S Maclean Posted June 8, 2022 Share #1 Posted June 8, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) Good day community. First post. First of all thank you to the moderators and owners of the site for such a great resource. I am new to Leica. Not to photography. I have worked semi-professionally but I am basically a hobbyist. As such, I finally decided on changing systems to Leica, something I have always seen as a grail for me and I am fortunate enough to be able to afford now. Being a hobbyist I wanted the best I could get, so I can basically only work on improving myself, not the equipment. I recognize this is somewhat indulgent but I am happy with my approach since I really love the experience of photography. So I got an M11, an apo 50mm and APO 90, and Summicron 35 2.0 (I am more of a 50 mm photographer but I wanted to try 35 on Leica to force myself a little. this said since I got the 50 i have to admit I am going back to old habits ) I also got a Tri E 16-18-21 and returned the 21 SE because a lot of my past photography is ultra-wide and I figured why not get 3 lenses in one. (Sergiomaclean.smugmug.com) My questions are: 1- I notice the lenses sometimes do not fit smoothly into the body. It almost feels like I have to force them in a little bit for them to click. Being used to other systems I am afraid I am forcing the lense unevenly into the thread and am afraid of damaging the thread. This could be a Leica standard to ensure a perfect fit, or it could mean I have a bad issue. 2. I have noticed a couple of times I have had to restart, remove the battery and restart again because it bricks. I have the latest firmware and have read some similar experiences but....wait....is this normal? It does not seem like it should for such a premium body 3. Specific to the 50 APO, Which I love, it seems like the camera misreads the aperture. I am testing and learning and the lens is sharp and clean but I know I am shooting images at 2 and the image metadata is giving me 2.5,3 or 3.5 and sometimes 4 instead of 2. This puzzles me and I can only assume there is a function that I may have enabled (or is automatic) that is limiting the aperture of the lens. I have tried this with ISO and Speed on automatic and with other settings. The other option is I may have indeed a bad copy of the camera and this issue may be related to the lens fit if the sensors are not correctly aligned (I am guessing, not stating, as I do not know) I have yet to receive the 90APO and the Tri E. This is my second day with the camera so some of these questions may be very silly to some. Thank you. S 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 8, 2022 Posted June 8, 2022 Hi S Maclean, Take a look here Newbie Inquiries into M11 problems. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted June 8, 2022 Share #2 Posted June 8, 2022 To the last question : There is no coupling between the body and the aperture so the camera has to guesstimate using the external light sensor and the measured EV value. Usually within the ball park but sometimes wildly off 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S Maclean Posted June 8, 2022 Author Share #3 Posted June 8, 2022 (edited) That's interesting, and it does make a little sense as some pictures do have the 2 ap in the metadata, but in others, it just switches. This is more often happening on close-ups when the focus point is at or near the limit. So, if I understand you correctly, the lens is working at 2 (As set) but the camera does not read that from the lens and instead interprets the data that the sensor receives and guesses it is a 3 (or whatever) based on whatever algorithms and lense profile it has. It seems like a strange quirk but I can live with it. The only issue is that it makes my learning curve just a little more bumpy as I have to notate the apertures separately if I want to compare lens performance/technique etc. It helps if I shoot hyperfocal to know what to expect, roughly, from the aperture setting. Thank you for your feedback! Edited June 8, 2022 by S Maclean typo Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segal Posted June 8, 2022 Share #4 Posted June 8, 2022 (edited) 1. Never had the first issue with any of my lenses. Definitely don't want to force a $4K piece of glass and metal onto a $9K body 2. Hasn't happened to me either (had M11 for a month now). Edited June 8, 2022 by Segal Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoworks Posted June 8, 2022 Share #5 Posted June 8, 2022 Correct. the lenses have no electronic contacts and can't transmit what F-stop is set on the lens. So there are 2 light sensors and based on the light coming in, time set and iso set the camera estimate the F-stop for the record, and it is really correct. If you want to lens about hyper focus try using the chart on the lens. Or Leica lens PDF data on the website indicate what you should aspect at distance set and f stop. You can also set one f stop for a hole day, one lens and go out and take fotos. came back home and look at the images. next day you try to change one variable. a good way to learn . enjoy the shooting. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S Maclean Posted June 8, 2022 Author Share #6 Posted June 8, 2022 Thank you. I am happy and satisfied with the aperture read mystery. As for the other 2 issues, thank you @Segalfor your feedback. I am wondering if this is a subjective issue (meaning I am not used to this tighter fit) or if there is a problem. I'll wait until my other 2 lenses arrive and see if it is a consistent issue. Definitely, the 50 APO is tight. On the bricking. HHHMMMM. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segal Posted June 8, 2022 Share #7 Posted June 8, 2022 Advertisement (gone after registration) 13 minutes ago, S Maclean said: As for the other 2 issues, thank you @Segalfor your feedback. I am wondering if this is a subjective issue (meaning I am not used to this tighter fit) or if there is a problem. I'll wait until my other 2 lenses arrive and see if it is a consistent issue. Definitely, the 50 APO is tight. So, I've just changed lenses several times on my Sony A1 and my Leica M11 just to see if there is a difference, and I found Sony to be a little bit tighter - probably because both the body and the lenses are heavier. Are you sure you're aligning the red dot correctly before attaching the lens? It's in a different position from my Sony (9 o'clock instead of 2 o'clock if you're looking at the front of the camera). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S Maclean Posted June 8, 2022 Author Share #8 Posted June 8, 2022 I think I am, but i may be off here and there. Canon also has a different alignment. But even if I very carefully aligned it, then press and rotate r press the button and rotate (i tried both ways) it finds a point of strong resistance that I have to push through before the button clicks. The APo 50 is definitely a little tighter than the 35 cron. It is not as tight to take off though. The lens cap however behaves as I would expect the lenses too. Rotates with even resistance and then clicks. I'm not going to be crazy about it until I test the other lenses that are arriving this week. Thank you for taking the time to test your cameras. