Leica M9 skin tones compared to Leica DMR

[Overgaard]

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Just to make sure this doesn't get lost, in the bottom of my Leica M9 site, there's some examples of skin tones using daylight lams and manual white balancing. And skin tones of the Leica DMR compared to the M9.

 

As many know, the DMR is considered to have quite good skin tones, as well as a way to capture details. The interesting thing is that its hard to tell the difference between the M9 and the DMR.

 

In this shot the focus is on the eye in one, on the breast in the other (couldn't quite decide where I wanted my focus), and the M9 file is slightly lighter exposed than the DMR. But you do get the picture. The M9 sensor is the fourth Kodak have produced for Leica (DMR, M8, M9, S2).

 

Have a look at: leica.overgaard.dk - Thorsten Overgaard's Leica Pages - Leica M9 Digital Rangefinder Camera - Page 2: Tool of the artist, Leica M9 as reportage camera, wedding phtography - plus Leica DMR and Leica M9 comparison - plus proper skintones with Leica M9

[robsteve]

I think she liked the DMR better. She is smiling in the DMR shot

 

Robert

[glenerrolrd]

Thorsten

 

You have an excellent blog/website..thank you for sharing it. The M9 and the DMR are getting much closer in IQ characteristics. You could have fooled me in which image was the DMR and which the M9......it was easier with the M8.

 

The color saturation and tone separation look very comparable and you can see that the exact point of focus could change your perspective. Looking at your website I looked for the color and tone in the dresses and both look great.

 

The images from the 50 summicron remind me of the K25 ..there is a richness to the color . As photographers get to work out their M9 s I think the uncompressed DNG will hold up well.

[germio]

I prefer the slight warmth of the DMR skin tones. The differences are noticeable but, as you said, small. No more than the kind of differences you would see from lens to lens and certainly less than between film emulsions.

 

Curiously I always felt that the M8 / M9 images were too contrasty, clean and clinical (compared to the DMR) for my taste but I didn't feel that looking through your images. Could be a result of the newer ASPH lenses rather than the capture itself since I think you're using older lenses.

 

Would love to see more such comparisons under averse lighting conditions.

[gtownby]

 

Curiously I always felt that the M8 / M9 images were too contrasty, clean and clinical (compared to the DMR) for my taste but I didn't feel that looking through your images. Could be a result of the newer ASPH lenses rather than the capture itself since I think you're using older lenses.

 

.

 

Of course, it could also be the extraordinary skills of Overgaard!

[twittle]

I prefer the slight warmth of the DMR skin tones.

 

My preference is the opposite. I think the DMR shot is just slightly too pink. Not a contradiction, just a different opinion.

 

Of course I could be completely wrong in that her skin might be pinker than I imagine.

 

Both do have good skintones, though.