Leica Q Firmware Request

[prk60091]

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Battery life is ok, I wish it were better, but it seems to be about the same as the M9 / MM. Am I wrong here? I bought a couple of cheap 3rd party batteries, ( Wasabi ), with charger to back up the two Leica Q batteries I bought with the camera, I'll report on how they work out. But they were cheap enough to give them a try.

 

More as the relationship goes beyond the "dating" stages....

 

A brief follow-up to my July 24th posting, this is about the Q's battery life. So far I find it very disappointing. Maybe I'm doing something wrong because no-one else on the forum seems to be commenting adversely about it.

It may do "300+/-" shots as mentioned by some testers but the Leica batteries I bought with the Q hardly last a day out irrespective as to whether I shoot 300 images or 30. I've found that carrying a second battery is essential.

The Wasabi "cheapo" batteries that I bought on Amazon, ( USA ), so far seem to have about the same life as the Leica Q's.

Whether the Wasabi batteries will hold up over time is still to be determined.

Anyone have better experiences regarding battery usage?

 

 

I have never shot the M9/MM but Leica only mentioned about 300 shots per full charge.

 

i have the camera set so that the LCD goes off and the EVF goes on when I bring it to my face.  I have the shortest amount of time set for the camera to 'stay awake' and the other 'energy-vampire' settings are set for the minimum.  

 

Like john above, growing up in the film era I am judicious in what I shoot and carry a second battery.

Edited August 3, 2015 by prk60091

[terrycioni]

Normally, the camera requires you to press the focus button in front of the camera while turning the thumbwheel to change the exposure compensation. I can not have a look at my camera right now, so I can't tell you which setting to change, but you can turn this behaviour off and on.

I think you are referring to the F(unction button) on the back of the camera having to be pressed to change exposure compensation (which has to be setup this way).

In Manual and Shutter Mode - the thumb wheel changes the shutter speed which can be annoying - and I personally would like the ability to turn this wheel off in both S and M mode or any other mode as needed. For example in the Type 109 you can set a function button to turn on and off the cursor pad and centre thumb wheel - stopping any accidental changes.

Cheers, Terry

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[terrycioni]

 

Battery life is ok, I wish it were better, but it seems to be about the same as the M9 / MM. Am I wrong here? I bought a couple of cheap 3rd party batteries, ( Wasabi ), with charger to back up the two Leica Q batteries I bought with the camera, I'll report on how they work out. But they were cheap enough to give them a try.

 

More as the relationship goes beyond the "dating" stages....

 

A brief follow-up to my July 24th posting, this is about the Q's battery life. So far I find it very disappointing. Maybe I'm doing something wrong because no-one else on the forum seems to be commenting adversely about it.

It may do "300+/-" shots as mentioned by some testers but the Leica batteries I bought with the Q hardly last a day out irrespective as to whether I shoot 300 images or 30. I've found that carrying a second battery is essential.

The Wasabi "cheapo" batteries that I bought on Amazon, ( USA ), so far seem to have about the same life as the Leica Q's.

Whether the Wasabi batteries will hold up over time is still to be determined.

Anyone have better experiences regarding battery usage?

 

I have shot extensively (single sessions) and one occasion well over 500 images and the battery lost one bar - incidentally I purchase several Lumix batteries rather than the more expensive Leica battery (I believe they are one and same) and have not yet had to use a second battery on any shooting occasion. I would strongly suggest you have the camera/battery combo checked-out. 

 

In my experience it is important to follow the changing instructions and it does takes some use to season LI batteries to get the maximum life out of them when shooting.

 

Cheers, Terry

 

[terrycioni]

But if you want precise exposure in complicated conditions, surely the best way is to switch off Auto ISO altogether and operate the camera fully manually like you would an M6? Preferably with spot metering. Exposure compensation is no more than a guesstimate.

Otherwise leave Auto-ISO on and use AE-lock-recompose. I think Leica's implementation is fine (after we had this whole issue out here in an extensive forum-fight )

Well that works for you Jaapv, but I on the other hand want to shoot auto iso, manual exposure, and have easy access to exposure comp. I could spend a lot of time telling you why but won't for the sake of brevity, suffice to say it is the way I prefer to shoot.

