SL2S FW6.0

[Photoworks]

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On 10/5/2024 at 12:42 PM, deep_blue said:

Leica customer service told me that the joystick-zoom- function will be included again in the next update. The next update will come later this year - Leica said around November.

It has been almost 1 year since introducing this problem, it is a mistake fix it quickly!

The SL3 has the normal functionality like it should with puch into Zoom, so the SL2 is inconsistent and is taking away from the mussel memory we had for more than 5 years.

On top of that the SL2 joystick works differently depending if you use the Leica adapter or 3rd party! 🤯

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[Gavin G]

19 hours ago, Photoworks said:

It has been almost 1 year since introducing this problem, it is a mistake fix it quickly!

The SL3 has the normal functionality like it should with puch into Zoom, so the SL2 is inconsistent and is taking away from the mussel memory we had for more than 5 years.

On top of that the SL2 joystick works differently depending if you use the Leica adapter or 3rd party! 🤯

"Please upgrade to SL3" - Leica

😝😂😂

[Luke_Miller]

Possibly this is why Leica gave a free $495 L to M adapter with my new SL2-S.  Many discovered they can save around $400 and keep the joystick zoom by buying a third-party adapter.

Edited October 10, 2024 by Luke_Miller

[miessli]

Am 5.10.2024 um 18:42 schrieb deep_blue:

Leica customer service told me that the joystick-zoom- function will be included again in the next update. The next update will come later this year - Leica said around November.

November in what year??

[Ken Abrahams]

I have avoided updating the firmware to keep the toggle for magnification however recently my SL2S updated all by itself. I was out shooting and the camera exhibited a strange behaviour. The camera logo appeared and nothing else would work until the screen went totally black. Dumfounded by the experience I really thought my camera was bricked, something I have always dreaded to report. After a few minutes of sustained blackness with my subject a few kilometres around the bend I began to have a mild panic attack. Using buttons and removing battery and anything else I tried and the screen remained black. Oh no I thought, I will be another statistic for a camera bricked and imagined packing the camera up for a trip to Leica Germany or at least Leica Melbourne. One would hope these glitches would happen at home to better cope with the situation and not press anything I shouldn't when in the field.

Miraculously the camera showed signs of life and now with the train I was going to photograph was bearing down on me. I managed to get a few shots away, hoping I had the right settings.

I found later that the camera decided to updated itself to 6.0 via the Fotos app. Today I have been resetting the menu and noticed that the toggle was switching on/off Exp Lock, something I haven't seen before. Usually holding down the toggle or half shutter would enable me to zoom or grab exposure/focus lock from one place and reframe the camera to another place holding that same exposure. Good news I thought, I can use this "hold exp" function very well indeed. One must not forget that it's activated however, otherwise making a mess of exposures and going into further meltdowns wondering if one is going mad. I found Magnification setting in FN Buttons > Customise Control and turned it on. I need to have the magnification come on straight away when shooting with M lenses and also to double check auto focus accuracy. I can live with the magnification automatically switching on when manually focusing. Before I had to hit the thumb wheel for it to activate. Now I can set the SL3 to exactly the same function. Cant I?

ken        

Edited October 31, 2024 by Ken Abrahams
grammar

[Archiver]

41 minutes ago, Ken Abrahams said:

I found later that the camera decided to updated itself to 6.0 via the Fotos app.

That is incredibly infuriating. Automatic updates are understandable in today's world, but this is the first time I've heard of a camera doing it. Even smartphones ask if you want to update their firmware. Thank you for talking about this, because it means that if/when I get a SL2S with older firmware, Leica Fotos is never, ever going to be used.

[Ken Abrahams]

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It's a shame because I really like the GPS function Archiver. I was very surprised as you can imagine. I would prefer if it asked me and that I was at home in a safe and relaxing environment to carry out the update. Otherwise too many things can go wrong. 

[Bikie John]

Thanks for the warning @Ken Abrahams. I have just got a new phone and am gradually wading through all the various bits of setup (I prefer to start from scratch each time rather than transfer across as a lot of random baggage accumulates over a few years of use). Next on the list was to register the 2-S with Leica Fotos. But if it behaves like that I will not touch it with a barge pole.

John

[Ken Abrahams]

Hey John, good idea about setting up of the new phone. I really like the app and will keep using the GPS as it's the best I have seen it on the SL line of cameras. Really I should be updating the camera, it's never been an issue before. It's done now and I am sure there are other settings to investigate so that doesn't happen again. The problem would be if the battery was low and it died in the middle of the download. There are plenty of stories out there, weird things going wrong etc.  

All the best 

[jjesp]

So now a year since this firmware came out and changed our workflow and removed functionality from our camera. Does anyone know if there will be an update soon? Or has Leica discontinued the SL2-S completely. As I remember someone talked about an update late this year. Still hoping.

[Chuck Albertson]

14 hours ago, jjesp said:

So now a year since this firmware came out and changed our workflow and removed functionality from our camera. Does anyone know if there will be an update soon? Or has Leica discontinued the SL2-S completely. As I remember someone talked about an update late this year. Still hoping.

