Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/08/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> Tell the truth Ted, Tina, and Sonny. Are your pictures any better > now than they were when you used old fashioned film? >From the DMR perspective it's a qualified Yes. If I were comparing the DMR >with film in the R8 it would be an unqualified ABSOLUTELY. What film has going for it is that it can be used in an SL or SL2 and because of these cameras' superb viewfinders I can get a much higher *percentage* of keepers with only a few exposures. What digital in the form of the DMR has going for it is exceptionally high image detail, accurate colors, excellent dynamic range and an extremely low cost of mistakes. With the SL I'll get a greater *percentage* of keepers but with the DMR I'll get a greater *number* of keepers simply because I can shoot many more pictures without hearing "ka-ching" every time I press the button. The instant feedback of the histogram has been very valuable for fine-tuning exposure so I can keep details in both white and black feathers. I cannot do this with film: http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/recurvirostridae/amav01.html The DMR is far more usable at ISO 400 than any film I've used (color quality, grain or noise, image detail) so that I can use faster shutter speeds without image quality penalty; because of this my 560mm f/6.8 has changed from 'last resort' to 'first choice'. I can even combine high shutter speeds with a trace of DOF (here, 280 f/4 APO & extender stopped down a bit) while maintaining high image quality: http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/ruhu01.html If I had made this photo with film I'd have had to use ISO 400 or 800 film which is MUCH grainier than the DMR's noise and would give me much less image detail. Is the M8 or DMR worth the considerable chunk of change dealers want for them? That's for you and your banker to decide. I know that I'm selling more photos (prints and usage rights) from the DMR than from film exposures. It has expanded the range of photos I can make while maintaining or improving on the high image quality I've become fanatical about. Doug Herr Birdman of Sacramento http://www.wildlightphoto.com