Version 1.7 contains some new options.
Opening transferred photos
There's now the option to open the transferred JPG or DNG - or both - through the default application. The default application is maintained by Windows (on file extension).
You can also select your own application.
You get to this option by clicking the button on the right of the option 'Store captures on PC' in the main window. Note that the button will only show if you have this option selected.
In the window that appears you can select either the default application or select your own. Set your own application by clicking the button on the left of the window.
Be careful though with selecting your own application, since M9Tether doesn't check the validity of the application nor does it know if the application you select can actually handle DNG or JPG. If it can't, errors might pop up after transfer.
Photos will only be opened by the set application if 'Store captures on PC' is turned 'on'.
If you want to use M9Tether with Lightroom, don't use this option, but set up an auto-import folder in Lightroom, and point the store path of M9Tether (in the main window) to that folder.
Timed shoot repeat
Due to a change in event handling in 1.6, it is now possible to repeat timed shooting at all intervals. The software will wait till the camera is ready to take the next shot.
Note though that if the interval is set lower than the actual transfer time, the proper interval can not be maintained. If timing is important, make sure that the exposure, noise reduction and transfer doesn't take longer than the set interval.
Miscellaneous
Adds a 'Stop' button to break the software exposure bracketing and timed shooting.
New known bug
If you have multiple WPD/PTP enabled devices connected to the computer, double clicking on the camera in the list that pops up will lead to an error and M9Tether won't show.
The workaround is to select the camera (by single click) and then click on the button 'Connect to selection'.
This bug will be fixed in version 1.8.
See http://www.mymymyohmy.com/software/m9tether.html for the details and download.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
III - Leica M9: Downsides
Please note that posts about the Leica M9 and Leica lenses on this blog are not aimed to be a 'review' in the strictest sense. They should be considered as highly opinionated, biased and therefore not very objective - also due to the fact that I haven't used the camera extensively yet. However, in the technical aspects they do try to be factual. All the posts which have me babbling about the M9 are gathered under the label 'Leica talk'. Click here to see them all...
Downsides
The price!
But is the price really a downside?
Well, in some aspects that's a highly subjective question. Considering it an upside would be a bit much though :-)
I assume the cost is representative for what you get and for the way the camera is manufactured - in that sense the price cannot be a downside, because you get what you pay for.
However, is it worth the money to you?
In an absolute sense it's not a cheap camera, no matter how you twist it, and when you put the cash on the counter you'll most likely consider its price a downside :-)
In the end though, I feel complaining about the price is a bit whiny. Leica isn't lying about it and there's plenty of choices out there, so if you consider the price to be too steep for what you get, stay away.
Still an upside...
Leica clearly isn't a fan of digital.
Must be that legacy :-)
To some that's a selling point and in some aspects I do agree: the camera isn't riddled with options that require a manual. There's only a few buttons. The camera is quick and easy to set up, and the rest is done manually (focusing / aperture / shutter time if you want). It allows you to concentrate on taking photos, more than a modern DSLR or even a simple point and shoot. Friends sometimes ask me about those and how to change this or that, but they are usually totally incomprehensible (the cameras, not the friends...) without the manual close by.
I don't think the enthusiasm about the M9 sits in its lack of options though. I think it's the different approach to photography, where the human factor is put central, combined with a design that has proven itself and doesn't need a lot of electronic hoohaa.
The lack of options is then simply a logical consequence.
For me it's more fun, this DIY approach, and it makes it easier to concentrate on taking good photos.
I guess it also depends on where you're coming from. If you're used to an M6 or M7 film camera, the M9 might already be overwhelming in it's electronic options. But if you come from a fancy DSLR with its million options, the M9 might look a bit skinny.
Clunky
And what there is on the Leica, electronic wise, is a bit clunky.
The camera tends to freeze up when the memory card is almost full (you then need to remove the battery).
The writing from buffer to the card is tediously slow.
The LCD screen is small and pretty useless to check focus, cause the resolution isn't high enough. Especially when comparing with for instance the screen on the 5DII, the M9 disappoints.
You cannot turn off noise reduction on longer exposures - very annoying cause you might loose the next shot (seriously Leica, come on, that's just a simple 'yes/no' in the menu, I'll deal with the hot pixels in post...).
There's no option to map out dead pixels, which can be an issue if you only want to shoot JPG and don't fancy sending the camera in to Leica every time a pixel misbehaves.
If you make the mistake of choosing 'full format SD card' prepare to be bored.
ISO doesn't go higher than 2500 and I have my doubts about the quality at the highest setting (haven't extensively tested that one, so my doubts are preliminary - besides, I don't think I ever went over 1600 on the 5DII, despite the fact that it can go to 12800 something. For me personally high ISO was never a big selling point)...
There's no video option... (hahaha, just kidding... well not about the lack of a video option, but I wouldn't call that a downside...)...
Besides, who needs a video function on their photo camera anyway?
I like Leica's philosophy of 'honesty' and 'no unnecessary stuff' and 'legacy', but some of these issues are just highly impractical and easily fixed in firmware without extra buttons.
Dead pixel
I do have a dead pixel on the sensor.
It appeared after a month.
It made me cry.
(no, that's really a joke)
I considered briefly sending the camera in, but I had only two weeks before travelling. That was too short, so I decided to live with it. I also thought it was a bit silly to send it in for one dead pixel, knowing that the sensor has around 18 million of them and that more might die... The warranty period is two years, so I can send it in when more pixels die.
I'm not sure what Leica does about it. Some claim they map them out, others seem under the impression they completely replace the sensor (I doubt that...).
Now, on DNG you can simply use software to map out the bright speckle and Lightroom takes care of it automatically (with DNG - although not permanently in the original - but a JPG produced from the DNG won't show the pixel anymore). But when shooting JPG in-camera that can be more tricky, since adjacent pixels might be influenced by the dead or stuck one. Either way it's annoying to deal with in post production. I'd like to have an option to permanently ignore that pixel in-camera.