Leica discontinued the (original) SL 601 several years ago, but still issues firmware updates for the camera.

[LeicaR10]

Jjesp,  It is alleged Leica will provide a update to the SL2 and SL2-S firmware in December and return the joystick function for magnification.  But I suggest one not hold their breath as you will wind up in hospital...or worse.

r/ Mark

[Crem]

12 hours ago, LeicaR10 said:

Jjesp,  It is alleged Leica will provide a update to the SL2 and SL2-S firmware in December and return the joystick function for magnification.  But I suggest one not hold their breath as you will wind up in hospital...or worse.

r/ Mark

I read somewhere on LUF it was going to be November 2024. Now you mentioned it's December 2024. Just curious, any idea what the source of this rumor is? I've given up hope waiting for an update and switched to the LLL M adapter instead of the official M adapter so I could get this magnification feature back.

[LeicaR10]

Crem,  To answer your question, my 2 sources are two different Leica dealers, one US and other Australia.  I also got an email from a Leica senior program manager who wrote they were surprised at the push back from SL users as they thought the joystick feature wasn't used much by users.  He also wrote Leica would reinstate the feature at a later firmware update.  That was last December...   So, considering all the issues with firmware with the M11 and SL3 etc back then, the SL2 firmware update was put on the back burner. (One has to put out the largest fires firsts, so to say)  Whether or not the SL2 magnification feature returns in December, like many things these days, I take with a grain of salt.   I believe you can use the top half of the front button for magnification on the SL2 and SL2-S with 6.0, but the joystick clearly is a winning and much beloved feature.  Maybe next time, Leica will do a survey and ASK what features are most used and least used by photographers before making changes to important firmware.  Again, holding one's breath is an option, but this does have consequences....   r/ Mark

[Crem]

3 hours ago, LeicaR10 said:

Crem,  To answer your question, my 2 sources are two different Leica dealers, one US and other Australia.  I also got an email from a Leica senior program manager who wrote they were surprised at the push back from SL users as they thought the joystick feature wasn't used much by users.  He also wrote Leica would reinstate the feature at a later firmware update.  That was last December...   So, considering all the issues with firmware with the M11 and SL3 etc back then, the SL2 firmware update was put on the back burner. (One has to put out the largest fires firsts, so to say)  Whether or not the SL2 magnification feature returns in December, like many things these days, I take with a grain of salt.   I believe you can use the top half of the front button for magnification on the SL2 and SL2-S with 6.0, but the joystick clearly is a winning and much beloved feature.  Maybe next time, Leica will do a survey and ASK what features are most used and least used by photographers before making changes to important firmware.  Again, holding one's breath is an option, but this does have consequences....   r/ Mark

Mark, I really appreciate the info and I'm hopeful it does get an update in December. I won't get my hopes up, but it does make sense that the M11 and SL3 took priority.

[Ken Abrahams]

I am using the AE Lock function with the Joystick now and see this as more important than the magnification function in my work. With Auto focus the magnification is automatic when of course, manually focussing. The M lenses however must set the thumb wheel for Magnification now. 

From what I understand about firmware updates, any code alterations to change the cameras functions invariably can affect other functions which are working. When they have found a solution however, the camera requires testing again which means sending the firmware updates and or cameras to their beta testers. If no other function of the camera has found to be impeded by the proposed firmware, then Leica makes the firmware available.

I hope they release both SL2S and SL3 firmware updates before Christmas    

[jjesp]

8 hours ago, LeicaR10 said:

Maybe next time, Leica will do a survey and ASK what features are most used and least used by photographers before making changes to important firmware.  Again, holding one's breath is an option, but this does have consequences....   r/ Mark

A survey would be fine. But the fact is that you NEVER remove functionality on a product customers already have bought. We are not on a leasing plan, like on software as Lightroom etc. We are owners of the product. You can't sell a product and then completely remove functions or change the workflow on how the product is used - after a customer has bought it. That is why it is completely unacceptable that it takes a year to have it changed back. Of course legally Leica will say that they did not force you to install the firmware. But as I remember they didn't state that this functionality would be removed. They also wrote to you:

"they were surprised at the push back from SL users as they thought the joystick feature wasn't used much by users"

It doesn't matter. Don't remove functionality. Fix bugs, and give the user new functionality that they can choose to use or not. You own the product as bought. Legally I am pretty sure you could claim your money back. Especially if you look at how long time it has taken to fix their mistake. 

[jaapv]

28 minutes ago, jjesp said:

Legally I am pretty sure you could claim your money back

Not really. Leica would simply offer to install the previous firmware in case of a legal claim. There have been no irreversible changes to the product.

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Hallo,

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[jjesp]

4 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Not really. Leica would simply offer to install the previous firmware in case of a legal claim. There have been no irreversible changes to the product.

Ok, valid point. Do you know if any who have had this done?

[jaapv]

No.