Big Firmware Update for Leica SL2 (v.4.0) and SL2-S (v.3.0)

[LocalHero1953]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

1 hour ago, Malabito said:

Hi! If you haven't updated yet, please restrain yourself from doing it, will break how your sl lenses behave when shooting at close apertures.

It doesn't break your lenses, but there is certainly something wrong going on (SL2-S in my case).

I have been shooting mainly with the 24-90 and 90-280 since updating, and almost all at wide apertures. I didn't notice problems.

I have just checked my three Summicrons (35, 75, 90). There was shutter lag and blackout with the 75, so I saved my profiles and did a full reset, which sorted it. The same happened after mounting the 90 i.e. I had to reset again. However when I mounted the 35, there was no lag. Ditto with the 11-23 zoom.

After reading your post, I tried small apertures, and there were still lags at f/22 on all three Summicrons, but none of the zooms. I tried a reset with one of them, but it made no difference. I shall report to Leica via the Fotos app (if that works - I haven't tried reporting bugs that way).

I haven't tried intermediate apertures between f/2 and f/22 - has anyone? Is the lag progressively longer as you stop down, or is there a step change at one point?

 

Edit. I have reported via Fotos, and received an automated acknowledgement. 

Edited May 15, 2022 by LocalHero1953

[6bit]

Thank you. Did you mean a quick reference guide for what buttons could be assigned on the SL2 on FW 4.0? 

9 hours ago, Pelu2010 said:

Hi, 

allways > 

https://leica-camera.com/sites/default/files/DE_SL2-S FW3.0 Release Notes.pdf

 

for every firmware update there is a manual. 
you can download it or order it. 
the same is true for the manual of the camera. You can order it and it’s very nice to have something on paper and study the camera while you are reading. 
 

cheers 

 

[Advertisement]

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

[6bit]

I just updated my Summicron 35 and 75 lenses. The 50 Lux was on the camera during the update and I assume was updated at that time, if at all. 

The 35 mm went smooth. The 75mm did not. I could hear and feel a vibrating sound. My guess is it was the AF drive in some kind of back and forth loop. I didn't stop the lens update and let it go. It stopped after the update. Everything seems to work fine, but I will do some shooting to be sure.

[Malabito]

4 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

It doesn't break your lenses, but there is certainly something wrong going on (SL2-S in my case).

I have been shooting mainly with the 24-90 and 90-280 since updating, and almost all at wide apertures. I didn't notice problems.

I have just checked my three Summicrons (35, 75, 90). There was shutter lag and blackout with the 75, so I saved my profiles and did a full reset, which sorted it. The same happened after mounting the 90 i.e. I had to reset again. However when I mounted the 35, there was no lag. Ditto with the 11-23 zoom.

After reading your post, I tried small apertures, and there were still lags at f/22 on all three Summicrons, but none of the zooms. I tried a reset with one of them, but it made no difference. I shall report to Leica via the Fotos app (if that works - I haven't tried reporting bugs that way).

I haven't tried intermediate apertures between f/2 and f/22 - has anyone? Is the lag progressively longer as you stop down, or is there a step change at one point?

 

Edit. I have reported via Fotos, and received an automated acknowledgement. 

well it certainly breaks what's defined as the expected behavior  So yes, it doesn't break them physically, but it does make them not to continue working correctly, (unless you only shoot at f2).

[Malabito]

1 hour ago, 6bit said:

I just updated my Summicron 35 and 75 lenses. The 50 Lux was on the camera during the update and I assume was updated at that time, if at all. 

The 35 mm went smooth. The 75mm did not. I could hear and feel a vibrating sound. My guess is it was the AF drive in some kind of back and forth loop. I didn't stop the lens update and let it go. It stopped after the update. Everything seems to work fine, but I will do some shooting to be sure.

Can you do the following test with your apo lens:

- set camera to afs

- aperture priority

- auto iso, (or manual, doesn't really matter)

- set aperture to f2.0

- set shooting speed to continuous medium

- shoot a couple of images

- now change the aperture to f16

- shoot the same number of images.....

 

99% you will have terrible blackout when shooting with the cron, (seems it doesn't happen with the lux)

[beewee]

4 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I haven't tried intermediate apertures between f/2 and f/22 - has anyone? Is the lag progressively longer as you stop down, or is there a step change at one point?

 

I’ve tested intermediate apertures on my 28 APO. The lag increases quickly stopping down until around f/5.6 or f/8 and then more or less flatlines. @Stuart Richardson made a nice video showing that the problem appears to be related to the aperture moving very slowly for some reason. You find find the link in the post here.

It makes sense that the lag increases quickly at larger apertures (except f/2) as the aperture mechanism has to close down quite a bit between f/2 and f/2.8 and likewise between f/2.8 to f/4. However, as the apertures shrinks more beyond that, the marginal change in size of the aperture opening is very small since we’re operating on a logarithmic scale where the aperture opening at f/2.8 is half the area of f/2, f/4 is a quarter the area of f/2, f/5.6 is an eighth of the area of f/2, and f/8 is a sixteenth the area, etc.. 

