Leica M8 Colors are sublime

[Olsen]

I use my M8 together with my Canon 1Ds III. Generally speaking; Canon makes better cameras, while Leica makes better lenses. Canon is better at low noise/high ISO, but the M8 produces some astonishing pictures now and then which is impossible to reproduce with the 1DsIII. Like this one: http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=120933&ppuser=6525

It is difficult to say why, but the lenses means a lot. But also the sensor. I have often claimed that the M8/WATE is the best wide angle alternative on the market. Far better than 1Ds III/16-35 mm 2,8L II - even with the egdes cropped to about the 1,33 crop factor of the M8.

 

[myM8yogi]

I moved from canon to an M8 (much better colours, much better camera) and then to an M9.

I actually think the M8 was a better black and white camera than the M9.
Maybe it was just because it was my first digital Leica, and the in-camera black and white jpgs blew me away (perhaps the M9 would have done the same thing if I had seen that first). But I still have the feeling that the IR senstivity of the M8 really helped open up the shadows with b&w portraits.

 

[noimmunity]

But I still have the feeling that the IR senstivity of the M8 really helped open up the shadows with b&w portraits.

I haven't used my M8 much for B&W, largely leaving that domain to film. But I'm curious if you were shooting without IR filters for B&W work with the M8? I oughtta try comparing with and without myself to see what it's like...but would love to here how it worked for you.

OT: The M9 is becoming intolerably tempting. :bang:

 

[peterm1]

My M8 is the only camera I use, and, I agree with Keith.

It's everything I need, and I like the photos I get with it - but if I dropped it in the toilet, it would not turn the ... 'stuff' in there to wine.

That's strange, I dropped mine in the toilet and it did turn the stuff in there into wine - 2008 Shiraz from the McLaren Vale district to be precise. Very nice with a good beef steak. Oh, hang on that's what I had been drinking before I dropped the camera.

 

[ruslan]

I moved from canon to an M8 (much better colours, much better camera) and then to an M9.

I actually think the M8 was a better black and white camera than the M9.
Maybe it was just because it was my first digital Leica, and the in-camera black and white jpgs blew me away (perhaps the M9 would have done the same thing if I had seen that first). But I still have the feeling that the IR senstivity of the M8 really helped open up the shadows with b&w portraits.

M8-M9 is a good cameras, but can't compare with 1 series Canon's, especially in colors. I still like my M8, but 1dsIII is better, much better, comparable with digital backs.

 

[aldobonnard]

In all honesty, despite my love for the great M8/M9, the best combo for accurate colours: any Nikon body (I stick to my old but crisp D70) + great nikon prime lenses + DxO Optics + DxO Film Package, and you get something great; super fast RAW workflow, batch-processing, super reliable and repeatable results and auto-correction of lenses+body aberrations. Much cheaper than ad-o-be and cumbersome extra plugins.
I regret that DxO Optics cannot be applied to my R-D1 though, neither does it work with the M8/M9.
DxO Film Pack however can be used as a plugin to PSP or Standalone application. It's cheap, crystal clear and super simple.

 

[peterm1]

In all honesty, despite my love for the great M8/M9, the best combo for accurate colours: any Nikon body (I stick to my old but crisp D70) + great nikon prime lenses + DxO Optics + DxO Film Package, and you get something great; super fast RAW workflow, batch-processing, super reliable and repeatable results and auto-correction of lenses+body aberrations. Much cheaper than ad-o-be and cumbersome extra plugins.
I regret that DxO Optics cannot be applied to my R-D1 though, neither does it work with the M8/M9.
DxO Film Pack however can be used as a plugin to PSP or Standalone application. It's cheap, crystal clear and super simple.

I must admit that I have held onto my old D70s as it is such a nice camera to use and produces good images - perhaps in part because its pixel density is so low. That with the kit 18-70mm zoom is a cheap but excellent camera / lens combo. But its not up to the M8 with Leica glass. I still feel that I have not found a camera / lens combination that produces equivalent images direct from the camera. All of my Nikon shots have needed a good deal of processing before I am satisfied.

 

[maenju]

I must admit that, as convinced as I am by my M8 (which I'm still getting to know), the color rendition doesn't seem to be its strong point to me. Perhaps it's because light conditions here in the Philippines mess with the white balance or because my Lightroom profiles/calibrations that I've tried out all stink, but so far I haven't been able to process a picture that REALLY convinced me in terms of color. So in the end, as I'm a sucker for B&W anyway, I mostly stick to that.

So, any tips for processing M8 color images with LR3? I've tried it with the custom profile that was linked here in the forum, but it hasn't really convinced me as well. Mostly I find the reds way to oversaturated...

 

[Roger Hicks]

I have a D70 too. Apparently a popular combination! I was well impressed when I put a decent lens on the front, but I haven't much time for the 18-70.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Ming Rider]

Hi peterm1,

Well, talk about knocking a man down when he's up. After that earbashing of your new found joy for the M8, will you have any enthusiasm left? Or maybe you should just drop it down the toilet??

Enjoy the M8. Had one before and waiting impatiently for the next one (roll-on Friday). I love the colors as well, so that makes two of us. 😀

Kev

 

[Ming Rider]

So, any tips for processing M8 color images with LR3? I've tried it with the custom profile that was linked here in the forum, but it hasn't really convinced me as well. Mostly I find the reds way to oversaturated...

Try ColorEfex 3 by Nik Software. Fantastic brand name film effects.