What are your default settings on your Q?

[bags27]

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Always looking for the best way to have my Q pre-set, and then mess around from there. Rereading an early review of the Q, I found this discussion:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/leica-q-typ116/12

 

which says:

So, here's how most of us around the office chose to use the Q. Keep it in single-point Single-AF, and move your focus point around with the four-way controller (focus-and-recompose if you must). Utilize Auto ISO with a chosen minimum shutter speed, and shoot in aperture priority. Unless you use the shutter speed dial to override your Auto ISO shutter speed setting, use the rear control dial for exposure compensation. If you do override your minimum shutter speed, make sure your Fn button is assigned to exposure compensation, as that rear dial will change its function to controlling shutter speed in 1/3 stops. 

 

personally, I like the FN set for white balance, but over the months of use I've been impressed about how the Q nails it with AWB and can be convinced to try what this reviewer recommends, since I do more often override shutter speed and then have to go into the menu for exposure compensation, which is a real pain.

 

Or maybe set the thumbwheel to exposure compensation rather than auto?

 

thanks for reading. 

Edited April 23, 2018 by bags27

[PaulJohn]

I use FN for exposure compensation. I always adjust WB in post.

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[Tailwagger]

Thumb wheel set to exposure compensation, both on the Q and my two Ms. Something I use constantly. 

[Guest jvansmit]

-  single point AF 

 

-  nearly always ISO1600

 

-  usually -1/3 exposure compensation, sometimes -2/3

 

-  thumbwheel disabled

 

-  electrical tape to lock the diopter wheel

 

-  manual aperture (usually f/5.6 or f/2)

 

- function wheel = exposure comp

 

- electrical tape flap over the eye sensor when I want the LCD off for discretion
 

Edited April 24, 2018 by jvansmit

[marchyman]

dng only, manual focus, manual aperture, auto ISO capped at 1600, no automatic review, fn = self timer, thumbwheel = auto, EVF Extended.  That covers probably 85% of my use.

 

I use the 2 second self timer instead of getting out my phone to control the shutter when the camera is on a tripod.

[prk60091]

Thumbwheel exposure compensation

 

AF (singlepoint)

Auto iso (100-6400)

Aperture manually set usually wide open

Auto shutter speed

LCD off (no chimping)

[designdog]

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Pretty much as above except I use the little button on the rear top right to set exposure, separating it from the autofocus, which is done with the shutter button. This is the opposite of my long time Nikon shooting, also known as "back button focus." I do it this way because my rear thumb grip accessory makes it difficult to push that little button...

[Tailwagger]

I suppose I should add single point AF. ISO 200, manually changing when necessary. Wasnt wild about either the auto iso or back button exposure lock properties. Cant recall what annoyed me about the latter, but the former fails to respect minimum shutter speed below something like 1/45".  If I need to decouple exposure from the focus point, I typically either adjust to taste via EV comp or switch to manual focus, acquiring exposure via a half press.  95% of the time in aperture priority, the rest full manual.  95% of the time EVF-extended, occasional use the rear display is I'm shooting on a tripod or, being only 5'6", finding I need to hold the camera over my head to keep the lines straight. 

[SonomaBear]

I have four default settings, all controlled via the "User" memories.  They key is to use the Fn button mapped to the selection of User.  The other key is common mappings, such as Exposure Compensation via thumb wheel, movie button disabled, back button to focal length selection.  Switching "User" is fast, trying to remember differing control mappings is impossible.

 

My four are "Landscape", "Portrait", "Street", and "General" -- each one with Fn mapped to "User" to quick change to another User.  Each one has metering, focusing, etc. optimized to the situations.

1. Landscape assumes a fixed, non-moving, subject with perhaps difficult dynamic range issues, so I use three exposures with ⅔ stop over/under/normal and high speed continuous shutter.  Handy in case I later choose to do HDR.

2. Portrait is also continuous but lower speed.  But no exposure bracketing.

3. Street is just there in case I see something unusual and want to be in stealth mode.

4. General is where 90% of my images are shot.

 

Perhaps the next firmware release will allow focal length to be held in user memory.  Landscape and general at 28mm, street at 35mm, and portrait at 50mm.

 

Four cameras for the price of one {huge purchase} ...

[Dougg]

The Menu setting Mode Lock Photo/Video just toggles Off/On... is this the way the video button is supposed to be disabled, and if no where do I find that setting? I just found the last ~80 photos were all MP4 rather than DNG as expected, quite disappointing. That menu setting was On during that time. Even with that setting at Off, pressing the video button starts recording video. I would like to disable the video button permanently, as I don't do video. Thanks for any hints! Just got the camera a couple of weeks ago, so newby...

[AlexNOR]

Dougg,

 

The video feature is never really completely off. The way it works is linked to the Mode Lock Photo/Video setting and the display mode (you toggle between these by pressing the SET button).

 

Mode Lock Photo/Video Off:

Press the video record button in any display mode to start recording video.

 

Mode Lock Photo/Video On:

Video recording is only possible when the camera is in the video display mode. But when in video display mode the shutter button will also trigger video recording. The video display mode is the one where the frame is slightly smaller and all the settings are positioned on the outside.

