[Leica] M9, lag time, perception and other things

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca)]

Robert Meier offered:
Subject: Re: [Leica] M9, lag time, perception and other things


> Ted,
>
> You're approaching this as a subjective matter, what your experience
> is and what it seems like to you.   That's of course completely
> legitimate.   But it has been presented as an objective matter of
> timing the shutter lag, a matter of milliseconds rather than a matter
> of feelings. That, of course, is also entirely legitimate, and is a
> different way of approaching it.   The objective approach deals in
> observable and measurable facts, not feelings.   So it's not
> surprising that conclusions differ.

Hi Robert,
I agree one is subjective, the photographer holding the camera and tripping 
shutter. The other objective measured by electronic measuring device. And 
obviously they will differ I don't have any question nor doubt of these 
facts.

My initial re-action was to learn which of these two is creating the LAG 
TIME? Or a third element?  .... the way the camera is built, M9? And was it 
deemed necessary to test during development, working towards a zero 
tolerance LAG TIME? I have played with some of the early P&S cameras, the 
LAG TIME is trip shutter, it fires next week! Now that's lagtime.

We have the word of an experienced and talented photographer who is adamant 
his M9 has a lagtime to the extent ... "He seems to have actually seen the 
effects during a real shoot."  I'm not questioning his experience, However, 
when the LAG TIME comes down to a measureable length of time as .008 of  a 
second I just can not fathom that short of a time in the human body and our 
appenditiges reacting to over come it or create it.

I have had experience at the start line of the "Men's Hundred Meter Final" 
race at the Olympics and tried to capture the action the moment the gun 
fires and athletes out of the blocks! Trust me the body LAG TIME is 
incomprehensible! No matter how fast you handle your camera. And I have no 
idea how one would even consider measuring the time, "finger click - camera 
shutter lag?" You miss 99.9% of the time.. Oh getting the blurred start 
image? Any idiot can do that one as it's no big deal. :-)

I'm possibly getting off track, but having trained myself for years pre 
games time to focus and shoot at oncoming cars front license plates as I 
"follow focus them, click and still get 36 frames in focus" certainly not 
the first day, nor a week later as they came at me at 60MPH or 100 KLMS, I 
would think this an incredible test of camera and photog LAG TIME. And being 
able to determine a shutterlag time, even at .008. I'd have to honestly say 
any missed frames it was human lagtime!! .... and that can be corrected by 
practice and at least 200 rolls of film! Thank goodness for digital! :-)

I know we've been told there is / was an electronic measured time 
illustratating a LAG TIME in an M9. But is this one camera? A dozen, A 
hundred? Are they all like this? Or is this a topic that eventually goes no 
where simply becasue to most shooters it doesn't matter one iota of a fig 
newton cookie? I'm absolutely curious how a delay of .008
can make a major difference in missing a hot moment. However it is and has 
done so!! Is this another element to take into our "thinking process of 
tripping the shutter?" every time we do so? Or do we dismiss it as ... "You 
can't think and shoot! Or you've missed the highlight! Period!
If anyone else finds they are loosing frames due to an M9 LAG TIME 
phenomenon, do bring it to our attention with great haste! Maybe there is a 
discovery LEICA were not aware of! Thank you.
cheers,
ted