M8 noise

What noise?

What noise?

If you mean audible noise, it's not as loud as my Nikons(Fm3a, D1x, D1h, D2h, or D2x) Nor, as loud as my partners Canon DSLR's. And there are no lightning flash moments (I would rate this as flash signature). Not from me anyway.

If you mean noise in the pics, it's a whole lot less than film, for my given ISO/ASA speeds I would do with film. Sure it's not as quiet as the M3/2/4, but it is no SLR with mirror slap and a huge flash, either.

As to the original post, NO. You must upgrade/downgrade your shutter to a slower top speed to quiet it(supposedly). I will live with the noise.
 
Last edited:
ajpat said:
Just wondering if noise levels can be fixed or reduced in a new firmware.
Click to expand...

I doubt it. The sound you hear is mechanical and cannot be muted with firmware. If you can't live with the way your M8 sounds you’ll just have to send it in to Leica for an upgrade – but you'll lose a stop at the top end (from 8000 to 4000).
 
I would imagine they could change/strengthen the noise reduction for in-camera processing. If they do I hope they limit it to JPEG, and leave DNG as is. I'd rather have the option of applying noise reduction in post, if and when I want. And most of the time I don't want. Now that most cameras have enough megapixels to print a billboard, high-iso noise is becoming the new parameter that companies are using to get people to buy new models.
 
Last edited:
Ben Z said:
I would imagine they could change/strengthen the noise reduction for in-camera processing. If they do I hope they limit it to JPEG, and leave DNG as is. I'd rather have the option of applying noise reduction in post, if and when I want. And most of the time I don't want. Now that most cameras have enough megapixels to print a billboard, high-iso noise is becoming the new parameter that companies are using to get people to buy new models.
Click to expand...

Finally somebody who agrees with me on this point:cool:! Everybody seems to think that the sensor of Nikon is more silent - it is not. The noisereduction applied by firmware after the sensor dump and before writing RAW is extremely sophisticated. And the Cmos sensors used by Canon are even more noisy, but have noise-reducing circuitry on the sensor itself and again noise-reducing software. We are going to see a senseless game of leapfrog between these two regarding high-Iso noise performance. The Leica products are fortunately not cameras that are supposed to produce out-of-the-box miracles, resulting in far less cooked files.
 
Everybody seems to think that the sensor of Nikon is more silent - it is not.
Click to expand...

I'm not allergic to noise, but c'mon! Compare your RAW iso 2500 M8 shots to a RAW D700 shot at the same iso, then consider that the D700 has several more clicks on its iso dial....
 
You comparing camera output. I said extremely sophisticated noisereduction in sensor readout.
That has nothing to do with noise on the sensor level. There was a "look how noiseless" shot at just 800 ISO in the D700 review in Naturphoto. Even on the small print in that magazine one could see what electronics had done to that file. But it WAS without noise. Look at the testimonial shots at high ISO on the Nikon website. Either there is something wrong with the postprocessing (which I doubt, given the level of digital expertise at Nikon), or the camera produces digital looking files at that setting. But you are right, there is no noise. For a print one would have to add it....
 
So Nikon adds a noticeable degree of noise reduction to their RAW files even at iso 800? I'd love to see a back-to-back comparison.
 
It would indeed be interesting. But my whole point is that it is better to control noise in post-processing than have the camera do it for you. Unless, of course, the camera does it in such a way that you are perfectly happy with it. "Invisible" noise processing would be fine... I am, however, a bit of a control freak when it comes to photography, and for that reason do not like autofocus, autoexposure (though I ame lazy from time to time:eek:) nor file manipulation by the camera.
 
kevin m said:
I'm not allergic to noise, but c'mon! Compare your RAW iso 2500 M8 shots to a RAW D700 shot at the same iso, then consider that the D700 has several more clicks on its iso dial....
Click to expand...

Another thing I would consider is that focusing (either manually or hoping the IR-aided AF will latch onto what I want it to) in the kind of available darkness that I might use ISO 2500 and above, is still a weak spot with any reflex compared to a rangefinder.
 
You can always see the M8 noise at ISO2500, but if you are careful,it can be tamed to some degree....

ISO2500001_1.jpg


Full size, if interested..
http://www.tunachaser.com/modules/pnCPG/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/ISO2500002_1.jpg
 
It's not that simple.

It's not that simple.

Beyond the already well stated point regarding noise reduction from the software. It is my understanding that this is not an easy process. Leica has had to balance the constraints of a given body size, sensor size, lens distance and lens design. The optical light being bent by the lens is very difficult to deal with, and the sensor size has been limited accordingly. If they could make the higher ISO's appear with less noise and the same or higher detail. They would do it. Until sensor technology improves, I believe we have what we can expect to be the current best from the M8. It seems pointless to eliminate information prior to viewing, via firmware.

I am sure that if the Leica community was saying build me what ever range finder body you want, with new lenses. Leica could build something beyond the current M system. But, this would hardly seem to be something that I personally would want to buy. I still want to use film, and I have far to much into my lenses. I will accept the compromises. Hence, I just bought my first M8. Just my thoughts...
 
indeed. the high iso performance of the m8 is perfectly useable. Is it the best performing camera in that department...NO!!! but it's not bad either. And comparing it to cameras that are new to the market is just plain silly. Besides...when sony introduces it's new FF camera soon ya'all are gonna start looking at the d3 and d700 as pieces of rubbish since they eliminate noise by means of algorithms where the new sony sensor eliminates noise on the sensor itself.
Technology will always be better tomorrow...just take your camera and do what we did in the old days...learn its limitations...then exploit them to make them work for you.


biggambi said:
Beyond the already well stated point regarding noise reduction from the software. It is my understanding that this is not an easy process. Leica has had to balance the constraints of a given body size, sensor size, lens distance and lens design. The optical light being bent by the lens is very difficult to deal with, and the sensor size has been limited accordingly. If they could make the higher ISO's appear with less noise and the same or higher detail. They would do it. Until sensor technology improves, I believe we have what we can expect to be the current best from the M8. It seems pointless to eliminate information prior to viewing, via firmware.

I am sure that if the Leica community was saying build me what ever range finder body you want, with new lenses. Leica could build something beyond the current M system. But, this would hardly seem to be something that I personally would want to buy. I still want to use film, and I have far to much into my lenses. I will accept the compromises. Hence, I just bought my first M8. Just my thoughts...
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom