Whenever the new M arrives, who's going to buy one?

[MarkP]

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Shutter speed in the viewfinder AND where your exposure is sitting plus or minus 2 or 3 stops would be something I would personally really welcome. I find the >O< particularly unhelpful in situations like fast changing light, or moving from different locations with different lighting.

 

 

Yes I agree as it lacks sensitivity and I should have mentioned that also.  A central correct-exposure o LED and three LEDs on each side.  One for each stop over- and under-exposed with 0.5 stop sensitivity by showing the two adjacent LEDs lit.  It could be a software/firmware option that the purists could just leave off. 

[Peter H]

Has anyone found out what the white patch on top of the body on the left hand side might be?

It's a surrender flag, for use in the face of current technology.

[Paul J]

I hope it's not going to be a patch of different material for the wifi - yikes.

[LocalHero1953]

Two thoughts / questions on this.

1. Is a fully electronic / silent shutter possible within the constraints of the M design?  I suppose if you have the equivalent of the implementation on the Canons I've used where silent mode is part of live view, then it might be...

2. Apart from the ethical issues, even if you have a fully silent shutter, as a performance photographer + audience member, I really resent (usually amateurs) getting their elbows up and camera's to their faces during performances.  The only sensitive options for performance work are: during rehearsal / sound check, back stage but out of line of audience line of sight, or from the lighting booth with very long lenses.  The last thing I want is M users joining the smart-phone idiots who feel that if they've not filmed a performance they weren't there.  Some of you may remember this:

1. I don't know, but I don't see why it shouldn't work, as long as LV remains an option. Once the mechanical shutter is open, it can stay open as long as you are using the electronic shutter. It works (at fast shutter speeds) on the SL, where the only relevant difference from the M is that the EVF is built in. Am I missing something?

 

2. I agree with you about the scenarios you describe - smartphones are a PITA, but the tilt screen on my OMD EM5ii allows me to keep the camera on my lap. In a very darkened venue, any screen could be annoying and I shoot blind; if the venue is well lit a tilt screen works well (unlikely to be an option with the new M). I'm always photographing on behalf of the performers, but avoiding irritating my neighbours (including behind) is a priority. In some small venues I have stood behind the audience, where I cannot distract others, and where I can use a longer lens - but a silent shutter is still necessary. Shooting from back stage is not ideal: singers and instrumental soloists look to the front; actors don't always, in the course of things. Also, musical performances typically don't have rehearsals with performance dress or full stage lighting, so rehearsal photography is not very useful.

 

Where the situation has allowed it, I use the SL, because its high ISO performance is better than the Olympus, but I'd rather use the M if it had high ISO performance at least as good as the SL (which I expect it to) and a silent shutter.

[Paul J]

I think I dislike musicals as much as I dislike ISO wheels.

[ianman]

It works for Fuji, as do many of the good design ideas that get proposed and discussed here and dismissed as "bells and whistles" if they didn't exist in the old days.

 

 

Well that design certainly did exist in the old(?) days. I learned "proper" photography with the FM2 and that the same feature. I think it great, very usable. I have the X-Pro2 and like it on that too, the iso is displayed in the VF so no problem there. But even so it seems it's 50/50 as to users liking this feature.

[Peter H]

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Well that design certainly did exist in the old(?) days. I learned "proper" photography with the FM2 and that the same feature. I think it great, very usable. I have the X-Pro2 and like it on that too, the iso is displayed in the VF so no problem there. But even so it seems it's 50/50 as to users liking this feature.

Yes, in fact it was seen as a nostalgic feature when it was re-introduced on the X-Pro 2.

 

And yet we still agonise over ithis sort of thing here in Leicaland as though we might be admitting a ghastly impurity and losing our souls to the devil of bells and whistles.

[lct]

The last thing to do is to put a dial under the left thumb when the latter is elsewhere i.e. on the lens where it must be for manual focusing. This did not bother me on the R-D1 but it was a jog dial for chimping purposes only. 

[ianman]

mmmmm, can an ISO button be considered a bell and whistle feature ?

