Leica SL2 Firmware 3.0 officially released

[skimmel]

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I apologize if this has been discussed and I missed it, but Lloyd Chambers recently reported that, with version 3.0, the FN button no longer toggles between the various informational displays on the LCD.  Can someone either confirm or refute this? Thanks.

[hillavoider]

On 9/23/2021 at 7:42 PM, sillbeers15 said:

I read that the AF improvement is on:

1   Face/body detection mode;

2   AF Tracking.

 

 

anyone tried the eye auto focus yet?

 

to quote leica: 

New Autofocus algorithm

• Improved eye/face/head/body recognition and focus tracking.

[michali]

3 hours ago, skimmel said:

I apologize if this has been discussed and I missed it, but Lloyd Chambers recently reported that, with version 3.0, the FN button no longer toggles between the various informational displays on the LCD.  Can someone either confirm or refute this? Thanks.

That's incorrect. The FN button does still toggle between various displays & settings on the LCD screen.

Edited September 30, 2021 by michali

[hofo100]

vor 5 Stunden schrieb hillavoider:

anyone tried the eye auto focus yet?

...yes, and works very well. In the SL2 sample thread (pp 250 & 251) I have posted some photos of "Louisa & Roxy" and on that entire shooting I used most of the times the iAF functions and that was really comfortable, fast and reliable. Little disclaimer - for that shooting I was not using FW3.0 but was still on 2.73 (...beta)

[hillavoider]

 

23 minutes ago, hofo100 said:

...yes, and works very well. In the SL2 sample thread (pp 250 & 251) I have posted some photos of "Louisa & Roxy" and on that entire shooting I used most of the times the iAF functions and that was really comfortable, fast and reliable. Little disclaimer - for that shooting I was not using FW3.0 but was still on 2.73 (...beta)

Thanks, I just got time to load it now. Face detection is definitely better. However just as Leica lied about eye auto focus at the launch they’re at it again here, it’s still only face detection on a 10 Grand camera what a joke 👎🏻

[hofo100]

well, I don't care how it is called, but in real life and shooting almost 1000 photos on a session it works pretty well - the eyes have been focussed perfectly, even if it is iAF and not eye-AF.

[hillavoider]

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Leica specifically stated EYE auto focus, iAF is not an excuse 

[LBJ2]

1 hour ago, hillavoider said:

 

Thanks, I just got time to load it now. Face detection is definitely better. However just as Leica lied about eye auto focus at the launch they’re at it again here, it’s still only face detection on a 10 Grand camera what a joke 👎🏻

I think Eye AF is within Face AF. Just because we don't see a green box around the eye like other cameras doesn't mean the face AF algorithm doesn't also look for the eye. Upon close inspection in post edit, the eye is in fact in focus. 

[LBJ2]

1 hour ago, hofo100 said:

well, I don't care how it is called, but in real life and shooting almost 1000 photos on a session it works pretty well - the eyes have been focussed perfectly, even if it is iAF and not eye-AF.

Yes. When I shoot and see Face AF green box, the eyes are almost always in focus for a very high hit rate. I've tested this out repeatedly with performers singing, dancing, jumping, twisting around.

[sillbeers15]

8 hours ago, hillavoider said:

anyone tried the eye auto focus yet?

 

to quote leica: 

New Autofocus algorithm

• Improved eye/face/head/body recognition and focus tracking.

I see it as two parts of test in the real world:

1   How the eye, face, head & body detection tracks human & movements;

2   How accurate the subject tracked turned out consistently sharp in the subject's eye.

I have done test 1 but have not done test 2.

To carryout test 1 is simple, just aim your camera at the TV and determine how quick & accurate the face, head & body tracking take place scene after scene. however you will not see the eye as it only place the focus box up to face and not to the eye. But that does not mean the eye is not tracked (just not shown). Need to look into test 2 to determine the effectiveness.

[hillavoider]

I’ve been giving it a go on my 5 year old, it is much much better at getting the face in focus but either eye could be in focus not always the closest eye. Unfortunately it’s just face auto focus with an eye here or there

 

If it had eye auto focus then a box on the eye would be possible. Then you would know which eye was in focus 

There is no eye tracking here. If there is it’s up to Leica to prove it or take down the false advertising 

Edited September 30, 2021 by hillavoider

[sillbeers15]

3 minutes ago, hillavoider said:

I’ve been giving it a go on my 5 year old, it is much much better at getting the face in focus but either eye could be in focus not the closest  it’s just face auto focus with an eye here or there 

My take is it also depends on the DOF of the aperture used. If it matters a lot to you on having both eyes 'in focus', then closing 1 stop should do the trick.

[skimmel]

6 hours ago, michali said:

That's incorrect. The FN button does still toggle between various displays & settings on the LCD screen.

Thanks.

[sarkleshark]

Not sure he knows what he is talking about. My display toggles just fine.  

[SrMi]

31 minutes ago, sarkleshark said:

Not sure he knows what he is talking about. My display toggles just fine.  

In a third update on the "issue", Lloyd writes that it was "Error on my part, not understanding the Leica design."

[Speeding]

On 9/30/2021 at 1:51 AM, hillavoider said:

Leica specifically stated EYE auto focus, iAF is not an excuse 

It is focusing on the eyes. Look at your results.  The iris is the sharpest part of the face.  It does not draw a separate box around the eye but that is where the camera is focusing.  

Edited October 5, 2021 by Speeding

[hillavoider]

8 hours ago, Speeding said:

It is focusing on the eyes. Look at your results.  The iris is the sharpest part of the face.  It does not draw a separate box around the eye but that is where the camera is focusing.  

Maybe you are lucky as it’ll face detect just fine now thankfully, but either eye could be in focus or the nose. The only l mount Leica lens I have left is the 35 SL and at f2 a good part of the face is in focus but it’s random, it’s nose, eyes, mouth. You can’t just believe in fairytales cos you want to or because ya spent soooo much on this donkey you want it to be a stallion 

Edited October 5, 2021 by hillavoider

[hillavoider]

Like I said earlier why doesn’t Leica come out and prove me wrong.

COME ON LEICA PROVE THAT THE SL2 HAS EYE DETECTION 

PROVE IT 

show how it magically works without the box on the eye and I’ll happily shut up

Edited October 5, 2021 by hillavoider

[Photoworks]

Lots of complaining about EYE AF. They probably where holding a gun to your head when you bought the Leica Camera .

Looks like the old days of focusing technique and rewards when in focus are going away. Point and shoot is what you all want?

I like full control of a tool. I have good eye-AF on many or my sony cameras and I never use it.

Leica face detection works nicely for portraits, any other case I sick with a small box or spot.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[FlashGordonPhotography]

2 hours ago, hillavoider said:

Like I said earlier why doesn’t Leica come out and prove me wrong.

COME ON LEICA PROVE THAT THE SL2 HAS EYE DETECTION 

PROVE IT 

show how it magically works without the box on the eye and I’ll happily shut up

Leica have publicly stated it’s eye AF but they don’t show a cross to keep the VF clean and uncluttered. I’ve had very high near eye accuracy in AFS. It’s quite easy to find Leica’s comments if you do a search.

Gordon