New Firmware 1.092 thoughts/ Read instructions

[robsteve]

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The shutter lag isn't too bad on the M8. I shot basketball with the M8 last night and only found the shutter lag a bit odd when I had inadvertently switched it on to self timer. The camera was firing away but not when I thought I was pressing the shutter. Typically when shooting sports I will tap the shutter as the action comes my way to make sure the camera was not asleep and ready to fire. In this case, it was starting the two second self timer.

 

Here is a shot done the regular way, just firing when you think you might get the peak. I think I fire as they jump. I used the Noctilux at f1.8 and 640iso. Some more photos with the M8 and basketball can be seen in the Sports forum.

http://www.leica-camera-user.com/sports-leisure-time/18541-basketball-noctilux.html

 

[Guest Walt]

Yesterday I removed the camera battery and then replaced it (the same battery). Upon powering up the camera, the frame counter flashed zero (indicating a full card, I imagine). The card was not full, but repeated cycling of the power switch did not correct the problem. Removal and reinsertion of the battery did correct the problem and it has not occurred again.

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[wparsonsgisnet]

... Let the camera auto [p]ower off, remove the SD-Card ... I had no indication there was no card in the slot until I pressed [Play] to bring up one I wanted to delete. The camera even shows the preview and histogram in between shots.

 

Now if you switch it off like you're supposed to and then on again without a card it warns you with a beep and a warning on the screen. But I didn't do that ... OK: I know someone is going to tell me its a feature making the M8 behave just like my M6 with no film....

 

I had a similar incident in a shoot. I pulled the card so the victims could see the shots on the laptop.

 

Because I was using a tripod, I reattached the M8 body to the baseplate that was attached to the tripod.

 

When I resumed shooting, I powered on, didn't hear anything -- and didn't look at the screen (why should I). I shot a few shots and went to show them. At this point, when I removed the camera from the tripoded base plate, I could see that there was no card in it.

 

I did NOT power off, thinking that if Leica had allowed me to shoot without the card, holding the images in memory, that THEY WOULD ALLOW ME TO PUT THE CARD IN AND SAVE THE IMAGES. But it doesn't work like that.

 

If we can't shoot with the baseplate off (not always helpful), then we SHOULDN'T be allowed to shoot with no SD card.

 

Funny, Carl, I had exactly the same thought: it works just like my film-M.

 

Ha ha.

[gravastar]

About 6 weeks ago my dealer in London showed me the official Leica price list which included the filters. I wasn't pleased at all, they were much more expensive than the B+W 486. I wish I'd taken note but I can't remember the figures. Suffice to say I immediately ordered several B+W ones from foto-huppert.de and have just given them a further order.

 

Bob.

I checked up on this today. As an example the Willkommen bei Foto Huppert price for a 60mm filter is 83 euro before Mw St tax. The official UK price is £88 inclusive of 17.5% VAT, that's approximately 129 euro or 110 euro before tax. That makes the before tax UK price 1.33 times more expensive.

 

Bob.

[Jamie Roberts]

{snipped}If we can't shoot with the baseplate off (not always helpful), then we SHOULDN'T be allowed to shoot with no SD card. {snipped}

 

FWIW, Bill, most digicams will let you take a shot without a card inside. And no, you don't get to save it later on any of them!

 

Other than so salespeople can show off cameras without having cards, or for mechanical / firing testing purposes, I have no idea why this is the case.

 

Now, if they would only let the camera operate with the plate off! That way I could FORMAT more than one card at a time

[dr.khb]

Like many software problems maybe you have to push a button at just the right time. Is your problem repeatable?

 

Bob,

Today I tried to repeat. I cannot repeat.

If this happens, then there is a bug in the SW. I guess, if you hit at the very right time, then probably you get it. I guess, Leica has to check on it. Maybe the interrupt structure of the SW has to be reviewed. SW is able to prevent accidents like that.