 

Indeed Ricoh/Pentax has a function on their camera bodies called 'TAV' to codify this function.  The Ricoh GR both MKI and MKII do this and one of the reasons they are very success street cameras. It took me getting past my long long experience of shooting Leica M film cameras and moving my brain to digital and taking advantage of all that is digital - but then that is just me.

 

Cheers, Terry

[Guest]

another brief observation as I use the Q more.

I have to agree with earlier postings that have mentioned problems with the slack eyepiece diopter adjustment dial, it's a frustrating issue.

Just today I had a couple of moments of confusion when trying to grab a shot, I thought the AF wasn't on or not working because the image was way soft in the EVF. Missed the shot because I had to check the camera AF setting.......It was on but the diopter was way out while it was fine a short time earlier. Probably clothing or handling had moved the diopter setting. Frustrating because this isn't an issue that can be addressed with a firmware upgrade.

I'm sure that later production models will have this issue sorted, Leica must be aware of it but for us early adopters at best it'll be a trip back to Leica for a fix.

Right now it's a black camera tape solution on the eyepiece for me, not good on a $4K+ camera, but coming from a pro' filming background I guess I should be ok with that because camera and gaffer tape frequently adorns cameras ten or more times the cost of the Q..........

But.....still really liking this camera despite the quirks

Edited August 4, 2015 by Guest

[spylaw4]

Agree re the dioptre moving setting. Not good - black tape needed and in my case used!

[Guest]

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I have shot extensively (single sessions) and one occasion well over 500 images and the battery lost one bar - incidentally I purchase several Lumix batteries rather than the more expensive Leica battery (I believe they are one and same) and have not yet had to use a second battery on any shooting occasion. I would strongly suggest you have the camera/battery combo checked-out. 

 

​Hello Terry, thanks for this information, but can you be specific as to which Lumix batteries you are using?

Is there a model / type number?

Cheers,

Peter

 

 

 

[terrycioni]

 

Greetings Peter,

 

The Lumix battery is the same one used in the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 and it's V-LUX equivalent the - DMW-BLC12. What I have observed is the battery does drain a bit more quickly (as expected) with AF-C engaged. Other wise I have been pleased with the battery performance. FYI I generally use the Lumix DMW-BLC12.

 

Cheers, Terry

[biblios]

My two cents worth after 3 weeks with the Q.

• Why can't you assign 'focus mode' to the fn button; you can set other parameters, why not focus mode? Setting FN for profiles would be good too.

• The self time reverts to off after each exposure. This is really frustrating for long exposure / tripod shooting, especially for panoramas. The only work around is to use the app as a remote – messy.

• I have set profiles (B&W, Panorama, bracketing etc) but can't remember which is which without writing them down on a labels on the bac of the camera! Common Leica, named profiles please.

• Is there a technical reason why the camera can't charge when plugged in to USB? Sony do it. I almost always drain the battery after import because I forget to switch off.

[terrycioni]

Why not invest in a card reader as opposed to using the camera as a card reader. First thing I did and near as I can tell a lot of other Sony users is to purchase a charger, which allows for a far more flexible camera/charger/battery set-up. Meaning the camera can be used while a second battery is being charged. I realize this is a personal thing, but I really dislike opening the box and finding there is no charger included, certainly not optimal for me. 

 

Also using the camera as a card reader does slow down the workflow, a card reader will get the images to your computer faster than using the camera, but that may not be a consideration for you - but I mention it in case it is. Cameras are cameras, battery chargers are battery chargers, card readers are card readers....

 

Cheers, Terry

 

 

My two cents worth after 3 weeks with the Q.

• Why can't you assign 'focus mode' to the fn button; you can set other parameters, why not focus mode? Setting FN for profiles would be good too.

• The self time reverts to off after each exposure. This is really frustrating for long exposure / tripod shooting, especially for panoramas. The only work around is to use the app as a remote – messy.

