M246 captures "blank" images

[FrozenInTime]

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This sort of thing is my biggest fear for a camera like the M-D :

at lest with flim all is mechanically simple, so as long as you remembered to load the camera and remove the lens cap , something should be on the film when you see it two weeks later.

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[Steve Ricoh]

Looks like it might not be such a coincidence after all. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/259899-firmware-update-m-240-this-is-really-dreadful/?do=findComment&comment=3036833

 

Did you do the same thing, i.e. save both your profiles and the firmware update on the same SD card and then try to update the camera? I see you and the other guy both live in the Netherlands, perhaps you could borrow his card, or he could send an image electronically.

Best of luck.

[BBHewee]

No I didn't but the symptoms post update seem to be exactly the same. 

i will try and get an older firmware from Leica and see what happens. 

 

Thanks

[BBHewee]

Leica have told me I can't downgrade but they're looking for a fix.

 

Showing that doing nothing but turning the camera on and off a few times fixes the issue. I can't understand what would cause this.

 

[Steve Ricoh]

What, a fix to enable you to downgrade, or a fix to the problem with the latest release. If the latter, it doesn't make sense how a limited number of cameras (maybe just the one you own) are affected - other than it's a timing issue in the software, timing in the interaction of the software (firmware) with the hardware. That could explain things.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Steve Ricoh

[BBHewee]

I think a fix to my problem with the latest release. Again and as I said on this thread, and my email conversations with Leica, it may be purely coincidental.

[Cherylmeek]

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I have been getting blank images and the camera hanging since the firmware upgrade.  From what I have seen, it's like the shutter is sticking open for longer than it should.  Sometimes it completes the images, other times it does not.  Also all of my images were very under exposed even when shooting Aperture Priority and auto ISO.

[Steve Ricoh]

If you were talking about an M240, I'd say welcome to the club. The only difference is my M240 was doing this prior to any firmware update. It's on holiday in Germany now, without its owner/user!

 

From an academic viewpoint the storyline gets more interesting, from a user perspective I sympathise.

[Joshua Lowe]

I guess I'll hold off on updating my firmware until there's more information.  Sorry to hear you're having these problems.

[BBHewee]

After a couple of email exchanges, Leica think my problem has to do with the motherboard having been "flashed" during the update. In any regard, Monochrom is leaving for Wetzlar today. Not particularly happy that a firmware update could cause damage to my camera, and that I'm looking at a few weeks or months without it... But obviously nothing to do with the kind people at Leica who have been rather helpful.

Edited May 4, 2016 by BBHewee

[Steve Ricoh]

Here's hoping we both get our camera back soon.

 

Having been informed by Leica that the motherboard has been flashed, what would you do differently the next time. Another way of putting it is to say what do you think you did wrong?

 

I can't speak authoritatively, but it occurs to me that if the boot loader routine was in a separate non-volatile memory chip, the consequence of loading garbage into the camera's operating system would not mean curtains. It would be a simple matter of wiping the SD card and starting again, all done from the comfort of your own home.

Edited May 4, 2016 by Steve Ricoh

[pechelman]

still not convinced on the root of the problem being firmware or a problem with how it was loaded since black frames have been reported prior to the update. Maybe something in the firmware is making the problem worse for some people though. Significantly worse.

 

either way, good luck to you both. hope leica can get this sorted for you quickly.

[BBHewee]

I genuinely can't see what I would do differently. 

[Steve Ricoh]

As I see it, the update procedure is as follows:

- format an SD card, either in the camera or in a PC (or Mac);

- having downloaded the firmware update file from Leica, drag and drop the file onto the SD cad;

- having inserted the SD card in the camera, switch on whilst pressing the info button.

- I haven't had the 'opportunity' to do it myself, but the next step is a message of confirmation that the camera has successfully updated.

- remove or format the card, or swap it for another.

Job done.

 

Is this correct?

Edited May 4, 2016 by Steve Ricoh

[BBHewee]

Correct. And essentially what I did. I always reformat my SD after all pictures have been downloaded onto my computer. Everything went well too. 

[Joshua Lowe]

I rolled the dice and updated my camera's firmware.  So far, so good.

[Cherylmeek]

Mine has this issue and is on it's way back to germany.. :-(

[Steve Ricoh]

This IS disturbing - with the numbers increasing it's likely that the turn around time will be extended - I've heard Leica aren't the quickest in the industry when it comes to repairs, in or out of warranty. 

I will be hammering on doors if it's months rather than weeks before I see my camera again.

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Look here: Leica M

[pechelman]

no idea if this is relevant or not, but i've noticed my 246 is much more sensitive to lenses than my 240 in the regard that the 6-bit reader and liveviews are both extremely picky. I've never had any issues with the 240, even with aftermarket lens conversions or sharpie 6-bit codes, but the 246 just doesnt like them. I discovered yesterday that my 21mm contax converted to m-mount is really flaky when I try to initiate liveview. Sometimes it works, other times it says no lens attached. 

[SteveSFO]

Unfortunately I am also having this problem on a new 246 that I got over the weekend.  I am going to hope the problem isn't going to happen too often until Leica comes up with a firmware fix.  I've sent cameras back to Wetzlar in the past and it took them weeks before getting it back.  Thus, I rather wait and hope they will be able to fix them with a firmware fix.