 

As for other features, I think my position has been pretty clearly stated in a few of these threads. I have no issues with improving features. Adding features or indeed removing features ? If it makes the Leica M a better photographic tool, no problem.

 

Where I do have an issue is that some people want the M to have all the clutter and bloated features that every other camera in the world already has. Want to add XX feature to the SL ? Fine, want to add YY feature to the the SL ? Fine. But we are in the "M" section here and yes, personally, i would like the M to remain the best photographic tool out there.

 

Why do some people want to turn the M into something else ? I cannot understand why those people don't just buy the "something else" if they are not happy with the M, instead of trying to turn it into a FrankenM.

[LocalHero1953]

I think I dislike musicals as much as I dislike ISO wheels.

I should have been clearer: music recitals - solo singers, pianists, guitarists etc, orchestras etc.

There's only one concert hall here in the Cambridge region, but typical other venues are college chapels and libraries, churches and a couple of cathedrals. Even some purpose made venues here, such as Kettle's Yard or Corpus Playroom, are bizzarrely shaped (L- shaped) or lacking in stage wings, lighting booths. Finding the right place to shoot from is tricky.

[ianman]

Do you all change ISO that often ?  Just curious.

[jmahto]

Do you all change ISO that often ? Just curious.

No

[Peter H]

mmmmm, can an ISO button be considered a bell and whistle feature ?

 

.........

No, I don't think so but that is exactly my point.

 

Each time I say how much I want the next M to be up to date, there's a strong negative response from many people complaining that they don't want bells and whistles.

 

I'm just trying to demonstrate that there are several ways of improving the camera and making it even easier and more pleasant to use that do not involve adding bells and whistles, and s dual-purpose shutter speed dial is one of them.

[LocalHero1953]

Do you all change ISO that often ?  Just curious.

I find myself doing a lot of lowish and variable light photography, often indoors near my maximum desirable level, 12800. To reduce noise, I'll take advantage of any local light that will let me reduce ISO, so I'm either using AutoISO, or changing it manually, sometimes from shot to shot.

[cirke]

Do you all change ISO that often ?  Just curious.

 

Never , I don't need/want  a dedicated ISO button

[pgk]

Never , I don't need/want  a dedicated ISO button

 

I can't remember the last time I changed ISO. Its only increasing gain anyway so why bother? Just do it later.

[LocalHero1953]

I can't remember the last time I changed ISO. Its only increasing gain anyway so why bother? Just do it later.

I'll try shooting at ISO 200 next time the metering suggests ISO 12800!

[Keith (M)]

I seem to remember the ISO control on the shutter speed dial on one of my film careers years ago... you just pulled up the shutter speed dial and rotated it and dropped in back down at the right ISO... might have been my Nikon F2A - no just checked. It was my Pentax Spotmatic F. The F2A was above the shutter speed dial, on the photomic head of my Nikon.

 

My Pentax ME Super has a combined rewind knob / exp comp / ISO dial on the left side of the top plate - very easy and efficient whereas my Olympus OM-2n has a viciously knurled knob for exp comp & ISO immediately to the right of the pentaprism housing and almost touching the collar around the shutter release.

 

And now back on topic...

[pgk]

I'll try shooting at ISO 200 next time the metering suggests ISO 12800!

 

Thing is, I all too often shoot high contrast images - exposure isn't a certainty. I try to retain as much highlight detail as the image requires then use software to balance up the shadows. Sure there's some noise but if you don't overdo things its rarely objectionable. Depends on how you shoot but I personally see ISO as being an outdated idea on any digital camera. Shifting exposure of specific shadow or highlight areas afterwards is a bit like selective ISO if you want to think in such terms. Just my POV though.

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Hallo,

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[Rick]

Do you all change ISO that often ?  Just curious.

 

Yes.  Mostly shoot 200, but I have a user preset for auto ISO up to 800 when I know lighting is going to be low enough to slow my shutter speed down too much.  This way I can be sure to stop motion.

 

But, I rarely change ISO while shooting.  I've already done it while entering the lighting condition situation with my user preset or manually.

 

So, ISO wheel is not for me.  Don't need one.  Just more clutter.

 

Rick