SL sensor noise v M10

[geddon_jt]

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Hello everyone, my wife and I recently acquired a Leica SL thanks to the SL + 24-90mm combo deals that just went up. We love the camera, but both of us have noticed rather high grain/noise levels in the images particularly when compared to the M10, which we have been using for about the past year and a half. We process our photos using the latest version of Lightroom Classic. Turning up the luminance noise reduction helps, but I'm curious if anyone else has noticed this, particularly other M10 users. I wonder if this may have something to do with the SL and/or lens default profiles in Lightroom? I don't know.

Any thoughts/advice appreciated

[jplomley]

I've noticed this as well, with the M10 having a 1.0 to 1.5 stop improvement over the SL before noise becomes apparent. This is somewhat balanced when using the SL Summicrons as they are so sharp, the sharpness in LR can be turned down compared to M glass, and this will mitigate the apparent noise from the SL somewhat.

[AZN]

Depends on what ISO you are using.  At 200 ISO the SL images are very clean.  At 3200 ISO, then of course the M10 is better because it is a much newer sensor 😃

[Jeff S]

27 minutes ago, AZN said:

At 3200 ISO, then of course the M10 is better because it is a much newer sensor 😃

14 months later camera release date, if that’s any indication of sensor evolution.

Jeff

[geddon_jt]

I should have mentioned ISO in my original post, sorry. I can see slight grain/noise even as low as 200 on the SL that just isn’t there on the M10. Not to say they’re not clean, there is just more noise.

[hoppyman]

You might perhaps experiment with different capture sharpening on Import?

[LeicaR10]

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Geddon_jt,   Perhaps you can provide a little more information about the grain/noise issue.  At what magnification are you viewing and editing comparison SL to M10 photographs?  Are the photographs taken at night, early morning/evening?   I have used the SL and M10-P for my professional work and don't encounter grain/noise at low ISO as you described.  Currently, I use the S007 and M10-P and have no issues whatsoever with either camera with grain/noise.  Sensors technology does evolve quickly, hence the M10 should be better vs the SL as Jeff S Post 4, mentioned.  The variables for instigating grain/noise can be lighting conditions, magnification, capture sharpening as Happyman in Post 6 described, DNG vs JPEG and list goes on.  Personally, I have never found the SL camera to be disappointing with grain/noise until much higher ISOs are used, same goes for the M10.  Perhaps you can post a few comparison photographs with the parameters taken with each photo for the forum to give you some ideas as to what might be happening.  r/ Mark

[geddon_jt]

Good suggestion, I'll do it. Just give me a few days to get some examples together. Appreciate everyone's input.

 

[rfunnell]

I have noticed that the Leica Q2 images again better than the M10 and the SL  especially when using ISO 50.

Probably it is indicative of the evolution of the sensors but I still love using all three camera's.

 

Edited July 9, 2019 by rfunnell