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New 246 Review in Latest LFI


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Michael's articles are clear, precise and thorough (as are his posts here) but, being the mouthpiece of Leica, the editorial slant of the magazine – and subsequent tone of each article – can be almost suffocating. In journalistic terms, LFI is the camera magazine equivalent of Neues Deutschland.

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being the mouthpiece of Leica

Being the mouthpiece of Leica it would have been much easier writing articles such as this one if I had had the benefit of any input from Leica. Alas I had nothing to go on but a pre-production copy of the camera (a few days prior to the deadline), but not even a spec sheet, much less anything from marketing. So I was entirely on my own. Much the same holds for the next installment, btw..

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Being the mouthpiece of Leica it would have been much easier writing articles such as this one if I had had the benefit of any input from Leica. Alas I had nothing to go on but a pre-production copy of the camera (a few days prior to the deadline), but not even a spec sheet, much less anything from marketing. So I was entirely on my own. Much the same holds for the next installment, btw..

 

Hi Michael,

 

Full disclosure:  I haven't read your article (I don't have a subscription to LFI).

 

However, I'm curious... by "being the mouthpiece of Leica" (your words), don't you think you might be influenced by that relationship?

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Hi Michael,

 

Full disclosure:  I haven't read your article (I don't have a subscription to LFI).

 

However, I'm curious... by "being the mouthpiece of Leica" (your words), don't you think you might be influenced by that relationship?

You're mistaken, Peter.  Those words were posted above by Mr. Watts.  I believe Michael was quoting the rather rude comment in a light-hearted, self-deprecating way.

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Michael's articles are (more) informative and technically well presented, the details give great insight into the workings of the camera and can be used to advantage when shooting. No longer a subscriber I am heading over to the Leica store this weekend to get my LFI copy.  

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However, I'm curious... by "being the mouthpiece of Leica" (your words), don't you think you might be influenced by that relationship?

“Being the mouthpiece of Leica” was a tongue-in-cheek quote from Ian’s post; obviously the sarcasm didn’t come across. As a matter of fact my contributions to LFI reflect my opinions, not necessarily Leica’s.

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Hi Michael,

 

I see a lot of pictures made with the MM246 that show bad/burned whites... this is even worse than with the MM1...

Do you have an idea how come or did you noticed that ?

 

I'll give a link of a great photographer that found the problem while testing the 246.

His article :

http://fae59.com/2015/05/31/leica-m246/#more-8918

 

In this particular image he couldn't get the whites back.

https://fae59.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/l1009962-modifier.jpg

Edited by MOZ
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Naturally you cannot salvage blown highlights based on RGB channels that aren’t blown yet, limiting the latitude. This is just as it is/was with the original M Monochrom. Still there is plenty of dynamic rage so you can (well, must) expose for the highlights rather than relying on raw conversion to get it right. It’s something you need to get used to but owners of the original MM will feel right at home with the new one in this regard.

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I've already tried the MM2 (and I have a MM1 and i expose for whites) and i felt the whites where a bit more problematic with the new one...

I though it would have been easier/better but it's not, or it seems..

I have no explanation at the moment, just a strange feeling...

Edited by MOZ
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I've already tried the MM2 (and I have a MM1 and i expose for whites) and i felt the whites where a bit more problematic with the new one...

I though it would have been easier/better but it's not, or it seems..

I have no explanation at the moment, just a strange feeling...

 

I own the MM1 and recently received the MM2. It is my experience that the files produced with the MM2 are superiour in all ways to the MM1, including in the highlights. Of course you still have to expose properly. The differences are clearly apparent in real world shooting and immediately noticeable to me on prints. Wonderful camera.

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Hi Michael,

 

I see a lot of pictures made with the MM246 that show bad/burned whites... this is even worse than with the MM1...

Do you have an idea how come or did you noticed that ?

 

I'll give a link of a great photographer that found the problem while testing the 246.

His article :

http://fae59.com/2015/05/31/leica-m246/#more-8918

 

In this particular image he couldn't get the whites back.

https://fae59.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/l1009962-modifier.jpg

Some wonderful photographs from the camera: thanks lot the link. Does anyone know the location? I really should stop looking at Monochrom posts. 

 

Mike.

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The restaurant is L'assiette Du Marche in Lille... That's the building in the background that is overexposed and out of focus in the photograph. Clearly the focus point and exposure were set up for the sign overhanging the passageway leading up to the courtyard the restaurant is set in.

 

I have to say, the exposure isn't particularly great in many of those pictures. I would have thought with the lighting encountered and that dynamic range, everything could do with dropping back a little bit. Better to use the strengths of the camera and bring up detail in shadows in PP rather than blow highlights in the initial exposure...

 

On the other hand, some of the images are very good... good composition and shot selection at times. Just lacking in technical application using the camera. My French is appalling, so gave up trying to read the article... Is he a Leica user and is he familiar with the 240 sensor? It's a bit like getting used to a new/different film in the old days - it takes a while to get your head round what you can push and what you have to be careful with. I don't have any empirical answers... It's 'feel' and you just get used to things in the end... It's taken me ages to learn my M-P and how to expose correctly and what can be done in PP and I still have a long way to go yet...

 

I suspect the rest of the photos in that series are Lille as well, perhaps someone else could confirm?

Edited by Livingston
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I have to say, the exposure isn't particularly great in many of those pictures. I would have thought with the lighting encountered and that dynamic range, everything could do with dropping back a little bit. Better to use the strengths of the camera and bring up detail in shadows in PP rather than blow highlights in the initial exposure...

 

Quite.

 

The above review, and that from amateur photographer magazine, demonstrate lack of ability on the part of the photographer concerned. I'm not a Leica user (yet) but I'd expect anyone given the task of reviewing a rangefinder (or a DSLR or medium format camera etc) would know that blown highlights aren't recoverable no matter what camera is being used. Either expose for the highlights in the shot you're taking or end up with a shot showing areas with no detail. I hear a number of people stating that the dynamic range of the MM246 is really good.  Sadly this isn't apparent from many of the images I'm seeing. Burned out skies etc have no appeal to me.

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