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the Leica Q EVF - and why it doesn´t do what it should...


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Hi guys,

just got the Q and shot it on a small wedding today.

 

As much as I like the overall design of the camera... the EVF does not do, what it is intend to do.

In my world the advantage of an EVF compared to an optical one is that you see what you get...
But as in the Q the EVF is way too bright and there is no way to adjust it, makes it pretty useless in preview your exposure.

 

There is a way to adjust the display but not the RVF. Any logical reason behind this? 

And as I adjust the exposure by feel when I use a EVF it is not possible to learn to just overexpose "a bit" as it simply does not feel right.

Pity...



rant over 🙂

 

heiko

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I already answered you in the German Q/Q2 forum where you posted the same tread.
Adjust EVF brightness in:
Menu - Display Settings
Screen Brightness
Set it to med-low

The Q EVF is not know as the best, the Q2 is lightyears better.

However, have a look here: Lowering the LCD Brightness to medium or medium-low the brightness should be about the same.

You can adjust EVF brightness in the Menu, play around with it!
 

BTW: The manual can be downloaded here

Chris

Edited by PhotoCruiser
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49 minutes ago, PhotoCruiser said:

I already answered you in the German Q/Q2 forum where you posted the same tread.
Adjust EVF brightness in:
Menu - Display Settings
Screen Brightness
Set it to med-low

The Q EVF is not know as the best, the Q2 is lightyears better.

However, have a look here: Lowering the LCD Brightness to medium or medium-low the brightness should be about the same.

You can adjust EVF brightness in the Menu, play around with it!
 

BTW: The manual can be downloaded here

Chris

Hi Chris,

thank you for your reply. I accidentally posted it in the German forum, it was in English as well.

In my menu I do not have an option to adjust the EVF brightness, only the LCD brightness. 

Do I miss something? Was there an update or so?

 

heiko

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vor 13 Minuten schrieb frogfish:

Do I miss something? Was there an update or so?

I have no idea what version of software you have, but this may be a answer why you don't have this menu point.
Check on the LEICA website if your software is current.

vor einer Stunde schrieb PhotoCruiser:

However, have a look here:

Overgaard show some photos where he write first of too bright EVF but then he modified the LCD brightness.
So i belived/misunderstood that he talks of EVF lcd brightness, but he talk of the lcd screen on the back of the camera.
In his review he write:
Adjusting the EVF brightness
The brightness of the EVF is not adjustable. In the MENU-menu-m240.jpg under Display Settings, only the LCD is adjusted. There is no separate LCD/EVF adjustment.
I have set my LCD to Medium Low but according to the image comparison below, it should rather be set to Low (and so should the EVF if I could).
Others used to other EVF's on other brands have told me that the Leica Q viewfinder is brighter than most. An adjustment at some later point making it possible to turn down the glow on the EVF might be a great improvement. You basically want to use the EVF to adjust the exposure, and if the EVF is too bright, you will want to underexpose your images.

So obviously i was wrong interpreting his pictures regarding this issues and the EVF and it seems that the EVF brightness cannot be adjusted.

Sorry for this!

Chris

 

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17 minutes ago, PhotoCruiser said:

I have no idea what version of software you have, but this may be a answer why you don't have this menu point.
Check on the LEICA website if your software is current.

Overgaard show some photos where he write first of too bright EVF but then he modified the LCD brightness.
So i belived/misunderstood that he talks of EVF lcd brightness, but he talk of the lcd screen on the back of the camera.
In his review he write:
Adjusting the EVF brightness
The brightness of the EVF is not adjustable. In the MENU-menu-m240.jpg under Display Settings, only the LCD is adjusted. There is no separate LCD/EVF adjustment.
I have set my LCD to Medium Low but according to the image comparison below, it should rather be set to Low (and so should the EVF if I could).
Others used to other EVF's on other brands have told me that the Leica Q viewfinder is brighter than most. An adjustment at some later point making it possible to turn down the glow on the EVF might be a great improvement. You basically want to use the EVF to adjust the exposure, and if the EVF is too bright, you will want to underexpose your images.

So obviously i was wrong interpreting his pictures regarding this issues and the EVF and it seems that the EVF brightness cannot be adjusted.

Sorry for this!

Chris

 

Reading the original Post, I think he wanted the EVF to reflect his Aperture settings.. i.e. half press shutter, EVF shows either lighter or darker image depending on Aperture selected..  I think only DSLR OVF can achieve this..   L

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2 hours ago, lykaman said:

Reading the original Post, I think he wanted the EVF to reflect his Aperture settings.. i.e. half press shutter, EVF shows either lighter or darker image depending on Aperture selected..  I think only DSLR OVF can achieve this..   L

no, I want the exposure to be reflected in the EVF. This has nothing to do with the aperture.
The problem is, that the Q does not show the exposure correctly. It shows it about one stop too bricht.

