Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/11/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 9:54 AM -0500 11/8/06, Walt Johnson wrote:
>George
>
>Wouldn't you have to run a test by shooting the same subject with
>different cameras at the same time to make accurate decisions?
>
>Lottermoser George wrote:
>
>>I'm not sure what you mean Walt. I'm referring to the actual .dng
>>files from the camera which have been offered by a few folks. I've
>>downloaded 8 originals offered by a number of folks. I'm looking at
>>the actual RAW .dng files from the camera. And 160 and 320 the
>>files look quite spectacular; more natural and finer detail than
>>my 5D files. At 640, 1250 and 2500 the 5D files sprint far ahead
>>of the M8 files.
>>
>>Regards,
>>George Lottermoser
>>george@imagist.com
>>
I compared 5D and M8 files a couple of months ago (same shots) with
the pre-production camera I got to use.
At 160 and 320 and with good lenses (5D, 35mm on up; Leica M8, almost
any) the Leica images were preferable with respect to resolving
detail and overall 'look'. At 640 it was a toss-up and at the higher
ISO's the Canon had cleaner files, but the Leica files still showed
at least as much detail.
If wider angle lenses were used, such as the 21 ASPH, the Canon had
nothing to counter that and the Leica images were more useful (as
long as noise wasn't your primary criterium) even at 2500. The
superiority of the VC 12 adn 15 over the Canon equivalents was almost
as evident.
White balance was an issue with the software, but since I shot both
jpeg and .dng, I was able to fix things in PS.
All in all, image quality differences between the 5D and the M8
weren't that great, and differed more in character than value. The
only exception were the wideangle shots, where the 5D struggled due
to the (un)available glass.
However, when making 16x20 prints of architectural subjects, there
was never a difference in image quality great enough that would make
me pick one camera over the other.
That leaves the other usual reasons for picking one camera over
another: size, weight, handling, versatility etc. Rangefinder vs. SLR.
--
* Henning J. Wulff
/|\ Wulff Photography & Design
/###\ mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com
|[ ]| http://www.archiphoto.com