M240: The not so good, the bad and the ugly

[Doug]

Just back from 10 days or so overseas trip with Leica M-D 262. I took four 32Gb cards formatted on the computer with SD Formatter, then formatted again in one of my other digital Leicas (likely unnecessary). I shot about 800 photos, all on one of the cards with plenty of room to spare. So, no need to format cards while away... the card stayed in the camera where it was safe from loss.

Well, except that my wife ran out of room and borrowed one of my cards, reformatting it in her Panasonic and resuming her heavy stream of shooting! She made sure to push up the lock tab on every card that came out of that camera... no second opportunities on this trip.

 

[jaapv]

This is freaking me out! 😱😱😱
1.- With pretty much any other camera in the market you can use any brand, capacity, and speed memory card you want (unless the camera can't use a brand new type of memory card or the card exceed the capacity the camera can handle). But basically you should be able to buy a "standard" card and use it. Depending card and camera it might be faster or slower ... But 14 seconds no.
2.- Since the beginning of times (well not really, but you'll get the point), cameras have formated their memory cards. Actually was always the recommended procedure by the camera makers.
Now let's say I'm on a trip. I don't bring my 15" mac book pro with me. I'm there to travel and see places and people. "Oh my god!!! I lost the little pouch where I had my spare memory cards!!! No problem, I'll go to any electronics store, or Walmart or Walgreens and get a memory card to keep going on my trip. Oh! But I don't have a laptop to format my card!" :bang:
REALLY?!?!?! Cards NEVER should be depending in having a computer with you to format them. Insert in the camera, format, and go. That is the main reason I didn't pull the trigger on the MD. I love that camera, but for some things (other than downloading and procesing) it makes me be attached to a computer.
So if what you are saying it is true and that is what Leica recommends ... Epic failure Leica!!! Epic!
3.- Read #2
4.- i have never deleted the files from any memory card, unless i did it by mistake, but never on purpose. Always after done with my importing I put the card in my card case in the side of cards ready to use. Whenever I'm on the field and need a new card, grab one from the "ready to use" side of the card case, format, keep shooting. Done that my whole life with many different camera models and many different brands (never Leica tho). All my cameras started in the time they supposed to start and never had a problem with a card, let's knock on wood.

I NEVER follow this procedure on any of my digital Ms. (Although I do recommend some of it when people post with problems on the Internet). It is not a Leica recommendation. It is a summary of Internet recipes varying from sensible to pure myth.
I only use SDFormatter when switching cards between camera brands. I just format in the camera, I do delete files -I am an expert at taking failed shots- etc, and I only had one card go bad on me over the years.
I think that the main problem is that the M series does not always warn the user when an unsuitable card is mounted and is sensitive to digressions from the protocol by card makers.
I use Lexar Pro and Panasonic Gold cards. The Lexars are for the M240, as they halve the startup lag and reduce the EVF blackout time on my camera.
Panasonic Gold prevents lockups on the M9 as the card does data integrity checks - but that makes them slower on the M240.