[Leica] M8 update and a few observations

[shino at panix.com (Rei Shinozuka)]

While I wouldn't expect you to do controlled a/b testing with different 
revs of the firmware, do you have any images which you subjectively feel 
reflect the low-light capabilities of the m8 with the differing revs?
On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 11:46 am, Wade Heninger wrote:
> When update 1.92 came out a few weeks ago, I was very happy with the
> improvements in the camera's color files.  Previous to that update, I'd
> really not liked the color coming directly from the camera, and it 
> required
> a lot of tweaking to get it right.  This was independent of the, ahem,
> somewhat erratic AWB options.
>
> I do think mostly in B/W, but I have a color streak there in my head at
> times and I wasn't happy with the M8 in that one regard.
>
> Well, the 1.92 firmware really made a huge difference to my eye. The 
> images
> were much better and LR handled them as it did the B/W conversions - 
> quick
> and easy.  A recent color set I posted was my first major oeuvre 
> working in
> that style with the M8 and happily it won't be the last.
>
> Well last week I quickly updated to 1.102 when it came out - the last 
> update
> had been great for me and the promised stuff in this was also 
> attractive.  I
> loaded it quickly and shot a few happy snaps.  Didn't get around to 
> really
> look at the files to see what I'd gotten.
>
> Yesterday I got back into the ballet studio where I'm doing a project 
> and
> opted for a higher ISO than normal.  Usually I stick it on 640 as I 
> have
> found that a great compromise for speed/noise - especially in this 
> setting.
>
> So I set it on 1250, where my results in the past have been mostly
> unattractive to my eye - previously I saw lots of banding.  The noise 
> never
> bothers me in B/W but that banding really made it an unworkable ISO for 
> me.
>
> Well post 1.102, that has changed as well.  I had heard that higher 
> ISOs had
> been improved, but was stunned to see that the 1250 stuff I was getting
> rivaled the previous work at 640.
>
> Nice.  I'm very happy with the work Leica is doing to improve the 
> camera.
>
>
> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
> w a d e  h e n i n g e r
> u s e r  e x p e r i e n c e
> a d o b e  s y s t e m s ,  i n c

-rei