Two possibly related M8 problems?

[blakley]

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I've just started having two problems which I think might be related - but maybe not.

 

First, the camera displays an innacurate "remaining shot" count in the top-panel LCD when I turn the camera on; the count reverts to a correct figure after a shot is taken, but the problem is not fixed by reformatting the card in the camera as described in this thread (I never reformat cards anywhere else...)

 

Second, the frame numbering restarts at L10000001 every time I turn the camera on.

 

Could it be that the ROM battery has died?

 

I'll call NJ today.

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[jaapv]

No- the count problem is recognized and will be solved in firmware, or by formatting FAT instead of FAT 32 in the computer - the file number problem is related, but can be solved manually. You do have the camera set to numbering consecutively, don't you?

[delander †]

You could try this which works for me and goes against the view of formatting in camera.

 

1. Format the card FAT32 in the PC.

2. Manually add the folder DCIM using Windows Explorer.

3. Manually add the subfolder 100LEICA or similar using Windows Explorer.

4. Insert card in camera and take a shot.

 

Jeff

[Vieri]

No- the count problem is recognized and will be solved in firmware, or by formatting FAT instead of FAT 32 in the computer - the file number problem is related, but can be solved manually. You do have the camera set to numbering consecutively, don't you?

 

You could try this which works for me and goes against the view of formatting in camera.

 

1. Format the card FAT32 in the PC.

2. Manually add the folder DCIM using Windows Explorer.

3. Manually add the subfolder 100LEICA or similar using Windows Explorer.

4. Insert card in camera and take a shot.

 

Jeff

 

Guys, I think the first part of the OP shows a different problem: his round frame counter on top of camera displays a wrong number of remaining frames - nothing related to the file numbering, I guess. My M8s do display "0" as a frame counter when switched on, but then it displays the correct number in a second or so; to the OP, what do you exactly mean with "wrong"? Can you specify what is the number shown at startup and what is the number displayed afterwards? Is it just a random number? Is the counter displaying less frames than the ones you can effectively record? Some more info would help people to help you thanks and good luck!

[jaapv]

Mine sometimes shows -Ithink- 578 when inserting a new card. It changes after the first shot, Leica has the problem in FAQ's

[usccharles]

No- the count problem is recognized and will be solved in firmware, or by formatting FAT instead of FAT 32 in the computer - the file number problem is related, but can be solved manually. You do have the camera set to numbering consecutively, don't you?

 

for some reason this has been hit and miss for me. even after the formatting, i'll get continuous counting and then it will reset to 00001.

 

i also have wrong count on counter until first shot is taken.

 

i've learned to live with it, but i wish they hurry and fix this soon. it is quite ridiculouse for such an expensive camera for me to make manual folders, and etc just to have continuous numbering, something even the cheapest digi-cams do without any problems

[blakley]

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It's two different problems.

 

1. The "shots remaining on card" count in the circular window on the top plate shows as 548 - regardless of number of photos actually on card - until a photo is taken or a menu item set via the back-panel controls. The shots remaining count then reverts to the correct number.

 

2. The photo number imbedded in the EXIF data for the file (which can be examined by pressing "info" while in "play" mode on the rear-panel LCD) resets to L1000001 whenever a new card is inserted into the camera. Numbering is set to "continuously" AND none of the cards has ever been formatted in any computer - they are formatted only by the M8. I know this because they are never in contact with the compter - I copy the contents off them to a Wolverine portable hard drive, which is later connected to the computer to post-process the images.

 

Firmware is 1.201, and neither of these problems occurred until this week, so they're "new to me".

[Guest jimmy pro]

You could try this which works for me and goes against the view of formatting in camera.

 

1. Format the card FAT32 in the PC.

 

Your saying that formatting in the camera is no good??!!! I've never formatted a card in the computer and I've never had any of the issues related above. WTF does it have to do with firmware if not every M8 does the same thing?

 

 

Firmware is 1.201, and neither of these problems occurred until this week, so they're "new to me".

