D-Lux 5 at ISO 12,800. Surprising.

[farnz]

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I took my DL5 on a recent trip to Sicily and while I was there I went roaming the streets after dark for some night shooting.

 

The DL5 is pretty good at ISO 800 so I decided try it at higher ISOs, content in my belief that like other digital cameras it would get progressively grainier right up to its highest ISO 12,800 setting where it would be all-but unusable.

 

I was very surprised at the results so I've posted some examples below. I have done no post processing on any of the pictures other than compressing them in CS3 to comply with forum's posting limits. They were shot as jpegs in Dynamic B&W with no flash or exposure compensation.

 

Pete.

 

ISO 3200

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ISO 6400

 

 

ISO 12,800

[Digitom]

Very impressive! How about your opinion using color instead of Black and White? My experience is, that it is not recommended using higher ISO then 1600. The noise is too high then. One can use maybe sometimes ISO 3200 but only for documentation.

But as I see, the Black and white mode is maybe an alternative at these higher ISO.

 

For shots at night in barely illuminated areas I use autoISO with maximum of 800, trying to make serial shots. That gives mostly good quality pictures. I set the shutter speed to maximum of about 1/30. The pics are not underexposed, the "night atmoshere" is kept better that way I think.Elsewhere the night is gonna be a kind of artificial day.

[farnz]

Tom,

 

I find that I shoot b&w most of the time with the DL5 so I haven't tried it at high ISO with colour. I suspect that chroma noise would become intrusive quite quickly though.

 

Pete.

[johnnyj]

Sooo...whose the space alien seated in the background? You know, the one without a nose or ears. Or, is this what happens at higher ISO speeds? You begin to lose the smaller extremities. !

[Gitzo]

I'd like to see some of these higher ISO images at full res, with the noise reduction turned off or set to its lowest setting. I have seen some 400 and 800 iso and the grain looks very nice. I feel the noise reduction makes it looks artificial or digitised.

[Digitom]

Tom,

 

I find that I shoot b&w most of the time with the DL5 so I haven't tried it at high ISO with colour. I suspect that chroma noise would become intrusive quite quickly though.

 

Pete.

 

Exactly that is my experience. So BW is better I think. I will check it.

[Digitom]

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Sooo...whose the space alien seated in the background? You know, the one without a nose or ears. Or, is this what happens at higher ISO speeds? You begin to lose the smaller extremities. !

 

Sure you are right. That is the price one has to pay at this high ISO. But in general the photos can be used - better that then no photo....

[johnnyj]

Dear Thomas,

Just pulling your leg a little. But high grain only works for photos that don't draw your attention to detail that causes your mind to say, "huh?" After your post I did do some shots experimenting with the D-Lux 5 higher ISOs and agree that there is potential there to be exploited.

It would be interesting for some of us with the D-Lux 5 to experiment and post the results. This camera has a lot of interesting features to be explored, and IOS range, combined with other features, is on the top of the list.

John

[girphoto]

Tom,

 

I find that I shoot b&w most of the time with the DL5 so I haven't tried it at high ISO with colour. I suspect that chroma noise would become intrusive quite quickly though.

 

Pete.

 

Ji Pete

Are you shooting in the RAW mode when in B&W?

Very nice...I have only shot in Color, But the B&W looks great.

Thanks

Gary

[farnz]

Gary,

 

No, because I often use Multi Film mode, which takes 2 shots with different film emulations for one button press, and is not supported in RAW.

 

Pete.

[Digitom]

Dear Thomas,

Just pulling your leg a little. But high grain only works for photos that don't draw your attention to detail that causes your mind to say, "huh?" After your post I did do some shots experimenting with the D-Lux 5 higher ISOs and agree that there is potential there to be exploited.

It would be interesting for some of us with the D-Lux 5 to experiment and post the results. This camera has a lot of interesting features to be explored, and IOS range, combined with other features, is on the top of the list.

John

 

Hi John,

I agree that the higher ISO (beyond ISO 800) is very attractive for experimental photography. And also I think the D-Lux 5 is one of few compact cameras on the market with the possibility to be seriously used in "available light" conditions. Sure I will not compare to HighEnd cameras like M with marvellous lenses and full format sensor, but if I see the results of my photos I took in the evening on a short trip to Berlin at several christmas markets and illuminated building or in the big shopping malls, it is really amazing! Using Automatic ISO with maximum limit of 800 and setting sometimes the shutter speed to about 1/30 (so the night atmosphere is kept!), very well photos are the result, MUCH MORE better then with any other compact camera I had try out before.

No need for tripod or something like that - I have to say I love the D-Lux 5 and so sometimes my Digilux 2 (main camera) can stay at home and I do not feel to take a big compromize! So that is exactly the camera I wanted. Just I recommend the grip for better shots when one has big hands.