Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/12/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Me again..... Obviously these were taken at different times, no tripods, no time to check the focus, so the comparison is not scientific, and there are different lenses used which makes scientific comparisons really tough.....however,,,,, The flag fringe on the Leica shot is more in focus than the Canon shot..... telling us the focus on the Leica shot is maybe more wrong. At the distances you were shooting... maybe 10-15, feet your DOF is pretty slim. The focus and area of sharp focus of the Leica fringe looks pretty good. The Bokeh of the Leica lens could account for the round ( vs pointy topped ) flames. Also you must suspect the RF of the M8 as a problem source.... your eye had it focused right, but the shot is wrong. Is the camera RF properly in calibration for focus? This is a pretty severe test for your RF. The Canon shows more vibrant color. The Leica shot is washed out by comparison. The red flag (?) in the background is obviously a different hue, but it is all over less vibrant on the Leica side. That is worrying. The Canon hand and candle has a lot more detail. ( Focus better? Less flare? .) This looks like an optical issue to me.... Let me ask.... if you were to put this specific Leica lens on a M(not)8, what is this particular lens like? Nice and contrasty? Flarey? ( Heavens no, ) Soft? Have you had this lens recently cleaned? What do the out of focus areas look like? If you used film in a similar setting, what would you expect? In the candle flame I see what looks like some optical issues.... dirty lens? Not properly collimated? Severe flare? Out of focus Bokeh? I also see color fringing. This is the magenta halos around the white light. If it were me, I would suspect the lens and focus first in this case... do you have any shots taken at the same time and lighting with a different Leica lens for comparison? Any better focused examples? Try to eliminate the fixable lens faults ( out of focus, hand movement, etc.) as the culprit first. To do this right, why not actually set this up in a studio setting and make the variables go away? Tripod, plenty of time, soft music, single candle, etc. You are driving yourself nuts trying to learn to use the M8 on the job and evaluating those results as if it were a scientific test. Give the a chance cameras to do their best.. it will take a few hours, but it might save you a lot of angst..... Bottom line? The colors are somehow more washed out on the Leica shot and the test was not scientifically valid enough to figure out what is happening with the candle flame. Reshoot with variables reduced. Frank Filippone red735i@earthlink.net