Leicaiste Posted October 2, 2009 Share #1  Posted October 2, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) An M9 In Paris – A Field Review One additional capability of Auto ISO on the M9 is that when you set the camera to a manual set shutter speed and a fixed aperture (there is no auto aperture, of course), the camera will use whatever ISO is needed to achieve a proper exposure using these two settings. So if, for example, you've set 1/250 sec to be sure to stop some action, and an aperture of f/8 to ensure appropriate depth of field, the camera will then set the ISO appropriately on its own.  The fact that the M9's AUTO ISO still works in manual mode, means that if you select the aperture and speed and you forget that your have selected the AUTO ISO mode before, you cannot trust the arrows in the finder to choose yourself the exposure.  Or any separate light meter neither.  Because as long a you stay inside the limit of the ISO selected for Auto ISO in the main menu, the correct exposure will be automatically set by the camera even if the arrow in the finder says otherwise.  Also if you choose that mode on purpose and if the correct exposure request to go outside of the ISO selected, or to change aperture or speed, nothing will change in the finder immediately.  The central red dot will only be visible alone if the AUTO ISO has selected the lowest ISO (160). As soon as it select an higher ISO for correct exposure, there will be an arrow on the left of the red dot in the finder.  Once their will be more than 1 stop underexposure, then the central dot will only disappear.  Lucien  P.S.  That mode is great for ISO testers. Put your camera on tripod, select an aperture and then take pictures one after the other by changing only the speed.   Lucien Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 2, 2009 Posted October 2, 2009 Hi Leicaiste, Take a look here M9's Auto ISO: beware !. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
rolu Posted October 2, 2009 Share #2 Â Posted October 2, 2009 Hi Lucien, Â interesting insight. It just came to my mind: to really USE this capability, one should see, what ISO setting will be applied. I suppose, this can only be seen after the shot, when you press play. Â regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicaiste Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share #3 Â Posted October 2, 2009 It also seems that the only way to force the AUTO ISO to use the Pull 80 ISO, is to select it as the maximum ISO in the AUTO ISO set up menu. Â If you chose another maximum ISO it will never use the PULL 80 automatically, even if the result will be an overexposure. Â It make sense for me because I prefer to select Pull 80 myself, but then why is it listed on the Max.ISO listing inside the AUTO ISO set up menu? Â Confusing. Â Lucien Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MitchoIankov Posted October 2, 2009 Share #4 Â Posted October 2, 2009 It is the same with M8 which makes auto ISO not that useful. Auto ISO requires exposure compensation (unfortunately not a separate button) instead of changing speed/aperture to work correctly (as expected). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted October 2, 2009 Share #5 Â Posted October 2, 2009 Interesting that Michael Reichmann considers this to be a real advantage (set the aperture and shutter speed you want and the camera does the rest). Â I agree that one should be aware, but also that it's a good thing (sometimes) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shootist Posted October 2, 2009 Share #6  Posted October 2, 2009 Interesting that Michael Reichmann considers this to be a real advantage (set the aperture and shutter speed you want and the camera does the rest). I agree that one should be aware, but also that it's a good thing (sometimes)  I agree with Jono, especially on the sometimes comment. The M line is intended for people that like to use manual settings to control each shot. The inclusion of the A mode (auto shutter speed) is useful, IMHO, but the auto ISO is best used sparingly for those time it is really needed. And even then I find it better to just shoot, check the results, adjust shutter/aperture and go from there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted October 2, 2009 Share #7 Â Posted October 2, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I agree with Jono too. But with the ISO change being so simple on the M9 the feature has lost quite a bit practicality, and yes, the M8 does the same in manual. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicaiste Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share #8  Posted October 2, 2009 I agree with Jono too. But with the ISO change being so simple on the M9 the feature has lost quite a bit practicality, and yes, the M8 does the same in manual.  The more I use the M9, the more I think that the Info Menu should show all the settings or info that can have a direct impact on the final results / file or on the post-production work load.  - ISO (in use)  - White Balance (in use and setting)  - Exposure comp (in use and setting)  - Lens detection (vignetting) setting and Lens detected  plus  - Set user profile in use  - and I will love to see the Format SD card there too.   IMO, it could replace the Compression, Resolution and Exp. bracketing on/off settings.  For the moment, to set or check those settings, you have to switch between three or four menu / push button.  ISO for ISO which should also stay there  MENU for Lens detection and INFO for lens detected  SET for the rest.  At the bottom of the MENU for Format SD card  Lucien Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonoslack Posted October 2, 2009 Share #9  Posted October 2, 2009 The more I use the M9, the more I think that the Info Menu should show all the settings or info that can have a direct impact on the final results / file or on the post-production work load. - ISO (in use)  - White Balance (in use and setting)  - Exposure comp (in use and setting)  - Lens detection (vignetting) setting and Lens detected  plus  - Set user profile in use  - and I will love to see the Format SD card there too.  HI Lucien I think that the ISO should be there as well (probably instead of jpg resolution). Leica are very careful to keep the set screen so that it doesn't scroll, and I think that's quite right. On the other hand perhaps it would be nice to be able to choose what was on it.  As for the Format SD card . . . please no! you might press it by mistake, and then you'd have to wait another ten minutes!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicaiste Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share #10 Â Posted October 2, 2009 Â As for the Format SD card . . . please no! you might press it by mistake, and then you'd have to wait another ten minutes!!! Â Yes, I have a 32 GB that I will not use in the M9 again... Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted October 2, 2009 Share #11 Â Posted October 2, 2009 HI LucienI think that the ISO should be there as well (probably instead of jpg resolution). Leica are very careful to keep the set screen so that it doesn't scroll, and I think that's quite right. On the other hand perhaps it would be nice to be able to choose what was on it. Â As for the Format SD card . . . please no! you might press it by mistake, and then you'd have to wait another ten minutes!!! Thinking about the INFO screen - completely agree with Jono and others re the current ISO - from my point of view the way to solve the problem is to get rid of the SD card bar graph - this replicates the "no of images remaining" and to use this large area of screen for current ISO and perhaps one other programmable information set - whatever, really good to have this information as a set of user options. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
garygsandhu Posted October 3, 2009 Share #12 Â Posted October 3, 2009 This is a great feature on the M8 and it's how I use my nikon d700; the finer iso gradations on the M9 should make it more practical Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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