 

That's my point. Why would a firmware-related problem suddenly come up, and not in everyone's camera? And why if it's firmware corruption wouldn't just reinstalling the firmware cure it? Sounds more like another unreliable internal component.

[xrogers]

Hi Bob, Clyde from Monterey. Sorry to hear that your camera is acting up.

 

Here's the M8 FAQ entry jappv referred to:

 

1.4 With some SD cards, the picture numbers are reset even though the menu item

“Picture Numbering” is set to “Continuously”. Also, with these cards, the frame counter

displays a false amount of remaining pictures immediately after switching on the camera

and before taking the first shot. How can this be avoided?

 

This effect can be avoided by formatting the card in “FAT” standard instead of in “FAT32” standard.

Windows users can proceed as follows:

 

- Insert the card into a card reader

- Click on the respective drive in the Windows Explorer

- Click the right mouse button on the respective drive letter to select the item

“Formatting”

- Select “FAT” instead of “FAT32” under “File System”

- Click on “Start”

 

Another way of avoiding the effect is to simply keep the camera switched on when changing cards.

We will correct this fault as soon as possible.

 

 

I have no idea why this would suddenly start happening for all of your cards, and I completely agree with your reformat in camera approach. Still, I'd reformat as FAT in a PC and see if it made a difference. Don't "quick format", use the slow version---it is at least possible that some FAT32 vestige is being left behind on in-camera formatting (an in-camera format is far too fast to include full overwrite).

 

If that didn't help, I'd try a different brand new card, and reinstall the firmware. I would not expect this to help, but it's easy, and I'd feel a bit stupid if I sent in the camera and something like this fixed it.

 

Last, I'd consider waiting for a firmware update to see if it fixed the problem. When I hit a slack shooting time, or my warranty was running out, or the problem started to annoy me too much, I'd send it in.

 

Good luck!

 

Clyde

[delander †]

If I format the card FAT32 in the PC and manually add the DCIM and Leica folder then on start up the camera immediately shows 186 in the frame counter, I shoot dng only, for a 2gb card.

 

If I just format the card FAT32 in the PC, without adding the subfolders then on start up the camera momentarily shows 0 and then 186 in the frame counter. During this period of about 1 second the camera seems to write the DCIM and Leica folders to the card. Using the continuous setting then the file numbering is indeed continuous from the previous card.

 

That is just my experience.

 

Jeff

[blakley]

Very interesting, all! I've got a Mac, not a PC, so I'll have to see if I can do the proper formatting from my machine. I'll investigate. Thanks!

[Guest jimmy pro]

You could try this which works for me and goes against the view of formatting in camera.

 

1. Format the card FAT32 in the PC.

 

Originally Posted by Leica FAQ

 

 

This effect can be avoided by formatting the card in “FAT” standard instead of in “FAT32” standard.

 

ROFLMAO! One guy say's it works to format to FAT32, Leica say's format to FAT...How can they both be right? Unless the M8 is all over the place. I think Leica should hire a couple middle school computer geeks to write the next firmware. It sounds like the guy's they've got now are dazed and confused.

[xrogers]

ROFLMAO! One guy say's it works to format to FAT32, Leica say's format to FAT...How can they both be right? Unless the M8 is all over the place. I think Leica should hire a couple middle school computer geeks to write the next firmware. It sounds like the guy's they've got now are dazed and confused.

 

Perhaps they only documented the easiest fix they could find rather than risk confusing people with numerous different methods. They can easily both be right if the bug is in code both file systems share (or any of many more subtle reasons).

 

I doubt Leica wrote their file system code at all, if they're smart they probably bought it (and the SD card driver, and whatever else they could get). They may be relying on the code vendor for fixes. They may not have source code for these modules. Or maybe they did buy code and are fixing it themselves, but with a workaround in place are batching it in with other updates.

 

I've seen beautifully coded firmware that didn't work at all, hideous firmware that worked by coincidence, and anything in between. I've never seen bug-free firmware. You may be right, but this bug (and past bugs) doesn't really tell me anything about how good or bad Leica's firmware people are.

 

Later,

 

--clyde