Forum Replies Created
All the images from our Carmel trip of geo data added in the DNGs. You can root around in the EXIF and see what data was added:
For Firefox I love the FXiF Viewer Plug-in. With it, you can right click on any web image and see the embedded EXIF. The geo data shows up in my pix. I tried a similar plug-in for Safari, but it caused a bunch of issues with Flash. Can't remember what that plug was though…
I use a Sony GPS CS3. It's totally independent of the S2 (or any camera) and just rides shotgun in my bag or pocket. Then I use Photolinker to end the data in the Leica S2 DNGs. I wrote a review a year or two ago using freeware to do the geotagging / embedding – Geotagging Leica M9 files.
Today, things are easier because the purchased version of Photolinker is just drag and drop; I don't need to convert the track files into the NEMA sentences. The only tricky part can be sync'ing the tracks and pictures – especially if on a vacation and changing time zones. Sometimes I have to shift the track times, other times it's the raw files that need their time shifted. Shifting is done easily in the Photolinker software, but figuring out how much shift you need (i.e. – 1 hr, 2 hrs and in which direction) can be tricky, especially when the time zone has shifted 6-7-8 hours.
It may be easy and I'm just dumb, whatever the case, I was a weeeeee bit frustrated in Hawaii last year trying to sync files. I finally got the offset right, but it took some trial and error. The smart person will set the correct local time on the GPS (GMT offset) and the camera at the destination. Sometimes I'm not that smart 🙂 It's very important to check the times because some of my cameras lose or gain minutes. So at a start of a trip, I sync the times.
In the Sony unit I'm using Ansman 2850 mAh rechargeables, and they usually give me a 2-3-4 days of service – much better than AA alkalizes.
Anyway, I've been geotagging S2 files without issue. I'd like to see a more elegant solution, but the Sony works and since it's stand alone, it works with my other gear as well.
I want to see Leica stop boosting the base ISO. The TrueSense (formerly Kodak) and Dalsa sensors typically have a base ISO of 50 or 100, so when Leica starts the ISO at 160, the sensor is already amplified 1 to 2 stops. The S2's quality at ISO 160 does not come close to the file quality of my Phase One P65 at its base ISO (50). If I shot the P65+ at ISO 200 (a two stop bump in speed), then the file quality is about the same. The S2 has the sharpness and acuity, but not color depth or gradients. The file quality at base ISO is my number one pet-peeve. The other stuff I like to see changed are pretty much the usual suspects –
1) Improved ISO performance at 640, 1250 and 2500
2) ISO stepping in 1/3 increments
3) Improvements in auto-focus speed and target acquisition (it's accurate, but slow to get there)
4) ISO shown in the viewfinder
5) The addition of a another control wheel or thumb-stick
6) Five auto-focus points would be awesome, or something like Hass' TruFocus
7) Updated rear display, touch display could be interesting
8) An info screen like the M9 (more detail info on the battery, memory card, etc)I have mixed feelings about “more” pixels. Having 60 MP's with the P65+ is nice, but pushing 300 MB TIFF's around result in huge Photoshop files and really puts a strain on the computer processing power. I would also like to see full compatibility with Phase One C1 software. I'm trying to like Lightroom… C1 runs much faster than LR on my Mac's (one of is a 12-core 2.66 GHz machine w/ 32 GB of RAM) and there are things C1 does better (compared to LR4.1), like purple fringe removal.
Leica has taken the big step and put the S2 out there. I expect its updates to be mostly evolutionary and there certainly is some merit in waiting for a S4. If the S3 happens and its changes are subtle, then I will probably skip the S3 and wait for a S4. Alot of this will depend on whether or not Leica offers a good trade-in program. I like the S2, but I think the platform has much more potential, so an S3 is a good idea IMO.
Marc – I thought about the firmware too. Going off topic here – the firmware could cut both ways. There is probably a golden version which Leica used during testing. And then there could be a future version where Hasselblad could “break” the adapter…
I'm curious to see how the 100/2.2 does the S2. We'll know better in a couple months as more adapters get into people's hands. I don't need leaf shutter lenses per-se; I'm mostly interested in the 100/2.2 as a portrait lens. If the HC proves too troublesome, then I'll probably pick up a V 110/2.
The Mamiya 200/2.8 APO has worked out really well on the S2, so I'm more willing to use the 110/2 now than I was a couple weeks ago.
Do you have any other HC lenses, such as maybe the 100/2.2? I suspect the 100/2.2 is the lens most people are interested in – at least me 🙂
Count me in too… the original battery would never move off 100%. I had actually totally depleted the battery and the S2 had similar symptoms. Leica should be exchanging the battery, and I had second battery.
So, I guess a battery can “go bad” at some point all on its own?
I would like to see Leica add an info screen like they have the M9 where is shows the battery at X% of charge; and I'd like to know how many clicks on the battery since the charge. This way if I see some numbers that don't reconcile with my usage, then I might have a hint that the battery is going south. If nothing else, it's just interesting trivia to better understand the S2's power usage characteristics.
