THE ORIGINAL FAQ THREAD

[jaapv]

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Question: There are spots on my images, especially at small apertures.

 

 

This is sensor dirt. All digital cameras with interchangeable lenses have this problem, but an M is particularly prone, because there is no mirror as extra barrier and the lack of an AA filter makes the dirt more visible.

 

One should prevent dust from entering the camera as much as possible. There are a number of strategies.

1. Avoid changing lenses more than necessary.

2. Change lenses in as much of a dust-free environment as possible

3. Keep the rear end of the lens as clean as possible

4. Change the lens with the camera mouth facing downwards

5. (This may be a myth) Switch off the camera before changing lenses.

 

But dust will come on the sensor anyway.

The Leica M has a dust detection system that will help you locate the dust.

 

Consult the manual to find the sensor cleaning item in the menu and use a FULLY charged battery. Before opening the shutter blow out the camera (using a bulb blower, not compressed air or your mouth!) to dislodge any loose dust.

 

If the dust on the sensor is loose one can blow off the sensor using a good bulb blower, (Rocket Blower by Giotto for instance) with the camera mouth facing downwards.

 

If that does not clear the problem there are sensor brushes like the Arctic Butterfly by Visible Dust that are quite effective or the little vacuum cleaner by Green Clean. At this stage the use of a Sensor Loupe can be very helpful.

 

If spots on the sensor persist you are dealing with stuck dirt like pollen or oil spots and need to revert to wet cleaning. There are numerous threads on the subject. The Visible Dust products are highly recommended or the Green Clean wet-and-dry method.

Use a proper solvent for grease if you think you are dealing with oil etc. (Visible Dust Smear Away or Dust-Aid Sensor Clean (my preference)

 

Open the shutter for cleaning and blow it once again with a bulb blower or vacuum clean it, to remove any loose particles which might be dragged across the sensor and cause scratches.

 

Although the M is full frame and there are size 1 sensor swabs on the market, I prefer using the swabs for 1.3 sensors (and APS-C swabs for the M8)

Take a clean swab, put on three small drops of Sensor Cleaning Fluid and in two sweeps, top and bottow go to one side - do not over-press!!- and sweep back again, using the other side of the swab automatically.

Or, using the wet-and-dry system, swab with the wet sponge and dry with a couple of sweeps with the dry swab. Don't let the fluid spill over the edge of the sensor too much - there are electronic connections there.

 

That is all - close the shutter and test the camera by taking an unfocussed image of an evenly lit surface at the smallest aperture.

 

In the unlikely case it is needed, repeat.

 

There are other cleaning systems, like stamping the dust away, but my personal experience with those was not very good. Others, including Leica Customer Service seem to be quite happy using them, so it is clearly a matter of preference. Nevertheless with such systems wet cleaning will become unavoidable at a certain point.

There are also sensor cleaning services or Leica Customer Service, but those are expensive and will keep the camera for a while. They may also not be readily available if one is travelling. Sensor cleaning is something any owner should be able to do himself.

 

If you are fairly certain your spots are oil or grease, it may be wise to omit the step with the Arctic Butterfly, as it may become contaminated by the grease. In case that happens it can be cleaned with the special fluid provided.

[jaapv]

Question:

 

Can I use the DOF scale on my lens as I did on my film M?

 

Answer:

 

Yes and no. The size of the sensor is the same as film, so the mathematics are the same.

But:

a. The DOF scale is, for historical reasons, quite optimistic.

b. A sensor draws differently from film, making the optical impression of the DOF gradient more pronounced

c. There is a tendency to print larger from a printer than from an enlarger

 

That means it is wise to close the lens one stop down from the "film setting".

Edited March 13, 2013 by jaapv

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[jaapv]

Question:

Do I have to wait for the buffer to clear for the next shot when shooting continuous?

 

 

Answer:

 

No. The camera will shoot about eight frames (M9)(12 for the M8) at 2 fps, and then will fire a shot as soon as one file is cleared from the buffer, i.e. on shot each two seconds approx. ad infinitum.

[George Furst]

Question:

Can I use the R to M adapters that are listed on ebay to mount my R lenses on the M (typ 240)? Which of the many R lens cam configerations work with an adapter?

 

Answer:

I cannot speak for all the adapters I have seen listed on that site but I can say that the older Leica adapter 22228 does work on the M. It also does work with the three cam R lenses. I understand that it does not work with the early one cam lens for the original Leicaflex without modification. Beware that the red plastic lens release found on some of these Leica adapters are notoriously prone to breaking. One can also code the adapter and bring up the R to M Adapter menu on the M. I did it and it works great to see the menu of all the R lenses listed.

Edited April 5, 2013 by George Furst
adding highlites

[George Furst]

Question:

 

What framelines come up when you use the R adapter M?

 

Answer:

 

The 28/90 mm framelines show in the M viewfinder when using this adapter.

Edited April 5, 2013 by George Furst
Added a question mark

[jaapv]

Question

 

How can I use a colour profile for the M ?

 

 

Answer

 

 

Provided by Wlaidlaw

 

I think the general consensus (if there is such a thing as concensus on the LUF), is that a dual illuminance profile from a Gretag Macbeth card is the way to go. I would suggest that an indoor tungsten one image and a grey but bright overcast sky for the other, with the camera set at fixed colour temperatures of 2800º and 7000ºK respectively. You can either use the very easy to use Color Checker passport from X-Rite or DNG Profile Editor from Adobe. These are both free downloads from their respective websites. X-Rite is simpler but has fewer options. You save the profile in user/library/application support/adobe/camera raw/camera profiles and restart LR. I have no idea where you save them in Windows - you will have to look this up.

[George Furst]

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Question:

 

What is the lens code that must be used to code the R to M adapter? Also, can I use second party adapters or prior made Leica R to M adapters and will the code work on them?

 

Answer:

 

The code to use on the flange is 110111 (55). However in order to have this code actually work on a 3rd-party adapter or the older Leica adapter you must hand code it. Can I hand code it and does it work to bring up the correct framelines on the rangefinder and the R lens on the M menu? Yes you can hand code the adapter to bring up the framelines and use the manual setting to bring up R lens menu, I did it. Then you need to cohhse the correct R lens on the menue and remember to change this setting when you change the R lens for another one. What you need to do is to precisely place the code on the flange of the adapter using a flat black permanent ink felt tip pen. For the areas of the code that are white I leave the flange unmarked, that is in bright metal. To do this precisely, I purchased a Leica M coding kit on Ebay. This worked very but you must be patient. The first time I did it, I was not able to get it to work. The second time it worked perfectly and has continued to work to bring up the R lens even when I change back to the M lens.

[Lindolfi]

Question:

 

Can I use polarizing sunglasses with the M?

 

Answer:

 

Don't use polaroid sunglasses with the EVF, you'll get horrible blueish blodges in the frame, while the back LCD simply becomes dark when the camera is turned to about 60 degrees out of landscape orientation counterclockwise.

 

The optical rangefinder shows a dim (low contrast) primary image in landscape orientation and a dim secondary (shifting) image in portrait orientation when using polaroid sunglasses. (This is true for all Leica M rangefinders)

[Lindolfi]

Question:

 

Is the effect of in camera lens correction visible in LiveView?

 

Answer:

 

No, the effects of in camera correction of lens properties (by automatic detection or manual setting) is not visible in the "live" EVF image. Both vignetting and color correction are not performed in the "live" EVF image. In play mode of an exposed image, it is visible.

 

The effects of WhiteBalance setting and Film mode settings are directly visible in LiveView.

[jaapv]

Question:

 

What is the underlying standard for the rangefinder focusing? .

 

 

Answer:

 

 

 

 

YesThe standard is based around a 50mm lens and it's no coincidence Leica use a 50mm lens when aligning rangefinders and I have a chrome 50mm Summicron which I use only for the purposes of establishing which of my cameras is correctly aligned.

 

This is illustrated by the humble 50mm f2.8 Elmar, the simplest of all (recently) current lenses. In this lens, there is just a single helicoid and the rangefinder roller bears directly on the back of the lens barrel which does not itself rotate. When the lens is set to infinity, the barrel is as far back as it goes and at this point, the rangefinder should be coincident for objects at infinity. As the lens is focussed at closer distance, the lens barrel moves forward and the roller with it. The amount of lens extension is proportional to the focussing ring angle turned back from infinity which in turn depends on the pitch of the helicoid.

