M6 Mark II spontaneously changing settings

To all,

I have a new M6 Mark II that overall is working great. However, I’ve noticed that settings are intermittently getting spontaneously changed.

There’s another thread about similar problems that seem related to the touchscreen being inadvertently touched, but I don’t think that’s what is happening to me. Between shots, I keep the info screen blank other than the square for the focus point – no setting options – and it stays that way.

Moreover, the changes aren’t just switching from one-shot to servo, but include switching from single shot to continuous or self-timer mode, or switching metering from evaluative to center-weighted. They have even included switching from 3:2 aspect ratio to 1:1 aspect ratio – something that should require a series of actions, rather than just an accidental tap on the screen. I think that on occasion more than 1 option has been switched at a time.

I usually keep the camera in Av mode, so it isn’t due to me changing the exposure mode.

I haven’t been able to see any consistent pattern in the changes, although I think changing from single shot to continuous or self-timer may happen the most often.

Fortunately it doesn’t happen a lot, but in a day of heavy shooting I’ve found myself surprised by these changes a couple of times.

I wanted to see if others have experienced this, and have ideas about what might be causing it and how to prevent it.

Thanks for your thoughts!

My m6ii has started showing odd behaviour too, I've been doing a lot of macro recently so I have C2 set to use manual with a flash and have the default speed set to 1/60, but it randomly changes to a slower speed - all the way down to bulb sometimes, its 'kin annoying.

I now double check before firing

I think sometimes it happens when I press m-fn which I have set to magnify, I'm pretty sure I'm not touching the dials by mistake, and definitely not clicking it around that much

It seems to calm down after a minute, and after I use the dial to reset the speed back to something sensible

Solutions gratefully accepted

Jim

dedede wrote:

I haven’t been able to see any consistent pattern in the changes, although I think changing from single shot to continuous or self-timer may happen the most often.

Does it change settings after changing batteries?

My M6II gets ghost clicks on the front dial, I can 'fix' it for a few weeks by spinning for a minute or 2, but it comes back after a while. The clicks are always down, so in M mode the shutter will end up in bulb mode if I don't pay attention.

So anything that reacts to the front wheel can get changed, which is why I don't trust this camera anymore. The store where I bought it said "That's a software problem, no warranty, sucks to be you!", so I'm eagerly awaiting a new model getting announced that has eye-AF in servo mode and charges over USB-C PD.

koenkooi wrote:

My M6II gets ghost clicks on the front dial, I can 'fix' it for a few weeks by spinning for a minute or 2, but it comes back after a while. The clicks are always down, so in M mode the shutter will end up in bulb mode if I don't pay attention.

So anything that reacts to the front wheel can get changed, which is why I don't trust this camera anymore. The store where I bought it said "That's a software problem, no warranty, sucks to be you!", so I'm eagerly awaiting a new model getting announced that has eye-AF in servo mode and charges over USB-C PD.

This may be an easy fix.

If my M6II starts doing it I will find out.

I could be the first person to make a M6II tear down video. 

dedede wrote:

I have a new M6 Mark II that overall is working great. However, I’ve noticed that settings are intermittently getting spontaneously changed.

I've had mine almost three years, and I started seeing this only recently, with the front dial (the one around the shutter button).

I went as far as disabling this button when shooting, and that has helped. I still see unintended changes when reviewing photos, which confirmed for me that the front dial is doing something funky.

Ali wrote:

dedede wrote:

I have a new M6 Mark II that overall is working great. However, I’ve noticed that settings are intermittently getting spontaneously changed.

I've had mine almost three years, and I started seeing this only recently, with the front dial (the one around the shutter button).

I went as far as disabling this button when shooting, and that has helped. I still see unintended changes when reviewing photos, which confirmed for me that the front dial is doing something funky.

Remove the battery first !

Take a vacuum cleaner hose to the button.

Spin the dial and vacuum then do some more. Lots of times.

Then take some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel or q tips and clean the shutter button and the ring dial.

Then drop a drop of rubbing into the space between the shutter and ring dial and spin the ring dial lots of times.

Vacuum and spin a few times then let it sit in the dry box a few days.

Take it out, spin the dial a few times, put the battery back in and try it ?

m100 wrote:

Ali wrote:

dedede wrote:

I have a new M6 Mark II that overall is working great. However, I’ve noticed that settings are intermittently getting spontaneously changed.

I've had mine almost three years, and I started seeing this only recently, with the front dial (the one around the shutter button).

I went as far as disabling this button when shooting, and that has helped. I still see unintended changes when reviewing photos, which confirmed for me that the front dial is doing something funky.

Remove the battery first !

