Leica M8, M8.2, M9, M9P, MM, M(Typ240) M10, M11 FAQs (Questions WITH Answers)

[marknorton]

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Question: By Mark Norton

 

 

There doesn't appear to be any way to superimpose the spirit level/horizon display on the Live View image for aiming the camera with, for example, wide angle lenses. A strange omission! Is this correct?

 

 

Answer: By Theno23

 

Not that I can see, and yes, it's a strange omission.

[marknorton]

Note for UK Users...

 

There isn't space in the packing for a UK power cable and it's intended the dealer gives you a loose cable with your camera. Mine forgot, so check you get one when you collect your camera. The packing contains a US, European and low voltage cable only.

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

[Fgcm]

Question:

 

What happens if I change sharpness or contrast setting while shooting DNG?

 

Answer:

 

The setting of sharpness and contrast is available also if shooting DNG (on M9 it wasn't possible), but different settings affect preview only. The actually recorded DNG file remains unaffected.

[luigi bertolotti]

Question : does the std. Leica leather case (for M8/M9) fit also for M ? The tripod female screw (to which the case is fitted )is in the same position or not ?

 

 

Answer: No, it is not; to fit the old tip case you must modify the tripod screw hole.

[jaapv]

Only questions WITH answers in this forum please. Unanswered questions, discussions, friendly replies (there is a "Thanks!" button) and nonsense remarks in the regular forums please!!Such posts will be deleted.

[mjh]

Question: By PeterP

 

Has anyone tried Panasonic EVF or Olympus EVF on the M. Which of these if any work and which don't work.

 

Answer:

 

The Olympus VF-2 (same viewfinder, slightly different design) is compatible, others are not.

[jaapv]

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Question: There are spots on my images, especially at small apertures.

 

 

This is sensor dirt. All digital cameras with interchangeable lenses have this problem, but an M is particularly prone, because there is no mirror as extra barrier and the lack of an AA filter makes the dirt more visible.

 

One should prevent dust from entering the camera as much as possible. There are a number of strategies.

1. Avoid changing lenses more than necessary.

2. Change lenses in as much of a dust-free environment as possible

3. Keep the rear end of the lens as clean as possible

4. Change the lens with the camera mouth facing downwards

5. (This may be a myth) Switch off the camera before changing lenses.

 

But dust will come on the sensor anyway.

The Leica M has a dust detection system that will help you locate the dust.

 

Consult the manual to find the sensor cleaning item in the menu and use a FULLY charged battery. Before opening the shutter blow out the camera (using a bulb blower, not compressed air or your mouth!) to dislodge any loose dust.

 

If the dust on the sensor is loose one can blow off the sensor using a good bulb blower, (Rocket Blower by Giotto for instance) with the camera mouth facing downwards.

 

If that does not clear the problem there are sensor brushes like the Arctic Butterfly by Visible Dust that are quite effective or the little vacuum cleaner by Green Clean. At this stage the use of a Sensor Loupe can be very helpful.

 

If spots on the sensor persist you are dealing with stuck dirt like pollen or oil spots and need to revert to wet cleaning. There are numerous threads on the subject. The Visible Dust products are highly recommended or the Green Clean wet-and-dry method.

Use a proper solvent for grease if you think you are dealing with oil etc. (Visible Dust Smear Away or Dust-Aid Sensor Clean (my preference)

 

Open the shutter for cleaning and blow it once again with a bulb blower or vacuum clean it, to remove any loose particles which might be dragged across the sensor and cause scratches.

 

Although the M is full frame and there are size 1 sensor swabs on the market, I prefer using the swabs for 1.3 sensors (and APS-C swabs for the M8)

Take a clean swab, put on three small drops of Sensor Cleaning Fluid and in two sweeps, top and bottow go to one side - do not over-press!!- and sweep back again, using the other side of the swab automatically.

Or, using the wet-and-dry system, swab with the wet sponge and dry with a couple of sweeps with the dry swab. Don't let the fluid spill over the edge of the sensor too much - there are electronic connections there.

 

That is all - close the shutter and test the camera by taking an unfocussed image of an evenly lit surface at the smallest aperture.

 

In the unlikely case it is needed, repeat.

 

There are other cleaning systems, like stamping the dust away, but my personal experience with those was not very good. Others, including Leica Customer Service seem to be quite happy using them, so it is clearly a matter of preference. Nevertheless with such systems wet cleaning will become unavoidable at a certain point.

There are also sensor cleaning services or Leica Customer Service, but those are expensive and will keep the camera for a while. They may also not be readily available if one is travelling. Sensor cleaning is something any owner should be able to do himself.

 

If you are fairly certain your spots are oil or grease, it may be wise to omit the step with the Arctic Butterfly, as it may become contaminated by the grease. In case that happens it can be cleaned with the special fluid provided.

[jaapv]

Question:

 

Can I use the DOF scale on my lens as I did on my film M?

 

Answer:

 

Yes and no. The size of the sensor is the same as film, so the mathematics are the same.

But:

a. The DOF scale is, for historical reasons, quite optimistic.

b. A sensor draws differently from film, making the optical impression of the DOF gradient more pronounced

c. There is a tendency to print larger from a printer than from an enlarger

 

That means it is wise to close the lens one stop down from the "film setting".

[jaapv]

Question:

Do I have to wait for the buffer to clear for the next shot when shooting continuous?

 

 

Answer:

 

No. The camera will shoot about eight frames (M9)(12 for the M8) at 2 fps, and then will fire a shot as soon as one file is cleared from the buffer, i.e. on shot each two seconds approx. ad infinitum.

[George Furst]

Question:

Can I use the R to M adapters that are listed on ebay to mount my R lenses on the M (typ 240)? Which of the many R lens cam configerations work with an adapter?