Rumours have it that new firmware might be out around spring, so who knows...
Feel
The total camera feels like a comfortable solid brick - after handling it for a while and then picking up my Canon 40D I was surprised how plasticy that suddenly felt.
The only minimal point of criticism: The overall 'feel' of the buttons and wheel on the back is slightly cheapish. Somehow they give the impression that you might crack the back if you push them too hard. Perhaps it's the somewhat hollow clicking sound itself. But I can't imagine putting a bit more effort in the choice of materials (perhaps also a metal wheel?) would have made the camera much more expensive.
I did invest in the ThumbsUp addition, which is really worth it. You can then suddenly hold the camera with just your right hand, instead of having it slip away.
Also point of note: for long exposures you can actually put the M9 down on something steady, like a table or balustrade. And since the lenses usually do not weigh more than the camera itself - the ones I have don't anyway - it stays very steady if you apply some pressure on the top, pushing down. The bottom plate is totally flat. Trying the same with the 5DII is always problematic, since somehow it doesn't want to stay put.
Software
On the software side Leica took the easy way out by using DNG and bundling the camera with a Adobe Lightroom licence. I don't have many objections to that, so far Lightroom seems ok to me and at least DNG is more or less an 'open' standard - although Adobe could perhaps put a little bit more effort in streamlining their SDK (Software Development Kit), it's quite the adventure to get that one working - but the lack of an application to control the camera is disappointing.
I wrote M9Tether to make up for it, but that's a limited piece of software, because it uses a rather generic approach (basically the only option there is if you don't want to get into serious hacking or when you're not a Leica engineer).
Now, I know some people claim the M9 is not meant for tethered shooting, since it seems to be a generally accepted fact that an M camera is a 'street' camera. But I find that a bit of a silly argument. I've proven the M9 can be tethered (technically), so the lack of software from Leica's side is just annoying. Besides, I'm not a professional, but if I were and I was doing studio work, and I wasn't using a Hasselblad or some fancy digital back but a Canon or a Nikon, I would most definitely also want to try the M9 (then again, maybe that's why I'm not a professional :-) ).
Being limited then by Leica - when the camera is actually capable - isn't a strong point.
Me personally, I wrote M9Tether to practice focusing. It was annoying not to know for sure if I was getting it right by just looking at the LCD. I wanted instant feedback. Obviously that limited me to practice focusing inside, but seeing the photo immediately on my screen was very helpful. Besides, it was freezing outside back then, I don't perform well in the cold...
So why doesn't Leica produce the software? They did for the M8.
I don't know. Maybe they don't have the time or resources. Or maybe because of what I claimed earlier: they're no fan of digital. I do forgive them for that if that's the case. After decades of only film, I can imagine it takes some getting used to. However, Leica, I do expect you guys to be a little bit more up to standard by the time the M12 comes out...
... continue with part IV - The One Issue and Thoughts about Perfection
Downsides
The price!
But is the price really a downside?
Well, in some aspects that's a highly subjective question. Considering it an upside would be a bit much though :-)
I assume the cost is representative for what you get and for the way the camera is manufactured - in that sense the price cannot be a downside, because you get what you pay for.
However, is it worth the money to you?
In an absolute sense it's not a cheap camera, no matter how you twist it, and when you put the cash on the counter you'll most likely consider its price a downside :-)
In the end though, I feel complaining about the price is a bit whiny. Leica isn't lying about it and there's plenty of choices out there, so if you consider the price to be too steep for what you get, stay away.
Still an upside...
Leica clearly isn't a fan of digital.
Must be that legacy :-)
To some that's a selling point and in some aspects I do agree: the camera isn't riddled with options that require a manual. There's only a few buttons. The camera is quick and easy to set up, and the rest is done manually (focusing / aperture / shutter time if you want). It allows you to concentrate on taking photos, more than a modern DSLR or even a simple point and shoot. Friends sometimes ask me about those and how to change this or that, but they are usually totally incomprehensible (the cameras, not the friends...) without the manual close by.
I don't think the enthusiasm about the M9 sits in its lack of options though. I think it's the different approach to photography, where the human factor is put central, combined with a design that has proven itself and doesn't need a lot of electronic hoohaa.
The lack of options is then simply a logical consequence.
For me it's more fun, this DIY approach, and it makes it easier to concentrate on taking good photos.
I guess it also depends on where you're coming from. If you're used to an M6 or M7 film camera, the M9 might already be overwhelming in it's electronic options. But if you come from a fancy DSLR with its million options, the M9 might look a bit skinny.
Clunky
And what there is on the Leica, electronic wise, is a bit clunky.
The camera tends to freeze up when the memory card is almost full (you then need to remove the battery).
The writing from buffer to the card is tediously slow.
The LCD screen is small and pretty useless to check focus, cause the resolution isn't high enough. Especially when comparing with for instance the screen on the 5DII, the M9 disappoints.
You cannot turn off noise reduction on longer exposures - very annoying cause you might loose the next shot (seriously Leica, come on, that's just a simple 'yes/no' in the menu, I'll deal with the hot pixels in post...).
There's no option to map out dead pixels, which can be an issue if you only want to shoot JPG and don't fancy sending the camera in to Leica every time a pixel misbehaves.
If you make the mistake of choosing 'full format SD card' prepare to be bored.
ISO doesn't go higher than 2500 and I have my doubts about the quality at the highest setting (haven't extensively tested that one, so my doubts are preliminary - besides, I don't think I ever went over 1600 on the 5DII, despite the fact that it can go to 12800 something. For me personally high ISO was never a big selling point)...