 

There's a classic formula in optics:

 

1/f = 1/u + 1/v

 

which is valid to a first approximation for camera lenses, f is the focal length, v and u are the object and image distance; plug the values in and you get a lens extension of 0.251mm at 10 metres distance, 2.631mm at 1 metre and 3.846mm at 0.7mm which defines the range of movement of the rangefinder roller required. You can plot a graph (I have one somewhere, I will publish it if I can find it) of lens extension against focussing distance. Interestingly, you can also plot the circumferential distances of the markings on the lens distance scale back from infinity against the marking values themselves and you get the same (approximately) graph.

 

This is then the simplest coupling between lens and camera. The camera never sees any different - there is a defined relationship between roller displacement and coincident distance set by this humble 50mm lens. Any "smarts" to handle the characteristics of particular lenses are built into the lenses themselves.

 

The most basic characteristic which has to be handled is focal length. The extension from infinity to close focus is much greater for a 90mm lens than for a 50mm lens and the extension for a 21mm lens is much less. However, for the rangefinder still to work, there has to be a surface on the back of the lens which moves through the same range as the lens barrel for the "reference" 50mm lens.

 

This is accomplished in two main ways. First, there can be a second helicoid which moves the surface against which the roller is pressing at a different rate to the lens barrel. At infinity, the lens barrel helicoid is set so that the lens focusses to infinity and the focussing helicoid is set so that the rangefinder is coincident at infinity. As the focussing ring is turned, the lens moves forward at one rate and the focussing surface at another. They are both still linked to the angular rotation of the focussing ring. The 75mm Summicron is a good example.

 

The second option if you don't want to go to the trouble of having a second helicoid is to arrange for the roller to press on a surface linked to the focussing ring which then rotates and is profiled so that as the focussing ring rotates, the roller moves as required. Examples are the 18mm Super-Elmar and the 90mm Elmar. The problem now is that the rangefinder roller can make contact at a slightly different lateral position depending on its own alignment and throw the focussing off, especially when the surface is steeply profiled. It works in the 90mm Elmar because the profiling is quite shallow and with the 18mm because of the depth of field available.

 

Things get tricky when you have a difficult lens like the old Noctilux or 75mm Summilux because optical variations meant not all copies behaved in the same way and the Noctilux is reputed to have had a hand-ground cam profile.

 

In the most complex lenses, such as the 21mm Summilux, it is not sufficient to just have the two helicoids because the lens has different focussing characteristics to the reference 50mm; in this case, they use a second focussing helicoid to get it in the right ball park AND profile the cam to get it exactly right.

 

Fundamentally though, the rangefinder characteristic which defines roller displacement against coincident distance goes back to that basic 50mm lens. It's cameras and lenses both adhering to that characteristic which is essential to allow lens interchangeability.

 

[farnz]

Question: Farnz.

 

Will my M Bellows II fit directly onto the M (Typ 240)?

 

 

Answer: Farnz.

 

Yes it will but BEWARE: you will not be able to remove the Bellows II without dismantling it because the bellows back plate completely covers the M (Typ 240)'s lens release button.

 

If you fit the OUFRO (16469) Visoflex extension ring to the camera and the Bellows II to the OUFRO then this will provide enough space to operate the lens release button.

[jaapv]

Question: What SD card should I use?

 

Answer:

 

The fastest you can get. The camera is limited by the speed of the card and will be more responsive with a fast card.

[gravastar]

Question: How do I store and not lose the camera hot shoe/EVF connector protective cover when using the EVF viewfinder.

Answer: It's important to replace the hot shoe/EVF connector cover when the auxiliary EVF viewfinder is not used. The cover contains a neoprene sealing gasket that keeps moisture etc. out of the camera body.

The hot shoe cover is a slot-in fit to the protective cover of the EVF2 and the combination can be safely stored in the (now) empty EVF pouch.


Bob.

