Newbie first impressions & advice please!

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Hi All,

 

I have been lurking and silently enjoying the site - thankyou all - and am now a fortnight in to Leica ownership having come from Nikon DSLR's, most recently a D7000 with a rucksack full of mainly prime lenses. I'm not a pro in any way, just enjoy taking pics of mainly people, landscapes, cars, and more recently street. Also enjoy playing with long exposures, night time photography etc.

 

My Brother-in-law has had an M8 for a year or so and having played with his over time and seen his astonishing results I took the plunge recently with a second hand M8.2 (all black) and initially a Voigtlander 35mm 1.2, which I will swap for Leica glass when funds permit (though I do like the speed and have made good use of it).

 

Thought I would summarise some initial impressions - warts and all - partly for my own record as I am blatantly aware that it is going to take a while to become proficient with manual RF photography, and also because I have a number of questions and issues not all of which I can find information on within the forum, or am seeing conflicting views.

 

NB I have updated the firmware to the latest version, and the Voigtlander is not coded.

 

The Good stuff

 

- Something intangible in that I just *love* taking pictures with the thing, much more so than with my Nikon. I picked up the Nikon this morning and it seemed complex, clunky, plasticky, and cheap. 2 weeks ago I loved it!

 

- The interested reaction from people who both know what it is and those who don't but want to.

 

- The lack of reaction from most people who just don't seem to notice you.

 

- I am already composing better pictures, because I have to - It feels like I am 'making' pictures rather than just 'taking' them.

 

- The sheer simplicity frees you to get on with taking pics.

 

- Portability & feel: single lens, tiny bag, feels lovely to hold and weighs next to nothing, even with the (relatively) big Voigtlander lens.

 

- The viewfinder is bright, clear and I love seeing beyond the frame to compose the image, and am enjoying the wait for the right moment. I am tending to keep both eyes open - do most do that?

 

- Image quality - when I get it right - surpasses what I can achieve with my Nikon in terms of atmosphere, bokeh, sharpness, colour and contrast! But I don't always get it right!!!

 

The Frustrating stuff

 

- I think I have some dust on the sensor, see the dark spots in the first images below. Is this right please and what's best route to solve it (I am UK based)? Any tips on how to batch fix this in Lightroom 3? Have painfully removed in a couple of individual pics with spot removal.

 

- Purple blacks...have read a lot about this issue, I don't have an IR filter for the Voigtlander, would this solve it? Example in second image(s) below.

 

- Purple fringing around dark subjects in front of light - see third image...really irritating, how can I resolve this in-camera please, and any tips to resolve in post (LR3)? Reducing saturation on purples seems to leave an odd outline.

 

- I took many images which looked nice and bright on the LCD even zoomed in, so I continued to use the same settings as a baseline, but now uploaded on the Mac they are way too dark (DNG files). Is this common? My Mac screen (27" iMac) brightness is pretty high. Is it best to resolve with upping exposure in post or playing with the high/light/dark light settings?

 

- Dreaded hot pixel I have read about is present - red dot which worsens at higher ISO's and carries over on a jpeg copy but seems to resolve in the DNG (on most but not all images). Is this a 'return to Leica' job and if it is auto-resolved in DNG processing should I bother?

 

- Battery life is shocking - 200ish shots and I'm done!

 

So all in all a good experience so far but not without a number of technical frustrations which I did not anticipate investing in a camera of this value and with German engineering!

 

Just got back from a week in Cornwall with family and only took the Leica with a 35mm and a borrowed 50mm lens, and took hundreds of pics in a variety of situations - I knew I would enjoy it but had underestimated just how much! Need to sort these niggles though before I could commit to it being the main (or only) camera.

 

Thanks in advance and I look forward to becoming a contributing member of the forum.

 

Marc

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Dark spots - ignore the crop and effects on the B&W crop, it's intended to highlight the issue....those are not birds!!!

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Blacks, greys and navy's are rendering purple...irritating!! In the cropped image, my boss (pregnant one) is wearing a grey top with black stripes and is holding my jet black jacket. The sleeves on the little ones top are dark grey. My sons top in the other pic has navy stripes which also look purple.

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I like purple but would prefer it to only appear where its meant to! You can see it better in the crop.

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I have removed the spots on these manually but need to find a more efficient way of doing it...any ideas for batch processing?

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[hedge]

Hello. This is my camera (and me). NB this was taken with the borrowed 50mm lens which was not producing black spots...could be because I only used it wide open (f2) or could it be that it is cropping inside the frame lines whereby the spots are outside??

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[wda]

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Marc, a quick response to welcome you to the forum and Leica ownership.

 

It is good to read your fair and objective assessment. You are bound to encounter teething troubles with a new (used) camera. First step is to read or re-read FAQs in this forum. It covers several of your points raised.

 

The purple colour shift if typical of an uncorrected M8 camera lens. Lens coding, use of a UVIR correcting filter and the menu set to recognize that coding, should solve that problem. It is easier with a coded Leica lens.

