Pang Teng Lin Posted May 3, 2015 Share #1 Posted May 3, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) I need help on using long exposure on M240. Confusion arises when 1. On bulb mode: ISO200, longest exposure duration is 1min/60sec( by default.) Once the ISO goes up to 400, the exposure duration by default goes down to 30sec. For shooting start trails, aurora, silky water surface, night scene, ISO can go as high as 800, 1000, 2000, no way to have long exposure longer than 8 sec. how to overcome this problem? 2. How to get timed exposure at regular interval ? e.g 2 sec interval, exposure 30 sec for as long as 1.5 hours 3. Using 18mm lens - when the ISO goes up to 800 and above OR bulb mode is on, the f stop automatically goes down f/4 regardless of what is being set. f/4 does not give the effect what f/8 or f/11 gives. How to solve this problem? Thank you. very much. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 3, 2015 Posted May 3, 2015 Hi Pang Teng Lin, Take a look here Long exposure on m240. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
AlanJW Posted May 3, 2015 Share #2 Posted May 3, 2015 How one solves this problem? Sorry I wish I could be more helpful but It is not solvable with the camera as it was built. This camera is not suitable for astrophotography or any other application needing very long exposures or an intervalometer. There may be a way, however, mechanically to fit an intervalometer -- others may comment; maybe something designed for film cameras with a standard shutter release socket -- but there is simply no way to do very long exposures beyond the limits Leica built in. I do not here respond to the issue raised about what the 18mm aperture does as I do not have that lens. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joakim Posted May 3, 2015 Share #3 Posted May 3, 2015 Regarding point 3, I don't understand how the camera could change the aperture since it is set on the lens. Instead I think what you see here is an effect of the fact that the aperture written to the image file isn't read from the lens but instead estimated by the camera from the sensor. So probably this estimation is not so correct for high ISO or bulb mode. The exposure should be correct though otherwise your image would always be overexposed I assume if the camera changed the EV by 1-2 stops 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornnb Posted May 4, 2015 Share #4 Posted May 4, 2015 (edited) These long exposure issues are a huge problem with the camera for landscape shooters. It makes it extremely difficult to do certain water smoothing effects or to do night time astrophotography. A high end camera should allow long exposures up to at least half an hour. Edited May 4, 2015 by Mornnb 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted May 4, 2015 Share #5 Posted May 4, 2015 ... A high end camera should allow long exposures up to at least half an hour. I agree although I suspect (not confirmed) that the heat generated by the CMOS sensor being on for a long time would either damage the sensor, or send thermal sensor noise through the roof, or both, which might be why Leica has capped it at 60 seconds for base ISO and progressively shorter as the ISO increases where more current will be drawn and more heat generated. I know that CMOS sensors in other manufacturers' cameras allow longer exposures but it might be that the CMOSIS sensor behaves differently from the others or Leica has chosen to be more conservative in its approach to controlling the risks. I would like to be able to take long exposures with my M too. Pete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted May 4, 2015 Share #6 Posted May 4, 2015 Many other CMOS sensor cameras have longer exposure times. This maximum exposure time on the M240 is pathetic. I assume it will be the same problem with the M246. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 4, 2015 Share #7 Posted May 4, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hard to judge the level of patheticness without knowing the reason... It may be that the compact internal space prevents the use of a large heat sink, for instance, but that is only guessing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thighslapper Posted May 4, 2015 Share #8 Posted May 4, 2015 (edited) Many other CMOS sensor cameras have longer exposure times. This maximum exposure time on the M240 is pathetic. I assume it will be the same problem with the M246. ..... well it is not really a 'problem' ..... just a design decision by Leica that runs right across their range of digital cameras ...... as is the ISO ceiling which is conservative by other camera manufacturers standards. the T uses a widely available Sony sensor and I am not aware it has long exposure issues .... but the exposure max is limited to 30 secs by Leica .... through choice, no necessity .... my jag is speed limited ..... but can actually go a good deal faster ...... same issue..... Leica cameras have never been 'do everything' instruments ..... and they have kept to the 