jonoslack Posted January 16, 2009 Share #21 Posted January 16, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) HI Mitch Congratulations - I hope you're both very happy together! My feeling with the M8 and exposure, is to shoot -1/3 an good light, but +1/3 at high ISO, and even +2/3 if you're shooting at 2500. I also like to use Aperture and Silver-efex, I don't find a great deal of advantage with C4 (which I do use sometimes). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 16, 2009 Posted January 16, 2009 Hi jonoslack, Take a look here Received my new M8.2 today...and a question. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Guest malland Posted January 16, 2009 Share #22 Posted January 16, 2009 Thanks, Jono, the EV suggestions are helpful. I did dial in +0.7 EV for ISO2500 because I felt it was overexposing. How you feel about your M8 these days? —Mitch/Paris Bangkok Hysteria©: Book Project - a set on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest malland Posted January 16, 2009 Share #23 Posted January 16, 2009 ...As for the strap, when I don't want to have the camera around my neck, I just wrap the strap around my wrist...Steve, I tend to carry the camera with the strap on my right shoulder and wrap it around my wrist when in "shooting mode". Enrico, I have a couple of braided leather straps that were given at a Ralph Gibson workshop a few years ago, He had them made by a bridle-maker in Montany. They are soft and good for wrapping around the wrist, as well for having the camera hang off the shoulder or around the neck. —Mitch/Paris Bangkok Hysteria©: Book Project - a set on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpattinson Posted January 16, 2009 Share #24 Posted January 16, 2009 You can modify the standard leica strap to make it better for wrapping around your wrist, the rubber grip can be ripped off and you're left with a nylon strap. I like the grip for carrying in one hand, makes if much easier to keep your grip. I haven't used the thing you put your fingers through (I think it's the sling), because I'm concerned that my fingers might be trapped if I fell or the camera was otherwise wrenched. Caveat is this does make it pretty dangerous for slinging on a shoulder due to lack of grip, unless you sling it bandolier style across your body. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pem Posted January 16, 2009 Share #25 Posted January 16, 2009 Hi, and congratulation for your new M8. I am looking forward hearing your comments. Do you think that R-Strap (BlackRapid: RS-1 Strap) can be used with an M8, without too much risk ? best regards, pem Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted January 16, 2009 Share #26 Posted January 16, 2009 I'd be very worried about any strap on any camera that relied solely on the tripod bush. If you can remove the device then surely it has the potential for working loose of its own accord? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pem Posted January 16, 2009 Share #27 Posted January 16, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) In the case of R-Strap, the mechanism seems to be quite safe. First you screw, then you block. In fact, I was more worried by the solidity of the 'sole' (I am not sure that this is the correct english word). Do you think that the M8 can be carried by the tripod bush ? thanks, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted January 16, 2009 Share #28 Posted January 16, 2009 Thanks, Jono, the EV suggestions are helpful. I did dial in +0.7 EV for ISO2500 because I felt it was overexposing. How you feel about your M8 these days? —Mitch/Paris Bangkok Hysteria©: Book Project - a set on Flickr HI Mitch Oh - I still love them - one has been upgraded with all the stuff (i.e. sapphire, framelines, vulcanite, shutter) The other one comes up in a few weeks, and I'm wondering about whether to keep the faster shutter for that one. Incidentally, lots of advice about cases / straps / grips etc. etc. I've wasted buckets of money on these things (the worst was the nice leica leather strap, which had metal studs which scratched the top plate and the LCD). All of them are now sitting in drawers unused. I'm back to using the original strap, which is thin and light and grippy, and I don't use a case (just bung the camera in a small Billingham Hadley bag). The grip seemed good - but it makes the camera bulkier, and I'm not convinced it's worth the entry fee. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted January 16, 2009 Share #29 Posted January 16, 2009 Thanks, all, for the comments. By the time I got out yesterday it was dark enough that I pretty much had to use ISO2500 to have a fast enough shutter to speak for people in motion, but, of course, will be trying ISO640 and 1250. Sean, I'll have to reread your M8 reviews but remember your saying that the ISO's are conservative in that, for example, 1250 and 2500 are really 1600 and 3200. Does that mean that uses generally use something like -0.7 EV? Bangkok Hysteria©: Book Project - a set on Flickr Hi Mitch, No, the camera's metering seems to know how sensitive the camera is. The M8 (like many Canons and some others) just tends to outperform its ISO ratings by about 1/3 stop. