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Reviewing pics on the M8...unreliable?


Minos

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FIrst of all, I've had my M8 for some while now, and I'm absolutely delighted.

Best camera I've ever owned (and I've had a few...)

I also accept some features typical for rangefinders, which are entirely understandable if one knows how they work.

I love the concept, the design, the simplicity, and most of all, the image quality.

 

However, something 'bothers' me a bit.

When shooting with my beloved camera, I like to review my pictures to make sure the lighting and speed were as I expected, and of course to be certain I focused correctly.

Well, when I zoom in, it's not only quite slow (which we already all know -transfer speeds, sigh :rolleyes: -), but the image is never really really sharp.

It's not really out of focus either, mind you.

But it's on the soft side. Not really a problem, because I know perfectly well it's amazingly sharp when seen on the computer screen. (I almost always use my 35 summicron.)

But on the review screen, it's not really sharp once you zoom in.

I realize, provided you zoom sufficiently, that no image stays sharp, but there's a real difference between what the review screen shows and the actual picture.

 

Of course, it's the picture that matters.

But I was wondering if others here noticed this? :confused:

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An Interesting question. Yes, I have noticed this but there is a way around the problem.

 

If you are saving images in DNG format only, the preview image that's embedded in the RAW file isn't sharpened. You will also notice when in DNG only you can't change the sharpness settings in the menu, it defaults to standard.

 

However if you save in any of the JPEG or DNG+JPEG options then you can change the sharpness setting and it's applied to the preview image you see in the camera. Only downside to this is you have to store a JPEG and the JPEG is sharpened so you don't have much of an option to change it in post processing. Any associated DNG is of course unaffected by the sharpening setting. Depending on the final image use you sharpen accordingly in the RAW converter and/or post processing.

 

Bob.

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An Interesting question. Yes, I have noticed this but there is a way around the problem.

 

If you are saving images in DNG format only, the preview image that's embedded in the RAW file isn't sharpened. You will also notice when in DNG only you can't change the sharpness settings in the menu, it defaults to standard.

 

However if you save in any of the JPEG or DNG+JPEG options then you can change the sharpness setting and it's applied to the preview image you see in the camera. Only downside to this is you have to store a JPEG and the JPEG is sharpened so you don't have much of an option to change it in post processing. Any associated DNG is of course unaffected by the sharpening setting.

 

Bob.

 

Thanks bob,

 

I didn't realize the sharpness-setting had an effect on the preview. I'll experiment right away. :D

I mostly shoot B&W jpeg (Quite happy with jpeg sharpness in full-size pics up to now, though.)

I sometimes use DNG if I really want to play with the colors.

 

Well, it's once more not a wasted day: I'll go to sleep wiser than I rolled out of bed this morning. ;)

So I'll increase the sharpness

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If you find the existing jpegs sharp enough then you may find increasing the sharpeness setting will be too much. If so I guess the only option is to shoot in DNG+JPEG_basic and have to process the DNG files.

 

Bob.

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For me the screen is more an "indicator" than a screen. You cannot actually trust sharpness and lightning either, the histogram is more than useful at the time of judging exposure.

 

Eric

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's the same on e.g. the Canon 350D and idepends if you were shooting JPEG or RAW/DNG because the JPEG is possibly already sharpened in-camera (which doesn't look pretty).

 

I have a tip: if you made 2 photo's of the same object with different settings and you want to compare the zoomed in detail you must press the view button and press the scroll button while keeping the former pressed. I think this is an undocumented feature......

 

Don't trust the colors and don't trust the contrast as shown on the screen though!

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I have a tip: if you made 2 photo's of the same object with different settings and you want to compare the zoomed in detail you must press the view button and press the scroll button while keeping the former pressed. I think this is an undocumented feature......

 

This function is described in the instructions.

 

I also find with image magnified, if after releasing "play" you press it again, the image returns to normal size. Saves turning ring back...

 

and pressing "play" before zooming in, when released, returns immediately to normal picture. Quite handy.

 

Cheers

 

Scott

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This function is described in the instructions.

 

I also find with image magnified, if after releasing "play" you press it again, the image returns to normal size. Saves turning ring back...

 

and pressing "play" before zooming in, when released, returns immediately to normal picture. Quite handy.

 

Cheers

 

Scott

Hi Scott

Many thanks for this - interesting and useful indeed! (especially for those of us who do not RFM)

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