There's no video option... (hahaha, just kidding... well not about the lack of a video option, but I wouldn't call that a downside...)...
Besides, who needs a video function on their photo camera anyway?
Mouse in Love
video shot with a Leica M9
And for people wondering, yes it's really George Gershwin playing. He recorded many piano rolls for the pianolas of his era. These rolls were transcribed to MIDI in the 1990's, and played on a modern concert pianola, then recorded... So although it's not physically Gershwin, it is really Gershwin...
video shot with a Leica M9
And for people wondering, yes it's really George Gershwin playing. He recorded many piano rolls for the pianolas of his era. These rolls were transcribed to MIDI in the 1990's, and played on a modern concert pianola, then recorded... So although it's not physically Gershwin, it is really Gershwin...
I like Leica's philosophy of 'honesty' and 'no unnecessary stuff' and 'legacy', but some of these issues are just highly impractical and easily fixed in firmware without extra buttons.
Dead pixel
I do have a dead pixel on the sensor.
It appeared after a month.
It made me cry.
(no, that's really a joke)
I considered briefly sending the camera in, but I had only two weeks before travelling. That was too short, so I decided to live with it. I also thought it was a bit silly to send it in for one dead pixel, knowing that the sensor has around 18 million of them and that more might die... The warranty period is two years, so I can send it in when more pixels die.
I'm not sure what Leica does about it. Some claim they map them out, others seem under the impression they completely replace the sensor (I doubt that...).
Now, on DNG you can simply use software to map out the bright speckle and Lightroom takes care of it automatically (with DNG - although not permanently in the original - but a JPG produced from the DNG won't show the pixel anymore). But when shooting JPG in-camera that can be more tricky, since adjacent pixels might be influenced by the dead or stuck one. Either way it's annoying to deal with in post production. I'd like to have an option to permanently ignore that pixel in-camera.
Rumours have it that new firmware might be out around spring, so who knows...
Feel
The total camera feels like a comfortable solid brick - after handling it for a while and then picking up my Canon 40D I was surprised how plasticy that suddenly felt.
The only minimal point of criticism: The overall 'feel' of the buttons and wheel on the back is slightly cheapish. Somehow they give the impression that you might crack the back if you push them too hard. Perhaps it's the somewhat hollow clicking sound itself. But I can't imagine putting a bit more effort in the choice of materials (perhaps also a metal wheel?) would have made the camera much more expensive.
I did invest in the ThumbsUp addition, which is really worth it. You can then suddenly hold the camera with just your right hand, instead of having it slip away.
Also point of note: for long exposures you can actually put the M9 down on something steady, like a table or balustrade. And since the lenses usually do not weigh more than the camera itself - the ones I have don't anyway - it stays very steady if you apply some pressure on the top, pushing down. The bottom plate is totally flat. Trying the same with the 5DII is always problematic, since somehow it doesn't want to stay put.
Software
On the software side Leica took the easy way out by using DNG and bundling the camera with a Adobe Lightroom licence. I don't have many objections to that, so far Lightroom seems ok to me and at least DNG is more or less an 'open' standard - although Adobe could perhaps put a little bit more effort in streamlining their SDK (Software Development Kit), it's quite the adventure to get that one working - but the lack of an application to control the camera is disappointing.
I wrote M9Tether to make up for it, but that's a limited piece of software, because it uses a rather generic approach (basically the only option there is if you don't want to get into serious hacking or when you're not a Leica engineer).
Now, I know some people claim the M9 is not meant for tethered shooting, since it seems to be a generally accepted fact that an M camera is a 'street' camera. But I find that a bit of a silly argument. I've proven the M9 can be tethered (technically), so the lack of software from Leica's side is just annoying. Besides, I'm not a professional, but if I were and I was doing studio work, and I wasn't using a Hasselblad or some fancy digital back but a Canon or a Nikon, I would most definitely also want to try the M9 (then again, maybe that's why I'm not a professional :-) ).
Being limited then by Leica - when the camera is actually capable - isn't a strong point.
Me personally, I wrote M9Tether to practice focusing. It was annoying not to know for sure if I was getting it right by just looking at the LCD. I wanted instant feedback. Obviously that limited me to practice focusing inside, but seeing the photo immediately on my screen was very helpful. Besides, it was freezing outside back then, I don't perform well in the cold...
So why doesn't Leica produce the software? They did for the M8.
I don't know. Maybe they don't have the time or resources. Or maybe because of what I claimed earlier: they're no fan of digital. I do forgive them for that if that's the case. After decades of only film, I can imagine it takes some getting used to. However, Leica, I do expect you guys to be a little bit more up to standard by the time the M12 comes out...
... continue with part IV - The One Issue and Thoughts about Perfection
Sunday, February 20, 2011
M9Tether 1.6a released
Sad to say, but version 1.6 contained a nasty resource problem.
After taking 10 to 15 shots, the JPG viewer would stay empty.
Keeping all those photos stored in memory (new in version 1.6) turned out to be the culprit.
The problem is solved, but I might add some extra safeguards in the next release or perhaps cap to a maximum.
This bug didn't affect the writing of the actual JPG or DNG to PC, if that option was turned on.
1.6a is available for download at: http://www.mymymyohmy.com/software/m9tether.html
After taking 10 to 15 shots, the JPG viewer would stay empty.
Keeping all those photos stored in memory (new in version 1.6) turned out to be the culprit.
The problem is solved, but I might add some extra safeguards in the next release or perhaps cap to a maximum.
This bug didn't affect the writing of the actual JPG or DNG to PC, if that option was turned on.
1.6a is available for download at: http://www.mymymyohmy.com/software/m9tether.html
Sunday, February 13, 2011
M9Tether 1.6 released
[Edit: Leica responded to my initial inquiry about the problem on Windows Vista, where the camera refuses to change the Format setting (JPG / DNG + JPG etc.) through WPD/PTP. The promise was to try to get me in touch with one of their engineers or firmware developers, so now I'm waiting patiently, hoping to hear back from them...]
