SL3 - Images Missing / Corrupted - How to Avoid?

[JTLeica]

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Hi guys,

I have not to my knowledge had this happen to me and I (and I am sure others too) would like to avoid it. I am going on a 7 day trip to cornwall with the SL3 and FP L as backup.

Is there a set of best practices to limit this that we can pin until it's fixed in firmware?

Seems like Sandisk is a possible factor? Has this happened to anyone else?

Taking out the battery while either in sleep or still on?

Putting into sleep mode should be avoided?

Anyone who's has some knowledge please chime in

Cheers

[BernardC]

We can't be 100% sure of the root cause, but the issue seems to be related to swapping batteries when the camera isn't fully shut-down. The workaround is to make sure to shut the camera down before pulling the battery. You can do this by pressing the power button for several seconds until the Leica logo is shown on the back screen.

The other workaround is to use the battery grip, which allows you to swap a battery without cutting-off the power.

[JTLeica]

1 hour ago, BernardC said:

We can't be 100% sure of the root cause, but the issue seems to be related to swapping batteries when the camera isn't fully shut-down. The workaround is to make sure to shut the camera down before pulling the battery. You can do this by pressing the power button for several seconds until the Leica logo is shown on the back screen.

The other workaround is to use the battery grip, which allows you to swap a battery without cutting-off the power.

Do we know if there is any issue with Sandisk Cards? Or was that just a correlation based on them being the most common?

[BernardC]

25 minutes ago, JTLeica said:

Do we know if there is any issue with Sandisk Cards? Or was that just a correlation based on them being the most common?

Issues have been reported with other cards, so it's probably not limited to one brand.

[Jonathan Levin]

Posted in another thread but may be worth repeating:

I still wonder if this "bug" is reproducible? If, like the person in the video is say is correct, and the camera is resetting number sequence you should be able to see if that is happening right away.

So with that, can someone with this problem take some pictures and look at the sequential file numbers in Review mode and make a note of the last frame shot i.e. L100000256 (or your last captured file name/number). So now do your battery pull (after a complete shutdown) put new battery in camera. Turn on camera and then take one test shot. In review mode Is that test shot numbered L100000257? Or is it reverting to L100000001 ( or your overwrite number here)? Do the same test leaving the camera powered ON while doing the above if you'd like too.

It's a PITA but if this bug is happening to you , I think there is a way to manually set the camera numbering in the menu. But you would have to do the each battery removable. Not ideal, but may be a work-around until an update for the camera arrives.

Can anyone report back with your results? Thanks.

[KenTanaka]

This seems related to the "firmware bug" that Alex Barrera reported on his YouTube channel today:  

It looks nasty.  I'm setting the camera aside over the weekend.

 

[JTLeica]

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26 minutes ago, KenTanaka said:

This seems related to the "firmware bug" that Alex Barrera reported on his YouTube channel today:  

It looks nasty.  I'm setting the camera aside over the weekend.

 

It's not related it 'is' the bug. Remember he's trying to get views... for money, though.

There are clear workarounds as pointed out by others in other threads, just a little bit of a hassle.

[JTLeica]

46 minutes ago, Jonathan Levin said:

Posted in another thread but may be worth repeating:

I still wonder if this "bug" is reproducible? If, like the person in the video is say is correct, and the camera is resetting number sequence you should be able to see if that is happening right away.

So with that, can someone with this problem take some pictures and look at the sequential file numbers in Review mode and make a note of the last frame shot i.e. L100000256 (or your last captured file name/number). So now do your battery pull (after a complete shutdown) put new battery in camera. Turn on camera and then take one test shot. In review mode Is that test shot numbered L100000257? Or is it reverting to L100000001 ( or your overwrite number here)? Do the same test leaving the camera powered ON while doing the above if you'd like too.

It's a PITA but if this bug is happening to you , I think there is a way to manually set the camera numbering in the menu. But you would have to do the each battery removable. Not ideal, but may be a work-around until an update for the camera arrives.

Can anyone report back with your results? Thanks.

I have just tried this now.

I will tell you what I did and you can tell me if I did anything wrong.

