Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/01/31

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] The DM-R has landed!
From: tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)
Date: Tue Jan 31 22:52:25 2006
References: <43D6032A00043CA3@mssbzhh-int.msg.bluewin.ch>

Ted said:
>>>>So I'm interested how well your DMR works under existing light 
>>>>conditions where it's dawn and you have some gorgeous mountain critter 
>>>>focused in the R9 viewfinder and can't get a shutter speed or aperture 
>>>>to put the image on the card. <<<<<

Peter wondered:
>>Are you not exaggerating a bit ? Have a look at my pictures on
> http://www.leicaphoto.net/discus/messages/7/200.html?1135251325<<>

Hello Peter,
Not exaggerating in the least,lots of light in your pictures at dawn. Piece 
of cake shooting this kind of stuff at ASA100. Besides you're reading the 
highlights, not a bear or deer or some other wild animal of the countryside 
with the camera meter set at ASA 100!

When I'm talking about dawn light it's the first light across the forest or 
grazing lands of western Canada where you do need 1600 or 3200 to capture 
the animal as a recorded image. Not fluffy clouds, fog and silhouetted trees 
and bushes.

The other point is when I'm shooting on assignment I rarely if ever use any 
other light than what's existing on the scene, room or wherever.

My ASA settings for Tri-x are usually 800-1600. My work is all done with 
Leica's of some model or other, M6's or M7's, some the R8. While using only 
available light of an operating room with Tri-x at ASA 800. If the DMR can't 
produce excellent recorded images at a simple ASA 800 I'd say forget it.

But if I were to purchase a DMR and it can't be set for ASA 800 or 1600 then 
the DMR is completely useless for anyone working as a photojournalist using 
only existing light of wherever the location is.

However, given I've used the Leicanon 20D under these ASA settings, 
800-1600-3200 and had excellent exposures without a thought other than 
capturing the moment. If the DMR cannot do the same or better, then for me 
it's a very expensive useless toy.

If I were doing postcards, happy snaps of hill and dale country side and 
shot most of it at ASA100 then maybe I'd consider the DMR a working tool.
For the moment there isn't a hope in hell I'd buy one to use on the type of 
assignments I shoot, unless without question, the meter can be set at ASA 
1600 and 3200. And it produces better quality capture than my Leicanon 20D 
at those ASA ratings.

Hopefully I've made myself clear.

ted


Replies: Reply from telyt at earthlink.net (Douglas Herr) ([Leica] The DM-R has landed!)
In reply to: Message from pwerner at bluewin.ch (pwerner@bluewin.ch) ([Leica] The DM-R has landed!)