What is useable ISO for 262?

[Frontline]

I am looking to upgrade from my m8 to the new 262 and am curious what the usable ISO is. On the m8 I never go beyond ISO 320. But would love to get to at last 3200 as I tend to shoot in low light environments.

Thanks


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[a.noctilux]

As usual, the "usable ISO" is quite individual.

The reference to film day is to begin with.
In my own case, M (type 262) DNG file is "less-grainer" than Kodak T-Max 3200 for same ISO.
At ISO 6400, I only use for experimentation or when I have no choise, that's rare.

As side note, using ISO 400 or 800 then "push it" in PP can be a way to go.

an example in link :
http://summilux.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=75620&start=75
at end of page, inside dark church south of France
M (type 262) with MATE, ISO 400 pushed in PP

Arnaud

 

[ajramirez]

Assuming the sensor is the same as in the M240, 3200 is as high as I go. Cleans up very nicely in ACR if needed. Watch for underexposure, though, as you may see banding if the shadows need to be opened up significantly.

 

[rscheffler]

I'm shooting the M240, so believe the performance will be very similar. I generally prefer to keep it at 1600 or lower. At 3200 I start to see banding in some images, but have heard the 262 might be slightly better here...

 

[neonart]

ISO 4000 is my personal limit. You will find grain, but exposed ok and it's not too bad. I find I rather get a steady shot that's useable than not.
Here's an example:

I'll find another with less light that shows some banding, but was still worth shooting at 4000 later...

 

[neonart]

Here are a couple at 4000 with some grain and banding:

 

[willie_901]

Here's some data for the M 240. Would the M 262 be identical?

You can see how many stops of underexposure (a.k.a. increase in ISO above 200) affects the signal to noise ratio(DR data) and the read noise.


Read Noise vs ISO

Shadow Region Improvement vs ISO

Dynamic Range When The Shutter Is Open

All three metrics depend on the signal-to-noise ratio when the shutter is open. The signal depends upon the exposure which we obviously control. The noise estimates in this data depend on camera's data-stream electronics.

This information is generated via statistical analysis of un-rendered raw file numbers (RN). So post-production manipulations are irrelevant.

As mentioned by others, the maximum acceptable ISO is a subjective issue. Assuming the exposure (shutter time/aperture) is optimized, based on my experience ISO 1600 would be useable for color work and a stop higher would be fine for B&W. The DR (or SNR) drops by only ~ 3 stops from ISO 200 to 1600. A three stop push in post rendering is not extreme.

 

[Fraser]

If you do a lot of low light stuff why not keep the m8 and get a Nikon df with a 50mm 1.4 or 1.8 then it doesn't really matter within reason what ISO your using, secondhand a df and a 50mm is cheaper than a 35mm summicron.

 

[neonart]

If you do a lot of low light stuff why not keep the m8 and get a Nikon df with a 50mm 1.4 or 1.8 then it doesn't really matter within reason what ISO your using, secondhand a df and a 50mm is cheaper than a 35mm summicron.

My only counter to that, having done a 2 camera setup before (RD-1 & RX1) is that you don't get the rangefinder experience all the time and at times you have to choose "which one will I take". Having one camera you really love that can do it all is liberating.

I have found the M240 to do a great job most of the time and paired with a f1.4 or 1.5 lens I've never wanted anything more. However, as I've said, I'm not against a little noise or grain if I can get a good shot.

Heres a color photo at ISO4000. You can see you lose some dynamic range as willie_901 stated, but I've learned to overlook some of that in favor of shooting all the time with the M240 in any lighting.

 

[Gregm61]

There's definite banding at ISO 6400. I'll take the results I've seen at ISO 3200 with my M262 every day, knowing how little I ever actually have to go there.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I have gotten good results from 3200 and if I don't underexpose and try and pull the exposure back pretty usable at 6400 but it's not always consistent. So I try and not go above 3200.

 

[SaveKodak]

If you're going to shoot above ISO 800 the rule should be to nail your exposure with the current M sensor. You can get decent results but there is NO room for shadow recovery. I saw banding at 1600.

 

[Pioneer]

I set it at ISO800 and can usually get really good photographs with the ZM Sonnar or MS Optical Sonnetar well over 90%.

If I need to stop action in low light, as in high school basketball, then there is nothing like flash!

 

[user237428934]

If you're going to shoot above ISO 800 the rule should be to nail your exposure with the current M sensor. You can get decent results but there is NO room for shadow recovery. I saw banding at 1600.

I think this is not exactly true. My experience is that the higher you set ISO the less room you have for working with the shadows. ISO 1600 and 3200 is perfectly usable for a lot of situations but you have to nail exposure. If you increase exposure 0.5EV or more in post processing on a ISO3200 file you can already see lots of banding. I have more room on a ISO 1600 file.

 

[willie_901]

The appearance of banding depends on the signal-to-noise ratio. The signal determines the ADC voltage maximum threshold while the noise and artifact levels determine the ADC voltage minimum threshold.

The nose artifact levels remain constant and as ISO increases they increase due to DC amplification. The signal levels depend on the shutter time and aperture.

It is completely normal for different photographers to see banding at slightly different ISO levels because different photographers use different shutter times and apertures in similar lighting circumstance.

 

[MCTuomey]

Here are a couple at 4000 with some grain and banding:

lovely work!

 

[Godfrey]

As ISO goes up, dynamic range goes down. At high ISOs, expose for highlights and midrange values, let the shadows go by pulling up the black point.

I find the entire typ 262 ISO range quite usable if I adhere to the above rule. I never get any banding.

If your question is "what is the usable ISO range with dynamic range held constant", then ISO 1600 is the limit where DR starts to be noticeably smaller than at base ISO.

G

 

[Pete B]

I'm shooting the M240, so believe the performance will be very similar. I generally prefer to keep it at 1600 or lower. At 3200 I start to see banding in some images, ..

+1
I'm very impressed by 1600 on M240. Occasional banding on 3200
Pete

 

[user237428934]

What I like about the Leica sensors is, that under the noise you always have sharp image information, no smearing of details.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I posted this in another thread. 262 at 3200.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2659336&postcount=5