Hi Mark –
Glad this one was easily duplicated, and that it's also easy to around the issue. I received the S2 set to parallel mode and had been using a CF card. I decided to pick a fast SDHC card this week, so when the card arrived – popped out the CF card, put in the SDHC and took some test shots. It was just happenstance that I stumbled across the bug.
Hi Josh –
I sent an email to Kelsey last night, referencing this thread.
Hi Mark –
I'm running the latest firmware, so I doubt update will help. You experience indicates this is not new bug in just the latest firmware. I'm surprised nobody bumped into this before; i was just trying out SDHC before a trip because the Macbook has SDHC slot and a SDHC card is more convenient.
Reformatted the 32 GB card and had the computer overwrite the card with 0's just to be sure. Put the card in and let the S2 reformat it. Left the S2 on “sequential” and now the card works fine.
So, the problem is:
1) S2 set-up in parallel mode (this is key)
2) Only a SD card inserted
3) S2 records images fine
4) Change ISO
5) All subsequent images not recorded
6) Turn camera off, then on
7) S2 will record images again
8) Change ISO
9) S2 will not record any subsequent imagesIn “parallel” mode I have NOT had any such issues with CF cards.
Just tested the S2 with a Sandisk 8 GB Extreme 30 MB/sec and was able to repeat the fault. The only card in the was SDHC card. The S2 was set-up for parallel. The S2 will record the images fun, up until the ISO is changed. After ISO is changed, none of the subsequent images are recorded. If the S2 is turned off & on, the card will record images again – until the ISO is changed again.
I set the S2 for “Sequential” and then the card functioned fine. Next, I'll re-test the 32 GB card with the S2 set-up for “Sequential”.
Of course, I only find these things AFTER something runs amuck – diglloyd 32 GB card issues.
Marc, I look forward to your test results. It'll be interesting to see how the HC lenses are treated in LightRoom and how the lens corrections fair on the Leica system. Likewise, I'm assuming all the EXIF info will be there as well.
For my needs, it's mostly the 100/2.2 that i'm curious about. Though, I'm hoping Leica rethinks the 100/3.5 and gives it a much faster aperture, such as F2 or even F1.8. Having a fast portrait prime like that could be a differentiator for Leica.
Marc – I agree with you in premise, but in practice, I'm not so sure. My first reaction was “hell yeah!”, then I started doing the math and to get a single HC lens up & running on the S2 is ~$4500 assuming ~$2500 for the typical used HC lens. Using Ebay as guide and my price shopping with a couple Leica stores here in the US, a used S lens is ~$5500. Once we're in this deep, $1k doesn't really move the needle much in either direction. For people with HC lenses, this is obvious upside. For people without HC lenses, eh… I dunno. Time will tell. And if planning to use more than one HC lens, then the economics scale better.
I think one of the bigger pluses are the dumb adapters. I can actually SEE focus on the Leica S2. I thought I was going blind because my manual focus hit-rate on the Phase One DF body was dismal. There are still misses with the S2, but with the Mamiya 645M 200mm F2.8 APO as an example at F2.8; my hit rate on the Phase system was ~10%. With the S2, I can say it is 50%. Actually it's higher, but I don't have near enough experience on the S2 to make any grand proclamations. But, without a doubt, manual focusing on the S2 is worlds easier (than the Phase One DF).
So, this opens up options that I had previously dismissed, such as the well known Hass 110/2 – which all in with an adapter, we're talking maybe $2000-3000 depending on lens condition and which adapter you vote for (Leica vs third party). I've been wanting to buy the Mamiya 645M 300mm F2.8 APO again, but had held off. Now, with the S2, I might just do it. A mint condition 300mm is ~$2,000. It's not quite fair to compare that lens to the Hass HC 300mm because the Hass is most obviously smaller, but also F4.5. As for optical-bang-for-buck, I rather have the Mamiya 300mm F2.8 APO.
In terms of pushing money around between lenses and adapters, I'd be more inclined to look to the Mamiya 645M and Hass V lenses. I know your case is very different (Marc) since you already have HC lenses. I still think the HC adapter is great add and I will consider it in the future, especially if S2 owners start reporting very positive experiences.
I've taken around 250 pix with S2 since the firmware update and haven't had the camera lock up.
David Farkas;2354 wrote: There is no loss of power on the SF58.
Thank you David. It was really just the (potential) loss of output power that worried me because on the Canon flashes (i.e. – 580EX), getting a respectable amount of outdoor flash in daylight conditions can be difficult with their high speed sync option, especially if used in conjunction with a Sto-fen omnibouce.
I should mention, once the flash was put into TTL-HSS mode, it's very simple to use. My only niggle is the rear display on the SF-58 is difficult to see, and the double button taps are a bit counter intuitive.
