M11/M11-P/M11-D/M11-M: Firmware update v.2.2.0 brings background transfer with Leica FOTOS

[Photoworks]

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I remember reading that Background Transfer requires IOS 18

The images go true to the Bluetooth connection, newer phones support better hardware and protocols.

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[marchyman]

On 12/13/2024 at 9:56 AM, maxpower said:

Recently revealed? It's been in the manual and quick start guide since day 1.. 

I just looked at the quick start pdf I have.  Can't see where it is mentioned.  Also not found when searching for 'reset', 'thumb', or 'function'.  I then searched "LEICA M11 Instruction manual" M11/EN/2022/1/1.0/1 -- the factory reset menu item is explained on page 140.  Nothing about  "hold these buttons for 30 seconds".  I confirmed that by searching for "30".

If described in the docs it is a later addition, not something that was there from "day 1".

[RMF]

For Leica Fotos, it appears on iOS that they released a small 5.0* update yesterday (5.0 < 5.0.1) Doesn’t mention iOS min versioning but always best to keep your phone up to date for many other reasons anyway. 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

Edited December 14, 2024 by RMF

[jeri]

30 minutes ago, RMF said:

For Leica Fotos, it appears on iOS that they released a small 5.0* update yesterday (5.0 < 5.0.1) Doesn’t mention iOS min versioning but always best to keep your phone up to date for many other reasons anyway. 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

For Android users, they already have version 5.0.2 and still no background transfer option.

[DadDadDaddyo]

Yup, Android. Forgot to specify earlier. 

It's a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. It keeps itself current and so, updates OS frequently. Received System Update 25 on the 13th.

Background transfer is working as it should. An excellent upgrade in function!

Genuinely useful. 

 

Edited December 14, 2024 by DadDadDaddyo

[jeri]

10 minutes ago, DadDadDaddyo said:

Yup, Android. Forgot to specify earlier. 

It's a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. It keeps itself current and so, updates OS frequently. Received System Update 25 on the 13th.

Background transfer is working as it should. An excellent upgrade in function!

Genuinely useful. 

 

I also have a Samsung cell phone, but I don't see the background transfer option in the current version of the app.

[erudolph]

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I tested background transfer with the M11 and found it worked.  I then turned it off.  However, files were still being transferred to my iOS and iPadOS devices… until I deleted those devices from the M11 Leica Fotos menu.  Is that how it’s supposed to work??

[DadDadDaddyo]

1 hour ago, jeri said:

I also have a Samsung cell phone, but I don't see the background transfer option in the current version of the app.

Are you using the current model and OS version? Mine simply worked. 

[LBJ2]

1 hour ago, DadDadDaddyo said:

Yup, Android. Forgot to specify earlier. 

It's a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. It keeps itself current and so, updates OS frequently. Received System Update 25 on the 13th.

Background transfer is working as it should. An excellent upgrade in function!

Genuinely useful. 

 

You might be the only Android user til now with FOTOS Background Transfer working. All other comments so far are this feature is not working on Android phone. 

Edited December 14, 2024 by LBJ2

[DadDadDaddyo]

Hmmm. Don't know what I did. 

It was easy a slipping off of a wet log...

Hardware version? OS version?

Dunno. 

[clifak]

I'm not sure what that other user thinks is enabled on their S23 Ultra, but I spoke with an ambassador friend of mine and they said it's an iOS only feature at the moment. According to them, the newest features on Android are the quick access menu, download assistant, format sdcard for M11 variants, Brass Look, and tethered preview for Q3 and SL3 cameras. They didn't know if background transfer would be coming to Android.

[Wandering Photographer]

Has anyone used their M11 enough with the new firmware to know if it freezes the camera or not? I haven’t had a freeze up with the previous version so will delay installing this for a while in hopes of not getting caught out again.

[Wandering Photographer]

Fotos version 5.0.1 is not displaying all of my previously downloaded M11 images properly. I have both an M10-R and M11. M11 images that used to display just fine, no longer display. I click on the thumbnail and it briefly displays—then goes black. At first it only appeared to happen with horizontally framed photos, but after swiping through a mixture of M10-R and M11 photos stored on my iPad Pro with 2 TB of storage, the behavior switched and verticals started turning black while horizontals started staying on. The M10-R images all displayed correctly. Even though an M11 image would switch to all black after briefly displaying, I could still bring it up in Light Room.

Clearly a bug in the M11 display code. Fix it please.

