High Iso Leica M10 Monochrome Examples

[daveoo]

I won't call this a rigid comparison since I know there are plenty of variables.

The Iso includes from 32000 to 64000. The photo location may vary and have different light levels but all are from indoor settings in the early evening.

All photos were imported into Capture 1 and I am sure the software makes some adjustments. I tried to get the exposure and levels close between the same Iso settings in C1.

The camera captured DNG and also JPG at the Large 40mp setting. Contrast and Sharpness in the camera were Standard and Toning was off. Shading correction was on and there were no color filters on the lens. The Lens Detection was set manually to Leica Summicron-M 1:2/28 ASPH.

I used a Zeiss ZM Biogon 28mm 2.8 lens at f4.0and f5.6.

There are three photographs at each Iso level. The DNG was converted to JPG in C1 at around 90% Quality. The original JPG was output from C1 at 90% also. And finally the same DNG was sent to Topaz Denoise 1.3.3 and processed With Remove Noise at 0.2 and Sharpen at 0.15. Recover Detail was left alone. Then the file was sent back to C1 as a TIFF. TIFFs were not compressed. And then this TIFF was output to JPG at 90%.

The purpose of this post is to assess usability of the different Iso settings from the Monochrome camera. I think the absence of color helps here. My conclusion is that I should have tried Auto Iso Max of 80000 and maybe even 100000.

The photos are labeled in a Flickr album and range in size from 13-23mp.

I don't know if this will interest anyone, but the exercise was useful to me. YMMV.


Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/135031...57720092987986

https://www.flickr.com/photos/135031...57720092987986

31 Oct 2021: Added Iso 8000 and 5000
31 Oct 2021: Added Iso 3200

 

[willie_901]

Considering how much the sensor was under exposed in these images, the results are amazing -very impressive!

 

[Coldkennels]

I can't say I'm a big fan of the Topaz-ed images - they look a bit too plastic-y and smoothed over - but I'm honestly impressed by how good the OOC JPGs are at the top end. The noise at 64000 is prominent, but not disgusting - in fact, it looks almost film-like.

I really can't justify the price of an M10-Monochrom, but looking at this, I really wish I could.

 

[daveoo]

Good point on exposure Willie 901, I just added SOOC JPG Iso 64000. It is last in order of the images and did not go through C1 or any other software. And it is the same image that is earlier shown at Iso 64000.

I am sure I could have done this better, but the scenes are 800 miles away now.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Interesting... By OP https://flic.kr/p/2mFy5Eo
I took quick&dirty with RP &51200. Just LR, no Topaz (didn't liked how it is smoothing out details)
Same as 1600 pix max size in OP.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/kf095/g99k7K

 

[willie_901]

Good point on exposure Willie 901, I just added SOOC JPG Iso 64000. It is last in order of the images and did not go through C1 or any other software. And it is the same image that is earlier shown at Iso 64000.

I am sure I could have done this better, but the scenes are 800 miles away now.

I think you did this very well.

My comment on exposure was based on the effect of camera ISO settings on sensor exposure.

• Total sensor exposure depends on two settings - shutter time and aperture. Exposure only happens when the shutter is open. [1]
• Final image brightness depends on exposure and in-camera, post-acquisition image brightening. [2]
• At native ISO (160 for the M10M ?) the sensor can be fully exposed regardless of light levels. In low light the shutter times and apertures must be long and, or wide respectively to fully expose the sensor.
• Above native ISO settings the light meter estimates shutter times, and, or apertures that intentionally underexpose the sensor. When shutter time and, or aperture settings are optimized, the sensor analog data levels will be below the maximum possible values. These shutter times and, or apertures are required to account for camera shake and, or subject motion and provide the desired DOF. In order to obtain appropriate image brightness the analog sensor data levels are increased after the shutter closes. This also makes full use of the analog-to-digital converter. After the shutter closes, an increased camera ISO setting compensates for the sensor underexposure.
• Any time camera ISO setting is above the native value and the shutter time and, or aperture are set to the light meter estimates, the sensor will be underexposed.

1. Cameras with electronic shutters are no different. The correct wording would be - during data acquisition.
2. For some cameras, final image brightness can be achieved without compromising technical image quality during post-production, raw-file rendering. Other camera depend on analog signal amplification

 

[daveoo]

Thanks willie 901, interesting.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

... The Lens Detection was set manually to Leica Summicron-M 1:2/28 ASPH. I used a Zeiss ZM Biogon 28mm 2.8 lens at f4.0and f5.6. ... The purpose of this post is to assess usability of the different Iso settings from the Monochrome camera. I think the absence of color helps here. My conclusion is that I should have tried Auto Iso Max of 80000 and maybe even 100000. ...

They all look pretty good to me. I prefer 90% of the photos shot with my M10-P when converted to B&W (with very little processing in post) using Nik (Dx0). I'd love to get my hands on an M10-M at some point once the prices fall to a point of rationality. You've only whetted my appetite for one!

FWIW, the 28mm Biogon is optimally set (IMHO) as a 28mm Elmarit v.3. But you may not notice much difference in this case as the lens codes affect mainly color issues and vignetting.

Are these hand-held or did you use a tripod?

 

[jsrockit]

Look good to me...

 

[daveoo]

Bill, these were handheld shots. And thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks also jsrockit.