 

When you enter the market to buy your next lens, do not rule out the modern Summarit range (35/50/75/90mm). They are less expensive, modern, and excellent performers.

 

Dust: your spots are on the sensor and can easily be removed. Search the forum for an abundance of excellent advice. Once clean, you can minimise dust gathering by reducing constant lens changing (not a problem for you at present which suggests you bought the dust contamination with the camera:() If you bought it recently from a dealer, take it back and he should clean it for you the first time.

 

Your pictures have fine spontaneity and show you have a good eye and ability to use a Leica rangefinder camera well. I wish you great success and happiness with your new investment.

[iedei]

welcome and congratulations!

 

i still have yet to even experience the 'magenta' issue.....so i never bought a UV/IR filter...but as wda mentioned, get the UV/IR cut filter and call it a day.

 

get a 2nd battery. i would suggest an original Leica battery....turn off the 'auto preview' on the screen to save battery. you should also adjust the LCD screen brightness, as it is possible the brightness on your LCD screen is too high, making the photos look darker on upload.

[hedge]

Marc, a quick response to welcome you to the forum and Leica ownership.

 

It is good to read your fair and objective assessment. You are bound to encounter teething troubles with a new (used) camera. First step is to read or re-read FAQs in this forum. It covers several of your points raised.

 

The purple colour shift if typical of an uncorrected M8 camera lens. Lens coding, use of a UVIR correcting filter and the menu set to recognize that coding, should solve that problem. It is easier with a coded Leica lens.

 

When you enter the market to buy your next lens, do not rule out the modern Summarit range (35/50/75/90mm). They are less expensive, modern, and excellent performers.

 

Dust: your spots are on the sensor and can easily be removed. Search the forum for an abundance of excellent advice. Once clean, you can minimise dust gathering by reducing constant lens changing (not a problem for you at present which suggests you bought the dust contamination with the camera:() If you bought it recently from a dealer, take it back and he should clean it for you the first time.

 

Your pictures have fine spontaneity and show you have a good eye and ability to use a Leica rangefinder camera well. I wish you great success and happiness with your new investment.

 

Thanks wda, will recheck the forum on those issues. I bought the camera used from an individual so no likely recourse there. I did take some test shots looking for both hot pixels and dust which even looking at now seem clean, but being new to RFs in general I clearly didn't test properly...for a start I was testing it wide open, durr.

 

Appreciate your comments on the images, will post a link to a few once I have uploaded to flickr.

[Dan States]

Don't worry, you will get it all worked out. Yes, you do need an IR filter. Yes, you will need to clean your sensor. It's not hard or a big deal.

 

The fringing can be quickly removed in Lightroom by using the "Defringe all edges" function in "Lens Corrections". Your lens is the culprit for some of that fringing...the 35 1.2 is excellent but wide open it's not immune to the realities of physics.

 

Regarding battery life: I'm getting about 400 shots per charge. I shoot only RAW, I don't chimp much and don't use auto review. I've found that running the battery totally dead and doing a full recharge gave me a more accurate reading later on the indicator. (don't know why)

 

Best wishes

Dan

Edited October 14, 2012 by Dan States

[Jeff S]

i still have yet to even experience the 'magenta' issue.....so i never bought a UV/IR filter...but as wda mentioned, get the UV/IR cut filter and call it a day.

 

Magenta is hardly the only issue. Any light containing IR, which includes sunlight and tungsten, will be affected. Green vegetation will skew toward yellow/brown; skin tones will go purplish, etc.

 

There are dozens and dozens of threads on this issue, with many examples posted.

 

The M8 benefits from a UV/IR cut filter for color photography...period. If you shoot often, with broad subject matter, and you don't see it, you're not looking closely enough. Or, you just don't mind shifted colors.

 

Reflections due to the filter in some situations are another issue, and this too has been discussed ad nauseum.

 

Jeff

[Jeff S]

The OP should also read the M8/M9 FAQ for answers to these and many other questions. Here is the post regarding dust spot removal, for instance.

 

Jeff

[lct]

(...)The M8 benefits from a UV/IR cut filter for color photography...period. If you shoot often, with broad subject matter, and you don't see it, you're not looking closely enough. Or, you just don't mind shifted colors (...)

+1. It is not a service to render to newcomers to let them believe that IR-cut filters are not necessary on M8/M8u/M8.2 bodies. They indeed are, for color photography at least. Rather inexpensive IR-cut filters can be found on e**y. I bought one for my ø 40.5mm lenses. Only problem it has no internal filter thread so i cannot stack another filter or screw a hood onto it. Otherwise i don't see significant differences with my Leica and B+W filters.

[hedge]

Don't worry, you will get it all worked out. Yes, you do need an IR filter. Yes, you will need to clean your sensor. It's not hard or a big deal.

