Digital BW, The Print

I mildly complained about a window-screen-like noise pattern of noise  
when shadows are pulled up a great deal.

Mike Johnston replied:

> For the noise,
> Check out the bottom of
> http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_5D_mkii_review_3.html
>
> I turned Auto Lighting Optimizer and Highlight Tone Priority off
> and the noise went way down.
>
> Mike J.

I just discovered that in the C.FnII: Image menu (custom functions)  
all of the "improvements" were by default set to some level of "on".   
I have now turned them all off.

I had (incorrectly?) assumed that these functions would have no impact  
at all on raw files, which I "develop" with non-Canon software.

I'll experiment this weekend and see it this makes a difference for  
underexposed Gordon Setter images!

Thanks, Mike.  I had read that long ago, but thought it only affected  
jpgs.

Myron

... and about that Leica:  oh yes, indeed, I would love to own a Leica  
M9 (is it 9?)... but I'm not in that snack bracket. The 5D-II was jaw- 
droppingly expensive:  50% more than my first *new* car!  And the  
Leica is more like my *second* new car.  Gaack!  I'm psychologically  
pegged to the era when a Nikon-F was expensive at $250 and a Linhof  
Master Technika was absurd at $1500.  Needless to say, my Leica M4-P  
was purchased new, as was the Summicron 50/2.   How in the world buys  
these $3K-$4K lenses these days????

The Canon 50/1.4 is a very fine lens, fully up to the 5D-II, although  
mine is not quite as "sharp" as the copy owned by a friend. I have  
several other Canon lenses (mostly L's), and none of them are in the  
same league as the 50/14.

I'm hoping the new 100 L macro will be up to its hype...



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