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CL - Simple tips for beginners, the confused and the lazy - please add yours.


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This thread is meant to help those new to the CL or even to digital to get good results right from the beginning and to add simple tips , shooting techniques and workarounds that are not easily found in the manual.

It is not a discussion thread, nor meant for technical explanations. Such posts will be deleted without notice

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First take your time before you go out with the camera to create a basic profile to make the camera work for your personal preferences and save as "profile 1" and rename "basic". That gives you a base line to quickly return to whilst shooting.

My suggestions:

Files: DNG+JPG fine
AF : AFS and face recognition
Exposure mode: A
ISO: Auto-ISO max 1600
LCD-EVF: Auto
EV compensation: Right wheel
P-A-S-M

 

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If you are not quite happy with the AF, half depress the shutter button and use the focus ring to tweak. Don't let go, but push fully to take the shot.
The camera reverts to AF when you lift your finger.

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My first tip for a novice is to master one operating mode fully, before becoming adventurous and confused by changing the functions of ‘soft’ controls. Transitioning from analogue or hybrid camera controls to multi-role unnamed ‘soft’ dials has many traps for the unwary. This, and several other tips, are discussed more fully in this article: https://david2008.photium.com/my-way-with-the-leica published recently on my website.

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When you have set one wheel (preferably the right) to EV compensation, display the histogram on your EVF. You can then adjust your exposure perfectly with the camera at your eye. A simple explanation how to read the histogram for exposure can be found HERE.

Don't trust the way the image looks in the EVF to judge the exposure of your image.

 

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If your images are softer than you expect especially with the longer focal lengths set your shutter to Electronic  Shutter to avoid shutter shock. Also with O.I.S. lenses.

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2 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Yes It reverts to AF when you let go. So keep half depressed whilst waiting. 

Ì refer to this highly useful feature as 'hybrid' focusing. A controlled blending of auto-focus and manual focusing. It is an unusual but highly effective procedure.

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Took me a while to figure and appreciate this: The FN button is programmable in two ways:

Single quick press to access one action, for example Timer

Single long press to access 8 programmable options that, once chosen, will become your single press quick FN action.

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2 hours ago, pocholin said:

Took me a while to figure and appreciate this: The FN button is programmable in two ways:

Single quick press to access one action, for example Timer

Single long press to access 8 programmable options that, once chosen, will become your single press quick FN action.

Yes but the short press will activate the action you last used. 

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Do not use an SD card from a previous camera without formatting it in the CL. Better still to buy a new card with your new camera. Get a spare battery (does not have to be Leica, Panasonic is the same and cheaper.) at the same time.

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Hmm. I've had the CL long enough that I no longer remember what issues arose in learning it. 

But my biggest advice to the new owner of any modern camera is, before going out to make photographs, to sit down with the owner's manual and walk through all of it with the camera in your hands, trying out all the controls and features. Make tons of junk photographs with it that way, learn all the ins and outs of menus, controls, settings and so forth. You won't really know why some of them exist for a while yet, but at least you'll know a- what exists in the camera, and b- where to find it in the manual. 

BTW: Expect that you'll have to recharge a battery or two in the process of doing that. It's perhaps the most inefficient use of battery power for the camera. :)

Then reset the camera to factory defaults, make a few changes to suit your desires, and save that as your first user profile. Then go out and make a lot of photos. 

Oh yes: Buy at least two extra batteries for the CL. That way you can always have one in the camera, working, another fully charged in your bag, and another on a charger getting ready. I usually see somewhere on the order of 600 exposures per full charge when I'm out shooting (as opposed to exercising the menus and functions) so two batteries on hand for shooting is usually enough. 

I didn't buy any new SD cards when I bought the CL. I just used the nice, fast Sandisk and Lexar 32, 64, and 128 G SD cards I had lying about. As with all my cards in all my cameras, I formatted all the ones I was going to use with the SDFormatter utility software (available for most platforms from https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/). I've never had a problem with the CL that could be attributable to the SD card.

G

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On 6/12/2021 at 5:42 AM, jaapv said:

First take your time before you go out with the camera to create a basic profile to make the camera work for your personal preferences and save as "profile 1" and rename "basic". That gives you a base line to quickly return to whilst shooting.

My suggestions:

Files: DNG+JPG fine
AF : AFS and face recognition
Exposure mode: A
ISO: Auto-ISO max 1600
LCD-EVF: Auto
EV compensation: Right wheel
P-A-S-M

 

A next suggestion: once you have modified this and have a handle on a customized set up... then stay with that for some time (months) until its like second nature. That way you have a base condition that is yours, before starting to go more customized or particular. 

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Another minor hint to the use of the user profiles: Once you have the first one set up, and assuming it's how you usually use the camera most of the time, you can fiddle with any controls you want in a given shooting situation and then return all the settings to your normal basic set by just re-choosing that user profile. This is one of the handiest reasons for having a self-defined default user profile. :)

G

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No beginner here, but quick shout out and reminder before you start bellyaching about poor IQ to have a look at the front of your lens... think I may get done for lens abuse, thank goodness for a filter, should have remembered our very wet dog shaking all over me and the camera at the start of the day😄.  Dent to the hood happened earlier this trip.

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Edited by Boojay
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  • 1 month later...

Hi,

When I go to the FN Customization menu and try to turn ‘Set Timer’ Off, it shows an error message, forgot what it said, something you cannot remove it while in use.

For Single Press FN, does it let you select like User Profile and cycle through them with multiple FN press?

 

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When the camera is set to manual exposure, "T" is an option for long exposures. I am assuming greater than 30 seconds. I cannot find anything in my manual about this. How does it work? Do I need to determine the exposure with a handheld light meter? Then set the aperture? Do I need to press the trigger button on the app twice, once to start the exposure and again to end it?

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