new 'official' M240 pics up!

[BerndReini]

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I struggle with the price point of Leica myself since there are so many alternatives, but the ease of manual focus and viewing with a true rangefinder in combination with an EVF for live view and high framing accuracy are the main selling point over other system available.

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[lct]

Exactly. Pro photogs who prefer DSLRs for their job or part of it won't resist the M-240 for fun and pro circumstances where a small rangefinder is a better fit. If they are successful enough that is.

[wlaidlaw]

I agree and wouldn't in any case use flash on a lion or another animal in the wild, the same way that I wouldn't walk up to a person on a street at night and shoot off a flash in his or her face. Just as offensive in my book in both cases.

 

—Mitch/Chiang Mai

Lanka Footsteps [M-Monochrom series from Sri Lanka]

 

Actually the flashes did not seem to bother the lions at all. The spotlight seemed to irritate them more if anything. You can see that we had driven round to the side so that the flash was not pointing directly into the male's eyes. This is the pride in Addo National Elephant Park near Port Elizabeth and I think they are pretty used to being photographed. We were very lucky to see them. We were just driving back to our lodge through the park and stopped to look for shooting stars when we heard them.

 

With the better high ISO performance of the M-240, as Jaap says for wildlife shots, I hope to use the flash a lot less. The issue with the M9 is that much over around 800 ISO, with a black background, you get too much chrominance noise. I had not realised that Picture Code had finally (Jan 13 this year) brought out the 64 bit version of Noise Ninja for Mac. If I had known that this was on its way, I might well have tried shooting the lion at 1250 ISO or even higher.

 

Wilson

[jaapv]

I agree and wouldn't in any case use flash on a lion or another animal in the wild, the same way that I wouldn't walk up to a person on a street at night and shoot off a flash in his or her face. Just as offensive in my book in both cases.

 

—Mitch/Chiang Mai

Lanka Footsteps [M-Monochrom series from Sri Lanka]

The animals are rarely if ever bothered by flash. I guess they register it as lightning.

Actually the spotlights are more problematic. If used incompetently (which should not happen too often) or unethically -show the tourist more for the tip (which happens regularly) they will interfere with the hunt and/or destroy night vision.

[wlaidlaw]

Correction - Picture code have NOT released a 64 bit version of Noise Ninja to run within Photoshop for Mac. This is a new stand alone product Photo Ninja, for which they want $79 to upgrade from Noise Ninja. Do I want yet another stand alone photo app - no I don't. I want a 64 bit upgrade for the NN filter to work within Photoshop. The previous 32 bit version worked beautifully but would not run on later versions of PS unless you started them in 32 bit mode, which was a pain and will not run at all in CS6. What bright marketing spark thought this was a good idea because it isn't. Grumble Grumble.

 

Wilson

[dwbell]

Correction - Picture code have NOT released a 64 bit version of Noise Ninja to run within Photoshop for Mac. This is a new stand alone product Photo Ninja, for which they want $79 to upgrade from Noise Ninja. Do I want yet another stand alone photo app - no I don't. I want a 64 bit upgrade for the NN filter to work within Photoshop. The previous 32 bit version worked beautifully but would not run on later versions of PS unless you started them in 32 bit mode, which was a pain and will not run at all in CS6. What bright marketing spark thought this was a good idea because it isn't. Grumble Grumble.

 

Wilson

 

+1. Their niche was noise reduction. As LR got better at NR they made me choose between them for everything, or LR for everything. Madness. Until they smell the coffee they can forget my purchase.

[dwbell]

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In GNC, the exposures were all over the place, sometimes wildly over, some wildly under. I was furiously changing to Auto mode and setting the flash aperture to f4, when it walked off. Out of about 20 shots, I had only one usable one and even that is rather flat looking - see below.

Wilson

 

This is where you turn to that 'Starlight Camera' the BBC recently debuted in the Rhino night scene for 'Africa'. Now that was impressive.

[wlaidlaw]

Jaap,

 

The ratty Land Rover's 6 cylinder BMW petrol engine was running on around 4½ cylinders on tick over. We did not dare stop it, as we had already had to tow start it once that day. With the spot light on, we were worried that the battery would go flat, which right next to a pride of lions, might not be too good an idea ("maybe just a small after-dinner tourist"). I had brought a bean bag with me but with the Landie shaking around, it was just not working and sat on the floor the whole day. I also find it very difficult to focus with a bean bag, as the slightest movement, shifts the focus ring. I think they are fine with AF lenses but much less good with MF ones, with the possible exception if you could use the Televit or a similar follow focus device. I also don't have very steady hands, which does not help either for non flash.

 

Wilson