When can we expect a reasonably good screen and fast image review?

[AlanG]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

It was the VW 914. I swear Lego designed it, but with an improved engine.

 

Among us old BUG fanatics there used to be a lot of talk like we read here regarding changing the M. Not so much anymore now that Subaru has made the ultimate affordable boxer engine. Some of us are installing them in Bugs.

We love the simplicity of the Bug - after we replace the entire brake system and suspension, wheels, tyres and engine.

 

Replacement camera LCD screens are only about $22-$60 retail from the shop below. One for a Canon G12 is only $49. (• 2.8 inch Vari-angle PureColor II • 461,000 pixels) So what could they cost in wholesale quantities? I bet larger hi res ones are less expensive today than when Leica bought its first one for the M8.

 

Canon

 

I know the 914 but that was not a 911. And while it was pretty much a VW there was no VW equivalent model. I'm familiar with bugs too. My brother used to live up in the hills above Santa Cruz CA and had a really beat up bug that had redwood logs lashed to it in place of bumpers. (He was an expert mechanic of course.) I drove that from LA to San Francisco and got pulled over a few times. Consider that after WWII the general feeling in America was to go from rationing to brash exuberance not to a tiny little economy car. That is why huge cars with tail fins and big engines were in demand. Some of the most eccentric American cars came out of that period mostly due to Harley Earl at GM. I love those monstrosities and nothing like that will ever be repeated. Design was way more important than performance in those things.

 

There was a similar trend in women's fashion to use more cloth and celebrate.

 

Official Harley Earl Website / Home Page

Edited July 11, 2011 by AlanG

[rosuna]

I have been really annoyed with the lousy LCD on the M9 (espesially the lag of a sharp review picture), and just got on with it, but today i bought a silver chrome Leica M9-P, and one of my biggest surprises was the improved monitor, alltough still a low res 2.5" it is clearly a better, higher quality LCD, instant sharpness, much better contrast and sharpness, and much better to view in broad daylight...i think this is a reason to upgrade to M9-P alone, at least for me...

 

Alexander, Do you think it may be a consequence of the sapphire cover?

Edited July 11, 2011 by rosuna

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[rosuna]

If they're smart, they will use all this liberated space for a larger battery

 

Andy, I would keep the same battery. New technology may increase the capacity keeping the same form and size. It would be great to preserve as much compatibility as possible (M lenses, battery...).

[Jamie Roberts]

Alexander, Do you think it may be a consequence of the sapphire cover?

...and the firmware update, which does change the preview... (maybe there is slightly updated electronics in the M9-P?)

[AlanG]

...and the firmware update, which does change the preview... (maybe there is slightly updated electronics in the M9-P?)

 

Why wouldn't Leica promote this to sell more cameras if it upgraded the electronics, screen, or preview in any way in either or both models?

[diogenis]

I am surprised that this is not mentioned in the M9-P product description. But that is really great news! It appears that the answer to the question raised by the OP as to when we can expect a reasonably good screen and fast image review is ... right NOW.

 

So, has the improved screen suddenly turned the M camera into a Swiss Army Knife DSLR? And with this new direction toward providing needless features and trying to be like other cameras, is the M9-P no longer a minimalist tool? ... Just ... kidding!

 

It shows that Leica is steadily refining the digital M ... a big thumbs up for that!

 

Obviously this has nothing to do with: larger or more dense screen. If this is correct, it's just an effort of doing the obvious, that is a better screen, but still not different. Still though you can only get so much from current TFT LCD screens. You can't expect miracles.

[diogenis]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Why wouldn't Leica promote this to sell more cameras if it upgraded the electronics, screen, or preview in any way in either or both models?

 

Because it would make a non issue, a problem. This is what some reporters/reeviewers wait to make stories.

[AlanG]

Because it would make a non issue, a problem. This is what some reporters/reeviewers wait to make stories.

 

What problem? As should be obvious from this thread, there is interest in a better screen and faster electronics. They remove the red dot, add the Leica script and a sapphire cover glass calling it a "new model" but don't mention actual improvements in electronics, LCD or firmware. That would make no sense to me.

