The vertical line only happens when you take a photo that's drastically underexposed and try and crank the exposure up in image editing software. M8 .dng files deliver fantastic headroom- better than scanned B&W film, based on my experience with my M8 so far. If you're having to manipulate shots to that extreme then you need to find better lit subjects to shoot, or fork out for a Noctilux.
Tim, I have to disagree respectfully to both points.
The vertical line issue does not occur on all cameras - my M8.2 does not show it (I tested in the shop BEFORE buying with a laptop and pushing a underexposed file in Lightroom, to verify this).
I urge everyone, who buys a M8, M8.2, M9, to do the same. There are quite some stories from buyers, who find out about this and other easy, to check for issues AFTER they bought the camera and have a monthly long hassle, to get the issues repaired.
The digital M clearly cannot be bought without seen!
Secondly, the digital M gives a lot less headroom for pushing than BW film or other cameras, I used so far for low light shots.
I can push M8.2 files semi comfortable (but not safe) for usually one stop, before banding and strong shadow noise become uncomfortable.
I shoot Tri-X 400 in low light, metering at ISO 3200 or even ISO 6400, processing with TMax developer, scanning on a flatbed and push shadows for another one or two stops, if needed !
The digital M is far from coming close, to deliver such robust data!
The EPSON R-D1 is another camera, which delivers much more robust files for pushing, while I shoot it most comfortably at ISO 800 and push from there, it can be used under controlled lighting at ISO 1600 and pushed two stops further.
It shows not an as clean exposure, as the M8.2, when perfectly exposed at this high ISO speed, as it will show grain similar to film, but further pushing ALWAYS gave me more headroom, than the more fragile files from the M8.2.
I will not talk about the Nikon D3 sensor here.
The M8.2 delivers beautifully, but boy, should you expose spot on or loose the shadows.
For low light (night time shooting in dark streets), pushed BW film is still king, right with the D3. The EPSON R-D1 comes quite close, while the M8.2 really doesn't like this kind of light and needs more often a few stops more light or a heavy contrast processing, hiding the ugly shadows (like in the excellent ISO2500 image above btw
😉).
