Leica M246 - coffee stain problem?

[menos I M6]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I just made a firmware upgrade on my less than 1y old and barely used M246 (I completely lost the mojo on the MM after having had to swap my MM to the inferior M246).

 

Granted I use the LCD very, very little if at all (changing ISO, formatting SD cards and correcting the internal clock are pretty much the only times when I use the LCD).

 

So I never noticed any issue with the LCD - I just never use it enough.

 

When I started the firmware update procedure (firmware file on SD card, switching the camera on while holding the "info" button), I noticed a green colored surrounding on the LCD screen very similar in pattern to the often reported M8 LCD "coffee stain" issues.

 

The "rectangle shifting image" while the firmware updated made this very obvious and I could not see this issue on the youtube videos you can find showing the firmware upgrade process.

 

Well, my camera is a German model and I will not be able to show and ask about this until the next trip to Europe - any experience with broken M246 LCD screens is very welcome.

 

 

And btw - the exposure compensation nonsense in the viewfinder is still there after the firmware update?

Lets see if the camera at least can keep the time in sync better than an hour glass operated by a drunk sailor after the FW update (maybe the LCD is worn out by all that time setting to correct for the miserable time keeping)?

[jaapv]

Wetzlar is less than a day away by UPS, assuming you mean you have a grey import camera.

From your post it needs to have the internal battery replaced anyway. They can have a look at your LCD at the same time.

BTW, green coffee does not sound very tasty.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[menos I M6]

Why the internal battery?

This M246's clock always runs faster - I usually have to set it every other week to not be off by too much (I shoot with several bodies and hate photos to get out of sequence when cameras are not in sync).

This M246 is the only digital camera I ever had which is running off so badly.

 

I don't ship cross border - the hassle is just too much - usually just take Leica gear in when traveling through Germany.

[mmradman]

I just made a firmware upgrade on my less than 1y old and barely used M246 (I completely lost the mojo on the MM after having had to swap my MM to the inferior M246).

 

Granted I use the LCD very, very little if at all (changing ISO, formatting SD cards and correcting the internal clock are pretty much the only times when I use the LCD).

 

So I never noticed any issue with the LCD - I just never use it enough.

 

When I started the firmware update procedure (firmware file on SD card, switching the camera on while holding the "info" button), I noticed a green colored surrounding on the LCD screen very similar in pattern to the often reported M8 LCD "coffee stain" issues.

 

The "rectangle shifting image" while the firmware updated made this very obvious and I could not see this issue on the youtube videos you can find showing the firmware upgrade process.

 

Well, my camera is a German model and I will not be able to show and ask about this until the next trip to Europe - any experience with broken M246 LCD screens is very welcome.

 

 

And btw - the exposure compensation nonsense in the viewfinder is still there after the firmware update?

Lets see if the camera at least can keep the time in sync better than an hour glass operated by a drunk sailor after the FW update (maybe the LCD is worn out by all that time setting to correct for the miserable time keeping)?

Dirk, I think your M246 became stale for lack of use.  

 

Seriously, what is wrong with latest FW update (1.0.1.0); exposure compensation in VF, if you set to change exp compensation with thumb wheel you can change +/- compensation while looking through the VF, simple, no?

[menos I M6]

Dirk, I think your M246 became stale for lack of use.  

 

Seriously, what is wrong with latest FW update (1.0.1.0); exposure compensation in VF, if you set to change exp compensation with thumb wheel you can change +/- compensation while looking through the VF, simple, no?

 

This may very well have happened ;-)

Just out of curiosity I checked the Lightroom catalogue - my old MM sensor went out the door at ~17.5K exposures. This one has less than 4K exposures (mostly due to my not liking the M240 types of cameras).

 

The issue with EV displayed in the viewfinder as it is, is that still with the latest FW v1010 it highjacks the finder and it's most important display when shooting in A mode - shutter speed!

 

Ever since I used a Leica M7 I used to shoot in A mode, metered, locked the exposure or set a manual shutter speed and exposed.

With the M246 this is delayed as the moment you hit the shutter release button to lock your exposure or turn on the meter - what it displayed? The EV instead of what should be displayed (shutter speed).

 

I have always, always, always used EV correction not to adjust the exposure of an image but to correct the the general exposure of the light meter or the behavior of the film when exposed at a certain rating.

I have never "adjusted" my exposure via the EV correction in a camera - this is just against how my brain works exposure.

You want the film to be developed at ISO 400 but still like a bit more exposure? Set the meter to ISO320 (or dial in a EV correction).

You find digital camera X with the way its meter works with the way you expose to over expose to your liking by 1/3 stop? Dial in -0.3 EV correction.

 

If I want another exposure than the meter suggest me, I just switch over to manually setting it instead of dialing an EV correction and hoping the meter will hit what I would like it to hit ;-)

 

The M246 is the very first exposure program camera I have used that works against this principle (or at least … gets in the way of it).

[mmradman]

I do agree speed and exposure compensation display in VF is erratic as it switch from exposure display to compensation display but not end of the world for me as you can lock the exposure in Auto and recompose. I suspect display module has limited display capability or Leica way of not over cluttering the VF, you know how Leica users are difficult to please.

 

One happy camper here providing it works in key areas - responsive, able to focus, no electronic glitches (there are few minor), I tend to be adaptable to a camera in hand.  

 

I never used M7 and generally don't burden myself with what i preferred in the past as change in technology overpowers my preference, I went with the flow and embraced current M240/246 for their core strength and previously M9.  Both platforms work/ed for me in Auto Exp with & without Auto ISO & with or without Exposure compensation, glitches you report didn't excite me. 

 

On a subject of rapidly marching technology my preference remains well built manually focused lens, everything else is secondary.

[John Black]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

As I sync my photos with GPS track data, I've dealt with Leica's crappy clocks for nearly 10 years.  The M8, M9, M-240/246 all kept lousy time - losing around +/- 15 minutes / month.

 

A firmware update for the M-240 family (246 included) fixed the clock issue around 6 months ago.  After that update, my cameras have as good as any other camera and lose maybe a minute give or take over 2-3 month period.