D-Lux 2 / D-Lux 3 LCD Monitor

[steve kessel]

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In judging exposure with these cameras, one has the LCD monitor, the auto readouts and experience of captured and processed images.

 

To what extent do people allow what they see in the monitor to override what the readouts are saying? For instance, I often notice greens appearing too yellow on the monitor and try to adjust white balance which improves the situation but is not perfect (you can go more red or more blue but not more green!). Again I've often read people say that the D-Lux 2 over-exposes and I find this too sometimes when the image on the monitor "appears" over exposed at the "correct" exposure reading and I adjust the exposure, sometimes to good effect, sometimes not.

 

I'm interested in learning how others judge these and similar situations.

 

Thanks

 

Steve Kessel

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[cobbslane]

Hi Steve

I have the D Lux 3 and spent a little time investigating the settings other than 'standard'. Once I had done this I viewed the results on pc screen and selected what suited me - which happened to be standard. I chose this because the shots seem to have a good balance but more importantly have had little done to them 'in camera'. Since I exclusively shoot in RAW all my ajustments are made post process in CS2.

This is exactly the same as I do with my Canons that I employ for my wedding photography work - shoot at standard RAW and adjust post process. Interstingly there is a difference though. With D Lux 3 CS2 rarely adjusts exposure, balance, contrast etc from the As Shot setting in Bridge whereas with the Canons it adds a significant amount of correction to get to the same point. Does this suggest that the Leica team have worked out a better balance for their standard settings - I think so?

As for using the LCD to judge colour I would strongly suggest you do not. My reason is simple - the LCD is not colour calibrated. If it was it would be duller and less informative at shot taking stage and would not be adjustable for brightness. I do not know if your pc or mac is calibrated - if not do so. You will find this helps immensely too.

Cheers

Gerry

[stunsworth]

Steve, regardless of the camera involved my personal preference is to shot RAW and just use the screen on the camera for looking at the histogram - i.e. reviewing the exposure. There are just too many variables involved in using the screen for critical reviewing - the main one beeng that most, if not all, LCDs are crap ;-)