Re: [Leica] lenses and saturation

["Francesco" <fls@san.rr.com>]

My fiancee and I went to Southeast Asia and France together last year
(2 separate trips of course), and I worked with my R8 and M6 while she
worked with her F5.  I found the same differences between images we
captured simultaneously.  Leica slides (Astia and Velvia) are much
more vivid, crisp, and saturated, and I find much more details in
shadows and highlights in the Leica slides as well.  Nikon slides seem
to turn jet black and snow white quicker than Leica slides. In the Leica
slides, the transition is much more gradual, leading to more visible detail
the extremes.

Francesco





- ----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Laurel <jplaurel@microsoft.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Thursday, July 08, 1999 2:33 PM
Subject: [Leica] lenses and saturation


> Hello all,
> I'm just reviewing a batch of film shot over the last month in Southern
> Spain and the Outer Banks of the USA.  As my wife and I are both photo
> enthusiasts, we each took separate camera systems.  She used a Canon A2E
> with 17-35 f2.8, 50 f2.5 macro, and 70-200 f2.8 lenses.  I had my M6 with
> Elmarit 21 ASPH, Summilux 35 ASPH, and Elmarit 90.
>
> Needless to say, there were several occasions when we took basically the
> same shots.  During my first (quick) pass through the photos, those taken
> with the Leica seem to be quite a bit more saturated and rich in color.
As
> I hold the Canon L lenses in high regard, I am frankly surprised at the
> apparent difference in general.  I'm wondering if it is my manual metering
> technique with the M6 vs the Canon's 16-segment programmed AE.  We did not
> take the time to make the same shots with identical exposures.
>
> It goes without saying that there is a visible difference in sharpness and
> contrast in many of the photos.  In addition, the Summilux 35 ASPH enabled
> me to keep shooting well into the best light of each day, handheld.
>
> Have any of you had a similar experience?  Is it just that the AE system
in
> my head is smarter than the Canon's or have you noted that the Leica M
> lenses seem to produce richer, more saturated colors?
>
> Best Regards,
> --Jim Laurel
>