Version 1.6 contains some new options and a few improvements.
Restore option
There's now the option to restore the camera's startup settings when you close the program, provided the camera is still connected. It prevents mishaps when you take your camera out and didn't check the settings after use of M9Tether.
If you do want to change settings on the camera more permanently, without turning off the restore option, click the small button next to the 'About...' button. It becomes available as soon as settings do not match the initial startup settings of the camera anymore. By clicking on it, you create a new restore set, based on the current settings.
If you turn off the camera or disconnect it before you close the software, nothing will be restored.
Exposure bracketing
Since the option to turn 'Exposure bracketing' on or off on the camera can't be implemented, I decided that a software version would also do. It's called 'Software exposure bracketing'. It allows for more photos than just three. After switching on the option, use the button that appears to the right (behind the option) to change the settings.
Don't use the software option when the camera's exposure bracketing is set to 'on'. You might end up with 3 times as many photos. The software bracketing is quite slow, since every photo has to be written to the SD card first, and it doesn't work together with 'Timed shooting'.
Miscellaneous
Positions of the main window and the JPG viewer are now remembered after closing, including the size of the JPG viewer.
And also new: the JPG viewer will now 'keep' all the photos within one session. You can navigate through them with the buttons that appear when you move your mouse to the bottom of the viewer.
The problem with those buttons in the JPG viewer, I thought I had solved in 1.5a, returned, so I spent some quality time figuring out what went wrong. It's fixed more permanently in this new release.
See http://www.mymymyohmy.com/software/m9tether.html for the details and download.
Version 1.6 contains some new options and a few improvements.
Restore option
There's now the option to restore the camera's startup settings when you close the program, provided the camera is still connected. It prevents mishaps when you take your camera out and didn't check the settings after use of M9Tether.
If you do want to change settings on the camera more permanently, without turning off the restore option, click the small button next to the 'About...' button. It becomes available as soon as settings do not match the initial startup settings of the camera anymore. By clicking on it, you create a new restore set, based on the current settings.
If you turn off the camera or disconnect it before you close the software, nothing will be restored.
Exposure bracketing
Since the option to turn 'Exposure bracketing' on or off on the camera can't be implemented, I decided that a software version would also do. It's called 'Software exposure bracketing'. It allows for more photos than just three. After switching on the option, use the button that appears to the right (behind the option) to change the settings.
Don't use the software option when the camera's exposure bracketing is set to 'on'. You might end up with 3 times as many photos. The software bracketing is quite slow, since every photo has to be written to the SD card first, and it doesn't work together with 'Timed shooting'.
Miscellaneous
Positions of the main window and the JPG viewer are now remembered after closing, including the size of the JPG viewer.
And also new: the JPG viewer will now 'keep' all the photos within one session. You can navigate through them with the buttons that appear when you move your mouse to the bottom of the viewer.
The problem with those buttons in the JPG viewer, I thought I had solved in 1.5a, returned, so I spent some quality time figuring out what went wrong. It's fixed more permanently in this new release.
See http://www.mymymyohmy.com/software/m9tether.html for the details and download.
Friday, February 11, 2011
II - Leica M9: Lenses
Please note that posts about the Leica M9 and Leica lenses on this blog are not aimed to be a 'review' in the strictest sense. They should be considered as highly opinionated, biased and therefore not very objective - also due to the fact that I haven't used the camera extensively yet. However, in the technical aspects they do try to be factual. All the posts which have me babbling about the M9 are gathered under the label 'Leica talk'. Click here to see them all...
Leica lenses, they have a reputation.
I don't want to get into that here too deeply, because talk about lenses reminds me too much of religious discussions, but it's safe to say that Leica M lenses are something special.
So special that they are hard to come by.
Well, seriously... it took me almost a month of searching in The Netherlands to find the Summilux 50mm. I think it was the last one in Europe, because I tried every online store out there. Germany, England, Belgium, America, all the Leica dealers in The Netherlands... 'no stock, we've ordered but Leica isn't delivering'. Then by accident I stumbled onto a new Leica dealer, who wasn't in the official list of Leica yet. They were just starting up with Leica, and their store was still full with all the expensive goodies: Nobody had found them yet.
And yes, they had the 50mm Summilux. Just one mind you...
Then in KL I walk into the first Leica store I come across and there they all are. Even the outrageously priced Noctilux, but also the Summilux... as if there's no shortage in Europe...
Sadly the euro isn't doing so great, so prices here are steeper than in Europe when it comes to Leica gear. Then there's the customs issue. Taking it into The Netherlands means paying the taxes you don't pay over here. And smuggling isn't my forte. Paying taxes is fine by me, if that money is compensated by the price over here. But that doesn't seem to be the case...
In the end I might not have a choice though. The 90mm I want is still not being sold in The Netherlands. Every dealer has it 'ordered' but not in stock. And that's been the case since at least last October. So it's a very cheap 'no lens' or a more pricey 'added taxes' real lens over here, if I can find it.
In theory
That 'specialness' of the Leica lens you notice not only in the 'feel' of the lens when you hold it...
...hand assembled, only metal parts - the 50mm 1.4 Summilux is surprisingly heavy seeing its size, mainly due to the glass inside - with beautiful aperture blades that slide into place as soon as you start turning the solid clicking aperture ring, with a damped focus ring, all the symbols engraved in the metal, filled in with paint, the hood being attached to the lens, just slide it out and lock, and the glass of course, you quickly realise it's something special, put together with care...
...but also in the smallness (except for the Noctilux, that's a beast, with its F0.95).
