M10 Monochrom Firmware Improvement Suggestions

[Likaleica]

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One of the many features of the new camera I like most is the freedom to set a high ISO max and use aperture and shutter speed manually with great freedom.  It's awesome.

However, given the recent article by Sean Reid on base ISO, I would like to see the ability to set a Minimum ISO, so that the user could define the range of ISO he/she would like to use.  For example, 320 to 25,000, or whatever.

I'll use this request to start a thread of other firmware improvements people would like to see.  Leica does/do listen to LUF suggestions.

[Ken Abrahams]

I am new to M10 Cameras and maybe I don't fully understand you question however I set the iso in the menu to whatever I like (at the M value) and then set the iso dial to M and that's the iso I shoot with unless I change the dial to something else  

[SrMi]

5 hours ago, Kendoo said:

I am new to M10 Cameras and maybe I don't fully understand you question however I set the iso in the menu to whatever I like (at the M value) and then set the iso dial to M and that's the iso I shoot with unless I change the dial to something else  

Tim is most likely talking about Auto-ISO settings where you can only specify the max ISO allowed (and max shutter speed when shooting in aperture priority mode). 

[Likaleica]

What I mean is, right now the camera lets you set a max ISO and if you put it in Auto ISO it will adjust anywhere from 160 to your max.  

I'm suggesting adding the ability to set the minimum ISO limit, say 400 or 640.  

I'm enjoying using ISO as the variable in the exposure triangle, I'd just like to be able to control it a little more.  Same across all camera platforms, actually.

[Likaleica]

2 minutes ago, SrMi said:

Tim is most likely talking about Auto-ISO settings where you can only specify the max ISO allowed (and max shutter speed when shooting in aperture priority mode). 

Right.  I'm using aperture and shutter speed manually and letting the ISO float.  

[shirubadanieru]

i was thinking really hard but besides the one you mentioned can't think of any. the only change i'd make would be hardware wise, by adding the M10D lever so that I don't have to buy an extra thumbs up accessory. Other than that, software wise it's hard to find any faults really! Maybe allowing the LV button & front button to be set for whatever we'd like to set them to?

[digitalfx]

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Id like to see the Auto Review/Hold option fixed. The current implementation makes no sense.

It should work like it did when it was originally introduced (M9) and how it works in the current SL2, where its set to Hold and release. Im not sure why its different in the two latest Leica cameras

Take a photo and continue to hold the shutter to review...once you release the shutter it goes back to live view. 

[SrMi]

11 hours ago, Likaleica said:

Right.  I'm using aperture and shutter speed manually and letting the ISO float.  

I see the point of defining ISO range when using aperture priority: Auto ISO stops at 400 and then raises shutter speed to compensate for a brighter scene.

I do not understand how it is helpful when you are setting the shutter speed manually. With shutter speed set manually, Auto-ISO selects the ISO that exposes the image correctly. If it cannot go below 400, it will overexpose your image. 

 

[Likaleica]

18 minutes ago, SrMi said:

I see the point of defining ISO range when using aperture priority: Auto ISO stops at 400 and then raises shutter speed to compensate for a brighter scene.

I do not understand how it is helpful when you are setting the shutter speed manually. With shutter speed set manually, Auto-ISO selects the ISO that exposes the image correctly. If it cannot go below 400, it will overexpose your image. 

 

Thanks.  Then you would have to adjust.  But since the quality of files is so good through a broad range, I don't need to keep my ISO low.  I do like to choose the aperture and shutter speed that I want.  Having the ISO float is so much less confining.

I actually don't like to use Auto ISO in Aperture priority because it wants to default to a low ISO which produces a longer shutter speed, which you can't see in the viewfinder, so sometimes the shutter speed is too slow for what I'm doing.

Edited February 12, 2020 by Likaleica

[SrMi]

41 minutes ago, Likaleica said:

Thanks.  Then you would have to adjust.  But since the quality of files is so good through a broad range, I don't need to keep my ISO low.  I do like to choose the aperture and shutter speed that I want.  Having the ISO float is so much less confining.

