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Great high ISO key to next digital M


eleskin

How would users value a trade between:  

43 members have voted

  1. 1. How would users value a trade between:

    • Higher ISO performance
      29
    • Faster image processing speed
      8
    • Higher sensor resolution
      5
    • Finer LCD & sapphire cover
      2


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The megapixel war is over! Yeh!!!

So where should Leica go with the next generation digital M? I see no need tchenage anything except massively improving the high Iso performance. Extreme iso like 10000 or so is not needed. A great Iso 6400 would be fantastic news for anyone who loves fast Leica lenses and wants to shoot in very extreme conditions (low light, high shutter speeds for action without loss of quality, the ability to stop down a lens in low light to get greater depth of field while hand holding the camera, etc,,,). There are many cameras performing better than the digital M (Fuji X100 for example) and the sensors in the M8 and M9 are showing their age. So Leica, if you read this, think of improving the higher ISO as the priority in the next digital M. Everything else is fine, do not change the camera!

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I think if anybody wants to shoot in extremely dark conditions, and they call themselves a serious photographer, they would already be using a Canon or Nikon DSLR and not be waiting for something to be invented by Leica. And if they aren't using one already, well, are they really serious about it or just want some bragging rights?

 

But even with Nikon or Canon users I've yet to see any fundamental shift in what people are photographing despite high ISO, and they are clamouring just as much for extra low ISO performance. High ISO will not revolutionise what people can photograph with a Leica, it will just be used to make even more test photographs of walls.

 

Steve

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I've had loads of cameras over the years but since getting my M9 18 months ago I haven't lusted after another camera at all. Not interested in the latest Canon/Nikon, X100, X1, Sony Nex, GF1, GF2 etc etc. At long last I feel I have the camera I could live with for years and I wouldn't care if no new M comes out - whatever the ISO reaches.

 

It feels like the days of film cameras to me - no need for the latest 'must have' the marketing dept want to sell me - now I just go out and take pictures.

 

I'm not saying I wouldn't go for an M10 but I not really that bothered if it takes them years that's all. Now, lenses are a different matter.....

 

Tony

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotolebrocq/

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Well, a big lumpy SLR is still a big lumpy SLR.

 

I need one for long lenses (where the size of the lens makes the camera size less relevant anyway) but it would be nice to have clean ISO 3200 and usable ISO 6400 in an M-sized FF camera.

 

I don't think it's likely*, but I'd be far more interested in an M9H (12 Mpixels, ISOs as mentioned) than the hypothetical M9P.

 

In the meantime, I just use Summiluxes. F/1.4 can do a lot to equalize the M9 at ISO 1600 with my Canon 5D2 with an f/2.8 tele and ISO 6400.

 

Horiz., Leica M9, 75 Summilux, ISO 1600. Vert., Canon 5D2, 180 Leitz, ISO 6400. Both cropped to about 2/3rds of the frame.

____________________

 

*for a small company, trying to manage two completely different sensors in one camera style is a problem. They'd lose economy of scale buying 4000 each of two sensors rather than 8000 of one sensor, and they'd have to have either two separate firmwares, or one really big piece of code that could switch gears depending on which body it was running. At this point Leica has its hands full getting one camera with one sensor and one firmware out the door.

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Hi

 

In '66 Leitz introduced the f/1.2 Noct and it was low volume.

Earlier - In '56 Canon - introduced the f/1.2 LTM for its rangefinders, and it was high volume.

 

If you were using Kodachrome there was no pushing it in '56.

 

Noel

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It would be very interesting (for me) to see a conjoint on how users would value a trade between:

 

  • Higher ISO performance
  • Faster image processing speed
  • Higher sensor resolution
  • Finer LCD & sapphire cover

 

I have noticed that the forum tends to discuss feature enhancements without constraints; it would be fun - and not that difficult - to come up with a poll of about 15 to 20 product configurations that could test the relative value of these enhancements for the "enthusiasts" segment. Anyone game to set this up with me?

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For me, what I would like to see are two things:

 

1) Better dynamic range of the sensor

2) 1 Stop "better" high ISO performance (Good ISO 1600)

 

That's it. Everything else is (for me) unecessary.

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It would be very interesting (for me) to see a conjoint on how users would value a trade between:

 

  • Higher ISO performance
  • Faster image processing speed
  • Higher sensor resolution
  • Finer LCD & sapphire cover

 

A poll would be good, but I'm not sure if it is possible on this forum (other php fora do have that option).

 

I would vote for:

  • higher (and lower) ISO performance - anything which increases shooting options in varying light conditions which reduces my reliance on ND filters and tripods.
  • higher sensor resolution

Not too fussed about the rest. They rather go with red dots, chrome and leather covering. I like my M9 pretty much the way it is. I would pay for these as an upgrade, if that were an option.

 

Cheers

John

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To think when the M3 came out the rear film speed "reminder" dial went all the way to 200 ASA. And that was high speed!

 

News photogs used to routinely use ISO 400 for everything.

 

I was impressed with ISO performance of the X1 at 1600 and even 3200; the M9 must be at least that good. But I'm not sure if I would need any higher...

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Nice poll ;) Thanks Andy!

 

My problem is I want the resolution to stay the same, I'd really like faster processing AND "one more stop" ISO performance (for me that's an ISO 4000 that's as good as the current ISO 2000).

 

I find ISO 1600 right now on the camera good in terms of noise levels; a wee bit crunched in terms of absolute DR. Since I'm generally compressing for print, that means ISO 1600-2000 is perfectly printable, but I'd like a *little* room for (my) error :)

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I regret that it's not clear to me what the poll is asking. If it's a trade what are we notionally supposed to be giving up for each, any, or all of the items?

 

Pete.

 

I agree. I am taking it as which one of these options would you prefer, at the expense of the others. In which case I am going for higher resolution -- by which I mean not just more megapixels but ongoing improvements in the sensor, including dynamic range, WB, and IQ.

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Hm. Thanks, but this really wasn't what I had in mind. The key to a conjoint analysis is to propose distinct offerings (for this case, around 16 should suffice), and force the subject to pick between various pairs of alternatives. This information is then run through a relatively simple mathematical regression that then quantifies the relative value of the features.

 

Sorry - it's a little on the geeky side - but if the forum is interested I could follow-up via PM with the mods.

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