Does Image Shuttle have a time lapse facility for the M240?

[J S H]

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Does anyone know whether there is third party hardware/software that would make it possible to tell an M 240, equipped with a multifunction handgrip, to make a photograph at specified intervals?

 

Or would this have to be accomplished manually?

 

Thanks

 

Yes. Image capture works on the Mac. It can shoot in intervals or manually, and you can specify where the images are saved, etc.

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[Guest redge]

Yes. Image capture works on the Mac. It can shoot in intervals or manually, and you can specify where the images are saved, etc.

 

Given that I use a Mac, that is rather intriguing.

 

I'll do some follow-up now, but f you'd be willing to elaborate a bit...

[J S H]

Given that I use a Mac, that is rather intriguing.

 

I'll do some follow-up now, but f you'd be willing to elaborate a bit...

 

Image Capture is a program that comes with the Mac OS. It has several different uses (scanning, photo browsing, etc)...but in this case, you would use it for the camera control capabilities. Just plug your camera in, and after it is recognized, go to File, Take Picture in the menu. You will then get a dialogue to take photos manually or automatically (intervals). You can also specify where the images are saved on the computer, etc.

 

It's pretty simple, all things considered. It worked fine with the M9 as well.

[Guest redge]

Image Capture is a program that comes with the Mac OS. It has several different uses (scanning, photo browsing, etc)...but in this case, you would use it for the camera control capabilities. Just plug your camera in, and after it is recognized, go to File, Take Picture in the menu. You will then get a dialogue to take photos manually or automatically (intervals). You can also specify where the images are saved on the computer, etc.

 

It's pretty simple, all things considered. It worked fine with the M9 as well.

 

Thanks very much. Will explore this tomorrow.

[bephoto]

price for AC/DC power supply is not that ridiculous though while canon is charging $180USD (list price) for their ACK-E6AC adapter.

 

I think leica's stupid rule for pricing is as following:

 

MadeInJapan$$$ X 2 = MadeInGermany$$$ (though all is made in china)

[Guest redge]

Image Capture is a program that comes with the Mac OS. It has several different uses (scanning, photo browsing, etc)...but in this case, you would use it for the camera control capabilities. Just plug your camera in, and after it is recognized, go to File, Take Picture in the menu. You will then get a dialogue to take photos manually or automatically (intervals). You can also specify where the images are saved on the computer, etc.

 

It's pretty simple, all things considered. It worked fine with the M9 as well.

 

I just tried this on the M 240, with multifunction handgrip, and it appears to work. Initially, I had the interval set at two seconds and file format set to DNG + JPG Fine. This froze the camera, requiring me to remove and reinsert the battery. I guess that it was just too taxing. I then set the interval to five seconds and file format to just DNG. This worked. The one thing I'm not sure about is whether the camera is firing precisely every five seconds. The time stamps on the photos vary by a second or two. If the intervals are in fact not precise, I'm not sure that some variation actually matters. I'll have to try this while timing with a stopwatch.

 

Definitely worth pursuing further. In the past, I've only used Image Capture to take screen shots. I had no idea that it had this kind of functionality. Thanks very much JSH.

 

P.S. Maybe I spoke too soon. Just tried it again. The camera stopped taking photos after 11 shots. I'm also getting an error on the Image Capture programme: "This operation couldn't be completed. (com.apple.ImageCaptureCore error - 9944.)" Will have to try it now using longer intervals, and also research the error message.

[J S H]

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I just tried this on the M 240, with multifunction handgrip, and it appears to work. Initially, I had the interval set at two seconds and file format set to DNG + JPG Fine. This froze the camera, requiring me to remove and reinsert the battery. I guess that it was just too taxing. I then set the interval to five seconds and file format to just DNG. This worked. The one thing I'm not sure about is whether the camera is firing precisely every five seconds. The time stamps on the photos vary by a second or two. If the intervals are in fact not precise, I'm not sure that some variation actually matters. I'll have to try this while timing with a stopwatch.

 

Definitely worth pursuing further. In the past, I've only used Image Capture to take screen shots. I had no idea that it had this kind of functionality. Thanks very much JSH.

 

P.S. Maybe I spoke too soon. Just tried it again. The camera stopped taking photos after 11 shots. I'm also getting an error on the Image Capture programme: "This operation couldn't be completed. (com.apple.ImageCaptureCore error - 9944.)" Will have to try it now using longer intervals, and also research the error message.

 

First of all, I would recommend compressed DNG and single shot mode for this application. I also wouldn't go below 5 second intervals. Even at 5 seconds, you will need a very fast card. I use the Sandisk 95MB/s cards and 4 second intervals will work saving images only to the card (with compressed DNG), but if I also download the images to the computer I have to go up to 5 seconds.

 

Here's how to troubleshoot the process - essentially, the camera won't let the next exposure start until the buffer is cleared and the red light is off...if the red light on the back of the camera is still lit after your chosen interval, you need either a faster card or longer interval.

[wlaidlaw]

I would have thought Image Capture would have bypassed the SD card and dumped straight from the M240’s buffer onto the Mac hard disc, via the USB cable. Image Shuttle does not use the card at all but just saves straight to the linked computer’s hard disc. Card speed should therefore be irrelevant.

 

My M240 is all packed up waiting to be collected by UPS to go for a New Year holiday in Solms, along with the maladjusted Noctilux, so I cannot test.

 

Wilson

[Guest redge]

First of all, I would recommend compressed DNG and single shot mode for this application. I also wouldn't go below 5 second intervals. Even at 5 seconds, you will need a very fast card. I use the Sandisk 95MB/s cards and 4 second intervals will work saving images only to the card (with compressed DNG), but if I also download the images to the computer I have to go up to 5 seconds.

 

Here's how to troubleshoot the process - essentially, the camera won't let the next exposure start until the buffer is cleared and the red light is off...if the red light on the back of the camera is still lit after your chosen interval, you need either a faster card or longer interval.

 

Thanks JHS, I'm using compressed DNG and single shot. I understand your points and plan to do more testing in the next few days. Much obliged for your comments on this issue.

[jaques]

as far as the Leica is over-priced business: I will buy into that debate. I have purchased over 20 Non original leica back caps from ebay for a few dollars a piece. they are not as good as the Leica ones but I won't even bother trying to find out how much the originals cost: I already know it is going to be way too much. The same thing for lens hoods, batteries, straps and every little thing.

 

I personally think it is stupid of Leica: they command and get a premium for their cameras and lenses. The least they could do is price the accessories reasonably. When leica ask $65 USD for that little cover for the M hot-shoe: it is just plain insulting- that's a thing that costs just cents to make... Same for batteries: why do we have to pay more than double what any other manufacturer would charge? Amd the argument that you have already spent thousands on the camera: so should spend hundreds on batteries and cases: is just stupid.

 

with the M9 I bought after market batteries- 5 for half the price of one Leica battery. Being a finickity Leica camera the non Oem batteries did not work perfectly: but refusing to be ripped off all the time: I never got a second original. I am still waiting to try out an after market M battery when one comes along: I hope it works correctly but no doubt it won't. It is annoying: for my Canon DSLR I grabbed a few cheap non OWEM batteries and they worked perfectly.