M240 - what ISO do you normally use for daytime outdoors and why?

[drdannn]

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200-400 unless I need a faster shutter speed and/or a larger f-stop.

[Herr Barnack]

I use ISO 400 for daylight outdoors shooting. Why? because it works - it gives me a useful range of shutter speeds and aperture combinations to utilize. Also, 400 is a low enough ISO to produce outstanding image quality.

[cirke]

.... That might seem like an odd question. But for daylight, I'm thinking ISO 640'ish images on the M240 gave me a more pleasing image (for my eyes) than base/low ISOs. I thought the slightly added noise at around ISO 640 gave the image some "texture" and got rid of any plastic look that CMOS sensors can sometimes have ...... at around ISO 640, it seemed more film like because of this "texture" that got rid of a lot of the squeaky-clean-plastic-look of digital that I dislike.

 

Anyone else shoot at higher ISO for this same reason, or am I late to this game?

There is only native ISO in digital times i tis not like a film you cannot change the sensor

the best image quality is always at native ISO, 200 ISO for the Leica M

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

Don't see many folks using auto ISO for street photography and the likes that the Leica M is designed for it's a must as far as I am concerned

[JohnJWhite]

Don't see many folks using auto ISO for street photography and the likes that the Leica M is designed for it's a must as far as I am concerned

 

Well then how did Henri ever manage? ;-)

 

I'm firmly in the ISO 200 camp, unless the image I want isn't possible at 200. Leave the special effects to Photoshop.

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

Well then how did Henri ever manage? ;-)

 

.

who the hell is Henri ??

[JohnJWhite]

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who the hell is Henri ??

 

Henri Cartier-Bresson, whom I think you might call of the inventor of "street photography". His LTM Leicas not only had no auto ISO, they had no meter.

[Jeff S]

I assume Neil was joking.

 

Jeff

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

Before my time mate

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

I assume Neil was joking.

 

Jeff

Jeff

Not ne mate

[Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS]

I assume Neil was joking.

 

Jeff

Jeff

Not me mate

[farnz]

200 and usually -1 exposure compensation to protect the highlights.

 

I'll use AutoISO if I'm shooting street after dark.

 

Pete.

[leica lux]

Basically ISO 200-640 depending on how cloudy the sky is.

With the M240 I always (99%) have the -0.7 exposure compensation set in A mode.

 

I didn't upgrade to the latest FW yet, will give it a try with the auto ISO function.

[Jennifer]

I tend to use as low an ISO as possible whilst keeping the shutter speed at no less than 1/FL. In decent daylight that's very rarely more than SO 400 as out of habit I tend to shoot as wide open as possible.

 

I've been wondering, however, unless one specifically seeks a narrow DoF, is there any particular advantage in shooting wide open as, especially with the Summiluxes, I find it nigh on impossible to stay below 1/4000sec with a wide aperture even at ISO 200?

 

Any views on using ND filters as a fix for the above?

[farnz]

… I've been wondering, however, unless one specifically seeks a narrow DoF, is there any particular advantage in shooting wide open ...

Hi, Jennifer,

 

Quite the reverse really since, typically, fast lenses will struggle the most at maximum aperture to compensate for optical aberrations such as chromatic aberration, coma, and spherical aberrations so stopping down should provide a 'better' (less aberrant) picture, providing that focus shift isn't an issue.

 

Personally, however, I prefer to use my Noctilux f/1 wide open because I'm attracted to the signature vignetting it produces that I'm unable to reproduce through post-processing although clearly this is a matter of personal taste.

 

In bright light I use a Heliopan VarioND as sunglasses for my lens.

 

Pete.

[Jennifer]

Hi, Jennifer,

 

Quite the reverse really since, typically, fast lenses will struggle the most at maximum aperture to compensate for optical aberrations such as chromatic aberration, coma, and spherical aberrations so stopping down should provide a 'better' (less aberrant) picture, providing that focus shift isn't an issue.

 

Personally, however, I prefer to use my Noctilux f/1 wide open because I'm attracted to the signature vignetting it produces that I'm unable to reproduce through post-processing although clearly this is a matter of personal taste.

 

In bright light I use a Heliopan VarioND as sunglasses for my lens.

 

Pete.

 

Thanks Pete, though I think both my new 35 (FLE) and the 50 Summiluxes are pretty good for their relative lack of optical and chromatic aberration etc. I take on board what you say.

 

You say you use the Heliopan Vario ND. I tried one and found that the lens hood on both my 35 & 50 Lux wouldn't fit over the little nub on the filter's adjustment ring. Did you have a similar issue?

[farnz]

Thanks Pete, though I think both my new 35 (FLE) and the 50 Summiluxes are pretty good for their relative lack of optical and chromatic aberration etc. I take on board what you say.

 

You say you use the Heliopan Vario ND. I tried one and found that the lens hood on both my 35 & 50 Lux wouldn't fit over the little nub on the filter's adjustment ring. Did you have a similar issue?

Jennifer,

 

I agree that both of the latest 50 and 35 Summiluxes are very well corrected for aberration wide open so there is little drop in IQ in my opinion.

 

My Noctilux has the larger squarish pull-out hood that easily clears the VarioND and I use a 46 mm 3-stop ND with my 50 Summilux asph that's no bigger than the lens diameter so neither present a problem. I don't have the 35 Summilux asph FLE but I can see how the different hood would present the problem you mention.

 

Pete.

[kivis]

On 6/30/2014 at 3:53 AM, viramati said:

base iso (200) and as the previous poster said grain can always be added in post if you use Lr5, Silverefex pro or colorefex pro. You will have the best DR at base iso

I sometimes use DXO Film Pack 5.0. Lots of nifty film profiles to choose from.

[Avvie]

ISO 800 for me. also shooting f.5.6 or f.8 most of the times because of street photography. even with iso 800 I still have to pan a lot with moving people. cause it doesn't freeze the frame enough with a shutter speed of 1/60 of 1/125.

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Hallo,

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[Camaro5]

The problem I had with my MP-240 was running out of shutter speed in bright sunlight, even at ISO 200.  Here in Southern Nevada where it's very bright and cloudless much of the time, the sun can be overwhelming.  I either stop down or use a 3-stop ND filter if needed to keep the shutter speed reasonable.