Jump to content

Leica M240 (Typ 240) Street Settings


bonesetter

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

***AUTO ISO ALERT***

I know, a bazzilion posts done already, but I still can't past it - apologies please help....

Completely overjoyed Q shooter wanted to try 240 mainly so I could use other lenses, and to see what the M, and the especially the 240 is all about 

So, after much anguish I pulled the trigger and up rolled a pretty minter 240 body. Yesterday I went into the city to shoot.

OMG! I couldn't get a photo exposed correctly!

I set the shutter speed dial to 500 and aperture to 8 and auto ISO to 1600 max etc

I don't need to tell you guys what happened next, but after not getting exposure, I went to a camera shop where they said my 35 'cron wasn't 6 bit coded so couldn't communicate with the body

This is not the case as we know (and I only found out last night after burning the mid-night oil)

So, what is the work around? I want to replicate a floating ISO, after setting a hard no deviating shutter speed, and aperture - is this possible?

I've read loads of old threads on this and most say something along the lines of Leica have listened and will firmware upgrade. My 240 runs the latest

Erick Kim seems to say set a high ISO, shutter to A, Aperture to between 8 and max and go from there. I don't quite like that as I would like to run as low ISO as possible

Thankyou 

Link to post
Share on other sites

The shop could have a point: if your lens is not coded (or no manual lens detection is set) there may be issues depending on the way your Auto-ISO parameters are set. Look at Maximum Exposure Time : what does it say? Do you have the latest firmware? If so, also check Auto-ISO in M Mode: what does it say? 

Irrespective of other settings, what light metering setting were you using? "Classic" can produce very unexpected results in some circumstances f you are not used to how Leica rangefinders measure light. Try "Advanced" and see if it gets better. Downside is a longer shutter lag.

If not, I'd give your all-Auto variables a bit more room to play with, say speed at 1/250 and highest ISO at 3200. F/5.6 to f/8 seems about right for street with a 35mm.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Auto ISO is available in manual mode. Press the ISO button, select ON for ISO in manual mode (last item on that screen). 
The lens coding is irrelevant in this case, as far as exposure is concerned.

Light metering mode is best left as Classic. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

As side note, serious (really ?) Leica M users avoid auto ISO, even auto shutter speed.

To master the most the gear to obtain the "most consistent rendering", manual everything as with manual focus is first step ...

Auto can be nice but not "really consistent" depending so much on the light contrast and always output that boring 18% gray.

Edited by a.noctilux
  • Thanks 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Ecar said:

The shop could have a point: if your lens is not coded (or no manual lens detection is set) there may be issues depending on the way your Auto-ISO parameters are set. Look at Maximum Exposure Time : what does it say? Do you have the latest firmware? If so, also check Auto-ISO in M Mode: what does it say? 

Irrespective of other settings, what light metering setting were you using? "Classic" can produce very unexpected results in some circumstances f you are not used to how Leica rangefinders measure light. Try "Advanced" and see if it gets better. Downside is a longer shutter lag.

If not, I'd give your all-Auto variables a bit more room to play with, say speed at 1/250 and highest ISO at 3200. F/5.6 to f/8 seems about right for street with a 35mm.

I did manually set the lens coding

As for max exposure time, I set this to 1/500th (as well as lower) but this didn't seem to alter anything

I do have the latest firmware, yes

I was using classic light metering. I'll try advanced

I'll also bump the highest iso up and give that a go

Thanks for your reply

Link to post
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Jean-Michel said:

Auto ISO is available in manual mode. Press the ISO button, select ON for ISO in manual mode (last item on that screen). 
The lens coding is irrelevant in this case, as far as exposure is concerned.

Light metering mode is best left as Classic. 

I am not seeing an 'ON' option Jean-Michel. I have an ISO auto and then maximum auto iso box, max exposure time box, and a previous iso box

Link to post
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, a.noctilux said:

As side note, serious (really ?) Leica M users avoid auto ISO, even auto shutter speed.

To master the most the gear to obtain the "most consistent rendering", manual everything as with manual focus is first step ...

Auto can be nice but not "really consistent" depending so much on the light contrast and always output that boring 18% gray.

I hear you on the purist theme, and if I do use that method often

However, walking the streets, I like setting shutter speed and aperture and have the iso 'float' as a 'set & forget' option where split second timing is going on

Link to post
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Ecar said:

If you have the Previous ISO and not the Auto ISO in M mode setting, you are not on the last firmware version. Try to update the FW and set the option to ON, as also suggested by Jean-Michel. This should solve your issue.

Ecar - 2.0.6.0 is what is installed, which I believe is the latest 

Link to post
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, bonesetter said:

Ecar - 2.0.6.0 is what is installed, which I believe is the latest 

Indeed it is.

Mmm, that's odd...

IIRC the Auto ISO in M Mode setting appeared on version 2.0.5.0.

My M240 also runs on 2.0.6.0 and shows the option, where you can choose between "On" and "Previous ISO".

Unless there is a hidden setting I have never noticed, I would perhaps try (at my own risk) re-installing the FW, maybe even downgrade to 2.0.5.0 before upgrading to 2.0.6.0 again.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I did street photography in the past.

My way was f8 with a 35mm f/l, using zone and focusing by feel of the tab. 

Take test shots for extremes of lighting to be encountered, eg sunshine and shade depending which side of street etc., making a note of the EV for reference.

Set SS and ISO accordingly, and if the light changed drastically perform another exposure estimate. 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

SOLVED!

Ecar you were absolutely correct! 

What a plonker! - as you said Ecar, in the ISO settings 4th box down 'auto ISO in M-mode' there's options for 'last used iso' and 'on' and I didn't have it in the ON option!

I think I may have may have pressed on option through the d-pad and nothing happened

*holds head low and gets coat*

Edited by bonesetter
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...