 

Hope this helps.

[Leica Guy]

It would be clever if Leica would allow repurposing the video button. Most folks rarely if ever use it. Giving it another function would only improve the usability of the Q. I’d persoally choose focus mode, but would like it to be any number of functions similar to the Fn button.

[tgdinamo]

It would be clever if Leica would allow repurposing the video button. Most folks rarely if ever use it. Giving it another function would only improve the usability of the Q. I’d persoally choose focus mode, but would like it to be any number of functions similar to the Fn button.

 

No question this should be on top of the Q firmware fix/improve to-do list.

[prk60091]

It would be clever if Leica would allow repurposing the video button. Most folks rarely if ever use it. Giving it another function would only improve the usability of the Q. I’d persoally choose focus mode, but would like it to be any number of functions similar to the Fn button.

 

i thought i read they did that for the SL

[caigy]

Single-point AF most of the time, but if I'm shooting people I use face detection mode.

ISO 100, almost always.  Once in a while I bump it up to 400 or 800, but very infrequently.

RAW + JPEG

AWB always

Rear wheel set to exposure comp, often set a -1/3 unless doing portraits

Function button set to crop mode, as default from factory, but I don't use it much.

Use f/1.7 a lot, use f/8 for landscape/travel, and f/2.8 or f/4 for portraits (gives enough DOF to render full face in focus but background sufficiently out of focus)

Have never taken a movie, never will.  Wish that button could be re-mapped.   Speaking of re-mapping:

 

There had been a rumor a few months ago that Leica was working on a firmware update, but we still haven't seen it. Given that there's already a trademark registration for a Q2, I would like to think that Leica will continue to support owners of the original Q before bringing out a Q2.  It would be an important issue for me before I buy another Leica, that I see they will continue to provide firmware updates for a reasonable number of years from launch date (say, 5 years minimum).

 

[squaxor]

Leica Q settings

 

These are the settings I have assigned to my User-Profiles.

 

Universal settings

 

• Thumbwheel menu - set it to Exposure Comp
  
• Switch off video button - except in video mode
  
• White balance: AWB
  
• FN button: Switch User Profile
  

 

#1 Street photography - Auto face recognition

This is an experiment where I let the camera detect, track and continuously focus on faces.

 

• Focus:
  
  • AFc
    
  • Auto Face detection
    
  
  
• Exposure: Auto aperture priority
  
• Exposure compensation: -1 EV (for weird face effect)
  
• Exposure Metering: Multi point
  
• Aperture: f8 - f11 (I set this manually)
  
• Focal length: 1.2m (I set this manually)
  
• ISO: Auto 25000 1/500
  
• Burst mode: fast
  
• Exposure bracketing +/- 1 stop
  

 

#2 Street photography - Full manual

 

This is based on Zone focusing in a typically sunny day at f8-11 with the lens set to a 2m focal length. Use continuous shoot to capture fast moving street scenes

• Focus:
  
  • Manually focusing
    
  • 1- point
    
  
  
• Exposure: 1/125
  
• Exposure compensation: 0
  
• Metering: 1 point
  
• Exposure Metering: Centre-weighted
  
• Aperture: f8 - f11
  
• Focal length: 2m
  
• ISO: Auto 25000
  
• Burst mode: fast
  

 

#4 Monochrome

• Focus:
  
  • AFs
    
  • Multi point
    
  
  
• Exposure metering: Multi Point
  
• JPG: Monochrome
  
• Format: JPG + DNG
  
• WB: Auto
  
• Contrast: Medium High
  
• Sharpness: Medium High
  
• ISO: 100/200 (sunny weather), 800 (indoor), /33200 (night) 
  

 

#4 Video

(I'm not sure how to best set up the camera for video) - Any suggestions?

• Focus: Manual
  
• White balance: AWB
  
• Aperture: Auto
  
• ISO: Auto
  

[MikeTaylor]

Sorry - every so slightly off topic - but is there a way of naming the 4 user presettings? Or are they just 1234 and I have to remember which ones I set as what?

[squaxor]

No - you can't rename the settings. Everyone wants to though!

[bags27]

I think there are other Leicas where you can so maybe in the now mythical firmware 3.0....

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[Sandbites]

Daytime

When there is enough light, so bright days, daytime, outcast and the golden hour i am on ISO 200, max of ISO 1600. I use Aperture setting where minium is 5f to 8f depending on light availabilty. The shutter seldom goes below 1/60 so pictures are still sharp. Sometimes when the sun's really bright i go up to 8f.

 

Nightime

Night time and indoor pictures like museums, restaurants I use the same setting as above but I shift to Shutter priortiy. I then  peg the speed to 1/100 or as low as 1/60 to make sure that the camera does not slow enough where my shot will be blurred. The nice thing is when there's a sudden burst of illumination the camera speed goes up to 1/100. ONly drawback is camera often defaults to 1.8 f stop but at lease in know the shot will not be blurry.

 

I use these settings because i am so comfortable with my Leica Q that when i take landscape or scenery pics i just raise the camera, align the lens by habit and shoot.