Do you use Continous Mode?

[marknorton]

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I realised yesterday that I hardly ever use Continuous Mode on the M8 and wondered how many people use it?

 

If Leica M photography is about judging the moment of exposure, it seems to me that a mere 2 frames a second is by definition going to mis-judge the moment, not to mention the difficulties of trying to focus track anything moving.

 

I suppose Continuous Mode just replicates attaching a winder to a film M so they had to do it, but IMHO, it would have been better to leave it out and replace it with a delayed wind-on option instead.

 

[And before any of my detractors get in, yes, I can't type "continuous"]

[Speenth]

I've never had cause to use it. It just isn't why I use an M8, if you see what I mean. I'd much rather Leica had put some thought into fitting a lock to the on/off wheel!

[erl]

I agree entirely, with both posts above, but now I am left wondering about the spelling of "continuous":confused:

 

I have trouble with both the locking (not) of the mode selector AND the shutter speed selector detent. I keep reminding myself that the current model is still a "beta" and likely to remain so for some time. Notwithstanding all that, I am still a great fan of the M8. I don't expect to see any significant changes/improvements in my time. If I do, I probably can't afford them anyway, so I have settled into my comfort zone, with some workarounds.

[Eoin]

I on the other hand set the camera to continuous by default, it does not mean I "spray and pray" but rather as the moment arises in the viewfinder the option is there just to keep the finger down.

 

However I have noticed on a number of occasions if I do take a number of shots say 6-8 without lifting my finger, I can get an error with the sandisk card and the M8 flashing as if it's writing to the card but after 5 min it's still doing this I have to pop the battery out and loose the sequence of shots.

[Shootist]

I think I used it once.

[Venkman]

I use it when I need to "nail" a moving target - keep shooting and move focus.

[Mark Pope]

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Very rarely. I find that rather than just holding down the button, I prefer to have the control of firing single shots in quick succession. It's still quicker than I could shoot with a conventional M without winder.

[jlancasterd]

I realised yesterday that I hardly ever use Continuous Mode on the M8 and wondered how many people use it?

 

I've used it once since getting my M8 in mid-April - I was riding the Mariazellerbahn in Austria and wanted a shot of a station down on the valley floor from one of the zig-zags - a shot that had to be taken through the one and only gap in the trees... I wasn't quite sure where the gap was, the train was moving fairly fast, and I had no idea what framing I would want. I therefore mounted my CV 28/1.9, chose a high shutter speed, focussed at infinity and set the M8 to continuous. I started shooting as soon as the gap appeared and kept my finger on the button whilst I adjusted the framing.

 

I think I got one keeper out of 6 or 7 shots

[gwelland]

I use it every now and again .... by accident. Ok, maybe a few times deliberately to fire a sequence of shots at low speeds in the hope of getting a sharp one.

 

Here's another vote a better on/off & shutter speed selector with a 'bump' when A is selected.

[LichMD]

My experience with continuous mode was similar.

In India on the road from Delhi to Agra there were times when I wanted to capture a shot of daily life in the countryside and because of our schedule we couldn't stop. In single mode most of those shots missed. From Agra to Jaipur 2 days later I selected in continuous mode I found that I captured about 90% of them with about 2 shots taken per keeper.

Philosophically it felt like bracketing, and we captured some great memories of that long ride.

[larry]

Sometimes I use it when shooting handheld at a slow shutter speed. The second shot is generally sharper because any movement caused by pressing the shutter button has been "absorbed" by the first shot.

 

Larry

[robsteve]

I use it not to fire bursts, but to have the camera ready quicker. I find that if you have it on single mode, take a picture and then want to take a picture immediately after, the camera will not fire. In continous mode, the delay before you can fire a second shot is not there. It may have somthing to do with software and writing to the card from the buffer.

[erl]

I use it not to fire bursts, but to have the camera ready quicker. I find that if you have it on single mode, take a picture and then want to take a picture immediately after, the camera will not fire. In continous mode, the delay before you can fire a second shot is not there. It may have somthing to do with software and writing to the card from the buffer.

 

That's an interesting point. I must play with it. I can see the virtue of it in rare situations.

[Artichoke]

Sometimes I use it when shooting handheld at a slow shutter speed. The second shot is generally sharper because any movement caused by pressing the shutter button has been "absorbed" by the first shot.

 

Larry

the difference can be very real ...for slow shutter speed shots I will often shot a volley of three ...the second or third is usually sharper than the first

I learned this technique shooting DSLRs ...with the RF it makes even a greater difference given the absence of mirror slap

[gwelland]

I use it not to fire bursts, but to have the camera ready quicker. I find that if you have it on single mode, take a picture and then want to take a picture immediately after, the camera will not fire. In continous mode, the delay before you can fire a second shot is not there. It may have somthing to do with software and writing to the card from the buffer.

 

Hmm, I just tried it and you're right! My camera was set for DNG only and shooting multiple depressions in single shot mode is a LOT slower than doing the same thing in multi-shot mode.

 

This is true in both A and manual shutter settings. Very interesting.

[farnz]

I very rarely use it intentionally; I have on occasion found that the selector has sneakily crept round to Continuous by itself.

 

Pete.

[GarethC]

Never used it but now you mention your purpose Robert it makes perfect sense to use it for htat purpose as I've noticed that a few times and have always put it down to user error.

 

I'm not sure but pretty certain that eliminating the Continuous mode does not necessarily open up the option of a better on/off selector or a bump or notch when A is selected. A couple of posts have implied that there is a relationship between the two.

[xrogers]

Like a few others, I use continuous for three shot volleys at very low shutter speeds.

 

--clyde

[Shootist]

I use it not to fire bursts, but to have the camera ready quicker. I find that if you have it on single mode, take a picture and then want to take a picture immediately after, the camera will not fire. In continous mode, the delay before you can fire a second shot is not there. It may have somthing to do with software and writing to the card from the buffer.

 

I think that is just your perception. The camera is just as ready to take a second shot in either S or C mode. You only perceive it is ready faster.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[john_nyc]

Same here... I normally use Continuous because of the faster cycling. One thing I learned early on was that the combination of non-locking on/off and a soft release was a sure-fire recipe for a drained battery when the camera was in-bag.

 

I do actually use the "rapid" firing for "shooting from the hip" street shots, though. Same as I used to do with a motor-m on the m6/7.

 

John