Couple of photos with the M9

with Nokton 50/1.5

with Nokton 50/1.5

The bokeh is not too shabby, IMO

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I was checking out Silver Efex Pro the other day ... their grain simulator isn't that far off the mark IMO but the $190.00 price tag scared me off fairly quickly! :eek:

Keith,

It's a decent buy - I would strongly suggest it if you're looking for something to emulate film (look and grain). I would say that it makes digital B&W photos look more "pleasing" (to me).

I do like my own Photoshop Action that I created as well but I don't get the "grain" with that..

Cheers and back to the M9 images :)
Dave
 
It's a decent buy - I would strongly suggest it if you're looking for something to emulate film (look and grain). I would say that it makes digital B&W photos look more "pleasing" (to me).

I agree. The second photo I offered was creating using Silver Efex. The benefit of using Silver Efex, for me, is that otherwise I'd just be wandering around Lightroom. Silver Efex at least lets me create B&W images with direction. I'm still getting the hang of post processing (to say the least).
 
And where are the other contributors to this thread? There are more than three M9s in this forum, surely?
 
:D That's another forum.. It does not have to be the latest.. I'm eagerly anticipating the arrival of a lovely late IIIf that once belonged to a Leica employee :)
 
I meant to add ... if it's noise you're in trouble with that M9 because I checked the exif data and the first image showed ISO 160. :D

I was checking out Silver Efex Pro the other day ... their grain simulator isn't that far off the mark IMO but the $190.00 price tag scared me off fairly quickly! :eek:

I took the plunge and purchased Silver Efex Pro and I WAS trying to emulate film grain. So the weird thing is that the Tri-X setting (the whole reason I bought the software) is like exaggerated Tri-X and looks nothing like my negatives. :mad:
 
I took the plunge and purchased Silver Efex Pro and I WAS trying to emulate film grain. So the weird thing is that the Tri-X setting (the whole reason I bought the software) is like exaggerated Tri-X and looks nothing like my negatives. :mad:


I must admit after having a look at the demo film simulations on Silver Efex and Alien Skin they go a bit far IMO ... the subtlety seems to be missing ... very exaggerated I agree!
 
I must admit after having a look at the demo film simulations on Silver Efex and Alien Skin they go a bit far IMO ... the subtlety seems to be missing ... very exaggerated I agree!

Keith, I would suggest you not use the "default" settings for the films - the grain slider in SilverEfex, when the image is at 100% in the viewer window, should give you the control you want. Once you find that "sweet spot", simply save the settings as a pre-set. Whammo.. you've got your own "one button Tri-X" (or APX, or HP5+ etc. etc.) :)


Cheers,
Dave
 
Keith, I would suggest you not use the "default" settings for the films - the grain slider in SilverEfex, when the image is at 100% in the viewer window, should give you the control you want. Once you find that "sweet spot", simply save the settings as a pre-set. Whammo.. you've got your own "one button Tri-X" (or APX, or HP5+ etc. etc.) :)


Cheers,
Dave


Dave,

I haven't actually tried the software ... I was only going by what I've seen on the website. Since getting the D700 I'm definitely interested though and may download the trial version for a real 'looksee!'

My problem is that I don't actually use photoshop or lightroom although I do have PS '7' lurking somewhere on the computer ... ?
 
Instead of trying to emulate film just shoot film.

Yep, I would agree, but supposing you're shooting a digital camera for wedding work and your client likes nice looking B&W's?

Try competing with other wedding photographers who are shooting hundreds (if not thousands) of images using DSLRs and doing a conversion to B&W while you are using (and paying for) 10-30 rolls of film, developing, either spending your time scanning OR getting images printed via a lab, then sorting through those images in order to get your proofs, then finally getting them to the client. It can't be done at the same price point as a professional digital camera. I've looked at the numbers and you'd have to charge clients a lot more money to ensure you still clear the same margin. And the more money you charge, the less clients there are there that would want your "services" because there are other wedding photographers at that price point who are well established.

For personal work/fine art, go nuts, shoot all the film you want until you can't get it anymore. I'm all for it and do the same myself.

But for "work".. sorry.. it ain't gonna fly.

Cheers,
Dave
 
But for "work".. sorry.. it ain't gonna fly.

Cheers,
Dave

Yup, what Dave said.
I'll try adjusting the settings in Silver Efex to see if I can get a better Tri-X look. Any suggested settings?

At the OP - Great images! I hope to get myself a M9 someday, for now I will keep using my M8 and dreaming :D
 
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