[Chris101-MM]

Question:

I just received my new SF 24D flash, and loving it on my M.
I use my flash for a small amount of fill flash in certain situations, and need to get hold of a good charger for the, I suppose - CR123A, batteries and a Omnibounce for the flash.


Answer:

The SF 24 D will not function with rechargeable batteries. You need to get the normal lithium ones. And no charger. Leicagoodies make a diffuser for the flash.

Edited August 7, 2018 by jaapv

[George Furst]

Question:
Do I need to use a screen saver on the M? If I do, or wish the extra protection, which one would you recommend?

Answer
We all know about the special glass used on the monitor of this camera but if you read the threads others have written, you will find that it does scratch. I highly recommend you use a screen saver and the one provided by my Leica dealer here in Korea seems to work very well. It is the screen saver for the Panasonic Lumix TZ digital 30 camera. Its size is 66.5 X 48.5. The stock number on the contianer lists it as Japan Etsumi Stock No. E7145.

Edited August 7, 2018 by jaapv
word missing

[jaapv]

Question: by bab

 

Just an FYI.....

 

I find my M240 when set to Classic and Center Weighted shooting in the vertical position exposes +1/3 to +2/3 to the right. And when in the Horizontal position it exposes -1/3 to -2/3 to the left underexposed.

I also see that with the background being mostly white or a lot of the background white the image tends to overexpose from the meter reading when shooting with my 50 lux but when I'm shooting with my 21mm its still underexposed by -1/3 to -2/3 of a stop.

 

 

 

Answer:by Jaapv

 

 

The metering field in centreweighed mode is oval ( see the FAQ: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/130720-leica-m8-m8-2-m9-m9p-4.html#post1997160 )

When you hold the camera vertical considerably more of fore- and background will be considered for the exposure than when you hold the camera horizontally. So yes, your findings are logical.

An exposure meter will measure objectively. It is up to the user to understand the system and interpret the readings.

Images which have a pronounced light intensity difference ( the proverbial black horse in the snow,or the bright light in the night) will need to be interpreted by the user and have an appropriate correction of the measured value applied. Due to the wider angle of view this effect is more pronounced on wideangles.

[digitalfx]

QUESTION: Can we choose Adobe RGB color space?

 

ANSWER: If you wish to work in Adobe RGB color space, the M10's  .DNG raw files have no color space baked in, so you are free to convert to the color space that best suites your workflow and needs. The Leica M10 no longer offers a choice for JPEG images with an option to select Adobe RGB. JPEG images are intended for review or web and therefore are in sRGB color space.

 

 

 

 

The M10 does not have the option for Adobe RGB in the jpeg files...is this really necessary?

 

First, lets clear up some confusion:

raw files DO NOT have a color space baked in. When you export from raw, you then have the option to export using your preferred color space.

 

The option to select sRGB or AdobeRGB was strictly for the camera produced jpegs. 

Since most would use the raw files to process their images, and utilize the jpeg files for quick review or web...do we really need to have this option in camera?

Edited February 15, 2017 by digitalfx

[LUF Admin]

QUESTION: Why is the ISO dial so difficult adjust?

 

ANSWER: The ISO Dial has two positions, and due to the location it is designed to be lifted by two fingers (ideally the thumb and index fingers) to prevent accidental changes while shooting. The ISO dial can be left in the up position while shooting to facilitate quick changes. A red ring is visible under the dial when in the up position.

 

When adjusting the ISO dial, the ISO value will appear in the OVF and will remain until the shutter is slightly depressed at which point the value will be replaced by the exposure information depending on the mode selected.

 

Q&A provided by digitalfx here

[LUF Admin]

QUESTION: Why is GPS data missing from my Leica M10 images and why is the option ghosted in my settings?
 
ANSWER: GPS functionality requires the Visoflex Typ 020. Once installed on the hot shoe, you can enable GPS in the Leica M10 menu.
 
Q&A provided by digitalfx here

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[digitalfx]

QUESTION: When I press the LV, Play or Menu buttons nothing happens

 

ANSWER: The 3 buttons on the back of the camera are designed to be pressed momentarily. Just tap the button...dont push and hold. This is by design to prevent accidentally engaging the options while shooting or in your bag.