When is Leica stopping the M10 Monochrom freezing

[Ken Abrahams]

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Mines been good up until the last few days. I pre focused a shot with live view with the expectation of taking the image within 5 minutes.

Checked the drive mode set at rapid and then turned off live view while I waited. When it was time to take the image I turned  on live view using the Visoflex but the camera was stuck at the focus peaking enlargement  point and nothing could be done to release it. 

 

Missed the shot and when ejecting the battery, the menu settings returned to a previous configuration from a few hours earlier where  I had selected spot metering.  Why does it seem to happen at the most critical time?   

[Mark II]

I do not think that this is specific to the M10M. My M10 (no suffix) suffers *exactly* the same problem, and it is really annoying as the only "fix" is to remove the battery.

I suspect that the problem is related to errors in the communication between camera and EVF (contacts between EVF and hotshoe), as on one occasion I tried to use the EVF when the camera was *very* mildly damp from fog and the lockups occurred far more frequently. All I can suggest is making sure that the contacts are clean and dry, while also minimising the chance of a failure by either powering down or disabling live-view except when actually taking a shot.

This really needs to be fixed in the camera's firmware. Even if the problem is hardware related, the firmware should be able to show an error and disable live view. And if the problem is so deep that even this is not possible, I would hope that the design permits a watchdog timer that can automatically reset the camera when all else has failed. Pretty much anything would be better than the status quo!

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[marcg]

On 9/21/2020 at 5:06 AM, Ken Abrahams said:

  Why does it seem to happen at the most critical time?   

Because that is what life is like. If you lose your car keys or your phone, you always end up finding them in the last place you look.

Edited September 23, 2020 by marcg

[M10Alpine]

What is the lates M10M firmware ?

[strohscw]

I was talking this week with Leica Customer support in Wetzlar according this issue. A very nice Lady told me that I need to send Camera and EVF to them for a check. In addition to that she offered to send me a loan unit (camera + EVF). So I accepted this procedure because this will give me also the possibility to check out myself if the loan version used with my "photographing style" will also freeze and behave like mine or if it is only a problem of my version of camera and EVF.

Will try it the next weeks and keep You informed.

 

Greetings

Wolfram

[overexposed]

reminds me of a similar issue with the m240 P, mine was freezing all the time as well, until i sold the camera.

a few months later leica released a firmware to fix the issue, way too slow

[japo]

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for your information:
I got my m10m back from Leica two weeks ago. The "freezing" problem would be solved. I was surprised that the software had not been updated. This week the "freezing" problem recurred. So it remains to wait for an update.

[strohscw]

Latest info from my Camera in Wetzlar:

I just got a repair info. So it looks like my EVF is ok, in my camera they had to change the circuit board, the conductive track and a piece of isolation. So it looks like it is not an issue of the firmware. In the meantime I used the loan unit for some shots without any freezing up to now.

So I hope this issue is gone now.

 

Greetings

Wolfram

Edited October 5, 2020 by strohscw

[Patrickfoley@mac.com]

Just like many others on this thread, my M10M suffers from freezing. But, unlike many others, I don’t think this is related to using the EVF. I rarely use my EVF, and the camera has frozen on many occasions when I haven’t been using the EVF.  

I love the camera, but I’m going to fall out of love pretty soon if Leica don’t fix this! 

 

 

[PhD69]

Hello,

 

You'll find bellow the information I've sent to my Leica reseller. Leica current proposal is to send back the complete configuration... I don't want to do this before being 100% sure that Leica's intervention is going to be conclusive.

So far, my best assumption is that the problem happens when I keep the M10M at arm's length while walking.

Kind regards.

Philippe

"New hiking this Thursday 21st using the same M10M configuration as last Sunday (apart from the SD Card and ND filter) :

1. M10M + Leica handgrip with finger loop (I use no strap)
2. Summilux 1,4 35mm Leitz Wetzlar with step up ring 46mm52mm, and 52mm B+W Vario ND filter (1x to 5x), mainly used @ 1x (last Sunday : Leica ND filter 16x)
3. SD card SONY G – SDXC II - 128 Gb, R : 300 MB/s W : 299 MB/s (last Sunday : Sandisk Extreme Pro – SDXC I V30 - 256Gb. 95MB/s)
4. Visoflex 020

 Same findings as on Sunday

1. M10M blocked after a first normal picture (This problem noticed 3 or 4 times this Thursday)
   1. Start M10M using main switch
   2. Take a picture. OK
   3. Keeping eye at the Visoflex, slightly change the framing, press Shutter button again… Impossible to trigger. Shutter button is like frozen. At the same time, it looks like M10M is still “active” : in the Visoflex, I see the image changing as I change the framing, but pressing the shutter button… nothing happens. M10M is stuck. At the same time in the optical view finder, the speed is displayed in red.
   4. Solution : remove and replace battery
2. Holding the camera at arm’s length (This problem noticed +-15 times this Thursday)
   1. Start M10M using main switch doing no other change adjustment
   2. Holding the camera at arm’s length and hiking for 5 minutes (maintaining the camera at arm’s length) with power save mode = 2 minutes
   3. Trying to take a picture, M10M is stuck : LCD panel is black, Visoflex is black, no speed in the optical view finder. Pressing the shutter button… nothing happens.
   4. Solution : remove and replace battery
3. Apart from the above description, I find strictly no correlation between “parameters” used at the same time and conducting to these problems.
   Trying to answer Leica’s questions:
   1. Temperature : between 20° and 30° Celsius (Thursday was hot)
   2. I didn’t notice M10M getting stuck while reviewing pictures
   3. Impossible to make video while hiking, particularly as the problem is random. Sometimes it works normally and 5 minutes later it no longer works (I mean M10M get stuck)
   4. Flashing red LED? Error message on the screen? Any noise? : no external sign. As mentioned above only shutter button inoperable or black displays.
   5. I use +- default settings, same as on my M10-P which works perfectly well.
   6. SD card details : see above
   7. Pictures taken are 100% correct, no problem using them in Capture One Pro latest version. M10 Monochrome camera correctly recognized by C1 Pro.
   8. Battery level between 100% and 25%. Problem arise between this range, even when the battery is fully charged.
   9. I used only 1 battery (2 on Sunday), from Leica of course and always charged with Leica original charger

