Discussion Forum Leica M System M Monochrom M Monochrom review web site (but in Chinese language at the meantime)
  • June 23, 2012 at 11:50 am #2640
    Bobby Lee

    Dear all,

    I have a chance to use the M Monochrom for 24 hours and have posed a five parts review on the camera.

    Although the review are in Chinese and I am not sure if Google translate can do the job or not, it is still worth for anyone who would link to know from concept to on field tested images to take a look. In stead of taking the camera out and set it at high ISO to see the grain/noise (which we have seen many test results already), I tried to start from the definition of gray scale from the angle of Panchromatic interpretation.

    I have also sent the link to Leica Camera AG and if I get enough feedback from English readers, I will try my best to rewrite the reviews in English language later!

    Part One
    http://www.photo-society.hk/?p=2103

    Part Two
    http://www.photo-society.hk/?p=2179

    Part Three
    http://www.photo-society.hk/?p=2210

    Part Four
    http://www.photo-society.hk/?p=2292

    Part Five
    http://www.photo-society.hk/?p=2378

    Attached is one of the image I have took with the M Monochrom (this is a 4 Mb. file).

    Looking forward to hear advise from you guys soon.

    Bobby

    ps. I own the 28 for ten years and this is the first time I experienced its sharpness. The shot was full frame un-crop hand held!

    Attached files

  • June 23, 2012 at 12:48 pm #2641
    Pete Walentin

    Thanks Bobby. Luckily your review incoporates some pictures which are speaking for themself.

    I did as well some test when I had the chance to shoot the M9M with the new 50mm and the results were amazing. Especially how the camera handles highlights and shadows and what you are able to do with the files afterwards. There is so much room, pretty awesome. Can’t wait to shoot with the cam.

    The sharpness of the attached image is amazing.

  • June 23, 2012 at 12:53 pm #2642
    Bobby Lee

    Hi Pete,

    You are welcome.

    There is no sharpening on the attached image. Just default pre-sharpen setting (25) on Camera Raw.

    You should try the M Monochrom as if it is a camera loaded with Black and White (positive) film. I have found the ‘expose to the right’ theory cannot work with this camera, or at least this one with unfinished firmware.

    On the third part of my review (http://www.photo-society.hk/?p=2210), browse to the bottom of the post and click the link. You will find a video clip showing the interesting response of the histogram!

    Bobby

  • June 23, 2012 at 1:51 pm #2645
    Pete Walentin

    Thanks Bobby.

    When I tested the M9M the amazing thing was that even meetering into a pretty bright city sky, there was no clipping in the shadows and you could bring the shadows (house roofs/walls) easily back in pp with a nice film lookalike grain. And vica-versa metering at the houses there was no clipping in the bright sky and easily getting back the texture of the clouds in pp. As said, pretty amazing. 🙂

    I have to admit, even if this it not a thread about the S2, that I do not use the ETTR method on the S2 as well…

  • June 23, 2012 at 2:21 pm #2646
    Bobby Lee

    Hi Pete,

    Well, I think the reason we have to follow the so called ‘expose to the right’ is base on the histogram generate from the Joel preview image file. There are lots of round up figures when calculating this low resolution jpeg file and some camera manufacturers deliberately add on a safety margine to this calculation so the photographer always expose the image in a safety zone.

    However, the histogram of the M Monochrom is generate directly from the DNG file. This is a rather ‘flat’ file with more than enough information. Plus the firmware is not final. That is why in the video, the histogram first shown one shape and after one second it re-calculate into another shape! Also in my review, from the screen capture, you will find that the over exposed area on the reflective glass window did not send the right ready to Photoshop’s Camera Raw.

    No matter it was the firmware or the character of the CCD or the DNG behavior, I am sure the M Monochrom has its whole new set of rules for making the right exposure.

    There will be lots of test when the full production camera is avaiable for us to test again. Hope you can inspire me more on this issue! Thanks!

    Bobby

  • June 25, 2012 at 12:39 pm #2651
    Bobby Lee

    Hi guys,

    Just would like to post another M Monochrom image.

    This one is ‘almost’ perfect except some blow out highlight. It should be better if I make a under exposure image and adjust it with Camera Raw later!

    Only wish I have a couple of days to try out the camera instead of 24 hours.

    Bobby

    Attached files

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