M11-D at 18mps

[hdmesa]

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2 hours ago, dkmoore said:

This defies what others are saying. Like me, you only notice a difference zoomed in or maybe (maybe is a stretch) printed large. 

Not sure I there is a more cinematic rendering at 18 versus 60 at regular viewing sizes, printed up to 24x36. 
 

I am open minded and will try it this weekend to see if I change my mind. 

 

2 hours ago, dkmoore said:

This is exactly my point. 

I think we agree. The M11 in-camera downsizing to 18mp is not done efficiently, so the result at 100% magnification is lower resolving that it would be if the 60mp files were downsized in Photoshop using the Bicubic Sharper option. That lower resolving result is what some prefer evidently.

[geotrupede]

I have used at 18mp (the M11) for about one year, very happily. Once I tried the 60 option, zooming in, zooming in, zooming in I could not go back.

Cropping is significantly more successful. Details are unreal, etc.

but I agree, it is a bit of an addiction and storage goes fast creating a lot of other practical issues. 

If you can resist is good, my recommendation is that if 18 suits you, never ever try the 60.

G.

 

[Smudgerer]

This is a strange thread, I seem to have poked a stick into the megapixel hornet's nest when I posted my contentment with the 18mps setting on the M11-D.

It really doesn't matter who uses what resolution that the M11 variants offer, the only thing that has some validity is whether or not the resolution of choice for any particular shot works for you, or not........

For what it's worth, and as a further test, I made a 61x90cm / A1 print of the image I posted, ( post #1 ), last evening and truly the results are just excellent, as good as in close comparison with another A1 print made with my recently departed / traded M10-R, I never expected the lower resolution choice to work as well as it does. The M11 sensor is quite beautiful in it's rendering.

What I do not understand is why those who never print, and never print large, so vigorously defend the high 60mp setting when at most they will be viewing the shots on what, a 27" monitor, or posting to some social media application online?

Anyway for me right now the 18mp on the M11-D stays as my setting of choice, I like it for a number of reasons so for most of my imaging until I find a good reason to change, it stays........But that said I must soon try the 36mp setting!

[username]

22 hours ago, hdmesa said:

Leica is not doing some kind of pixel binning or other more sophisticated downsampling off the sensor

Oh - I was always under the impression they were!

For the first time ever on a Leica digital camera, the M11 offers variable resolution with hardware-based pixel binning and smart remapping of the Bayer filter array.
(via reddotforum.com)

Having problems to wrap my head around how they're getting to the smaller size raw files (s- and m-dng) if that's not done directly at the sensor level to be honest.

[hdmesa]

2 minutes ago, username said:

Oh - I was always under the impression they were!

For the first time ever on a Leica digital camera, the M11 offers variable resolution with hardware-based pixel binning and smart remapping of the Bayer filter array.
(via reddotforum.com)

Having problems to wrap my head around how they're getting to the smaller size raw files (s- and m-dng) if that's not done directly at the sensor level to be honest.

There was a lot of bad information at first: Leica’s marketing claims of improved DR and then all the guesses (as in your quote) as to how. Leica hasn’t said how they create the smaller files, but the results are inferior to resizing in Photoshop, so it really doesn’t matter how they did it, IMO.

[costa43]

An image thread for the m11 at just 18mp could be interesting. 

[username]

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Thanks for the feedback @hdmesa, I appreciate it 👍

[hdmesa]

3 hours ago, costa43 said:

An image thread for the m11 at just 18mp could be interesting. 

We can’t upload images that big here 🙃

[evikne]

If I had an M11-D, I would probably also use it at 18 MP. That would cover my needs in most cases.

The only unfortunate thing is that you don't know in advance when you need the extra resolution. A quick snapshot can suddenly turn out to be a great image that you wish had an even higher resolution, but then it's too late.

[costa43]

Just now, hdmesa said:

We can’t upload images that big here 🙃

Very true but even slightly compressed may be interesting, at least as a comparison to the standard thread. I'd be curious to see some portraits at 18mp. If anyone can point me in that direction where there are some examples, it would be much appreciated!

 

[hdmesa]

33 minutes ago, costa43 said:

Very true but even slightly compressed may be interesting, at least as a comparison to the standard thread. I'd be curious to see some portraits at 18mp. If anyone can point me in that direction where there are some examples, it would be much appreciated!

 

They will literally look the same as the images shot at 60mp. As was mentioned earlier in the thread, the only difference between resolutions is seen at the pixel level, meaning you have to have the full res files and zoom in to 100% and then compare. When zoomed out to see the entire image, there is no difference. There is no different "look" to the 18mp files.

[Smudgerer]

38 minutes ago, costa43 said:

Very true but even slightly compressed may be interesting, at least as a comparison to the standard thread. I'd be curious to see some portraits at 18mp. If anyone can point me in that direction where there are some examples, it would be much appreciated!

 

My snap that started this thread was at 18mp, ( post#1 ), and that was the whole point of posting........I was impressed as to how that choice of resolution worked for me. But hdmesa is right, posted here you'd not see any difference at all whether shot at 18mp or 60mp. Where I do see the difference is in printing and printing large, +A2, but even then the difference is subtle and very much dependent on the image itself.

[Alberti]

On 10/29/2024 at 8:07 PM, Smudgerer said:

One of the things I do appreciate after the years with the M10-D was the M11-D's choice of resolution, there are slightly different looks with them and as I learn how and when to make the choices I like to match the "look" to what I want to say in an imaging. I am not really a fan of "clean" images.

It's like with using film, you choose the film's emulsion speed to match the look you want, with the M11-D you can now do that, sort of.

Intriguing!

I'm interested in those creative/rendering changes. . . Yes an "18mp examples" thread like @costa43 mentioned . .   Would like to learn. 

Edited Friday at 06:42 PM by Alberti

[Kiwimac]

Am I correct in presuming that any colour variant of the M11 would produce the same image? Does the fact that it’s a D influence output?

[Smudgerer]

On 10/4/2025 at 1:55 AM, Kiwimac said:

Am I correct in presuming that any colour variant of the M11 would produce the same image? Does the fact that it’s a D influence output?

Well it's the same sensor and processor isn't it? No reason why it should not be the same across all colour 11's...............

Edited 8 hours ago by Smudgerer
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