 

heiko 

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I too would welcome adjustable EVF, compared to my Oly EM1 mk2 the EVF is a disappointment. with the Oly I can see exposure changes and can vary the brightness and even colour temperature . The Leica Q gives me some great pics but I have to ignore what the EVF shows and ‘wing it’. The blue cast is also very unappealing. Some Leica Qs have it others seemingly do not.

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10 minutes ago, frogfish said:

no, I want the exposure to be reflected in the EVF. This has nothing to do with the aperture.
The problem is, that the Q does not show the exposure correctly. It shows it about one stop too bricht.

 

heiko 

My apologies, I really meant to say Exposure as opposed to Aperture... I fully understand your reasoning.. If it's too much to live with, move onto another camera/marque.. L

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vor 2 Stunden schrieb frogfish:

The problem is, that the Q does not show the exposure correctly. It shows it about one stop too bricht.

Yes, this is indeed a problem, the whole EVF is not very good and thats one of the biggest advantages of the Q2.
Also it is somehow "odd" that EVF brightness cannot be adjusted to overcome this (or other brightness related ) problems.
There is not too much to do, use the screen on the back or just correct EV control accordingly so that the results match the EVF.
Yes, i know a rather stupid workaround ....

Chris
 


 

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45 minutes ago, Viv said:

Use the histogram when shooting. Shoot DNG. Adjust exposure in post if necessary.

If you must shoot jpgs and don't use the meter and histogram, follow the Sunny Sixteen Rule.

Oh, I know how to expose. I also shoot reportage professionally on the Leica M2... and here I set the exposure the whole day by "knowing" how the light is.
I guess that you never used the sunny sixteen rule on JPEG yourself... am I right? Because especially insight and with fading light it is not exact enough for JPEGs.

However, why should someone use an EVF if it has no advantage, and that would be the preview of the exposure. Of course there are ways around, but why are there ways around necessary with a 4000€ camera? It is simply a design flaw.

 

heiko

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vor 46 Minuten schrieb frogfish:

It is simply a design flaw.

This is correct, there is no reason why the EVF brightness can not be adjusted and/or it too bright.

However:

a) If your camera is new then complain with your Leica shop to make sure that this is not a problem of your camera or if you can have the EVF screen replaced
     If you bought a used camera then you may write to LEICA to see if they planned a new firmware who will solve this problem if it can be done.
     There are not a lot of Q users complaining about the too bright EVF so it may be a problem of your camera or your way you use the EVF (see below)
b) To be honest i don't see that as such a big problem for me and it was not a problem when i had my Q as
     from when i use digital cameras i use the EVF only to compose the scene as i still hate to use the screen except in underwater photography or with my cellphone.
     After i took a photo i check focus, exposure, contraste, etc  it on the way bigger back display what is for me the logic and most comfortable way to use a digital camera.
     I did and still do this either on my Q2 and also on all of my other compact or DSLR cameras as this is my way how i take photos.
d) If this certainly annoying problem is too boring for you then you should either trade your Q for a Q2 or switch over to another camera brand who not have this problem.
e) if you should opt for another camera then i suggest that you rent the camera first for a few days, this will show "flaws" rather quick and before you fork out thousands of €€€

First thing to do would be contact a Leica Shop and see with them if your problem is a hardware problem and if there is a possibility to fix that.

Chris

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1 hour ago, frogfish said:

Oh, I know how to expose. I also shoot reportage professionally on the Leica M2... and here I set the exposure the whole day by "knowing" how the light is.
I guess that you never used the sunny sixteen rule on JPEG yourself... am I right? Because especially insight and with fading light it is not exact enough for JPEGs.

However, why should someone use an EVF if it has no advantage, and that would be the preview of the exposure. Of course there are ways around, but why are there ways around necessary with a 4000€ camera? It is simply a design flaw.

 

heiko

I used Sunny Sixteen in the distant past, when I had a Canon AE-1 with a broken meter.

Nowadays, I shoot DNG. I don't use the EVF to preview exposure. That would be stupid.

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9 hours ago, frogfish said:

However, why should someone use an EVF if it has no advantage, and that would be the preview of the exposure.

Why should someone chose an SLR (or DSLR)?  They, too, do not give a preview of exposure.  At least the EVF gives the option of seeing the histogram.

I've never counted on EVF brightness to tell me anything about exposure.  Perhaps that's due to past use of rangefinders, TLRs, and (D)SLRs.  It has never occurred to me that I should be able to do that.  Probably a lack of imagination on my part.

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