[Leica] Question about M8 exposure

[afirkin at afirkin.com (Alastair Firkin)]

Well, I'm Geoff's opposite ;-) Firstly, I'm late with the reply, and 
secondly, my M8 is left on -1/3 all the time. I'm still trying to use manual 
exposure, when I have time, but with the auto settings, a burn out is IMHO 
much harder to live with than a noisy shadow. Once its white, NOTHING can 
save it, and all you need is a white nose on your favourite portrait to 
convince you that holding back might be the better option. 

So my mantra is: as much exposure as you can get, but if in doubt and in 
auto mode err on the side of slight underexposure. 

Cheers

Alastair

--- photo@frozenlight.eu wrote:

From: Nathan Wajsman <photo@frozenlight.eu>
To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org>
Subject: Re: [Leica] Question about M8 exposure
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 07:40:44 +0100

Thanks Geoff, I did not mean to start a discussion, just a genuine  
question.

Cheers,
Nathan

Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu
http://www.greatpix.eu
http://www.nathanfoto.com

Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0
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On Jan 15, 2009, at 7:24 AM, Geoff Hopkinson wrote:

> Here we go, the discussion starts again now ;-)
> I'm of the 'do not routinely underexpose' school. I think I am a  
> school of
> one here.
> I try to keep as many of the highlight tones as possible. When the  
> linear
> capture is adjusted by the gamma curve to approximate human vision,  
> some of
> those tones are pushed down into the mid-tones and darks. Remember  
> that half
> of all the possible tones are used to represent the first  
> (brightest) stop
> of your dynamic range. The more tones you start with the better for  
> maximum
> possible quality. Also my experience has been that under-exposure  
> can make
> for more noise in the shadows, especially with higher ISOs.
> Lots of people here will prove to you that -1/3 or more will still  
> give you
> great results. I respect all of their opinions and experience. I  
> like to
> start with the biggest possible tonal range in the DNG. Remember  
> that the
> clipping warning on your camera LCD is only an approximation based  
> on the
> jpg settings.
>
>
> Cheers
> Geoff
> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/e
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/
> Pick up your camera and make the best photo you can.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Subject: [Leica] Question about M8 exposure
>
> I have noticed that most of the M8 images posted here have exposure
> compensation of -1/3 stop or -2/3 stop applied to them. Is there any
> particular reason for doing that? I have not noticed any tendency  
> for my M8
> to overexpose (I shoot on aperture priority and auto ISO most of the  
> time).
>
> Cheers,
> Nathan
>
> Nathan Wajsman
> Alicante, Spain
> http://www.frozenlight.eu
> http://www.greatpix.eu
> http://www.nathanfoto.com
>
> Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0
> PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
> Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog
>
>
>
>
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