New M240 user: Is my camera faulty?

[parasko]

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Hi all,

 

My new M240 arrived yesterday but I'm not sure whether or not it is malfunctioning. Can anyone please advise with respect to the following:

 

1. When I turn on the camera, sometimes the monitor displays as per normal but other times it doesn't display anything (though it does still work in autoreview and play modes). Any idea which setting I should be checking (or is this a camera fault?)?

 

2. When I turn on the camera, sometimes you hear a noise (like the cocking of a shutter). When this occurs and you press the shutter release, you hear the normal shutter sound plus a second delayed sound, similar to the sound at startup. Again, any ideas which setting can change this (or is this a fault?)?

 

3. Lastly, my test shots thus far have shown quite a bit of blur at the edges of the image as well as some possible distortion. I'm using a 35mm summicron-asph and I'm coming from a film Leica environment and these issues do not occur with my M7. Is this just a given with this camera or again a potential fault?

 

Note that I have read the manual, checked battery, FAQs online, but still can't resolve these issues so any help is appreciated.

[jaapv]

It depends on how your settings are.

 

If you have live View activated it will open the shutter (sound) and display the image and when you have not the screen will remain blank and the camera silent. (manual!)

 

As for the blur you are seeing: a 24 MP sensor is so much more precise then film that you will see lens faults that you cannot see on film, especially if you look at pixel level at 100%.

The blur you are seeing would be visible on film albeit not as defined, if you blew up the negative to 1.5 meters wide and inspected it from 20 cm distance. Don’t worry, your Summicron will produce superb prints.

 

Added to FAQ

[lct]

...When I turn on the camera, sometimes you hear a noise (like the cocking of a shutter). When this occurs and you press the shutter release, you hear the normal shutter sound plus a second delayed sound, similar to the sound at startup. Again, any ideas which setting can change this (or is this a fault?)?...

Comes from the Live View Mode you've chosen. Choose Classic Mode instead and you'll hear the quietest digital M ever.

[parasko]

Thanks guys!

 

I knew it was something really simple like this. My first two issues are now resolved.I was starting to panic that I was sold a lemon. All good.

 

Re image quality, I'm so used to shooting with film that I will have to take some more pics before I can comment. The whole look is very different from my beautiful Provia (but my patience is wearing thin on the whole scanning process!).

[leica lux]

For your 3rd question:

 

• Is your lense coded? If not - Is there a difference in image output when you set the lense code manual?
  
• Do you do post processing with the RAW files in lightroom or similar?
  
• Or you just use the OOC Jpeg?
  

 

Maybe there is some optimization in your workflow..

[parasko]

For your 3rd question:

 

• Is your lense coded? If not - Is there a difference in image output when you set the lense code manual?
  
• Do you do post processing with the RAW files in lightroom or similar?
  
• Or you just use the OOC Jpeg?
  

 

Maybe there is some optimization in your workflow..

 

My lens is new so it is coded. I'm only interested in DNG files, processing in PS. There doesn't seem to be any difference in image quality by choosing manual coding but I'll go back and have a look at this just in case.

 

My other settings include DNG files uncompressed, no sharpness and the low option for Saturation etc.

[quadraticadder]

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1. Make sure lens detection is set to automatic if your lenses are coded.

2. Set metering to classic. In this setting, the camera will meter centre waited, off the shutter curtain. The shutter won't open to expose the sensor for this metering mode. Only when you press the shutter. The camera will operate a little faster and the batter life will probably be longer in classic metering with use of the RF.

3. Light room has profiles for your lenses, I believe, so any distortion can be compensated for.

4. With live view off, the main display will not light up when you turn the camera on. Only if you press some of the buttons.

5. I use a 16 GB scan disk extreme pro (95 MB/s) card. Start up time is just under 2 sec. I find in camera formatting of the card works the fastest. I've tried the download formatter others have suggested, and found it slowed the camera.

6. Auto ISO: Works in auto mode. Only in Auto mode. If you leave auto mode, the ISO will reset to the last manual setting you used. This manual iso (keep using the same one) will display in the info screen (press info). I believe it shows up in the RF viewfinder LED screen on startup. The setting screen (press set) will say auto iso. The iso button screen will say auto. Funny at first, but you get used to it.

7. Use user profiles.

8. My M240 is 2 weeks old. I'm still learning. I *really* like this camera. I hope you do too.

Best,

Steve

[parasko]

Thanks Steve.

 

I will play around with the settings to try to achieve the optimum images/workflow.

