[Leica] DxO, the M8 and dynamic range

[hopsternew at gmail.com (Geoff Hopkinson)]

Dante can you point me to some good data/analysis/examples that have brought
you to these conclusions? I'm very keen to get the best from my M8 and these
statements don't fit with my understanding at all.

2009/1/20 Dante Stella <dstella1@ameritech.net>

>
> The DxOMark site is interesting, primarily the DR comparisons.  Run a
> comparison on the M8 against any modern DSLR (Nikon or Canon) and puzzle
> about the arguments/assertions that the dynamic range of a Leica is
> "better."  A better word would be "average."  Compared to cameras equipped
> with Kodak's 24x36 sensors, Fuji's Super CCDs, and Nikon's post-D2x 
> sensors,
> it's actually a bit behind the curve.  I'm sure that despite objective
> comparisons like DxO's, we're still going to hear claims that the M8 is
> notable for its "dynamic range" (c.f. here, the Leica Camera forum, and
> RangefinderForum.com).  Or does someone want to poke holes in DxO's
> methodology?
>
> After two years of working on M8 DNG files, I can say that the DR and
> distribution of information in DNG files are my biggest issues with the M8.
>  It's not the spatial resolution or the sensor size.  It's not even the
> rickety 50-year old rangefinder, a different effective back focus, or an
> annoying bottom-plate load.
>
> Many of us like shooting pictures that have tonality in the highlights.  On
> film, we'd use TMY, shoot normally, and err on the short side of
> development.  No problem.  But on an M8, we have to underexpose.  This
> pushes the moderately low tones down into the noisier nether regions - and
> some of the time, we end up needlessly sacrificing the camera's DR in the
> process just so we can be sure we don't blow it on the high end of the
> scale.
>
> On the next Leica digital, we need more bits, and we need them in the
> highlights.  That way, we can shoot for the shadows and simply reign in any
> unruly highlights.  And by reign in, I mean with both color and tonality.
>  When you recover highlights on an M8 as currently configured, you get 
> color
> (if you're lucky), but the tonality is flat - like film that shouldered 
> off.
>  Not good for things like clouds and snow-capped mountains.  Or human faces
> with hot spots.
>
> I'm still puzzled about why Leica decided to so much information to
> shadows.  Pictures taken in bright light generally don't have a lot of
> shadow interest.  Low-light situations are either "all shadows," in which
> case they can be shot normally (since they have very constrained dynamic
> ranges) - or they are mostly shadows with bright highlights - in which case
> you need more highlight recovery.  So what was the imagined situation that
> prompted the composition of Leica DNG files?
>
> Dante
>
> ____________
> Dante Stella
> http://www.dantestella.com
>
>
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-- 
Cheers
Geoff
Life's too short for slow zooms