Beating up on the Leica T (photos inc)

[colonel]

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Well we all know that given the right exposure the Leica T produces beautiful photos, but what about giving it a hard time, how does it perform ?

 

Ok this isn't a real torture test, as I am not a good torturer, but interesting for myself nevertheless.

 

All edits were carried out in Lightroom 5.5 and the lens used was the 18-56mm zoom.

 

To start with shooting directly into the sun without a lens hood. I don't like to use Lens hoods as they make the camera larger and more intimidating

 

Here I used the highlights slider to bring back the sky, meanwhile the photo is left with some "glows" around certain objects:

 

 

Next lets see about "film like" grain that people talk about. Here the shot was underexposed by 2.5 stops at ISO 800 and then lifted two stops in LR (no noise reduction):

 

 

I always end up taking handheld at low speed and higher ISO (here 1/50 and 1600):

 

 

I find extreme high contrast subjects difficult to deal with. Effectively you need to lift the shadows and tame the highlights but too much looks unnatural, in addition the sensor information can fall apart.

 

Here is a case of overhead sun with the roof in white out and the floor effectively dark:

 

Edited July 7, 2014 by colonel

[colonel]

Here is another example with one half of the scene extremely light and the other almost in silhouette:

 

 

Lastly my most extreme contrast scene where the interior of the deserted pier was effectively blacked out and the sun at the end was shining directly in. Here the recovery is interesting and the colours are maintained, I have enhanced them a bit to bring them out:

 

 

 

Not as much latitude as the A7 all round, as good or better then the M240 in the highlights but not in the shadows. Pretty usable all round and a good result IMHO

 

I would be very interested in others examples of difficult subjects from an exposure point of view.

 

Best rgds

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[wda]

I think LR mask (M) would solve all of the light gradient problems - with any camera, not peculiar to any specific model.

[colonel]

I think LR mask (M) would solve all of the light gradient problems - with any camera, not peculiar to any specific model.

 

My experience is that it's very sensor and to a degree lens dependent.

 

I could recover/fix photos badly exposed or exposed in difficult conditions to a great extent from the A7 or RX1 for example and very little from the GX1.

 

I find it makes a massive difference and editing tools can only go so far.

 

Rgds