[Leica] Question about M8 exposure

[henningw at archiphoto.com (Henning Wulff)]

At 7:34 PM +0000 1/15/09, Bob W wrote:
>>
>>  At 01:10 AM 1/15/2009, you wrote:
>>  >I have noticed that most of the M8 images posted here have exposure
>>  >compensation of -1/3 stop or -2/3 stop applied to them. Is there any
>>  >particular reason for doing that? I have not noticed any tendency for
>>  >my M8 to overexpose (I shoot on aperture priority and auto
>>  ISO most of
>>  >the time).
>>  >
>>  >Cheers,
>>  >Nathan
>>
>>  I usually, but not always, use -1/3.  I think digital exposures are
>>  more like slide film than negative film so I expose for the
>>  highlights instead of the shadows.
>>
>>  Tina
>
>if you shoot RAW you lose a lot of information that way which could be
>useful during post-processing. You significantly reduce the dynamic range
>you have available.
>
>I 'expose to the right' of the histogram. Sounds like the sort of question
>tailors ask their gentlemen customers.
>
>Regards
>Bob

One of the main points that most of us who've used the M8 have found 
out that it doesn't really work to the same rules as Canon and other 
DSLR's.

The basic theory of the distribution of values is fairly clear to me, 
but sensors and the firmware in cameras do not deal with these in the 
same way.

M8 files are less tolerant of overexposure than Canon files, and more 
tolerant of underexposure.

This logically leads to making sure there is no clipping of 
highlights; ie, exposing as for transparencies: keep from blowing out 
the highlights and let the shadows fall where they may. In the case 
of the M8 they take care of themselves remarkably well; better than 
Canon shadows.

In the end of course, expose correctly. Which depends very much on 
personal metering technique, as the M8 meter is not a multi-segment 
semi-sentient thing which overrides your judgement, but which meters 
exactly what it's pointed at within its parameters of sensitivity.

So. In general, expose so that no values of any interest are clipped 
on the right (highlights). But don't cross that line, because there 
will come retribution in the form of non-linear highlight values that 
can't be corrected. If your metering technique and subject means that 
you set your compensation to -1/3, so be it. If someone else's 
technique means that he/she gets the same histogram on the file with 
+1/3, fine.

Make it work for you, however you meter. Don't be dogmatic, but try 
it out. Just don't think it will work the same way for one digital 
cameras as for another. There are just too many variables for that to 
happen.

-- 

    *            Henning J. Wulff
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