Very cool Joe love your door front portraits street shots
Ron very nice street scenes, loving the distinct directional lighting of these
Malkovic Loving that first one, throws me off with the cracks in the statues, is that stairwell open to pedestrians?
Hey Ryan yes been testing and playing around lately, trying to open myself to other lens, really liking 3 and 5 great colours
Very cool Morfeus! The more I look at your photo's the more I get motivated to shoot film, keep them coming
So, I got my first film scans today. It's a roll of Ektar 100 and one of Portra 400. I'll get the Velvia & B/W stuff earliest on Friday. These are by the way low res (2.5 megapixel) raw scans done by the shot. By experience I know they are really crap in quality compared to what I'll get when I scan the negatives myself. I can't say that I'm crazy about either Ektar 100 or Portra 400, but I like the former better.
Ron and Malkovic, thanks
Ron, excellent set of very interesting textures and shapes! I love the PP
Malkovic, very nice set!
Ryan, excellent set! I really like how the 50 Cron renders
Heinz, very nice shots!
Luka, really nice set! Beautiful rendering My favourite is #4.
Although film is not my choice, it fantastic how in this thread we can have both, digital and film, using some really great lenses!!!
Luka, you just proved that I don't like Portra at all (except for portraits, where it really shines), but your Ektar shots are very nice. Can't wait for your Velvia shots (I hope it was Velvia 50). Would you mind sharing which lenses you used for the set above?
Charles, I agree, nice to have film and digital side by side here, all united by the M cameras. I really start to love my M2, it is just the perfect tool.
Charles, unless you really have access to a top end drum scanner I really think that modern Leica glass is a complete overkill for 135 film. The image quality you can get out of small format using a reasonably priced scanner is in terms of resolution essentially inferior to what you get with a modern mobile phone camera. So as I see it the there are only two reasons to use film today 1) because you like the film look 2) because you like the tools.
I fall squarely in the second category. The M6 is attractive to me because it's mechanical operation and form factor is nicer than the one of the M9. I got my Pentax 67 because there are no 6x7 digital cameras and I wanted to try medium format. If the M10 will be more like the M6 then the latter will be of no use to me and the Pentax 67 will equally be uninteresting after there is a proper digital alternative.
I'm of course only speaking for myself - I know there are plenty of people that like the look they get from film. I really don't. I much prefer the colors and resolution that I can get from digital.
Heinz, I don't particularly like Portra either, but I can't claim that I'm over the moon about the Ektar. I'm hoping the Velvia (yes it's Velvia 50) will be more to my taste. Otherwise I suppose I'll stick to B/W and use the M6 for only documentary type of shots (i.e what the general public use P&S cameras for). Tri-X 400 and image quality be damned
I wouldn't mind sharing which lenses I used if i knew! As I changed lenses all the time, I have no clue. #1, #2 & #3 are all 28 Cron, I think. The wabbit shot is the 90 Cron. There is probably at least one or two 50 Lux ASPH shots.
If not Portra 400, what other options are there for higher ISO color film? Also, I'm curious - the M2 doesn't have a built in meter, right? What do you use for metering?
Luka nice job with the M6! My favorites are the Ektar shots, particularly #3 in both sets. Is this a new location for you? I don't recall seeing shots from this area. Frankly, I'm a film virgin. From what I have seen film can retain highlights much better than digital....is that correct? While I do like the system I must say I like the look of film in certain shots, especially B/W.
No, it's one of my usual routes - it's at the construction site that I frequent. If you develop the negs yourself and scan them yourself then you have more latitude in the exposure. Slide film on the other hand is very finicky about exposure - even missing with a third of a stop can be problematic in the highlights.
The general principle is that you expose negative film to preserve shadows and slide film to preserve highlights.
Luka, I use a Leicameter mounted on the M2 if I am lazy, that makes the M2 really ugly and you will not like that esthetically, I am sure. If I am not lazy I use a Gossen Variosix.
Edit: I had the Leicameter calibrated (together with a colimator check of my lenses) some days ago and it is spot on.
For higher ISO films I have limited recent experience, but I liked the Fuji Provia 400X a lot, but I have only used that one with the Rolleiflex T (medium format). The Provia 400X is somehow similar to the Velvia 50 and has extremely fine grain for being 400 ASA.
Please keep the images coming, it is good for me to see how modern lenses render on film.
Ryan, yes, this is correct. The dynamic range is amazing.
Luka - The last time I shot film, about 8 years ago, I really liked the Fuji 800 color negative films. The 'press' film, for newspaper/general use, was very nice compared to the K0dak equivalent. The NPH version was a bit gentler for wedding/portrait use. Not sure if any of that is still available. At the time those films, particularly NPH, were priced at a premium.
I have limited experience with mini-lab scans but my recollection is that they were often quite high in contrast. And your images are quite high in contrast... but still very nice.
I particularly like 3-5 of the first set and 1& 2 of the second set.
Before I read your posts on this page I was wondering why you'd bother to shoot film for this type of subject when the M9 will provide ample image quality and greater convenience. While there are differences in the look of film and digital, my opinion is that one can get pretty close to the 35mm film look with appropriate PP to digital files. The one area, which I might have mentioned in the past, where I feel film has an advantage is in highlight transitions. Sunsets are a good example where digital has trouble handling the very bright tones around the sun (unless grossly underexposed), but film usually looks great.
Some digital examples - I don't shoot film, therefore can't show any film examples:
Tonal recovery into the sunburst area resulted in poor transitions because at least one channel is already clipped.
Same with the image below:
Some extra work in Photoshop managed to salvage this to some extent:
M9 & ZM21 at Lake Geneva.
