leica q2: focus box size issue

[gteague]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

hi folks: i've posted many times in the leica cl section, but i got a q2 today. hard to find the buggers and i lurked in ebay for 3 days, just  missed 2 really good deals, and then scored one practically new for a $900 discount over a new one, so i'm feeling pleased. and i was delighted to find that the q2 has adopted the cl operation nearly in its entirety--i'll be able to nearly mirror the two cameras.

i updated the firmware to v3.0 and saw that i could change the size of the focus field box and i like to toggle between small and medium. but this feature quickly proved to be a huge frustration nearly immediately as, since i have to use my left eye at the evf, my nose triggers the red triangles meaning it's waiting for you to change the size. i have the touch af off but this feature works with that off. at first i was flummoxed when i was testing the manual focus and the camera quit peaking and magnifying until i realized i'd triggered the re-size function. 

i can workaround by using the spot (although i often can't even see that tiny + sign) or face tracking where i also can change the box size. but i really prefer the field option.

any way around this annoyance? thanks! /guy

[Advertisement]

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

[RoySmith]

I have the same problem as do many other left-eye dominant members of this forum. Leica is aware of the problem and is working on a fix. In the meantime the solution is to keep the AF on spot. The camera has many wonderful features, enjoy it.

[gteague]

that's about what i'd concluded. thanks mucho!

in lieu of opening a new thread, i never get the video mode when i hit the center button of the directional pad. i've made my first pass through the manual and didn't see anything that could be preventing this. the swipe on the lcd does put it into video mode, but i dislike anything to do with touch screens although i admit the (new) info screen is super useful. you barely need a favorites menu when you have that. and you can use it with the arrows, you don't have to touch it.

also, i'll see if i have a 49mm cap lying around, but will a spring-loaded lens cap fit inside the leica hood? i really really hate those felt lined press on caps as the felt always wears out.

[ later note: found answer on b&h photo. alas, the hood has to be removed for the 49mm cap to fit. i have a filter fitted and with the hood as well, in theory i don't need a cap, but i'm one of _those_ ocd folks who can't imagine life without juggling a lens cap. ]

tks!

/guy

Edited February 11, 2021 by gteague

[Leica28]

Maybe I am misunderstanding but why don't you shut off the LCD panel or at least put it on auto so that when you bring the camera to your eye, it will go black?

[gteague]

lol! leica has cleverly foiled both those workarounds as it doesn't matter if the screen goes dark and turning off the touch af functions has no effect on the field box size function working.

as @RoySmith  said, it seems a universal problem for left-eyed folks and hopefully leica is working on it. 

here's what the v3.0 firmware update says about it:

"ADJUSTING THE METERING FIELD SIZE The AF quick setting allows quick changes to the metering field size during field metering. This feature is also available while the Touch AF function is deactivated. ▸ Touch and hold the LCD panel • All auxiliary displays are hidden. • Red triangles appear at two corners of the metering field if the metering method Field is set. ▸ Turn the thumbwheel or ▸ Two-finger pinch/spread • The size of the AF-metering field is adjustable in 3 increments."

Edited February 11, 2021 by gteague

[CAP]

5 hours ago, gteague said:

hi folks: i've posted many times in the leica cl section, but i got a q2 today. hard to find the buggers and i lurked in ebay for 3 days, just  missed 2 really good deals, and then scored one practically new for a $900 discount over a new one, so i'm feeling pleased. and i was delighted to find that the q2 has adopted the cl operation nearly in its entirety--i'll be able to nearly mirror the two cameras.

i updated the firmware to v3.0 and saw that i could change the size of the focus field box and i like to toggle between small and medium. but this feature quickly proved to be a huge frustration nearly immediately as, since i have to use my left eye at the evf, my nose triggers the red triangles meaning it's waiting for you to change the size. i have the touch af off but this feature works with that off. at first i was flummoxed when i was testing the manual focus and the camera quit peaking and magnifying until i realized i'd triggered the re-size function. 

i can workaround by using the spot (although i often can't even see that tiny + sign) or face tracking where i also can change the box size. but i really prefer the field option.

any way around this annoyance? thanks! /guy

I agree as I also have to use my left eye. I have sent Leica a firmware request to fix this one. I just stick to spot AF or MF for now.