Edited May 15, 2022 by beewee

[jrp]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

It’s odd that such a manifest bug didn’t get caught in beta testing. 

[hdmesa]

The shutter lag happens on my Sigma 70 Macro Art even wide open at f/2.8, though it only happens every 4-5 shots. When it happens, it sounds like a very long exposure took place.

Edited May 16, 2022 by hdmesa

[Simone_DF]

13 hours ago, jrp said:

It’s odd that such a manifest bug didn’t get caught in beta testing. 

I wonder if there has been any QA pass done on the lens firmware. Shooting a lens at various apertures and different camera settings should be a basic regression testing and could even be fully automated with modern QA tools.  

[beewee]

9 hours ago, Simone_DF said:

I wonder if there has been any QA pass done on the lens firmware. Shooting a lens at various apertures and different camera settings should be a basic regression testing and could even be fully automated with modern QA tools.  

It’s all dependent on what is the pass/fail criteria for the test. If the camera just needs to be able to take a picture at the proper aperture, then it would have passed.

[Simone_DF]

31 minutes ago, beewee said:

It’s all dependent on what is the pass/fail criteria for the test. If the camera just needs to be able to take a picture at the proper aperture, then it would have passed.

Yes, but in that case somebody would have noticed the behaviour though, that's why I have doubts on Leica performing basic QA regression tests.

[Berlinman]

Am 12.5.2022 um 19:08 schrieb MaBu:

I updated to FW4.0 on my SL2. Now I have a real problem when using my 50mm and 35 mm APO Summicron lenses. I bet a blackout of about 2 seconds after each shot.

is anybody else experiencing the same issues?

Same here. 2.0 ok - Other apertures with lack approx 1s. …

[Planetwide]

Thanks for posting these issues. I'll wait on the update.

[6bit]

I waited a bit before updating. Now I am kicking myself for doing this. I hope they get this taken care of sooner rather than later. I guess it is a good thing I use M lenses more often than not.

[John Smith]

On 5/16/2022 at 11:45 AM, Simone_DF said:

Yes, but in that case somebody would have noticed the behaviour though, that's why I have doubts on Leica performing basic QA regression tests.

Ford Recalls 39,000 Large SUVs Over Fire Risk

Ford said the recall campaign covers 2021 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs built between late 2020 and early 2021, and it advised owners to park affected models outside and away from structures.

Everyone experiences bugs.

[Malabito]

44 minutes ago, John Smith said:

Ford Recalls 39,000 Large SUVs Over Fire Risk

Ford said the recall campaign covers 2021 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs built between late 2020 and early 2021, and it advised owners to park affected models outside and away from structures.

Everyone experiences bugs.

you can't see the difference?

[John Smith]

33 minutes ago, Malabito said:

you can't see the difference?

Nope. Fill me in.

[6bit]

Bugs certainly happen. I do feel a camera and a car are different levels of complexity. Cars are orders of magnitude more complex.

I'd expect someone to use the camera before, during and after firmware development. I am disappointed that it appears a bug got out that acts up when shooting anything larger than 2.0. On the other hand, maybe the developers are like me and shoot wide open 99% of the time. 🤪 

Here's to a fast turnaround that takes care of our issues. 🥳

[Photoworks]

1 hour ago, 6bit said:

Bugs certainly happen. I do feel a camera and a car are different levels of complexity. Cars are orders of magnitude more complex.

I'd expect someone to use the camera before, during and after firmware development. I am disappointed that it appears a bug got out that acts up when shooting anything larger than 2.0. On the other hand, maybe the developers are like me and shoot wide open 99% of the time. 🤪 

Here's to a fast turnaround that takes care of our issues. 🥳

Not sure Leica's FW team is having good luck. maybe they are not that good.

The products are deliver always late. FW of the SL2 have issues, FW of the M11 have issues. Capture software from Leica was always a problem. Let not talk about the Fotos app.

It is a constant beta limbo...

I am sure not simple to find good people for a small company...
I have to give the hardware people credit for the progress Leica has been doing, FW and software are slowing the company down.

The Lens issue is big, should be fixed asap. I just did a shoot at 2.0 and it was had to do, like there was always something wrong with the camera... get even better if you stop down.

I have started using my Sony again until a fix comes in, what is a shame!

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[Malabito]

9 hours ago, John Smith said:

Nope. Fill me in.

Ford made a public statement and its taking corrective and preventive actions, also seems not to be affecting all cars, different to our bug which is a basic user case to test, almost like  delivering firmware and not checking if the camera turns on, looks almost like negligence.

Not saying leica is not looking for a fix, but they haven't even taken the firmware down, or at least added a warning to it on the download page, that's what disconcerts me the most, not the bug, we all know that bugs can happen. Yes, you can't compare a car fire to a camera but from photography pov, this is not a small issue, basically renders apo lenses useless unless you only shoot wide open. 

Edited May 20, 2022 by Malabito