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Preparing for the M

chris_tribble

By chris_tribble
in Leica M9 / M-E

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bybrett

bybrett

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No wanting to dispute your findings re M9 problems but I have to say that in 2 years of owning an M9 and 1 year of an M9P as well, I have actually had none of these issues or any other faults. Have you any more information regarding this ??

 

No worries. I picked up an M9 at Mayfair on 09/09/09 and in 2 years and over 45,000 exposures only one image was written incorrectly. I always used the same 2009 vintage 16GB SanDisk SD card and never upgraded the original firmware. Generally I shoot DNG and B/W JPG.

 

In the same period I led over 200 Akademie workshops for Leica and met around 1000 M9 owners... I saw countless cameras either replaced or returned to Solms for repair with the above problems.

 

My motto is if your camera, firmware and SD card all like each other... don't change anything.

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wlaidlaw

wlaidlaw

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I had a card issue on the M9 just last week. After just 26 uncompressed DNG's, a 16GB San Disk Extreme said it was full. Luckily the 26 images are readable. I will just chuck the card. At only around £12 per San Disk 16GB card, it is just not worth risking it or messing about. I had 4 other 16GB cards with me in South Africa, so it was not a great problem.

 

Wilson

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chris_tribble

chris_tribble

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No worries. I picked up an M9 at Mayfair on 09/09/09 and in 2 years and over 45,000 exposures only one image was written incorrectly. I always used the same 2009 vintage 16GB SanDisk SD card and never upgraded the original firmware. Generally I shoot DNG and B/W JPG.

 

In the same period I led over 200 Akademie workshops for Leica and met around 1000 M9 owners... I saw countless cameras either replaced or returned to Solms for repair with the above problems.

 

My motto is if your camera, firmware and SD card all like each other... don't change anything.

 

Brett - confused by your comment about COUNTLESS cameras ABOVE problems? Maybe it's a bit off topic, but grateful if you could explain.

 

BACK ON TOPIC - I was given a Manfrotto 410 Junior for Christmas - I somehow see Panoramas and Architecture figuring more in future work. Really looking forward to working with the M-240 and the Nikon 28-PC. OK - I know that the Leica R lens is better, but I couldn't get one / didn't want to afford one! - the Nikon cost me around £300 on ebay. :)

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bybrett

bybrett

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Dear Chris, nicely summarised...

 

If Leica has solved camera freezing, lost images, high ISO banding, SD card problems, etc... then the M240 will be everything the M9 could have been in addition to the above benefits.

 

Here's hoping beta testing will deliver a reliable M240 and further firmware updates will finally fix the M9.

 

Sorry, Chris, problems as above.

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masjah

masjah

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Brett - confused by your comment about COUNTLESS cameras ABOVE problems? Maybe it's a bit off topic, but grateful if you could explain.

 

BACK ON TOPIC - I was given a Manfrotto 410 Junior for Christmas - I somehow see Panoramas and Architecture figuring more in future work. Really looking forward to working with the M-240 and the Nikon 28-PC. OK - I know that the Leica R lens is better, but I couldn't get one / didn't want to afford one! - the Nikon cost me around £300 on ebay. :)

 

Chris The 410 Junior Gear Head is my main head for architectural phorography (with an 055 series carbon fibre tripod). It's wonderfully precise, but obviously a bit slower to use (none the worse for that with this sort of photography though). I find that a Manfrotto L-Bracket is a useful supplement for changing from landscape to portrait.

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chris_tribble

chris_tribble

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An update on the experience of using the VF-2. Got myself an Olympus EP-2 off ebay before Christmas and I didn't have a chance to test it with the VF-2 that I bought at the end of last year. Got back yesterday and set things up with a cheapo ebay M to Micro 4/3 adapter and am hugely impressed by how easy it is to focus using the Olympus focus assist system (which magnifies the moveable focus point). If Leica's edge-detect system works as well as it's reported to do, long lenses are going to be a treat and very wide lenses are also going to be easier to work with. The example below was the traditional kitchen / microwave test shot with the A-T 135 f3.5. Infinitely easier to focus this lens with the EVF than it would have been with the rangefinder. All I need now is the M-240 :)

 

Example + 100% crop below. Tripod shot at ISO 1600 in low light. Don't forget - this isn't an evaluation of the low-light performance of a 3 year old camera - rather it's a comment on the experience of using an EVF. Would I want to use a camera which was 100% dependent on an EFV of this quality? NO. Am I excited about having the prospect of a state-of-the-art RF camera which also lets me use an EVF when it's needed? YES!

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k-hawinkler

k-hawinkler

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Chris,

 

Excellent. My EP-2 and adapters should arrive later this week. I already got the VF-2.

I am looking forward to some testing as well.

 

I am interested in similar things as you are, but am curious whether WA Leica lenses produce a red edge on the E-P2?