Charlie

[RoySmith]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

9 hours ago, gteague said:

that's about what i'd concluded. thanks mucho!

in lieu of opening a new thread, i never get the video mode when i hit the center button of the directional pad. i've made my first pass through the manual and didn't see anything that could be preventing this. the swipe on the lcd does put it into video mode, but i dislike anything to do with touch screens although i admit the (new) info screen is super useful. you barely need a favorites menu when you have that. and you can use it with the arrows, you don't have to touch it.

also, i'll see if i have a 49mm cap lying around, but will a spring-loaded lens cap fit inside the leica hood? i really really hate those felt lined press on caps as the felt always wears out.

[ later note: found answer on b&h photo. alas, the hood has to be removed for the 49mm cap to fit. i have a filter fitted and with the hood as well, in theory i don't need a cap, but i'm one of _those_ ocd folks who can't imagine life without juggling a lens cap. ]

tks!

/guy

You’re right, the centre button on the directional pad no longer cycles thru video as one of the displays. Some new users accidentally swipe the lcd screen and enter video mode and then don’t know how to get back into photo mode. I don’t use video so the lcd display not cycling thru video is nice. 

The supplied lens hood is compact and does protect the lens well but does prevent putting filters and pinch caps onto the 49mm filter threads. The Lims Q/Q2 Lens Hood is a little larger and does permit filter / pinch cap installation without removing the hood. I don’t have one but others on the forum have recommended it. 

The other option is the Match Technical Lens Cap which fits well and won’t loosen and fall off like the Leica one. 

Cheers

[gteague]

1 hour ago, RoySmith said:

You’re right, the centre button on the directional pad no longer cycles thru video as one of the displays. Some new users accidentally swipe the lcd screen and enter video mode and then don’t know how to get back into photo mode. I don’t use video so the lcd display not cycling thru video is nice. 

The supplied lens hood is compact and does protect the lens well but does prevent putting filters and pinch caps onto the 49mm filter threads. The Lims Q/Q2 Lens Hood is a little larger and does permit filter / pinch cap installation without removing the hood. I don’t have one but others on the forum have recommended it. 

The other option is the Match Technical Lens Cap which fits well and won’t loosen and fall off like the Leica one. 

Cheers

after i posted the question i did find the lim's hood and ordered one of those and a 49mm cap. i saw the match one and it looks bulky and i decided against it.

i wish there was a menu option to go into video mode as i dislike swiping.  

but my biggest wish is to be able to toggle between color and b&w film styles instead of having to first go into film style and then select one or the other. it's a small thing, but i bounce in and out dozens of times on any given photo outing. i've been spoiled by panasonic which does allow this. i have two buttons programmed which i nearly wear out: one does the same digital zoom as leica now has and the other toggles b&w on and off. the q2 has a dedicated button for the 'zoom' which is fantastic, but i'd like to be able to set up the top button to do the style toggling. nearly but not quite there. 

oh, and worst aspect so far? the tiny thin wheel at top right. and it's stiff as all heck and barely moves. it's nothing like the same as the ones on the cl. i depend on it for exp comp and what's worse, i have a thumbs up and i can barely reach the dial. i can set up exp comp on the /fn/ button and then use the d-pad to set it, but that's sort of awkward.

tks! /guy

[RoySmith]

I don’t have a thumbs up and still find that wheel awkward, but have learned to live with it. 
I agree that for B&W photography having the EVF display in B&W is advantageous. 
Leica has an accessory that does this - the Q2M ! 😁

[gteague]

2 minutes ago, RoySmith said:

I don’t have a thumbs up and still find that wheel awkward, but have learned to live with it. 
I agree that for B&W photography having the EVF display in B&W is advantageous. 
Leica has an accessory that does this - the Q2M ! 😁

i've been shooting for so long i pretty well 'see' in b&w anyway, so the evf being in color never entered my mind.  but as much as i love b&w i'd never consider buying one of the monochrom models. i like having options even if you do give up a bit of quality most viewers would never notice for it. 

