Jump to content

Pogue Review of the Leica T


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 285
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Is it actually worth the effort?:confused:

 

It's not even about is it worth the effort. But one should not have to go through all that effort to get it to work... :confused:

 

Or maybe Leica figured since we're spending $4,000 on a camera and lens then we wouldn't mind picking up an extra 3G iPad and activating service on it just to get their app to work in the wild? :eek:

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, but as stated in other places, personal hotspots are dictated by your wireless carrier, and setting up wifi should not have to be linked to involving your cellular service. There is no other camera that I've used with wifi in this way.

I still don’t get this wireless carrier thing. To my mind this setup would not exchange data with your provider, you probably could even switch off the connection to your cellphone network. So how can your data carrier even know you are using the devices in a closed network? Please explain, as I really do not understand this objection.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I still don’t get this wireless carrier thing. To my mind this setup would not exchange data with your provider, you probably could even switch off the connection to your cellphone network. So how can your data carrier even know you are using the devices in a closed network? Please explain, as I really do not understand this objection.

 

Simple.....

 

If you select personal hotspot on either your iPhone or iPad you get up a pop up to contact AT&T and you can't get any further. I've checked the pricing. As an example on my iPad:

 

Current plan

$30/month unlimited data

To get hotspot

$50/month 5GB data limit

 

I am grandfathered on the original first launch day $30 unlimited plan. The general iPad plan is now $30 for 3GB so the hotspot essentially is $20 per month for functionality I do not need and simply shouldn't need for this camera to work properly like any other wifi enabled camera I've used where there is a direct connection between the camera and the device.

Link to post
Share on other sites

And if you disconnect from cellular whilst using the hotspot functionality?

 

My phone maintains the WiFi network in this case, with a connection to my computer over WiFI, but I don't have any other devices to connect to ... like a Leica T. But it seems OK.

 

Never the less, if I would buy this camera based on WiFi feature, it would be returned pretty quickly. I'm not sure how much patience the great unwashed will have ;)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

This doesn't appear to fit in with the non complicated/ simplicity of use/ concentrate on the important essentials of taking photographs ethos behind this camera. I've no doubt that some of the clearly clever and experienced "techies" will get it to work, but it's not quite the "Apple" logical and simple approach.

 

It wouldn't take a lot for Leica to take a few seconds to set the record straight here would it, and I'm sure it would assist dealers, who obviously haven't been told how it works either.

Link to post
Share on other sites

And if you disconnect from cellular whilst using the hotspot functionality? That is bloddy expensive by our standards btw.

 

 

Jaapv

We're (USA) are pretty far behind the times in access to communication networks. Some carriers, like AT&T (with whom I too have the unlimited data plan grandfathered in) artificially restrict functionality (functionality for which we're already paying). Another example: I have to pay for the cellular data, and I have to pay an additional fee for using cellular data for text messages.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I've no doubt that some of the clearly clever and experienced "techies" will get it to work, but it's not quite the "Apple" logical and simple approach.

 

It wouldn't take a lot for Leica to take a few seconds to set the record straight here would it, and I'm sure it would assist dealers, who obviously haven't been told how it works either.

 

This isn't a case of 'non-techies' not understanding how it works, nor of dealers "who haven't been told how it works". The camera simply doesn't offer this functionality. It's pretty clearly explained in the manual. Seems amazing that people are somehow blaming the users, or suggesting they buy two iPhones and a couple of unlimited data plans if they want to enable it by an extraordinarily convoluted Marie Antoinette-style workaround.

 

The real question is whether the hardware in the camera itself supports creating an ad hoc network if enabled by a firmware update or whether the wifi unit would need to be changed/upgraded altogether?

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

The real question is whether the hardware in the camera itself supports creating an ad hoc network if enabled by a firmware update or whether the wifi unit would need to be changed/upgraded altogether?

 

This really is the heart of the issue that I'm trying to understand. I don't want to buy a T today that I will need to upgrade in a year (I've stepped out of that cycle). If it is hardware I will wait. If it is simply a poor software decision I can decide if I trust Leica to give a firmware update to correct.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Don’t need the data plans….

 

Jaap I'm not going to flog this one because it's just a distraction. The problem for many people is that they would need:

 

1. Multiple iOS devices at least one of which can create hotspot networks

2. A contract that allows for the hotspot functionality

 

In my view, the idea that buying multiple iPhones to enable this simple functionality in the camera is somehow an acceptable 'fix' is... well, I'm at a loss for words really.

 

Anyway, this discussion is verging on smokescreen now.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Jaap I'm not going to flog this one because it's just a distraction. The problem for many people is that they would need:

 

1. Multiple iOS devices at least one of which can create hotspot networks

2. A contract that allows for the hotspot functionality

 

In my view, the idea that buying multiple iPhones to enable this simple functionality in the camera is somehow an acceptable 'fix' is... well, I'm at a loss for words really.

 

Anyway, this discussion is verging on smokescreen now.

OK. But we’ve just established that it will probably work without a cellular connection

And over here these smartphones are handed out like chocolate chip cookies -many people have a couple.

 

Having said that an ad-hoc system would have been more like das Wesentliche…:(

Link to post
Share on other sites

OK. But we’ve just established that it will probably work without a cellular connection

And over here these smartphones are handed out like chocolate chip cookies -many people have a couple.

 

Having said that an ad-hoc system would have been more like das Wesentliche…:(

 

How have you established this? If I don't have cellular turned on I can't even get to the hotspot option.

Link to post
Share on other sites

My experience is slightly different.

 

I have an unlocked iPhone which I use as a personal hotspot reasonably frequently. I have an unlimited data plan, which means that when I'm not in a WiFi network, I can use my iPad and MacBook Pro to connect. If you travel at all, this is a reasonably simple and common scenario. While in the US I did the same thing with a T Mobile pre-pay plan. It's not hard.

 

So, as the Leica T requires a WiFi network (not ideal), I can easily turn on my personal hotspot on my iPhone, and use my iPad to control the camera. The only step which is additional to a direct, peer-to-peer connection is turning on the hotspot and joining the network - it's not that hard. I do understand that some cellular providers may make this hard, but personal hotspots have been available on iOS for some time.

 

I should add that I have done this in the US, UK, Australia and Europe without any difficulty for years.

 

Cheers

John

Link to post
Share on other sites

This isn't a case of 'non-techies' not understanding how it works, nor of dealers "who haven't been told how it works". The camera simply doesn't offer this functionality. It's pretty clearly explained in the manual. Seems amazing that people are somehow blaming the users, or suggesting they buy two iPhones and a couple of unlimited data plans if they want to enable it by an extraordinarily convoluted Marie Antoinette-style workaround.

 

The real question is whether the hardware in the camera itself supports creating an ad hoc network if enabled by a firmware update or whether the wifi unit would need to be changed/upgraded altogether?

 

Well for something that's "clearly explained in the manual" there's a hell of a lot of people here suggesting otherwise. For something that offers such a state of the art way of working with clever touch screens and what appear to be really clever menu's that can be personalised this seems a glaring omission when things like the Sony A6000 seem to offer it along with NFC .

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...