Because here's a bit of a daunting trick if you're used to a Canon or Nikon: M lenses do not auto focus, so they don't have a motor to drive parts of the lens.
Now, you can turn the auto focus off on your Canon, but then you quickly notice you're left with a focus ring that isn't precise enough and that it's extremely difficult to get focus right by looking through the lens, if you didn't change your focusing screen into something meant for manual focusing.
It simply doesn't compare.
The aperture blades on M lenses also aren't fired into place at the last millisecond by the camera: they're set by the photographer manually through the aperture ring.
SLRs let you look through a fully opened lens, else the image in the viewfinder would become too dark with the higher F stops. You can set the aperture on the camera, but the blades won't spring into action until you press the shutter button (or the DOF button). And that requires power and electronics.
An M lens doesn't have that problem, because the viewfinder of the camera doesn't 'look' through the lens. So at whatever F stop the lens is, the viewfinder won't change. No need to fire the aperture blades last millisecond.
An M lens doesn't need power at all - except for the power you provide by turning the rings - there's no electronics in them whatsoever.
Welcome to the legacy.
...one of the minor disadvantages: the exif data in the photo doesn't record the 'real' aperture, only an approximation, since there's no electronic connection between lens and camera, so the camera has no idea what aperture the lens is set to. It guesses a bit through the light intake...
So no motor and no electronics in the lens, another space saver.
There is however a connection between the two, because the camera does apply some algorithms to do with vignetting, based on the mounted lens. Leica solved this by using a 'bit' system: a series of 6 dots on the lens mount. By alternating the dots between black and white you can count from 0 to 63. A reader in the camera picks up on the dots, so the camera knows which lens is mounted. But that's about it, and it only requires power on the camera side. The lens just needs the right dots.
In practice
Ultimately of course you should notice the specialness of the lenses in the photos you take.
I'm still withholding judgement on the 50mm Summilux, since I haven't used it extensively yet - although the bokeh seems to be something else - but my recent experience with the 28mm Elmarit (it's a F2.8 lens) was one of amazement. I have never seen sharper and clearer photos come out of any camera I used. In fact the downscaled images coming from Picasa on this blog are a bit too sharp for my taste. The 'true' big ones are ok I think, the downscaling of Picasa makes them go over the top. The only way to prevent that is to upload them at the blog size, but then I can't show them bigger.
I should adjust Lightroom (still getting used to that one too), which is set to a sharpening default that seems to be too much for this lens.
Of course, I'm sure the lack of an anti-alias filter in the camera itself also helps with the sharpness.
An anti-alias filter 'smooths' the edges of objects in the photo a bit, which can help prevent jagged diagonals or moire effects. Most DSLRs have them, the M9 doesn't.
But without good lenses to take advantage of the lack of the filter, it probably wouldn't show.
Not only the sharpness of the Elmarit (sharpness really isn't everything), but also the lack of chromatic aberration and distortions is hard to believe after the use of wide angle lenses on my Canons (10-22mm on the 40D and the moderately wide 35mm F2 on the 5DII).
I agree that the comparison isn't totally fair, because the 35mm F2 isn't Canon's best 35mm out there, but I've also seen test shots of the better Canon lenses, and those aren't cheap either (let alone their size and weight).
Then when you see the package - just this tiny lens of 200 grams - the 2.8 Elmarit is Leica's smallest 'modern' lens - you know Leica must indeed know what they're doing.
Here's a shocker. And although the left lens on the picture is not the Leica 28mm, the size is similar to the Voigtlander 21mm shown here (the Elmarit is slightly longer)... this can be the difference. And if you now say 'but that Canon is a zoom' that's true. But some of the better non zoom Canon wide angles are as big as shown here.
But to be totally honest, Leica also produces bigger lenses. The Elmarit really is their smallest. If you look at the wide angles of Leica with low F number, you see those Ms aren't tiny either.
It's simply a given: the lower you can go with the F stop, the bigger the lens gets. Leica can't escape physics. But because of the camera design, even the low F numbers of Leica are still smaller than the low F numbers of a Canon or Nikon. The Canon 85mm F1.2 L - or even the 50mm F1.2 L - is like mounting a pineapple or a turnip...
... continue with part III - Downsides
Leica lenses, they have a reputation.
I don't want to get into that here too deeply, because talk about lenses reminds me too much of religious discussions, but it's safe to say that Leica M lenses are something special.
So special that they are hard to come by.
Well, seriously... it took me almost a month of searching in The Netherlands to find the Summilux 50mm. I think it was the last one in Europe, because I tried every online store out there. Germany, England, Belgium, America, all the Leica dealers in The Netherlands... 'no stock, we've ordered but Leica isn't delivering'. Then by accident I stumbled onto a new Leica dealer, who wasn't in the official list of Leica yet. They were just starting up with Leica, and their store was still full with all the expensive goodies: Nobody had found them yet.
And yes, they had the 50mm Summilux. Just one mind you...
Then in KL I walk into the first Leica store I come across and there they all are. Even the outrageously priced Noctilux, but also the Summilux... as if there's no shortage in Europe...
Sadly the euro isn't doing so great, so prices here are steeper than in Europe when it comes to Leica gear. Then there's the customs issue. Taking it into The Netherlands means paying the taxes you don't pay over here. And smuggling isn't my forte. Paying taxes is fine by me, if that money is compensated by the price over here. But that doesn't seem to be the case...
In the end I might not have a choice though. The 90mm I want is still not being sold in The Netherlands. Every dealer has it 'ordered' but not in stock. And that's been the case since at least last October. So it's a very cheap 'no lens' or a more pricey 'added taxes' real lens over here, if I can find it.
In theory
That 'specialness' of the Leica lens you notice not only in the 'feel' of the lens when you hold it...