Ryan, nice images. Wow, hope you like the 50 Planar. I certainly do, but haven't used anything else on the M9 around 50mm to compare. I'll be interested in your feedback.
One thing I have recently noticed is that of the three Zeiss lenses I own (ZM21 2.8, ZM35C and the 50P), the 50 is the most prone to flare. While the ZM21 will flare with the sun out of the frame, as I illustrated recently for Kyle, the 50 will flare with a bright background (not necessarily specular in nature) out of the frame, often in the following manner:
Note that the sun had already set and this was just twilight glow in the western sky that caused the flare. Therefore I highly recommend using a hood with the 50P with any kind of stronger backlight. I didn't buy the hood for the 50P and am now reconsidering. I might instead adapt the hood that came with the CV75 1.8, which I've tried hand held, and it works. Other than the cost of a step ring, it will save me about $80..
Here's another image - it's a light test outtake from a recent event. I had a strobe off to each side at the stage to give some side light for edge separation of dark clothes against the black curtain. At certain angles to the light (both of which were bounced off white walls) just out of the frame, the 50P would flare:
Hope this helps.
Heinz - interesting mannequin composition!
Malkovic - love the image of the figures on the steps!
Thanks for the comments, Charles, Ron, Malkovic, Phil, Ryan
Phil, while you are collecting 35mm lenses, be sure to check out the 35Lux ASPH and possibly the CV Nokton 35/1.2
Ron, very nice shots on both sets! Love the first shot with the diagonals and texture on set #1. #1 on set 2 is superb. Really nice shot!! I think wedding or portrait photographers will love the flare on the ZM50 Planar . BTW, the shots I posted with the surveillance cameras were from NYC. I haven't really noticed too many cameras on poles in Boston.
Malkovic, very nice set. All very nice. Were you trying to check corner resolution of your 50Cron with the brick shot?
Ryan, another excellent set. #1 looked like it wasn't wide open? I like the composition on #2 a lot, really nice sense of balance to it. Those 50CronV3 shots are great. Really sharp looking for a 40 year old lens. The colors and rendering are also beautiful
Heinz, nice shots with the 90 Elmar! Nice self portrait on #2
Luka, wow!! Excellent set throughout! I like all of them. Initially, when I looked at #1 on the first set , I thought it was somewhat digital. Likewise #1 on the 2nd set. I love the saturated colors and sharpness you are getting out of the Ektar film. Not sure what pp you did (if any), but these are some of the sharpest Ektar shots I've seen posted anywhere. I think Ektar 100 suits your shooting style for C41 film. You might want to stay away from Portra 400 or other ISO 400 film for 135 if you are not shooting people or candid pics. Probably too much grain and noise for what you typically shoot. Can't wait to see your Velvia 50 shots.
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Some pics from this afternoon (its a holiday in US today). Decided to go light and brought along the M9 and 50Lux ASPH only.
Morfeus wrote:
..... it is good for me to see how modern lenses render on film.
Heinz
Heinz, the newer modern ASPH lenses render superbly on film. I never thought that there will be that much difference compared to my older Leica glass, but even on low resolution scans, I can clearly see the difference in sharpness and contrast.
Wow Phil, that's a really nice, delicate image (of the old house).
I think I like the tire better in color. Seems to have more depth to it. Might be the processing to some degree, but it looks very nice.
Great set Gregory! Love the man peering out of the window of (what appears to be) a fast food joint. Is that his shopping cart?
Were you run off this thread? Whatever the case, I'm glad you're back, even if it meant having to buy an M9
BTW, are you still shooting much film alongside the M9?
Very nice images Joe, especially the stairs. Thanks for the clarification on the location of those previous images. Wasn't sure if you were still posting NYC or if you were back to Boston.
Gary: Thanks. I still mean to post some photos of the MEC bag for you. Will hopefully do that soon.
Twilight - Lake Geneva - somewhere near Veytaux-Chillon, east of Montreux
Thank you Ron. Interesting examples how the P flares.
Joe, i recently bought a CV Nokton 50/1.5 ASPH and I can't wait to see the results on film and see how different that will render compared to my other 2 lenses, which are 50 years old.
Very nice b/w shots btw, I like the second and the last the best.
jojomon11: Thanks! I'm not sure about the stair, all I know is that it some kind of commie memorial thingy I like your shots!
Luka: I like your sets, def. have to try some Ektar 100. Regarding metering I mostly use Sunny 16, overexpose a bit(if it's neg. film) it gives decent results I think. When I first got my M2 I used my iPhone with an app that let me spotmeter, which worked surprisingly good
Joe: Love your set! The one with the stair and the shiny rail is outstanding. Excellent conversions as well!
Joe - nice set posted. Great pp as always. The one with the stairs is definitely my favorite. The expression of the man in #2 is priceless
Gregory - nice set Gregory. My favorite is the first. Great composition on that shot.
Phil - Interesting PP on the first shot, very unique look. I agree with Ron that #2 looks better in color. Really pops
Ron - Nice examples that I wouldn't mind seeing again....and again . I love those water shots with the sunset. Very nice feel to them
Charles - Awesome portraits again. #1 is excellent. It's funny how some say this lens is way too sharp for portraits, I don't think so at all. I think it renders so perfectly for portraits and if you don't want it that sharp just pull the clarity back a bit on that area. Great look to these
More 50 Cron shots.....very nice lens. Not optimized for close distance but anything past about 3-4m this lens is excellent
and it is so much fun.
. BTW, the shots I posted with the surveillance cameras were from NYC. I haven't really noticed too many cameras on poles in Boston.
