Let's have a look at some DNG files from the S3

[Chaemono]

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It's actually one for now.  What I really like are the colors and the malleability of the files.  This is purely subjective so far.  I'm planning to shoot the camera side by side with the SL2 and the X1D II.

Less compressed JPEGs here: https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-JkgxSt/

S3 + APO-MACRO-SUMMARIT-S 120/2.5.  Click here for DNG download: https://cc2032.zenfolio.com/img/g97721729-o750076470.dat?dl=2&tk=_Z60oaYr74T5aV9-U8aaUUGCI_C6x4yhLVXXYmZlksU=

As shot (AWB by the camera)

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ISO 400 f/2.5 @1/180 sec.

 

Processed

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[LeicaR10]

Chaemono,   Thank you for the file and taking time to do a comparison between the S3 and SL2.  I am sure you will get a lot of questions about the AF and color rendering and higher ISOs as well.   r/ Mark

[Chaemono]

I'll do my best.  I opened the box last night.  One quick observation on ISO 3200 and 6400, it's fine as long as one keeps the shot noise low which means ETTR.  There is a lot of room to pull back the highlights without the pictures getting this over the top HDR look.  I'll post pictures about this, too.  AF with the Summarit 120/2.5 is fast and accurate in normal light conditions. It doesn't work well at all when there is very little light or strong backlight and, hence, no contrast.   

[albertknappmd]

ETTR ?

Please spell out...

[Sarnian]

14 minutes ago, albertknappmd said:

ETTR ?

Please spell out...

Exposing To The Right. https://photographylife.com/exposing-to-the-right-explained

Edited March 21, 2020 by Sarnian

[albertknappmd]

23 minutes ago, Sarnian said:

Exposing To The Right. https://photographylife.com/exposing-to-the-right-explained

thank you....

so obvious... now...

 

[BernardC]

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Of course, if you use ETTR at 3200 ISO, you are essentially shooting at 800 ISO (or something similar), which explains some of the claims about the technique.

Chaemono, it would be interesting if you could compare shots taken using ETTR techniques with shots at lower ISO. They should be very similar, unless the S3 sensor is dual-gain.

 

[John Smith]

56 minutes ago, BernardC said:

Of course, if you use ETTR at 3200 ISO, you are essentially shooting at 800 ISO (or something similar), which explains some of the claims about the technique.

Chaemono, it would be interesting if you could compare shots taken using ETTR techniques with shots at lower ISO. They should be very similar, unless the S3 sensor is dual-gain.

 

Leica Miami has listed it as a dual-gain sensor.

[Sarnian]

12 hours ago, Chaemono said:

I opened the box last night.   

Living vicariously here... what did the box look like and what came in it? Did Leica at least throw in a double charger and a spare battery for your £16,500?

[Chaemono]

vor 34 Minuten schrieb Sarnian:

Living vicariously here... what did the box look like and what came in it? Did Leica at least throw in a double charger and a spare battery for your £16,500?

The box looks like the original SL box https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1588788/0. No double charger nor a spare battery.  I got some weird cables for £16,500. 😂 I shot it side by side with SL2 today.  Keeping the SL2 and letting go of the S3.  The SL2 sensor at base ISO is hard to beat when it comes to pulling back highlights.  Those SL Summicrons are stunners, too.

[Sarnian]

13 minutes ago, Chaemono said:

Keeping the SL2 and letting go of the S3.

I’ll take it off your hands. Free of charge, of course! 😀

[Joakim]

 Here is my version where I mangled it a little bit more, still very clean shadows

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[decurion99]

2 hours ago, Chaemono said:

The box looks like the original SL box https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1588788/0. No double charger nor a spare battery.  I got some weird cables for £16,500. 😂 I shot it side by side with SL2 today.  Keeping the SL2 and letting go of the S3.  The SL2 sensor at base ISO is hard to beat when it comes to pulling back highlights.  Those SL Summicrons are stunners, too.

Chaemono - can you elaborate a bit why you want to let go off the S3 in light of the SL2?

[Joe]

Chaemono- can you show us the SL2 files compared to the S3? Thanks

[Milan_S]

for me it's total opposite I prefer the S3 over the SL2, for me the files look more organic more cinematic and provide a more distinguishable look compared to the full frame look of the SL2. 

