No it’s actually Digital!
Photo taken with Leica M9 + Voigtlander Nokton Classic ‘CV’ 35mm f1.2 Aspherical ‘ASPH’ ii.
When I can get photos looking so much like film from my Leica M9 I struggle to get excited about shooting 35mm B&W film. I have not shot a single roll of 35mm black and white film since the Leica M9 arrived in August. The M9 Kodak CCD sensor rendering to me is more like film than a CMOS sensor in the way in renders details.
Undeterred tomorrow I plan to run a roll of 35mm Kodak T-Max 100 film through my Voigtlander Bessa R3A using some of my new Leica 50mm lenses. I’m interested to see the results. Can film still offer something than the M9 can’t? We shall see.
MatthewOsbornePhotography.co.uk – UK Leica Photographer
You wait, the magic will still be there. Great tones in that shot though. I switch back and forth but I think 35mm B+W still has something to offer. Even is it’s in the pleasure of the act rather than the look of the result.
Thanks. I will share the digital vs. film results plus conclusions drawn soon!
interesting site Matthew!
those blown out highlights and the way they transition into mid tones is a real giveaway. one of your other posts shows exactly what I have in mind.
https://mrleica.com/nikon-d800-vs-nikon-fm/
cramming in more pixels onto a 35mm sensor won’t help. it will still look artificial, especially in the highlights.
digital leica is just another tool. a massively overrated and massively overpriced one. it’s now also a shadow of its former self and its analogue legacy. quality of light or unique vision are so much more important than lenses / cameras. it’s amazing how people start to believe that a boutique camera somehow makes them a better photographer. it almost makes them try less. there’s another aspiring photographer on flickr with leica cameras – raymond larose – who seems to be using similar gear. boy is he blinded by that red dot… and boy is his photography visionless as a result…
thanks for your posts and good luck on your journey!
Thanks Pat,
Yes I 100% agree that the quality of light is the most important factor (for me anyway), though I do enjoy the small size of the Leica. As I shoot film too (35mm & 120) I know that film handles highlights much better but I do like the rendering/look/x-factor or whatever you want to call it that I get from the Leica M9, regardless of what lens is used, Leica or a cheap Russian 35mm film camera lens. My Nikon D800 is more clinical with all those megapixels.
Cheers