...hand assembled, only metal parts - the 50mm 1.4 Summilux is surprisingly heavy seeing its size, mainly due to the glass inside - with beautiful aperture blades that slide into place as soon as you start turning the solid clicking aperture ring, with a damped focus ring, all the symbols engraved in the metal, filled in with paint, the hood being attached to the lens, just slide it out and lock, and the glass of course, you quickly realise it's something special, put together with care...
...but also in the smallness (except for the Noctilux, that's a beast, with its F0.95).
Because here's a bit of a daunting trick if you're used to a Canon or Nikon: M lenses do not auto focus, so they don't have a motor to drive parts of the lens.
Now, you can turn the auto focus off on your Canon, but then you quickly notice you're left with a focus ring that isn't precise enough and that it's extremely difficult to get focus right by looking through the lens, if you didn't change your focusing screen into something meant for manual focusing.
It simply doesn't compare.
The aperture blades on M lenses also aren't fired into place at the last millisecond by the camera: they're set by the photographer manually through the aperture ring.
SLRs let you look through a fully opened lens, else the image in the viewfinder would become too dark with the higher F stops. You can set the aperture on the camera, but the blades won't spring into action until you press the shutter button (or the DOF button). And that requires power and electronics.
An M lens doesn't have that problem, because the viewfinder of the camera doesn't 'look' through the lens. So at whatever F stop the lens is, the viewfinder won't change. No need to fire the aperture blades last millisecond.
An M lens doesn't need power at all - except for the power you provide by turning the rings - there's no electronics in them whatsoever.
Welcome to the legacy.
...one of the minor disadvantages: the exif data in the photo doesn't record the 'real' aperture, only an approximation, since there's no electronic connection between lens and camera, so the camera has no idea what aperture the lens is set to. It guesses a bit through the light intake...
So no motor and no electronics in the lens, another space saver.
There is however a connection between the two, because the camera does apply some algorithms to do with vignetting, based on the mounted lens. Leica solved this by using a 'bit' system: a series of 6 dots on the lens mount. By alternating the dots between black and white you can count from 0 to 63. A reader in the camera picks up on the dots, so the camera knows which lens is mounted. But that's about it, and it only requires power on the camera side. The lens just needs the right dots.
In practice
Ultimately of course you should notice the specialness of the lenses in the photos you take.
I'm still withholding judgement on the 50mm Summilux, since I haven't used it extensively yet - although the bokeh seems to be something else - but my recent experience with the 28mm Elmarit (it's a F2.8 lens) was one of amazement. I have never seen sharper and clearer photos come out of any camera I used. In fact the downscaled images coming from Picasa on this blog are a bit too sharp for my taste. The 'true' big ones are ok I think, the downscaling of Picasa makes them go over the top. The only way to prevent that is to upload them at the blog size, but then I can't show them bigger.
I should adjust Lightroom (still getting used to that one too), which is set to a sharpening default that seems to be too much for this lens.
Of course, I'm sure the lack of an anti-alias filter in the camera itself also helps with the sharpness.
An anti-alias filter 'smooths' the edges of objects in the photo a bit, which can help prevent jagged diagonals or moire effects. Most DSLRs have them, the M9 doesn't.
But without good lenses to take advantage of the lack of the filter, it probably wouldn't show.
Not only the sharpness of the Elmarit (sharpness really isn't everything), but also the lack of chromatic aberration and distortions is hard to believe after the use of wide angle lenses on my Canons (10-22mm on the 40D and the moderately wide 35mm F2 on the 5DII).
I agree that the comparison isn't totally fair, because the 35mm F2 isn't Canon's best 35mm out there, but I've also seen test shots of the better Canon lenses, and those aren't cheap either (let alone their size and weight).
Then when you see the package - just this tiny lens of 200 grams - the 2.8 Elmarit is Leica's smallest 'modern' lens - you know Leica must indeed know what they're doing.
Here's a shocker. And although the left lens on the picture is not the Leica 28mm, the size is similar to the Voigtlander 21mm shown here (the Elmarit is slightly longer)... this can be the difference. And if you now say 'but that Canon is a zoom' that's true. But some of the better non zoom Canon wide angles are as big as shown here.
But to be totally honest, Leica also produces bigger lenses. The Elmarit really is their smallest. If you look at the wide angles of Leica with low F number, you see those Ms aren't tiny either.
It's simply a given: the lower you can go with the F stop, the bigger the lens gets. Leica can't escape physics. But because of the camera design, even the low F numbers of Leica are still smaller than the low F numbers of a Canon or Nikon. The Canon 85mm F1.2 L - or even the 50mm F1.2 L - is like mounting a pineapple or a turnip...
... continue with part III - Downsides
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Mantis Revisited
Shown two already a while back, but there were a few more I never showed here, so here's all of them...
I did want to capture another quite surprising detail of these creatures, but I haven't seen one around lately.
The inside of the front legs have a colored patch, a very bright reflective blue, green and yellow, something you wouldn't expect on an insect that's completely brown. The mantis is probably mimicking a flower with it when she opens up those front legs, mesmerising some unsuspecting insect... 'oooh, pretty'... right before it's staked and eaten alive...
But as you can see on these photos, the legs are firmly shut. I saw the coloring only later, when I didn't have the camera close by...
I did want to capture another quite surprising detail of these creatures, but I haven't seen one around lately.
The inside of the front legs have a colored patch, a very bright reflective blue, green and yellow, something you wouldn't expect on an insect that's completely brown. The mantis is probably mimicking a flower with it when she opens up those front legs, mesmerising some unsuspecting insect... 'oooh, pretty'... right before it's staked and eaten alive...
But as you can see on these photos, the legs are firmly shut. I saw the coloring only later, when I didn't have the camera close by...
Sunday, February 6, 2011
I - Leica M9: what is it?
