M8 & Apple Aperture: Missing Metadata Info?

[jpmac55]

I am a new M8 user and have successfully worked with Apples Aperture software with a few Canon dSLR camera's. With the M8 though, besides having some SD loading issues, there is a decent amount of missing lens metadata information.

Perhaps related, the media reader identifies the SD card as "Unknown" rather than any reference to Leica or M8. It does identify the camera in the metadata information though.

Any advice or comments appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Ken Shipman]

The M lens does not communicate with the camera, other than the 6-bit binary code which only identifies the lens. No information about aperture setting or focus distance is given to the camera, therefore that info can't be captured in the EXIF. If your lens is not 6-bit coded even the focal length and max aperture are unknown.
As for the card, I don't see anywhere where the card type would be recorded in the EXIF, even for Nikon.
Oh - I misunderstood your point about the reader device at transfer time. I don't remember exactly, but I think I've noticed the same thing - Leica cards are Unknown whereas Nikon cards are identified as such. Not sure whether Leica or Aperture is at fault there.

 

[jpmac55]

Thanks, Ken - I think you annswered both problems for me.

I wonder if any lens communicates with the M8 camera? It's obviously not the end all but would be nice to have that information.

 

[Ken Shipman]

Nope. There aren't any ports on the M body to communicate through. The window on the M8 mount is just for reading the static binary 6-bit code through light reflection (sort of like a bar code scanner) but there are no electronic ports useful for passing dynamic data. Canon and Nikon put chips in their lenses that communicate back to the body through the gold contacts. Leica has nothing like that in the M line. I'm sure the future S and R lines will have that feature, but the M line? Heck, it took them 20 years just to put in a decent meter, and another 20 years to fit auto exposure.

Of course the 6-bit body mount window could be replaced with a set of contacts, and the M lenses could be fitted with a chip and contacts in place of the 6-bit code. Hmmm. Nah!

 

[jpmac55]

Maybe our children will get those goodies someday ;-)

 

[fotomeow]

Anyone happen to know how to get all the metadata from the RD1 imported by Aperture?
I cant get some info transferred that is important for testing lenses and such,
e.g. if a filter used, and if so, what type? Aperture also does not load which "Film type" info,
such as specifying a higher or lower contrast while shooting. (?).