Michael M. Posted February 3, 2007 Share #1 Posted February 3, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Dear Leica friends I'm running since some month on the German side of the forum but actual I'm facing fact that power capacity of my batteries is about 2,5 to 3,5 hours only when connecting camera to laptop (IBM T30) via USB cable. There is no data transfer - only lined up and activated connection. Up to now nobody was able to tell that this is OK or this is defectiv camera or some other mistake. Even Leica CS did not know about. As I own "only" one M8 I could not compare to see if there is some difference in cameras power consumption. My target was to do remote controlled and long-timed shots for astronomical purposes. On this I need much longer "stand-by-time" on the camera system when connected to USB port. (external power supply will be second choice solution - first I want to start with original, unmodified camera) I also got feeling that discharging on my laptop (USB-1 system) is running faster compared to other USB-2 PCs. On the other hand during "normal" use the capacity of my batteries follows up somewhat Leica tells in the camera specs - so batteries are OK in general. So I'm coming up with this question to the "international community" to see and learn if there has anybody got experienced in this special case. Any knowing available that 2,5hours operating/stand-by time is according spec when M8 is connected to PC's USB-1 ??? Or did your cameras stand for longer??? Thanks for answers Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 3, 2007 Posted February 3, 2007 Hi Michael M., Take a look here M8 battery capacity when connected to PC. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
wparsonsgisnet Posted February 3, 2007 Share #2 Posted February 3, 2007 Karl, I tried powering the M8 using the usb cable; that is, I removed the battery to see if the camera would get power from the usb cable. It does not. Therefore, when you connect the M8 to the computer with the usb, you are still using the battery to power the M8 -- and perhaps for more than that, I don't know. The battery life you are getting may be correct. You might like to calibrate your Li-ion battery by fully discharging it and then recharging it. Set the M8 Auto Power Off to Disabled and leave the camera on overnight. When the camera turns off, the battery will be fully discharged. Recharge it. You may find that it last longer when shootng tethered after that. I don't know how you will power the M8 except by battery. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael M. Posted February 3, 2007 Author Share #3 Posted February 3, 2007 Dear Bill Thanks. Think that my batteries are already fully formatted. And yes, this is the pain: camera is not powered by USB voltage. The mentioned problem might be only with the camera's high power mode during USB connection (if there is no other unknown problem with my camera). There is no auto-off when camera is connected to computer (this makes sense) except when battery went down. Even that safety funktion was not properly working at one time as I got trouble to re-power the camera by new battery (SW-hang-up I guess). Also camera get a little warmed up on right side above control button area (only a little). But there is really some remarkable and cont. power dissapation at that area inside camera when it is connected to USB (but no other activity on camera/PC - no display, no data transfer ...) Is it USB HW cable driver? or cont. clocking processor ?? or anything else cont. heating and discharging so fast battery without any noticeable sense ??? Did you connect camera already to PC and test max duration of time camera is "alive" without any specific activity on USB (only powerd on)? External power supply solution could be: Battery dummy with electrical contacts and cable to external mains supply or higher capacity external battery (including some electronics to perform same voltage/current conditions as original battery would do it for the camera) Also some modifications to the cameras base plate to support power line outlet. Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wparsonsgisnet Posted February 3, 2007 Share #4 Posted February 3, 2007 Michael, I have not tried to tether the camera to the computer, yet. I believe you can jam a piece of cardboard into the little switch that senses that the base plate is present. Creating a connection to the battery contact may be a little bit more difficult. I understand that when the camera is tethered that it writes files directly to the computer and bypasses the SD card. Did you have enough control of the camera from the computer? I don't know if anyone has done this, but I haven't read a posting about it before this. It would be interesting to all of us to hear how the process worked for you. tnx, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael M. Posted February 4, 2007 Author Share #5 Posted February 4, 2007 Dear Bill You're right, it will not be problem to bypass the switch (closed or not closed baseplate) by an simple mechanics. To feed in power for long term continuus functionality is a litte more difficult. I think it will be possible with some 'adapter' solutions. This need to have a empty battery case. And here we have the first problem: Leica is outsourching the battery definately. So, empty battery cases will be not availabe at CS in Solms to be ordered as spare part (and I woun't buy new Battery and 'kill' it's functionality by removing the chemical battery elements to get empty case for my experiments) but may be that there will be some possibility to get it from Leica's supplier or to get some defective batteries from Leica CS for the experiment. Also I need the electrical specification of the interface 'battery/camera' to adapt properly the aditional hardware (voltage limitations, current limiter functionality, current capability ...) May be Leica is willing to suport me by this. To be checked. Yes, the more serious problem ist the 'control software' for astronomical purposes. The SW delivered already with the camera is good basis to follow up but some details are still missing. So you will get the file transfer feature (direct after closing the de-noising procedure) but you will miss the possibility to control shutter timing by SW. You have to use shutter timing at cameras knob (up to 4 seconds max by manual setting) or using 'auto' function. As 'auto' function is running shutter up to 32 seconds at less light -this is not too bad to be used under "deep sky" conditions. Also controlling "B" is missing in the Leica cpture SW. >>> But still more the half way done yet - hopefully Leica can/will do something additional to the capture SW to expand and improve usage. I took already some "hand-made" shots on clear sky to test sensitivity and