Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/04/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Steve, I must respectfully disagree. Certainly you may make wonderful photographs with or without filters. You have shown many great photos here by whatever method too. I do not regard the UV/IR filter as significant at all for my shot that started this thread. Not so the extremely pleasing (for me) and dramatic effect of a polarizer in the previous post. However, you may well produce fine photos using jpeg fine- filter-no filter as your vehicle. That's great, good for you. But a well exposed Raw file offers great flexibility and control. It is unquestionably superior as the starting point for your final picture. Really. Any other choice and you have thrown away a very large amount of information at the outset. Many times more than any filter might have affected the captured tones and in fact those filters may help you capture more of the information that you want, not be detrimental. However I know that you shun such technical discussion and analysis. Otherwise I could recommend a superb book that discusses it in detail with clarity. My prescription for you: spend the money on ink and paper instead ;-)For me, the more I understand, the more it helps me. Discovering the power of Raw has been an absolute revelation for me. Keep sharing pictures. Cheers Geoff http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/e http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/ -----Original Message----- 13:52 To: Leica Users Group Subject: Re: [Leica] IMG: M8 BW conversion On Apr 22, 2008, at 8:41 PM, Bob Adler wrote: > Hi Geoff, > > You're correct; I'm not speaking of shooting in JPEG. I shoot RAW > only also and process in Lightroom and CS3. And as you correctly > stated, I'm not talking about doing IR photography. > > I am curious as to why you say a UV enhances clouds and sky. I've > not heard of that before and I'm very curious to know why that is > so. I may have to go out an buy a whole bunch of those puppies! :-) > > Just now I don't see the need for using the IR filter unless I'm > shooting under incandescent lights and dark clothes. I read > somewhere that having increased IR sensitivity (i.e., without the IR > filter) enhances gradations in the blacks. That's all I was curious > about; if anyone with more knowledge than I might know if this is so. > > Probably not discernable. Maybe some day I'll shoot an image with > and without to see if I notice a difference. But I see no value in > using the IR filter unless I want color under the above conditions. > It doesn't add anything to RAW images converted to BW, and may > detract from the lens' abilities (just my opinion about filters in > general; don't want to start a filter/no filter thread here please). good question Bob... why a filter esp for bw...? but more to the point, why shoot RAW to get more complete data, and use a filter to exclude data? I don't use any filter for bw, but then I rarely use a filter for color. Some of the best bw images I ever got from the M8 were jpeg fine bw, right out of the camera, and yes... no filter... I think it's all about the light, and adjusting to eye with PS or LR, Steve > > > Best, > Bob > > Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:10:44 +1000 > From: "Geoff Hopkinson" <hoppyman@bigpond.net.au> > Subject: RE: [Leica] IMG: M8 BW conversion > To: "'Leica Users Group'" <lug@leica-users.org> > Message-ID: <003301c8a4d6$7954db20$6b01a8c0@dadquad> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" > > Hi Bob, are you referring to shooting in the BW mode, which would be a > colour saturation mode for jpegs? In my opinion that is throwing > away an > ernormous amount of information and control. I only shoot in Raw, > hence RGB, > not greyscale files. Generally speaking, a UV makes sense for photos > of the > sky and clouds anyway. All of my lenses have UV/IR filters fitted > full time. > I'm working on coding some of them (only my 50 is 6 bit). Raw and > processing > in Adobe Camera Raw/Photoshop CS3 offers huge advantages, including > when the > intent is to convert to a greyscale file (or toned BW). That > combination > offers by far the largest number of possible tones, which may be > placed as > you wish within your dynamic range. What's that for an M8, maybe 6 > stops?? > Someone with more experience than I might like to chime in there. > Those 3 > gazillion linear tones get morphed into our non-linear way of seeing > stuff. > In the end the files are much more robust and hence editable. If you > have a > chance, take a look at what Lightroom or ACR and/or PSCS3 will do > for you in > new BW options. I follow your point on not wanting to filter IR and > I'd be > very interested to see anyone's work displaying examples there. I > confess > that I am not personally enthusiastic about IR photography, but I > don't > think that you are referring to that specifically. > > Cheers > Geoff > http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/e > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/ > > -----Original Message----- > From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org [mailto:lug- > Subject: Re: [Leica] IMG: M8 BW conversion > > Geoff, > Wondering why you leave the UV/IR filter on. I've only been using it > indoors > with people (clothing) photography (when I remember to put it on...) > My understanding is that the M8 provides better gradations of gray > because > it doesn't have an IR filter on the sensor. Thus I'm thinking that > for BW > not using the filter makes for more information. This just from my > readings; > it may be just theory... > Any thoughts? > Thanks, > Bob > > Bob Adler > Palo Alto, CA > http://www.raflexions.com > > > Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:26:15 +1000 > From: "Geoff Hopkinson" <hoppyman@bigpond.net.au> > Subject: [Leica] IMG: M8 BW conversion > To: "'Leica Users Group'" <lug@leica-users.org> > Message-ID: <000101c8a48d$34692870$6b01a8c0@dadquad> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" > > Still playing with BW conversion from M8 DNGs. This is from walking > the dog > here recently. We've been having Graham clouds here several times a > week for > six months or so. Bless you La Nina. > > > > UV/IR only. PSCS3 conversion simulating deep red and blues tweaked > further. > Even put some grain back for nostalgia. > > <http://www.pbase.com/image/95983277> > > > > > > Comments always welcome. > > Cheers > > Geoff > > http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/e > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/ > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________ ________ > Be a better friend, newshound, and > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information best, Steve "I never wanted to be famous" http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/186890 _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information