I show 5 images, checked on the screen, all there, photographed the file numbers for proof (can share if needed), pressed power off once (short press) to sleep, ejected the battery. Reinserted and turned back on. Files still there.

I thought I would try a few other things to stress test it. So reshot another 5, photographed the file numbers again (I did this everytime by the way) and ejected the battery without turning off. Re inserted and turned on, all files there.

Shot another 5, this time did a full shot down and ejected the battery, reinserted and turned on, files still there.

Shot one more series, did a full power off but ejected the batter halfway through it, re inserted and files all there.

Checked on the Mac, all there and correctly named.

 

[JTLeica]

Just one thought, were all these failures with new BP SCL6 or the old SCL4? Or a mixture?

[Markey]

17 minutes ago, JTLeica said:

It's not related it 'is' the bug. Remember he's trying to get views... for money, though.

There are clear workarounds as pointed out by others in other threads, just a little bit of a hassle.

 

Regardless of whether he`s getting paid or not I think he`s right to flag up a legitimate concern .

If you leave a communication vacuum as Leica have done you can`t complain when somebody fills it.

[JTLeica]

3 minutes ago, Markey said:

 

Regardless of whether he`s getting paid or not I think he`s right to flag up a legitimate concern .

If you leave a communication vacuum as Leica have done you can`t complain when somebody fills it.

I totally agree, I like that chap and have watched a lot of his videos, just saying thers no reason to leave your camera on the desk for the weekend. You can use it. Just be careful. Not making excused for Leica, I am are they are working hard on it

[Paul925]

I haven't experienced overwriting of images so maybe I'm missing something (no pun intended). After watching the warning video above, however, it occurred to me that, instead of a "stop using the camera" warning, pending a firmware fix users could simply (a) swap/download their card(s) at the same time they swap out the battery, or (b) power the camera through its USB port or via the DC coupler accessory for longer shoots to avoid the need to swap out the battery in the first instance.  (I like the grip idea, but don't have one...yet.)

[FlashGordonPhotography]

So far, I haven’t been able to reproduce the bug with my two SL3 bodies. So I suspect it’s a combination of things rather than something simple, like a brand of memory card. I’m taking my SL3’s to Iceland next month so I do trust them. But…

Between now and then I am going to try and reproduce this bug. And while I travel, I’ll use best practices to minimise any potential problems. I’ll set sleep to off and make sure I shut the camera down. I’ll remove the cards before I pop the battery. I’ll do some intermittent backups. I’ll write to both cards.

Photographers who are having the issue are here and helping the rest of us with workarounds that work for them. I’m grateful and if they have a workaround I can use I’ll keep using the camera.

Gordon

[Photoworks]

11 hours ago, JTLeica said:

I have just tried this now.

I will tell you what I did and you can tell me if I did anything wrong.

I show 5 images, checked on the screen, all there, photographed the file numbers for proof (can share if needed), pressed power off once (short press) to sleep, ejected the battery. Reinserted and turned back on. Files still there.

I thought I would try a few other things to stress test it. So reshot another 5, photographed the file numbers again (I did this everytime by the way) and ejected the battery without turning off. Re inserted and turned on, all files there.

Shot another 5, this time did a full shot down and ejected the battery, reinserted and turned on, files still there.

Shot one more series, did a full power off but ejected the batter halfway through it, re inserted and files all there.

Checked on the Mac, all there and correctly named.

 

I am happy for you. but the people that had that happened are 1% off their shooting time. 

It is something that should not happen. To me it is not a swapping battery issue, I didn't change the battery and I was affected.

[JTLeica]

31 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

I am happy for you. but the people that had that happened are 1% off their shooting time. 

It is something that should not happen. To me it is not a swapping battery issue, I didn't change the battery and I was affected.

I didn’t say it wasn’t a problem, nor that it isn’t happening. The post I replied to was asking someone to try and replicate it, which I tried to do but couldn’t.

So it’s obviously more complex than what I tried or what was suggested.

It does seem to be related to power and or people that shooting in a relatively speedy manner. Not continuously but at least as some pace