Take a vacuum cleaner hose to the button.

Spin the dial and vacuum then do some more. Lots of times.

Then take some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel or q tips and clean the shutter button and the ring dial.

Then drop a drop of rubbing into the space between the shutter and ring dial and spin the ring dial lots of times.

Vacuum and spin a few times then let it sit in the dry box a few days.

Take it out, spin the dial a few times, put the battery back in and try it ?

Thanks for the suggestion! Makes sense that some gunk or other stuff could be causing this, and hopefully it's cleanable. Your question mark makes me ask ... is this something you tried before?

I'd love to go and do this, but the issue is not reproducing for me right now. I'll have to wait until it starts happening again.

Ali wrote:

m100 wrote:

Ali wrote:

dedede wrote:

I have a new M6 Mark II that overall is working great. However, I’ve noticed that settings are intermittently getting spontaneously changed.

I've had mine almost three years, and I started seeing this only recently, with the front dial (the one around the shutter button).

I went as far as disabling this button when shooting, and that has helped. I still see unintended changes when reviewing photos, which confirmed for me that the front dial is doing something funky.

Remove the battery first !

Take a vacuum cleaner hose to the button.

Spin the dial and vacuum then do some more. Lots of times.

Then take some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel or q tips and clean the shutter button and the ring dial.

Then drop a drop of rubbing into the space between the shutter and ring dial and spin the ring dial lots of times.

Vacuum and spin a few times then let it sit in the dry box a few days.

Take it out, spin the dial a few times, put the battery back in and try it ?

Thanks for the suggestion! Makes sense that some gunk or other stuff could be causing this, and hopefully it's cleanable. Your question mark makes me ask ... is this something you tried before?

I'd love to go and do this, but the issue is not reproducing for me right now. I'll have to wait until it starts happening again.

Yes I have cleaned buttons and switches and such before. Not on a M6II though.

I don't think it will hurt anything cleaning it like this..  I would be very careful not to get much alcohol down in there.

If it does not work then I guess the camera would need to come apart.

m100 wrote:

koenkooi wrote:

My M6II gets ghost clicks on the front dial, I can 'fix' it for a few weeks by spinning for a minute or 2, but it comes back after a while. The clicks are always down, so in M mode the shutter will end up in bulb mode if I don't pay attention.

So anything that reacts to the front wheel can get changed, which is why I don't trust this camera anymore. The store where I bought it said "That's a software problem, no warranty, sucks to be you!", so I'm eagerly awaiting a new model getting announced that has eye-AF in servo mode and charges over USB-C PD.

This may be an easy fix.

If my M6II starts doing it I will find out.

I could be the first person to make a M6II tear down video.

My thoughts were trying some compressed air while spinning it. In the past I would've used contact spray, but that has become hard to get here in Europe, I bet the magic ingredient turned out to be not so healthy for humans

Your suggestion of using IPA is also a good one, thanks for that!

koenkooi wrote:

m100 wrote:

koenkooi wrote:

My M6II gets ghost clicks on the front dial, I can 'fix' it for a few weeks by spinning for a minute or 2, but it comes back after a while. The clicks are always down, so in M mode the shutter will end up in bulb mode if I don't pay attention.

So anything that reacts to the front wheel can get changed, which is why I don't trust this camera anymore. The store where I bought it said "That's a software problem, no warranty, sucks to be you!", so I'm eagerly awaiting a new model getting announced that has eye-AF in servo mode and charges over USB-C PD.

This may be an easy fix.

If my M6II starts doing it I will find out.

I could be the first person to make a M6II tear down video.

My thoughts were trying some compressed air while spinning it. In the past I would've used contact spray, but that has become hard to get here in Europe, I bet the magic ingredient turned out to be not so healthy for humans

Your suggestion of using IPA is also a good one, thanks for that!

Hope it works !

I have repaired mostly remote control buttons.

Sometimes buttons would be sticky, maybe pop or beer.

Most times I would take them apart though because they were easy to take apart.

Sometimes the circuit boards with the switches would have dried sticky liquid on them too.

Would sometimes wash the little board and the rest of the remote with Dawn and water  brushing it gently with a soft toothbrush then rinsing real good with water.

Then dry real good and it would sometimes work.

The M6II switches will be a bit trickier to get to though !

I have JIS screwdrivers and have taken many cameras apart. Put some back together too.

Ali wrote:

dedede wrote:

I have a new M6 Mark II that overall is working great. However, I’ve noticed that settings are intermittently getting spontaneously changed.

I've had mine almost three years, and I started seeing this only recently, with the front dial (the one around the shutter button).

