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Disappointing M8 Color Shift


richam

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It's a relief that the filter is a problem, not the camera or lens. Whew! One would not normally expect a faulty filter since they are so simple. Perhaps someone at the factory accidentally installed 489 glass in a 486 frame, or skipped a manufacturing step, or something like that. Anyway, thanks to everyone for the helpful comments that guided me through this strange odyssey.

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Paul, The was no meaningful EXIF white balance datum, as I was opening and processing the DNG image. White balance is selectable when opening in Adobe Camera RAW. For the previous night's quartz-halogen shots, I opened with tungsten white balance, as this looked the closest to reality. On my recently posted set, I opened the sunlight shots in sunlight WB, and the quartz-halogen in tungsten WB. This is a moot point since I finished with a gray eyedropper balance on the card.

Yes, I realise this, BUT if the camera was set to auto white balance and the 'camera settings' exif data revealed substantial differences between cameras/shots then this might have indicated a problem with the camera's white balancing. If they were all similar it would indicate that there was another factor - such as the dodgy filter which appears to be the culprit.

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Perhaps someone at the factory accidentally installed 489 glass in a 486 frame, or skipped a manufacturing step, or something like that.
Fake filter?

Yes indeed—it could be a counterfeited product from China ... or whenceever. And if it is then of course you're not entitled to get a free replacement from B+W ... still, they might be interested to learn that some of their products are getting counterfeited. If however it really comes from B+W then they should send you a replacement free of charge as soon as possible.

 

I never heard of defective filters before (well except those smashed by the user) ... so the fake theory sounds more plausible to me. Let us know how this part of the story turns out. By the way, where get you acquire that filter from?

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Maybe I need to get rid of my B+W filters and get genuine Leica.

 

I have both filters on my lenses, Leica and B+W and I've never noticed any difference. The only times I had such color shift (rare) it was always my fault. For example I was sure I had lens detection On + UV/IR and I had not or I didn't have the filter on.

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I have both filters on my lenses, Leica and B+W and I've never noticed any difference. The only times I had such color shift (rare) it was always my fault. For example I was sure I had lens detection On + UV/IR and I had not or I didn't have the filter on.

 

My Leica versus B+W comment was made before we narrowed the problem down to the faulty/fake filter. I agree that there is no significant difference between the filters. I've read somewhere that they are both made by Schneider.

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I have never seen colour shifts like that with a B+W 486 filter. I've used a bunch of them in varying sizes (39, 46, 52 and 55) on all sorts of focal lengths since I got my M8 in March 2007. I would expect this effect with a std B+W 010 UVa or no filter at all.

Carl

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I have never seen colour shifts like that with a B+W 486 filter. I've used a bunch of them in varying sizes (39, 46, 52 and 55) on all sorts of focal lengths since I got my M8 in March 2007. I would expect this effect with a std B+W 010 UVa or no filter at all.

Carl

 

Carl, We tracked this problem down to a faulty or fake B+W 46mm filter.

 

To cap this off (I hope), I compared another B+W to Leica filter. This time, a B+W 39mm filter on my 28mm Elmarit lens versus my 46mm Leica filter tightly held in front of the same lens. I did a PS levels gray eyedropper adjustment on the card in both images and increased brightness for web viewing, but no other adjustments. The lighting source was quartz-halogen.

 

First, the B+W filter:

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

 

And the Leica filter:

 

I could even say the B+W did a sharper filtering job, based on the synthetic garment on the right. Bear in mind, the synthetic garment has a very slight magenta tinge to the naked eye, depending on the light source. The B+W filter shot still looks closer to reality, at least to my eyes.

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Perhaps the problem is with your M8. I never had the problem with either Leica or B&W filters.

 

I realize that it's difficult to follow this long thread, but I believe we've systematically isolated the problem to a single fake or faulty B+W filter. On what basis do you make your statement about the M8? Is there a flaw in our methodology?

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I meant to say his particular M8. As I said before, I never had the problem except last weekend when I forgot to put the IR filter.

The evidence presented clearly indicates a faulty filter, not a faulty camera. Obviously this is not the behaviour to be expected from a B+W filter (and this particular filter may not be genuine) but that’s how it is.

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