henning Posted March 6, 2013 Share #1 Posted March 6, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've now had the new camera for some days, and on the whole I am delighted with it. Almost all my concerns about the M9 have been addressed, and the slightly higher weight and and added thickness aren't as off-putting as I'd feared. Also, the whole camera now seems much more a 'finished' product than the M8 and M9 did. However, operationally one thing isn't so great and a definite step back, and that is the exposure compensation setting method. I often meter and then tweak the exposure just before I shoot, and the wheel on the M9 allows me to do that quickly and without contortions or taking the camera from my eye. On the M240, however, you have to hold the front button in while turning the thumbwheel. That just doesn't happen easily. The front button is way too hard to press easily, and turning the thumbwheel at the same time brings up a bit of that contortion I was talking about earlier. Often while trying to turn the wheel my finger slips off the front button a bit and then I have to start again. I would like it much better if the front button didn't have to be held in for the exposure compensation, and the thumbwheel could be used alone. Or maybe this setup could be a menu option. While we're at it, maybe the movie button could be repurposed for those of us who are completely uninterested in shooting movies with our M. Henning Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 6, 2013 Posted March 6, 2013 Hi henning, Take a look here The one thing about the M240 I don't like. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
mjh Posted March 6, 2013 Share #2 Posted March 6, 2013 Agreed – if the movie button was recessed like the front button is now (and vice versa), everyone would profit, I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
canlogic Posted March 6, 2013 Share #3 Posted March 6, 2013 I don't mind it so much but I am one who was constantly dialing in an exposure comp and forgetting to reset it or accidentally dialing one in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptZoom Posted March 6, 2013 Share #4 Posted March 6, 2013 You shoot in shutter priority? Try going full manual, you'll be surprised how quickly you'll get used to it. It would negate the need for exp comp. However, I do agree with that the current implementation seems cumbersome. I really wish Leica allowed for remapping buttons. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedigitalbean Posted March 6, 2013 Share #5 Posted March 6, 2013 This could probably be addressed in a firmware update and hopefully Leica will. I too work in a fashion similar to you so being able to adjust EC without pressing the button would be great. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted March 6, 2013 Share #6 Posted March 6, 2013 I tend to agree with this - actually, there are several other things which could be changed in the firmware. Leica are definitely not against good ideas, but it has to be REALLY REALLY good if it's going to add any complication (and quite right too). Like Michael - and everyone else in the world - I'd like to see the M button reprogrammable - even though I do agree that the principle of programmable buttons is not good. We shall see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdriceman Posted March 6, 2013 Share #7 Posted March 6, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) It does seem cumbersome. Fortunately for me, I rarely use the exposure compensation dial and I must admit it has gotten me in trouble when I have inadvertently rotated The dial on the m9. You would think they could give you a couple options to assign exposure compensation buttons and wheels through a firmware update. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanJW Posted March 6, 2013 Share #8 Posted March 6, 2013 Plus 1 for reprogrammable movie button. I too don't especially like programmable buttons, but one shouldn't present a problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
henning Posted March 6, 2013 Author Share #9 Posted March 6, 2013 It does seem cumbersome. Fortunately for me, I rarely use the exposure compensation dial and I must admit it has gotten me in trouble when I have inadvertently rotated The dial on the m9. You would think they could give you a couple options to assign exposure compensation buttons and wheels through a firmware update. I understand completely that you and others might be happier with the present setup, but making it an option rather than a fixed setup seems the right way to go. As I regularly use the exposure compensation I also regularly check it, so in my case it doesn't cause any nasty surprises. As for shooting on manual; yes, that is an option but it's a different way of working and I really don't see why I have to change my way of shooting between the M9 and M240, or at all to suit a new camera of the same brand. Henning Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted March 6, 2013 Share #10 Posted March 6, 2013 I have just been playing with the exposure compensation on the M9 and M240. I have the M9 set to work with a half press of the shutter button and rotating the setting dial. I actually think I find the M240 method with the press of the focus button slightly easier, although it might be better if the focus button protruded a little more. To begin with on using the focus zoom (for zooming), I kept pressing the lens release and wondering why nothing was happening - doh! Wilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptZoom Posted March 6, 2013 Share #11 Posted March 6, 2013 Jono, Could you say more about the cons of programmable buttons? I tend to agree with this - actually, there are several other things which could be changed in the firmware.Leica are definitely not against good ideas, but it has to be REALLY REALLY good if it's going to add any complication (and quite right too). Like Michael - and everyone else in the world - I'd like to see the M button reprogrammable - even though I do agree that the principle of programmable buttons is not good. We shall see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm23221 Posted March 6, 2013 Share #12 Posted March 6, 2013 I find it's much easier to just aim the camera in the direction of a lighter or darker area and then hold the exposure by depressing the shutter half way, then recompose and shoot. Works most of the time and requires little dexterity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplomley Posted March 7, 2013 Share #13 Posted March 7, 2013 I'm not overly impressed that you cannot scroll around a magnified image in the EVF to precisely focus anywhere but the centre of the composition. What's up with that on a 7K camera. You can do this on a $500 Oly! