M9 and "blown highlights"

[larryk34]

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Thanks everyone for variety of points of view on this topic. Since I'm also using a Panasonic G1, I may have developed a general attitude that digital sensors, M8 and G1, are prone to blown highlights. Following much advice on the M8 over the past two years, as well as my own experience, I also usually compensate by -2/3 on my M8. Part of what we are dealing with here in addition to the digital technology and experience of the photographer is the DR of the scene itself. When chasing dramatic light it's not uncommon to run into a wide DR in the actual scene, which the camera's sensor and photographer has to deal with. While in Mach Picchu two weeks ago I finally just started metering on selected parts of the entire scene in order to get the shot (and historgram) to behave properly. This has also been recommended by others on forums such as this one. In other words, I've found that a -2/3 compensation in the camera is not always enough for certain scenes. So, back to the advice given above for the photographer to make his/her own adjustments. Fortunately, with digital we can see the results and histogram immediately and take several shots to get it right. Two comments above seemed encouraging: (1) that larger sensors such as the FF M9 handle highlights better, and (2) "I usually set one of my profiles on the M8 at - 1 stop but the M9 seems to require less adjustment: probably -1/3 rd to -1/2 stops." I'm planning to buy an M9, but I was curious why there was not more discussion of this issue. Now there is.

 

M9 seems to require less adjustment: probably -1/3 rd to -1/2 stops

[lars_bergquist]

I (re)discover that my M9 is blowing the highlights only with one lens: my 35/1,4 Asph.

[ ... ]

Looking back at pictures made with the M6 and that lens, I remembered that it was already there. As soon the light is coming from 180° in front of the camera, even if it's a grey sky, the picture looks washed.

 

It' is time to send it back to Leica.

 

Lucien

Lucien, are you absolutely certain that you know the distinction between 'blown highlights' and plain old flare? Yes, the 35 'lux is more sensitive to flare than Leica's 28mm lenses, which are stupendously robust in that respect, far more than any other lenses I know of. A strong light source in front, be it the sun (maybe outside the picture, but inside the lense's image circle) or a lightly overcast but still strongly luminiscent sky, can indeed 'wash' the picture. The current 50mm Summicron, by the way, is a well-known offender in the 'grey sky' department. I did not send mine back to Solms; I replaced it with a Summilux ASPH, and with full success, thank you.

 

The old man from the Age of Kodachrome

[Leicaiste]

Lucien, are you absolutely certain that you know the distinction between 'blown highlights' and plain old flare? Yes, the 35 'lux is more sensitive to flare than Leica's 28mm lenses, which are stupendously robust in that respect, far more than any other lenses I know of. A strong light source in front, be it the sun (maybe outside the picture, but inside the lense's image circle) or a lightly overcast but still strongly luminiscent sky, can indeed 'wash' the picture. The current 50mm Summicron, by the way, is a well-known offender in the 'grey sky' department. I did not send mine back to Solms; I replaced it with a Summilux ASPH, and with full success, thank you.

 

The old man from the Age of Kodachrome

 

Lars,

 

I know it's flare, but I didn't know that it was coming from the lens design. As I wrote, I can only take pictures with the sun in my back.

 

And even in that case, there is almost no details in white hairs in an otherwise correctly exposed portrait. And only with that lens.

 

I think mine flares to much, even for a 35/1,4 Asph.

 

I may replace it with this updated version if it is not vaporware...

 

Leica Summilux 35mm update | Leica Rumors

 

Lucien

[pgk]

Well, yes -- if we are speaking of diffuse highlights. Specular highlights, being actually mirror images of light sources, and the light sources themselves, like Old Sol, show luminances that are vastly greater than that of any 'ordinary' diffuse highlight. Like in the old days, we have to permit these to burn out. Any attempt to put these 'on the edge of the histogram' would reduce the rest of the picture to Stygian darkness.

 

You are quite right Lars, I should have specified that exposure should retain information within the highlights where you want to retain some tonal detail, and this certainly does not apply to specular highlights.