Leica S DNG samples?

Alain:

I haven’t taken the S out for serious landscape photography yet but I do have a number of DNG files of non-portraits that I would be happy to send to you via DropBox or a similar service. Send me an email at [email]josh@dalephotoanddigital.com[/email] and we can arrange it.

I pulled together a few DNG sample files from the Leica S. Nothing award winning but it gives you an idea of what the camera is capable of. All the files have been edited in Lightroom using my basic S presets, and then exported as DNG files.

Leica S (typ 006) Sample DNG Files

Feel free to use the files for examination but note they are not for publication elsewhere or any commercial distribution. As I mentioned I’ve applied some basic edits but of course they can be reset so you can see what the out-of-camera file looked like.

Thanks, Josh.

That reminds me – can the S2 be permanently customised to adopt a different file numbering sequence ? My file numbers are the same as yours and everyone else’s.

Same as M9, I recall, but I permanently changed those in camera. From what I’ve seen so far, the S2 can only be customised for short term, or individual cards …. if I remember right.

Josh Lehrer;4282 wrote: I pulled together a few DNG sample files from the Leica S. Nothing award winning but it gives you an idea of what the camera is capable of. All the files have been edited in Lightroom using my basic S presets, and then exported as DNG files.

Leica S (typ 006) Sample DNG Files

Feel free to use the files for examination but note they are not for publication elsewhere or any commercial distribution. As I mentioned I’ve applied some basic edits but of course they can be reset so you can see what the out-of-camera file looked like.

Thank you.

How is the dynamic range? I am intrigued by the large dynamic range in MF but also a little scared to commit to a body and sensor that cannot be upgraded. Do you forsee benefit of more dynamic range? Have you done a 3 stop over and under test to see if you can get the detail back? Would appreciate your thoughts.

Steve

Josh Lehrer;4274 wrote: Alain:

I haven’t taken the S out for serious landscape photography yet but I do have a number of DNG files of non-portraits that I would be happy to send to you via DropBox or a similar service. Send me an email at [email]josh@dalephotoanddigital.com[/email] and we can arrange it.

I find the dynamic range of the S sensor to be all that I really need, I couldn’t really quantify it because I don’t believe that measurement ever really means anything. I will say that I don’t have any difficulty recovering highlights that are 2+ stops over exposed, but I rarely attempt to recover extremely deep shadows because that’s always where noise lives on any sensor.

When it comes to the dynamic range of any sensor, it’s important to me not because I want to recover improperly exposed images, but to extract as much detail as possible out of my properly exposed files. In those scenarios I often find that I can process my S raw files multiple times to create an extended dynamic range image from just one file.

And it’s not hard to upgrade your S camera…just sell it and buy the next one! It’s the same thing users of other systems do when new bodies and backs come out.

Thanks so much for your insight. Yes I am more curious about getting the most out of it than saving bad exposures. I am used to bracketing and merging files with my current small format and have seen some samples of an IQ260 with 13 stops dynamic range. The photographer showed me 100% view of an interior mall storefronts where light and shadows exist everywhere. It was quite impressive. Good to know about 12 stops is satisfactory for you. Yes the upgrade is about the same. I am hoping for the 30mm TS lens to be true.

Josh Lehrer;4434 wrote: I find the dynamic range of the S sensor to be all that I really need, I couldn’t really quantify it because I don’t believe that measurement ever really means anything. I will say that I don’t have any difficulty recovering highlights that are 2+ stops over exposed, but I rarely attempt to recover extremely deep shadows because that’s always where noise lives on any sensor.

When it comes to the dynamic range of any sensor, it’s important to me not because I want to recover improperly exposed images, but to extract as much detail as possible out of my properly exposed files. In those scenarios I often find that I can process my S raw files multiple times to create an extended dynamic range image from just one file.

And it’s not hard to upgrade your S camera…just sell it and buy the next one! It’s the same thing users of other systems do when new bodies and backs come out.