I actually don't like to use Auto ISO in Aperture priority because it wants to default to a low ISO which produces a longer shutter speed, which you can't see in the viewfinder, so sometimes the shutter speed is too slow for what I'm doing.

In aperture priority and Auto-ISO you can specify the max. (slowest) shutter speed the camera should use. I find that setting very useful.

 

 

[Dsauro]

I would love to be able to toggle between the histogram in the 246 and what is offered in the current M10M.  Accompanying my wish list  is that the histogram represent RAW rather than JPEG 

[Keith (M)]

On 2/11/2020 at 3:10 PM, Likaleica said:

What I mean is, right now the camera lets you set a max ISO and if you put it in Auto ISO it will adjust anywhere from 160 to your max.  

I'm suggesting adding the ability to set the minimum ISO limit, say 400 or 640.  

I'm enjoying using ISO as the variable in the exposure triangle, I'd just like to be able to control it a little more.  Same across all camera platforms, actually.

Given my week or so experience with my M10M and having read Sean Reid's 'M10M:  Highlight Headroom', the ability to set min ISO as well as max would be very useful indeed.

[T25UFO]

Just on general observation on firmware, now the Q2 update provides the same interface as SL2, might Leica do the same for the M10M and other M10 series cameras?  All now have the same three button layout, apart of course from the M10-D.

[Keith (M)]

As mentioned in the thread about 'disappearing frame lines', it would definitely be useful to manually set their brightness (as one can with screen brightness) so that the lines do not fade when changing from a bright to dark scene.

[shirubadanieru]

Given frame lines are now digital, it would be great to have the option to select:

1) classic (a la M2 or M4): no paired frame lines, clean 35/50/90 

2) complete (as of now) 28/90, 35/135, 50/75 
 

It would be a dream to have a clean viewfinder again, with less clutter, especially for those who shoot 50mm, it’s so cluttered. In the M9 or later film cameras this was impossible to do but now that we have digital frame lines I’m sure it can be done via software update

Edited February 25, 2020 by shirubadanieru

[IkarusJohn]

I would prefer single framelines for each lens (read from the mount, but processed digitally), so you only get one set of framelines corrected for each lens

[shirubadanieru]

46 minutes ago, IkarusJohn said:

I would prefer single framelines for each lens (read from the mount, but processed digitally), so you only get one set of framelines corrected for each lens

yeah same concept as classic framelines and it would be great yes!

[Musotographer]

On 2/26/2020 at 12:56 AM, IkarusJohn said:

I would prefer single framelines for each lens (read from the mount, but processed digitally), so you only get one set of framelines corrected for each lens

I second that - a proper frameline for 75mm would be very helpful, and a single frameline for each focal length would be not only uncluttered, but a very useful reminder to enter or amend the correct lens profile - especially for the absent-minded ones among us who are always forgetting (i.e. me). I also rather liked the choice of frameline colour we had on the 240 - could we not have that back?

[Jeff S]

On 2/25/2020 at 6:07 PM, shirubadanieru said:

In the M9 or later film cameras this was impossible to do but now that we have digital frame lines I’m sure it can be done via software update

Sorry, but that’s not the way it works. The frame line illumination changed from natural light (through a front camera window) to digitally lit.  But the mechanical frame line masks remain, as shown in this M8 anatomy...

That’s why there’s still a mechanical frame line lever.

Jeff

Edited February 28, 2020 by Jeff S

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[IkarusJohn]

Yes, it’s more than firmware.  Even though the illumination is now LED, the camera “reads” the lens focal length from the mechanical mount (suggesting there are only 3 variations on the mount).  However, if the entire frameline display was re-engineered, I see no reason why the combination of the mount and the six bit coding could not identify the right frameline for the specific lens (based on very little actual knowledge).

This development will be part of the M10-Evf ... 😂