How many shots per second

[Derbyshire Man]

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I wonder if I could ask M10 owners to run a small experiment for me? I'm trying to understand how many shots an M10 can take in single shot mode per second.

I mostly take photos with a very deliberate single squeeze on the shutter and try to get the timing just right. When doing portraits in candid I often take multiple rapid shots. I'm not a fan of continuous and normally prefer to simply press the shutter repeatedly.

About 6 months ago I came to Leica from Canon and Fuji where typically I can get 4-5 shots per second with repeated presses. On my M11-P and M11-M however this figure is about 2.5 shots per second. Having a dead unresponsive shutter is killing that kind of use. Leica help told me that is due to the time needed to reset the shutter, I'm not sure I understand that as in continuous mode it can take 4.5 mechanical shutter shots per second.

So wondering what the M10 can manage. My experimental setup was fixed high ISO, fixed shutter speed of 500th , take as many shots as possible in 3 seconds and divide by 3.

Thanks in advance!

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[evikne]

I think I can shoot 3 frames per second with my M10 in Single Shot Mode. But if I press too fast, it "stumbles" and skips a shot. 

[crons]

Same. M10R. I leave it on continously LOW. It's the best mode. I shoot single most of the time and continous low lets me do that. 

If I need to shoot a sequence fast I leave it pressed. It's the best of both worlds Cont.Low setting. 

[dugby]

 

I have previously used your multiple single mode method, and suggest manually repeatedly pressing the shutter button as a test measurement, is influenced by the uncertainty of-

-finger movement variability

-shutter button pressure variability

-pause variability (between shots)

-other unknown variability. (To cover the - I don't know what I don't know).

 

On my M10-R with 50APO on a tripod, over three seconds it captured 12 images, using "high speed continuous" mode, and review disabled.

The Leica M10-R datasheet documents "Picture series    Approx. 4.5 pictures/s"

 

 

[Derbyshire Man]

Thanks Dugby, I know that but my question was about the ability for me as a photographer to control when I want multiple shots without having to leave the camera on high speed and get 3-6 shots every time I press the shutter vs opportunity for candid portrait, fiddle with camera menu, switch from single shot to continuous fast, lift camera to face and chance to take image disappeared. My other cameras can manage 4.5 shots or more manually and I can't understand why my M11 couldn't, I'm here to check whether the M10 was better in that regard but it looks like a Leica thing and a longstanding issue. TBH I can't believe how unresponsive it is in that scenario. Much though I love the camera.

[Derbyshire Man]

Although I should add, it’s reassuring to see that this is not solely an M11 ‘feature’!

[TomB_tx]

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I remember in a Leica Photography magazine back around 1960 an article showed a film sequence of an auto racing accident taken with an M3, where they calculated a rate of 2-3 frames a second with normal thumb wind. They called the photographer "the man with the motorized thumb." I also remember a demonstration of shooting a knob-wind Barnack at about a frame per second by stroking the wind knob along the finger rather than grasping it. These were back when photography required a lot more skills.

[Derbyshire Man]

1 hour ago, TomB_tx said:

I remember in a Leica Photography magazine back around 1960 an article showed a film sequence of an auto racing accident taken with an M3, where they calculated a rate of 2-3 frames a second with normal thumb wind. They called the photographer "the man with the motorized thumb." I also remember a demonstration of shooting a knob-wind Barnack at about a frame per second by stroking the wind knob along the finger rather than grasping it. These were back when photography required a lot more skills.

I’m possibly being a bit thick here, are you trying to make a particular point?

[TomB_tx]

19 minutes ago, Derbyshire Man said:

I’m possibly being a bit thick here, are you trying to make a particular point?

Just that camera tech for 3-4 frames per second isn't much of an advance.

[Derbyshire Man]

I’m with you there, and not to be able to do that in a modern digital mirrorless even less of an advance! Seems such a core thing to have a reactive shutter button, possibly even ‘an essential’. 

[crons]

8 hours ago, Derbyshire Man said:

when I want multiple shots without having to leave the camera on high speed and get 3-6 shots every time I press the shutter vs opportunity for candid portrait,

Thsts what I'm saying. Choose continous LOW and that won't happen. You can still do 1 press 1 shot. 

My M10R is quite responsive. I know they changed the shutter in the M11 so I'm not sure if that changed things. 

Anyway. Continous LOW is the way to go. 

Edited June 22, 2024 by crons

[evikne]

On 6/21/2024 at 3:39 PM, Derbyshire Man said:

I mostly take photos with a very deliberate single squeeze on the shutter and try to get the timing just right. 

That's what I do too. And then there is almost never a need for more than max one shot per second.

[Derbyshire Man]

10 minutes ago, evikne said:

That's what I do too. And then there is almost never a need for more than max one shot per second.

Except with candid photos, especially groups. Rapid fire enables one to get the one shot in five where someone is half blinking or randomly gurning. As I say I could have on continuous but then I’d be hacked off the rest of the time. All of my other cameras from 1ds mk1 to Fuji and everything in between have managed it.

I get it though, it can’t and I’ll have to mitigate/compromise,-)

[dugby]

On 6/23/2024 at 1:52 AM, crons said:

Thsts what I'm saying. Choose continous LOW and that won't happen. You can still do 1 press 1 shot. 

My M10R is quite responsive. I know they changed the shutter in the M11 so I'm not sure if that changed things. 

Anyway. Continous LOW is the way to go. 

As a variation to the above on my M10-R, I just tried one press on "Continuous High" and got a minimum of two shots.