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The look of film


BerndReini

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Regarding grain, I have never disliked it. On the contrary, I have always found that it adds some magic to many photos, giving them a kinds painting-like look. Anyway, do you guys reckon that the M8's noise pattern is somehow similiar to gran (at least in BW)? And what does the noise look like in prints?

 

Ed

 

For me...part of the allure of film grain is the randomness of it's pattern

 

If you're new around here....might enjoy an old thread about prints from an M8

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m8-forum/9022-30-x-40-inch-m8-prints.html

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Ed, yes, the grain the M8 produces is very filmic. I actually add some additional grain using Alienskin Exposure to add an even texture to the image.

 

Here's a fun one: film or digital?

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Here's a fun one: film or digital?

 

Bernd - this sort of challenge, while fun, is usually pretty meaningless online, especially at small web-dimensions. However, it's been done many times before, and those with a good eye for it have proved over and over that they can tell with total consistency - MarkAntony, for instance.

 

However, the look of 'film' is best characterised in great film images. I'd say that a wonderful filmic image is impossible to match in digital. Not necessarily true of just any image.

 

Sorry - must amend this, as I re-read it and it seemed to be impugning the quality of your image. I just meant it didn't look particularly 'filmic', say in the way that the LA woman or the kid shot from the beginning of the thread.

Edited by plasticman
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It is digital, but still fun. It was taken with the DLux4. Now these files fall apart pretty quickly, and it is no M8, but I am still always delighted about how convenient it is to carry this little camera around with me. This was meant more as an amusing post. It is very easy to spot that it is digital especially when you look deep into the picture where the sky "eats" the buildings.

Edited by BerndReini
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Thanks "Gentleman Villain" for the answer and the link - that's another intersting thread - and thank you Bernd for the answer and the photo. It is true that seeing photos through a computer screen probably "digitalizes" them, but they still say something. Can anybody comment on how "filmic" M8 photos look like in prints?

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I agree that shooting film is quite a bit of hassle, but it is honestly not as bad anymore. After taking so many pictures with my M8, I have really gotten to know my own style and I shoot a lot less and spend more time previsualizing.

The sharpness and low grain of the M8 really is wonderful, but in terms of latitude it behaves like slide film. Even though the M8 has more dynamic range than slide film, the toe and shoulder do not have as gradual of a fall-off, i.e. when your highlights go, they clip abruptly. When that happens on someone's skin, it is just ugly and cannot be salvaged, whereas with negative, you can overexpose, and the highlights gradually roll of into white, which is quite beautiful.

 

The other aspect is the depth of field and behavior of the lens around the edges. The 35mm 1.4 wide open really gives you a razor thin depth of field on the larger negative area, and what I was absolutely in love with were the results with my Noctilux at night shooting in the city.

 

Love the Leicaroll black & white!

 

I have used the M8 98% of the time the last 2 years but shot a roll of Delta 400 with an old 111f and an Ultron 28mm F1.9 to see what happened. Then shot several rolls of Rollei Technical Pan rated @ iso 25 with the 111f and a 35mmSummaron mainly at f5.6 then some Delta 100 with my M6 & 35mm Summicron. When printed on multigrade RC paper at A3 size these pictures have something extra compared to the HP Pro B9180 & advanced photo paper.

Still shoot 98% M8 though!

Film for special occasions when I'm prepared to do lots of work!

Haven't shot any colour film for 4 years.

Thanks to Erwin Puts for advice on Rollei - I owe him an email.

 

Tony

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