• I have set profiles (B&W, Panorama, bracketing etc) but can't remember which is which without writing them down on a labels on the bac of the camera! Common Leica, named profiles please.

• Is there a technical reason why the camera can't charge when plugged in to USB? Sony do it. I almost always drain the battery after import because I forget to switch off.

[Guest]

Ok, here's some more feedback, ( if it's getting too much just tell me to stop, but I want to share the Q's "growing pains" with others! )…….

Despite the attached, ( and rather crappy iPhone ), snaps of my Q with a clip on finder this is still a firmware issue it concerns the main gripe I have with the Q so far and that's the lack of control choices with the present EVF / LCD options.

I love using an optical finder in the main, so "why buy the Q ?" you can legitimately ask. Well for many reasons which I think most of you are aware of yourselves. It's a damn fine full frame camera with a perfect piece of glass upfront, it just in my opinion needs some sensible firmware tweaks to make it great.

So I've been trying out using my VC 28mm optical clip on finder with the Q and I love shooting with it that way especially for street / on-set / grab shots. I find it quicker and less distracting than the EVF and I rarely if ever use the LCD to frame and shoot. I just set the camera on full auto and I'm away. Works great…..Except for the EVF / LCD screen settings. If I want the LCD to be dark I have to be on the EVF setting, if I want to check a shot I find the EVF option unsatisfactory for that task, so I have to go to the menu in the EVF, ( Ughh! ), then switch to the LCD. It would be great if we could turn OFF either or both EVF / LCD options, yet still review on the LCD when we need to with say a simple push of the PLAY button. It would save battery power too.

I assume that Leica does read our postings, I hope they do, so please Solms sort out the EVF / LCD settings to give us much more flexibility in their use. For me that's truly needed and may well determine if I keep the camera for my work in the long term.

 

Note too the black camera tape securing the VC finder and the diopter adjusting wheel….both needed!

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[prk60091]

Greetings Peter,

 

The Lumix battery is the same one used in the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 and it's V-LUX equivalent the - DMW-BLC12. What I have observed is the battery does drain a bit more quickly (as expected) with AF-C engaged. Other wise I have been pleased with the battery performance. FYI I generally use the Lumix DMW-BLC12.

 

Cheers, Terry

i dont think it is the battery draining i think it is the way it is being reported.  i inadvertently forgot to charge my battery (I rotate 1 in and 1 fully charged and carry the spare when i go shooting) .... so on Sunday i went shooting and the indicator at the end of the day showed i had 1 bar left... one thing led to another and i forgot to replace the battery with the fully charged battery and recharge the first.... so i turned it on last night and i miraculously had 2 bars left......i think the battery is fine-- i had a similar issue with an iphone (a reset of all settings fixed that issue--- i dont think a factory reset will do the same to the Q- but i think a firmware update can fix it.)..

[dkaye]

I've been using the Leica Q for about a month. I'm in the "love it" category, even though it's certainly not perfect.

 

A firmware observation: It's a strange inconsistency. But now that I'm writing it up, I think maybe it really is a feature rather than a bug.

• Set the camera to auto-everything mode. The upper-right thumb dial manages "Program" mode and selects between the combinations of shutter speed and aperture. To get to exposure compensation, you need to use the menus.
• Now select an aperture (ie, Aperture-priority mode). The dial now controls exposure compensation.
• Now return to Automatic aperture, and the dial remains as the exposure compensation control instead of controlling Program mode as above.
• You can get the control back to Program mode either by (a) pressing the shutter release half way, or ( waiting three seconds.

Now that I know what it does, I may just take advantage of it! My only wish is that there was a way to do the opposite: to force the control into exposure compensation while in full-Auto mode. At least I know I can turn the aperture ring to f/1.7 then turn it back to get that mode for three seconds.

 

Also, as far as the DoF preview, I find the half-press works fine. I much prefer it over having another button to deal with. It's also a "picture" preview, showing you approximate exposure, etc. Before you press the shutter release half-way, the EVF and LCD show you the camera's interpretation of "best possible" image at f/1.7.

