initial M10 settings

[brickftl]

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I'm new to rangefinder but many years experience, originally shooting manual focus years ago, and since then auto focus on all my cams.  Typically I shoot only manual mode, but lately I'm thinking that, when my M10 arrives tomorrow), I'll shoot aperture priority and set the camera to auto ISO with a floor on minimum shutter speed, and then let the camera do the rest. Reason: I want to free my mind to deal with completely foreign (to me) concepts of rangefinder focus and zone focus. Questions:

1. does anyone think the above plan is not a good idea, and if so why?

2. can I still set exposure comp with the back dial and have that setting not overridden by the auto ISO/floor on min shutter speed?

3. What is the difference between A and AV on the mode dial?

4. what is downside to having auto ISO/floor on min shutter speed given that (as I've read) the M10 more effectively deals with low light than previous models (recognizing that it's not in the same league in this regard as the M11)?

5. would you put a cap on max ISO and why? If I'm shooting at night and put a cap on it, if conditions with my chosen aperture (probably wide open on fast glass) and the min shutter speed I've chosen to still take a pic that isn't spoiled by movement still don't yield enough light, then I'll just have to selectively lift shadows in post. Does it matter whether the camera zooms way up in ISO to deal with low light vs putting a cap on max ISO and lifting shadows in post? I recall discussion on some cameras regarding ISO invariance??

 

Thanks, look forward to help on this topic!

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[RexGig0]

A is A. Aperture. The M10 dial merely displays “A.” Aperture Value, and its equivalent, Aperture Priority, are not universal terminology, across systems.

I have yet to use Auto ISO, so, cannot be helpful in that regard. (I learned digital photography with cameras that did not have Auto ISO. I now use three camera systems, and keeping up with how three different systems implement Auto ISO is just too much to try to remember.)

Enjoy your M10!

Edited February 12, 2024 by RexGig0

[tim]

Hi birckftl,

sounds good to me …

using Auto ISO and Auto shutter speed is perfectly fine to start with since it may help you to focus on all the new stuff of a range finder camera; you will still have to master framing&timing, focus and aperture 

I do often use Auto ISO and shutter speed with exposure compensation on the dial on the back of the camera and -0.3 as the default starting point. Works fine for me.

Setting a lowest shutter speed makes sense in oder to reduce motion blur. I do limit ISO to max. 6,400 since above that the noise becomes to visible in my opinion.

I hope that you will enjoy shooting with the M10 and like the results.

Cheers Tim

 

[evikne]

2 hours ago, brickftl said:

Does it matter whether the camera zooms way up in ISO to deal with low light vs putting a cap on max ISO and lifting shadows in post? I recall discussion on some cameras regarding ISO invariance??

I have shot a lot at base ISO (200) regardless of whether it is sufficient or not for the exposure. If necessary, I simply increase the exposure in LR, and it gives virtually the same result as if I had used a higher ISO. Just remember that LR usually increases the noise reduction automatically according to the ISO value, so now you may have to set this manually.

[Stevejack]

It's all personal preference, but if you'e used to shooting manual I would keep going down that road. I'm not really a fan of the auto settings on any camera. It works fine on the M10, but if you're already used to manually setting your exposure to get the outcome you want I think it takes a lot longer to meter the scene, adjust, and shoot.

If you're zone focusing, and have your exposure pre-set, just being able to raise the camera to your eye and concentrate only on what's happening in the frame without any other distractions is brilliant.

[Dennis]

I vote for Manual

M means Masteing a Leica M. 

Aperture priority is modern thing... It feels like using AI 

Edited February 13, 2024 by Dennis

[trisberg]

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I like the approach of Eddy van Wessel as explained here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3CYeoBofAM/

-Thomas

[irenedp]

Everyone is entitled to shoot as he/she finds right for them so I would suggest you go ahead, try and see if you like the results  

But to shoot that way with a Leica M feels like a waste of money   There are cameras better suited for that. 