 Of course this problem is very disturbing. When hiking you can’t always stops for 2 or 3 minutes just to take a picture. And the time you lose restarting the camera is time you don’t use to take pictures."

[oka]

I don’t think the freezing issue is related to the firmware.

There are so many stories about replaced circuit boards so that main culprit seems to be just QC.

What is weird that Leica had this problem since from original M10. Now even multiple iterations, this is still unsolved problem occurring far too many users.

[Cayenne]

Well, crap.

I have my first Leica on way to me, the M10M....burned a lot of money to get this and now looking forward to it not working?!?!

C

[knisely]

Relax, Cayenne. I received my M10M this morning from Leica Miami and it shows manufactured date of 9/21/2020. I have tried to make it freeze with and without the EVF. In daylight, in twilight and in a dark room. I also tried turning live view on and off and no freezing. I have taken about 150 images with no issue. 

🙂

T

[Cayenne]

9 hours ago, knisely said:

Relax, Cayenne. I received my M10M this morning from Leica Miami and it shows manufactured date of 9/21/2020. I have tried to make it freeze with and without the EVF. In daylight, in twilight and in a dark room. I also tried turning live view on and off and no freezing. I have taken about 150 images with no issue. 

🙂

T

Ok thank you for the info!!

I'm optimistic....it should arrive tomorrow, I'll check the "born on date" when I open it up.

Has there been a trend for this problem happening to units during certain manufacturing date ranges?

Thank you in advance,

C

[Anakronox]

I’ve had my M10M since early March and it’s also never locked up.  Will it?  Who knows, but I’ve probably shot 3-4k photos so far without fail.  

[Patrickfoley@mac.com]

I contacted Leica UK about my M10M freezing. They suggested, before I send the camera to them, to try formatting the SD card more often. I am now using a new, formatted SD card.  I haven't had any freezing issues since, although it's only been a few days since I tried this. 

[strohscw]

As I wrote in #28 the camera was in Wetzlar for repair, they changed the circuit board, the conductive track and a piece of isolation in the camera. And up to now it works, no more freezing and I hope this was the issue.

Thanks to Leica for a very nice and competent contact and the fast repair!

Edited October 22, 2020 by strohscw

[MrFriendly]

On 9/18/2020 at 11:34 AM, m410 said:

Emailed good ole' Leica USA with my update problem issue and they quickly responded with a solution that seems to have, at least so far, solved my camera's locking-up issue.  

FOLLOW-UP on PROBLEMS after updating to 2.7.5.0 on a M10.

Leica's suggestion was to: 

1. Turn the camera OFF.  

2. Remove battery and SD card.  

3. INSERT a fully charged battery.  

4. DO NOT insert a SD card at this time.  

5. Turn ON camera.  

6. Go to RESET menu and initiate a reset of basic settings.  (I maintained the NUMBERING sequenced but deleted everything else when prompted.)

7. Turn Camera OFF.  

8. INSERT SD card.  

9. Turn camera ON and you are set to go.

I tested the fix by quickly scrolling through ~100 images of both jpg's and dng's files and things seem normal.  

Thank You Leica USA.  jDD

That's like having some app lock up your entire machine because of a software defect, and you call tech support and they tell you to just CTRL-ALT-DEL to reboot to fix the problem.  That's not how software bugs are fixed.  It's only a matter of time before you experience another lockup with your camera.

I have a M246M that locks up.  I also have a M10-P that locks up.  There is a critical bug in the firmware related to scrolling and Live View, and Leica needs to fix it.

[Cayenne]

On 10/22/2020 at 7:13 AM, Patrickfoley@mac.com said:

I contacted Leica UK about my M10M freezing. They suggested, before I send the camera to them, to try formatting the SD card more often. I am now using a new, formatted SD card.  I haven't had any freezing issues since, although it's only been a few days since I tried this. 

Interesting.

Do you not format your SD cards every time you put them into your camera?

I do that to erase all the previous images...and I generally trust the camera to format it as it would prefer over a computer....I thought this was normal for most folks?

C

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Luke_Miller]

14 hours ago, Cayenne said:

Do you not format your SD cards every time you put them into your camera?

I do that to erase all the previous images...and I generally trust the camera to format it as it would prefer over a computer....I thought this was normal for most folks?

My understanding of best practice is: Format in camera before use and never delete images in camera.