/guy

 

[gteague]

56 minutes ago, RoySmith said:

I don’t have a thumbs up and still find that wheel awkward, but have learned to live with it. 
I agree that for B&W photography having the EVF display in B&W is advantageous. 
Leica has an accessory that does this - the Q2M ! 😁

i feel a little stupid, but i've only had the camera a few hours. i thought the top right wheel had a gripping surface about 1/5th the thickness of a dime. but i was checking how to get around the thumbs up to turn it when i realized that there's a cutout on the top right side of the camera which exposes at least a 1/4" thickness dial. it's still stiff as a sailor's p3cker, but at least i can turn it much more easily although it does require a shift of your hand to the right to get to the 'meat' of it. 

with the grip mounted you can turn it with one hand but without the grip and only the thumbs up you have to support the camera with the other hand while you turn it. but at least it's not as bad as i first thought and i can live with it.

/guy

[Guest]

14 hours ago, gteague said:

hi folks: i've posted many times in the leica cl section, but i got a q2 today. hard to find the buggers and i lurked in ebay for 3 days, just  missed 2 really good deals, and then scored one practically new for a $900 discount over a new one, so i'm feeling pleased. and i was delighted to find that the q2 has adopted the cl operation nearly in its entirety--i'll be able to nearly mirror the two cameras.

i updated the firmware to v3.0 and saw that i could change the size of the focus field box and i like to toggle between small and medium. but this feature quickly proved to be a huge frustration nearly immediately as, since i have to use my left eye at the evf, my nose triggers the red triangles meaning it's waiting for you to change the size. i have the touch af off but this feature works with that off. at first i was flummoxed when i was testing the manual focus and the camera quit peaking and magnifying until i realized i'd triggered the re-size function. 

i can workaround by using the spot (although i often can't even see that tiny + sign) or face tracking where i also can change the box size. but i really prefer the field option.

any way around this annoyance? thanks! /guy

What you can do is to choose EVF Extended is Display Setting on Menu Tab 3 I believe, this makes the EVF King and the LCD remains blank except for when you hit Menu or Play or when an image is briefly displayed after pressing shutter button. Try that and see whether the nose still interferes with operations.

[gteague]

7 minutes ago, SPB2 said:

What you can do is to choose EVF Extended is Display Setting on Menu Tab 3 I believe, this makes the EVF King and the LCD remains blank except for when you hit Menu or Play or when an image is briefly displayed after pressing shutter button. Try that and see whether the nose still interferes with operations.

that does work, but the mode of operation is too foreign to me as i continually bounce back and forth between the lcd and the lcd. but it does seem to be a workaround if you can use only the evf. thanks! /guy

[RoySmith]

I just tried the EVF extended setting, and if I put the AF on field then my nose still triggers the field size reset - little red triangles thing.

Doesn’t fix the problem. 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, RoySmith said:

I just tried the EVF extended setting, and if I put the AF on field then my nose still triggers the field size reset - little red triangles thing.

Doesn’t fix the problem. 

Pity worth a try, I hoped I would solve the issue, but it seems not so simply done. I use my right eye for the EVF, but I still use EVF Extended as I prefer to look at anything other than a LCD screen except for reviewing a shot just after it is taken for the few seconds when it shows itself. The rest of the time it is the EVF for me.

[gteague]

10 hours ago, gteague said:

that does work, but the mode of operation is too foreign to me as i continually bounce back and forth between the lcd and the lcd. but it does seem to be a workaround if you can use only the evf. thanks! /guy

i misspoke. i should have said 'that should work'. but when i realized it was taking the lcd out of the equation i realized i'd never be able to use that mode. sorry. /guy