SL and Lightroom

[fielden]

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I have had my SL for over a month now and after 3 weeks I was a bit disappointed with it and was on the verge of taking it back to the store. The files just didn't seem that impressive in Lightroom - something was not right and I was blaming the camera.

Then I discovered that when you import into Lightroom, there is a difference in "Copy as DNG" and "Copy". I was just using the default copy as DNG. When I import using "Copy" the difference in the files is amazing. Clearly, when using copy as DNG, they become Adobe DNG, and when you just copy, they remain as Leica DNG.

Following this discovery, I am now delighted with the SL and the image quality. I love everything about it, the handling, the reassuring weight and the images. I now struggle to put it down. It sits in its bag now begging me to use it 😁. 

Has anyone else experienced this.

Graeme

[jrp]

Copy as DNG is for transferring non-DNG format RAW files.  I have no idea what transformations it does to wrap a DNG in the DNG format.  It should make no difference, other than taking up additional disk space, but clearly it does...

[fotonutzz]

Hi Graeme 

I have similar problems as you.....I CAN"T PUT DOWN MY SL too.  Hahaha.

It has a spot next to my bed every night.

[Jeff S]

Martin Evening addressed a similar question (M240) in this thread...

Jeff

[hoppyman]

Graeme I am a bit puzzled by your post. I have no idea of course what your images look like and what develop settings are involved. I shoot DNG exclusively with the S and SL and always import using the copy as DNG option. I think that you will find doing it that way will apply losless compression as one benefit . You are not affecting the captured raw information either way.

other things that may influence what you are first seeing on import:

initially what is displayed is the very low quality embedded preview that is part of the DNG format. It’s only a TIFF with some instructions added as I understand it anyway.

What settings you have for the previews that LR will generate that will replace the low quality originals in your catalog

What process is applied (version 5 is current)

What profile ( I just use Adobe Standard for everything) and develop settings are used/ applied on import. I now have the same develop settings applied ( a created user preset) as a baseline on import for all of my files (tone curve, presence, sharpening, noise reduction).

Perhaps you are seeing different settings applied importing with the different options? By default the DNGs can look a little flat which can be a function of how much dynamic range is involved too ( the SL has significantly less than the S though). They benefit from quite a bit of capture sharpening too with appropriate masking. You can make those older sharpening options visible in LR as well as the current ones. For people I have always used the Sharpen-Faces one.

Everything is only a starting point in any case of course.