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoworks Posted June 8, 2022 Share #9 Posted June 8, 2022 I had that issue in the beginning when using a new Voigtlander lens, but after few time of use it was clicking in ok. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S Maclean Posted June 8, 2022 Author Share #10 Posted June 8, 2022 That’s encouraging, Thank You Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted June 9, 2022 Share #11 Posted June 9, 2022 There are no silly questions. This old FAQ still applies in many cases to the M11, and might provide additional answers and tips. (The M11 forum discussions address various changes specific to the M11.) A local dealer, if you have one, can of course be another good resource, particularly when it comes to issues like lens mounting. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auroralabs Posted June 10, 2022 Share #12 Posted June 10, 2022 I get the occasional camera bricking where you must take the battery out to reset the camera. A few others have mentioned this happening as well. Firmware bugs I assume, even in the latest. A bit unacceptable half a year post launch. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M11 for me Posted June 10, 2022 Share #13 Posted June 10, 2022 Am 9.6.2022 um 01:10 schrieb Segal: 1. Never had the first issue with any of my lenses. Definitely don't want to force a $4K piece of glass and metal onto a $9K body 2. Hasn't happened to me either (had M11 for a month now). YOu're lucky 😁 I thought actually the same as you: All these stories are typical Forum stuff. Until last Monday it happened: My camera that I own since January - just out of nothing - decided to restart. The mode it came up with was just like the first start of the new camera. A nice animated graphics was shown followed by the prompt to enter the language. . . Immediately I switched off, took out battery and all the usual things . . . But always the same: enter language. Finally I gave into the process and eventually the camery was back ready to shoot. But not perfect: All my profile was gone. No favourites in the menu, button functions all back to "reset camera". Exactly like a new camera. It took me an hour (maybe a bit less to ve frank) to have all my settings back as I wanted to have them: Favourite menu, wheels function plus all the other things that can be customised. Since then it works again. But clearly: A camera might be a complex thing. Stll this should not happen. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmars Posted June 10, 2022 Share #14 Posted June 10, 2022 Computers are human beings too. They live and have their own will. I never had this with my M11 but with my M10. Three times in about two weeks then never again. Till then I save my settings and profiles on a SD card. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S Maclean Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share #15 Posted June 10, 2022 Thank you all for your feedback. I was wondering whether my SD CARD might be creating the issue as it's a 200+ card. It shouldn't but.... Maybe? This happened again yesterday along with some glitches like the red lining focus guides disappearing. It also seems to happen after switching lenses, like it has to take a minute to acquaint itself with the new lens. So I formatted both IM and Sd card and reset the camera. Not a big deal since it's new and I'm learning so having to re enter my settings was probably good for me. It also may be that as I'm learning the camera I am of course much more interactive with the menus and settings than I would on normal use. I suppose once it is set to my liking there will be much less menu tweaking. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted June 10, 2022 Share #16 Posted June 10, 2022 3 hours ago, M11 for me said: YOu're lucky 😁 I thought actually the same as you: All these stories are typical Forum stuff. Until last Monday it happened: My camera that I own since January - just out of nothing - decided to restart. The mode it came up with was just like the first start of the new camera. A nice animated graphics was shown followed by the prompt to enter the language. . . Immediately I switched off, took out battery and all the usual things . . . But always the same: enter language. Finally I gave into the process and eventually the camery was back ready to shoot. But not perfect: All my profile was gone. No favourites in the menu, button functions all back to "reset camera". Exactly like a new camera. It took me an hour (maybe a bit less to ve frank) to have all my settings back as I wanted to have them: Favourite menu, wheels function plus all the other things that can be customised. Since then it works again. But clearly: A camera might be a complex thing. Stll this should not happen. Sounds like a card or battery contact that needs to be cleaned. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S Maclean Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share #17 Posted June 10, 2022 On a brand new camera? And how does one clean that? Air? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M11 for me Posted June 10, 2022 Share #18 Posted June 10, 2022 thank you @jaapv. I just checked the battery and I saw that the contacts can barely be toughed with the fingers as they are a bit remote. And I am alway careful about such things not to come near and I never hold the battery nor card on the side of the contacts. Nevertheless I tried to give them a clean with dry clouth. Still I have some problems to understand why a sudden defect of software/firmware can happen because of battery or card? However I hope it does not repeat itself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted June 10, 2022 Share #19 Posted June 10, 2022 1) Lenses should fit tight - sometimes one might have to jiggle it a bit to lock in and bring up the correct tramline. Perfectly normal. 2) Lockups - welcome to the world of Leica. Sadly normal, though I've had a lot less with my 10, 10-R than I did with my M9 (constant). sounds like the 11 is a return to the 9 in more than just image look. 3) Normal. Most just ignore. If you really need exact aperture info then best to find a different camera platform. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S Maclean Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share #20 Posted June 10, 2022 Thank You. All makes sense. I Don’t need exact aperture but was wondering why there was a discrepancy. All clear. ty Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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