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Fun w/Digital M Images

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algrove

Well-known member
re: Fun with the New Leica M

And right you are ! I think it quite brave of you shooting here at 4-5 feet distance :salute:

All the best.
In your area I suppose the 90 or 135 would be best along the Weteringschans down to the Leidesplein (spelling?). Used to like the pasta in a little restaurant around to the right behind the big cinema on the Leidesplein.:watch::D
 

D&A

Well-known member
re: Fun with the New Leica M

Nice images Stephen and maybe it's just my perception but I noticed two things with some of the images you posted. The tonality /color of skin tones is in my opinion a bit better in your images above as opposed to the ones you posted a few days ago. Of course it might have simply come down to lighting or possibly your eye in post processing getting used to or having a better handle on color adjustment.

The other thing I've noticed quite prominantly in one of your images posted here (the lovely one of the close-up of the young boy and another from posting of a close-up of an older gentleman shaving, was the almost over the top 3D depth between the main subject and background. Of course normally we ascribe this trait to lenses that are used (combined with the choice of aperture) but in these two cases and a few other M240 images I've seen posted by others elsewhere, it's almost appeared to be the subject was cut and pasted on top of another image...what I refer to as "cookie cutter" (where a cookie cut out of a piece of dough is placed on top of say wax paper)...where it appears one is placed on top of something else.

Of course 3D in images is often a desirable trait but in the images I mentioned, it appeared to me to almost be artificial looking with main subject surround by a thin line of pixels (primarily seen in the image of man shaving, not the young boy above). Of course this isn't the case and it's an illusion but unless it's simply what I'm seeing at a web sized image, it has really caught my attention a few times, for better or worse with these M240 images. Again just mentioning this in case someone else has noticed.

Lastly, what are you initial impressions of B&W conversion of M240 files say at low ISO. Are they more similar to output of MM files or something more akin to the M9? Thanks!

Dave (D&A)
 

algrove

Well-known member
re: Fun with the New Leica M

SP-
I like the green wall shot with the contrasty black writing on the wall.

Did you actually expose for the wall? Auto WB? And what metering method did you use on that photo?

Dave- Are you mainly talking about the boy in the shoe store?
 

StephenPatterson

New member
re: Fun with the New Leica M

I think as your have surmised that the 3D effect is simply a combination of lenses like the 35 Summilux FLE, the new Leica M sensor and my post processing techniques applied to these images. The M240 files are very receptive to sharpening with a significant reduction in the amount of noise that would be present in a similar M9 file. I can't say if it's right or wrong, only that it's my style. I never use "presets" because I like to treat each image as an individual item, and my style also changes based on my mood and how many glasses of wine I have had. For me I like the 3D pop. Hey, I could have gone shooting today with the Nocti and ND filter. Talk about 3D!!!

Likewise I think most of us who are trail blazing with M240s are aware of the opinion that the AutoWB is a tad warm, and many are making adjustments to try and post more "correct" images. As I have said before I often slightly de-saturate red, orange and yellow, as it tends to give a more accurate skin tone to my asian friends, family and neighbors.

It's still early days for B&W conversion, but my impression is that the files behave very well in Silver Efex Pro and it's easier to dodge and burn without adding noise than with M9 files. I don't own an MM, but have had the chance to shoot with one on a few occasions. From those experiences I feel confident in saying that the MM still has an edge in monochrome, although the gap has closed significantly.
 
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