 

The fringing can be quickly removed in Lightroom by using the "Defringe all edges" function in "Lens Corrections". Your lens is the culprit for some of that fringing...the 35 1.2 is excellent but wide open it's not immune to the realities of physics.

 

Regarding battery life: I'm getting about 400 shots per charge. I shoot only RAW, I don't chimp much and don't use auto review. I've found that running the battery totally dead and doing a full recharge gave me a more accurate reading later on the indicator. (don't know why)

 

Best wishes

Dan

 

Thanks Dan. In LR3 do you just select defringe (all edges)? I am doing this and it is not really having an impact. Good pointers on the battery, I think I will get a spare as well in case.

[iedei]

+1. It is not a service to render to newcomers to let them believe that IR-cut filters are not necessary on M8/M8u/M8.2 bodies. They indeed are, for color photography at least. Rather inexpensive IR-cut filters can be found on e**y. I bought one for my ø 40.5mm lenses. Only problem it has no internal filter thread so i cannot stack another filter or screw a hood onto it. Otherwise i don't see significant differences with my Leica and B+W filters.

 

nothing is a 'must'. I won't put a filter on...as I shoot primarily B&W and prefer no filter....IMO the M8 has very unique monochrome abilities and putting a filter on it is merely diluting the B&W experience...

[gavface]

Hey Bro

 

Good to read your post with all the positives and nothing to serious to worry about as some of the other users have correctly said on here the UV/IR filter is going to get rid of any unwanted purple fringing or magenta. Sorry I should have warned you but forgot , hopefully the pictures from the 50mm should be fine .

 

In regards to the dust spots I would take it to Leica Mayfair and have them clean the sensor , they don't need to send it away as they do it in house and can usually do it for you same day at a cost of about £50 and as you're not changing the lens often it should stay clean. Also the dust spots become a lot more obvious when using that a lot of sharpening /clarity /structure if you like this type of look then definitely need to get the sensor cleaned .

 

Battery life's never been an issue ,I always carry a spare then keep the charger with me so if possible I'll charge it whilst I'm out but I might get a 3rd one just incase.

Chimping (reviewing images on camera ) can decrease the battery life so something I started doing was a quick half push the shutter after a shot which kills the preview rather than turning auto preview off, but as you get more confident with the camera you'll be checking a lot less.

 

Also looking at the pictures you've uploaded, it looks like your getting the hang of the focus really well and composing the shot's nicely.

Within just a couple of weeks I think I can already see a difference in the way your shooting .

I'll be back in the Uk next in a couple of days and will give you a bell .

 

all the best

 

G

Edited October 14, 2012 by gavface

[lct]

nothing is a 'must' (…)

I have to disagree with you on this sorry. To me, IR-cut filters are a must for color photogaphy. On the M8/M8u/M8.2 at least. The pictures above are self explanatory.

[iedei]

I have to disagree with you on this sorry. To me, IR-cut filters are a must for color photogaphy. On the M8/M8u/M8.2 at least. The pictures above are self explanatory.

 

I won't disagree with you about colour. but for B&W I think it is a step down to use a filter.

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[lct]

That's what i thought as well and if you look at my old posts here you will see to which point i liked the idea of wearing red nose on my lenses. Now truth is that since i've bought my M8.2, not only do i keep IR-cut filters on my R-D1 and R-D1s bodies but i still do the same in black and white photography... Not for all applications of course (light sources in the frame tend to cause ghost images with a filter on) but i find that my B&W pics have more clarity / less haze with IR-cut filters on. Hard to explain, perhaps it's just me so YMMvastlyV...

[hedge]

Hey Bro

 

Good to read your post with all the positives and nothing to serious to worry about as some of the other users have correctly said on here the UV/IR filter is going to get rid of any unwanted purple fringing or magenta. Sorry I should have warned you but forgot , hopefully the pictures from the 50mm should be fine .

 

In regards to the dust spots I would take it to Leica Mayfair and have them clean the sensor , they don't need to send it away as they do it in house and can usually do it for you same day at a cost of about £50 and as you're not changing the lens often it should stay clean. Also the dust spots become a lot more obvious when using that a lot of sharpening /clarity /structure if you like this type of look then definitely need to get the sensor cleaned .

 

Battery life's never been an issue ,I always carry a spare then keep the charger with me so if possible I'll charge it whilst I'm out but I might get a 3rd one just incase.

Chimping (reviewing images on camera ) can decrease the battery life so something I started doing was a quick half push the shutter after a shot which kills the preview rather than turning auto preview off, but as you get more confident with the camera you'll be checking a lot less.

 

Also looking at the pictures you've uploaded, it looks like your getting the hang of the focus really well and composing the shot's nicely.

Within just a couple of weeks I think I can already see a difference in the way your shooting .

I'll be back in the Uk next in a couple of days and will give you a bell .

 

all the best

 

G

 

Thanks Bro, look forward to speaking and going out for a lesson with the master.