@david-farkas
a year agoForum Replies Created
Pete Myers;526 wrote: Dear S2 Users:
For those of you that own and shoot the 35mm FL lens, would you comment on the amount of chromatic aberration seen in, and at the extremes of the images produced? I have been unable to locate any Imatest data on the lens.
Better yet, some corner examples at a few significant F-Stops would be real keen, if you have a moment!
Most grateful,
Pete Myers
Hi Pete,
First, welcome to Red Dot Forum.
When the 35mm lens first came out, I did a brief write-up:
Taking the Leica Summarit-S 35mm f/2.5 ASPH and the S2 for a spin around the neighborhood
Here's what I wrote regarding CA:
[COLOR=#333333][FONT=Trebuchet MS]
[/FONT][/COLOR][INDENT][INDENT][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Trebuchet MS] If I had any nit to pick regarding image quality it is that on very high contrast subjects (sunlit white building against deep blue sky, for instance), there is a trace of what appears to be magenta-red fringing. My first impression was that what I was seeing was lateral chromatic aberration, but there was no corresponding cyan-green edge on the opposite side. The effect appears most readily against blue skies (lots of UV, which can exacerbate fringing) and is most likely a result of either a small amount of sensor blooming or imprecision in LR’s demosaicing algorithm. Either way, the fringe is quickly fixed with a -15 red/cyan correction in Lightroom’s Lens Correction palette, along with Leica’s recommended setting of Defringe to “All Edges.” I’d expect the forthcoming profiles from Adobe and Leica to include this correction automatically as a lens profile. [/FONT][/COLOR][/INDENT][/INDENT]There are numerous 100% crops including corner crops.
I'm sure other S2 users will chime in with their experiences as well. For me, the 35 has been an outstanding overall performer.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiPete,
Love these. My favorites are 1, 6, 7 and 8. B&W really works well here.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiAtanabe;513 wrote: With no ability to adjust the focus point on the S2 would this expense be fruitless? With Canon and Nikon the user can adjust the focus so the tool is useful. On the S2 if the lens is back/front focusing you have to send camera and lens in? So just a flat high contrast target would be the logical choice.
The benefit of the Lens Align is that it has a flat front standard with high-contrast focus target and angled ruler in plane with the standard. While you can't adjust AF like on Canon or Nikon, it does give you a a pretty definitive method of quantifying AF accuracy. We've actually used it on M cameras to see rangefinder accuracy.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiMark Gowin;505 wrote: I have seriously considered getting the Lens Align. It looks like a well designed product and should be easy to use.
Mark,
When the Lens Align first came out, I wrote a review for Digital Photo Pro Magazine. Here's the online version:
My primary focus (no pun intended) of the article was to explain its use for Nikon and Canon users, but it can be a very valuable tool in evaluating focus accuracy as well. Might be worth getting one.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiAtanabe;507 wrote: No, they read David's post on use once – then discard.
Must be….
Although I prefer the term “archive” to “discard”
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiThe latest from Leica's Facebook page:
Leica Camera has recently become aware of customers experiencing compatibility issues related to select types of new memory cards when used in the Leica M9. The misbehavior occurs in very limited cases (< 0.1% of total No. of sold M9/M9-P), but because it is associated with the loss of images, we want to point out the potential risk for our customers. Leica's focus remains first and foremost providing an uncompromised customer experience; therefore we are investigating with highest priority in finding the root cause for this error.
With this information, we would like to give you the latest information on the status. Please read this information carefully to ensure a save photography workflow:
The facts from today's point of view are:
- Customers report that the camera stops working if shooting serial exposures and view images while others are still in the camera buffer.
- If the fault occurred once, the probability that it happens again with the same SD-Card is very high.
- Images can be lost in case of this malfunction and the card can be damaged/destroyed.
- There are no indications that it is a firmware bug in the latest firmware 1.162, so there is no reason to update to an elderly firmware version.
- The M9 is in general compatible with all SDHC cards, but most failure reports are related to San Disk SDHC cards.
Until the solution is found, what can be done if this malfunction occurs?
- If possible, please use cards that worked well in the past, avoid reformatting them, neither in the camera, nor in a PC or Mac.
