M8 Firmware 2.004

[scott kirkpatrick]

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Yeah, I think too much emphasis is being placed on this discreet mode setting as solving the noise issue ... . And not all of us want to have to shove our camera in our coat after every frame....

 

I don't shove the camera under my coat when using discreet mode, but I think that separating the shutter noise into two separate sounds, with a little time in between, already makes it much less obtrusive.

 

scott

[andym911]

I would bet that that after all have upgraded and the "silent mode" is available to all, that most won't use it.(after initial WOW factor subsides)

 

It is not at all silent...it just delays the second NOISE....maybe useful to some who are "incognito", but joe average won't use it much IMO.

The M8.2 however is much quieter with or without the delay mode.

 

Anyway good that Leica offers it to the user base,chapeau.

 

andy

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[Guest guy_mancuso]

I agree Andy it really changes nothing except the separation of sound if you use it and most folks will not use it after the initial cool factor. I tested the M8.2 with it and obviously that new shutter is deadly quiet and you really don't even need it on that since it is so quiet. This will only be nice when you can actually take a shot than displace the sound somewhere else and when you do that it is not even close to your eye and could lose another shot. Nice but it is limited. Bottom line you want quiet than get a M8.2 or go for a upgrade. Makes a whole world of difference but only if you require it. Again nice feature and glad Leica threw it in the mix but it's only a gift if you use it and when on single mode it maybe more a PITA than what people think.

[sean_reid]

The addition of "discrete mode" may encourage some to do the shutter upgrade in their M8's because new shutter + discrete mode will give them some of what people seek in the M8.2.

 

I end up using discrete mode more than I first thought I would (when the idea was suggested on this forum). I think that it will be more than just a cool new feature for many photographers. We'll see.

 

Cheers,

[JGW]

I agree Andy it really changes nothing except the separation of sound if you use it and most folks will not use it after the initial cool factor. I tested the M8.2 with it and obviously that new shutter is deadly quiet and you really don't even need it on that since it is so quiet. This will only be nice when you can actually take a shot than displace the sound somewhere else and when you do that it is not even close to your eye and could lose another shot. Nice but it is limited. Bottom line you want quiet than get a M8.2 or go for a upgrade. Makes a whole world of difference but only if you require it. Again nice feature and glad Leica threw it in the mix but it's only a gift if you use it and when on single mode it maybe more a PITA than what people think.

 

The M8 classic's shutter isn't quiet (certainly for a Leica M) and never will be. But what will be extremely useful with the discreet mode will be the ability to decrease the length of the sound by detaching it from the re-cock. The elongation of this noisy shutter sound only accentuates its fault, and therefore this is what's very noticeable when working in certain situations. Agreed, the M8-2 or upgrade is the way to go if close proximity to the original M sound is what you really want or need.

 

This little gift from Leica will be well received by some people; others just won't want to bother with it. I think Leica want to iron out as many of the M8's faults as they can, and improve the camera. I'm sure they wouldn't like their first digital M to become known as the camera to avoid, in time to come.

 

Jeffrey.

Edited March 2, 2009 by JGW

[Rick]

I end up using discrete mode more than I first thought I would (when the idea was suggested on this forum). I think that it will be more than just a cool new feature for many photographers. We'll see.

 

Cheers,

 

Yes, it will be so much more than just a cool feature. It will greatly increase the value of the camera to Leica's target demographic of celebrities and rich doctors who depend on the stealthiness of the camera while drinking single malts and stalking kitty around the McMansion.

 

In other words, if it isn't just a cool new feature what is it?

[yanidel]

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I would bet that that after all have upgraded and the "silent mode" is available to all, that most won't use it.(after initial WOW factor subsides)

 

It is not at all silent...it just delays the second NOISE....maybe useful to some who are "incognito", but joe average won't use it much IMO.

The M8.2 however is much quieter with or without the delay mode.

 

Anyway good that Leica offers it to the user base,chapeau.

 

andy

This posts sounds a bit like you hint that most M8 users are not worthy of their tool ... wow factor ... joe average .... I smell elitism ... I guess we are all the blond Scarlett Johansson in the "Barcelona" movie ...

[stevem7]

Well, not long now huh? Can't wait!

[jquimby]

It's already 3/3 in Germany, UK, probably Greenland and Iceland as well.... wonder if the update is on an "EU" server somewhere?

[gwelland]

Yes, it will be so much more than just a cool feature. It will greatly increase the value of the camera to Leica's target demographic of celebrities and rich doctors who depend on the stealthiness of the camera while drinking single malts and stalking kitty around the McMansion.

 

Now that's funny ...

[guywalder]

Quite.

 

If one of my customers came to me and accused me of, say, just as an example, "hot air" or maybe "broken promises" and demanded I make changes in the future I would be less well disposed to listen to and act promptly upon the gist of his demands ...

 

Bill

 

Indeed, however I cant bring myself to think of my posts in an independent forum as being specifically addressed to Leica. Maybe I am just old fashioned, but if I want to say something to Leica then I address them directly. And since web forums are relatively informal I am inclined to express msyelf differently in forums than in person.

 

Yes I know 'Leica read this forum' and 'Dr Kaufmann' reads this forum. I use all sorts of methods to study my customers but by far the best is talking to them. Maybe its that old fashioned thing again, but I just find talking to a real person more informative than reading forum posts, often from anonymous user names.

[Philippe D.]

Hi Jeffrey,

The M8 classic's shutter isn't quiet (certainly for a Leica M) and never will be.

Right. But...

I was taking pictures of people last year, outside/street. Among them was a photograph teacher of a well known faculty of Arts in Germany (she use Canon).

She said to me: " what a beautiful sound! "

So...

[Guest farbtupfer]

Firmware 2.04 is online...

 

http://de.leica-camera.com/assets/file/download.php?filename=file_4120.zip

[Guru]

...and works on an old non-upgraded M8

[andym911]

This posts sounds a bit like you hint that most M8 users are not worthy of their tool ... wow factor ... joe average .... I smell elitism ... I guess we are all the blond Scarlett Johansson in the "Barcelona" movie ...

 

Not at all...sorry of it read that way....I am most certainly in the "joe average" crowd..meaning that I just use it for everyday photography as a hobby.

Absolutely no elitism intended, rather that after the initial use of the function I found I didn't really use or need it.

regards

 

andy

[sclamb]

I see the 2.004 firmware is now up.

 

Out of interest, as I have an M8.2, and as I don't own the Noctilux or 18mm lenses, is it worth upgrading? I cannot see that I gain anything and perhaps I should wait for the next update if there is one.

 

Simon

[yanidel]

It works great !! I intend to use it, even if I am joe average too !! Andy, no problem, but I really think it is a great improvement that will be used by many! Let's do a poll in a few months

[michael_b_elmer]

I succesfully upgraded my M8 and M8.2 to ver 2.004.

 

Everything seems to run smooth and fine. with both cameras in descreet mode, it becomes even more apparent that the M8 is much more noisy than the M8.2.

 

I guess I will keep the M8 without upgrading the shutter. Time will prove whether it is worthwile keeping one camera with 1/8000 to be combined with the 1.4/21 asph which is on its way to me with UPS from my dealer and should be delivered later to day.

[@bumac]

Is there anybody out there how knows the 6-bit-code for the 18? And which frame does it bring up?

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[oronet commander]

Clasic M8 updated with no problems whatsoever