Leica M Type 240

Portrait.

Inspiration, Leica M Type 240, Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point, Voigtländer 40mm f/1.4 Nokton

This is an image, of course, but it’s also a test shot.  I’m trying to tackle and tame the shortcomings of the CMOS sensor.

My brief experience with the D800E confirmed for me that “CMOS is CMOS” when it comes to trying to pull out shadow detail (or getting micro-contrast, or getting good skin tones)… i.e., as of April 2014, it’s not as good as CCD, whether we’re talking Nikon or Leica.

Surprisingly, the D800E also made me appreciate the M240 more.

However, going forward I’m going to give the technical stuff a rest and start concentrating on photography again.

And as I go along I hopefully will be able to reduce the time it took to get this image to where I wanted it to be.

—Peter.

Portrait

↑Leica M240 and Voigtländer Nokton 40mm @ f/1.4.

Open letter to Leica: over 100 signatures (so far)…

Inspiration, Leica M Type 240, Q&A, Teaching point

Prosophos Open Letter to Leica

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Many of you prefer the rendering of the Leica M9 CCD sensor over the M240 CMOS sensor at low ISO values, and have consequently signed My Open Letter to Leica.  For those who haven’t, please consider doing so if you want to advocate for an updated CCD sensor in a future M model.

Thank you,

—Peter.

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Related posts:

Guest Post: M240, M9 sample images.

Guest Post, Inspiration, Leica M Type 240, Q&A, Teaching point

A reader, Marc H., has provided the sample images below.

[Please note:  This is not a scientifically rigorous comparison.  Marc has generously provided these for your benefit.  Any disrespectful comments will automatically be deleted.]

Marc writes:

“While I still had both bodies (M9 and M240), I took a walk around Frankfurt and shot random stuff, just to see how they both render and how the color translates. I set both to the same ISO values,  f stop, white balance is auto.  The pics themselves are nothing special, but interesting to see how they render.  Both used 50mm asph lenses. “

Here are Marc’s samples

(please click on the image to view at MAXIMUM size)

Comparison 1:

M9 vs M240 - 1

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Comparison 2:

M9 vs M240 - 2

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Thank you Marc, for providing these.

—Peter.

Unscientific (M240 vs. M9).

Inspiration, Leica 35mm Summicron ASPH f/2, Leica M Type 240, Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point, Voigtländer 40mm f/1.4 Nokton

Please don’t write to me and tell me this comparison is not scientifically valid —  I’ve named this post Unscientific for a reason.

I will, however, acknowledge that the M240 was at a significant ISO disadvantage vs. the M9.

However, low light shooting is the main reason I bought the M240.

Perhaps those with better post-processing skills could have done better with the M240 file.

Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t.

—Peter.

Unscientific (M240 vs. M9 Prosophos comparison)

The colour transfusion.

Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Leica M Type 240, Print, Teaching point

They were found together on the pavement, on a rainy afternoon.

On a technical note, this particular shade of red reminds me very much of the native output of the M8; it apparently can be coaxed out of the M240 after some post-processing.

And on another note, this image marks the return for me of the Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH.

—Peter.

The colour transfusion

↑Leica M240 and Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH @ f/1.4.