jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
The newest LFI confirms that the mysterious blue dot is indeed an external light sensor, used in optimizing CA and vignetting. As I recall, in this forum, Mark Norton, I and some other were philosophizing about this possibility.
We should be paid as advisors to the Leica design team!
We should be paid as advisors to the Leica design team!
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rvaubel
Well-known
jaapv said:The newest LFI confirms that the mysterious blue dot is indeed an external light sensor, used in optimizing CA and vignetting. As I recall, in this forum, Mark Norton, I and some other were philosophizing about this possibility.
We should be paid as advisors to the Leica design team!
This is fantastic news! But I have trouble believing that the news was kept under wraps for so long. I respect all the folks that had NDAs but it still surprises me that the nothing leaked out.
How can I get a copy of LFI ? How about some long "news quotes" .
Rex
Mark Norton
Well-known
You can subscribe here...
www.lfi-online.com
I certainly won't take credit for thinking about using an external sensor to estimate working aperture - I was one of those who thought it was unlikely to work but Rex pointed out it will work better if it's a spot meter rather than a wide-angle incident meter.
www.lfi-online.com
I certainly won't take credit for thinking about using an external sensor to estimate working aperture - I was one of those who thought it was unlikely to work but Rex pointed out it will work better if it's a spot meter rather than a wide-angle incident meter.
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jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Mark Norton said:
this one started the train of thought....
rvaubel
Well-known
Mark Norton said:
Mark
I'm surprised no one has confirmed that the "blue dot" is, in fact, an external sensor for estimating working aperture. It seems to me that this would be vital information to invigorate the speculation about vignetting and lateral color correction.
I'd like to read the article in LFI but at 80 Euros I think I'll wait.
Does someone want to confirm the "blue dot" function?
Rex
hoping its true
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Quoted from LFI:
and:
and:
The article contains much, much more information plus some interesting street photography by Simon Wheatly using the M8 and is int itself a good reason to get hold of this copy of LFI.
and:
and:
The article contains much, much more information plus some interesting street photography by Simon Wheatly using the M8 and is int itself a good reason to get hold of this copy of LFI.
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willemvelthoven
RD1 user
thank you...
thank you...
I seem to recall that is was ME! who started the blue dot thread here with exacly this description of it's functionality.
Tadaaaa!
Still, I wonder wether I would have ever thought about it without seeing the blue dot FIRST. So i'm probably not worthy to serve on the Leica design team.
thank you...
jaapv said:The newest LFI confirms that the mysterious blue dot is indeed an external light sensor, used in optimizing CA and vignetting. As I recall, in this forum, Mark Norton, I and some other were philosophizing about this possibility.
We should be paid as advisors to the Leica design team!
I seem to recall that is was ME! who started the blue dot thread here with exacly this description of it's functionality.
Tadaaaa!
Still, I wonder wether I would have ever thought about it without seeing the blue dot FIRST. So i'm probably not worthy to serve on the Leica design team.
willemvelthoven
RD1 user
design team
design team
Actually, i did serve as a full professor at the Berlin University for the Arts. That's where Achim Heine, the industrial designer on the M8 is teaching too. But he never lold me a anything. He's very discreet.:bang:
design team
jaapv said:The newest LFI confirms that the mysterious blue dot is indeed an external light sensor, used in optimizing CA and vignetting. As I recall, in this forum, Mark Norton, I and some other were philosophizing about this possibility.
We should be paid as advisors to the Leica design team!
Actually, i did serve as a full professor at the Berlin University for the Arts. That's where Achim Heine, the industrial designer on the M8 is teaching too. But he never lold me a anything. He's very discreet.:bang:
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
willemvelthoven said:
We started this discussion in July 6th, long before the blue dot was known.Benz and I postulated the system then. Search function would have revealed that. I didn't want to steal your thunder when you reinvented it here on September 9th...
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Nemo
Established
In passing, have you noticed a change in the type of paper used by LFI?
The paper was gross and matte, and this new paper is thinner and and a bit glossy...
The paper was gross and matte, and this new paper is thinner and and a bit glossy...
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
I think the print quality of the photographs is not what it used to be either.
Ben Z
Veteran
Directly from a friend who just returned from Photokina, according to Ralph Hagenauer, Leica product manager, anad Christian Erhard from Leica USA, the "Blue Dot" measures the pre-flash for what is being referred to as "M-TTL Flash". They said it has absolutely no other function whatsoever. Sorry to disappoint the Trekkies
ghost
Well-known
m-ttl, that's what the guy said in one video. i don't get how they'd think amateurs would want that over a completely beeyooteefulll objet d'art.
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Ben Z said:Directly from a friend who just returned from Photokina, according to Ralph Hagenauer, Leica product manager, anad Christian Erhard from Leica USA, the "Blue Dot" measures the pre-flash for what is being referred to as "M-TTL Flash". They said it has absolutely no other function whatsoever. Sorry to disappoint the Trekkies
Interesting- LFI is a semi-official Leica publication and says exactly the opposite in great length....
I tend to believe that over a spokesman told a friend who told me. But time will tell... They'll have to do something if they want to compensate aperture-influenced vignetting.
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Mark Norton
Well-known
rvaubel said:
Rex, that 80 euros is for a year's subscription, not a single copy!
Mark Norton
Well-known
Ben Z said:Directly from a friend who just returned from Photokina, according to Ralph Hagenauer, Leica product manager, anad Christian Erhard from Leica USA, the "Blue Dot" measures the pre-flash for what is being referred to as "M-TTL Flash". They said it has absolutely no other function whatsoever. Sorry to disappoint the Trekkies
Have to say I got exactly the same response when I asked at Photokina. OTOH, Andy Piper saw an EXIF file header from an un-coded lens on an M8 with an aperture approximation in it, so it must have figured it out somehow.
rvaubel
Well-known
Mark Norton said:
OK. What's the Blue Dot do? Is it an external meter used for determining taking aperture? I thought this was settled.
Rex
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
Once the camera is in user hands, the matter is simply settled. Just put your finger over the dot when shooting and see what the exif does. Otoh it seems pretty silly for Leica to put a light sensor on the camera and use it for E-TTL (sorry - M-TTL) flash measuring only, not using it for any other possibilty for which it is obviously suited. Time will tell.
ulrik
Established
TTL Through The Lens - if blue dot measures flash, i wonder why it's refered to as M-TTL?
jlw
Rangefinder camera pedant
ulrik said:
Might be for measuring a pre-flash to set the initial power level, a system used on many DSLRs.
I still think it must also measure ambient light, though -- there's got to be an external sensor somewhere if they're putting f/stop data in the EXIF headers.
Oh, well, first one on the group to receive an M8 can fill us all in!