 

My other topic (different color temperature at ISO 2500) I was able to repeat, but only under low light conditions (at home with daylight and lamplight).

Outsite with plenty of light, all the ISO settings had the same color temperature.

[ho_co]

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FWIW, Bill, most digicams will let you take a shot without a card inside. And no, you don't get to save it later on any of them!

Jamie--

Thanks for pointing that out. I checked a couple of my Panasonic Leicas and was surprised to see that you are right. How very peculiar!

 

One of the "features" of my D200 is that there is a menu setting asking what I want the camera to do if I shoot it without a card. I thought that was just a stupid case of the designers deciding to put in ore more function, but now I need to rethink that:

 

I guess that choice is there so that those who see a purpose in being able to think they are taking pictures can do so, just as in the digicams. So whoever first found the purpose in that setting, bless his soul, finds his wishes still honored.

 

Sheesh! How dumb can you get, to design a camera that will let you blithely shoot away without a card?

 

I don't have an M8 yet. I assume it at least warns you on the rear LCD that you don't have a card? I mean, if you look?

 

--HC

[dr.khb]

Protect Button: Who needs and uses this button?

 

Since I take pictures, I have never used a function like that.

With my M8: never used as well.

 

My proposal to Leica:

 

Make the Protect Button a button, that everybody can customize.

A good idea to me would be, if the six options of the SET Menu are available for customizing this button.

With that, there would be (for me) two independent buttons (ISO with Protect, EV with SET function) for quick access.

 

Can you give some comments on that?

How do you like the Protect function and the other idea?

[scott kirkpatrick]

Yesterday I removed the camera battery and then replaced it (the same battery). Upon powering up the camera, the frame counter flashed zero (indicating a full card, I imagine). The card was not full, but repeated cycling of the power switch did not correct the problem. Removal and reinsertion of the battery did correct the problem and it has not occurred again.

 

Was the battery moderately discharged (say 50-100 shots)? The normal behavior on switch OFF --> ON is to show 0, then the battery indicator, then the true number of shots left on the card. It sounds like you got only partly through this sequence.

 

There are a list of problems (worst case, hangups) that occur when the camera mistakenly thinks the battery is too low to permit continued operation. The recommended workaround is to schedule a full discharge of the battery (by leaving the screen on in PLAY with the timeout disabled) and then recharge fully. This seems to correct both camera and battery. Firmware corrections in 1.092 make these less common but there may still be some holes left.

 

scott

[scott kirkpatrick]

Sheesh! How dumb can you get, to design a camera that will let you blithely shoot away without a card?

 

My GR-D comes with about 20 MB of nonvolatile memory inside that can be used for pictures with NO CARD. I figure they couldn't get chips for their firmware that were any cheaper by buying them smaller and decided to get some use out of the leftover space. Since the GR-D is mostly used for jpegs, that's a nice little present.

 

scott

[rosuna]

I don't use the protect buttom.

 

My suggestion is to replace it for a "function" buttom (Fn) for fast change of ISO or exposure compensation (depending on configuration in menu).

[scott kirkpatrick]

I can confirm that my M8 with 1.092 shows "90mm" on the info screen although my 2/90 ´cron is not coded. ;-))))

How did they do that? Frame selector?

Stefan

 

There have been several reports of lens enabled detecting a 90mm. There are codes for four 90mm lenses. the code for the 90/2.8 Elmarit II (older model) is just one black blob ('000010' or 4), the code for the 90/2.0 III (pre-asph) is a 7 ('000110'), and the current 90's are coded as 37, 38 and 39, each of them requiring 3 bits blackened. I'll bet that a single baseplate screw could only cause one black bit to be detected. The test for this is to see what maximum aperture or other lens ID is written in the EXIF of a picture. Could someone check?

 

scott

[marknorton]

I agree, the protect button is a complete waste of time, I never use it. Trouble is, that word "Protect" is engraved into the casting so it's not going to be changed any time soon.

