jrovner Posted November 21, 2011 Share #1 Â Posted November 21, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Yesterday morning, I upgraded to the newest Leica M9 firmware. Then I shot about 100 images later in the day. More than half of the images are pure black. I am absolutely confident that this isn't user error (lens cap left in place, massive underexposure), and I've never had this problem before. Moreover, I was using the same Sandisk card that I've used without difficulties in the past. Has anyone else experienced this?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 21, 2011 Posted November 21, 2011 Hi jrovner, Take a look here Terrible new problem after upgrading firmware. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Knorp Posted November 21, 2011 Share #2 Â Posted November 21, 2011 Hi Jeff, Â sorry about this problem, but are you really suggesting it's a card failure ? I'm asking because I had this "black frame" issue in the past and although not at this rate you are experiencing the actual files were on the card 18Mb large with all shooting information included but just black. In the end I had my camera replaced by Leica. Â Can you see the file tight after taking a shot (preview) on your camera's lcd ? Did you check the file size ? What type of card you're using ? Â All the very best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrovner Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share #3 Â Posted November 21, 2011 Thanks, Bart. I'm using a Sandisk Extreme 32GB SDHC card. I checked the black images in Lightroom, and they're showing full size. They also look black in the camera's preview screen. Â As I now reflect on yesterday's photo shoot, the images I can recall taking are all there and fine, but there are a bunch of black or nearly black images between them. I was shooting in manual mode. Therefore, it may be that I inadvertently bumped the aperture up to the point where I was was underexposed and then accidentally engaged the shutter (I have a soft release). It's a long shot, but possible. So I will officially recant my outcry for now, and give the camera a thorough re-test tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Henry Posted November 21, 2011 Share #4 Â Posted November 21, 2011 Jeff, Sorry for your problem Perhaps a card problem. I use 16GB maximum or 8 GB card Sandisk on my M9. Try a new card. Perhaps other friends LUF here will give you their opinion Henry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Henry Posted November 21, 2011 Share #5 Â Posted November 21, 2011 sent in duplicate sorry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monster_boy Posted November 21, 2011 Share #6 Â Posted November 21, 2011 mine 100+ shot with blank black frame about 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted November 21, 2011 Share #7 Â Posted November 21, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Are the black ones perhaps photographs of the inside of your camera bag, given the ones you remember making are all there? Â Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
em9 Posted November 21, 2011 Share #8 Â Posted November 21, 2011 Well, happened to me with an M9 this week on firmware 1.174... first time it happened after some 10.000 clicks... a black frame... Â However, mine seems to be related to the black frame caused by the shutter. Â There was the sort of rewinding sound (re-cocking?) but the much noisier regular shutter sound was lacking, and the resulting frame was black. Â The photo is taken, but the shutter stays put, was my idea... Â Don't think this issue has anything to do with the SD card. Never had any problems with my one card, and the black frame was on the card... seems more like an electronic glitch to me or something with the shutter release button, since I had the exposure locked (second position) for quite a while before I fully pressed. Somehow I think that might be related... Â I tried to reproduce it, but couldn't, and the next 200 picutures there was no problem at all. Â Not sure if this is similar to what others experienced. The shutter sound was different with 'my' black frame, very noticable... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD700 Posted November 21, 2011 Share #9 Â Posted November 21, 2011 It should be possible to check if the shutter fails occasionally. Just rattle off the same 100+ shots with the lens off, and keep looking at the shutter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanhulsenbeek Posted November 21, 2011 Share #10 Â Posted November 21, 2011 It should be possible to check if the shutter fails occasionally. Just rattle off the same 100+ shots with the lens off, and keep looking at the shutter. Â I tried this, and had 1 black frame. But that was when I did not press the shutter release button well, and the noise then was different. Perhaps we forget that this is a mostly mechanical button triggering electronics, and not a purely electronic thing. IMHO: has nothing to do with the new firmware. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted November 21, 2011 Share #11 Â Posted November 21, 2011 . I'm using a Sandisk Extreme 32GB SDHC card.. Â I also use SanDisk Extreme 30MB/s SDHC, grade 10 32GB cards. I have many of them since often I travel for 1-3 months at a time and need good cards that also serve as backup once my external drives are full. Â So, I have not downloaded the latest firmware due to comments like this thread. I guess I will not chance the download which could cause be to have to replace about 20 cards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD700 Posted November 21, 2011 Share #12 Â Posted November 21, 2011 I tried this, and had 1 black frame. But that was when I did not press the shutter release button well, and the noise then was different. Perhaps we forget that this is a mostly mechanical button triggering electronics, and not a purely electronic thing. IMHO: has nothing to do with the new firmware. Â So, do you agree occasional shutter failure is a more likely cause than firmware or card? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanhulsenbeek Posted November 21, 2011 Share #13 Â Posted November 21, 2011 Or human failure: just not pressing the button firmly or decisively enough! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
haroldp Posted November 21, 2011 Share #14 Â Posted November 21, 2011 Or human failure: just not pressing the button firmly or decisively enough! This may have nothing to do with the release level of firmware, but proper firmware would not record anything unless the shutter fired. Â Since the current shutter (unlike the old cloth shutter) is fired and timed electrically, this should be easy to detect. Â Regards ... H Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted November 21, 2011 Share #15 Â Posted November 21, 2011 So, I have not downloaded the latest firmware due to comments like this thread. I guess I will not chance the download which could cause be to have to replace about 20 cards. Â Remember what jrovner has already said, all the photographs he remembers taking are there on the card, the black frames are 'extra', and nobody has ever reported 'extra' black frames before, only black frames that are in the place of an expected photograph. So this thread has nothing to do with the latest firmware, or cards, but is far more likely the shutter being tripped accidentally. Â Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knorp Posted November 21, 2011 Share #16 Â Posted November 21, 2011 Thanks, Bart. I'm using a Sandisk Extreme 32GB SDHC card. I checked the black images in Lightroom, and they're showing full size. They also look black in the camera's preview screen. Â As I now reflect on yesterday's photo shoot, the images I can recall taking are all there and fine, but there are a bunch of black or nearly black images between them. I was shooting in manual mode. Therefore, it may be that I inadvertently bumped the aperture up to the point where I was was underexposed and then accidentally engaged the shutter (I have a soft release). It's a long shot, but possible. So I will officially recant my outcry for now, and give the camera a thorough re-test tomorrow. Â Hi there Jeff, Â I really appreciate your attitude here, good for you ... And luckily for you no shots are missing, so that's a relief for sure. Please keep us posted regarding your progress. Â All the very best. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrovner Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share #17 Â Posted November 21, 2011 I now remember that I AM missing a bunch of photos, presumably corresponding to the black frames. Sorry for the confusion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD700 Posted November 21, 2011 Share #18 Â Posted November 21, 2011 So? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannybuoy Posted November 21, 2011 Share #19  Posted November 21, 2011 Or human failure: just not pressing the button firmly or decisively enough!  Surely a button should just work? Especially one on a £4.5k camera. I'm having the BFoD (black frame of death) with alarming regularity now. Going to contact Leica soon. Hopefully they can fix it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrovner Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share #20 Â Posted November 22, 2011 In reply to Mike's question, I've now confirmed that the black frames are not simply accidental shutter releases, but failed exposures. I'm pretty confident I didn't press the shutter differently on these occasions than others. As I mentioned, I'm going to run another thorough shooting test this week. I'll report back on what I find. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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