noise and I think that it is promising what I can see. With a little help from my friends (Leica Solms) the M8 is possible to enter astonomical usage as well. The general problem will be the correct focus to be applied to camera when use the M8 in combination with a astronomical telescope (no cont. readout of picture to control direct focus). But solutions are available also for this. Something unknown to me is the temperature behaviour of the camera. Noise volume is directly liked to temperature of sensor. And if there is heating source beside sensor this will not be good. Still to be tested ... cause by cause .. and at the end we will see So therefor I was starting with the power issue. regards Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsteve Posted February 4, 2007 Share #6 Posted February 4, 2007 I was thinking just the other day that there is probably a market for the M8 in applications where the M1 was used, such as microscopes and telescopes. Michael, if you do a bit of research there is probably already a telescope mount for a Leica M with some provision for focusing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael M. Posted February 4, 2007 Author Share #7 Posted February 4, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi Robert This is interesting news for me that there might be already some equipment to adapt M's to astro teles. Do you know details? I normally scan dealer here in Germany for that but so far I didn't found a direct astro-adaptation-HW to Leica M bajonet. Of coarse I can use original (old) Leica adaptors like tha "OUAGO 1:4/90" or others and design a additional thread-adaptor to mount it to the astro okular. But this is not best solution (missing fixation to prevent focus from disadjustment in case of OUAGO). Using Visoflex will not work because it's designed just for opposite use in macro not in tele. regards Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted February 4, 2007 Share #8 Posted February 4, 2007 -------------Of coarse I can use original (old) Leica adaptors like tha "OUAGO 1:4/90" or others and design a additional thread-adaptor to mount it to the astro okular. But this is not best solution (missing fixation to prevent focus from disadjustment in case of OUAGO). Using Visoflex will not work because it's designed just for opposite use in macro not in tele. regards Michael Michael, the Visoflexes (and the 1930's vintage PLOOT mirror box before them) were originally designed for long tele lenses, and my Visos still work very well with them. The macro options were an afterthought. You must still have a mechanical connection of course, and some kind of focusing helical. Maybe the Universal Focusing Helical will do. The old man from the Age of the Visoflex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael M. Posted February 4, 2007 Author Share #9 Posted February 4, 2007 Michael, the Visoflexes (and the 1930's vintage PLOOT mirror box before them) were originally designed for long tele lenses, and my Visos still work very well with them. The macro options were an afterthought. You must still have a mechanical connection of course, and some kind of focusing helical. Maybe the Universal Focusing Helical will do. The old man from the Age of the Visoflex Yes, but this accessories adopt to lensheads only. There is in fact physical limitation by the "Auflagemaß" (sorry don't know Englisch word for that) - meaning that the distance from lens to Film/sensor is fixed by optics calculation (+/- focusing shift only). And asto telesopes do also not support wide range of focus shifting by moving adopted camera because they are designed for focusing a little bit at infinity only. There is less optical "space" or moving reserve to fit equipment in between. We are talking about 40 ... 60mm space for aditional equipment added to the optical relevant length which could be compensated by the telescopes focusing capabilities. Still: focusing point is at infinity! And there is some other equipment you have to place inside this "space", too. Modern telescopes are designed to hold a ocular or a ocular plus mirror and to take that and still get focused at infinity, so you get offered only a little mechanical moving space by telescope adjustments. Stability and robustness is always more importand then longer focal moving distances. I personally use a additional "shortened" (by 40mm) telescope which opens a little more feedom in this but this means cutting the telescope mechanically! This offeres the possibility to use im my case a binocular for more comfortable and relaxed observing and/or other equipment. Still it is not enough to fit a Visoflex at minimum distance and a flip mirror case with second ocular capabilities to adjust optically to focus and other needed adaptors. What is needed is a optically very short camera adaptor (Leica bajonet) to T2 or equivalent common used with possibilities to do some fine adjustment and lock it after. Not knowing yet where to buy - except to do it by own (milling) Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
neelin Posted February 4, 2007 Share #10 Posted February 4, 2007 Also controlling "B" is missing in the Leica cpture SW. >>> I do not know if this helps you. Others have documented the feature of the built in "T" setting. Although not via SW control, if you put the on/off switch to Self Timer position, the "B" on the speed dial will act like a "T" i.e. first press starts exposure, second press stops exposure. More than one of us users is reading this thread with interest. robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael M. Posted February 4, 2007 Author Share #11 Posted February 4, 2007 Hi Robert Thanks for your comment. I've tested already the "B" and "T" functionality. But it will not work remote controlled via Leica capture SW. I can start the "T" feature by SW (after selftimer runns down) but I have to close at the camera release button. "B" will not act at all. SW seams also to be not very stabel - I got hang up as well at testing. Not knowing if camera blocks or Leica capture SW. Looks for me that there is still "SW under construction" status at this area From my side there is request to get access to shutter timing in all speeds including B and T. And also to set free timing periods in B-Mode (10sec, 20s ....) or mode-independant at any position of shutter dial (overriding by remote SW). Hopefully Leica will think about and update SW accordingly. (If I'm not the only one requesting this, may bee ...) For the very moment I see only the old fashioned way by a wire-release or some additional stuff mounted on cameras release button. May be there is easy way to do some tricks at SW but I did not know SWs source code to justify. Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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