Leica firmware for all four camera families is updated this month. They introduce a few new features, especially for the SL3, and many improvements across the board. In addition, bug fixes are included. As usual, we recommend updating your cameras as soon as possible.
Leica D-Lux 8 compact
The new firmware addresses bug fixes. It is disappointing that the opportunity to reinstate zoom functions (step zoom and control ring functionality) has been missed.1
We know that the factory is fully aware of concerns about the removal of the zoom functions (previously part of the D-Lux 7) but has yet to justify the additional cost in reinstating the options.
The camera is selling well, by all accounts, and this reduces the incentive to bring back the zoom controls.
Leica SL family
New features in the latest version 2.0.1 firmware including the addition of a lock function for white balance, and additional joystick functions. The SL3 gains improvements to the user profile, thumb wheel functionality, continuous shooting, control centre layout, storage options, capture mode, review mode, Leica FOTOS connection, EXIF 3.0, and amendments to the mechanical shutter speeds.
The camera menu has improved guidance, with the introduction of a new “Back” button on the top left of the screen. WLAN menu settings have been transferred to Camera Settings and a new flash icon has been integrated.
The SL2 and SL2-S gain extended lens support, bug fixes in Profoto Connect Pro connection, improved eye detection in AF mode and the reintroduction of magnification via the joystick.
Leica Q family
There is quite a raft of improvements to the Q family cameras in the latest firmware. A new feature is support for audio products produced by RØDE.
Improvements include reduction of blackout time for single shots in capture mode; bugfixes; improvements to Leica FOTOS connection; improvements in continuous shooting; improvements in iAF focus delay and tracking output; improvements to AF/AE lock, AF field size and Touch AF.
In addition, the factory setting for USB mode has been changed to Select on Connection and support for EXIF 3.0.
Leica M family
This update brings improvement to the stability of the Leica FOTOS connection, plus two new features. They are background transfer — the ability to transfer images to Leica FOTOS 5 in the background via Bluetooth — and the option to format internal memory and the inserted memory card via FOTOS. This latter feature will be of particular interest to owners of the Leica M11-D.
More reviews of the Leica family of cameras
- Review of Leica M11
- Leica M11 Monochrom review
- Leica M11-D long-term review
- Leica M11-D: The screen that never was
- Leica M11-P the camera with Contact Credentials
- D-Lux 8 Review
- Leica D-Lux 8 loses popular features
- How I changed my mind about the SL3
- Leica SL3 review
- Leica Q3: A solid upgrade
- Leica Q3: Photographing the people of Skye by night
- Long-term review of the Leica Q3 43
- Leica Q3 43 goes to Crete
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- The D-Lux 7 and the sister camera, the Lumix LX100 II had extended zoom functions which were also available on previous models back to, I think, 2015. First, the step zoom allowed the zoom toggle lever or the lens ring to jump the focal length in standard increments (24, 28, 35, 50, 75). In addition, the adjustment ring on the lens could be set to assume zoom functions instead of focus. This made for a much more natural way of operating the lens, in line with most modern zoom lenses. A further function, digital zoom, is also missing from the menu of the D-Lux 8. But it can be enabled in an unofficially by reducing the size of the JPG file. On full size there is no digital zoom, but as the JPG size is reduced, the digital zoom increases. ↩︎
So they took a year to give us back the use of the joystick to magnify in MF using the Leica adapter.
Thankfully my new SL2-S came with firmware 5.2 and I never updated to 6.0.
I think I’ll wait a while and let everyone else be beta testers for the new firmware in case it screws something else up!
Glad to hear, Andrew. I just did the D-Lux 8, but then have to tackle M11-D and Q3 43. Something for the cool of the evening. Mike
Just updated my Q3 – no problems during the upgrade.