[Leica] I Tried an M8; Color Question

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

On 2/17/07 10:24 PM, "Robert D. Baron" <rbaron@concentric.net> typed:

> Tina, I would be surprised if the shutter speeds made that much of a
> difference.  I just checked the exif data and at ISO 160 the shutter
> speed was 1/30 sec; at ISO 640 it was 1/180; at ISO 1250 it was 1/250;
> and at ISO 2500 it was 1/750.  That may be enough of a spread to cause
> that wide of a color shift but as I say it would surprise me if that is
> the cause.
> 
> Alistair, et al: I was not shooting quickly because I had to fumble
> around and remember how to change the ISO between each shot.  Further,
> if the auto white balance is that far off between shots in the same
> lighting I wonder why.
> 
> And for Mark Rabiner, who waxes eloquent on the need to shove, not
> tweak, the color controls in a Buddy Holly-esque refrain ("every
> day in every way") I sing "yes, but shouldn't a Five Thousand Dollar
> Camera get it right most of the time?".
> 
> Still curious,
> 
> --Bob
> 

Its not a thing, Bob, where it's "Gee the M6 worked the M7 worked and then
they charge 5 grand for the M8 and then doesn't work right for all that
money!". 
The M8 is its first digital M and they wanted to make sure the stuff which
came out of it was not going to look just like the stuff which comes out for
the Canons and Nikon DSLRs that everyone is getting. They took a chance on
trying some new things which didn't quite work out so they're fixing it.
When they do fix it we're going to have an M digital body worthy of the
Leica name as the results which we're already seeing are in a higher league
than the DSLR stuff.  Except maybe the Leica DSLR stuff gotten with the
digital back. May not be all that better than that.
Even before the problems become well known it should have been well known
that it was a big 5 grand risk that either you were willing to take are you
were not. 
I was not willing to take that risk. If I make a commitment to a camera
system it has to work without too many hitches my name is on the line.
When, soon, the camera is going alone smoothly I'll check my bank account.
In the meanwhile I'm shooting more and more film again and a lot of cameras
are therefore being made available to me. My Rolleiflex. My M6's and Leica
LTM with my Bessa body. Soon I'll been doing some work with my Hasselblad
and my 60mm. And my lethal 100mm 3.5.

Mark Rabiner
New York, NY

markrabiner.com