'primarily for reportage' ethos despite a lot of digital advances. Edited May 4, 2015 by thighslapper Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted May 4, 2015 Share #9 Posted May 4, 2015 Well I could manage with 240 sec on the M9 Monochrom for low-light photography but the 60 sec or so of the M240 is very limiting for such work, especially where water is involved. To me it's one of the real limitations of the M240. I don't want another camera system so I just accept the limitation but that doesn't mean I can't bloody well whinge about it. In fact, the only things I really complain about with my system is the appallingly slow turnaround for service and repairs, and the limited maximum exposure of the M240. I can only go on a discussion I had a while ago about this with someone from Leica Australia. They thought that the M240 maximum exposure was also too short and that it was apparently limited because Leica felt that there would be to many complaints about image quality or dead pixels identified by such exposures. There was apparently discussion about a firmware modification that would allow extended exposure with no responsibility by Leica for any IQ issues but nothing has come of it. I have no idea if this is the case - I can only go on what I was told. Regardless, nothing has changed nor do I suspect it will. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted May 4, 2015 Share #10 Posted May 4, 2015 I suspect Jaap's comment about possible heat build-up is one of the most important factors on M240 exposure limitation. Heat buildup also produces noise what from what I understand. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografr Posted May 5, 2015 Share #11 Posted May 5, 2015 M240, 35mm Summilux asph fle, ISO 320, f/4.0, 31sec. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 15 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244552-long-exposure-on-m240/?do=findComment&comment=2810527'>More sharing options...
epand56 Posted May 5, 2015 Share #12 Posted May 5, 2015 Brent, that's a great picture! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kilmister Posted May 5, 2015 Share #13 Posted May 5, 2015 I agree, it is exceptional. What is it like in Black & White? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografr Posted May 6, 2015 Share #14 Posted May 6, 2015 Thank you both. I was just trying to show that the M240 isn't totally useless for astrophotography, even though I do wish longer exposure times were possible. Here's the b&w version. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/244552-long-exposure-on-m240/?do=findComment&comment=2811269'>More sharing options...
sunil Posted May 6, 2015 Share #15 Posted May 6, 2015 I like the one in color. Quite amazing. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stefsamm Posted May 6, 2015 Share #16 Posted May 6, 2015 (edited) Brent - really a great picture, thanks for sharing! Did you light-paint the ruins with some type of led light? On the broader conversation, my 2c as having experimented it a lot in the past: when it comes to starlit backgrounds, one may argue that any exposure longer than 20-25 secs would naturally produce visible star trails (as some is visible here). Unless you badly want them to add the effect, in general we tend to shy away and stay within the 15-20 secs' range. My take: more than 30 secs is in general reall not required for pics like the one shared here. Personally, I'm perfectly OK with my 240's 60-secs' ceiling. For water and the likes of - in many dailight scenarios that would imply reducing light either by stopping down to F16 or the minimum aperture for your lens, or adding a ND filter at the right intensity, or both. My experience having tried this in the past with other cameras (Sony a7r) is, minimum aperture is often not sufficient and I normally have to lift off 4 to 8 additional stops through filters. Has anyone tried this on the 240? Any samples or experiences to share, within the 60-secs limit of course? Great to learn from there. thanks s Edited May 6, 2015 by stefsamm 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enbee Posted May 6, 2015 Share #17 Posted May 6, 2015 I thought the max exposure time was 32 seconds. Is it 60? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografr Posted May 7, 2015 Share #18 Posted May 7, 2015 Brent - really a great picture, thanks for sharing! Did you light-paint the ruins with some type of led light? thanks s Yes, I painted with a flashlight with a very focused beam on the ruins. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografr Posted May 7, 2015 Share #19 Posted May 7, 2015 I thought the max exposure time was 32 seconds. Is it 60? It depends on the ISO setting. At 200 ISO, it is 60 seconds. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
epand56 Posted May 8, 2015 Share #20 Posted May 8, 2015 Yes, I painted with a flashlight with a very focused beam on the ruins. That's genial!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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