I'm looking at this close-up of the top of the D-Lux 4, and notice how friggin' functional the mode dial is. My PowerShot 570 IS's mode dial has 13 icons on it (or letters). Most of the icons are illegible and just really crummy symbols of what they're suppose to stand for. Interesting that there's a focus button on the top. I don't know if that's better or worse or is just an extra feature. Many, if not most, digital cameras will focus when the shutter is half-pressed. And that seems to work well, although it's easy enough to accidentally shoot a frame when you're were simply attempting to focus and get a reading on exposure. An independent focus button could come in handy, especially for things like focus lock, or it could be an extra button when one might be enough. Of course, the regular shutter button might still function in the typical way, focusing when half-pressed.

There's certainly a less-is-more old school mentality from looking at the exterior of the camera. That mode setting on the lens seems like that's exactly the kind of function you might want to see visually in order to confirm it and change it rather than reaching down into one of the typically kludgy menus that these digital cameras tend to have.

I see it's got an auto-focus/auto-exposure lock on the back, so I'm not quite sure what the purpose of the focus button is on top.

Is Sister Petra now taking over as the official Dutch bank? Have all the others gone belly-up? Can I get a loan for an HDTV, Sister Petra? What's my credit limit?

BN they even cleaned up the mode dial a little from the DLUX3. The DLUX3 mode dial had the review setting on the dial. They moved it to the back with a little switch at the top left the one that has the camera icon and rectangle icon with the triangle in the middle. I never liked having to move the mode dial to fully review images.

Yabor I think the micro Four/thirds might be a good route for Zuster Petra. The Panasonic G1 even has an articulating rear LCD. They are going to be very compact cameras. With your budge yabor you will be able to get some of the DLUX4 accessories.

They moved it to the back with a little switch at the top left the one that has the camera icon and rectangle icon with the triangle in the middle.

Yeah, that makes better sense there if only because that's the typical position for other camera, at least Canons. And when it comes right down to it, the back of the Leica doesn't look all that different from many other cameras, including my PowerShot 570 IS. It seems that interface-wise, there are some standards settling in. I don't know what the Leica software looks like though. The Canons do a very good job regarding the software interface.

quote:

Yabor I think the micro Four/thirds might be a good route for Zuster Petra. The Panasonic G1 even has an articulating rear LCD. They are going to be very compact cameras. With your budge yabor you will be able to get some of the DLUX4 accessories.

Broeder Rico, we are going to check that GI out. Petra doesn't mind a big camera (bigger than a point-and-shoot, I mean), with lots of possibilities (macro) and she's ready for one. She really loves photography. Besides, if she doesn't get a new camera, I can envisage her often sneaking off with MY Leica.

We're very glad you are advising us.
We're off to bed now, have to get up early.

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With your budge yabor you will be able to get some of the DLUX4 accessories

You would want the hand grip, I think.

Makes the camera bigger, though. Thalo doesn't seem to miss a hand grip on his Lumix. But I recall that the handgrip on Petra's Canon made it easy to take pictures with one hand whilst managing a burning cigarette in the other hand.

Petra is enamoured with the brown leather case. I imagine the price will be outrageous. These Leica Krauts are going to take me to the cleaners.

Yabor, don't moan after having chosen the most expensive brand from Krautland. :-) Before you ruin yourselves completely let me know, i can borrow you some Euros, Bread, Butter and Salt.

Brother smithz, I can't thank you enough for bringing up the subject of HDR.

I love it. This morning Petra took 3 pictures of the front view from our appartment, with her Canon (which has not that nifty bracketing feature). This is the normal picture. And this is the HDR one made with that Photomatix software that I linked to above. Amazing result: the sky is wonderful, details in the shadows are visible etc. etc.

I'm mighty exited about this.

You're welcome! Hey, i'm glad you like it and you both picked it up so fast. That first HDR shot already looks surreal, i like it a lot.

If i read the specs of the Leica correctly, the bracketing supports +/- up to 1, that would mean the camera can take three shots EV -1.0 EV 0.0 and EV +1.0. I don't want to sound pessimistic, but that MAY be not enough for HDR as it may be better to use +/- 2.0 (maximum difference between shots) ...

How much +/- EV Petra used when shooting the three stills for the HDR?

I know and tried Photomatix, sadly it's not free. Here is another HDR-Software which is free in the Basic Version. FDR Tools. It looks strange (not really native mac UI) but works.

This is my first attempt in tonemapping HDR. It looks horrible, all these sliders made me wussy and then i decided to stop . But the effect is nice besides the dull shot.

Wow. I think Sister Petra's experimentation with HDR makes her a full-fledged geek. Very cool. I don't really know what's going on in the software, but the amount of detail in the tree in the foreground is just stunningly enhanced. I realize that via normal Photoshop techniques that it could be enhanced as well, but it's amazing the kind of detail that merging three bracketed shots can bring. No doubt a chipmunk or squirrel sees the tree in HDR because they sure as hell need to see what's possibly hiding in every shadow. Of course, as we know, the human eye has a much wider dynamic range than a one-shot photograph. We see more detail in the tree than a normal one-shot photo shows. But still, that's pretty neat. And HDR would be a great feature in particular for extending the dynamic range, assuming one can do so without it looking too Alice-in-Wonderland colorful, although I like that effect very much as well. Who needs to do drugs? Just do HDR.

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If i read the specs of the Leica correctly, the bracketing supports +/- up to 1, that would mean the camera can take three shots EV -1.0 EV 0.0 and EV +1.0. I don't want to sound pessimistic, but that MAY be not enough for HDR as it may be better to use +/- 2.0 (maximum difference between shots) ...