Please note that posts about the Leica M9 and Leica lenses on this blog are not aimed to be a 'review' in the strictest sense. They should be considered as highly opinionated, biased and therefore not very objective - also due to the fact that I haven't used the camera extensively yet. However, in the technical aspects they do try to be factual. All the posts which have me babbling about the M9 are gathered under the label 'Leica talk'. Click here to see them all...
So what's this Leica M9 about?
Well, it's a digital camera and a full frame one.
It's made in Germany.
I mention that fact because it seems almost outrageous: a digital camera not made in Japan or outsourced to China...
It's truly put together in Germany.
I've been using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, which is also full frame, and invested quite a bit in a few lenses, up to a point where I realised it all became too heavy.
That seems kinda silly, but remember that you gather it piece by piece, and then when dropped with it all in 40 degrees Celsius (like Shanghai last August) you realise it's no fun anymore. The bulk around your sweaty neck, the backpack or the sling bag on your soaking back, the bulkiness of it all (around 5 kilo's in the backpack you have to drag around in buses, trains and airplanes) and you curse the machine and your stupid hobby.
And I wasn't done yet.
I still needed a good wide angle (the 16-35 or the 17-40mm) and was thinking of replacing my 50mm F1.4 by the 50mm F1.2L, which would have set me back another kilo or two.
Of course, you don't need to bring everything you own on every trip, but even the camera alone with a moderate lens can already be a lot to drag around when the climate isn't helping.
M9
Then Leica came out with their M9.
Well actually before that, somewhere in the end of 2009, but I discovered it only half way 2010.
I had seen their M8 before, but that one wasn't full frame and it had quite upsetting reviews. But basically too charmed with the full frame concept of the 5DII, I didn't want to take - what I considered to be - a step back.
Leica solved the M8 problems with the M9 and made it a full frame camera, in corporation with Kodak, who designed the sensor.
Legacy
The M series cameras goes back a very long time - I haven't researched it extensively, but I think at least 50 or 60 years. And the fun part is that the basic design hardly changed. The lenses for the M series are still the M series lenses, and old ones and modern ones can be used on all models (with a few exceptions mind you, especially non-Leica M lenses - ultra wides - or collapsible ones).
Leica is about legacy, that's one thing that makes the M9 kinda special.
It also explains its somewhat 'oldish' look.
Rangefinder versus SLR
The M camera is a rangefinder.
I won't go into the too gory details, but on a rangefinder you don't look through the lens via a mirror like on an SLR. The M series has a viewfinder independent of the lens. It also means when you snap, the viewfinder doesn't black out, because there's no mirror that needs to flip up, like in an SLR.
Now that's considered by Leica to be a selling point, because you 'see' the actual moment you snap, in stead of the blackness of the mirror blocking the viewfinder.
And although that's true, I don't see the added value, because especially with the faster shutter times, who knows which millisecond got actually captured until you look at the LCD? No, I think that was the Leica marketing department ('in the moment...').
A more true advantage of the lacking mirror: it's a space saver.
It's the reason the M9 doesn't have the protruding front all the SLR cameras have.
And it doesn't only save space on the camera itself (which can be much slimmer because of it), but also on the lenses. Without a mirror needing space to flip up, the back of the lens can be placed closer to the sensor. And that means the lens can be smaller.
Other advantages of a lacking mirror: no mirror slap (I can seriously 'feel' the 5DII take a picture with a light lens on it, like the 35mm F2... a full frame mirror isn't small) and less noise when taking a picture, which makes the M9 more discrete.
See 'Dessert'. With a 28mm you need to be rather close to take a snap of someone that big in the frame. She never noticed I took the picture.
Viewfinder
The viewfinder on the M9, that's a revelation coming from an SLR.
It is bright and shows a standard view of what you could snap with a 28mm lens (and a bit beyond). So you always see the same size image in the viewfinder, no matter what lens you have on the camera. Indicated by frame lines in the viewfinder you see what part of the image your 50mm or 90mm or 135mm will capture.
Obviously this is not the best when using a tele lens, since the actual captured part of the image in the viewfinder becomes very small, and focusing becomes more difficult. It's one of the reasons Leica doesn't make an M lens longer than 135mm (you can attach magnifying gadgets though to the viewfinder, which will make focusing easier on the long end).
And although this approach has its drawbacks, the advantage of the wide viewfinder is that you can actually see what's happening outside the limits of your lens. With the 50mm mounted I can still see what's happening in the 28mm area, perhaps wait for that car to pass, or wait for that person to step in or out of the frame. That's something an SLR won't offer you.
Also, because of the placement of the viewfinder to the left of the camera (placing it in front of your right eye), you can use your left eye to look around.
And not unimportant: if you see more than just what the lens sees, you can make better decisions on where and how to point the camera. It helps deciding on composition, because it broadens the options. The viewfinder on a rangefinder better informs you about the environment you're in.
... continue with part II - Lenses
So what's this Leica M9 about?
Well, it's a digital camera and a full frame one.
It's made in Germany.
I mention that fact because it seems almost outrageous: a digital camera not made in Japan or outsourced to China...
It's truly put together in Germany.
I've been using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, which is also full frame, and invested quite a bit in a few lenses, up to a point where I realised it all became too heavy.
That seems kinda silly, but remember that you gather it piece by piece, and then when dropped with it all in 40 degrees Celsius (like Shanghai last August) you realise it's no fun anymore. The bulk around your sweaty neck, the backpack or the sling bag on your soaking back, the bulkiness of it all (around 5 kilo's in the backpack you have to drag around in buses, trains and airplanes) and you curse the machine and your stupid hobby.
And I wasn't done yet.
I still needed a good wide angle (the 16-35 or the 17-40mm) and was thinking of replacing my 50mm F1.4 by the 50mm F1.2L, which would have set me back another kilo or two.
