[Leica] a "pro-hobbyist" evaluates an M9 . . . ICK

[roark.paul at gmail.com (Paul Roark)]

<afirkin at afirkin.com> wrote:

> ... when I use MF I find the inherent DOF limitations often cramp my 35mm 
> upbringing ...

I think the M9 has the best DOF-sharpness combination I've used.
Since final image sharpness is a combination of various factors, in
the past I found the 35 mm film limited the sharpness so much that the
better DOF was wiped out by the inferior resolution compared to medium
format.  Now, comparing the M9 to my previous main camera -- the
Bronica RF 645 with Tech Pan -- I think I'm seeing more practical DOF
and sharpness with the M9.

> ... stacked focus images. The darkroom is looking even more cobwebbed ;-)

I totally agree.  I've been a huge fan of tilts for landscape
photography for a long time.  I've owned most of the tilt shift lenses
Canon has made, and the reason I bought the Rollei SL66 was largely
the tilt.  However, with the tilt, there is still only one thin plane
in focus.  It's just tilted. With focus stacking, the planes of focus,
potentially, allow everything to be reasonably sharp.  The software
that does stacking is not really capable of doing a very good job on
most of my shots.  So, it's more work in Photoshop at this point, but
I've used it a lot with good success.

With equipment in general, I like the words of wisdom I heard relating
to tripods:  "The best tripod in the world is the one you have with
you when you need one."  My most limiting factor is the time I have
for shooting.  I need to maximize my good shots per time unit.  So, I
analyze what focal lengths produce the highest number of good shots
for me, and what equipment, in reality, I'm most likely to take into
the field.  Currently, the M9 with a 35mm lens is the middle of the
bell curve of good shots and most likely to actually be taken with me.
 So, the focus stacking and stitching are, even if not necessarily the
best approach, the ones I have with me when I need them.  The bottom
line is the the number of good shots per unit time with that combo --
M9 & 35mm -- is the best I've experienced.

(16K v. 65K shades of gray?  Truth is 256 shades at the printing stage
makes a very good B&W print.  QuadToneRip is limited to 256, and QTR
is what many of the best B&W prints made today used.  Epson "Advanced
B&W" is also limited to 256 steps.  So, with 16K I can still increase
the contrast by 60 times and not run out of steps.  I can live with
that.)

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com