M9 Firmware: Comparative Shot Times

[k-hawinkler]

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I am welcoming Leica's effort to finally address the M9 battery power management issues that in the past could result in catastrophic loss of images already stored on the memory card inside the camera. It certainly happened to my M9.

 

Provided, extensive use by the user community confirms the validity of the new firmware version 1.196, then Leica has indeed made major progress that also will find its way into next generations of their camera offerings, I trust.

 

In this case congratulations to Leica are in order. Here are mine: CONGRATULATIONS and continued good luck.

 

As we can see from the table above, for the Panasonic Gold or similar cards, firmware version 1.162 using DNG Compressed is still the fastest way to store the images. Also, these type of cards have already provided an excellent power failure protection, Panasonic 16GB SDHC Memory Card Class 10 UHS-I RPSDB16GB1K B&H, quote:

 

"Power Failure Protection

 

In the event of a power failure, SICS saves original data back to the card so there is no corruption or loss of material. If a power failure occurs, not only can the current clip being recorded become damaged, but data can be corrupted in other areas as well. With the SICS feature, it is like the power failure never occurred. This has been tested and certified by TÜV Rheinland, a leading Product Certification provider, for up to 1,000 times"

 

So, for folks like Bill Parsons, who needs the last bit of speed for his dance photography, firmware version 1.162 in combination with the described Panasonic cards might still be the way to go.

 

However, for my photography I will use firmware version 1.196 and will do all the things the M9 user manual explains and thereby explicitly endorses, including pushing control buttons to display images whenever I feel like it without regard to whether the red LED is blinking or not.

 

And, of course, I will continue to use my Panasonic cards as extra insurance.

As the German saying goes:"Doppelt gemoppelt hält besser!"

[magosak]

Thanks K-H. I do have a Panasonic 16GB SDHC Gold card and would love to install 1.162 but this is not possible on some M9-Ps.

[k-hawinkler]

Thanks K-H. I do have a Panasonic 16GB SDHC Gold card and would love to install 1.162 but this is not possible on some M9-Ps.

 

 

Thanks for the feedback. C'est la vie!

 

I am curious though:

 

Which firmware version is on your M9-P now?

Which firmware version was originally on it?

 

Thanks.

[magosak]

Thanks for the feedback. C'est la vie!

 

I am curious though:

 

Which firmware version is on your M9-P now?

Which firmware version was originally on it?

 

Thanks.

 

It came with 1.176 and now it`s on 1.196. When I try to install 1.162 I keep getting "Update file is incompatible with your camera."

[k-hawinkler]

It came with 1.176 and now it`s on 1.196. When I try to install 1.162 I keep getting "Update file is incompatible with your camera."

 

Thanks. With 1.196 your M9-P should be more stable anyway and DNG compressed is relatively fast.

To see major speed improvements will require the next generation of electronics I am afraid.

M10...

 

Good luck.

[em9]

It came with 1.176 and now it`s on 1.196. When I try to install 1.162 I keep getting "Update file is incompatible with your camera."

 

Have you tried 1.174?

 

That one was very short lived, but would be sort of confirming I suppose that it really can't go lower than 1.176.

[magosak]

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Have you tried 1.174?

 

That one was very short lived, but would be sort of confirming I suppose that it really can't go lower than 1.176.

 

I am willing to give 1.174 a try but where do I find it?

[k-hawinkler]

I am willing to give 1.174 a try but where do I find it?

 

PM me your email address and I send you a copy.

[magosak]

I can downgrade from 1.196 to 1.174, but cannot go from 1.174 to 1.162. I get the message "Update file is incompatible with your camera."

[k-hawinkler]

I can downgrade from 1.196 to 1.174, but cannot go from 1.174 to 1.162. I get the message "Update file is incompatible with your camera."

 

Well, that is your answer.

Now we know the first firmware/update version of the M9-P that was released.

Thanks.

[NZDavid]

Speed is not such a concern, reliability is -- protecting data and ensuring camera doesn't suddenly lock up rendering it unusable are the priorities for me.

[01af]

Thank you, k-hawinkler, for your extensive testing. Coincidentally, I also did some timing studies yesterday. To my surprise, I found out that with v1.196, my SanDisk Extreme card now is faster than the Pretec 433× card—with v1.162, it used to be the other way around.

 

Using DNG compressed format, v1.162 + Pretec SDHC 433× still is my fastest combination—9 frames in 18 s, i. e. 2.0 s per frame. But v1.196 + SanDisk SDHC Extreme now comes in as a very close 2nd—9 frames in 20 s, i. e. 2.2 s per frame. That's a difference I consider insignificant in practical use. By the way, v1.196 + Pretec SDHC 433× delivers only eight frames in 24 s, i. e. 3 s per frame.