[dpitt]

16 hours ago, brickftl said:

I'm new to rangefinder but many years experience, originally shooting manual focus years ago, and since then auto focus on all my cams.  Typically I shoot only manual mode, but lately I'm thinking that, when my M10 arrives tomorrow), I'll shoot aperture priority and set the camera to auto ISO with a floor on minimum shutter speed, and then let the camera do the rest. Reason: I want to free my mind to deal with completely foreign (to me) concepts of rangefinder focus and zone focus. Questions:

1. does anyone think the above plan is not a good idea, and if so why?

2. can I still set exposure comp with the back dial and have that setting not overridden by the auto ISO/floor on min shutter speed?

3. What is the difference between A and AV on the mode dial?

4. what is downside to having auto ISO/floor on min shutter speed given that (as I've read) the M10 more effectively deals with low light than previous models (recognizing that it's not in the same league in this regard as the M11)?

5. would you put a cap on max ISO and why? If I'm shooting at night and put a cap on it, if conditions with my chosen aperture (probably wide open on fast glass) and the min shutter speed I've chosen to still take a pic that isn't spoiled by movement still don't yield enough light, then I'll just have to selectively lift shadows in post. Does it matter whether the camera zooms way up in ISO to deal with low light vs putting a cap on max ISO and lifting shadows in post? I recall discussion on some cameras regarding ISO invariance??

 

Thanks, look forward to help on this topic!

I agree with using A mode in most cases. With any M, my order of concern is:

1. focus
   Choose a nice contrast line at the same distance. It does not even have to be your subject. With street, I often focus on the floor at a certain distance, or something else, long before any subject is there.
   Then it is just waiting for something entering your frame.
2. lock exposure with half press (A mode)
   While focusing on your main subject, lock exposure with half press. This is in almost any instance close enough for exposure. Shoot RAW or RAW+JPG,  the M files are very flexible, you can lift shadows by several stops without much harm. I set my exposure to -1/3 or -2/3 to avoid accidental highlight clipping.
3. (re-)frame
   Make sure you have the subject in your frame. After a while you know how much tolerance the lines have. Do not expect perfect framing. I almost always tweak this by cropping in PP
4. shoot the right moment
   Most important. This can not be fixed afterwards. Even with portraits there is just one tenth of a second that feels just right.
    

I generally shoot with fixed ISO. Just check that you have sufficient shutter speed when locking exposure. If you need higher than ISO 200 (base ISO) you have 3 options.

1. Let Auto ISO take care of it
2. Increase ISO to acceptable value
3. Leave it at ISO 200, switch to manual and deliberately under-expose , then lift shadows in PP

Option 1 is worst IMO. With the cameras I have, I want to control noise and keep ISO below a certain threshold. You can limit auto ISO with settings, but you can not prevent it from using the max ISO setting without need. Using manual ISO can save 1-2 stops when used with care.

Option 3 is best for my old Ms. This way highlight is never blown out and shadows (noise) are lifted just enough, never too much. With the M10 you have more DR and high ISO performance, but that always comes at a small cost when used unnecessarily. When I shoot indoors, I often set it to 1/15 to 1/60 and just shoot wide open. It will always probably be underexposed, even with F1.4, but I can pull up up to 5 stops in PP (eq. to ISO 6400)
In case you want to under expose by more than 4 stops it might be better to use appropriate high ISO, but do not do this halfway... Shooting ISO 800 +2 is worse than base ISO 200 +4, shoot at ISO 3200 in stead if need be...

[charlesphoto99]

Go all Manual. Trying to finagle the exposure compensation dial (which you'll then promptly forget you adjusted) and second guessing the auto modes, you will spend more time and frustration versus just adjusting shutter and aperture using the arrows in the rangefinder. It's also important to learn so that you know how to read light and adjust for it manually, because auto may get it right in averaged situations, but will hiccup in difficult or dramatic light.