[Leica] Leica Digilux 2 @ 1600 :-)

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

ted said:
>>>As many of you know on the Digilux 2 it's highest ASA is shown as 400.
Well
>that's true. However, if you set it at 400 and set the EV button to 2 stops
>under exposed producing theoretically 1600, the camera along with PS after
>down loading the memory card to computer produces some quite acceptable
>images.<<<<<<<

Douglas M. Sharp responded:
Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica Digilux 2 @ 1600 :-)


> Guten Tag Ted,
> That IS an interesting discovery, I tried something similar with my
> EOS300D/Digital Rebel at the weekend, I suppose it must work in the same
> way. I was shooting in a very dim chapel of remembrance in Berlin and was
> getting shutter speeds too slow for hand holding and didn't have a tripod
with me. Shooting in
> RAW mode at 400 ASA I deliberately underexposed in manual metering mode
> and then corrected the image in Canons File viewer Facility (which allows
the pre-processing of RAW
> images) to get back to the shutter speed I would have had to use according
to the
> automatic mode.
> The shot turned out IMO better than I expected (within limits) see
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/New-Old-Pictures/Ged_chtnis_1<<<<<<<<<


Guten Tag  Douglas,
Well I don't know how this happens in digital, under exposing 2 stops then
adjusting in PhotoShop for a perfectly exposed photograph, neither do I need
to know. The important thing is it happens and very well.

I've just finished shooting a bunch of ASA 1600 frames with the Digi 2 set
for B&W mode and I'll be damned if they aren't great looking. I've printed
out a couple in 8.5X11 size but will print at 11.7X16.5 then we'll be able
to tell just how good this method of speed increasing works or not.

Now I'm gung-ho to get a shot at some photography in a medical setting for
comparison to Tri-x!

> I also read in a German photo publication that the ASA/ISO setting of
> 100 is not necessarily better than at 200, though I didn't quite
understand why,
> they even suggest avoiding the lowest value.
> In addition, shooting with higher ASA values, at least with the Canon,
> seems to make the files larger - any ideas/explanations on this count?<<<<

Quite frankly I don't have a clue how it happens. However, for me it's far
more important to find out how well this works than being concerned "why or
how?" :-)

And I should add, these frames were all shot with everything set on "A"!! So
now the Digilux 2 is becoming a possible work camera rather than a point &
play camera. And as long as it keeps things sharp and right on the mark for
good exposures and fine prints no matter how they're made, I'm leaving all
the controls on "Auto everything!":-)

Sure makes life and shooting a tad simpler and easier.

So any of you other folks out there with Leica digital camera's try this and
if so, how well did it work for you?

ted