 

Answer:

I cannot speak for all the adapters I have seen listed on that site but I can say that the older Leica adapter 22228 does work on the M. It also does work with the three cam R lenses. I understand that it does not work with the early one cam lens for the original Leicaflex without modification. Beware that the red plastic lens release found on some of these Leica adapters are notoriously prone to breaking. One can also code the adapter and bring up the R to M Adapter menu on the M. I did it and it works great to see the menu of all the R lenses listed.

[George Furst]

Question:

 

What framelines come up when you use the R adapter M?

 

Answer:

 

The 28/90 mm framelines show in the M viewfinder when using this adapter.

[lct]

Question:

The framelines of my M240 lose a lot of contrast when i use a goggled lens. Please save my life dear LCT (i bet some mod will remove that ).

 

Answer:

The darker the goggles the more they darken the vision of the brightness sensor. In my limited experience, using silver goggles or sticking a white tape to the back of the latters suffices to fix the issue

[George Furst]

Question

 

Which non Leica Stereo Microphone can I use on the M and what is included and how much does it cost?

 

Answer

 

You can use the Olympus Stereo Microphone Set SEMA-1. It fits into the same accessary shoe as the EVF above so you cannot use both together. It comes with an extention cord and with that you can use the included clip to attach the mic to your shirt. There is no case included with it. The cost for both the Olympus EVF, VF-2, and the Microphone set was $400 here in Korea. I do not know the separate costs as they lumped the two together.

[jaapv]

Question

 

How can I use a colour profile for the M ?

 

 

Answer

 

 

Provided by Wlaidlaw

 

I think the general consensus (if there is such a thing as concensus on the LUF), is that a dual illuminance profile from a Gretag Macbeth card is the way to go. I would suggest that an indoor tungsten one image and a grey but bright overcast sky for the other, with the camera set at fixed colour temperatures of 2800º and 7000ºK respectively. You can either use the very easy to use Color Checker passport from X-Rite or DNG Profile Editor from Adobe. These are both free downloads from their respective websites. X-Rite is simpler but has fewer options. You save the profile in user/library/application support/adobe/camera raw/camera profiles and restart LR. I have no idea where you save them in Windows - you will have to look this up.

[craigeilers]

Does any one happen to know how many M9-P's Leica produced and sold worldwide?

[viramati]

Question

What are those numbers I see at the bottom of the viewfinder when I turn the camera on.

 

Answer

They show you the current ISO that you have set.

a useful little feature I couldn't find in the manual

[George Furst]

Question:

 

What is the lens code that must be used to code the R to M adapter? Also, can I use second party adapters or prior made Leica R to M adapters and will the code work on them?

 

Answer:

 

The code to use on the flange is 110111 (55). However in order to have this code actually work on a 3rd-party adapter or the older Leica adapter you must hand code it. Can I hand code it and does it work to bring up the correct framelines on the rangefinder and the R lens on the M menu? Yes you can hand code the adapter to bring up the framelines and use the manual setting to bring up R lens menu, I did it. Then you need to cohhse the correct R lens on the menue and remember to change this setting when you change the R lens for another one. What you need to do is to precisely place the code on the flange of the adapter using a flat black permanent ink felt tip pen. For the areas of the code that are white I leave the flange unmarked, that is in bright metal. To do this precisely, I purchased a Leica M coding kit on Ebay. This worked very but you must be patient. The first time I did it, I was not able to get it to work. The second time it worked perfectly and has continued to work to bring up the R lens even when I change back to the M lens.

[Lindolfi]

Question

 

Can I use LiveView and the EVF for fast moving targets like in sports?

 

Answer

 

No, only with limitations. In single shot mode the camera blacks out for 2 seconds after an exposure is made. In continuous mode, after the first shot is made, it either blacks out during depression of the shutter, or it shows you images that you made when "Auto Review > Release Button Pressed" is selected in the menu. In both cases you can not reliably have continuous framing of moving targets. What you can do is use LiveView for focussing and switch to the rangefinder for pursuit. Obviously this is pointless for lenses longer than 135 mm.

[Guest Gilgamesh]

Question:

 

How do I update the firmware on the M (Typ240) ?

 

 

Answer:

 

Instructions for updating the LEICA M (Typ 240) Firmware

1. Format an SD memory card in your LEICA M.

2. Turn off the camera and insert the card into an SD card reader – either integrated or connected to your computer. (A reader is required for Firmware updates).

3. Download the Firmware file from the Leica M site using the “UPDATES” link.

4. Save the file FW_M240_1_1_0_2.FW at the top level of the card’s folder structure.

5. Remove the card properly from your card reader, insert the card into the camera and close the bottom cover.

6. Press the “INFO” button and hold it, simultaneously turn on the camera using the main switch.

7. The update process takes several 2-4 minutes. “Loading file...” appears on the screen.

8. When the update is done, a corresponding message appears on the screen. The Message disappears after some seconds.

Note:

• If the battery does not have sufficient charge, you will see a corresponding warning message.

 

This is what the Leica site says as of 11 June 2013.

It calls it an "FW"file as in - FW_M240_1_1_0_2.FW

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Lindolfi]

Question:

 

Can I use polarizing sunglasses with the M?

 

Answer:

 

Don't use polaroid sunglasses with the EVF, you'll get horrible blueish blodges in the frame, while the back LCD simply becomes dark when the camera is turned to about 60 degrees out of landscape orientation counterclockwise.

 

The optical rangefinder shows a dim (low contrast) primary image in landscape orientation and a dim secondary (shifting) image in portrait orientation when using polaroid sunglasses. (This is true for all Leica M rangefinders)