[DadDadDaddyo]

Hm. Is what I observed not background transfer? I did a test shot and the shot appeared, a moment later, amongst the previous shots in FOTOS. Very fast, in the blink of an eye, and without any command.

It was preview-sized, and on selecting it in FOTOS, it offered the option to download it full-sized. I don't recall it working like this before. Before I had to bring up the photos on the camera in FOTOS, then select those that I wished to transfer. It was a manual set of steps before, but again, I only accessed it when I wished to initiate a transfer. 

Please note, I've never had FOTOS running to observe it's behavior whilst shooting, only when I wanted to initiate a transfer. Has it always immediately brought over and added next shots in real time like that?

If so, if I've confused its behavior for something else, my apologies for my confusion, and for any confusion my own confusion may have caused!

Thanks -

D.D.Daddyo

[Wandering Photographer]

On 12/12/2024 at 8:50 AM, maxpower said:

The video linked in the opening post is not working for me, but I found it here as well on the official Leica Camera YouTube channel: 

 

The new FOTOS version 5.0.1 does not display all of my previously downloaded M11 images. When I click on certain images it flashes up on the screen of my iPad Pro with 2 TB of storage, then the image goes black. See detailed description above.

[mrmr]

Thanks Jammy Dodger, and others...

But it is still a "no go". I was so hopeful too. I thought the clear cache idea was going to do it.

Updating my list of unsuccessful steps and details here:

- I have a Pixel 7 Pro. (Android v15)
- Leica Fotos app is updated v5.1
- M11 has firmware v 2.2

I have:
- cleared the cache on the Leica app in the Android settings
- restarted the phone
- removed the M11 from my bluetooth devices on my phone
- removed the M11 from the camera devices on the Leica app (and there are no other devices)
- removed my phone from the M11 devices
- uninstalled and reinstalled the Leica app to start over
- while installing, I gave the app access to geolocation and files
- added the camera back onto the app

In the  "···" menu I still only see:
- Date and Time syncing
- geotagging
- remove camera

 

Edited December 15, 2024 by mrmr

[J S H]

mrmr - just to verify - are you connecting to the camera before looking at the menu? You have to be connected to the camera to enable background transfer via the ... menu. You can enable the Date/Time Sync and Geotagging without being connected. 

Edit - I have no experience with Android, so the procedure could well be different than with iPhone. It sounds like there has been little success with getting this to work on Android, so I doubt these tips will help. Sorry. 

Edited December 15, 2024 by J S H

[J S H]

34 minutes ago, DadDadDaddyo said:

Hm. Is what I observed not background transfer? I did a test shot and the shot appeared, a moment later, amongst the previous shots in FOTOS. Very fast, in the blink of an eye, and without any command.

It was preview-sized, and on selecting it in FOTOS, it offered the option to download it full-sized. I don't recall it working like this before. Before I had to bring up the photos on the camera in FOTOS, then select those that I wished to transfer. It was a manual set of steps before, but again, I only accessed it when I wished to initiate a transfer. 

Please note, I've never had FOTOS running to observe it's behavior whilst shooting, only when I wanted to initiate a transfer. Has it always immediately brought over and added next shots in real time like that?

If so, if I've confused its behavior for something else, my apologies for my confusion, and for any confusion my own confusion may have caused!

Thanks -

D.D.Daddyo

This sounds like the standard behavior. The difference is that those photos will likely disappear when the camera is disconnected. Photos transferred via Background Transfer are saved to a folder called Leica in Photos (on iPhone, anyway). They will persist both in Fotos and the Leica folder in Photos even after the camera is disconnected (and in fact persist until they are deleted).

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[J S H]

9 hours ago, marchyman said:

I just looked at the quick start pdf I have.  Can't see where it is mentioned.  Also not found when searching for 'reset', 'thumb', or 'function'.  I then searched "LEICA M11 Instruction manual" M11/EN/2022/1/1.0/1 -- the factory reset menu item is explained on page 140.  Nothing about  "hold these buttons for 30 seconds".  I confirmed that by searching for "30".

If described in the docs it is a later addition, not something that was there from "day 1".

I believe maxpower is referring to the M11-D

[elmars]

vor 6 Stunden schrieb erudolph:

I tested background transfer with the M11 and found it worked.  I then turned it off.  However, files were still being transferred to my iOS and iPadOS devices… until I deleted those devices from the M11 Leica Fotos menu.  Is that how it’s supposed to work??

What did You turn of exactly?