I went as far as disabling this button when shooting, and that has helped. I still see unintended changes when reviewing photos, which confirmed for me that the front dial is doing something funky.

There are replacement parts that can be purchased on the Web (like a top plate).

M6ii Top Plate (with buttons)

This is what I'd do if the Contact Cleaner fix didn't work.

Note: I have some really good "LPS Plastic Safe" contact cleaner (LPS 4620).  Careful, there are a zillion different other LPS formulations, and some are VERY harsh (akin to brake cleaner).

Best of luck!

R2

R2D2 wrote:

Ali wrote:

dedede wrote:

I have a new M6 Mark II that overall is working great. However, I’ve noticed that settings are intermittently getting spontaneously changed.

I've had mine almost three years, and I started seeing this only recently, with the front dial (the one around the shutter button).

I went as far as disabling this button when shooting, and that has helped. I still see unintended changes when reviewing photos, which confirmed for me that the front dial is doing something funky.

There are replacement parts that can be purchased on the Web (like a top plate).

M6ii Top Plate (with buttons)

This is what I'd do if the Contact Cleaner fix didn't work.

Note: I have some really good "LPS Plastic Safe" contact cleaner (LPS 4620). Careful, there are a zillion different other LPS formulations, and some are VERY harsh (akin to brake cleaner).

Best of luck!

R2

Thanks for that link !  All new top buttons !

M6II can be repaired ! 

dedede wrote:

OP here again. This has been a very interesting discussion, but I’m fairly certain that the spontaneous setting changes I’ve had aren’t related to the buttons or dials. They affect different settings at different times, and include settings that I haven’t programmed and would be complicated to accidentally modify (like changing the aspect ratio).

One of the first respondents raised the possibility that this could be software related, but I have the latest software installed.

It sounded like some others have noticed random changes similar to mine, so I’m wondering if anyone has had software problems, or has found a way to solve this.

Thanks again for your ideas!

Rob

Button software troubleshooting ? Done that too ! (Arduino)

Have had my M6II for almost 2 years and I have not seen a problem like yours.

Being as you have the latest firmware update there is not a lot you can do about the software.

You could try to clean the switch and dial or replace the top panel.

Or part the camera body out and sell the parts on ebay and make a profit off that body if you can not get it back together ?

dedede wrote:

OP here again. This has been a very interesting discussion, but I’m fairly certain that the spontaneous setting changes I’ve had aren’t related to the buttons or dials. They affect different settings at different times, and include settings that I haven’t programmed and would be complicated to accidentally modify (like changing the aspect ratio).

One of the first respondents raised the possibility that this could be software related, but I have the latest software installed.

It sounded like some others have noticed random changes similar to mine, so I’m wondering if anyone has had software problems, or has found a way to solve this.

Thanks again for your ideas!

Rob

Sorry, my M6ii hasn't spontaneously changed settings ever, in some 100,000 + shots.  So can't help with that.  I think the AF point got moved accidentally a couple of times when I've rubbed my hand on the LCD, but that's about it.

If I were to guess, I'd suspect that the settings got accidentally changed through the LCD (by touch) somehow, but IDK.  Mybe using a Custom Mode would help?

Best of luck,

R2

dedede wrote:

OP here again. This has been a very interesting discussion, but I’m fairly certain that the spontaneous setting changes I’ve had aren’t related to the buttons or dials.

Do you mean this happens when the camera is just sitting there, without being handled?

They affect different settings at different times, and include settings that I haven’t programmed and would be complicated to accidentally modify (like changing the aspect ratio).

One of the first respondents raised the possibility that this could be software related, but I have the latest software installed.

Seems unlikely, but it could be -- maybe there is still some erroneous or ghost button/dial/touch input that is synthesized and causes software to be confused. The input may be spontaneous and thus not obvious.

It sounded like some others have noticed random changes similar to mine, so I’m wondering if anyone has had software problems, or has found a way to solve this.

Thanks again for your ideas!

Rob

My experience with problems like that has been mostly the touch screen.  Are you sure it's not that?  I don't have it in hand, but I think maybe it can happen from any display, or the display can even turn on at a touch??  I forget the many ways in which this can happen.  One way to find out is just to disable the touch screen from the menu.  If you still have the problem, then the touch screen isn't the cause.

The other way is to accidentally change it from one of the buttons.  The Dial Function button was a prime offender, because I never knew what function it was set for.  So I just disabled the multi-function aspect, and now it just controls the focusing mode.  But I also find it easy to occasionally use the wrong button or not be where I thought I was in the menu -- although I don't do that much any more.  This whole paragraph is about user errors, although they can be easy to make at times.