Also the S3 high ISO performance is way better than the SL2 but the S3 has not IBIS, which I don't need anyways for my kind of work. 

[John Smith]

25 minutes ago, Milan_S said:

for me it's total opposite I prefer the S3 over the SL2, for me the files look more organic more cinematic and provide a more distinguishable look compared to the full frame look of the SL2. 

Also the S3 high ISO performance is way better than the SL2 but the S3 has not IBIS, which I don't need anyways for my kind of work. 

It’d be interesting to see the differences. I especially would like to know about high ISO performance.

[Chaemono]

vor 4 Stunden schrieb Joe:

Chaemono- can you show us the SL2 files compared to the S3? Thanks

I took a number of pictures yesterday but with different lenses, the 120 Summarit on the S3 and the 90 Summicron-SL on the SL2 walking around in an almost empty city.  I haven’t posted them because:

1.) the subjects were kind of crap

2.) at base ISO 100 the SL2‘ DR in terms of highlight recovery (strictly speaking it’s not DR) is impressive and I am not sure now if ISO 100 is the S3’s base ISO.  It could be higher.

3.) I shot the S3 walking around handheld and the combo was quite heavy so that the SL2 pictures with the 90 Summicron-SL often look much sharper.  I could see the camera shake substantially in the OVF. 

4.) That SL Summicron is just a stunner.  I should use the 120 Summarit on both cameras to compare.

5.) With the type of things I shot yesterday one won’t be able to tell the difference, particularly at ‘base’ ISO (if base ISO is 100 for the S3).  I don’t want to show test shots that don’t emphasize the strength of the S3, color, DR, high ISO performance.  The lockdown makes things difficult.

vor 4 Stunden schrieb Milan_S:

for me it's total opposite I prefer the S3 over the SL2, for me the files look more organic more cinematic and provide a more distinguishable look compared to the full frame look of the SL2. 

Also the S3 high ISO performance is way better than the SL2 but the S3 has not IBIS, which I don't need anyways for my kind of work. 

I totally agree.  For your kind of photography, the S3 is better.  I used the S3 with the 120 Summarit as a walk around camera yesterday. 😂 That combo needs to be mounted on a tripod and used for portraits or for macro shots. I find S3 to be a bit overwhelming for me.

vor 4 Stunden schrieb John Smith:

It’d be interesting to see the differences. I especially would like to know about high ISO performance.

I’ll need to find things to shoot where the difference is visible. 

[Chaemono]

vor 5 Stunden schrieb decurion99:

Chaemono - can you elaborate a bit why you want to let go off the S3 in light of the SL2?

At base ISO 100 the SL2 is impressive. It’s downhill after that but with IBIS, ISO can be kept low.  The SL Summicron lenses are much smaller but optically excellent. The pictures may look more modern with them (sharp, clinical), the S lenses, as Milan put it, produce a more organic and cinematic look, but that’s fine with me. For the type of things I shoot, I doesn’t make much difference. The last reason is that focus speed and accuracy is way better with the FF Leica.  I particularly like the pre-focus function of the SL2.

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[frame-it]

40 minutes ago, Chaemono said:

At base ISO 100 the SL2 is impressive. It’s downhill after that but with IBIS, ISO can be kept low.  The SL Summicron lenses are much smaller but optically excellent. The pictures may look more modern with them (sharp, clinical), the S lenses, as Milan put it, produce a more organic and cinematic look, but that’s fine with me. For the type of things I shoot, I doesn’t make much difference. The last reason is that focus speed and accuracy is way better with the FF Leica.  I particularly like the pre-focus function of the SL2.

will you also try the S3 on the streets at night or late evening ?

[decurion99]

I have an SL2 and the APO SL lenses and also a P1 -> indeed it is remarkable what you can get out of the SL2. The lenses are so sharp that the system in some instances rivals the P1 eg in case it is used with older lenses like the 55 and handheld. Only with technical lenses the P1 is superior, ie mirrorless designs with closer distance to sensor. The look is clearly different though. 

Whenever I see the SL2 plus APO SL pictures it reminds me that Leica probably is right with saying that resolution is not everything. Would be interesting to see what Leica could achieve with a mirrorless S3 - but presume system development costs are too high.