[Leica] IMG Yosemite & DLWS Workshop

[ricc at mindspring.com (Ric Carter)]

I don't like cold weather, but I sure like your cold weather photos.

Ric


On Mar 2, 2007, at 7:45 PM, Robert Rose wrote:

> I just came back from Yosemite and Moose Peterson's DLWS workshop,  
> and I
> uploaded a few of the images I made with the M8:
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/rjrose/yose/
>
> Included are several made with the 135, and one IR image.  I hope  
> you like
> them.  I was there 5 days, and I shot the M8 on one day, and a D2X  
> the rest
> of the time.  It got down to 18 degrees one day, but rained on us  
> several
> other days.
>
> Some working impressions.  Your results may vary:
>
> 1.  The M8 performed in rain and 18 degree weather without a  
> hitch.  The
> battery life was not a problem.  We shot from 6-9 am and 3-6 pm. I  
> ran out a
> 2GB card in each session, and the battery was still alive through the
> session.  I used a fully charged battery for each session. I had  
> the review
> on, and monitor brightness turned up.
>
> 2.  Dust is more of a problem than on the D2x.  Maybe that is  
> because there
> is a mirror to deflect dust on the DSLR.  The brush from Active  
> Dust worked
> to clean up the sensors each night.
>
> 5.  The IR shot was manual color balanced using the ExpoDisk. The  
> ExpoDisk
> (a white diffusion disk) works really well to get manual color  
> balance, but
> works even better to spot dust problems after changing lenses.  I  
> shot an
> f/16 image with an ExpoDisk, and then it was easy to see whether  
> there were
> any big goobers.  The light changes constantly, so manual color  
> balance is
> not useful for the color shots.
>
> 6.  Precise framing is impossible.  So, for landscape work the  
> camera is a
> challenge.  You have to look on the monitor and retake the shot.
>
> 7.  I have not printed anything yet on my 3800, but on the monitor the
> technical quality of the M8 beats or exceeds the D2x (no  
> surprise).  The M8
> has 10Mb compared to 12Mb, but with slightly larger pixels.
>
> 8.  I am not sure if the larger pixel size helped with dynamic  
> range, but I
> seemed to have less highlight blowout with the M8 compared to the D2x.
>
> 9.  MY KINGDOM FOR AN IR CUTOFF FILTER.  My images which have  
> people in them
> all show magenta caps, backpacks, etc.  LEICA WHERE ARE YOU?  You  
> promised
> them February 7.
>
> 10. AN IR CUTOFF FILTER ruined my D2X wide shots.  In a burst of evil
> genius, I found an IR cut-off that was 77mm, and put it on my  
> 17-55.  All of
> the shots at 17mm show magenta vignetting!  While researching this  
> problem
> at the B&W web page, I found out that you can't use the filter on wide
> angles lenses.  Go know.  So, that is why the Leica lenses must be  
> coded,
> and the new firmware installed to overcome this problem.
>
> 11.  ND Grad filters are a challenge to use.  You have to reshoot  
> using the
> monitor.
>
> 11.  The Leica M8, a Tri-Elmar, a 135, and maybe a 90 are all the  
> lenses you
> need for landscape shots.  It replaces a TON of DSLR grear if precise
> framing is not needed, or you are not using ND grad filters.
>
> That's all for now!
>
> Bob Rose
>
>
>
>
>
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