 

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[wlaidlaw]

I don't use the protect buttom.

 

My suggestion is to replace it for a "function" buttom (Fn) for fast change of ISO or exposure compensation (depending on configuration in menu).

 

I have been using digitals since 1998 - mostly Leicas and I have never once used the protect function. Has anyone else ever used it? Why do digital camera designers think it is required? A customisable button would be a great idea rather like you could select and set up your own quick menu items on the Digilux 2.

 

I don't think the engraving is a huge problem. The user would know it is not 'Protect', especially if like many of us the function is never used.

 

Wilson

[robsteve]

The protect button is used quite often by photojournalists. In the case of the Canons, they can protect the images they want and then select delete all but protected. A less permanent use is to tag the images you think will go on the wire service and when using a program like Photomechanic, it copies the protected images to your computer first so you can get right to them.

 

Robert

[Shootist]

Never used the protect button on any digital camera.

Question: Does the protect button, IE protecting a image, stop the erasing of a image if you format the card. I wouldn't think so.

If it doesn't I really don't see a need for it. It would be better used for something else.

[cbretteville]

All the "protect" button does is to set the "read only" attribute on the file(s) being protected. This happens in the card's file system and only helps against accidental erasure. If you format the card they're gone. This is excactly like any other file system. Don't count on it protecting the file when it is copied to a computer either, it will depend on if the copying program xfers the file attributes.

 

- C

[jlm]

I agree about user assigning the function of the "protect" button but if it has to bring up a menu, the function is going to be redundant with the "set" button. if it doens't bring up a menu,, and it toggles some function. you ought to have to hit it twice to prevent accidental use.

[Shootist]

But in the case of a D200 that menu option only allows the shutter to function/release and gives you a DEMO mode. It will not actually save or store a image in the internal memory without a card inserted. In DEMO mode once you take a shot it is displayed on the LCD screen and once the screen turns off the image is lost. Good for stores to leave it in the DEMO mode so people can review the image but not good for a users.

 

Jamie--

Thanks for pointing that out. I checked a couple of my Panasonic Leicas and was surprised to see that you are right. How very peculiar!

 

One of the "features" of my D200 is that there is a menu setting asking what I want the camera to do if I shoot it without a card. I thought that was just a stupid case of the designers deciding to put in ore more function, but now I need to rethink that:

 

I guess that choice is there so that those who see a purpose in being able to think they are taking pictures can do so, just as in the digicams. So whoever first found the purpose in that setting, bless his soul, finds his wishes still honored.

 

Sheesh! How dumb can you get, to design a camera that will let you blithely shoot away without a card?

 

I don't have an M8 yet. I assume it at least warns you on the rear LCD that you don't have a card? I mean, if you look?

 

--HC

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[Guest guy_mancuso]

Hi guys just a quick update and have to run , limited interenet use. But all is going VERY well on the Leica M8 front and been having meeting with all the leica folks and Stefan Daniels the head of the M division which we talked at great length yesterday and also will go over the laundry list tonight at dinner but rest assured they are working hard to fix the issues and move forward on the M8. this folks are some of the nicest people around very geniune and honest. But more important proud of what they make. I had a seminr on c1 and got a sneak preview at Version 4.0 and it looks hot but can't say much about it but we will be impressed and profiles are hopefully coming soon. lots of stuff IN THE WORKS with fixes and stuff for all M8 related , so from a end user prespective, our investments are being well handled. Tonight i will go over the laundry list but will hit the floor today , I was at leica a long time yesterday. okay don't buy the WATE becuse i want one for me. LOL Damn is that a sweet lens, itis on the short list. Okay have fun and will update as i can but rest assured we are in good hands and i am having a great time with these folksd. Say Andy yesterday , he had some great prints from the M8 that he gave leica , simply gorgeous stuff. Great shooter and damn nice guy to boot. This show is going to kill my budgets, You know how hard it is to stand in the Leica booth and see ALL that glass and not sell your house for it