Formatting The Memory Card; Taking Photographs With The Self Timer - Leica M9 Instructions Manual

Formatting the memory card

It is not normally necessary to format (initialize) a
memory card that has already been used. However, if
a card that has yet to be formatted is inserted for the
first time, it muss be formatted. In such cases the
Format SD card sub-menu appears automatically.
The LEICA M9 allows you to select whether you only
want to format the memory card or to actually com-
pletely delete all data on the card, e.g. to protect
against misuse, by overwriting.
Notes:
• Simple formatting does not irretrievably delete the
data on the card. It merely deletes the directory,
which means that the existing data is no longer
directly accessible. The data can be accessed again
using appropriate software.
Only the data that is then overwritten by saving new
data is actually completely deleted.
Nevertheless, you should get into the habit of trans-
ferring all your pictures onto a secure bulk storage
medium, e.g. the hard drive on your computer, as
soon as possible.
• Depending on the type of memory card being used,
formatting may take up to 2 minutes.
Procedure
1. In the main menu (see p. 102/119), select Format
SD card (4.1.27), and
2. select the desired function - Yes, No or Overwrite
in the sub-menu.
3. If you really want to overwrite the memory card,
you then need to confirm this in the relevant sub-
menu to protect against unintentional settings.
Notes:
• Do not switch off the LEICA M9 while the memory
card is being formatted/overwritten.
• If the memory card has been formatted in another
device, such as a computer, you should reformat it
in the LEICA M9.
• If the memory card cannot be formatted/over -
written, you should ask your dealer or contact the
Leica Information Service (address, see p. 177) for
advice.
• Even protected pictures (see previous section) are
deleted when formatting the memory card.
• Depending on the capacity and read/write speed of
the card, overwriting can take up to 60 minutes.
You should therefore check the battery charge level
first (see p. 108). If the battery capacity is exhaust-
ed during overwriting, a corresponding message
appears in the monitor.
Additional functions / Formatting the memory card / Taking photographs with the self timer / 157

Taking photographs with the self timer

You can use the self timer to take a picture with a
delay of either 2 or 12 s. This can be particularly use-
ful, for example in the first case if you want to avoid
the picture being out of focus due to camera shake
when releasing the shutter or, in the second case, for
group photographs where you want to appear in the
picture yourself.
Setting and using the function
1. Set the main switch (1.18) to .
2. In the main menu (see p. 102/119), select Self
timer (5.1.3) and
3. then select the desired delay time in the sub-menu.
4. To start the delay time press the shutter release
button (1.19) to the first pressure point, see p. 114).
• The LED (1.7) on the front of the camera flashes
for the first 10 s of a 12 s delay time, then it stays
lit continuously, to show the progress of the
delay time. The countdown is shown on the
monitor at the same time.
While the self timer delay time is running, it can be
aborted at any time by pressing the SET
the relevant setting is retained and the function can be
restarted by pressing the shutter release button again.
Important:
In self timer mode, the exposure is not set by depress-
ing the shutter release to the pressure point, it is set
immediately before the picture is taken.
button (1.21) –