[Leica] M8 update and a few observations

[grduprey at mchsi.com (grduprey@mchsi.com)]

Wade,

Interesting stuff.  I also have been happy with the updates to the M8 
firmware.  Your comment on the noise improvements at high isos with the new 
1.102 have my attention, and I will have to check this out, as I have been 
doing the low iso with - exposure compensation for high iso work.  I have 
also heard the meter works more accurately also, less over exposure 
readings.  I have loaded the new firmware, but not much chance lately to do 
any comparisons.  I can see I will need to do this later today.

Gene


-------------- Original message from Wade Heninger <heninger@adobe.com>: 
-------------- 


> 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 
> 
> 
> 
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