Of course, you don't need to bring everything you own on every trip, but even the camera alone with a moderate lens can already be a lot to drag around when the climate isn't helping.
M9
Then Leica came out with their M9.
Well actually before that, somewhere in the end of 2009, but I discovered it only half way 2010.
I had seen their M8 before, but that one wasn't full frame and it had quite upsetting reviews. But basically too charmed with the full frame concept of the 5DII, I didn't want to take - what I considered to be - a step back.
Leica solved the M8 problems with the M9 and made it a full frame camera, in corporation with Kodak, who designed the sensor.
Legacy
The M series cameras goes back a very long time - I haven't researched it extensively, but I think at least 50 or 60 years. And the fun part is that the basic design hardly changed. The lenses for the M series are still the M series lenses, and old ones and modern ones can be used on all models (with a few exceptions mind you, especially non-Leica M lenses - ultra wides - or collapsible ones).
Leica is about legacy, that's one thing that makes the M9 kinda special.
It also explains its somewhat 'oldish' look.
Rangefinder versus SLR
The M camera is a rangefinder.
I won't go into the too gory details, but on a rangefinder you don't look through the lens via a mirror like on an SLR. The M series has a viewfinder independent of the lens. It also means when you snap, the viewfinder doesn't black out, because there's no mirror that needs to flip up, like in an SLR.
Now that's considered by Leica to be a selling point, because you 'see' the actual moment you snap, in stead of the blackness of the mirror blocking the viewfinder.
And although that's true, I don't see the added value, because especially with the faster shutter times, who knows which millisecond got actually captured until you look at the LCD? No, I think that was the Leica marketing department ('in the moment...').
A more true advantage of the lacking mirror: it's a space saver.
It's the reason the M9 doesn't have the protruding front all the SLR cameras have.
And it doesn't only save space on the camera itself (which can be much slimmer because of it), but also on the lenses. Without a mirror needing space to flip up, the back of the lens can be placed closer to the sensor. And that means the lens can be smaller.
Other advantages of a lacking mirror: no mirror slap (I can seriously 'feel' the 5DII take a picture with a light lens on it, like the 35mm F2... a full frame mirror isn't small) and less noise when taking a picture, which makes the M9 more discrete.
See 'Dessert'. With a 28mm you need to be rather close to take a snap of someone that big in the frame. She never noticed I took the picture.
Viewfinder
The viewfinder on the M9, that's a revelation coming from an SLR.
It is bright and shows a standard view of what you could snap with a 28mm lens (and a bit beyond). So you always see the same size image in the viewfinder, no matter what lens you have on the camera. Indicated by frame lines in the viewfinder you see what part of the image your 50mm or 90mm or 135mm will capture.
Obviously this is not the best when using a tele lens, since the actual captured part of the image in the viewfinder becomes very small, and focusing becomes more difficult. It's one of the reasons Leica doesn't make an M lens longer than 135mm (you can attach magnifying gadgets though to the viewfinder, which will make focusing easier on the long end).
And although this approach has its drawbacks, the advantage of the wide viewfinder is that you can actually see what's happening outside the limits of your lens. With the 50mm mounted I can still see what's happening in the 28mm area, perhaps wait for that car to pass, or wait for that person to step in or out of the frame. That's something an SLR won't offer you.
Also, because of the placement of the viewfinder to the left of the camera (placing it in front of your right eye), you can use your left eye to look around.
And not unimportant: if you see more than just what the lens sees, you can make better decisions on where and how to point the camera. It helps deciding on composition, because it broadens the options. The viewfinder on a rangefinder better informs you about the environment you're in.
... continue with part II - Lenses
Saturday, February 5, 2011
M9Tether 1.5a released
Turned out the button problems in the redesigned JPG viewer of version 1.5 extended to all the buttons (the ones that appear in the viewer when you move the mouse down in the window).
This problem is fixed in version 1.5a, available for download at: http://www.mymymyohmy.com/software/m9tether.html
This problem is fixed in version 1.5a, available for download at: http://www.mymymyohmy.com/software/m9tether.html
Thursday, February 3, 2011
M9Tether 1.5 released
Version 1.5 contains a redesigned JPG viewer, which tackles the somewhat slow zooming of 1.4 and fixes some bugs. The viewer also wasn't working properly under the Windows 7 Basic and Classic themes with Aero disabled. It can now differentiate between themes.
See http://www.mymymyohmy.com/software/m9tether.html for the details
I did notice some problems with the 'zoom in' and 'zoom out' buttons after releasing 1.5, but I haven't figured out yet what the exact problem is. I guess an update on 1.5 is in order soon.
I'm also trying to implement a rotation algorithm.
The camera doesn't rotate photos taken in portrait. I'm sure the EXIF data holds the info on it, because Lightroom does rotate them automatically. I do not intend to include EXIF reading, that's beyond the purpose of the application and you can already combine M9Tether with Lightroom if you really want the correct result immediately, but it would be nice to have two extra buttons to rotate the JPG in the viewer. This proves to be however a bit more complicated than I imagined. Perhaps in version 1.6.
See http://www.mymymyohmy.com/software/m9tether.html for the details
I did notice some problems with the 'zoom in' and 'zoom out' buttons after releasing 1.5, but I haven't figured out yet what the exact problem is. I guess an update on 1.5 is in order soon.
I'm also trying to implement a rotation algorithm.
The camera doesn't rotate photos taken in portrait. I'm sure the EXIF data holds the info on it, because Lightroom does rotate them automatically. I do not intend to include EXIF reading, that's beyond the purpose of the application and you can already combine M9Tether with Lightroom if you really want the correct result immediately, but it would be nice to have two extra buttons to rotate the JPG in the viewer. This proves to be however a bit more complicated than I imagined. Perhaps in version 1.6.
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