[atufte]

Why wouldn't Leica promote this to sell more cameras if it upgraded the electronics, screen, or preview in any way in either or both models?

 

Because they still got a lot of original M9's to sell...

[andybarton]

They are still making M9s

[diogenis]

Even if they still make M9s they will make them with the new chipset then. This could only affect stock M9s... provided there are really new electronics in the M9P

[jaapv]

Assuming there IS a new chipset...

[Xmas]

Assuming there IS a new chipset...

 

Well if the origonal supplier part is not available, you need to go to a compatible even if the compatible is/was more expensive.

They may want to go back to previous suppliers cheaper part hence cannot advertise 'enhancement'.

So dont just sit looking at your PC screen, panic buy...

Probably just a generic 'drop in' LCD module... if it was not it would be new firmware, for LCD drivers. A new chipset would be clamity, unless instruction compatible

Lots of the Ja dependent piece parts may have supply problems still.

 

Noel

[jaapv]

All this on one uncorroberated post claiming a better screen? If all better high-ISO posts after M8 updates are added up, the ISO capability of that camera would be noisefree 1.024.000 ISO:rolleyes:

[bill]

Blimey... This is like extrapolating the existence of the Universe from a cupcake.

 

Fact: one poster has "observed" an "improvement"

Fact: Leica has not advertised an improvement

 

I like facts...

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[dwbell]

All this on one uncorroberated post claiming a better screen? If all better high-ISO posts after M8 updates are added up, the ISO capability of that camera would be noisefree 1.024.000 ISO:rolleyes:

 

But that's a whole other thread Jaapv... ...and don't we know it!

[jonoslack]

Blimey... This is like extrapolating the existence of the Universe from a cupcake.

 

Fact: one poster has "observed" an "improvement"

Fact: Leica has not advertised an improvement

 

I like facts...

 

Regards,

 

Bill

 

I like facts as well - Alexander - maybe you're previous M9 had a sub standard screen?

I have to say that I haven't noticed the difference between the screens on my M9p and M9, beyond the fact that the nice new clean sapphire screen is clearer than my old scuffed plastic one.

 

I'm not convinced there's any other difference.

 

One thing - I was certain that my new camera was quieter than the old one - certain . . . so I did a blind test with my wife, and it was clear that there really isn't any difference.

 

Anyway - my feeling is that the screen is better by virtue of being new and unblemished, and that it's likely to stay that way.

 

all the best

[jaapv]

But that's a whole other thread Jaapv... ...and don't we know it!

Just to illustrate the placebo effect. If a firmware update can do that, just imagine the improvements handing over the entire contents of your credit card will spawn...

[atufte]

Alexander, Do you think it may be a consequence of the sapphire cover?

 

It might be, my M9 LCD was pretty beaten up, so it's hard to tell, but the intstant sharp preview at least is new....and very appreciated....

 

Dont know if this is the best source but maybe the coating he talks about here contributes aswell in giving an impression of a better LCD, it shure looks like it at least on my camera...

 

Leica launches M9-P professionally targeted rangefinder: Digital Photography Review

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[movito]

Instant sharp image review is a nice improvement.

 

On my M9 (latest firmware), the review image is initially blurry, sharpening itself after 1-3 seconds. Minimizing latency (delay) is essential to providing a great user experience, so things like faster image review helps a lot.

 

Additionally, if the graphics chipset could render the stored images at all zoom levels as a background process or while the camera was at rest, reviewing a large batch of images would go a lot faster. The last one to X images might be a little slow, but the rest would be fast.

 

Jef Raskin, who among other things worked on the original Mac interface performed a few similar tricks with the Canon Cat computer:

 

On the Canon Cat, disk formatting was done as data was stored, so that it seemed to take no time and the user did not have to be aware that the process existed. (

source

)

 

When a user stopped working, the Cat stored a bit-for-bit image of the screen — exactly as the display appeared when she stopped — on the first track of the disk. When the user again loaded her disk, the Cat placed the most recently viewed image on the screen, in only a fraction of a second (

source

)

 

So, there are a variety of tricks that developers can use to compensate for the mismatch between file size and image rendering throughput.