[Leica] M8 & Infrared //Erwin Puts article on the subject

[henningw at archiphoto.com (Henning Wulff)]

At 10:10 AM -0500 11/25/06, Leonard Taupier wrote:
>Simon,
>
>I don't think Edwin's comments or M8 evaluations exactly address 
>what Jim Christie asked.
>
>First off, using a RF camera like the Leica M is easier than with a 
>SLR. The IR filter can stay on the lens without obstructing the view 
>of the scene. IR film is more sensitive than a digital sensor so 
>hand holding the camera is more of a possibility with film. With the 
>digital SLR you need to either frame and focus the scene with the 
>camera on a tripod and with the filer removed, or prefocus and use 
>an external viewfinder with the filter on.
>
>IR sensitivity of current digital cameras can vary from so so to not 
>at all (Nikon D200).

Actually I found the IR sensitivity of the M8 to be not much 
different and possibly even greater than that of Kodak HIE, the most 
common high sensitivity film. The shot I showed was handheld at 
f/8-11 at 1/30 sec at 1250 ISO with an 87 filter. With Kodak HIE 
you'd be a couple of stops down with an 87 filter. With an 89b filter 
the sensitivity of the M8 was similar to that of HIE, but at the 
longer wavelengths that the 87 passes the M8 was more sensitive.

It's a little bit hard to compare because the spectral responses are 
different at different wavelengths, and also I didnt't really have 
enough time to do a thorough job. Most of my time with it was just 
taking pictures and trying things out to see if it met my 
expectations. Which it did, and more.

>In order to take images at all one must set the ISO very high (800 
>or higher), hope you get an image at all  and live with the 
>resulting grain. The resulting image must then be converted to 
>monochrome or desaturated and the contrast increased for acceptable 
>IR photos.
>
>Henning shared an IR photo with us that was taken with an M8, 
>handheld and at a lower ISO than what can generally be taken with 
>the current digital cameras. It was a beautiful image, sharp, very 
>good depth of field and lower grain than what I normally see from 
>film. I may be wrong but from memory I believe it was taken at ISO 
>640 (or so). The short answer to Jim's question is YES.
>
>Len
>
>
>On Nov 25, 2006, at 3:56 AM, animal wrote:
>
>>Hello,
>>Erwin Puts article on the subject as well as his second review of the M8
>>http://www.imx.nl/photosite/comments/c029.html
>>http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/M8_2/t007.html
>>
>>seasons wishes
>>simon jessurun
>>amsterdam
>>the netherlands
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Christie" 
>><jim.christie@sbcglobal.net>
>>To: <lug@leica-users.org>
>>Sent: Friday, November 24, 2006 8:34 PM
>>Subject: [Leica] M8 & Infrared Photograph
>>
>>>I've been trying to follow and understand the problem issues with the new 
>>>M8
>>>and I have the following question. Does the IR problem mean that the M8 is
>>>more sensitive to IR light and, therefore, if you shoot for Infrared
>>>photographs without the proposed filter and use a normal IR filter 
>>>instead,
>>>will one get more Infrared light and possibly better IR photos?
>>>
>>>Jim Christie
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Leica Users Group.
>>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Leica Users Group.
>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Leica Users Group.
>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


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