safe........ :cool:

 

My setting EV - 2/3 was determined by extensive testing of EV 0 -1/3and-2/3 ,with

skin tone (Caucasian ) and nature colours , grasses , trees, flowers , sky, etc. ,

Not a large difference between -1/3 and -2/3 , I prefer -2/3 , perhaps something to do with the sensitivity of the sensor , not my eyes .

 

It is unlikely , that JPEG images would be "harsher" with less light , quite the opposite .

 

I am happy, not always successful , very safe and always cool , except when I am required not to be cool.

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My setting EV - 2/3 was determined by extensive testing of EV 0 -1/3and-2/3 ,with

skin tone (Caucasian ) and nature colours , grasses , trees, flowers , sky, etc. ,

Not a large difference between -1/3 and -2/3 , I prefer -2/3 , perhaps something to do with the sensitivity of the sensor , not my eyes .

It is unlikely , that JPEG images would be "harsher" with less light , quite the opposite .

 

Sir, the higher the -EV the darker the shadows etc,, become,,,,,,,,, therefore:- Harsher..

Regards, L. :)

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I'm using only EV - 1/3 and keep all the other adjustments as Standard.

 

But, Don, what disturb you to not using the menu proposal DNG + Jpeg? Why not use this setting, giving you the freedom to get both advantage of the two formats? You can always decide which world you keep or not. Storing cards and disk space are so cheap now!;)

 

Not very useful comment, only my use.

Have good day and pictures.:)

 

Hello Marcel,

 

Thanks for replying, but I did not say I do not also shoot DNG as I often do, but I find the straight out of camera jpeg's so good on the X-Vario for much of what I tend to use this specific camera for ( I.E. As opposed to how I use my two M9's and Canon 5D Mk 3 etc), I was and am very curious to discover if others felt the same way? And if so what basic camera jpeg settings they had arrived at? Best wishes, and thank you again. Don:)

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