Learn how to set Kelvin and Tint on Leica M11 and M9, with user profiles and RAW/JPEG workflows for street and natural‑light portraits. This article is based on the experience with the Leica M9 and M11, but much of the information can be adapted and tweaked towards Fuji, Canon and Nikon, for example.

Often, I lean towards warm tones, which suit both my street work and natural‑light portraits. Here’s a Leica‑friendly warm‑bias workflow tailored to the M11 and M9, with precise Kelvin/tint starting points, suggested user profiles, and how the two bodies differ in practice.

The Leica M11p with Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH

TL;DR (Quick Cheats)

Warm bias rule of thumb:

• Start a little warmer than neutral (Kelvin +200–600 above “correct”) and add a touch of magenta to clean greens—especially under LED lighting and in foliage.

Go‑to starting points (RAW, Lightroom/ACR tint scale):

• Sun: 5600 K, Tint +5 M
• Overcast: 6500 K, Tint +5 M
• Open shade: 7000 K, Tint +10 M (foliage bounce)
• Golden hour: 5600 K, Tint +0 to +5 M (preserve glow)
• LED “daylight”: 5000 K, Tint +15–20 M
• Tungsten/halogen: 3200 K, Tint +5–10 M

 

M9. Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH

M11 vs M9: What changes when you want warmth

Leica M11 (CMOS, modern colour matrix)

• AWB: More consistent and tends to neutralise strong casts; easy to keep warmth by locking Daylight.
• Dynamic range and highlight headroom are generous—great for warm golden light without clipping reds too fast.
• Profiles (in LR/ACR): Camera Natural for portraits, Camera Standard for street punch.
• Tints: Usually needs +M under LEDs; daylight is pretty neutral.

Leica M9 (CCD “look”)

• AWB: Less consistent, especially in mixed/indoor light. Expect to custom WB or correct in post.
• Colour can feel naturally warm and saturated in daylight, but reds can clip quickly; shadows can skew magenta if pushed.
• DNGs like a gentle hand: lower contrast, protect highlights, finesse tint carefully.
• Profiles: Use the Embedded/Camera Matching profile in LR (avoid overly contrasty defaults).

Practical difference:

• On the M11, warmth is a creative choice (lock Daylight or raise Kelvin slightly).
• On the M9, warmth often comes for free in daylight, but you’ll work a bit more to keep it clean (avoid red oversaturation, add just enough magenta to counter green).

M11p. Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH

In‑Camera Warm Bias Setups

M11 — User Profiles

1. Street—Daylight Warm (film‑like)

• WB: Daylight 5600 K
• Tint fine‑tune: +1 to +3 M
• JPEG style (if used): Standard (a hair more punch) or Natural (portraits)
• Why: Locks a warm‑leaning baseline and lets shade go a touch cool for contrast.

2. Street—LED Warm Rescue

• WB: 5000 K
• Tint: +2 to +4 M (in‑camera scale; you’ll add more in post if needed)
• Why: Daylight-labelled LEDs often lean green; this keeps skin from going cyan.

3. Portrait—Overcast/Window Warm Skin

• WB: 6200 K
• Tint: +2 M
• Optional: Save a Custom WB off a grey card in your favourite window spot.

M9 — User Profiles

1. Street—Daylight Warm

• WB: Daylight (5600 K) (or Custom WB in sun)
• JPEG: Standard; avoid too much contrast in‑camera to protect reds.
• Why: M9 already leans “classic warm”; this locks consistency.

2. Street—Mixed LED/Tungsten

• WB: 5000 K (LED) or 3200 K (tungsten), expect to correct Tint in post
• Tip: Take a grey‑card frame when you enter a shop or station.

3. Portrait—Window/Overcast Warm Skin

• WB: 6000–6200 K
• Tint: leave neutral in‑camera; add +5–10 M in post to taste.

M11p. Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH

RAW Workflow (Lightroom/ACR) — Warm Preset You Can Apply to Both

Baseline (apply to both M11 & M9, then tweak):

• Profile: M11 → Camera Natural (portraits) or Camera Standard (street)
  • M9 → Embedded (keeps the CCD character)
• WB: Start with the field value, then +200–600 K warmer than neutral, +5–10 M tint (LED/foliage may need +15–20 M)
• Tone: Highlights −10 to −20, Shadows +5 to +10, Contrast +5 (M9: go easy on contrast)
• Curve: Gentle S (small lift in shadows, small pull in highlights)
• HSL (Portraits): Orange Lum +5, Sat −5 (smooth skin)
  • Red Hue +5 (less cherry) or Sat −5 to −10 if lips/ears spike
• HSL (Street): Blue Sat −10 (avoids cyan cast in shade)
  • Yellow Hue −5 (warmer stone/skin)
• Colour Grading (subtle): Midtones Hue 30°, Sat 5–8 (warm midtones)
  • Shadows Hue 220°, Sat 3–6 (tiny cool counterbalance), Blend 50–60
• Calibration (optional, delicate): Red Primary Sat +5 (rich warm midtones)
  • Blue Primary Sat −5 (tames electric blues)

Save two variants: “Warm—Portrait” (softer contrast, extra magenta) and “Warm—Street” (slightly more contrast, restrained blues).

M9. Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH

JPEG Workflow (when you need immediacy)

• M11: Film Style Natural for portraits, Standard for street. WB Daylight 5600 K to preserve warm mood; fine‑tune +1–+3 M.
• M9: JPEGs can clip reds—keep contrast moderate, WB Daylight, avoid “Vivid” looks. If interiors skew green, switch to Tungsten WB rather than relying on AWB.

Scene‑Specific Warm Starting Points (M11 & M9)

• Midday sun street: 5600 K, Tint +5 M
• Overcast city: 6500 K, Tint +5 M (stone/skin look alive)
• Open shade (foliage): 7000 K, Tint +10 M
• Golden hour portraits: 5600 K, Tint 0 to +5 M (don’t neutralise the light!)
• Blue hour street: For mood, 5600 K +5 M (keep it blue). For neutrality, 8500 K +5 M.
• LED shopfronts: 5000 K, Tint +15–20 M
• Tungsten interiors: 3200 K, Tint +5–10 M

Common Pitfalls & Fixes

• Red channel clipping (especially M9): Watch the histogram; pull Highlights and Red Sat −5 to −10; consider Temp slightly lower (−100–200 K) if needed.
• Green cast under LEDs: This is tint, not Kelvin—push +M until greys are truly grey.
• Flat warm light (thin overcast): Add micro‑contrast (Clarity/Texture +5–10) and keep warm Kelvin; otherwise, it drifts dull.
• Sequence consistency: Fix WB for a few minutes (Daylight on both cameras) to keep your contact sheets cohesive.

Side‑by‑Side Summary

M9 with Summilux 50mm f1.4 ASPH