- If you are forced to use new cards: Use them carefully: try to avoid browsing through the images on the screen while the red LED is blinking.
- In case of malfunction, please stop using the card. If images are lost, they might me recoverable using a special software. Please contact Leica Customer Service for assistance, if needed.
We also started a structured query in the Leica User Forum to get a better overview about the customer's experience. The query can be found here: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-sd-card-issues/194354-leica-m9-sd-cards-data-collection.html.
For information about this on the Leica website, visit: http://en.leica-camera.com/news/news/1/8250.html
As soon as we have news on this topic, we will let you know.
Leica Camera AG
Stefan Daniel, Director Product Management Photo
Jesko von Oeynhausen, Product Manager Leica M-SystemDavid Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiRoger;485 wrote: Recently there have been a significant number of sales of “new “ M9P bodies and scarce lenses at healthy premiums above list . These are often represented as coming with a full Leica warranty.
Isn t it true that new Leica m9 bodies come with a 2 year warranty to only the first owner. If I remember to get service you could(not always) need a invoice from an authorized USA Leica Dealer . I also remember that registration is required (but that part isn t enforced) . Having the cards and the item not being registered don t mean anything without a dealer invoice.
Roger, you are correct regarding warranties on used bodies. Warranties on M bodies are not transferable. Even filling out the warranty card requires the new owner to put in the dealer's name and address, and usually they want an original invoice as well. Leica keeps a database of where each camera goes by serial number. So, if there is a dealer mismatch on the card, there is a good chance the person registering isn't the original owner.
The same is true for the M lenses? except they have a full passport warranty (which if I remember covers accidental damage in addition to normal warranty items ).
Yes, the same is true for lenses – no transfer of warranty.In the US, new lenses carry a 3-year Passport warranty. This does cover accidental damage, including drops and water damage. The only thing not covered is fire, which should be covered by your homeowner's or auto insurance.
From a practical standpoint are sellers getting around this by having the dealer create a invoice for the new buyer?
Few other points …the warranty extensions like Al did ….do they require continuous coverage . I mean can you buy the coverage after a last of warranty ..like you might want to before selling . or if you were the used buyer . e.g. I get a great deal on an M8U and then buy the warranty to cover the risk.
maybe david can help us here .
Hmm, I don't know if there are dealers doing this and once an item is registered, it can't be re-registered to someone else.
The warranty extension that Al did is a new service by Leica Germany. I'm still waiting to get full details on how this plays with the warranty in the US. I don't know if a second owner can purchase the warranty as the original warranty (if there is one remaining) would theoretically expire upon change of ownership.
Hope this helps. I'll try to get more clarification from my friends at Leica.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiRoger;482 wrote: I use a mix of Sandisk and Lexar cards . In Sandisk I use the Ultra,extreme and new extreme pro in 8gb and 16gb formats .
I ve only had 2 card issues in about 75K captures across 8 different digital M s . In one case they were caused by weak batteries (it was really cold out and started with a partially charged battery ..shot half a dozen captures on continuous .) Bad write to the card ..ran out of juice before it completed .
The other was when I was sharing a card between my DMR (should have been called “the Corrupter” ) and the M8 .
I am sure based on the current reports that the write logic is a problem . The cards are clearly capable of handling high volume writing with other cameras including the S2.
But I also think that having a standard operating procedure thats consistent and minimizes anything required of the M9 to write a good file helps. I never start with anything other than a fully charged battery and a fresh formatted card. I always check both as I start out the door and reformat the card just to be sure . I never delete anything while shooting in the camera ..in fact I never delete in the camera on the M9 . I don t shoot on continuous.
Since I use two cameras I wear out before the batteries .. how many images per hour can you shoot while actually looking at the subject? When I get beyond 100 /hour I get less rather than more selects . When I shoot for more than 2 hours without a break …I get less . So when I have my Solo Americano I change the cards and batteries . When I take a coffee break I review all the images so that I pick up any issues sooner rather than later. I check my histogram after every set of 6-12 images .
Exactly how did that guy get a set of “null files “ on his M9 (over on LUF) if he was looking at his histogram.