Not that I plan on shooting that way as I have my M9. Just curious. :D :D :D

 

Thanks.

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jaapv

jaapv

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How many professional photographers actually use a Leica? I don't think they are the target market for the new M. The S series is their professional camera and even that has a pretty narrow professional market.

The S series is hardly a sports or wildlife camera. No long lenses....

 

I agree that Leica does not target professional shooters with the M. They build professional level gear for the high end of the amateur market. That professionals can and will use the M for selected purposes goes without saying, as does the marketing advantage for Leica of having high-profile photographers using their products.

 

Now - - I am still very interested whether that EVF is good enough to use really long lenses (i.e. 300 mm and over) comfortably ;) Only time will tell.

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wlaidlaw

wlaidlaw

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Chris,

 

Excellent. My EP-2 and adapters should arrive later this week. I already got the VF-2.

I am looking forward to some testing as well.

 

I am interested in similar things as you are, but am curious whether WA Leica lenses produce a red edge on the E-P2?

Not that I plan on shooting that way as I have my M9. Just curious. :D :D :D

 

Thanks.

 

K-H,

 

I have been using a Voigtlander Super Wide Heliar on the EP-2 and no problems with red edges.

 

Wilson

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k-hawinkler

k-hawinkler

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Jaap,

 

If you use a tripod with a 300 mm lens on M240, then I think the answer is yes.

If you don't, then you might try a 150 mm lens with crop factor of 2x on OM-D E-M5 with IBIS.

IBIS = In-body-image-stabilization. Jono may know the answer. I don't know yet but would like to find out.

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wlaidlaw

wlaidlaw

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The S series is hardly a sports or wildlife camera. No long lenses....

 

I agree that Leica does not target professional shooters with the M. They build professional level gear for the high end of the amateur market. That professionals can and will use the M for selected purposes goes without saying, as does the marketing advantage for Leica of having high-profile photographers using their products.

 

Now - - I am still very interested whether that EVF is good enough to use really long lenses (i.e. 300 mm and over) comfortably ;) Only time will tell.

 

Jaap,

 

I was using the VF-2 with a 560 Telyt and focusing was far easier than using a Visoflex. Especially as the amplification meant you did not have to change the aperture to focus and then stop down to take a photo. However, compared with the Olympus, I am going to miss image stabilisation on the M-240. I wish they had incorporated this along with a supersonic sensor shaker to get rid of dust, just like the cheap little Olympus has. I am amazed how clean the sensor stays on it.

 

Wilson

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jaapv

jaapv

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Well, I really do not feel a real need or want to upgrade to the M, as I said before, but I am waiting for Leica's EVIL solution. As that does not appear to materialize, I may in the end have to buy the camera attached to the EVF whether I want to or not...:o:mad: I would have to have an old hat candied to send to Jeff to eat - he insists on dessert. Still not quite convinced.

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k-hawinkler

k-hawinkler

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K-H,

 

I have been using a Voigtlander Super Wide Heliar on the EP-2 and no problems with red edges.

 

Wilson

 

 

Wilson,

 

That's interesting. Here is someone else's experience with the Olympus Pen-1,

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/2277905-post1110.html , quote:

 

"MFT hat Schwierigkeiten mit Objektiven unter 35mm Brennweite"

 

Of course, what I really would like to know is how the OM-D E-M5 behaves.

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jonoslack

jonoslack

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Jaap,

 

If you use a tripod with a 300 mm lens on M240, then I think the answer is yes.

If you don't, then you might try a 150 mm lens with crop factor of 2x on OM-D E-M5 with IBIS.

IBIS = In-body-image-stabilization. Jono may know the answer. I don't know yet but would like to find out.

 

Hi There

Well, the real point I have learned about EVFs is that it's the camera that counts. The E-M5 with it's IBIS and 60/120 per sec refresh rate behaves really well. I've got perfectly good shots of deer taken at 300mm (400mm equivalent) hand held at a 1/250th second with the 80-200 f4 R lens. I still find it unbelievable that half pressing the shutter can just take all that shake away.

 

The M has a refresh rate of 25/30 per sec, and that's a big difference, it's bound to result in some tearing. However, I think you're quite right - 300mm on a tripod will be absolutely fine for wildlife, 150mm hand held should be good too. the really well implemented focus assist should also be a big help here.

 

I'm afraid Jaap that you are doomed to indigestion as a result of hat-eating :D

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jdlaing

jdlaing

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Well, I really do not feel a real need or want to upgrade to the M, as I said before, but I am waiting for Leica's EVIL solution. As that does not appear to materialize, I may in the end have to buy the camera attached to the EVF whether I want to or not...:o:mad: I would have to have an old hat candied to send to Jeff to eat - he insists on dessert. Still not quite convinced.

 

 

Resistance is futile.

You will be assimilated.

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