 

I'm assuming for DNG files, uncompressed is the best option? And for DNG files, sharpening should be off, and all other image settings such as Saturation should be set to low?

[jaapv]

There is no reason to use uncompressed DNG files, as the compression is lossless. It is a waste of memory and processing time.

Sharpening, saturation, etc does not affect the DNG file. That is a choice you can make in your DNG developer/Lightroom.

[quadraticadder]

Thanks Steve.

 

I will play around with the settings to try to achieve the optimum images/workflow.

 

I'm assuming for DNG files, uncompressed is the best option? And for DNG files, sharpening should be off, and all other image settings such as Saturation should be set to low?

******

Hi. I'm glad my suggestions are helpful. As Jaap said in his response, the DNG compression is lossless. I don't know if anyone can confirm this, but I suspect that writing the DNG files is a little faster without compression because the files don't need to be compressed during the write, but I don't know. Whatever sharpness, saturation, etc settings you make in camera to the DNG files can be undone or enhanced in post processing. Saying that, I leave the in-camera settings for sharpness, contrast, saturation on low because they can't easily be undone to JPEGs in post processing. Also, I leave the exposure compensation to -1/3 to avoid over exposure.

The other things I can recommend are to get a screen saver, keep the protective plastic on the base plate, and get a camera case. I use Leica's neoprene case because it completely protects the camera and keeps it discrete while I'm walking/travelling. Others prefer the half-cases. Luigi's half cases on ebay are quite nice. I'll probably get one in the next few months. I have the Olympus electronic viewfinder. Although live view or using the viewfinder slows the camera, there are times when using the viewfinder or rear display is a good way to frame a shot, and focus peaking is useful at large apertures. The electronic viewfinder is comfortable to use with wide angle lenses if you wear glasses, too. AWB is pretty good, IMHO, so are the skin tones. High ISO noise is not objectionable. I set the upper level of the auto ISO to 6400. But that's a matter of choice. Battery life is awesome, but it takes time to recharge.

Practice and play with the camera a lot. It's very enjoyable to use. The ergonomics are very well thought out and become second nature very quickly.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Steve

[Bill W]

What I have found is if you are in live view when you turn the camera off, it will be in live view when you turn the camera back on.

 

Can anyone explain the advantages of advanced vs classic light metering mode.

[lct]

...Can anyone explain the advantages of advanced vs classic light metering mode.

Drawbacks are shutter noise, slowness and blackout times, advantages multi-field metering and metering with protruding wides like Super-Angulons 21 and early Elmarit 28.

[parasko]

What I have found is if you are in live view when you turn the camera off, it will be in live view when you turn the camera back on.

 

Yep, finally worked this one out

[quadraticadder]

What I have found is if you are in live view when you turn the camera off, it will be in live view when you turn the camera back on.

 

Can anyone explain the advantages of advanced vs classic light metering mode.

 

With classic (centre weighted), only the centre part of the image will be properly exposed. This works well if you want to isolate the subject from the background. Or if the exposure values are similar across the image. It doesn't work well if there are large differences in scene brightness. So for a dark object against a white background, for example a painting on a wall, centre weighted will likely overexpose the white background, but properly expose the dark object. In these cases a little experience and practice comes in handy: focus on the subject, move the camera so the centre area is ~ 1/2 on the white background and 1/2 on the dark object, half press and hold the shutter to lock the exposure (in A mode), recompose, and fully press the shutter. I have found that if there's a bright light pointing to the camera anywhere in the frame, centre weighted tends to underexpose everything else, too. So its something to keep in mind when using your "wetware" brain to compute the exposure. It all comes down to practice so you get a good feeling for how the camera works. This is why its called classic mode.

 

Advanced mode trips the shutter and uses the full sensor to "hardware" compute a balanced exposure for the whole frame before you take the picture. That's why its better for wide angle lenses and for scenes with big differences in brightness. It's probably better for folks without much experience with centre weighted. As others have pointed out, it slows the camera, blacks out the screen, and probably chews more battery life.

 

Hope this helps.

Best,

Steve

[Guest Gilgamesh]

One thought: dialling in an automatic underexposure is fine when shooting slide film but not wise when shooting neg film or digital.

 

I don't know the science, 'though I've read it numerous times, that slight over exposure and bringing back the highlights gives you more information that underexposure and retrieving the info in PP.

[chris_tribble]

I’m only interested in DNG files, processing in PS. There doesn't seem to be any difference in image quality by choosing manual coding but I'll go back and have a look at this just in case..

 

Give Lightroom a try - you've got a free license with the camera, and you'll find it makes a huge difference both for work flow and digital asset management.