How much +/- EV Petra used when shooting the three stills for the HDR?

The Leica indeed does only increments up to 1 whatever the word is. Petra used -2, 0, +2.

Tomorrow we'll try the same shot with -1, 0, +1, and hope this will turn out to be enough for HDR. --Do you know of any camera that supports -2, 0, +2 bracketing?

I like your shot with the red van among the gray, and the viewpoint from close to the ground.

Brad, I enhanced the colours in that HDR shot. Wanted to see if I could obtain that elusive Ricoesque color saturation.
I think one can keep more or less the same colours as the original shots have.

Very cool shot by smithz as well. Yes, and I understand that sister Petra was the donor and you were the Dr. Frankenstein of manipulating the software for the shot, Yabor. I really like the surreal effect, and I'm interested, too, to see if it can be used just do enhance photos in ways that don't automatically scream "Alice in Wonderland."

BN, that is perfectly possible. Every amount of Aliceness is at your fingertips. Just give it a try, it's addictive. And it makes you so wussy that you push everything to the max. :-)

The Key with HDR is not over doing it. This is actually the key with all digital adjustments. Sometimes it does not take very much to make a big difference.

If zuster Petra loves the brown case she will fall over for Luigi Crescenzi handmade Italian leather cases. They cost an arm and leg but you get what you pay for. You need to scroll way down to find the cases for the DLUX3/4.

smithz, a bracketing range of 1 stop is enough except in extreme cases, says this guy.

Note points 6 and 7--quote:

OK, so how do you do it?
In summary, you make three bracketing exposures on aperture priority as quickly and steadily as possible. Then combine them using HDR software. It's that simple.
Here's the easy version, set out step-by-step. Purists will throw up their hands in horror with some details; let them. Once you've got some experience you can try the refined stuff.
1. Set ISO 200, or ISO 400 if you have a modern camera
2. Set exposure mode to Aperture Priority (exposure time changes)
3. Set the camera to make series exposures - as rapid as possible: 3 shots per second or better is good
4. Choose your scene: it should be bright and with key things static - moving clouds and leaves on distant trees are OK; (but flying pigeons are not).
5. If your camera or lens has image stabilization, make sure it's on.
6. If you have the sun to one side or behind you, set the camera to bracket exposures by 1 stop (that is, it makes three exposures: one over-exposed, one OK, one under-exposed).
7. If the sun is in front or there are very bright areas e.g. white buildings in full sun, set the camera to bracket exposures by 2 stops.
8. Try to find something to lean on, or rest your camera on. Compose your shot and check it's in focus. If you can't find something to rest the camera on, and have only an LCD screen on your camera then: frame up, hold the camera steady and bring your face against the camera to steady it.
9. Now breathe out gently, and before you take the in-breath, squeeeeeeeze the shutter button gently, and hold down until all three exposures click off.
10. Open the images in software such as Photomatix (not expensive) or Photoshop if you have it, and HDR your images. The web sites and on-line help will step you through the process. Be prepared to be amazed, but don't overdo it (or know when you are).

Thanks for the link to the free FDR Tools HDR- software. I'm sure going to try it.

Amazing cases and what a lot of beautiful Leicas, Rico. Goes to show that when the Germans and Italians get together, wonderful things happen.

8. Try to find something to lean on, or rest your camera on. Compose your shot and check it's in focus. If you can't find something to rest the camera on, and have only an LCD screen on your camera then: frame up, hold the camera steady and bring your face against the camera to steady it.

Very useful instructions. That all seems straightforward enough. And, for goodness sakes, if anyone is going to go to the trouble of this kind of high-tech image manipulation, buy yourself a small portable tripod. Even just one of the dinky small 5" tall ones that you can stick on a car or a wall would work. If it's worth the time and effort to do all this bracketing and HDR manipulation, don't base it on hand-held shots. Get as sharp as you can with no movement of perspective between shots.

I'll see if I can get the 570 IS to do a shot.

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FDR Tools

I did a quickie using FDR tools and manually bracketing. Of course, unless I have the damn camera bolted down, you can't help moving it a bit so it was indeed blurred. But it worked though I'm not quite sure how to mess with the setting. But I might have a professional grade tripod around here that might work. And I'll try to find suitable subject matter. What I shot was too unspectacular (boring, really) to show.

I thought the same thing when I saw that leather Leica case. It's magnificent. Drool. I so love good design and simplicity.

If there was a case like that for the Lumix, I'd get it in a heartbeat.

The lumix does have a little gripper, just big enough for your middle finger, but it's beautifully ergonomcially designed. It gels with raised grippin' dots on the back surface

Here's a tip if you get any scrapes or scuffs on the black anodized finish of your camera: buy a black touchup pen designed for FIREARMS. Available online at places like this. Those scuffs and minor scratches will disappear like magic. You can gently buff off the excess with a poly cleaning patch (also for guns). Experiment for best results, but keep the super black off of chrome and out of hot-stamped print details.

Thanks for the tip, thalo. "designed for FIREARMS"-- that phrase gave me a little thrill.

Meanwhile the damn Leica is still not for sale here. I could order it from a German site but then would have to pay shipping costs, which are quite high. So I'll have to be patient, verdammt noch mal.

smithz, a bracketing range of 1 stop is enough except in extreme cases, says this guy

This guy (writing in april 2005) however doesn't agree:

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Exposure is best set to Manual mode, and Autofocus turned off. Don't use your camera's auto-bracket function, because these don't allow for enough shots or enough range in bracketing.