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted January 16, 2009 Share #30 Posted January 16, 2009 Incidentally, I find the EV compensation fairly easy and fast to dial in, requiring only the forefinger and thumb of one hand. I had been concerned about having to go into a menu to change ISO, but the M8 arrangement is not bad in that, if that is the last item that one used in the Picture Parameters menu, it is the one selected when one presses SET to go into the next time, which makes the adjustment a fairly quick operation. I would have preferrred the SET button to be in the center of the Central Setting Ring. —Mitch/Paris Bangkok Hysteria©: Book Project - a set on Flickr Yes, the new EV comp system works well. For ISO, the M9 simply needs a dial on top of the camera - as fast and simple as it gets. I communicated with Leica for a long time about improving the ISO setting process but that still needs work. An essential exposure control should not be relegated to a menu - especially in an M camera. Cheers, S Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted January 16, 2009 Share #31 Posted January 16, 2009 Aperture and Silver efex are not the best software to process DNG 2500 Iso, use Capture one 4 and you will see immediatly the Big difference. If you want better result after this process use PS3 and D-fine. That all.Anyway to use 2500 Iso never give great picture even with a Nikon or Canon. Good work and enjoy Actually, ISO 3200 is superb on the D700, excellent on the 1Ds Mk III and not bad on the 5D. I expect good things from the D3 and 5D II as well but haven't tested them yet. And that's not smoothing we're seeing, its high S/N. Cheers, Sean Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_reid Posted January 16, 2009 Share #32 Posted January 16, 2009 Auni, thanks, I wasn't aware of the 21mm/F1.4, in which I wuld be interested even for the M8 because I like the 28mm EFOV a lot. I'll have to check whether Sean has reviewed is because would like to know how it compares to the 21/F2.8 ASPH, which I like a lot. —Mitch/Paris Bangkok Hysteria©: Book Project - a set on Flickr I don't yet have the review samples of the new fast 21 and 24. I expect superb performance however. They'll be tested when I get them and I agree that the 21/1.4 might be a lens you'd love. Cheers, S Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bernd Banken Posted January 16, 2009 Share #33 Posted January 16, 2009 Actually, ISO 3200 is superb on the D700, excellent on the 1Ds Mk III and not bad on the 5D. I expect good things from the D3 and 5D II as well but haven't tested them yet. And that's not smoothing we're seeing, its high S/N. Cheers, Sean D300 ISO 3200 f3,2 with Nikkor 17-55 f2,8 - in flickr it losts a bit sharpness compare to the NFF: Fishermen's shack on Flickr - Photo Sharing! The beer-felt half behind the plastic bag says: "For Germany" ex DDR item:cool: Bernd Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest malland Posted January 16, 2009 Share #34 Posted January 16, 2009 ... and I don't use a case (just bung the camera in a small Billingham Hadley bag). The grip seemed good - but it makes the camera bulkier, and I'm not convinced it's worth the entry fee.Jono, yes, I don't like any of the cases: I don't want my camera to wear a bikini — the half case. I don't know about the M8, but for the M6 Ralph Gibson said he hated all these cases because they muffled the sound the shutter and he knew the camera so well that he could tell by the sound if the shutter if he was shooting at the wrong speed. —Mitch/Paris Flickr: Mitch Alland's Photostream Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrid Posted January 16, 2009 Share #35 Posted January 16, 2009 Anyway to use 2500 Iso never give great picture even with a Nikon or Canon. Good work and enjoy That hasn't been true for a few years now. Especially when you look at the output of the Nikon D700/D3. From these cameras 1600 looks stunningly good. 3200 looks like 400/800asa from just a few years ago and 6400asa is totally useable. High asa from the M8 can look very good, but needs good post processing. One thing I like about the M8 files is that they have very little or no in camera processing. They truly are RAW in the sense that they are a pure dump of what the sensor captured. RAW files out of most DSLR cameras have already had one stage of noise reduction, not to mention the AA filter. Leica leaves it up to you how much detail you are willing to sacrafice in the quest to reduce grain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticman Posted January 16, 2009 Share #36 Posted January 16, 2009 One thing I like about the M8 files is that they have very little or no in camera processing. They truly are RAW in the sense that they are a pure dump of what the sensor captured. RAW files out of most DSLR cameras have already had one stage of noise reduction, not to mention the AA filter. Leica leaves it up to you how much detail you are willing to sacrafice in the quest to reduce grain. The D90 I impulse-bought before christmas ended-up as an impromptu christmas present for my partner (I found I really can't go back to SLRs, which is sad for me), but the shots she took at a New Year's party lit only by candles are incredibly sharp and detailed with lovely fine grain and white-balance that only needed a single click in Capture One to correct perfectly. All of the pre-processing was switched-off - which isn't to say that the camera doesn't still do some - but to be honest this idea that only the Leica raw file is somehow holy and untouched is something of a myth imho. The Nikon file had both color and luminance noise, of course - but all the information for a great print was intact. I'm constantly surprised at the file quality for a camera that's pretty cheap. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrid Posted January 16, 2009 Share #37 Posted January 16, 2009 All of the pre-processing was switched-off - which isn't to say that the camera doesn't still do some - but to be honest this idea that only the Leica raw file is somehow holy and untouched is something of a myth imho. The Nikon file had both color and luminance noise, of course - but all the information for a great print was intact. . I don't ascribe M8 files any magical qualities, but compared to most RAW files out there, they are quite untouched. You also can't turn off the AA filter in a DSLR. I shoot my D700 with as much turned internal processing turned off as possible. I feel that this gives me the most control in post production, because it is me who decides what gets thrown away. I'm constantly surprised at the file quality for a camera that's pretty cheap. It's pretty amazing just how good even entry level cameras are these days. We've come a loooong way. ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted January 16, 2009 Share #38 Posted January 16, 2009 I don't ascribe M8 files any magical qualities, but compared to most RAW files out there, they are quite untouched. You also can't turn off the AA filter in a DSLR. Just how do you turn off the AA filter that is built into the cover glass of the sensor. I think you are slightly confused. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted January 16, 2009 Share #39 Posted January 16, 2009 Congrats Mitch. I'm jealous! I really would like an M8.2. My M8 is back for service and then probably back again for an upgrade once my # comes up (why they can't do both at same time while camera is already open is still beyond me). Anyway, I highly recommend the Thumbs Up. I have the one with the cold shoe and while the finder sits slightly higher it hasn't really been a problem. I also find I don't need the front grip anymore - the Thumbs Up gives enough purchase to carry comfortably. I tend to underexpose slightly at 160/320. I prefer a more slide like image with a stronger tone curve. But come 640 and up I find one should expose right on or even a little bit more for the cleanest files. Underexposing at 1250/2500 doesn't work and that's when people start getting banding and artifiacts, etc. That's when it's time to pull out the 1.4s. I second the Zeiss 18mm. I have the Milich bayonet on it as well, and it works like a charm. But if you truly plan on doing only b&w then coding isn't necessary. It's probably one of my favorite lenses and replicates my favorite focal length of 24 (and I just happened to have a 24 finder). I find the 28 cron to be the best all around lens. Take care, Charles Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrid Posted January 16, 2009 Share #40 Posted January 16, 2009 Just how do you turn off the AA filter that is built into the cover glass of the sensor.I think you are slightly confused. Obviously you can't 'turn off' an AA filter that physically rests over a sensor. Some medium format backs allow you to remove it, but there is no DSLR I know of that allows this option. The M8 doesn't have an AA filter. Something like a D700 does, so even if you turn off all of the in camera noise reduction, you are still losing resolution due to the AA filter over the sensor. The M8 gives you the option to remove moire etc via software in post, but if such artifacts do not appear and need to be removed, you get the benefit of the full resolution of the sensor in your RAW file. With the D700 you do not have that choice, because of the AA filter. Does that make more sense? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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