[benpisati]

One thing I find really frustrating: once I see a photograph (in play mode) the camera remains always in play, even after the stand by! So, after same seconds or minutes,  when I will  take a new picture,  the first thing I will see in the viewfinder is the previous photo. I lost several shots to this problem. 

[Eesand]

Like to see exposure delay (2 or 12 seconds) "stick" until I turn it back off. Have to for each exposure set it now, unless I'm missing something. 

[biblios]

I can't find a way to use the camera in complete manual mode as we used to do with SLRs and optical viewfinders.
I just want the display to show me the image as it will be shot; exposure and depth of field so I can visually select my aperture or speed for a correct exposure. I have everything set to manual; speed, aperture and ISO set to 100 but the EVF and screen show me a 'corrected' image. A half press on the shutter will do it but I would like to have it set permanently for studio / still-life shots; always having to half press is awkward.

Anybody have any ideas if this is possible and if not could it be achieved with FW update?

Thanks

[Guest]

I'm hoping that Leica does read our postings. There's quite a few niggly remarks now about the Q especially concerning it's initial Firmware setup and in the main they appear to be from long term Leica users, experienced photographers who know what they want from this the newest Leica offering.

 

Having just spent a few days with both my M240 and the Q I am finding myself "wanting to like" the camera now, but increasing annoyed by some of it's operational setups. Beginning to gravitate back to the M and the MM for real work……Hmmmm

 

Probably nothing that some good Q firmware fixes would put to rights for me, the quality of the output is still very very good, but operationally for me the Q's not there yet.

 

And oh yes, I'd love to dump the video in the Q, ( and the M's too come to that ), as a filmmaker myself I don't see too much sense in having that facility in a still camera, especially one of the M and Q's lineage.

I would be interested in what others feel about that too…….Do many or any of you use the video at all?

[barjohn]

The behavior based on the needs of the AF system which needs shallow DOF and max light. They should be able to disable that feature for fully manual operation. 

 

As to video, I'm not a big user but it is nice to have when you want or need it. 

[terrycioni]

I'm hoping that Leica does read our postings. There's quite a few niggly remarks now about the Q especially concerning it's initial Firmware setup and in the main they appear to be from long term Leica users, experienced photographers who know what they want from this the newest Leica offering.

 

Having just spent a few days with both my M240 and the Q I am finding myself "wanting to like" the camera now, but increasing annoyed by some of it's operational setups. Beginning to gravitate back to the M and the MM for real work……Hmmmm

 

Probably nothing that some good Q firmware fixes would put to rights for me, the quality of the output is still very very good, but operationally for me the Q's not there yet.

 

And oh yes, I'd love to dump the video in the Q, ( and the M's too come to that ), as a filmmaker myself I don't see too much sense in having that facility in a still camera, especially one of the M and Q's lineage.

I would be interested in what others feel about that too…….Do many or any of you use the video at all?

I am not a film maker (filmmaker) and don't use much video, but I was at a Hare Krishna - Chariot Festival which is held every year on Beach Ave in Vancouver. The event is well attended, very colourful, and ends in a large party of sorts in Sunset Beach Park.

 

I had previously set-up the Q movie function to something I felt would work for my simple needs should I come across something I wanted to record - and I managed to get a few very pleasing clips of the chanting and drumming, had the function not been there I would have been out of luck.

 

I add the Q is not a Leica M - I have owned (own) several digital Leica M cameras and used film Leica cameras for years and still cherish my M4 and my all time favourite M2.

 

I have struggled to bond with the Leica M digitals. So when I picked-up the Q I realized (quickly) that it is not an M film or digital and required a re-think even though it has a red dot on the front. Over the past digital (photography) years I have used a number of different cameras and they all are quirky (for me) and require some effort to adapt and overcome, the Q is no different. For Me - I find the Q doesn't put-up a lot of obstacles to taking pictures much like the M2 - set it up and shoot. 

 

Kindest regards, Terry

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[iTiki]

How about at least 5 shots when bracketing and bulb mode up to at least 2 minutes?