M Mode Exposure Preview Bug

[mikbau]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hello all

I did a search and didn't immediately see another post on this. 

I had turned off the Exposure Preview in Manual Mode, as I was testing with some darker scenes and wanted to be able to see the scene in the viewfinder. However, when I zoom in using the dial, it kicks exposure preview back on and I can no longer see my scene. Is anyone else experiencing this? I should note I have not yet upgraded to the latest firmware.

thanks!

Michael

[ramarren]

IF you're working in very low light, there's a threshold beyond which the display cannot gather enough light to stay bright. To stay bright, the camera collects a couple of frame's data for every refresh. This is what causes the jerky "display refresh lag" (for wont of a better term) in very low light or small manual aperture use. 

The same thing causes the display to go dark when you're using focusing assist in very dark circumstances. To provide magnification, the camera must capture each frame and sub-set or clip it to the size of the display buffer. It can't do this and still capture several frames to stack them up and retain brightness ... it's either not smart enough or simply is not equipped with enough buffer/etc to be able to do so. 

That's most likely what's happening. I set my camera up with Exposure Preview off in Manual exposure mode and tested various scenes. It maintained brightness correctly until the scene I was looking at went below the threshold at which the EVF demands multiple frame stacking to keep the brightness constant. I'd chalk it up to the limits of the machinery that you have to work around in use. 

[Advertisement]

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

[lct]

Can't seem to replicate your issue. Even in almost complete darkness (pic) the EVF still works and i can focus through image magnification. I have the current firmware and i don't use TL lenses though. Here a tiny Elmar 35/3.5 from 1948. Typical Leica glow.

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[mikbau]

Thanks for the feedback - the frame stacking makes sense. 

lct - when you say you can focus through magnifications - were you using the illuminated clock face? If I have a light source,  I can do that, too. But if I don't, I can't (I wasn't using pitch black, just dark enough it would require flash)

So I guess that solves it. I did, however, encounter another interesting issue. If I left exposure preview on for M mode, and turned on Flash mode of Auto or On...then turned on my flash...the brightness of the EVF preview would blink between lighter and darker. If I turn off exposure preview, it stops. It did this with two different flashes. Oddly, it started doing it, then stopped doing it, without changing any other parameters. So there may still be some kinks to work out with the exposure previews

 

 

 

[lct]

4 minutes ago, mikbau said:

[...] lct - when you say you can focus through magnifications - were you using the illuminated clock face? If I have a light source,  I can do that, too. But if I don't, I can't (I wasn't using pitch black, just dark enough it would require flash) [...]

I focused the same way on the statuette here. Did you try to do a reset of the camera? (don't forget to backup your profiles if you try that)

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[lct]

25 minutes ago, mikbau said:

If I left exposure preview on for M mode, and turned on Flash mode of Auto or On...then turned on my flash...the brightness of the EVF preview would blink between lighter and darker. If I turn off exposure preview, it stops. It did this with two different flashes. Oddly, it started doing it, then stopped doing it, without changing any other parameters. So there may still be some kinks to work out with the exposure previews

Couldn't replicate this issue with my SF 26 flash either. Is there a special reason why you refrain from updating the camera firmware? Just curious.

[mikbau]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Re setting now with the firmware update. At the end of the day, it seems as though if there is a scene too dark, the magnifications appear darker. So long as they don't go completely black, you can still focus

No reason to refrain from latest firmware - just hadn't gotten around to updating it yet - doing so as I type this

Edited November 4, 2018 by mikbau

[lct]

3 minutes ago, mikbau said:

At the end of the day, it seems as though if there is a scene too dark, the magnifications appear darker. So long as they don't go completely black, you can still focus

+1

[Duddingston]

Can someone tell me how to actual turn off live view ? I note from the above that the camera must be set to manual (which mine is) but what to do then ?

I want to use my CL with a studio flash unit but can't because the flash modeling light by which I focus and see my subject isn't as powerful as the flash resulting in overexposed pics.

Thanks

[Gregm61]

Page 3 of the menu, called "exposure preview".

Pressing the button in the middle of the 4 way control alternatively turns preview on and off in manual exposure.