Leica M8 profiles for Lightroom - Low light

[htjvan]

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Went out with the M8.2 first time yesterday and after importing the pictures in Lightroom I am very happy. Since I am novice to Lightroom too I have a few questions:

 

• How to define import settings in Lightroom, for example setting for applying noise reduction for all picture shot at ISO 640 ?
  
• Are there profiles available for the M8.2 ? I am using LR3.3. Sometimes I did find that the camera JPG produced better WB and little bit more sharp then when converted default DNG in LR3 ( I shot DNG+JPG fine, all default settings in the M8.2)
  

 

Harrie

 

The picture below was taken on the streets in Bangkok last night, pretty dim light, iso640 with the M8.2 - 35mm cron. PP in LR3 of course. C&C please.

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[AncientCityPhoto]

I generally don't do any noise reduction above the basic settings on anything below 1250 ISO.

I am using lightroom 3.

The basic settings on import for me are color noise set to 25 with detail at 50. Lightroom defaults this unless you change it. If I have an image shot at 1250 that has a good amount of noise, especially in the shadows I will move luminance noise to 25 as well. Same with ISO 2500. Good exposures rarely need to much extra noise removal. If I seriously need to modify noise, I use neat image or noise ninja or similar noise tool. I rarely have to do that though.

 

Aside from that I start with all default settings and edit what I need for that image from there. Generally sharpening is between 25 and 50 for me.

 

I often prefer either a strong tone curve or a linear one depending on my desired result. Everything else is based on taste for what I want the final image to look like.

 

I often find myself going into AlienSkin Exposure 3 for a film look at some point in the process for most final output images.

 

As far as your image goes...I don't think I would really tweak noise and such. I get the feeling your focus was on the "taxi" sign. The person looking away draws my attention more. I may have focused on him and processed the left side darker than the right to lead the eye towards whatever the man is looking at.

[RichardM8]

Harrie,

You just got your M8 and taking the first shots with it if I'm not mistaken? I think you just have to go shooting with it and get a 'feel' for the files on various ISOs and in various conditions.

I work with LR for a long time and it has very few secrets for me but I've rarely found 'one size fits all' settings that work good on every single image with the same basic parameters (like ISO).

 

 

@AncientCityPhoto it surprises me that you (still) use Neat Image and Noise Ninja for noise filtering. I've worked with both for years but the noise filtering in LR3.x is state of the art and miles ahead of both.

[AncientCityPhoto]

You know, 95% of the time I use lightroom's noise reduction profiles...starting with LR 3. However, on some images...mostly from my Canon 5DmkII...sometime's I don't like the look of the file with an aggressive noise reduction.

 

Rarely is the shot that I need to apply a lot of noise reduction, but some times the Look of lightroom's reduction just isn't quite for me. LR3 has me going to external programs far less however. I do use AlienSkin Exposure 3 a lot however. I find I can fine tune look and color feel much better there than LR3. It's all about file look.

 

I do agree with your comment about spending time and learning the camera. Really knowing the camera takes time and will be well worth the effort. Test shots are free!