I ve only had to throw away one card ..ever ! Used to have corrupt cards every other week with the DMR until I started to clean the battery connections and the batteries frequently and never ever shoot more than 100 on a card/battery . But I never lost any images because the images were recoverable with I think Image Rescue software . Then a reformat in the laptop and the card was good to go.
I am sure they have some bad logic in the M9 software ..this is a little like the epson -apple issues . When Sandisk changes ..Leica has to change ..not the otherway around.
Want to be completely sure buy the sandisk ultra 16gb at Costco …works fine in the M9 ,cheap . Only downside is slow transfer to your MacBook.
Roger,
This is all good advice, especially using fresh, fully-charged batteries and empty, formatted cards. Mixing cards between cameras is a big no-no as is shooting on low batteries. The only issues I usually experience with my M9 are related to almost-dead batteries. A change to a fresh one fixes all ills.
I'm surprised you had issues with your DMR. The DMR had/has its fair amount of quirkiness if those contacts are dirty or not making good contact. The battery tended to run out of juice pretty quickly and cause the camera to act very strange when it gets too low. But, I can't ever recall a situation where I lost images on a card, or that the camera made the SD card unusable.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiAtanabe;473 wrote: David,
Wasn't that an issue with the read/write tab on the card?No, Al, I had brought 3 or 4 brand new 8GB SDHC cards (in packaging) to Seattle. The M9 was being shipped to my hotel by Leica (it was Oct 09, so M9s weren't really out there yet). When I was in Germany testing a prototype M9 for my article, I had used a variety of SD cards (SanDisk and Transcend) with zero issues. In fact, I had used 8GB Class 6 Trascends while over there.
But, the new 8GB Class 6 cards that I brought with me were from a different and newer batch, which, when paired with the final release version of M9 firmware, proved to be incompatible. The camera told me there was no card loaded. When I tried the same make and model, but in a 4GB or 16GB size upon my return home, there was no problem. So, I just had really bad luck. After a subsequent firmware update for the M9, those exact same cards worked just fine, so the issue was definitely on the Leica end of the equation.
As I said previously, though, I have personally had no issues whatsoever with SD cards corrupting or going bad in the M9 to date.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiMark Gowin;466 wrote: I figured out part of the problem with the photo of Jack Daniels. Instead of shooting at +0.5 EV I shot at -0.5 EV.
Here is another photo taken the same day along with two crops (bright and shadow). This photo is much better regarding noise. Interesting trivia – Chattanooga, TN is home to the very first Coca Cola bottling company.
S2 and S 35mm lens, ISO 1250, +0.5 EV, f8.0, 1/250 sec
What a difference a slight overexposure vs a slight underexposure makes!
This one looks a lot better. Thanks for clarifying.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiAtanabe;474 wrote: Spoken like a true retailer
Don't you just miss the days of film and processing revenue?Memory card sales make up such a small percentage of our sales, are so inexpensive and have such slim margins (if any at all) that my retailer hat is taken off for this one. I have been taking the single-use SD card approach personally and figured I'd share.
Trust me, this isn't an attempt to boost memory card sales.
Not a bad analogy by the way. Instead I take the cost of film and processing and make up for the depreciation on my gear.
What depreciation? You shoot with Leica, no?
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiGuess I'll chip in as well.
Been fine using Transcend Class 10 8GB and 16GB SDHC cards. On the first version of M9 firmware, I had a compatibility issue (no card found) when using the Transcend Class 6 8GB*. These also work fine now.
* Thanks to Al for loaning me some of his extra SD cards when I was in Seattle and my brand new 8GBs were a no-go. You saved my soy bacon.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiWow. VERY impressive shot, Mark. Beyond the fact that ISO 1250 looks so good, the picture is really beautiful. What aperture did you use on the 400mm? The bokeh is really nice.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiAtanabe;451 wrote: David,
Is the warranty transferrable – like the one offered by Solms?I don't believe so, but I can check. The only transferable warranties that I know of are on S2 and S lenses.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store MiamiDavid K;449 wrote: I think it's too expensive for what it is but somehow I'm not surprised. I suspect you could sell an M9 and get a new M9-P for pretty close to the same price.
If you could get an M9-P….. certainly none coming in in the next few weeks with the factory closed for the rest of the month.
David Farkas
Red Dot Forum
Leica Store Miami
