How to use auto ISO?

[chris_livsey]

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Dear Chris - woops re HBC - it must have been the Grouse speaking...

We're trying to do reportage in COLOUR with "film" that has the latitude of colour slide

 

Very well put. In addition we, at least some of us are, then taking that limited latitude equivalent of slide film and making black and white images. In fact you have put the best argument for a while for using "real" black and white film.

 

Indeed a test roll through my "new" M2 using an 18% card and then photoshop as a densitometer shows how shooting from the middle of the film curve produces results plus or minus two stops bracketing with enormous highlight and shadow headroom. Doing a two stop bracket on the M8 would not produce a satisfactory result. Indeed we often rely on 1/3rd stop allowances to protect highlights HCB would indeed think he was in a strange country. I doubt he used a 1/3rd stop difference in his life.

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[danyves]

 

 

Danyves - I suppose my experience has been a slight contrast as I'm discovering the goodness of 1250 as a way of gaining overall image sharpness.

 

For the record - I'd like to stress that it looks like the AUTO ISO option works really for me well in certain kinds of reportage. If I was doing product photography or landscape I'd get out the tripod or set up a lighting rig so that I could control ISO and aperture to get the effect I want. It's just that when I can't and when things are moving quickly I'm very pleased that the M8 can give me an edge ...

 

And think about it - HBC never printed his own images. He'd shoot away with a set shutter speed and aperture, paying attention to rapport with the subject, framing and getting it in focus. He'd then depend on the huge latitude of B&W negative film + the skills of his print maker to get the image he was after.

 

We're trying to do reportage in COLOUR with "film" that has the latitude of colour slide ... again - thank you Leica for giving us a new resource through this firmware update.

 

I too discovered the overall new sharpness at 1250 and new quality at 2500. Leica has done a good job on the firmware. Was in Lourdes for Benoit XVI, using 1.201, am going back to Lourdes again and will test real the 2.00, full scale.

 

Have posted samples here:

 

 

summilux.net :: Voir le sujet - Firmware M8 2

 

summilux.net :: Voir le sujet - Firmware M8 2

[rafael_macia]

Got it

 

thanks

[chris_tribble]

I too discovered the overall new sharpness at 1250 and new quality at 2500. Leica has done a good job on the firmware.

 

Danyves - trés beaux images ... merci.

 

I couldn't agree more with your comments re correct exposure and noise (made in the French forum). What I think's happening for me is that I'm going to have to start unthinking my film based approach to ISO selection.

 

In the old days I'd use Neopan or Provia 100 as defaults, with two bodies always to hand depending on the job I was doing. If I was doing stage work and had to do colour I'd switch to 800 ISO colour neg and hold Neopan 1600 in reserve (I liked those Fuji films). In the digital world I think I've still had that sort of mentality, seeing a hike in ISO speed as a forced compromise rather than embracing it as a fluid, one shot here, another shot there adjustment to maintain overall quality. THIS is what the AutoISO feature is teaching me... Switching ISO early rather than late may be the best way to maintain IQ.... not delaying until the last second...

 

Interesting times and still so much to learn (not least of which is don't hold on to untested prejudices...)