 

Using DNG uncompressed + JPEG basic, the picture basically is the same: v1.162 + Pretec fastest but v1.196 + SanDisk only slightly slower; v1.196 + Pretec still slower (41 s, 48 s, and 55 s for seven frames, respectively, i. e. 5.9 s, 6.9 s, and 7.9 s per frame).

 

In each case, I'm getting faster times than you with your expensive Panasonic Gold card—which surprises me. Nominally, the Panasonic Gold is supposed to be faster than both the SanDisk Extreme and the Pretec 433×. By the way, I am metering the timings with the camera set to ISO 160/23° and a cap on the lens so the pictures taken will be pitch-black which gives better timings for JPEG format (very small files). I'm doing this so that various image contents won't affect the results. Higher ISO settings will lead to slower data processing.

 

The fact that the SanDisk card used to be slower in the M9 than the Pretec but now is faster seems to indicate that Leica has collaborated closely with SanDisk, in order to optimise SanDisk card compatibility. There used to be frequent recommendations on this forum lately to the effect of, 'stay away from SanDisk' ... maybe this has changed now. Of course, being faster now does not necessarily mean it has become more reliable, too. Personally, I never had problems with reliability anyway, only with speed (or lack thereof). Maybe we should give SanDisk cards another chance now.

[em9]

Well, that is your answer.

Now we know the first firmware/update version of the M9-P that was released.

Thanks.

 

Problem is that on some other thread, a M9-P user claimed the camera was delivered to him with 1.162. Now, I have a hard time believing that Leica 'locks' the cameras, also seeing that 1.174 seems to be no problem.

 

If magosak received his camera with 1.176, it's clearly not locked, else 1.174 wouldn't work either.

 

I would suggest magosak downloads a different 1.162, from some other location or other source, and give it one more try with that one (unless he already tried different downloads, then I give up ).

 

Of course, there's also the possibility that some hardware changes were put in place at some point, which might make 1.162 truly incompatible with some M9-Ps out there (and possibly then also with newer M9s).

[Fgcm]

Thank you, k-hawinkler, for your extensive testing. Coincidentally, I also did some timing studies yesterday. To my surprise, I found out that with v1.196, my SanDisk Extreme card now is faster than the Pretec 433× card—with v1.162, it used to be the other way around.

 

+1

 

I mostly use SanDisk 4Gb (I prefer to use several small SD than a big one).

1.196 works very fine and fast enought for me.

Apart the soft release issue (which I do not use often) I do not understand why so many are complaining about something.

It's normal to change batteries after 3 or 4 years. For any device.

Sorry friends, but thinking too much make life too complex

Enjoy your camera and if the firmware asks for a new battery, buy it.

Your camera deservs a present once in three years!

 

Franco

 

 

P.S. Do not bother Leica guys and let them work to finalize my next camera

[01af]

Apart the soft release issue ...

There is no soft-release issue I am aware of. But then, in two years and four months of ownership I never used soft-release mode so far. So what exactly is this issue? Did you find it yourself or did you hear about it from someone else?

[magosak]

I would suggest magosak downloads a different 1.162, from some other location or other source, and give it one more try with that one (unless he already tried different downloads, then I give up ).

 

Of course, there's also the possibility that some hardware changes were put in place at some point, which might make 1.162 truly incompatible with some M9-Ps out there (and possibly then also with newer M9s).

I obtained 1.162 from two different sources. I also suspect that there might be some h/w changes.

[Fgcm]

There is no soft-release issue I am aware of. But then, in two years and four months of ownership I never used soft-release mode so far. So what exactly is this issue? Did you find it yourself or did you hear about it from someone else?

 

No, I did not realize myself.

 

During beta test, some testers wrote about it.

It consist in a delay when using discrete mode (sorry, not soft release, my fault).

After you shoot the first photo, before taking the next, you have to wait for the shutter to rechoke completely.

If nobody wrote about it, I would never get it as a problem.

It's a very minor problem (if a problem at all)

 

I never used soft mode too. Who cares about it?

Discrete mode is ok, but just twice a year.

 

Franco

[chris_tribble]

If anyone's interested in the Pansonic cards, this is worth checking:

Panasonic 16GB UHS-1 London 2012 Collection SDHC Card - Class 10 £20.98 - Free Delivery

I've bought from this supplier often and the goods have always been legitimate. I've ordered a couple.

[jaapv]

That is not expensive - got a few as well. Well set for the next round, and retiring the Sandisks.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[01af]

If anyone's interested in the Panasonic cards, this is worth checking:

Panasonic 16 GB UHS-1 London 2012 Collection SDHC Card — Class 10 £20.98 — Free Delivery

That's the slowish Panasonic Gold, not the super-fast but expensive Panasonic Gold Pro. According to k-hawinkler's measurements and mine, both the SanDisk Extreme and the Pretec SDHC 433× are faster in the M9—and cheaper, too. Moreover, it seems that SanDisk cards now work better (faster and more reliable) in the M9 with v1.196 than they used to. So before retiring them, give them a second chance!