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Leica T “blackout” / file write time questions.


JonVdG

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I have a couple questions for those who have owned or had experience with the T and TL bodies. I realize this has been discussed in other threads, but I’m hoping for a little more insight. Even when auto review is turned off on my T body, the captured image lingers on the screen for a second (the equivalent of "blackout" on other cameras), prohibiting me from immediately composing my next shot. I admit that's not a lot of time, but it can have an impact on my shooting workflow. So my questions are 1) do the TL and TL2 also have this issue, and 2) does using a faster memory card decrease the time it takes for the monitor to become live again? For reference, I'm using a Panasonic SDHC Class 10 UHS-3 card with a 45 MB/s write time, and I'm shooting RAW (DNG) with 1.8 MB jpeg files. The T has no option for shooting DNG only, unfortunately.

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I used to use the internal memory on the T and now switched to using a 95mbs card (Sandisk Extreme Pro) after reading online of the benefits for this exact problem.  I would say that the blackout time was cut in half. It is still there but for a very short while. I am not sure the T supports the benefits of any faster cards. By reading the reviews, even the new CL has this same problem but then again not sure which card they used. 

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Thanks, that’s good to know. It’s a little disappointing that even the CL has the issue, but I suppose that’s the price to be paid for these large file sizes. I’ve heard that faster cards can contribute to image quality issues (increased noise in shadows, etc.), but I mostly shoot at base ISO so I might just give one a try.

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  • 2 weeks later...

A helpful member in another forum posted the following:

 

‘"Basically" imaging sensors are analog devices that apply thresholds to the signal: in the case of the Leica T, 4096 thresholds, in the case of my M8, M9, M Monochrom- 16384 thresholds. Cameras and memory cards are analog devices, computers are analog devices- the difference being that they threshold to 2 levels. The latter creates electrical noise that creeps into the analog to digital convertor of the sensor. Two ways of "creep"- direct digital noise and instantaneous load on the power supply and DC-DC convertors. A fast memory card will drain the buffer faster than it is filled, stop, start again as the buffer fills- "not a steady state". This puts more of an instantaneous load on the camera. A slower memory card will drain the buffer more slowly, no "start/Stop"- less of an instantaneous load.”

 

I haven’t had a chance to test their hypothesis yet, but it makes some sense. You seem to think this isn’t the case? I’m curious to hear your thoughts about it - thanks.

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The M9 used to have this very issue. It produced noise in the image when some components of the camera drew too much power while the sensor was being read out. They finally fixed it, sort of, by altering the sequence of the various processing steps. Faster storage cards contributed to the problem,  not by being faster per se but by temporarily drawing more power. It seems that this might have lead to Leica including a monster battery in their next M model, the M.

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  • 6 months later...

Hi there.  I use both the Sandisk Extreme Pro SDXC 1 64GB card and the Sandisk Extreme Pro SDHC 1 32GB SD card.  Both are classified as UHS-I.  Both claim to have a 95mb/s rate.  I've also used other cards that were slower but even with these "Fast" cards, I also still experience what @JonVdG opened up this thread as:

 

"Even when auto review is turned off on my T body, the captured image lingers on the screen for a second (the equivalent of "blackout" on other cameras)"

 

My question is has anyone had experience with both the Sandisk UHS-I and the Sandisk UHS-II (or any other branded UHS-II card) with their Leica T?  I live in the Philippines and unfortunately (ridiculously) the stores here won't let you try-before-you-buy the UHS-II cards.  

 

The UHS-II cards are three times the price of the UHS-I and I want to know if it will make the difference for continuous shooting without image delay "blacking out'...   Anybody have this experience?  

 

Thanks,

Edber 

IG:  @1edber

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Faster cards won't eliminate the problem.  

 

I just tried it out on the T with a 95MB card and 280MB card.  The blackout with the 280MB card might have been marginally smaller but not by much.

 

As above mentioned the TL2 does resolve the problem.  

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Faster cards won't eliminate the problem.  

 

I just tried it out on the T with a 95MB card and 280MB card.  The blackout with the 280MB card might have been marginally smaller but not by much.

 

As above mentioned the TL2 does resolve the problem.  

 

 

Hi Joris, thanks for the swift reply!  I'm a little bit hopeful that the 280 card was faster, even marginally.  Even if it just "feels" a little faster, I would be happier with that.  This may sound like an abstract question but would you say it "feels" a little snappier?  Can I ask what brand your 280 is?  I noticed that Sandisk has a 300mb/s.   I wonder if that other "20mb/s" would make a difference at all...

 

Does anybody have any experience with the Sandisk UHS-II 300mb/s card vs. the Sandisk UHS-I 95mb/s card?

 

Thanks Joris,

Edber :D

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I tried it out once more with 95MB, 280MB and 300MB cards, all Sandisk.

 

I did find the 300MB slightly more snappier, more so than the 280MB.

 

Whether it is the improvement you are looking for is obviously something only you can tell.  I suggest you find a store or a colleague photographer and if possible try before buying.  

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I tried it out once more with 95MB, 280MB and 300MB cards, all Sandisk.

 

I did find the 300MB slightly more snappier, more so than the 280MB.

 

Whether it is the improvement you are looking for is obviously something only you can tell.  I suggest you find a store or a colleague photographer and if possible try before buying.  

 

 

Thank you JorisV!  That's all I needed to know!  I wish there was a try before buying policy over here but the "slightly more snappier" is all I need to hear.  I'll be picking one up.  Thank so much for the meaningful advice.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have a couple questions for those who have owned or had experience with the T and TL bodies. I realize this has been discussed in other threads, but I’m hoping for a little more insight. Even when auto review is turned off on my T body, the captured image lingers on the screen for a second (the equivalent of "blackout" on other cameras), prohibiting me from immediately composing my next shot. I admit that's not a lot of time, but it can have an impact on my shooting workflow. So my questions are 1) do the TL and TL2 also have this issue, and 2) does using a faster memory card decrease the time it takes for the monitor to become live again? For reference, I'm using a Panasonic SDHC Class 10 UHS-3 card with a 45 MB/s write time, and I'm shooting RAW (DNG) with 1.8 MB jpeg files. The T has no option for shooting DNG only, unfortunately.

 

Hi Jon,

I don't think a slow card is the villain: try without a card at all and it will write to the internal storage. If that is as slow it has nothing to do with the card. My card is 95MB/s, writing DNG+Superfine jpg.

When I set the autoview to zero (normally it is at 3 secs) it is not completely zero (estimate 1/4 of a second).

Lex

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