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanJW Posted March 7, 2013 Share #14 Posted March 7, 2013 Jono,Could you say more about the cons of programmable buttons? I'll try to answer and Jono may have a different take. With a camera with multiple programmable buttons, you never know what you're going to get when you press a button and it can slow you down compared to the simplicity of Leica controls. When I had a Nex7 I found it difficult to work quickly. The controls were obtuse, and easily inadvertently changed. A contributing factor was the camera's firmware had so many options and so many programmable buttons or wheels that nothing was intuitive. The only thing I was sure of was that the shutter release was near the movie button and it was easy to make movies of your feet. I am hoping Leica will eventually give us a way to avoid that on the M. Since it is just one button, I think that will not be hard to manage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mabbo Posted March 7, 2013 Share #15 Posted March 7, 2013 I'm not overly impressed that you cannot scroll around a magnified image in the EVF to precisely focus anywhere but the centre of the composition. What's up with that on a 7K camera. You can do this on a $500 Oly! I do hope this can be implemented via a firmware update down the line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptZoom Posted March 7, 2013 Share #16 Posted March 7, 2013 Basically you're saying that at some point having too many options for customization becomes self defeating at some point. I have not used the NEX-7, nor will I be doing so any time soon. The deep menu system is off putting. I've been trying to think of cons of having customizable buttons. I could only think of one: for multiple bodies, you'd have to program each one identically. I can see this being frustrating. What you mention is another, but the NEX7 is an attempt at trying to design a new interface (and at least for you it failed). But camera like the Pentax K-5, Lumix Gh2/3, Oly OM5 offer remapping of buttons without trying to establish a new interface system, as I've not tried any of these cameras I can not say how well they work. I have used Canon cameras extensively, and I can say I hate their use of modal buttons. It's particularly annoying having one button simultaneously controlling two functions. Like yourself, I deeply appreciate the interface of Leica M cameras. I don't want to see any extra buttons on the M. But I really don't see how allowing one or two of the existing buttons/dials being intrusive. For instance: the control dial on the M9 is used for Exp Comp (a function I never use). It would be quite useful for me to be able to map it to control ISO. In any case, I'm interested in finding out if there are other cons to having customizable buttons. -- -- -- -- Query: If the M9 is in manual shutter mode, and ISO set to auto: Does the Exp Comp affect ISO? I'll try to answer and Jono may have a different take. With a camera with multiple programmable buttons, you never know what you're going to get when you press a button and it can slow you down compared to the simplicity of Leica controls. When I had a Nex7 I found it difficult to work quickly. The controls were obtuse, and easily inadvertently changed. A contributing factor was the camera's firmware had so many options and so many programmable buttons or wheels that nothing was intuitive. The only thing I was sure of was that the shutter release was near the movie button and it was easy to make movies of your feet. I am hoping Leica will eventually give us a way to avoid that on the M. Since it is just one button, I think that will not be hard to manage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pop Posted March 7, 2013 Share #17 Posted March 7, 2013 ... gotten me in trouble when I have inadvertently rotated The dial on the m9. You would think they could give you a couple options to assign exposure compensation buttons and wheels through a firmware update. You do realize that you can set the control for the exposure correction even on the M9, don't you? It does not have to be the wheel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nik_nik9 Posted March 7, 2013 Share #18 Posted March 7, 2013 I completely agree with Henning. I use the compensation mode a lot and I was really looking forward to a better way to use it with the new dial - but the combination with the front button is really annoying. On the M9 I constantly changed the compensation with the weel accidentally (still I like the easy way to change it with just one wheel click) so I thought the new dial wheel wiill be a big step forward, but with the combination of the front button it just doesn't work for me. Will have to use the exposure lock much more I guess. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronazle Posted March 7, 2013 Share #19 Posted March 7, 2013 Agreed – if the movie button was recessed like the front button is now (and vice versa), everyone would profit, I think. Michael, You are, in my opinion, one of the two or three people who always give excellent advice/opinions without ever being rude or thoughtless. You must be the delight of your family and friends. regards, ron Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
theno23 Posted March 7, 2013 Share #20 Posted March 7, 2013 Agreed, and also I find it annoying that the two options for the focus button are auto or manual, but not both. IMHO even in auto mode it should kick in the if press the button - there are times you want to check focus without changing it. - Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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